Chapter 1
Cats from all clans sat underneath the great oak, the four clans all jumbled into one big cluster of cats. Loved ones pressed against there mates, clan mates whispering frightindly in there clan mates ears, sisters and brothers enjoying each others company for possibly the last time.
In the thick branches of the great oak stood 3 transparent looking figures that were sillhouted against the moon that was barly giving off any light from the dark clouds covering it. The cats in the damp clearing were dark, barly being able to see the colors of there pelts against the darkness of the night.
The bare branches of the trees shivered against the cold leaf bare wind. A damp breeze swept across the cats that were shiviring in the clearing, but not from the coldness, from a fare more chilled reason.
Among those cats was Dovewing who was pressing against her mothers warm pelt. Beside her was Ivypool, her neck fur standing on end. Dovewing lifted her tail and put it on Ivypools shoulder softly. " It's going to be alright, trust me." Dovewing said, trying to reasure her sister. She gave a small nod, but her eyes were still troubled. Dovewing sighed. She knew for a fact that what she said was not true, and that by the end of tonight, her clan mates would have to be prepared to get fresh blood on there claws, or else there blood would be on someone else's claws.
" Attention cats from all clans. " rang a powerful voice coming from a branch on the great oak. The sillhouted transparent cat stepped forward, reveling Tigerstars brown pelt shimiring against the moon light. Heads turned up, looking at him with terrified eyes, including Dovewing.
On one of the lowest branches, she noticed former shadowclan cats Applefur, Ratscar and Redwillow, sitting down, tallls raped around there paws proudly as they stared at there past clan mates that were about to all die. On the next branch sat cats previously from windclan: Breezpelt, Furzzpelt and Sunstrike smiling smugly at there soon to be killed fromer clan mates. Icewing, Minnowtail, Hallowflight and Beetlewhisker from Riverclan sat on a branch that barly looked like they were holding there weight. The Riverclan cats looked saddened, but certainty still shinned in there determained eyes. And last and certainly lest was Blossomfall, Dovewings clan mate.
Dovewing felt sadness grip at her paws as she starred at one of her best friends who had always been there, sitting up in the great oak along with the evil cats from the place were no stars shone. She shivered as she saw who was on the branch beside Blossomfall. Birchfall. She had never gotten over the fact that her father was now a dark forest warrior, a part of the cats who had a taste for blood. He had betrayed his mate, daughters, and his clan itself by joining. Dovewing looked at her paws when she saw her fathers gaze look at her. She didn't want anything to do with him.
" As you all know, it is time for the first Warrior games. There will be tributes from every clan, fighting to a bloody death for there lives. There shall only be one winner, from one clan. The only way to do that is to thrive and survive, so I suggest you don't freight about geting your claws dirty. " He explained strickly as he looked down among all the clan cats that had to obey his every move.
Some cats gave a small nod, clearifying that they understood, others eyes didn't look up at the ghostly cats giving orders to the terrified cats in the clearing below, following the visous murderer's every demand. " The chosen tributes from each clan will be taken just off clan terriotory, a fare amount of space givven to hide and whimper for a few days, or search for cats to sink there claws into. " He explained quickly. Even though the moonligh shone among his pelt, Dovewing could still see the evil glisting in his eyes as he starred down at the helpless cats in the clearing.
" But," He added quickly. " The boarders of were you can and can't go wil be gaurded by our most powerful warriors, so don't even think about anything. " He snarled, his yellow sharp teeth barly showing against the dark light.
" Now. " He began, the snarl from a moment ago commpletly gone, as it was replaced by a smug look of amusment appearing on his face. " Now, we will start off with the tributes from Thunderclan. But first, I'd just like to remind you that the tributes were chosen randomly. " He said in an unconvincing voice, his eyes glistining. " Since thunderclan is the largest clan, there will be nine tributes from this large clan. " He said, hisses of furry rising from the cats, turning the pleasure in his eyes to furry. He rased his tail for silence, his sillhouted form shimiring against the moon light.
" First, we have Brambleclaw. " He said, happyniss shining in his eyes as he looked down at his identical son with happyness. " What? " Squirrelflights meow of outrage burst through the clearing as her mate stepped forward, paw steps stiff as they seemed to echo as he padded to the great oak. He hoped up on the branch with the previous cats Birchfall and Blossomfall sitting on it. Scratching caught her eyes as she watched there deputy walking up the thick branch being prepared to his doom, he saw Blossemfall scratching her paws against the branch angrily. ' Why don't you do something about it? ' the challenge raced through her mind furiously as she watched her sitting there, watching as her former clan mates got called to there untimed death.
Brambleclaw took his set, not making eye contact with any cat, but staring up at the clouded moon as if beging starclan for it to be diffrent, but he knew as well as any other cat, starclan was power less from now on. He looked down at his paws as Tigerstar continued, listing the next one of his clanmates that were going to be called out to die. " Bumblestripe, you are the next tribute. " He said, looking down at the tom in the crowed. His face was twisted with horror as he walked up to the branch, sitting beside his deputy, who's eyes were still distant, not noticing the warrior.
She pricked her ears as she heard a small gasp of pain coming from Millie, who was leaning into Greystirpe as her son got called up to die amongst order from the evi; cats from the dark forest. With Blossomfall a traitor and Bumblestripe dieing, Greystripe and Briarlight was all she had left. Dovewing noticed Millie making eye contact with her daughter for a few seconds, before Blossomfall turned her head away as her eyes filledd with pain.
" Dustpelt. " The meow from the tree made Dovewing jerk her head up from Millie as Tigerstar quickly spotted the brown tom amongst the cats in the chilled clearing. Unlike Bumblestripe and Brambleclaw, he stood up confidently, head up high, tail raised proudly as he walked through the clustered cats. As he approached the tree, he took one last look at his clan mates, before confidently hoping on the branch, beside the horrofoed Bumblestripe, who was staring at him with shook. But he did not reply, only sticking his muzzle up as his pelt sillhouted against the moonlight.
A shiver ran from Dovewings ears down her spine as she saw how strong and powerful the tom cat looked as he stood proudly, eyes sparkling with excitement. What had happened to this noble and trust worthy warrior willing to protect his clan with his life, now ready to claw out the hearts of his friends and loved ones? " He looks so.. proud. " Dovewing turned her head to her sister who was sitting, neck fur bristling much more then it had when they had first arrived here. Dovewing just looked back up at Tigerstar who was still waiting for the mummers from different clans to settle down, ready to listen.
" and next, Greystripe. " He said, looking down as a smirk appeared on his face. He starred at Greystripe, there eyes locking as Tigerstripe looked at the cat who he knew since the previous forest she had heard nursy tails about. Greystripe whispered something to Millie before padding up bravly to the tree, climbing up the oak to the branch that held the 4 cats, only adding another to die. She looked back at Millie who was starring at her mate who was sitting on the branch, lookng back down at her with loving eyes as the moon glistined against his pelt, seeing his mate for one last time.
" Daisy. " He said, the slightest of a sweet voice of pleasure as he looked down at the helpless kittypet who had joined thunderclan, and she then knew exactly why there was pleasure in his voice. It would be fun for him to see the lifless body of an innocent cat that could have had nothing to do with the clans.
She looked around shooked, as if she didn't know what to do. Her cream colored pelt was almost unseable against the dusk sky as the she cat slowly got up. She looked up at the great oak. She jumped up, paws scrabiling awkwardly as she tried to climb her way to the branch, but fell back to her paws agains the cold ground.
" Hurry it up! I thought Thunderclan cats knew how to climb trees! " Dovewing's head jerked up to the high branch that Tigerstar was proudly sitting on as he spat in furry. Daisy quickly scrambled up to the branch, leaving fresh claw marks against the trunk as Greystripe helped her steady on the branch. Dovewing looked at her grey paws sadly as she relized Daisy was likely to be the first dead, after all, she didn't know how to climb, attack, defend, or even hunt for herself. If she wasn't spotted, she would starve.
" Sandstorm. " He said, looking down at the she cat who was huddled beside Firestar. Her eyes grew wide with shook. Firestars eyes grew wide with hatred as he looked up at Tigerstar. Sandstorm stiffly padded away from her mate and two daughters.
" Next would be Squirrelflight and Leafpool. " He said, looking down at the two sisters that were huddled together with there father Firestar. He saw anger flash deeply in Firestars eyes as he watched his two daughters climb up the tree, preapering for there death. Firestar was now alone, no cat beside him. Dovewing felt sorry for the Thunderclan leader.
He huddled with Sandstrorm as the she cat burred her muzzle in his pelt. Dovewing knew for a fact that these cats weren't chosen randomly, no matter what Tigerstar told the cats. All of Firestars family and friends were geting thrown into the game, and all he had left was Cloudtail and Sandstorm.
Dovewing was saddened at the choices of the cats, knowing she will always miss them. She looked across the branch, seeing there faces one last time. Brambleclaw was still standing on the branch, starring up at the dark night sky, the cold breeeze ruffiling his pelt as his eyes were looking at the sky, but at the same time seemed very distance.
Beside him stood Bumblestripe, looking noble and brave, but terrified and shooked at the same time, leaves rustiling above his head as he looked down at the cats watching them while they were getting called to there death. His eyes were sparkiling with emotions she couldn't read, but she knew that they couldn't be good.
Next stood Dustpelt, his brown tabby pelt barly visible against the dark oak tree that stood behind him, making his eyes glow with pride and strength, along with ready ness. She shivered as she looked at her clan mate. What had happened to him?Just this morning he had been terrified along with the rest of the cats, but now he stood tall and proud, his mussels showing through his pelt. Dovewing would hate to go up against the senior warrior, a shiver running down her pelt again as she realized he would be a hard opponent, looking determined and ready to kill.
Then stood Greystripe, looking down at Firestar with saddened eyes. She then remembered hearing tails when she and Ivypool were still in the nursery about how Greystripe had spotted Firestar when he was a kitty pet, wandering close to the boarder. They fought each other, until the current leader of thunderclan, Bluestar had broken up the fight, inviting Firestar into the clan. He and Greystripe had been best friends since.
Next to him sat Daisy, who sat tehre looking confused, scared and horrified, probably knowing that she is likely to be one of the first to die. Thunderclan had let her join as a kittypet when she had brought her kits away from the twoleg barn, knowing they'd be taken away. After she had been chased away from other clans, thunderclan had exepted her, and she became one of the queens, but never really was a true clan cat at heart. She never really learned how to hunt, attack or defend, and if she wasen't attacked, she'd starve in the cool leaf bare.
Then beside the quivering queen sat Leafpool and Squirrelflight huddled together, whispering in each others ears from time to time as they looked down at the clearing filled with cats that were hardly visible, due to the clouds blocking the light from the mon. Squirrelflights face showed sadness, but Leafpools gave away nothing but sorrow. Dovewing soposed she was good at hidding her emotions, considering she was a medician cat.
With a sudden jolt of relization Dovewing noticed that the dark forest cats weren't just taking away there warriors, but striping them of there most needed cats. There's one less queen which means less kits to grow up an dprotect there clan. There was not going to be a medician cat, and she knew as mucn as any cat about the right herbs to use. Leafpool had no aprrentice, and the clan would be hopeless without being able to heal there wounds. It was most likely Brightheart who would take over the duty when Leafpool was gone. Then, there was the clan deputy. Firestar would need to choose a new one, because without him there wouldn't be anyone to orginize patrols, help with decisions and just plan make a good role model.
Dovewing let out a sigh. The night felt like it had lasted forever, it even felt like the moon was begining to fade under the trees, but she knew very well that she had only heard her clan mates, and she was intreged to know what other cats had been choosen. But, she did feel the slightist bit of happiness as she relized nether her, Ivypool, or her mother had been called.
" I wonder who the last cat will be. " Ivypools terrified mew sounded from beside her. Dovewings gaze shoot towards her sister. " Wait, we still have another cat?" Dovewing whispered to her sister scaredly. Ivypool opened her mouth to answer, but it was cut off by the sound of Tigerstar's meow that rang across the clearing.
" Dovewing. "