Warriors

Sun and Moon

By Mary Coppock

Based on the Warriors sagas by Erin Hunter

Dedicated to my baby brother, Phillip. Rest in peace Bubby. I love you.

~The Cats~

~Sunclan~

Leader

Sunstar Bright golden tom, Appleflower's mate

Deputy

Eaglewing Brown she-cat

Medicine Cat

Brambleberry Brown and cream she-cat

Apprentice: Opalpaw

Warriors (Toms and she-cats without kits)

Cedarfall Brown and cream she-cat with black ears

Apprentice: Ivypaw

Flamepelt Fiery golden tom, a son of Sunstar and Appleflower

Apprentice: Poppypaw

Leafwhisker Brown and gold tabby tom, a son of Sunstar and Appleflower

Apprentice: Yarrowpaw

Appleflower Cream and red tortoiseshell she-cat, Sunstar's mate

Apprentice: Blackbirdpaw

Cherryheart Red she-cat, a daughter of Sunstar and Appleflower

Apprentice: Sparrowpaw

Sunsetsky Bright red she-cat, a daughter of Sunstar and Appleflower

Apprentice: Crowpaw

Dewflower Silver and white she-cat

Apprentices(More than six moons old, in training to become warriors)

Opalpaw Blue-gray she-cat

Ivypaw Gray and white she-cat

Poppypaw Black and tan she-cat

Yarrowpaw Brown and tan she-cat (Poppypaw's twin sister)

Blackbirdpaw Black tom

Sparrowpaw Brown and black tabby tom

Crowpaw Raven-black she-cat

Queens (She-cats expecting or nursing kits)

Shadowfeather Brown and cream she-cat, mother of Blackbirdpaw, Sparrowpaw, and Crowpaw

~Moonclan~

Leader

Moonstar Bright silver tom, Dawn whisker's mate

Deputy

Nightflame Black she-cat

Medicine Cat

Featherwhisker Cream and tan she-cat

Warriors (Toms and she-cats without kits)

Duskwhisker Brown and black she-cat

Apprentice: Tigerpaw

Dawnwhisker Cream and tan tabby she-cat, Moonstar's mate

Apprentice: Lionpaw

Midnightfire Blue-black she-cat

Apprentice: Leopardpaw

Owlpelt Brown tom

Apprentice: Jaguarpaw

Dustshadow Dark gray and black tabby tom

Silverwhisker Silver she cat, a daughter of Moonstar and Dawnwhisker

Icefur Ice white she-cat, a daughter of Moonstar and Dawnwhisker

Apprentices (More than six moons, in training to become warriors)

Tigerpaw Orange and black tabby tom, a son of Moonstar and Dawnwhisker

Lionpaw Silver tom with a golden mane, a son of Moonstar and Dawnwhisker

Leopardpaw Black tom with silver spots, a son of Moonstar and Dawnwhisker

Jaguarpaw Silver tom with black patches, a son of Moonstar and Dawnwhisker

Queens (She-cats expecting or nursing kits)

Waterfallwillow Silver and white she-cat, a daughter of Moonstar and Dawnwhisker, carrying Owlpelt's kits

Other cats

Tigerecho Silver and gold tortoiseshell, sister of Sunstar and Moonstar

Echostar Silver she cat, Tigerstar's mate, grandmother of Sunstar and Moonstar

Tigerstar Gold tom, Echostar's mate, grandfather of Sunstar, Moonstar and Echoshine

Silvermoon Silver she cat, Goldenfire's mate, mother of Sunstar, Moonstar, and Echoshine

Goldenfire Golden tom, Silvermoon's mate, Father of Sunstar, Moonstar, and Echoshine

~The Dogs~

~Fox Tribe~

Leader

Fox

Deputy

Vole

Healing Dog (Dog equivalent of a medicine cat)

Gorse

Hunters (Basically warriors, but they only hunt)

Mouse

Rat

Horse

Poppy

Apprentice- Cherry

Rabbit

Apprentice- Holly

Spider

Cinder

The Pack (Same thing, but they only fight)

Squirrel

Apprentice-Apple

Mole

Apprentice-Kestrel

Vole

Willow

Oak

Elm

Cedar

Apprentices

Cherry-Hunter

Apple-The Pack

Kestrel-The Pack

Holly-Hunter

Pack Mothers (Dog equivalent of queens)

Lilly

Violet

Story Tellers (Dog equivalent of elders)

Hawk

Bear

Badger

~Wolf Tribe~

Leader

Wolf

Deputy

Honey

Healing Dog

Heather

Hunters

Tawny

Jag

Goat

Bramble

Apprentice-Jay

Bracken

Apprentice-Thrush

Feather

Frost

The Pack

Fang

Claw

Shred

Lark

Sparrow

Eagle

Falcon

Apprentices

Jay-Hunter

Thrush-Hunter

Pack Mothers (dog equivalent of queens)

Moss

Violet

Story Tellers (dog equivalent of elders)

Patch

~Prologue~

Sun and Moon padded through the moonlit forest near their home. They always did this at moonrise, when their twolegs went to bed. But tonight was different. The moon was full, and brighter than they had ever seen. Suddenly, a gold and silver cat appeared between two trees.

"Welcome," she said. "I am Tigerecho. I am from starclan, and you are Sunstar, and Moonstar."

"No. No no no," Sun told her. "You have the wrong cats. We are Sun and Moon. No 'star' on the end."

"You are the only living descendants of the great leaders Echostar, of ancient Moonclan, and Tigerstar, of ancient Sunclan. They were your grandparents. As she lay dying Echostar told your parents to name you Sun and Moon."

"Wait. I don't understand," Moon said.

"I am your sister. Tonight, you turn four seasons. Tonight, you accept your destinies. Follow me."

She led them to a part of the forest they had never been to before. She motioned to a small stream. "This side is Moonclan territory," Echoshine said, flicking her tail at the side they were on. "And that side is Sunclan," she continued, flicking her tail at the opposite side.

"You must never return to your twolegs. Go into twoleg place and find all the cats that are willing to leave. Gather all the street cats you can, as they are already trained to fight and hunt. All kittypets and all feral cats under twelve moons will start out as apprentices. Now come. We have much to do, and the night grows old."

When they finally stopped, they were in a clearing. "This is where you will meet every full moon. Do not bring your whole clan. Leave your strongest warriors to defend the camp. Bring your deputy, your medicine cat, and a few warriors and apprentices. Follow."

The next time they stopped, they were in another clearing at the heart of the forest. At the center of the clearing there was a tree glowing silver in the light of the full moon. Echoshine said "Sun, Moon; it is time for you to receive your names. Sun, you are first. Step forward and lie down with your nose against the tree."

Sun did as he was told. As his nose touched the tree, he fell into a deep sleep…

~Chapter One~

Sunstar woke. The bright sunhigh light shone through the strands of ivy concealing his den, making his fur look as though it were on fire. He stood up and walked out of his den. "Eaglewing," he called to his deputy. "Have you sent out a sunhigh patrol?"

"They just left," replied Eaglewing. "We need fresh kill though. Would you like for me to organize a hunting patrol?"

"No, I think I will. I haven't been hunting in a while," Sunstar said. With that, he padded off to the warriors den. He woke Cedarfall and Leafwhisker, the only two warriors remaining in the warriors den. "Wake up you lazy furballs. Hunting patrol. We'll get Ivypaw and Yarrowpaw on the way out."

As he hunted, Sunstar thought about the dream he had been having before he woke up. He had been dreaming about that fateful night eight moons ago. After that night, his and his brother's lives had never been the same. Sunstar looked up. He was slightly surprised to see that he was at the stream marking the border of his and his brother's territory. Even more surprising was the fact that Moonstar standing hesitantly by the stepping stones that crossed the stream. "Moonstar! What is the matter?" Sunstar asked, seeing the anxious look on his brother's face.

"Can I come over and explain?" Moonstar asked.

"Of course! You're my brother!" Sunstar replied.

Moonstar bounded across the stepping stones. Once he was across Moonstar sat down. "I need herbs. I need them now," he said.

"Why can't Featherwhisker get them?" Sunstar asked.

"Featherwhisker is ill. I don't know what is wrong, and she doesn't have an apprentice to consult. I don't know if you knew this, but Brambleberry is Featherwhisker's sister. They wouldn't let each other die," Moonstar said.

"Come with me," Sunstar said. "We'll get Brambleberry and help Featherwhisker."

They quickly reached the Sunclan camp. Once they were through the thorn barrier Sunstar went immediately to brambleberry's den. "Brambleberry?" Sunstar asked. "Your sister needs your help."

Brambleberry immediately ran out of camp and raced towards the Moonclan border. Sunstar and Moonstar raced after her.

Once the three cats were in the Moonclan camp Moonstar led them to the medicine cat's den.

"Featherwhisker?" Brambleberry said softly. "Featherwhisker, are you awake?"

"Brambleberry?" said a weak voice inside the den. "Brambleberry? Is that you?"

The three cats walked into the den. Brambleberry began to examine her sister at once. After a moment she said, "It's white cough."

"What should we do?" Moonstar asked

"She needs catmint. Featherwhisker, do you have any?"

"Yes. In the back." Featherwhisker replied weakly.

Brambleberry hurriedly walked to the back of the den. When she returned, she was carrying a few catmint leaves in her jaws. Brambleberry chewed them up and fed them to Featherwhisker. She then turned to Moonstar and said "if her cough returns, feed her two or three more of these leaves. At sunrise give her one juniper berry for strength. She is going to be ok. Goodbye, Moonstar. Goodbye, Featherwhisker. May starclan be with you both." With that, she and Sunstar turned and left.

When they reached the camp, Sunstar walked over to the patch of moss and clover where Flamepelt, Sunsetsky and Dewflower were eating. The three cats looked up. "Hi Sunstar," Dewflower said. "What's up?"

"Hi," Sunstar said. "When the three of you get done eating, get Poppypaw and Crowpaw for the sunset patrol please."

"Yes, Sunstar."

Sunstar chose a fish from the fresh kill pile and went back to his den to eat it. As soon as he finished eating it, he fell into a dream filled sleep.

~Chapter Two~

"LET ALL CATS OLD ENOUGH TO CATCH THEIR OWN PREY GATHER HERE UNDER THE HIGH TREE FOR A CLAN MEETING!"

That was the cry that rang through the crisp leafbare morning and woke the Sunclan cats.

"What does he want this early in the morning?" Appleflower asked Sunsetsky "The sun is barely up."

Shadowfeather's kits are six moons old," Susetsky replied with a yawn.

Once all the cats had gathered under the High Tree Sunstar began the meeting. "Shadowfeather, your kits are six moons old and ready to become apprentices. Blackbirdkit, Sparrowkit, Crowkit, step forward. Do you promise to learn the ways of a warrior and uphold the warrior code?"

"I do," replied the three cats as one.

"Then by the powers of starclan I give you your apprentice names. From this day on, until you become warriors, you will be known as Blackbirdpaw, Sparrowpaw and Crowpaw. Appleflower, you will be mentor to Blackbirdpaw. Cherryheart, you will be mentor to Sparrowpaw. Sunsetsky, you are young but I feel you are ready to handle an apprentice. You will be mentor to Crowpaw. Teach them as your mentors taught you. Sunrise patrol will be Cedarfall, Flamepelt, Ivypaw, and Poppypaw. Not much hunting was done yesterday, so hunting patrol will be Eaglewing, Leafwhisker, Yarrowpaw, and Shadowfeather," Sunstar said. As for the new mentors, I suggest you take advantage of this fine weather and start training your apprentices. Meeting dismissed.

~Chapter Three~

The half moon shone brightly in the sky as Brambleberry, Opalpaw, and Featherwhisker followed the stream to the Moontree. When they reached the tree, the moon finished rising and the tree turned eerie silver. The three cats walked over to it and lay down with their noses touching the tree. They quickly fell into a deep sleep. As they slept, they dreamed of a voice floating out of the darkness.

"Echo and Tiger…Silver and Gold…Sun and moon…will unite with the power to save the forest from a seemingly harmless enemy…" That was all that the cat's voice said. All three of the cats jolted awake at the same time.

"I think we should discuss the dream," Opalpaw said. "That dream was really confusing."

"Opalpaw is right. That was pretty confusing," remarked Featherwhisker. "I can't make heads or tails of it. Can you, Brambleberry?"

"Yes. Sunstar and Moonstar's parents and grandparents have walked in my dreams. "Echo" is Echostar, of ancient Moonclan and "Tiger" is Tigerstar of ancient Sunclan. When the leaders met they were still warriors. They fell in love at first sight. A few moons later Echostar (then Echoheart) gave birth to two kits, a gold tom they named Goldenkit and a silver she-cat they named Silverkit. Silverkit was taken to Moonclan and her brother Sunclan because of their pelt color. The clans were told that the kits were found abandoned in the forest. Even the kits themselves believed this. They were never told that they were brother and sister. When they met as warriors it was once again forbidden love at first sight. As Echostar lay on her deathbed she shooed all of her mourners away except Silvermoon and Goldenfire. Before she died she told the two cats that she was their mother and that they were brother and sister. By then it was too late. Silvermoon was already pregnant with not two but three cats. Sunstar and Moonstar of course, but they had a sister who was lost at two seasons. Echostar told them to leave the clans and flee to the twoleg place. The great leader's last words were what to name their kits."

"What happened to Ancient Sunclan and Ancient Moonclan?" Featherwhisker asked.

"When Echostar died, Tigerstar was devastated. He left one night.

No one even knew he was gone until morning. By then, he was long gone. The clans fell apart not long after," Brambleberry said.

"Wow, that's devastating," Featherwhisker said.

"I know," Brambleberry said. "Even if they were breaking the warrior code, they were still in love."

"I'm still here you know," Opalpaw said. "Also, the sun is starting to come up so I think we should be leaving now."

It was true. Brambleberry and Featherwhisker had been so deep in conversation that they had forgotten about Opalpaw and had not noticed until now the sky rapidly becoming lighter as the sun emerged over the trees in the distance.

"Oh, sorry Opalpaw," Brambleberry said. "Yes, we should be leaving now. But let's hunt on the way because I'm starved!

~Chapter Four~

"Intruders!" yowled Cedarfall from the High Tree. "Dogs! A whole patrol of them!"

Her cry brought Sunstar and Eaglewing out of their dens. "Dogs, you say? Do they look threatening?" Sunstar asked.

"No, they just look curious. They probably caught our scent and came to investigate," Cedarfall said.

"Well then I shall go out and see what they want." With that, Sunstar turned and went through the entrance tunnel.

"And who might you be?" he asked the dog in front. "This is my territory."

"I am Fox, the leader of Foxclan. With me are Wolf, the leader of Wolfclan and my brother, my deputy Vole, and his deputy Honey. We are scouting out the area because we have been driven out of our territory. We were not aware that this land had already been claimed." He said. "We will be leaving."

"No, you don't have to leave. The only border is the stream between my brother's and my clans. Our territories have no other borders. We have plenty of territory for four clans." Sunstar said to Fox. Then he called over his shoulder to Eaglewing "Eaglewing, send for Moonstar. We may have two new clans in the area.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here under the high tree for a joint clan meeting!" Sunstar and Moonstar said together.

"What do you want that you had to call all of us together for?" Nightflame asked.

"Sunstar, propose the idea first or introduce them first?" Moonstar asked.

"Introduce first, I think. Fox, Wolf, come out."

Fox and Wolf stepped out of the shadows. All at once everyone started hissing and shrinking back from the dogs. "Hello," said Fox. "I am Fox, and this is my brother, Wolf. We are the leaders of Foxclan and Wolfclan. We wish to find territories here."

At that Sunstar cut in. "They mean us no harm. All they want is a place they can call home and live in relative peace. They say they are willing to adhere to the warrior code. That is why you all have been called here. We need a vote. Allow them in, or drive them out."

"Those who wish to allow them to stay, go to the left side of camp. Those opposed, go to the right side of camp," Moonstar said, before climbing out of the tree and going to the left side of camp, followed by Sunstar. By the time everyone made up their minds, it was sun-high. The final verdict was to allow the dogs to stay. What no one predicted the drama that would ensue…

TO BE CONTINUED…