Warriors! Gotta Fight Em' All!

Prologue

"Noooooo!" A Brown tabby screeched with horror. She ran to the nursery, and looked down at a tiny gray kit. Her eyes filled up with tears as she picked up the kit by it's scruff and carried out into the clearing.

"C'mon, little one," she said softly, trying to hide the sadness in her voice. She set down the kit. Many cats ran past them, their pelts ruffled with dust and blood. The gray kit had no idea what was going on, and mewled for it's mother, who was staring at a lifeless body right in front of her. It was a gray and white long-haired tom. His mouth was slightly open as a trickle of blood ran out. His eyes stared at nothing, though they were open. The she-cat blinked away her tears, and wrapped her tail around the puney kitten. She pulled it closer to her paws and said, "I promise I won't let you slip away like he did." She kept staring at the dead tom. The gray kit looked at it with big eyes, as if it knew who he was. The truth was, he didn't, that it was he had been born only two days before this tragic war.

"He was your father," the tabby said, closing her eyes.

"Brindleface!" A voice shouted across the clearing. A blue-gray cat padded toward the tabby and her kit. "What happened?" Brindleface shook her head and opened her eyes. "Oh, Bluestar. He's dead." Brindleface hung her head. "It's my fault. I should've helped."

"No, Brindleface. It was not. It was not your fault you had to stay with your kit. Without you, he would have died as well." Bluestar rested her tail on Brindleface's shoulder. "Even if you didn't have your kit to look after, it was StarClan's decision. No one could have stopped it from happening."

Brindleface peered down at her kit and sighed. "I suppose your right. But who will mentor him when it's his turn to be an apprentice?" Her eyes were full of confusion. "This all happened too soon. The poor little one will never know his own father now."

Bluestar blinked. "We will find him a great mentor, Oakheart and I. Until then, you have my permission to teach him yourself, if that is what you wish." She padded away and saw to Cinderpelt, the medicine cat. Brindleface looked at her kit. "I will teach you many things, young Ashkit. You may not have your father to guide you in this clan, but he will always be with you, even though he isn't here." Ashkit nodded, as though he understood what his mother was saying. He shoved his face into his mother's flank.

"Don't worry. I'll believe in you forever. You will have the destiny of no other cat, StarClan knows it. You will be the best warrior this clan has ever seen!"

Chapter 1

Ashfur ran out the warriors den, purring and eyes glistening with excitment. "This is it!" he shouted. He scampered around playfully, until he ran into his mother.

His mother shot him a warningful glance and said, "Ashfur, I know this is your first clan meeting as a warrior, but you don't need to run around like a fox with a fish hooked on it's tail!"

Ashfur looked at his paws. "Sorry," he apologized. He looked up and glanced around the camp. He watched as Firestar, the new ThunderClan leader, approached the Highrock and addressed the clan.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting!"

Cats ran out from their dens and sat near the rock, listening for words from their leader. All eyes gazed up at him, and he lifted his muzzle towards a small group of eager apprentices. They blinked. They obviously knew what was happening. They were gonna become warriors!

Firestar signaled to the first one. "Shadowpaw, come foward."

The young apprentice bounded up to the Highrock and puffed out his chest with pride. His magnificent black and orange coat shined as a ray of sunlight came upon it.

Firestar lifted his tail and set it on his shoulder. "Shadowpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and protect and defend this clan, even with the cost of your own life?"

Shadowpaw blinked. "I do."

"Then by the power of StarClan, I give you the warrior name that you have earned. From this moment foward, you shall be known as Shadowpelt. ThunderClan honors your courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of this clan!"

Meows of joy rippled through the clan as Shadowpelt dipped his head to Firestar.

"Shadowpelt!"

"Shadowpelt!"

"Shadowpelt!"

As Firestar made the other apprentices warriors, three kits ran up the Highrock. They were made apprentices. The blue-gray one was Squirtpaw, the orange one was Blazepaw, and the gray and white one was Ivypaw. These cats had a StarClan disease that will be explained later on.

Now Birchfall, was among the three new mentors. He would mentor Blazepaw. But of course, Birchfall was very stubborn and was overconfident. He touched noses with Blazepaw. The orange apprentice let out a flame of joy from it's tail.

Ashfur dug his claws into the sandy earth. He lashed his tail with jealously and pouted. "It's not fair! I should be up there getting a new apprentice of my own! Especially one of those special ones!"

His mother licked his ear and purred. "Your time will come, my dear."

"Mom! Stop treating me like a kit!" He pulled away from her, his fur hot with embarrasment.

"Then stop acting like one, and focus on being a warrior! I'm sure your father would want that of you as well."

Ashfur stopped pouting, and stared at the sky, sighing. "I know." He could remember the day when his mother had told him about his father's death. Ashfur had been a kit for two days, and barely knew his father. The tragic day flashed into his head once more. He could remember staring at the lifeless body of his father. When he was an apprentice, his mentor, Dustpelt, took him to the forest. There, he had found something strange. He stuck it on his head. He knew Dustpelt said it was something from the twolegs, but that didn't stop Ashpaw from taking it. Each night, he would sneak out to find it. Finally, the clan found out. They had agreed to let him keep it. Since the day he started wearing it, he started calling it his "lucky hat". He had it on when he was sleeping (of course when he woke up, his mother would take it off and fix his fur), he had it on while training, and he had it on during battles. The hat made him feel special, it made him feel different, and thats what he wanted. He wanted other clans to see him as someone other than just a warrior. He still wears it, and probably always will, for his father.

Ashfur looked down. Suddenly, a pair of paws stepped up to him. Ashfur looked up to see Birchfall in his face with his new apprentice.

Birchfall snickered. "Hey, Ashfur. Didn't get an apprentice, huh? That's too bad." He held his chin high.

Ashfur stared at him. "What do you want?"

Birchfall still had his chin up while responding. "Oh, nothing. Only to let you know that it was only fair for me to get an apprentice first. After all, my uncle Oakheart planned it with Firestar."

Ashfur pricked his ears. "You mean they purposely chose you over me?" He blinked, stunned.

Birchfall flexed his claws. "That's right, loser! I'll be the best warrior ever. And I'll have many more apprentices to train! It's good to have kin as deputy, isn't it?"

Ashfur didn't say anything, and glared at Birchfall. Was he trying to pick on him?

The brown warrior flicked his tail towards his apprentice. "C'mon, Blazepaw. Let's leave Ashfur to his whimpering." He padded off, his tail lifted high.

Ashfur bristled. He bared his teeth and mumbled, "I'll show you!"

Then, a brown tom walked up behind him. It was Oakheart.

"So, I suppose Birchfall has been picking on you, eh?"

Ashfur turned his head, and mumbled, "No, not really." He lied. But he didn't want Oakheart to be upset. Ashfur's ambition was to make a close connection with the deputy, which are the cats who pick mentors. He wanted to show Oakheart that he was ready to train his very first apprentice!

"Oakheart, you know the new kits that were born five moons ago?" he asked.

Oakheart looked confused. "Yes of course. Why? Did you have a question?"

"Well..." Ashfur shuffled his paws. Then, when he couldn't hold it in any longer, he shouted, "I WANT TO MENTOR ONE OF THEM!"

Oakheart stepped back, looking surprised by the young warrior. "But Ashfur," he began. "Your awfully young, and those kits aren't six moons old yet."

Ashfur flattened his ears. "Pleeeeeeaaaaase! I've just GOT to have one! I'll take care of it! I'll teach it everything!"

Oakheart sighed. "Alright, Ashfur. You may have one."

Chapter 2

Oakheart led Ashfur to the nursery. "Here," he pointed to two kits.

Ashfur's tail quivered with excitement as he bent over to a black she-kit. "Hi there, " he said purring. The she-kit's tiny claws came out and slashed at his nose. Ashfur leaped back and yelped. He felt a scratch on his nose. He stared at the kit. The kit giggled and stuck out her little pink tongue. She shook her tail. It seemed as if she was mocking Ashfur. Ashfur sighed and said, "Not that one. It doesn't like me." He turned to the other kit, which was a gray tabby with blue eyes. It didn't look at Ashfur. Ashfur meowed, "Hello." But instead, it looked the other direction. Ashfur looked confused. "Is he okay?"

The mother, which was an orange ginger cat, shook her head. "No, he's blind. He could never become a warrior." She looked rather sad.

"Aw, that's too bad." Ashfur felt sad for her and the kit, too.

Oakheart blinked and looked behind the miserable queen. He saw one more kit. Maybe this one could be it! He tapped Ashfur's shoulder with his tail. "Hey, there's one more."

The queen nodded. "Oh, yes. That one. That kit is healthy. But it seems to have a problem, too. You see, it was born with scratches on his face. I thought it was an omen from StarClan. He is very small, but he is also very aggressive. My sister, who is the medicine cat, Leafpool, predicted that this kit was born with the power of electricity. You weren't born with any your mother says. Leafpool says that it is a disease by StarClan that some kits are born with power like this. Especially those new three." She looked at the new apprentices in the clearing.

"Oakheart, I can mentor him still, can't I?" Ashfur hoped he could. He was getting tired of hearing that these kits had problems, and that they could not be trained. But he didn't care. he looked at the yellow-ish tom-kit, and smiled. "I'll take him!"

The queen thought. "I don't know. His name is Lionkit. He was the one born with power. It might be dangerous."

Ashfur suddenly got frusterated. He lashed his tail. "You don't understand! I need an apprentice! I promised my father! My mother promised me!"

The queen softened her gaze and shrugged. "Well, in that case..." She handed Ashfur the tiny kit.

Ashfur smiled at the kit, who looked up at him.

Ashfur meowed. "Its so cute, it's the best ever! Oh, hi,Lionkit!"

Oakheart added, "And remember, his power is electricity and it is very dangerous, so watch. . ." He was interrupted by the sound of thunder. He gasped as Lionkit let out a bolt of lightning and shocked Ashfur. When it stopped, Ashfur's fur was sticking up everywhere, in all directions. He blinked hard. "I see what you mean." He twitched.

Oakheart purred with amuesment. "Shocking isn't it?"

The next morning, after Ashfur got his new apprentice, and Lionkit was renamed Lionpaw, Ashfur took Lionpaw out into the forest. He had to drag him by the tail because he wouldn't follow him or listen. Lionpaw whined as his belly rubbed against the rough ground.

Ashfur kept dragging. "Well then maybe you should follow me instead!"

When they stopped, Ashfur let go of Lionpaw. Lionpaw licked his paws.

Ashfur sighed. "You know, instead of being mean, can't you just open your mouth and tell me what's wrong?"

Lionpaw, just to annoy him, opened his mouth wide so that his tiny sharp fangs showed. "Lionpaw!" He giggled.

Ashfur flicked his ear, annoyed, and rolled his eyes. "That's not what I meant."

Lionpaw ignored him.

"Do you not like me?"

Lionpaw shook his head.

"Well, I like you alot."

Lionpaw scratched his ears.

Ashfur tilted his head. "Is that all you can say is your name?"

Lionpaw nodded, still not looking at him. "Lionpaw."

Ashfur bristled. "Well then you're like every other apprentice and you should start acting like one! And you're supposed to listen to your mentor, just like it says in the Warrior Code!" Ashfur stared at his apprentice: "Apprentices must always listen to their mentors. it gives them great experience and will help one day when they have an apprentice of their own."

Lionpaw still ignored him.

Ashfur rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Huh?" He looked up. A bird was pecking at the ground. Ashfur immediatly dropped to the ground. "A pigeon," he whispered. "Your mine now!" He looked at Lionpaw. His apprentice was dazing, staring at nothing, his mouth slightly open. Ashfur scoffed and turned his head back to the pigeon. But when he did, it was gone!

"Great! How nice of that!" Ashfur growled. He stomped back to Lionpaw. "Okay, lets find something else to hunt."

Chapter 3

Ashfur walked cautiously through the forest, Lionpaw slowly following behind. They reached an open field and rested. Ashfur looked around. A few fox-lengths away was a vole. "Hey, look!" Ashfur pointed with his tail. Lionpaw watched.

"It's our lucky day, Lionpaw," he said. "Okay, this will be your first catch. Remember what I told you?"

Lionpaw nodded.

"Good." Ashfur slid his little red and white hat backwards with his tail. "Go get it!"

Lionpaw stood still.

"Lionpaw, what's wrong? I said go get it!"

Instead of running to the vole, he ran up a tree and sat on a branch. His eyes glittered mischievously.

Ashfur growled low. "Fine, I get the message. I don't need your help. I'll catch it myself!" He lowered himself to the ground, his tail down, but barely touching the ground. He sneaked foward. He stepped on a twig. It cracked. The vole idmmediatly stood up and took off.

"Not again!" Ashfur clawed the ground angrily. But then, a hawk flew above him. It swooped down. Ashfur ducked. The hawk's long, sharp claws scratched his back. Ashfur yelped. He turned around. The hawk came at him again. This time, it picked him up. Ashfur struggled, and at last succeeded to escape. He fell hard to the ground. He lay still for a moment, and then got to his paws, trembling.

"That was close," he whispered. He looked at the claw marks on him. Blood oozed from a deep area. "Ouch." He limped over to the tree where Lionpaw was. But of course, little Lionpaw was laughing, hard! He was laughing so hard he almost fell off the branch.

Ashfur rounded on him and snapped. "Cut it out! I bet you would be scared, too!"

Lionpaw fell into a quiet snicker and leaned on the tree smiling.

Ashfur sighed. Well, he managed to catch a mouse, but that was it. As long as I have something to bringback, he thought, and maybe Oakheart was right. Maybe I'm not ready for an apprentice yet. He shook away the thought. He wanted to be a mentor so bad, and that's what he got. He will just have to get used to it. Then, when Ashfur thought the worst was over, the hawk came back.

Ashfur was furious now. He tackled the hawk. He clawed it wings, tearing feathers out. The hawk screeched and tried to fly, but could not.

Ashfur flexed his claws, ready for another fight. But then the hawk opened it's beak and yelped. Just then, a massive flock of hawks came. Their brown-gray feathers made them look like a dust cloud in the sky.

Ashfur widened his eyes. He ducked as the hawks swooped their claws out at him. He stood up and turned around. He heard Lionpaw scream, and saw him fall out of the tree, covered with dirt and blood.

Ashfur charged at the birds in rage, and grabbed Lionpaw's scruff. He ran from the hawks. but he stopped, flowing into a trance. I promise I won't let you slip away like he did, his mother's words rang in his ear. Ashfur wouldn't let his apprentice down, though he was rather annoying and rude, he had to protect him. He took off running again. He ran fast. Through the bushes, trees, and grass. His paws were like lightning, though he thought it was Lionpaw himself helping, but it wasn't. He ran through the forest. Suddenly, he stopped. There he was, by the edge of a gorge. he looked down. Waterfalls shined as water fell into the river below it. Mist surrounded the river.

Ashfur looked up again, he knew he had no choice. "They're getting closer," he said out of breath. He looked at Lionpaw, who was struggling for air, his fur torn and mottled.

Ashfur mumbled through Lionpaw's fur, "Hang on!" And it was that moment, he jumped over the edge, and into the river below. You may have heard stories about cats that don't like water. Many cats do not. Some, on the other hand, prefer to swim and fish. These cats are called RiverClan cats. And that is how we meet our lovely Mistyfoot.

"Okay," the gray she-cat said. "One more fish to take back to camp!" This was Mistyfoot, a sleek, gray-blue cat. She lived in RiverClan, where she fishes and swims. She was one of the newest warriors. She always hunted for her clan, but she had no apprentice. Her brother, Stonefur, makes sure she's safe and protected. And that's what brothers should do. Now, I'm sure you are wondering what happened to our friends, Ashfur and Lionpaw. As you know, they jumped into the river after being chased by a flock of mad hawks. Let the story continue:

Mistyfoot reached her paws into the water, cleaning them off. She saw something gray and wet. She smiled and whispered, "One more fish coming up!" She waited for it to get nearer. As it floated by, she flicked her claws out whipped her paw in the water. But instead of flinging the fish onto land, it stayed. "Hmm," Mistyfoot wondered. "It's really heavy." She yanked her paw, trying to bring it out. He pulled harder everytime. She was enthusiastic now. "Oh, I really think this could be a big one!" Finally, she pulled it out, sending it flying through the air. It landed with a thump. Mistyfoot gasped. It wasn't a fish! It was two ThunderClan cats! And they were on her territory!

Mistyfoot bounded up to them, her fur bristling. She lightened her gaze and gently spoke, "A warrior and his apprentice! Aw, are you okay?"

Ashfur coughed, licked his fur dry and blushed. "Yeah, I'm okay."

Mistyfoot glared at him and swiped a paw at his head. Ashfur ducked in time, and was stunned.

Mistyfoot growled. "Not you! Him!" She stuck her paw out at Lionpaw. She looked heart-broken. "Is it breathing?"

Ashfur looked at his apprentice. He wasn't sure. "Um, well. . ." Mistyfoot dug her claws into the muddy ground. "Well, don't just sit there! That apprentice needs a medicine cat right away!" She paused for a moment. "Come to my camp. Barkface will help you two."

Ashfur stood up. "Tell me, which way do I go?" A little drop of water fell from the sky and hit his nose. He sneezed. It started to sprinkle.

Mistyfoot bristled. "You don't think i'm just gonna let you stroll into RiverClan camp alone, do you?"

Ashfur narrowed his eyes. "Honestly, in this situation, what harm could we do?"

Mistyfoot looked down. Then, she quickly looked up again as Ashfur shouted, "Great! The hawks are coming back!"

He franticly picked up one of Mistyfoot's fish and said, "I'm borrowing this! I need it to stall the hawks!" He lifted Lionpaw onto his back and ran off into the woods.

Mistyfoot growled. "Come back here, prey-stealer!"

The clouds dropped rain from the sky slowly.

Ashfur turned his head and mumbled through the fish in his mouth, "I'll pay you back someday!"

Mistyfoot watched him leave and let her claws slide out. "Not in my territory, intruder," she whispered. Leaving the other fish behind, she swiftly ran after the young ThunderClan warrior.

Chapter 4

The rain started pouring harder and harder. . .

Ashfur dodged many plants and rocks. He leaped over fallen trees and puddles and big, dead branches. He raced along the narrow path, the fish dangling from his mouth and Lionpaw hanging from his back, and looked back. The hawks were catching up. Ashfur stopped and grabbed the fish with his paws and threw it in the air. The fish hit the ground and the hawks landed by it curiously. They bent their feathery heads down to it, pecked it, looked up, and flew at the cats again. They extended their long, sharp claws as they drew nearer.

Ashfur kept on running. He saw that Lionpaw was closing his eyes and going limp. Ashfur panted as he kept running. He turned his head to the yellow cat. "Hang on there, Lionpaw! We're almost there. . ." He tripped over a branch and yelped as he and Lionpaw fell to the ground. A bolt of lightning appeared followed by a loud crackle of thunder.

Ashfur looked up and slowly, painfully, rose to his paws. He limped over to Lionpaw. He set a paw on his apprentice's side.

"Liiiii. . ." Lionpaw whimpered.

Ashfur took his paw off and looked around. He saw a small bush. It wasn't very big, but it was the only thing he saw around. He would take the risk.

"Lionpaw," He began. "This can't. . .this can't happen.

Lionpaw's eyes were full of pain and tiredness.

"Go into that bush over there. It will hide you from the hawks while I fight them off."

Lionpaw raised his head slowly.

Ashfur continued. "I'm trying to save you!"

"Lion. . ."

"Please, Lionpaw, please listen to me and go hide. After that. . ." His voice trailed off. "After that just trust me." He was scared and felt a tear drop from his eye. "Just trust me. . ." He was cut off by the squawking of the hawks. Panic rose inside of him. He turned to Lionpaw quickly. "Go, Lionpaw!"

Lionpaw's eyes clouded as he watched his mentor step away.

Ashfur flattened his ears as the hawks stopped in the air and dared him to step closer. he new if he did, he would die.

Come on, Ashfur! You're a warrior now! This is what you trained for, he told himself. He shook his head and let his fur rise. His eyes suddenly grew dark. His claws slid out and he stared directly into the eye of the front hawk. He growled loud. "You wanna take a chance? Go ahead! You know who I am? i'm Ashfur, the best warrior in ThunderClan! I am determined to be just like my father! I can't have you stand in the way of my dreams!"

The hawks opened it's beak and glared a challenging stare at Ashfur. It yowled. It landed on the ground fox-lengths away from Ashfur.

Ashfur looked back at Lionpaw, who was still watching with pain. he turned his head back to the hawk. His fear rose into deep anger. "I'm gonna attack and kill every one of you hawks, you hear me?" He looked over at Lionpaw again. He shouted, "Lionpaw, go into the bush! It's the only way!"

The yellow apprentice didn't move.

The hawk scratched the ground with it's claws.

Ashfur, daring, accepting the hawk's challenge, stepped forward and yelled. "Come and get me!"

Lightning flashed in the sky again. Thunder roared in the air.

The hawk, seeming to smile a bit, and flew into the air followed by many other hawks, and like a rocket, shot right at Ashfur, it's claws infront of it with it's beak pointed at Ashfur's chest.

Ashfur knew it at last. He was going to die, but in a good way. He was gonna die saving his apprentice, he was gonna die a brave death, he knew so. . .

Lionpaw unsheathed his tiny claws, sat up and ran foward. . .

Ashfur was ready for it. . .

The yellow cat's eyes blazed with fury. . .

The warrior braced himself for the pain. . .

Lionpaw wished himself luck as he ran up to the battle. . .

He took in his last breath, whispering a slient prayer to StarClan. . .

The brave apprentice leaped onto his mentor's back, ran up to his shoulder and leaped into the air. . .

Ashfur watched as a yellow figure jumped off his shoulder and flew into the air, at the hawks, sending bolts of electricity flying in every direction and an explosion of yellow light as Lionpaw screeched and electricuted everything and everyone. . .

Ashfur felt killing pain. He flew back into the ground. He saw Lionpaw fly back too, and the hawks fly the other way, all of them smoking, dying as they flew through the air.

Black out

Chapter 5

Mistyfoot ran along the path that the gray tom had sprinted across. She stopped as she saw an exlposion of lightning in the sky. The ground shook. She screamed and ran the other way.

She looked around for another path. Yes! There was another path. She followed it into a dark forest. . .

The rain had stopped. The sky lit up as a rainbow shined across it. The forest was normal. There was a small river, and beside that river were two cats, lying there, dead or alive.

Ashfur opened his eyes and looked infront of him. He saw his apprentice lying limp right beside him in the sand.

"Lionpaw?" Ashfur nudged his apprentice.

Lionpaw opened one eye, and then another. He stared at Ashfur with an exhausted look.

Ashfur stared back. "We did it," Lionpaw blinked. Ashfur blinked too. "We killed the hawks. You saved me. Thank you."

He stood up, licked his fur down and bent down at Lionpaw.

Lionpaw stood up, too.

Ashfur helped him along the path.

Suddenly Lionpaw stopped. He looked at Ashfur, smiled, and licked his mentor's nose.

Ashfur was surprised and then he felt compassion for the young cat.

This was just the begining to the amazing adventures of Ashfur and Lionpaw. Their journey is destined to be packed with non-stop action, millions of laughs, heart-pounding parrels, and endless excitment. As their story unfolds, we'll unlock some magic and mystery of the most wonderful place, the incredible world of Warriors!

To Be Continued. . .