CHAPTER 1
It was a cold, blister morning and Cloudpaw could feel the wind buffeting his fur. He couldn't help but wonder when the terrible grip of leaf-bare would recede. It had been five moons since his apprenticeship, and his warrior ceremony was later that day. Most apprentices dream of their warrior ceremony, but Cloudpaw had not. He knew that it would mean waking up earlier; which he did not like.
"Cloudpaw, it's almost time for your warrior ceremony! Are you excited?" Cloudpaw nodded at his mother, Silvertail's boisterous question. I guess I'm a little excited, he thought. What was he thinking? Of course he was excited! It was the first time he could really help his clan succeed! Just the thought of a ferocious battle with TreeClan on the border between their territory. All apprentices knew that StormClan -Cloudpaw's clan- was one of the three clans of the clearing. They lived in a huge clearing in the middle of a thick forest known as 'The Beyond.' They all got chills just thinking of it. But not Cloudpaw. His heart raced with vigor each time he thought of the unexplored wall of trees that made up the border of the clearing that all three clans shared.
Cloudpaw's dark grey pelt allowed him to blend in with the rocky mountains that sprung out of the ground in StormClan territory. His pelt was a mixture of blue and gray, but his eyes were as yellow as the sun. He had never met anyone from another clan, but he had heard of them. He knew that StormClan took after it's name; they were fast and sneaky, but grumpy just as much. Small mountains dotted their massive territory. Their camp was in a large riverbed, carved out of a mountain by an ancient river. TreeClan was the clan that bordered them to the left. They lived in a forest -not near as thick as The Beyond- and excelled at hunting. There was no better clan to limb trees; they even lived in a large tree known as the 'Great Tree.'
Every cat knew of the third clan. They were as friendly to StormClan as a cat is to it's next meal. They lived on flat, exposed moorland under the full sun. They lived in a ravine that had been carved deep into the ground; most likely created by twoleg monsters. They had visited and cut the ravine out centuries ago.
A loud voice came from the High Ledge, breaking through. Cloudpaw's thoughts. "Will all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the High Ledge for a clan meeting." Cloudpaw looked up to see Stormstar standing on the High Ledge, a stone ledge handing above the camp. It was the highest point in the camp, and was where the leader slept. Stormstar's den was carved into the rock behind the High Ledge.
Cloudpaw stood before the High Ledge, his tail held high. He was about to become a full Warrior! "Cloudpaw, do you promise to uphold the Warrior Code, even at the cost of your life?" Cloudpaw nodded. "I do." "Then by the power invested in me by StarClan, I give you your warrior name." There was a long pause, and then she continued; "From now on, you shall be known as Cloudchaser. Wear your warrior name with pride! May you server our clan for many years." Stormstar leaped down from the Great Ledge and put her tail on Cloudchaser's shoulder. He then brought his nose to her shoulder, finishing the ceremony. Cloudchaser! Cloudchaser! The whole clan chanted with pride for this new warrior. Cloudchaster could see his mother in the front of the gathering, her face swelling with pride. Silvertail began to cry.
'Cloudpaw-chaser, you're…" She ran up to him to touch noses. Cloudchaser had become a warrior at last. But that was only the beginning of his story. As this ew battle-ready warrior was appointed by his leader, a new darkness was formed. It was time for the prophecy of the ancient cats to begin.