Chapter 1

Snow battled fiercely, her shoulder burning from a cut, which had, no doubt, unsheathed claws. She bared her teeth at the tortoiseshell she-cat she was fighting and struck her claws across its face. It howled with pain. She could hear her companions' fighting in the background, and longed to go help them. Seeing that she was distracted, the tortoiseshell scratched her hind leg. Remembering she was in the middle of a fight, Snow struck at her face again. The she-cat ran away howling. Snow breathed in deeply, and turned to the leaders den. She tried to run, but her hind leg still stung, and so did her shoulder. Her vision went fuzzy, and she fell to the ground, all sounds muted, as the cries of rage, hisses and blood splattering the ground became distant. Suddenly everything was black.

Snow woke in the fighters den. Next to her she could dimly see the figure of a cat. She tried to speak but all that came out was a squeak as the cat stepped forward and revealed himself. It was Slash, the leader of The Claws, the cats they were fighting. Snow flattened her ears and swallowed, "What do you want with me? I am just a fighter. You have no quarrel with me." "Oh but I do. Snow, I have admired you since I first saw you. Your hunting and fighting techniques are very good. I want you for my mate." He said licking his claws.

"Never!" she exclaimed. She could still hear her friends fighting valiantly with The Claw Cats.

"Oh but why? We would make a great team!" He said, winding around her. He stretched, his tail arching over his head, sat down and licked a paw.

"I will NEVER join you. You have killed my friends, my family, and most of The Storm Cats" she said with determination. He growled, and blocked the way out. "You are to come with me. The ceremony is tomorrow. Imagine the kits! They would be beautiful!"

"Then they would take from their mother because you definitely don't have any good looks!" She said with pride.

He growled and moved toward her, and while he was distracted, Snow ran out as fast as she could and went into the woods. She kept running, not knowing where she was going. She finally came to a rest and sat down on a big boulder. She thought about what had just happened. Thinking helps her calm down. She thought about her friends who she had left back home. She thought about going back to help. Then she shook her head. She can't go back there. She looked at the pond ahead of her. It reflected the night sky and almost sparkled with the image of the stars. The light of the moon reflected on her white coat and made her amber eyes look like fire against her fur. She jumped down from the rock and kept walking, setting down her paws so she left no tracks, and keeping careful to stay out of sight. She just hoped none of The Claw Cats had a good sense of smell. Suddenly she heard something.

She pricked her ears as she detected the quiet rustling of many small creatures. Then she was covered in them. She struggled but they wouldn't come off, just kept on scratching her and biting her with small razor teeth.

Chapter 2

Snow struggled against the small furry creatures and managed to get a few off. But where one fell off, another one latched onto her, giving her twice as much pain. Then, out of nowhere, the creatures were scrambling off her and running. She was suddenly bundled to the side as a cat, as Snow saw as she turned to the side to watch, fought off the creatures and then watched them run away. Snow, once all the creatures were gone, walked up to the mystery cat.

"Thank you for saving me." She said gratefully, looking at the cat as he, she noticed, turned around. He was white and black with green eyes that sparkled like emeralds.

"I couldn't watch any cat die, especially to rats." He murmured looking at her with kindness.

"Is that what those were? They even have an ugly name! Speaking of names, what's yours? My name is Snow." she mewed with curiosity.

"My name is Thunder." He declared, as he jumped onto a rock and looked back at her, and, with his chest swelling with pride, added, "And I'm a lone cat."

"I used to be a part of The Storm Cats, but now I can't stay there. Have you heard of The Storm Cats?"

"Yes. Come, follow me. I know a place you can stay the night. And I have herbs for your scratches. We can't have them becoming infected." He said, stretching and then jumping down to head deeper into the woods. Snow was relieved he didn't push her about why she can't stay at The Storm Cats. She followed Thunder through the woods to the other side, and, just on the edge of the woods, there was a den.

"You can stay the night at my den, to…think things over." He said as they entered the den, "I'll go hunting for you. You're obviously hungry. Be back soon!" he said with a swish of his tail.

Snow stretched and looked around the den. There was a bed of moss she assumed was his, and a little hole where he probably stored food. She smiled to herself. This was nothing like she imagined a lone cat to be like.

Thunder left the den and entered the woods. Snow was the first cat who wasn't a loner that he'd met. She was nothing like his mother had told him. In fact, she was the complete opposite! He crouched and pricked his ears as he detected the smell of rabbit. He swiftly killed it and brought it back to Snow, happy with his catch. He treated her scratches when he got back and then settled down to eat. That night they ate together, and Thunder was happy to have someone to share a meal with.

"So, where are you going? Why did you have to leave The Storm Cats?" Thunder asked Snow. It was the next day and Thunder was in the woods with Snow. They were hunting.

Snow took a deep breath, "Have you heard of Slash, leader of The Claw Cats?"

Thunder nodded and she continued, "He told me that I was to be his mate. I didn't want to, so he tried to attack me. I ran away, and kept running until you rescued me from the rats." Snow finished, adding the last words gratefully.

Thunder meowed, "Where are you going now?"

"I don't know. I might travel to find a new home." Snow mewed.

"Well why don't you stay at my den for a few more nights." He suggested and then added quickly "That way I can heal your scratches."

Snow glanced at him and then asked, "Are you lonely?"

Thunder looked at the ground and then replied, "Yes. I need someone around, someone I can talk to, you know?"

Snow looked at him sympathetically mildly saying, "Well at least I'll be here for a few more nights so you won't be lonely."

Thunder stopped walking and sat down. Snow paused too and looked at him looking at him curiously saying "What are you-" She never got to finish before Thunder flicked his tail over her mouth and shook his head angling his ears toward the river that was next to them. Suddenly Thunder crouched and so did Snow. She had seen it too. On the other bank of the river, slinking around like shadows, were Slash and two of his cats.

Chapter 3

Slash was looking from side to side while his cats, which Snow assumed to be fighters, trailed behind. Snow and Thunder were just close enough to hear what they were saying.

Slash growled at his two fighters, "Hurry up! We have to find Snow! If we have her as my mate, then The Storm Cats will do anything to get her back. She is valuable."

One of the two fighters, a black-coloured tomcat, exclaimed, "Why couldn't one of us have her as a mate?"

The other one, a grey and white tomcat, widened his blue eyes in fear at what his friend had said. Slash turned his head abruptly.

"What did you say?!" Slash snarled fiercely slashing at the cat's exposed stomach.

The black tomcat howled and coughed up blood. Slash turned around ignoring the cat slowly dying, his blood spilling all over the grass and into the river. The grey and white cat looked in fear at his friend and crouched beside him. He licked his friend's ear in farewell, then turned and followed Slash, his tail drooping.

Snow and Thunder stared, shocked as they watched the black tom twitch once more, then lay still, his eyes were dull and cold, and sightless.