Chapter 1

The tortoise-shell she-cat lunged herself at the blazing orange-pelted tom. "Pinned 'ya!" she exclaimed. They tussled again in a flurry mob of fur. "Pinned 'ya again." She said, satisfied, as if she just caught a plump piece of prey. "Skip, you poor cat! Can't even pin your own little sister!" The tortoise-shell she-cat sat up and let out a purr of amusement. "Aw, stop teasing him, Juniper. It's not his fault that I'm the best fighter!" Juniper was a silver-pelted she cat, and the tortoise-shell cat's best friend. "Faunnaa…" Skip moaned. He hated the fact that his little sister beat him in battle. "Where did you learn that move?" Fauna squirmed awkwardly. She couldn't keep a secret forever.

"One of Firestar's patrols taught me! I was hunting then. They also told me about Clan life. They taught me the warrior code, and the best stalking, hunting and fighting techniques…. That's why I was gone for a moon or two, remember? " she mewed. Skip and Juniper looked at each other with excitement in their eyes. Fauna anxiously waited for them to say something. Something stupid, I guess. Fauna thought in her mind.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Juniper asked. She looked at Skip with a serious amber gaze.

"I think." Skip said.

"Let's start or own Clan!" Juniper exclaimed. Fauna and Skip mewed with agreement.

"I'm tired of tasting Twoleg pellets." A new voice sounded. A new cat stepped out of the shadows. A pale-brown she-cat appeared. Her fur was matted and old. Her eyes were etched with wisdom and knowledge. "I miss the taste of fresh kill." The old she-cat immediately collapsed. Juniper ran to her to support her old and weak legs. She nudged the old she-cat with affection. "Shh, Mother. Why are you here? Shouldn't you be resting?"

"I would like to stay with you in the Clan."

"But Leaf-" Juniper started, but was cut off by Fauna.

"She will stay in the elder's den." Juniper nodded. She then took her mother to sit down in a patch with shade. Several cats came out of their Twoleg nests, wondering what Fauna was saying. Skip looked at them, counting. "Stone, Leap, Scar, Sun, Wisp, Willow… and plenty more."

"All cats who want to join our Clan, hear what I have to say!" All the cats gathered in the small clearing, from the smallest kit to the oldest elder.

"I found a nice forest near here, but well away from the Twolegs. We may face challenges like dogs and foxes, and even possibly rival Clans. Are you in?" Fauna's speech was enlightening; many cats mewed agreement, and excited mews rang around. "And you'll be our leader?" a cat challenged.

"Why not, Scar?" another cat retorted.

"Yeah! Everyone agrees that Fauna should be leader! Faunstar! Faunstar!" some cats started cheering. They too heard of the Clan cats and learnt from their teachings. Scar drew back his lips in a snarl and then regained his composure.

"Then it is agreed. Who shall be our medicine cat, the one who shall take care of us all?" Faunstar asked. A skinny light-brown she-cat stepped forward. "Shine, you will not be able to take a mate or have kits. You will be bound to StarClan. Is this truly what you wish?" Shine nodded. "Yes. I know most of the herbs. And StarClan came to me in a dream, also telling me about Clan life. A cat, Spottedleaf, came to me, and taught me about herbs and their uses. I am ready to be your medicine cat.

"Very well. I shall give you your warrior name. Shine, from this moment on, you will be called Shiningpelt. May your wisdom help us for the coming moons to come, especially through the thick leaf bare." A kit whined, "But I want to be the medicine cat!" Faunstar purred with amusement as the mother pulled him by the scruff of his neck fur and dragged him away.

"Looks like you'll have an apprentice in a few moons." Faunstar told Shiningpelt. She purred with delight. Faunstar faced the cats. " Now I must appoint a deputy. My deputy must be strong, and hold no grudges. He or she must be just and fair with all cats." One of the cats in the clearing shouted one name.

Wasp.

"Very well. Wasp, please step forward." The thick-furred gray tom stepped forward. "Wasp, from now on you shall be called Waspfire."

"Waspfire! Waspfire!" the cats cheered.

"I shall officially become your leader and receive nine lives once we settle in. We shall find a sacred place there. Let us go, before night time falls."

Most cats have received their names already. Most are apprentices because they are still inexperienced. Everyone is getting along with each other and they are almost to the dense forest. Waspfire padded beside Faunstar, and the queens and their kits are behind them, then followed by the warriors and apprentices. "Ow!" a yowl sounded from the cats. Shiningpelt ran to the cat, with cobwebs in her mouth, in case the cat stepped on something and is bleeding. "Willowheart is stuck in these brambles!" Echoleap was trying to pull her sister out, but Willowheart would just squeal. "No! You must take out the brambles first!" Shiningpelt ordered. One by one, they inched the brambles far away from Willowheart's body. It took time, but they finally got her out. "There's a clearing here!" she gasped. "With a stream going down the middle. Brambles and trees protect it, but a little shabby. There's a big oak with a hollow in the middle—for Faunstar's den, maybe? And a small fallen tree for the elders. There's a warm cozy bush, but the entrance is surrounded by brambles. There's one with a thorn barrier too, and a…"

"Whoa there, Willowheart. Slow down. Echoleap, Scarstorm, Wispfallow, and Waspfire. You 4 are the nimblest. Can you get the brambles out, or make them loose a bit?"

"Yes, then this could make an entrance for camp."

"Let's get to work!" Wispfallow exclaimed. A kit the size of a sparrow went up to Waspfire. "Daddy, can I help?"

"No, Sunkit. You're not yet an apprentice and I don't want you to get hurt."

"Oh… 'Kay." Sunkit said sadly and ran to his mother, Poppyfang. She gave him an affectionate lick on the ear, and Sunkit went to sit with his quiet brother, Molekit. "Okay, kits. Who can get me a stick from the roots of this tree here?"

"I can!" All of them squealed. There were 5 kits. Sunkit, Molekit, Volekit, Tigerkit and Streamkit.

"Faunstar! We got them loose. It makes a perfect entrance." Waspfire said.

"Great. Assemble everyone to get in, queens and kits first, then elders, then warriors and apprentices." Waspfire gave her a short nod. Faunstar's two friends huddled close to each other. Faunstar walked up to them. Juniperfrost's belly was getting unusually huge. "Juniperfrost and Stoneleap (Skip), I'm happy for both of you." Juniperfrost's eyes grew large and nudged Stoneleap. "You told her?" Juniperfrost asked incredulously.

"Of course. She's my sister." Stoneleap said calmly. "And your best friend."

"Well… we had to tell her sooner or later… " Juniperfrost gave him a small lick, then joined the queens. He followed her.

"I'm happy for you. Both of you." Faunstar whispered.