A/N: Hey, this is my first Warriors story. It's going to be from the point of view of Fireheart, Sandstorm, and Graystripe. Anyways, hope you like it. ^_^
Fireheart's POV
A hint of flame colored fur prowled among the forest undergrowth. The figure stalked forward on light paws, scanning the bushes for any signs of prey.
Suddenly, a small brown shape flinched slightly and Fireheart detected the scent of a mouse. Moving forward carefully and quietly, he crept towards the mouse. It hadn't seemed to notice him, as it was engrossed in a feeble attempt to crack open a small nut shell of some sort. With trained precision and accuracy, he leapt into the air and landed right on top of the mouse, finishing it off with a sharp bite to the neck.
Suddenly, a voice purred from the thick undergrowth.
"Well now, finally caught that fat old mouse?"
It was Graystripe. Fireheart's best friend ever since he had attacked him near his old Twolegs' home. Fireheart lived a different life now, one with the cats who roamed the forest. He had been welcomed (by most) and accepted as a full warrior of ThunderClan.
Fireheart hooked the end of the mouse's tail with his claw and flicked it at Graystripe's face.
"Yeah, and you can finally catch that stupid vole that dozed off in the middle of the clearing." Fireheart retorted playfully.
There was another rustle in the bushes and Sandstorm, Fireheart's mate, appeared from deep within the forest.
"So, are you lousy hunters gonna bring that prey back or play catch with it 'til leaf-bare?" She meowed, humor shining in her bright green eyes.
"Aw, you're just sad because you had to kill that squirrel." Graystripe mewed, narrowing his eyes mischievously.
"Hey, that lazy thing had it coming. Anyways, we'd better head back. It's getting late."
As if to prove her point, the sky began to fade into a deep crimson hue as the sun set, slowly lowering it beneath the treetops. The sounds of nocturnal creatures coming to life slowly spread through the forest as the three friends raced back to camp, fresh-kill dangling from their jaws.
They quickly descended down the ravine and trotted through the gorse tunnel just as the sky began turning to black. Dropping his fresh-kill onto the pile, Fireheart snatched up a decent sized squirrel to share with Sandstorm.
As they headed towards the nettle patch to eat, Fireheart noticed Bluestar emerging from her den in the side of the Highrock. As she leapt to the top of the boulder, the clan instinctively gathered beneath the rock as they knew a clan meeting was about to be called.
Though the cats had already assembled in the clearing, Bluestar called the familiar summons. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting."
Fireheart took his place next to Sandstorm and Graystripe. He turned to see Dustpelt stalk out of the warriors den and shoot a questioning glance up at the Highrock.
As soon as all the cats had come together and settled, Bluestar began to meow loudly. "Cats of ThunderClan," she started, her voice ringing out loud and clear as it echoed against the camp walls. "As you know, ShadowClan have been acting especially hostile towards us-"
She was cut off as Longtail yowled, "They attacked me on a patrol while I was still 3 fox-lengths from the border,"
"Thank you, Longtail," Bluestar mewed, narrowing her eyes. "As I was saying, we need to increase patrols, keep watch for ShadowClan cats, and make sure not one whisker is found a mouse-length onto our territory. If you find ShadowClan in our territory I give you the permission to drive them out. This meeting is now dismissed."
As Bluestar jumped down from the Highrock, excited murmuring spread throughout the clearing. Fireheart wondered how the next few days would play out with ShadowClan being so fierce towards ThunderClan. But something welling deep inside him told him that this small crisis would end in a terrible battle that called for many cats' deaths. He couldn't help shrinking back slightly at the thought.
Suddenly he felt Sandstorm's pelt brush against his and he pressed his muzzle into her flank to breathe in her comforting scent. He lifted up to see Graystripe looking at him, a look of deep understanding and compassion in his eyes.
As he strolled over to the two orange warriors he butted his forehead against Fireheart's side and meowed, "Don't worry, we're in this together, however grim the outcome may be."
Fireheart's gaze traveled steadily over these two cats who he valued with his life and he realized he didn't have to do this alone. They would be with him every paw-step of the way.
Fireheart bounded through the undergrowth with Sandstorm and Graystripe at his side. They had decided to take the dawn border patrol. As they skirted around Snakerocks Fireheart felt something was wrong. He instantly turned towards Twoleg Place and began to speed up.
"Um, Fireheart?" Sandstorm mewed. "Where are you taking us?"
"I'm going to Twoleg Place. Something tells me I need to see Princess."
Graystripe and Sandstorm exchanged glances but said nothing as they plunged deeper into the undergrowth.
"Princess!" Fireheart called quietly through the fence of his sister's garden.
There was a quiet rustle of leaves and a faint scraping noise before Princess appeared on the top of her garden fence.
"Fireheart!" She meowed excitedly, jumping down to meet him. "And you've brought Graystripe and Sandstorm!"
Graystripe merely nodded at the she-cat while Sandstorm kept an unreadable expression on her face.
"So, how are you guys doing in the clan?"
"We're doing fine," Fireheart answered softly. "I just wanted to warn you about ShadowClan. They've been coming a little too far onto our side of the border lately and I don't want you to get caught by a patrol."
"ShadowClan?!" Princess gasped. "Are you sure you'll be fine?" she asked with a slightly worried look on her face.
"Don't worry, Princess. We'll stay safe." Fireheart pushed his flank to his sister's to comfort her.
Suddenly, Princess was gone and the familiar surroundings of the forest disappeared with her.
"What's happening?!" Sandstorm yowled over the growing winds. "Where are we?"
Fireheart tried to pinpoint their location, but the roaring breeze carried away the last traces of the forest and they were surrounded by darkness.
"Sandstorm! Graystripe! Huddle together in the center!"
Doing as he said, the three cats crouched together in a small circle and closed their eyes tightly. They dug their claws into the unseen ground as they were afraid of being blown away by the fierce winds.
Then, as quickly as it had come, it disappeared. The winds died down, the darkness began to fade, and the ThunderClan warriors could finally distinguish the many scents that lingered in the air.
Comforted that they were safe and back in the real world, the three cats did not think to sniff carefully and find familiar landmarks. They did not stop to check their surroundings before padding carefully back into the undergrowth. But as they began to realize that something was not right, a loud bark echoed through the trees, the ground shook with the thundering of mighty paws, and the screech of Twolegs commanding someone or something to stop pierced the cats' eardrums.
And even as they turned to flee they realized it was too late. The bushes behind them exploded and two mighty dogs as big as Twolegs themselves bounded out of the undergrowth and raced straight towards the three warriors.