Chapter 1
A/N: This is my first fanfic that I wrote over a year ago. I already have eight chapters written, so this is displayed just as a tester. If you enjoy, then I will add more. This takes place after Sunrise.
Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors. Erin Hunter and HarperCollins do.
The full moon floated high in the sky against an inky backdrop of stars. A line of ThunderClan cats leaped onto the tree trunk that took them to the island, and a line of RiverClan cats followed. WindClan and ShadowClan were already present, and both Clans' leaders were already situated among the branches of the great tree in the middle of the island. Their deputies sat on the tree roots underneath them.
Firestar, ThunderClan's leader, climbed up, and positioned himself on a branch in the tree on the island, and waited for the Gathering to begin. Below, cats from all four Clans milled around, chatting, walking or just sitting there.
Jayfeather, ThunderClan's blind medicine cat, padded up to Lionblaze. "I have a bad feeling that something dreadful will happen," he told his brother.
Lionblaze shrugged. "But we're on an island. And there are many warriors here."
The sightless medicine cat's eyes clouded with worry. "All the same, I think this will not be a good Gathering."
"The Gathering has begun!" Blackstar, the ShadowClan leader, yowled. All eyes turned to the leaders sitting on the giant tree.
"I will begin. Snowbird has given birth to a new litter of kits, named Frostkit and Nightkit." Yowls of approval came from the assembled ShadowClan cats, and Blackstar continued his report. "New Twoleg sightings have been seen by my patrols, and one new warrior has been made, Redclaw. That is all." He turned to Leopardstar, and indicated for her to begin.
"Prey is running well for RiverClan, and we also have one new warrior, Minnowpelt." Minnowpelt stood up, and her Clanmates called out, "Minnowpelt! Minnowpelt!"
Leopardstar sat down again, and Onestar, the leader of WindClan, started to give his report.
"We have seen a fox in our territory, but we drove it off. Prey is plentiful, and –"
Lionblaze smelled a new scent in the air, of a cat, but not Clan. What is it? He sniffed the air again, but ignored the scent. He listened to Firestar giving his report, now that Onestar was done his.
"...named Foxleap and Icecloud. They are having their vigil in camp tonight, so they couldn't come. Other then that, there is no other –"
Suddenly, a flash of black appeared out of nowhere, knocking Firestar down. He fell down to the ground, barely avoiding hitting his deputy, Brambleclaw.
Brambleclaw hurried over to the fallen leader, and his eyes glazed over with fear.
"Jayfeather. Here. Now," he rasped.
The medicine cat was quickly by his leader's side. He pawed at Firestar, and examined his body. As he got to Firestar's neck, he looked up at the crowd of cats, all from different Clans.
"There," the blind medicine cat mewed, trembling, and then regained his voice, "There is a deep gash in my leader's neck. It has killed him."
Yowls of protest met his words, and a cat from RiverClan cried, "But what about his nine lives? He didn't use all of them!"
Jayfeather bowed his head. "There is a special poison in that gash. It killed Firestar. All of his lives are gone. There was nothing I could do. Firestar was instantly dead the second the poison infested his system."
"Is there anything about the gash that could help us identify the killer?" asked Sandstorm, who had been Firestar's mate.
"I was hoping that you wouldn't ask, but yes, there is, Sandstorm. The gash was in the shape of a of a b-broken… star."
"Brokenstar!" screeched all the Clan cats in unison.
"But isn't Brokenstar dead?" asked a timid apprentice.
Nobody answered.