Warriors

Chapter 1

Shadows crept over the swift night air as a bird swooped for its prey. Ferns rustled in the breeze. Slowly Dragonkit slid across the scorched forest floor.

The ground held ashes and burned dirt that still remained from the fire that Softfeather had predicted. This same fire was what led to the formation of Fireclan, the Third clan on the territories. As young and as challenged by the other clans (Iceclan and Nightclan and even the forming Willowclan) Fireclan had prospered in the long greenleaf and all of its members hoped for a bright future.

Dragonkit had snuck out of camp to avoid the stares- after all what could she expect from the fact that she had 2 different eyes! She had her mother, Birdsong's sky blue eyes and her father, Thunderstorm's dark navy eyes. Dragonkit loved her eyes and their colors but particular cats thought of her eyes as a deformity and teased her for it, especially her brother, Shrillkit and Coldfrost his idol. However a few people were nice to her, such as her sister, Flykit and an apprentice, Sightpaw.

Dragonkit lifted her head and took in all the forest scents around her. She closed her eyes and listened for the night sounds, but none were there. An owl hooted abruptly and her eyes; blue against the shadows of night darted around curiously as all the sounds of the night returned.

Slowly but confidently she made her way back to camp and snuck past the entrance when Windchime wasn't looking. She scampered back quietly into the nursery to sleep. She lay down, rested her head on her paws, and fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.

Dragonkit awoke to a paw prodding at her side. She opened her eyes to see Flykit standing next to her. Dragonkit sat up, aware that Shrillkit was not in the nursery she gave her chest fur a few licks, pausing when her sister spoke up."Hurry up Dragonkit!" Flykit meowed "Maybe if you hurry we can ask Softfeather or Echoflight for a moss ball", she added quickly and before she could say anything Flykit was already heading towards the Medicine Cat Den.

Dragonkit followed Flykit quietly into the Medicine Cat Den. Flykit padded up to Echoflight "Can we have a moss ball Echoflight?" asked Flykit.

"Sure Flykit let me get one", Echoflight replied. She walked slowly towards the back of her den to retrieve a bit of moss. Echoflight came back with a average sized wad of moss and passed it to Flykit, then she went back into her den.

"Come on!" Flykit said "Let's go play in the caves!" She said quietly so only we would hear. The caves were a secret networks of pathways that only they knew about.

They slipped into the apprentice den and jumped on a small ledge above where the apprentices slept. They padded into the opening and draped the moss back over the hole. They headed to a secret pool in a small cave. They found their way by the light that came in through small holes dotted in places on the roof. They lapped up a bit of water then went to what they called Moss Cavern.

Moss cavern was a large cave with lots of moss on the roof. It had a soft, slightly sandy floor under paw. They saw through a hole in the roof only two whisker lengths long.

When they entered Flykit dropped the moss ball she had been carrying. Dragonkit looked around in amazement as she always did when they came here. As if reading Dragonkit's mind Flykit said, "I am so glad we found this place!"

Dragonkit rolled up the moss ball as best as she could and gently pawed it towards Flykit. Flykit squealed in surprise and threw the moss ball back to Dragonkit. Dragonkit toppled over as the moss ball hit her muzzle. She looked around at the pieces of the moss ball on the floor. Dragonkit locked glances at Flykit and they both burst out laughing.

Flykit piped up "We should head back."

"Yeah", Dragonkit replied "Birdsongs probably looking for us" she said.

They walked silently back to the entrance of the tunnels. Dragonkit peered through the hanging moss. The only cat in the apprentice den was a sleeping Snowpaw, so they made their way out of the apprentice den easily. They headed back to the nursery. On the way there they were greeted by a sour Shrillkit."Birdsongs been looking for you two-eyes" Shrillkit snarled, directing the insult to Dragonkit.

"Get a life Mouse-brain" she retorted sharply and walked towards Birdsong.

She was met by a few worried licks "Where were you, I was concerned! " Birdsong meowed "And your pelt is all dusty!" Birdsong fussed.

"Mom!" Dragonkit said, clearly annoyed. She squirmed as her mother groomed her pelt.

"You have to be clean for Lilykit, Pantherkit, and Lightningkit's apprentice ceremony" Birdsong said quietly, probably remembering the Lilykit and Lightningkit's dead sister, Cherrykit who died of Greencough. Catmint had been scarce that Leaf-bare. Many cats perished that fateful season.

Dragonsoul, the noble cat she was named after, had died a deputy's death fighting off greencough. The leafbare also took two of Gingerstars nine lives to blackcough (fatal chest infection; no cure) and it was Gingerstar's luck that blackcough did not take more of her lives; for it was Starclan's will that cured her from blackcough.

Dragonkit meowed in protest again as her mother smoothed down her puffy kit-fluff. Outside she heard Gingerstar calling a meeting. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath ashrock for a clan meeting!" Gingerstar yowled. Slowly cats slid out of their dens to gather beneath ashrock.

"We gather today to perform an important duty to the clan, the naming of apprentices" Gingerstar stated. "Lilykit, Lightningkit, and Pantherkit-please step forward."

"From this moment on your name is Lilypaw, your mentor is Ashfang! I hope he passes everything he gained from Fireshine back to you." Gingerstar said. Lilypaw bent forward and touched noses with her mentor then sat down.

"Lightningkit, from this moment on your name is Lightningpaw. Your mentor will be Thunderstorm, I hope he passes on all of his knowledge to you." Gingerstar said as she repeated the sacred words again. Lightningpaw bent and touched noses with his new mentor.

"Pantherkit, from this moment on your name is Pantherpaw. Your mentor will be myself, seeing as I have not had an apprentice in a long time." Gingerstar said the last words a little bit louder than the others. Pantherpaw reached up to touch noses with her gently.

Cheers went up from the gathered cats, "Lilypaw, Lightningpaw, Pantherpaw! Lilypaw, Lightningpaw, Pantherpaw!" As the yowls died out Dragonkit slipped back inside the nursery.

"Hey! Too embarrassed to show your face, I see!" Shrillkit smirked at his comment as he sat in the far gloom of the back of the nursery. Dragonkit rolled her eyes and retorted "At least I don't have to hide in the shadows!"

"Oh, you wouldn't dare go there!" He said threateningly, glaring at her now.

"I already did," she stated simply, smiling during this whole conversation.

"You're going to regret that!" Shrillkit hissed as he leaped into the air aiming to land on Dragonkit's back. Dragonkit jumped aside to avoid Shrillkits outstretched paws.

Shrilllkit hissed in frustration as his paws met the dirt where she was standing a moment ago. Dragonkit turned around to face him again. This time she moved first. She jumped high using her back legs to propel her forward at the same time. Shrillkit backed up to avoid her.

Dragonkit, anticipating he would back up had jumped farther than he expected and landed squarely on his shoulders, knocking out his feet from under him and pinning him to the ground. She placed a sheathed paw on his neck and stood proudly over him.

"Give up now?" she asked reasonably.

"Never!" he spat defiantly.

"You can release him now Dragonkit", A voice spoke. Dragonkit turned her head around clearly surprised to see Froststem at the entrance to the Nursery. She lifted her paw gingerly from Shrillkit's neck and stepped away from him.

"It seems we have a fighter in our midst!" Froststem stated as Shrillkit puffed out his chest smugly. "Dragonkit, you have patience, you will become a great and valuable warrior." with Froststems comment, Shrillkit's smugness faded like fog and was replaced by a hateful glare directed at Dragonkit.

"How is she a good fighter, I made the first move!" He protested strongly.

"The first move is not necessarily the best in all battles", Froststem replied wisely and then padded softly out of the Nursery.

Shrillkit hissed at Dragonkit again then stalked out of the den. Flykit walked in towards Dragonkit quickly. "That was a great fight Dragonkit", Flykit said in awe. "Thanks, Flykit. Come on let's rest", Dragonkit told her with a yawn, and then they padded to their nest to sleep.

AN: this is my first time writing one so tell me if its good or not more plots will come if you all want another chapter. Flames will be used to burn down your house :P no really I would however appreciate constructive criticism.

Bye for now :D