Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors. The Erin Hunters do. But the dark plot is from the dark recesses of my dark mind. :)
Rusty wandered through the streets, watching the cats perched on fences, chatting away happily, or lying in the sun without a care in the world.
Do I really want to give this up? he thought to himself. The forest cats are living proof that I should be grateful for such an easy life.
He wandered back to his house, thinking about it. The door opened, and one of his housefolk was there, glad to see him. He ran towards her, jumping into her arms. He purred; she stroked his fur. No, I don't. he decided. I'm going to leave the forest to the cats who belong there.
None of the forest cats were surprised when Lionheart and Whitestorm returned alone. Except perhaps Bluestar. She had thought that the cat that looked like fire might help them. But she was wrong.
Ravenpaw was dead, killed when a monster struck him on the thunderpath. The Clan did not mourn his loss. Their deputy had convinced them that his apprentice had betrayed them.
Graystripe was exiled after the Clan learned he had been meeting Silverstream at Sunningrocks. Silverstream was allowed to remain in her Clan, but they never trusted her. Then, in a horrific battle, she saw a chance to prove her loyalty to the Clan she loved. It worked, but Bluestar was dead.
Tigerclaw became the leader of ThunderClan. No cat challenged him. Within moons, the Clans were at war with each other, torn apart in his relentless quest for absolute power. His Clan was horrified at what he was doing, but none of them were brave enough to speak out.
That greenleaf, the fires that blazed through the forest became real, visible to all. Now called Tigerstar, the forest's leader refused to let the Clans flee, in his madness believing that he was truly invincible.
The Clans that had survived for as long as any cat could remember were gone. Yet, they lived on, in the hearts of a few outsiders who remembered. And so it happened that, after seasons beyond counting, young, adventurous cats seeking to rebuild lost traditions began the story again.
Fire had saved the Clans, but it had destroyed them to do so.
