Chapter 1-
Maisie crouched on the edge of the fence. Her eyes scanned the areas around it. Apparently wild cats lived around these parts. The she-cat snorted. She didn't believe a word of it. Jumping down from the fence she landed in the soft, wild grass on the other side. This being her first time across the fence the tiny brown tabby she-cat felt excitement pricked at her paws and race through her body.
Maisie sniffed the ground a moment, strange smells came to her, all sorts of wildlife like mice and rabbits. She thought she picked up the scent of cats but ignored it. Maisie purred and sat down in the grass. Her eyes wandered the landscape before she lay down and began to sunbathe.
Suddenly she heard rustling in the bushes and she opened an eye. Her heart quickened when she saw three cats emerge from the bush. All three were muscular, one was a completely black tom with amber eyes, the middle one was a grey she-cat, while the one to the left was a tortoiseshell she-cat with a large white marking on her forehead.
"Who are you?" The black tom hissed, his fur fluffed up. Maisie paused. Were these the wild cats? She felt fear trickle into her system as she stammered to answer.
"M-Maisie..." The grey she-cat moved in front of the black tom, her gaze fell soft on Maisie.
"Nevermind Breezepelt, how old are you Maisie?" Maisie blinked her eyes fell on Breezepelt momentarily before she looked back at the grey she-cat.
"7 moons." She mewed, gaining some of her courage back. The tortoiseshell glanced at the grey cat confused.
"Ashfoot? What are you doing?" She mewed her tail flicking impatiently. Ashfoot flicked her ear and dipped her head to the other cat.
"You'll see Sunstrike." Ashfoot the turned to look at Maisie. "How much do you know about us young one?" She asked. Maisie raised her head and looked squarely at Ashfoot.
"I know you are wild cats, and I have heard stories that you eat mice and rabbits, you have fights with other cats as well!" Maisie mewed and Ashfoot chuckled.
"We are not just wild cats, we are clan cats. We abide by the warrior code." Maisie tilted where head confused. Breezepelt shouldered past Ashfoot and stood in front of Maisie his claws unsheathed. Instinctively the tiny kittypet unsheathed hers and set the fighting stance. Sunstrike let out a mrrow of amusement but Ashfoot silenced her.
"Why do you need to know about what we do? Your just a kittypet!" Breezepelt hissed and stepped towards Maisie, looming over the tiny she-cat.
"At least I have the guts to go over the fence!" She hissed and stared back at him. Breezepelt chuckled and batted at her casually. Maisie staggered but stood upright again. "What will your clanmates think of you? Picking on poor tiny Maisie?" She taunted, Breezepelt narrowed his eyes and raised his paw, claws outstretched. "But if you left me you'd be leaving a cat on your territory! Oh what will you-" Breezepelt cut her off by swiping at her legs, knocking the kittypet down.
Maisie instantly stood up shakily and watched Breezepelt for his next move, he raised his paw again and this time Maisie sidestepped the blow, causing Breezepelt to lose his balance. The she-cat leapt into the air and landed on Breezepelt. She dug her claws into his shoulders as he tried desperately to shake her off. Breezepelt succeeded and sent her bowling in the direction of Ashfoot. Maisie stood up and ignored the mew of protest from Sunstrike as she dashed towards Breezepelt. She dodged another blow and slipped underneath Breezepelt. She raked her claws across his stomach and Breezepelt let out a small wail of agony. He quickly grabbed Maisies tail as she tried to run past him and threw her in the direction of Ashfoot.
Maisie tumbled into Ashfoots paws and the grey she-cat protectively pulled her closer.
"That's enough Breezepelt." She meowed and glared at him. "Maisie was brave in fighting you." Breezepelt staggered forward glaring at the kittypet that was shivering by Ashfoots paws. Ashfoot looked down at Maisie, her soft eyes where full of knowledge as she spoke. "Would you like to join our clan?" Both Sunstrike and Breezepelt let out mews of protest. Ashfoot glared at them before looking back at Maisie. The she-cat opened her mouth to speak but only a tiny wail escaped her as she collapsed on the ground next to Ashfoot.
Sunstrike hissed at Breezepelt and clawed at his ear. Breezepelt hissed back but gave no more retaliation as Ashfoot picked Maisie up and padded back to camp. Sunstrike followed immediately and Breezepelt soon after.
As the three cats padded into camp, Maisie being held by the scruff by Ashfoot, most clan cats greeted them. Ashfoot placed Maisie gently on the ground as Nightcloud padded over. She gasped seeing the scratches on Breezepelts body and turned on Ashfoot.
"Who did this to my son?" Nightcloud hissed. Breezepelt shook his pelt and hissed back at his mother.
"It's nothing!" Nightcloud quickly shooed Breezepelt over to Kestrelflight who in turn responded that they were minor wounds, they just needed to be cleaned and they'd be fine. Nightcloud still insisted Breezepelt go in the medicine den and Kestrelflight reluctantly agreed.
"What is this Ashfoot, why have you brought a kittypet into our camp?" Onestar meowed. Ashfoot turned her head to meet her leaders gaze. Swiftly she spoke, explaining how they met Maisie and the fight.
"She was brave for a cat of her age." Ashfoot finished. Onestar sighed and looked at the tiny Kittypet.
"Sunstrike, take her to Kestrelflight." The leader ordered. Sunstrike dipped her head and gently picked up Maisie before carrying her over to the medicine cat den. Onestar then turned to look at Ashfoot. "We can keep her here until she has healed, but then she goes." Ashfoot sighed and dipped her head.
"Of course, I just-"
"Don't" Onestar interrupted and Ashfoot sighed.
"Onestar! Ashfoot!" Breezepelt called. The two cats turned to look at the young warrior as he bounded over. "Kestrelflight needs you." Immediately the three cats made their way to the den and saw Kestrelflight sat over Maisie.
"Kestrelflight?" Ashfoot mewed. Kestrelflight turned his head and looked straight at their leader.
"This cat must join Windclan." He mewed, almost sullen.
"Impossible, Windclan will not accept kittypets!" Onestar retaliated, and was about to leave the den when Kestrelflight replied.
"Would you go against the word of starclan?" When there was no answer he continued. "There was a sign. A briar plant in the middle of a field. It withstood even the strongest winds and was not uprooted even when every plant around it was." Kestrelflight let the cat's process that. "This kittypet withstood the fight with Breezepelt." Ashfoot raised her head and finished of the sentence.
"Even the strongest Breeze could not defeat the Briar."
Onestar paused then sighed. He dipped his head and gestured with his tail for all the cat's to follow. One by one, Ashfoot, Onestar Kestrelflight, Breezepelt and Sunstrike carrying Maisie left the den. They followed Onestar to the ledge where meetings where held and waited as he called the cat's forward.
"All cats old enough to run across the moors, gather around!" It took a few moments for all the cat's to appear before Onestar continued on. "Today, Starclan has spoken. A new cat shall join our ranks." He looked over each cats face before looking down at Maisie. "She showed courage when battling Breezepelt, and thus proving Starclan wishes for her to join Windclan."
"She's a kittypet!" Weaselfur yowled. "We can't accept kittypets!" Onestar glared at Weaselfur before jumping off the ledge and landing beside Maisie. The small cat stood tall as Onestar lowered his muzzle.
"Like the prophecy should tell, you are the briar in the wind." He then raised his muzzle to address the whole clan. "From this day forward she shall be known as Briarpaw, in honour of her resistance!" There was silence in the clan, so Ashfoot stepped forward beside Onestar.
"In addition to that, Briarpaw is, and always has been, a member of Windclan. If any cat asks just reply with that." Mutters went through the clan before a single voice began chanting her name.
It was Whitetail, a few cats looked at her before nodding and joining in, and soon the whole clan was chanting her name. After that Onestar dipped his head and looked from Sunstrike to Briarpaw.
"Sunstrike, you showed great skill as an apprentice, I hope you pass these skills you have learnt down to Briarpaw." Sunstrike dipped her head and stepped forward to touch noses with Briarpaw.
