AN: Hello! This is my second story online, and my first Warriors story! I look forward to reviews and hope that this unusual match intrigues you.

Encounter

Inspired By Erin Hunter's Warriors

I padded across the soft grass, my nose twitching at the pleasant scents around me. After a few more steps I settled down in a comfortable patch of leaves, a few beams of light dappling my gray pelt through the branches above. With a small contented sigh I set to work grooming my unkempt pelt, removing burrs and stray pieces of plants from my fur.

As I began to work on a particularly stubborn burr I thought back to why I had come here in the first place. My Clan had been busy running around preparing for tonight, myself stocking up on so many herbs that the smell permeated even more strongly than usual from my coat. I wish I could do more than just collect plants and wait for my Clan mates to get injured, I thought, but there wasn't much else I can do. I could try to fight… but that would undoubtedly end in failure.

Darting a venomous glance and my bum leg I sighed again. Thinking about things I can't do isn't going to help any. I should be back at camp, making more preparations for the important battle. Everyone is counting on me to heal them if they get hurt- when they get hurt. I shouldn't even be out of camp, not this close to the fight. Actually, nobody was supposed to be out without at least one other Clan mate, but here I am, alone in the forest at the edge of ThunderClan territory.

I winced and felt my ears lower as if scolded. I had only left the Clan so I could clear my head and have a moment to myself, without having to worry about someone barging in and distracting me.

Pulling my head away from my flank- which I had just finished washing- I swiped my tongue over my muzzle once and decided it was time to go back to camp. Inwardly I sighed almost wearily, I've had my moment to myself, and I still have a lot to do at camp. I got to my paws easily enough- despite my useless leg- and barely made it a paw step before I froze. I heard something. My ear flicked to see if I was hearing correctly. I almost dismissed it as nothing and began to continue on my way when I heard it again. A slight creaking of wood, sounding as if it was only slightly strained from the weight of something.

My head jerked up and my blue gaze scanned the trees for movement. When I saw nothing I frowned, Am I hearing things? Maybe it was just a squirrel… or maybe all the stress and exhaustion of the day has finally gotten to me.

And then I saw it. A small flicker of movement, a tail tip twitching in the harsh glare of the sun. My eyes followed the tail tip to the rest of the tail, slowly moving my eyes to the feline's torso, legs, and throat. I finally stopped on the cat's face, feeling myself freeze.

The cat was a black tom with a single white paw, lounging on a branch in the trees. Even from a distance I could tell that he was pretty small, but he still had an air that held dignity and demanded respect. I shivered involuntarily when I caught his icy blue eyes with my own. They were cold, colder than the coldest leaf-bare, and just as bitter. Despite all this though, the thing that disturbed me the most was the purple collar with various fangs imbedded in it that he wore around his neck. He was with the enemy.

Enemy. As a medicine cat I wasn't supposed to view anything other than sickness as my enemy- excluding the possible creatures that could harm my Clan mates. Because of this I had never really had a feline as an enemy before, especially since medicine cats were given safe passage through different Clan territories. But he's not of the Clans; he's of the rogues that threaten my Clan, everyone I care about, I reminded myself even as I wilted at my next realization, But now, faced with an enemy for the first time in all my moons… I don't know what to do.

My mind raced as I tried to find a solution, I guess I could try to run away, but he'd easily catch up to me with my bum leg. If it came down to fighting I could at least defend myself a little, having been trained as a warrior briefly before I was injured. Hopefully it won't come to fighting though…

"How long do you intend to stare at me like that?"

A smooth, male voice broke through my thoughts, jerking me back to reality. The tom was still lounging comfortably on the branch, the only difference in his position being a slightly tilted head with an inquisitive look in his eyes. He doesn't seem too dangerous as far as rogues go…

Swallowing thickly I called up to him, squinting through the glare of sunlight, "Who are you? And what are you doing on ThunderClan territory?"

He rested his head on his paws, "It's impolite to ask for my name when you haven't even introduced yourself."

My pelt heated up in embarrassment; A rogue that's trying to take over my home is telling me what's polite and impolite?

"Says the one that snuck up on me and has been watching me for StarClan knows how long!"

He snorted at my mention of StarClan but replied easily, "You're the one that walked in on me actually." I gaped at him and he continued, "I've been in this tree for a while now, long before you came over here and started to groom yourself." He paused long enough for what he had just said to sink in before adding, "Speaking of which, you missed a spot behind your ear."

I burned beneath my pelt and automatically tried to fix the mentioned spot behind my ear while the tom chuckled. Once I was sure I had fixed the patch of fur I glared at the rogue, who was still lounging pleasantly on the branch.

"Get down here so we can talk face to face!"

"I guess it couldn't hurt." He shrugged before standing on the branch and stretching- the branch bobbing precariously beneath his shifting weight- before he hopped from the branch he was on to several others, finally landing on the ground in front of me and sitting on his haunches.

I took a moment to study him. He was definitely small, about the size of an apprentice, and he had muscles the rippled under his glossy black pelt, which I'll readily admit was better kept than I expected it would be. Usually rogues had dirty, matted pelts and stank of crow-food, but this tom looked clean and healthy enough to pass off as a Clan cat. He even smelled fairly good, with the scent of trees, grass, and fresh-kill covering up the musk of the strange two-leg place where he lived.

"Did you only ask me to come down so you could ogle me some more?" the tom cocked his head with a soft snort.

I burned beneath my fur again, giving my chest a few embarrassed licks before saying, "I don't mean to stare… I just haven't seen someone like you before."

"Should I take that as an insult?" he sounded serious, but his usually chilly eyes held humor in them.

"Take it however you want," I raised my chin defiantly, suddenly remembering who he was, "but tell me what you're doing here."

He almost seemed taken aback, but he kept his tone amused and his expression neutral, "If you must know, I came here to take a nap and look around the territory that is soon to be mine. I was actually enjoying the quiet until a she-cat plopped herself under my tree and began to wash her rump."

Though I was mortified and marginally insulted by his ending comment I bristled at something else he had said, "What do you mean by "territory that is soon to be mine"?"

"Exactly how it sounds." He raised a paw and began to lick it casually, "I was looking around what is soon to be my territory."

I began to growl, my old warrior spirit surfacing, "How could you be so cocky?! We have yet to even have the deciding battle and you already act like this forest belongs to you!"

He gazed at me with interest as he replied, "We have numbers and fighting experience. What do your "Clans" have that can possibly be an advantage over us?"

"We have StarClan."

He burst out laughing, but it wasn't a joyful sound. It was bitter.

"StarClan! Pathetic. As if they can help you; they're dead!" his laughter stifled to several snorts, "But I guess that won't stop you from trying anyway, will it?"

"Of course not!" I snapped, "My Clan, along with the others, will always defend our territories when threatened by thugs that want it for themselves."

He frowned and straightened, "Thugs? We are not thugs, merely… desperate." At my doubting stare he sighed, "We live among two-legs, surviving off of their scraps alone. Some of us die each moon from starvation, sickness, or the two-legs we take food from. We are only doing what we have to in order to survive by moving to a more suitable place to live. There is no malice behind what we're doing; we just want to be able to live on in a better situation than what we're currently living in."

Despite my heart reaching out in sympathy to their plight I exclaimed determinedly, "That may be so, but you're doing this by making cats that are already living happily here leave! Can't you just find your own territory?"

"We would if we could!" he hissed and leaned forward until we were almost nose to nose, "But I don't see any other prey-stocked places to settle, do you?"

I went silent and my gaze dropped to the forest floor. As the silence stretched between us I listened to the other forest life scuttle around the underbrush and the distant cries of birds. The warmth of the sun above seeped into my fur and made me feel uncomfortably hot.

I was in the middle of shifting when the tom spoke up in a near murmur, "I'm… sorry… that I reacted the way I did."

Surprised that the self-assured rogue had apologized my head snapped up and I stared blankly at him. He was sitting with his head bowed and his tail wrapped around his paws, making him look smaller and almost vulnerable. His ears were even drawn back a little, showing that he meant the apology.

"It's… all right…"

He jumped to his paws and purred, some warmth reaching the pits of his chilly eyes, "Good. So, what's your name?"

After a quick debate I decided that telling him my name wouldn't cause any harm and meowed, "My name is Cinderpelt."

"Cinderpelt… Cinderpelt…" he meowed a few times as if he was testing the sound on his tongue, "It's a nice name." he paused again, studying me with interested eyes. When his gaze stopped on my hurt leg I shifted to hide it from his vision, instantly feeling self-conscious about it. "What Clan did you say you were from?"

Surprise racing through me I answered hesitantly, "I… I didn't say what Clan I'm from."

"Then what Clan are you from?" he waited patiently for me to reply.

"I'm from ThunderClan."

"Oh," he wrinkled his nose in disgust, "So that means that your leader is that tom."

My eyes narrowed, "What do you mean by "that tom"?"

"I mean that you're led by that mouse-brained Fire… whatever his name is."

A growl rumbled in my chest at his blatant disrespect towards my leader, "Firestar is not mouse-brained! He's smart, kind, loyal, and would give his life for those he cares about! He's one of the best cats I know, and I don't ever want to hear you or anyone else insult him like that again!"

My claws had slipped out and the fur along my spine had lifted during my outburst, but the tom just cocked his head contemplatively, "You are rather passionate about him, aren't you?"

"Well," I swallowed hard, trying to shove down my feelings for the fiery tom as my fur flattened and my claws sheathed, "he's my leader, everyone in the Clan respects him. Besides…" I paused, uncertain if I should tell him this, "he was my mentor once."

The toms icy eyes narrowed a fraction, "What do you mean by "was once" your mentor? Was he not your mentor for long?"

I shook my head and sighed wistfully, "No. Once my leg got permanently wounded I had to quit my warrior training. I decided to become a medicine cat soon after so I wouldn't be a burden to the Clan."

"What's a medicine cat?"

"You don't know?" he shook his head once and surprise coursed through me, "It's a cat in the Clan that learns different herbs and poultices to heal the other cats when they get injured or sick." Seeing the tom's look of awe I frowned, "Don't you have anyone like that with the rogues?"

He shook his head with a heavy sigh, "No. When we get injured or sick we have to heal on our own or with help from close friends and family. For the most part we just leave each other alone."

"That's terrible!" I gasped.

"It is." He nodded, "But we've never known better. No rogue has ever learned how to use herbs, and if they have they haven't shared the knowledge."

"I wish I could help…" I meowed sympathetically, knowing that any cat suffering needlessly was horrible.

"Maybe you can." I frowned in confusion at the tom's meow, "You can join the rogues and share your knowledge with us." At that my mouth dropped open in surprise, but he continued nonetheless, "You would be respected, you would have one of the best places to sleep, and the best food available."

"But-" I began but he cut me off.

"We need someone that can heal, and you would be more than wanted in our forces."

After a moment of my mouth opening and closing without sound coming out I managed, "But… I have family and friends in the Clans! I can't just leave them! And I hardly even know you, let alone the other rogues!"

He shrugged, "I cannot help your current family and friends, but I have no doubt that you will make new friends quickly. As for family… you can make your own." I couldn't form any words to reply to what he was saying, letting him continue, "I know more than enough toms that would be willing to have a talented, pretty, young mate such as yourself."

I snapped out of it at the word "mate", bristling in anger, "How dare you! You're trying to trick me into joining the rogues!"

"No," he meowed patiently, "I'm not. I'm just suggesting that you may be happier with us, and hoping that you will listen and join us. It's not every day that I meet someone with your talent."

Before I could even reply, a scent drifted towards me. More rogues. Instantly I stood, bore my fangs, unsheathed my claws, and tried to appear intimidating to nearby cats despite my hurt leg. Several felines with fang-embedded collars dashed out of the bushes to the tom- completely ignoring me- and began to meow.

"There you are! We've been looking all over for you! It's almost time for the Clans' decision, and we need you back to lead us."

He flicked his tail dismissively, "Yes, yes. Fine." He stood and began to walk away before pausing and looking over his shoulder to me, "Cinderpelt, think about what I told you. If you decide to join us you can ask before or after the forest is ours, whenever suits for you. Just tell them that I asked for you. I promise that you will be a valued addition to our ranks."

He began to trot away again when I suddenly meowed, "Wait!" he stopped, "I don't know your name!"

With a wide, sly grin and a low purr he answered, "My name is Scourge."

And then they were gone, leaving me to stumble in a daze back to camp, wondering in shock about what had happened.

~oOo~

As I sorted herbs in my den, my mind began to buzz. I was talking to the leader of the rogues, even getting along with him- sort of. He offered to let me join the rogues- me, of all cats!- and he even offered me a chance to make my own family, something that I can't do in the Clans…

"Cinderpelt? Are you okay? You've seemed a bit out of it since you got back."

I turned to the fiery pelted tom, Firestar, and meowed, "I'm fine. Just… thinking."

My heart twisted guiltily but I just couldn't tell him about Scourge.

"If you're thinking about the battle, don't worry. Everything is going to be fine. I promise."

I purred at his attempt to make me feel better and nodded him away so I could finish my work. In the night, while I was waiting for cats to come to me for aid, I listened to the yowls and screeches of pain and was inwardly cheering for victory… but these thoughts weren't entirely directed to the fiery warrior like they usually were. Just a few were directed to the icy-eyed scourge of the forest.

AN: To fix any confusion, Scourge isn't instantly in love with Cinderpelt; he is just open to any options- especially Cinderpelt because a mate that is a healer would raise his status in his eyes. But it helps that he thinks she is a pretty she-cat. Just putting it out there…