A/N: Hey, this is a new Warriors Fanfiction I'm making that has many characters from my fan clan, OakClan. I give credit to Erin Hunter for inspiration to make this and any ideas I take from Warriors. I also give credit to those whose fan characters/cats or fan clans I use.
Thorntail padded out of warriors den and gave a brisk shake. He looked around the camp to see Spottedstar, the clan leader, lounging in the topmost branches of the Great Oak. She looked down when he emerged and scrambled out of the tall oak tree.
"Greetings Spottedstar," Thorntail meowed respectfully. "I was just getting ready to arrange the patrols."
"Good, good," Spottedstar mewed distractedly. "Why don't you take Dawnpaw out on a patrol with you. She could do with the practice."
"Ok, I'll get right on it."
Quickly, Thorntail padded to the apprentices den, a shallow hollow in the ground shaded by the branches of a thorn bush. Thorntail pushed his head in and called out softly.
"Dawnpaw!"
The she-cat raised her head and looked questioningly at her mentor and deputy. "Yes, Thorntail?"
"Get up. We're going on the dawn patrol," he told her.
Instantly Dawnpaw leapt from her nest, disturbing Treepaw who slept beside her. She muttered something crossly before turning over and wrapping her tail over her nose.
Dawnpaw padded out of the apprentices den before looking around the clearing and mewing, "Who else is going?"
Thorntail looked around and saw that the other cats were stirring. He bounded over to the warriors den and poked his head inside.
"Hey Greentail, do you want to come on the dawn patrol with me and Dawnpaw?"
Greentail's jaws parted in an enormous yawn before she answered. "Sure, I'll fetch Treepaw and we can get going."
Thorntail backed out of the den and trotted back over to where Dawnpaw kneaded the ground in anticipation. A few seconds later Greentail emerged from the apprentices den with Treepaw right behind her. Thorntail made sure he had set the rest of the patrols for the day before bounding out of the camp and setting off towards the LeafClan border.
Thorntail glanced over his shoulder and saw Dawnpaw racing confidently beside him. He found himself staring at her beautiful light gray tabby fur, bright blue eyes wide with excitement. He felt like he would drown in her bright and shimmering gaze. Without knowing it he trod on an unaware mouse and killed it with his claws. He turned around to see the limp body lying sprawled in the undergrowth, looking as if it had been killed cleanly.
"Er," Thorntail mumbled. "And that's how it's done."
Dawnpaw stared at him, amusement glittering in her eyes. Once more he found himself drawn to her like a kit to its mother. He gestured towards the undergrowth, giving the permission to hunt and eat something. Then he settled down next to the mouse and asked Dawnpaw if she would like to share.
"Thanks," she meowed softly before crouching over the fresh-kill and taking a bite out of it.
They had just finished eating when Greentail and Treepaw shouldered their way through the thick bushes and dropped a thrush and a vole on the ground.
After they had all finished their meal they set off again. Once they reached the border Thorntail instructed Greentail and Treepaw to renew the scent markers.
"Ok, let's see what you can scent here," He meowed to Dawnpaw.
She stretched her jaws wide to drink in the smells of the forest before closing them again and replying to Thorntail.
"There's LeafClan of course, and fox scent. But it's stale, at least two days old I'd guess."
"Good, what else?"
"Um, Twoleg scent coming from over there. They may be playing in the river by the border. Also something else…"
"You're thinking of a dog. Sometimes Twolegs walk them through the forest." When Dawnpaw began to bristle he added, "Don't worry, they shouldn't be a problem."
After meeting up with Greentail and Treepaw near the Sky Oak (A very large oak tree near the edge of OakClan territory) the group of cats set back towards the camp at a brisk pace.
No sooner than Thorntail had set paw in the thorn tunnel a shrill yowl rang out from the hollow. Thorntail couldn't smell any intruders, but he still bristled and pelted through the narrow gap.
The warrior burst into the camp and whirled around wildly, searching for the cat that had made the noise. Suddenly he spotted Darklightning crouched over Spottedstar while Mistytail sat further away with her tail wrapped protectively around Cloverkit. Thorntail charged over to them.
"What happened?" he demanded.
"We don't know," Darklightning meowed sounding worried. "One second I saw her sitting in the top most branches of the Great Oak and the next she was lying on the ground."
Thorntail narrowed his eyes. "Well did you even call Mosspelt or Jaypaw?"
Darklightning looked down at his paws guiltily while Thorntail ordered Dawnpaw to go and fetch the medicine cat. As soon as Dawnpaw had returned with Mosspelt and Jaypaw carrying bundles of herbs behind her, Thorntail saw Spottedstar open her eyes.
"Spottedstar, are you okay? What happened?" Thorntail gasped.
Spottedstar silenced him by brushing her tail lightly over his mouth. She waved her tail at Mosspelt and Jaypaw to stop them from sniffing her and checking for wounds.
"You cannot stop destiny, young one," she told Thorntail. "StarClan have laid out this path for us and we must walk it nobly."
"Spottedstar," Thorntail began. "You're not going to die. We'll help you. Mosspelt, is there anything you can do?" The orange warrior's voice was high pitched with fear.
Spottedstar laid her head back down on the ground and stretched out feebly before turning back to Thorntail.
"Do not worry. I know you think this is the end, but the OakClan will live on with a strong leader like you to guide them," she said, almost breathless.
"Spottedstar, no! Don't die! There's so much more I need from you. I don't think I can do this alone."
"And you will not be alone," Spottedstar mewed. As she did she turned her head slightly to look at Dawnpaw who looked completely shaken. Then the clan leader's gaze flickered to Lightningcloud before turning back to Thorntail. "You will find a way, I promise. StarClan will help guide you."
Spottedstar gave a small choking cough before the gentle rise and fall of her chest slowed before vanishing altogether. Spottedstar was dead.
Thorntail just stared wide eyed at his leader's dead body. Spottedstar had also been his mentor when he was an apprentice and he felt grief for her flood over him like a hungry black wave.
Suddenly he felt the warmth of fur pressing to his flank. Thorntail turned to see Dawnpaw gazing at him with a mixture of grief and understanding in her deep blue eyes.
"I know how much she meant to you," Dawnpaw whispered. "We'll honor her memory forever."
As he listened to the apprentice's words he heard a gentle murmur rising through the camp and looked up to see that everyone in the camp had emerged from their dens to pay their final respects to their noble leader. Thorntail knew they would have to wait until that night to sit vigil for Spottedstar so he headed to the warriors den to get some sleep before then.
As soon as he entered the den and settled down among the moss and bracken sleep found him. In his dream he was standing in the middle of a deserted camp. He looked around hoping to see some other cat, but not a single body was in sight and there was no scent of anyone.
Thorntail had begun padding towards the camp entrance when a blinding bolt of lightning struck the thorn tunnel. His fur bristled before he realized something was in the flames that had formed in the entrance. As he picked his way through the scattered debris another flash lit up the sky, but no sound came from the sky.
Peering into the flames Thorntail thought he saw a familiar yellowish cat face with a splash of gray fur on its shoulder. Suddenly Thorntail realized that the she-cat was Lightningcloud. He stumbled backwards and tripped over a fallen tree before awaking in the warriors den once more.
Moonlight filtered in through the branches and Thorntail knew it was time to sit vigil for his dead leader. The orange warrior padded into the clearing to see all the other cats already gathered around. He took a place next to Dawnpaw and Lightningcloud before pressing his nose into the cold fur on Spottedstar's flank.
It felt like moons had passed before Thorntail noticed that moonhigh had come and he must appoint the new deputy. With new strength and determination the tomcat stepped away from Spottedstar's body and leapt onto the Great Oak before calling the summons.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Great Oak for a Clan meeting."
The cats who were sitting vigil for Spottedstar looked up and shuffled closer uncertainly. Others filed out from their dens to sit down at the foot of the rock.
Thorntail waited until all the cats had gathered to begin. "Today our beloved leader, Spottedstar, has passed away to join our warrior ancestors."
Murmurs of grief spread through the hollow and Thorntail waited for silence before continuing.
"You all know that Spottedstar's death brings me to a position of leadership," Thorntail meowed, trying to keep his voice steady. "And that also means I must appoint a new deputy before moonhigh which in now here."
More mews rippled through the crowd of cats, but this time Thorntail flicked his tail for silence and narrowed his eyes slightly.
"I say these words before StarClan, that the spirits of our ancestors may hear and approve my choice. The new deputy of OakClan will be Lightningcloud."
Many meows of approval rang through the camp as all the cats began to call their new deputy's name.
"Lightningcloud! Lightningcloud!"
The pale yellow she-cat had obviously not expected to be Thorntail's choice of deputy as she stumbled over to the Great Oak and sat down beneath it.
"I am honored to be chosen as your deputy and I will serve my Clan until my last breath."
Thorntail nodded and jumped down from the Great Oak to pad over to Spottedstar's body. The other cats gathered around him and gazed once more at their dead leader.
Then Thorntail lifted his head to the sky slowly turning to dawn and spoke. "I know that no matter what our warrior ancestors will watch over us and we will stay strong no matter what." Then turning to his Clan he made sure he could make himself heard before meowing loudly, "Tomorrow I shall make the journey with Mosspelt to the Moonpool to receive my true leader name and my nine lives."
Cheers echoed around the camp as the newleaf sun rose into the sky and turned Thorntail's orange pelt into a blaze of fire. Dawnpaw padded over to him and rubbed her muzzle on his cheek. At that moment Thorntail felt as though he could run forever without any worries, with no fears or responsibilities. He was the leader of his Clan and right then he truly felt like one.