Prologue 1: The Very Start
Tufts of shredded fur flew everywhere. Claws tore into flesh and teeth ripped at throats. The pained screeches and screams filled with agony echoed the once peaceful camp that now drenched with sticky, scarlet fluids. Crimson liquid glistened on the nearby brambles. Scarlet droplets sprayed on the battleground. Both sides were fighting for life, one to defend, one to conquer. It was war.
Two cats were writhing on the ground not far away from the nursery, wrestling and grappling with each other in sheer viciousness. Claws greedily raked bellies with little mercy and the two she-cats' eyes, amber and gold, were locked in sheer hatred. Battle cries escaped from their clenched mouths.
Then quite suddenly a paw flashed- then the agonized scream erupted from one's mouth. The winner gave one last, harsh scratch on the injured she-cat's cheek, drawing yet another spray of blood. Golden fur mingled with crimson.
"Loser." The dark-colored cat sneered, giving a despising look at her opponent.
But the injured she-cat did not hear, for she was too gravely wounded. The multi-colored warrior struggled on the camp ground.
"Chaotic! Find another victim!" A very muscular, aggressive, black tom snapped at her before returning to his own battle, choking a chestnut-colored warrior with his large paws. The crushed warrior flailed his paws in a desperate scrabble, his golden eyes threatening bulging under the pressure.
The dark-colored she-cat gave a disdainful sniff at the black tom before racing off to find yet another victim for her claws.
A very dark black-gray tom staggered, fresh scars and blood from both himself and his enemy on his nose. His yellow eyes widened in shock when he saw the helpless she-cat. His entire body – from ear to tail – trembled as if in electric shock.
"T-Tabbysong! N-No!"
It seemed as if a black gorge had opened inside his heart. No! The tom leaned over and his belly churned at the she-cat's terrible wound. Her left eye was now nothing but a deep mar, pulsing endless dark blood from the hole. Terror clenched his belly and the ThunderClan tom felt rigid. A snow-white tom paused near the pair.
The graying tom let out a hiss. "Move aside, Blitzstripe. I'll check her over."
The medicine cat bent over the unconscious she-cat.
Would she live? The dreaded question lingered at the tip of his tongue, but Blitzstripe dared not to ask. If-if-Tabbysong- No! A horrendous fear threatened to drown him in swamp of despair. No! It could never be!
"T-Tabbysong-"
The old white tom gave another hiss, his yellow eyes not looking up from his new patient. "Go find another opponent, Blitzstripe. You're no use here."
"I-"
"WHEET!"
Tails were raised. Ears were pricked. It was the famous and feared whistling of Copper, the leader of the conquerers, BloodClan.
"BloodClan! Retreat!" Cinna, his ice-hearted deputy, had the sensitivity enough to use her vocal cords to alert her Clanmates.
Dismay rippled among the BloodClans, but no one dared to utter a word of protest. The leader's words was law and that was how BloodClan lived. The eyes of the muscular tom earlier glinted with malice and eagerness.
"What is it, Shaders?" Chaotic grunted, taking her time to flick gore and blood off her sharp, thin claws.
The deeply amused tom flicked his tail. "Don't you see? Don't you love the smell?"
What? But the BloodClan she-cat lifted her nose and sniffed in the air anyway, keeping one eye on her Clanmate. There was nothing except the usual scent of fear-scent, blood, dead bodies and smoke. Smoke? The she-cat's eyes widened and searched for the tom in front of her to confirm. Shaders' s grin widened, the corner of his lips curling to reveal his much blackened canine teeth.
"We've brought the fire."