Belonging Only to the Wild, PART ONE: Water and Wind, Storms and Shadows


"Come on, Gustpaw! It's just a puddle!"

Gustpaw stared at me, eyes wide. "'Just a puddle'? Are you serious? Moonpaw, that's plain unnatural!"

I shook my silvery fur free of the rainwater and purred. "Whatever. You're just scared of water!"

Gustpaw growled, his golden eyes flashing. "I am not!"

"You are too!"

"Not!"

"Too!"

"N—"

"Gustpaw? Moonpaw? Is your annoying bickering done with yet?"

Both Gustpaw and I turned around to face a bristling, annoyed Shrikestar. "Yes," we replied dully. "Good. And no more splashing around, Moonpaw. . . . Leave water to RiverClan."

With that, Shrikestar stalked away.

"Fine then," I muttered. "Moody much?"

Gustpaw sighed. "Only when it comes to RiverClan."

RiverClan . . . I wonder why.

Gustpaw snorted. "Then again, the only times he's in a good mood is when Dreamlight's around. The only reason he made her deputy is because she's too charming to resist."

I huffed, half in agreement and half in frustration and fury. "I hate her being my mentor! I mean, of all warriors, she has to be the one!" I growled. "All she ever teaches me is to hate RiverClan."

Gustpaw purred. "Don't let Shrikestar hear that."

"I know."

"I wonder why they both hate RiverClan so much." Gustpaw's eyes went vacant the way they did when he was thinking.

I clenched my jaw. I knew why, but I wasn't about to tell. Not even Gustpaw, my only friend.

"You know, Moonpaw, you're less scared of water than the rest of us by—well, by a lot," said Gustpaw after a pause, looking at the puddle thoughtfully. "Maybe you're part RiverClan—"

"I am NOT!" I snarled, my fur rising and my muscles tensing, ready to attack Gustpaw. Startled, Gustpaw glanced at me, alarm in his eyes. "Okay then, geez. It was just a joke . . ." He padded away.

I shook myself. You must not tell anyone, I remembered my mother's voice saying, soft and strange among the stars.

Don't worry, Mother. They'll never find out. Ever.


Six moons later

"I didn't tell them, I swear!"

My voice seemed hollow and my mother's ice-blue eyes confirmed it. "Then how did Icestar find out? How?"

"Well, maybe Shrikestar told his deputy, the oh-so-charming now-Dreamstar," I growled. "That she-cat may be pretty, but she's a talker, especially when it comes to sharing tongues with Icestar. And I know from personal experience! Being her apprentice just made me the victim of her endless—"

"Moonglint!" gasped Streamheart, interrupting me. I scowled. "What? It's true."

"Yes, I know, but— No, I meant that as in, I just realized something!"

I rolled my eyes. "What, then?" Is it just me, or do all she-cats just blather on and on?

"You remember how Dreamstar was medicine cat apprentice for a moon or so?"

"Yeeeeesss . . ." I was starting to get a bad feeling. Then again, how could anyone forget that? Dreamstar wouldn't shut up about it.

"She came here once and found me. . . . And she told me I had nothing to hide anymore, and that soon both RiverClan and WindClan would know!"

"The little heap of fox-dung!" I exploded, whirling around. "There was always something about her that got onto my nerves, even during training! She's too fox-hearted and gossipy for her own good!"

Streamheart sighed, narrowing her eyes. "Fox-hearted or not, you can't be punished for being . . . what you are. It's not your fault; it was my own."

"And Shrikestar's!"

"It was less fault on his part. He did resist at first, being a dedicated warrior and so guilty of breaking the code. . . . And especially at this time."

I growled. Silence reigned for a moment and then, "I can't stay in WindClan, can I."

Streamheart's ice-blue eyes melted. "No, you can't," she agreed. "It would be completely mousebrained and very dangerous, especially now that you're a warrior. If you were still Moonpaw, they might not see you as as much of a threat."

". . . Could I go to RiverClan?"

"You would have to make them realize that you are—" Streamheart started, but I cut through.

"Then no."

". . . No," Streamheart agreed with me again.

It was quiet again.

A flicker of thought crossed my mind, proposing itself as the answer to my problem, and I gave voice to it. "Could I let Icestar and his followers kill me so I join you in StarClan?"

Streamheart hissed. "No. I forbid it, Moonglint!"

I started pacing furiously. At last, I stopped and said, "Then I only have one choice left."

Streamheart blinked, then padded closer to me. "And what is that, my son?"

I lifted my head. "I will belong to no Clan at all—I will belong only to the wild."


Before, Dreamstar had always refused to take me to Gatherings.

No other WindClan cat knew why (I did, though), but none dared question her. She was in league with Icestar, who was determined to kill any cats who were half-Clan or were of two Clans, and no one wanted their kits to die because of a simple question.

Dreamstar had that much power, even if ThunderClan and ShadowClan continued to resist Icestar and her.

"Hello, Moonpaw!" she meowed brightly as she passed me, then purred at her own slip. "Oh silly me, you're Moonear now! I suppose it happens when you're so used to calling your dear apprentice by their -paw name!" Dreamstar trotted away, leaving me feeling disgusted and furious.

Tonight, though, she had no choice. I was a warrior now, and I still hadn't been to a Gathering. Before long the leaders of ThunderClan and ShadowClan—Badgerstar and Duskstar—would hear and they still had enough cats to attack Icestar and Dreamstar.

Power among the Clans was at a dangerous balance right now. As evil as what Icestar and Dreamstar were doing, they still had two healthy Clans under their control. Duskstar and Badgerstar weren't as mousebrained as to attack two Clans; in our own territories, we had the advantage. They would definitely have lost. And the same went for Icestar and Dreamstar if they instead chose to attack.

So it was only words that could direct the Clans from the paths of good and evil. . . . Not a pleasant thought, if you ask me.

"Hey, Moonear!" called Guststep, padding over to me. I snarled. I hate my warrior name! Why can't I just be called Moonglint like Mother wished?

"Yeah?" I asked.

"You're going to the Gathering this time, right?" Guststep. See, that sounds so much better than Moonear!

"Definitely."

Guststep purred. "Good, because I was starting to worry!" He eyed me. "Geez, Dreamstar must have some crazy reason not to let you go."

I purred. "She definitely does. I think it's because my name begins with 'moon' and hers with 'dream,' and you have to admit that those two words are pretty related. I guess she doesn't like the thought that we're related."

. . . That was the most mousebrained thing I'd ever heard, but Guststep let out amused mrrrows at the prospect.

"Well, at least you're going. I've got a friend in RiverClan I really want you to meet. She's the weirdest cat I've ever met, but I guess that's because she's medicine cat apprentice. Her name's Ambershine, and—"

I grinned. "She's only a friend, right?"

Guststep looked briefly bewildered, then he glared at me. "I wasn't trying to break the warrior code!"

I snorted in amusement. "Right."

Guststep half-growled at me. "She's just a friend!"

I purred. "I get it, I was just teasing. Great StarClan, can't you take a joke?"

"Hah, you should look at who's talking—"

"All warriors and apprentices chosen for the Gathering! It's time to leave!" came Dreamstar's voice.

Guststep grinned. "Race you?"

I groaned. "Why? You'll win, as you always do!"

"Moonear, Guststep! You toms are slowing us down!" meowed Dreamstar. We both sighed.


"There's . . . so many cats!" I gasped.

"Well, yeah." Guststep purred. "It's funny, you not having been to a Gathering yet when pretty much all the apprentices go right after they're apprenticed." I shoved him with my shoulder. "Be quiet."

Guststep scanned the groups of cats, looking for Ambershine. It was me who finally noticed where the medicine cats were gathered, sharing tongues.

I immediately saw which pelt belonged to Ambershine. No other cat I'd seen before had a pelt like hers—it was a dark ginger tabby, so dark you could call it red.

"Let's leave her alone for now," muttered Guststep. "Looks like the leaders are getting ready to talk."

The leaders gracefully leaped onto the branches of the tree and the deputies settled into the roots beneath. Icestar was the way he always was: sleek white pelt with cold, icy chips for eyes. Dreamstar sat next to him, her golden pelt shining in the moonlight and her soft green eyes deceiving. I craned my neck to see Duskstar and Badgerstar.

Duskstar's famous purplish eyes scanned the crowd, his dark gray tail lashing as he spoke quietly with Badgerstar. Badgerstar was gray-furred with white tabby stripes and a large head.

I felt satisfied. I'd seen the leaders who were still silently opposing Icestar and Dreamstar, and both looked . . . well, leader-ish.

The Clans fell silent as Icestar stood, letting out a wordless yowl for quiet. He then nodded at Dreamstar, who stood, looking smug.

And when she shot a triumphant glare at me, I understood what was about to happen and I froze.

Time to see if Badgerstar and Duskstar will support me . . .

"Before I—or anyone else—say anything, I would like to bring something to the Clans' notice." Dreamstar's voice washed over the clearing and she turned to me. "Moonear, if you'd please join me?"

Murmuring and nasty-sounding purrs of amusement at my name broke out as I walked towards the tree on stiff paws. I knew Dreamstar would reveal my blood one day, but I didn't think it would be in front of all four Clans. . . . And StarClan.

Don't worry, whispered my mother's voice. We'll stand by you and watch over you, as we have always done.

That gave me some more confidence.

"Moonear here is a warrior of WindClan, mentored by myself," began Dreamstar, casting what would appear to the others as a kind, caring gaze that mentors gave to their apprentices. To me, it was poison.

"But, as I recently discovered . . . Moonear isn't entirely WindClan. No, his father may have been my own mentor Shrikestar, but his mother was . . . Streamheart."

Gasps and yowls arose among the cats, but they were few and far between. Which I was grateful for. Hard glares met my gaze and I returned them steadily. No way am I about to be judged by this lot.

Then, by accident almost, Ambershine caught my eye. Her expression wasn't pity or hate or anything else the other warriors and apprentices were displaying. It was . . . recognition?

Icestar drew my attention back with a deep, throaty growl. "I won't let this go, Moonear. You'll die for it, like all the other Clan-border crowfood. Well done, Dreamstar. Or, should I say, well revealed."

His eyes and voice were colder than the winds in leaf-bare, icier than the frozen river.

Quietly I sighed to myself. WindClan, RiverClan . . . which one do I truly belong to? a part of me asked miserably.

None, retorted another. Remember: you belong to the wild now. Not a Clan. The wild.

"Well then, you're out of luck," I growled, sounding braver than I felt. "None of you can or will stop me."

Dreamstar purred, but her green eyes glinted dangerously. "Oh, really? I'm still your leader, Moonear, and you know as well as I do that the warrior code states that the word of the Clan leader is law."

"Not law to me if I don't belong in WindClan!" I snarled frustratedly and yowled at the stars: "My mother Streamheart and my father Shrikestar may have wanted me to belong in either RiverClan or WindClan, but I know I belong only to the wild!"

My declaration rang across the island.

"Now, Moonear . . . none of us leaders will stand for that, will we?" Dreamstar's honey-laden purr and Icestar's cold glare swept at the other two leaders, but they remained unaffected, to my relief.

Duskstar spoke first. "Let the warrior go." He turned his strange light purple eyes upon the RiverClan leader. "Killing half-Clan cats isn't right. It never was and never will be." He emphasized with a pointed look of loathing at Dreamstar, and then a quick wink at me.

A slow, faint grin spread over my muzzle. ShadowClan's on my side!

Badgerstar lashed his tail, nodding at Duskstar. "ThunderClan and ShadowClan don't often agree, but this time, that is so."

The hunters of dark nights and the fighters of lightning storms, I mused. I've got nothing to fear now! I dipped my head quickly in the two leaders' direction, and they both nodded in response.

"Go, then," snarled Icestar, understanding he was defeated. "Go, but know that if you so much as touch RiverClan territory my warriors will rip you apart."

Dreamstar purred again, but her eyes were slits of glowing, unforgiving hate directed at me. "The same goes for WindClan, my dear apprentice Moonear."

I glared back at her. "I'm nobody's apprentice," I spat. "And my name isn't Moonear—that was the name you gave me, and the most ridiculous name in Clan history at that."

I lifted my head. "From now on, my name is Stormshadow."


So . . . I had this idea for a while but I never had a chance to write it down. :P

Oh, and if anyone who's waiting for my DQ story is reading this (which I highly doubt), then . . . I'm writing it, but I just wrote this before I decided to take TtEoaS down and I wanted to get this posted! X3 It'll be up sometime this or next week though—I hope!

Also, if anyone's wondering: This is set after The Last Hope by quite a bit, enough time that they forget how BloodClan killed half-Clan/two-Clan cats but not so much time that they've forgotten BloodClan and all the other threats the Clans have faced.

Part two and three will be up as soon as I finish them! (They'll go up as chapter 2.)

Disclaimer, I am not Erin Hunter! So no one sue me or anything! (Hear that, HarperCollins? Not Erin Hunter!)

Review! :D Reviews make my day!