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I do not own Warrior Cats. The document is intended for fan use only and not for sale.
No Copyright infringement intended.

Warriors: The Cycle of the Night Flower
Book 1: Budding Moon

Prologue

A silver-tipped ear twitched and swiveled towards the sound of a rustling in the brush not far away. An icy-blue eye blinked open in the darkness and the distant rustling stopped immediately. The lean, black creature rose to her paws and held her little pink nose in the air, her mouth open as she inhaled the scent around her. The warm bodies of other cats lay curled up around her, but the sounds of their calm sleeping weren't what awoke her.

"You're in our territory," came the calm, gruff voice as a stout tabby with wiry fur stepped out of the bushes.

"I'm aware," replied the ebony she-cat calmly. She could hear the stirrings of a few of her companions. "But we come in peace. We need your help." The old tom's amber eyes narrowed back at her.

"You assume we will help you?"

"The Clans are the only ones I know to turn too," she meowed, flattening her silver-tipped ears against her head. She sniffed the air again. A strong, powerful scent ebbed from the cat with multi-markings. She could tell by the way he moved and presented himself that he was noble and held a position of power, obviously either a leader or deputy.

"I do not know if ThunderClan will be able to help all of you," he said, tilting his head to the side as he glanced over the throng of cats that were huddled together around the black she-cat.

"Isn't that for your leader to decide?" she bit back, her whiskers twitching as she challenged him. The tabby seemed to stand back for a moment before nodding.

"Very well. If you are no threat," he sighed. The she-cat exhaled loudly in relief and was about to take a step forward when the old tom's voice stopped her. "No. You and your friends will wait here until a large patrol can guide you back to our camp. We can't be too cautious," he meowed before leaping back into the brush. Having been given no time to respond, she held back a hiss of frustration and flattened her ears against the back of her head before lowering herself down into the pile of warm bodies, disappearing into the sea of pelts.