I am running, and I have the scent of my prey burning on my tongue. I am hunting, and that is all that it going through my mind. Nothing else matters, except that I get this warm-blooded, juicy mouse in between my teeth and I get it in there fast. I can feel the vibrations it makes with my paws, I can hear it's tiny, pulsing body brushing against leaves as it runs for its life. The mouse has no chance, and sure enough I have soon caught up with it. I strike out with my paw, stunning it for a few seconds. I quickly and painlessly snap it's neck, and then I can taste the rich, earthy flavours of fresh-kill.
It is only after I have finished my meal that I realise that I, Firestar, leader of ThunderClan had broken the Warrior Code. Guilt and shame spread their way through my veins like poison. I bow my head in shame and hiss quietly, this would not go down well back in camp. Longtail would quickly smell out the scent of fresh kill on me, and then start the others questioning whether they should have a kittypet as leader or not. He was loyal to me, but that tear in his ear would remain forever and I had suspicions of very deep-rooted jealousy of my position. I respected him, but I had to admit, if the positions were reversed, I would do likewise. With a heavy heart, I turn to head back to camp. I jump back and hiss when I realise there is a cat standing directly in front of me, with tattered and torn ears, and his black and white fur is matted with blood. It was Smudge.
"Smudge?" I yowl, horrified at what I am seeing. "What in StarClan happened to you?" he gazed at me for a few moments, then he replied not in the soft, lazy voice he had adopted since he went to the Cutter, but in a ancient voice filled with wisdom.
"Firestar, there is danger coming. Your friends will find you and ask for help. StarClan wishes you to comply. Dig deep, Firestar, dig deep."
I stare at him stupidly for a second, then my senses return to me, and I realise that I am dreaming. I had not broken the Warrior Code, and relief floods through me, but it is accompanied by a sour, strong trace of fear. My fur bristles along my spine. Something dark is coming.
I wake immediately, and lie on my back, my teeth bared. There was a fight coming up, and I had no idea yet of who I would be fighting for or who I would be fighting against. My heart starts pounding with anticipation. I take a deep breath through my mouth, inhaling the musty, earthy scents of the forest, mingling with the smell of my fellow ThunderClan cats. The familiar smells reassure me, and I get to my feet, ready to start a new day. I push past the curtain of lichen guarding my den, and out into the crisp spring air. Hardly anyone is up yet, it is very early. I start to pad around the camp quietly, making sure everything is in order. The apprentices and elders are all sleeping, but some of my warriors have surfaced and are padding around their den sleepily.
"Good morning, Firestar" Mousefur meows, dipping her head respectfully.
The others that are up notice me then chorus their greetings too. The warriors den doesn't look the same without a certain huge white warrior sleeping there too. I sigh, thinking back to Whitestorm, and what he would have said concerning my dream.
Probably something along the lines of; "Keep an eye on everyone, warn the warriors to keep a closer watch on the apprentices and have a guard on the elders den. And don't worry, your clan supports you."
Yes, that was what he would have said. Improve the camp's safety and don't worry. I could almost imagine him saying it, in his big, but somehow gentle voice. I felt reassured, but almost as if I was missing something blindingly obvious. Something that would make this whole thing seem a lot easier. Then it clicked. Cinderpelt! Of course, when a leader receives a message from StarClan they must confide in their medicine cat! Immediately, I set off towards Cinderpelt's den, feeling stupid for not doing this first. Maybe I'm not so cut out to be a leader as I thought I was. I stopped walking, taking in this awful thought. Surely if I was born to do this and I had been chosen by StarClan this would be instinctive and natural. And then there was Greystripe. Now I came to think about it, there were lots of cats I trusted enough to confide in about my dream.
Feeling even more stupid, I realised that I was now standing right in front of her den. Hoping she was up, I padded into her den.
"Cinderpelt?" I meowed softly, "Cinderpelt, are you up?"
"Yes Firestar, I am. What would you like?" she walked slowly out of the dark into where I could see her, limping as usual. When I saw her damaged leg, the usual wave of guilt and sympathy washed over me. I still regretted not doing more to help that fateful day out on the Thunderpath.
Stifling another sigh, I said "Cinderpelt, I had a dream and I'm not sure what it means, could you help me?"
She sat on her haunches and looked at me patiently with wise eyes. I then launched into a version of my dream, including the first bit.
"…and then Smudge said 'Dig deep, Firestar, dig deep.' What could it mean? I know that it means there's a fight coming, but who could come to ask for our help? It might be one of the clans, probably WindClan, this wouldn't be the first time that they've asked for our help. It might even be RiverClan, but-"
"Firestar, stop." She interrupts me. "We must think about what StarClan has told us. You say this, Smudge," she says the name distastefully, the cockiness of her kithood returning for a second, "He was the one telling you this? And he is a friend? Well, could you think of a reason a kittypet like him would need our help?"
I think long and hard about this, but realise that I have no idea why the plump black and white cat might be in need of a Warrior.
"No, actually, I can't."
"Well then, StarClan probably just chose him to be the one to deliver their message." She says promptly.
"But he had wounds, he was bleeding. He had been in a fight and got seriously hurt, he might need my help for that?"
"I'm sorry, but I seriously doubt that. There is no danger for kittypets, only that they don't get fed in time." She allowed herself a brief sneer.
Inside, I reluctantly admit to myself that her harsh words are right.
"I have to agree with you about this Cinderpelt. In the mean time, I suggest we increase the camp's safety and have a constant watch. I will organise this now. Everyone else is surely up now." I bow my head and turn to leave.
When I am outside, I climb up to the very same place Bluestar stood to introduce me to the clan, so many moons ago.
"Let all those cat old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting." I yowl, my voice loud enough for every cat to hear. I can see all the ThunderClan cats turn their heads toward the source of my voice. Then they all trot obediently towards me, where they sit back, looking at me expectantly. I clear my throat.
"StarClan has shared a message with me," I meow, and all the other cats look curiously at each other, and then at me. "This means I will be forced to improve the camp's safety. All the apprentices will set up a rota for a watch on the elders den. Ashpaw and Fernpaw, I expect you to organise this." I nod towards the two young cats. They exchange excited looks, and they are obviously proud that I decided to entrust them with this task. I continue, "Also I want a night watch, I will join my warriors in this task. Mousefur, you will accompany me tonight."
The said she-cat nods and meows, "Whatever you want, Firestar."
"Thank you, Mousefur. What did you, Cloudtail and Brackenfur find on the dawn patrol this morning, anything?"
The mousy she-cat opens her mouth to speak, but is quickly interrupted by Cloudtail. I frown, disapproving of my nephew's manners, but let him continue.
"There was nothing, Firestar. Although we did smell some stinking ShadowClan scents," he spits on the name of the clan whose actions had resulted in the death of many ThunderClan cats. "The trail led right up close to our border, but then led back to their camp."
"Very well, Cloudtail. Unless anyone has any news, that will be all." I wait for a second, then leap gracefully off of the Highrock.
After a whole moon of nothing in particular happening, I finally relax the extra protection of ThunderClan. This particular piece of news was greeted with yowls of relief, my extra patrols and watches had made the workload of the warriors quite a bit heavier. ShadowClan stayed away from our camp, and everyone else stayed away from them. It would take a while for ShadowClan to be forgiven for the treachery that had been committed under Tigerstar. WindClan had remained our ally, but Onestar had recently broken off our friendship. I was saddened by this outcome, but understood why my fellow leader had done this, I would have done the same. Things were pretty much back to normal in ThunderClan late one evening where I was sharing a mouse with Sandstorm. We are taking it in turns to take bites, when we are not eating, we are staring into each others eyes. Her piercingly green ones are startlingly beautiful, just like the rest of her sandy, slim body. I can hardly believe this amazing creature is mine, and that she loves me in return. The mouse is finished but neither of us notice. We are alone in my den, and it is perfect. Hours later, we are both asleep, her slight head resting on my back, and neither of us are eager to wake up, but that is exactly what I do. Not willing to move and wake her, I gently nuzzle her neck with my nose. We stay in this position for a while, until Sandstorm starts to wake.
"Firestar?" she meows, softly.
"Yes, Sandstorm?"
"I just wanted to stay, I never want to love anyone but-"
"Firestar! Firestar, come quickly, there's someone here!" The urgency in Greystripe's voice from outside my den raises my head immediately.
"Greystripe, who is it?"
"I don't know, but he's in a really bad state, and he says he knows you!"
"Ok, I'm coming" Sandstorm is now fully awake and we quickly jump up and sprint outside. There is a cat, lying in the middle if the camp, surrounded by ThunderClan cats who were simultaneously hissing and meowing worriedly.
"Move! Quickly!" I say as I race forwards to get a better look at the injured tom. He has black and white fur that is dirty, clumped and matted with blood. His ears are torn and bleeding, and he has a huge side wound that is pouring with blood. His heart is beating but his breaths are ragged and laboured. I have seen this scene before.
"Oh, StarClan, no!" I yowl in horror.
It is Smudge.