Hope you guys enjoy this story! It is a bit far from the warriors structure, but it is based off of the books.

Prologue

Hawthorn padded out of the den, his muscles aching. He watched his father, Mahogany, sitting whispering with Cedar. Cedar was old enough to be the eldest elder, not going to live much longer. Hawthorn would be honored to be the Beta, but of course his perfect brother Dust was next in line.

"Northern Packmates! Time for hunting!" Mahogany barked.

Hawthorn waited as his Packmates streamed out of the den. Frost eagerly attempted to join them, but Hawthorn nosed her back. "You know you can't hunt."

Frost sighed as she glanced at her swollen belly. Hawthorn padded after Snake, the lead warrior. "So, who do you think will be the new lead scout?"

"I'm not sure yet, but the Omegas are plotting something." Snake growled.

Hawthorn sighed, and dropped back to the small group of Omegas. Out of them, his younger brother, Runt, stood out. He had a scrawny white pelt, but he carried the emblem of the Alpha family upon his head: a black stripe reaching down to his nose. Runt straightened as his brother came into view, but the white wolf kept his head lowered. "Greetings my brother." Hawthorn murmured.

"Greetings my lord." Runt whispered, his shame weighing over him like a stone.

Hawthorn nudged his brother affectionately, and continued with the patrol. "Oak, come forward." Mahogany barked.

Oak stepped forward, "Your grace?"

"Since Pine died, we have been without a Lead Scout. I am placing you as temporary Lead Scout." Mahogany nodded at the younger wolf.

Oak bowed his head, and excitedly took his place beside the other group leaders. As they neared the plains, Stray nodded, "Your grace, caribou tracks!"

Mahogany glanced at the muddy ground, and nodded at Oak. The lead scout flicked his tail, and the scouts scuttled after the tracks. Hawthorn glanced upwards. The sun had barely risen, staining the sky blue and orange.

Cedar snapped, "Alert!"

The pack glanced expectantly towards the trail, where a wolf was coming into view. It was Clover. She had a fat vole in her jaws, and her eyes were glittering. Setting down her catch, she growled, "Oak spotted the herd, moving south."

"Let's hope they don't move all the way south." Mahogany growled, "Snake! Your group is up."

Snake nodded, and led the hunters after Clover. Hawthorn sighed. He was trained to be a warrior, but his father commissioned him to join the Sentinels. Hawthorn watched Runt sadly. His brother's head was bowed, like that of a servant. Hawthorn padded up to his father, and murmured, "Perhaps you should give Runt and the others a chance to prove themselves!"

Mahogany glared at him, and snarled, "You've always been too soft, that's why Dust is next in line." The Alpha tilted his head, "Yet you speak words of fairness. Omegas, now is your chance to prove yourselves. Go and hunt with the others."

Runt's head shot up, and he eagerly led the others after the tracks Snake's party had left. Mahogany muttered, "They'll fail. You know that don't you Hawthorn."

Hawthorn closed his eyes, and nodded slowly. He always protected his little brother, defended him inevitably. He knew Runt was hopeless, every wolf knew, but he was never trained to hunt or fight. Hawthorn sighed, and settled down to wait.

Hawthorn pricked his ears expectantly, as the hunting party came into view. The scouts were carrying mice and small birds, while the hunters had gathered two caribou. However, the Omegas had little to offer. Ruby carried a stoat, while Ash brandished a Trout. Only Runt sat with a pair of caribou bones, enough to feed only a teething pup. Mahogany eyed Runt's catch with disgust, and growled, "Good hunt Scouts, Hunters. Omegas…most of you did well."

The patrol set off for home, Runt hanging his head in shame. Hawthorn murmured, "There are better kills closer to home, see if you can catch a vole or something. Runt brightened, and set off. "Where's he going?" Dust demanded.

"Hunting. He wants to get a vole." Hawthorn flashed right back at his brother.

It was only a few moments later, when a warning howl could be heard. "It sounds like an alarm!" Cedar rasped.

All heads turned to the Alpha. Mahogany shifted uncomfortably for a moment, before ordering, "Desert, lead your group towards the howl. Do not attack unless provoked."

Desert nodded, and the brute led his groupmates off. Hawthorn felt fear creep over him; they were headed for the border. Suddenly, another howl broke the silence, this one more desperate. "On your guard!" Mahogany barked, before loping after the Warriors' tracks, his pack following him.

Hawthorn felt blood roaring in his ears, as he raced alongside his Packmates, the distant howling growing louder. At the crest of the hill, Mahogany stopped the patrol.

Just in front of them, a fearful sight met their eyes. Runt and the other warriors were locked in battle with members of the Southern pack, blood staining the ground. Mahogany barked, "Stop this madness!"

The fight abruptly halted, Mahogany continuing, "What is the meaning of this?"

Suddenly, out of the moorlands prowled Acorn, the proud leader of the southerners. His glittering green eyes caught the attention of Hawthorn. One eye was cloudier than the other. He's half blind, Hawthorn realized. Acorn barked, "You northerners have always had the best hunting grounds. You never go to sleep hungry, unlike us. Every night, my lead hunter returns with a worse excuse than before, and our mothers would rather smother their pups than watch them starve to death! I watched three of my pups die, and four of my Packmates collapse from exhaustion. And so what is the meaning of this? This is for my only remaining son."

Hawthorn glanced about the faces of the southerners. All looked solemn, and Hawthorn recognized the Alpha female Briar staring desperately at the fresh-kill blood covering the faces of the hunters. Acorn snapped his fangs, and licked his muzzle before charging forth with his pack, scouts, hunters, and warriors alike all fighting. Hawthorn braced himself, before slamming into the battle with his pack.