Prologue
"Father! Why do you have to do this again? Why is our clan at war again?" Skypaw's distressed mew sounded as his father, Regalclaw, comforted him with his tail. Their leader, Dawnstar had declared war on Shadestar after many border disputes. Their clans had been in a rocky relationship for months now, and at last, the climax of these tensions was approaching in the form of a war. Stupid, stupid Shadestar! No, Dawnstar's just as bad!
"Skypaw… Skypaw…I don't like this either. However, it is my duty as a warrior of Goldclan to fight for my clan. If our leader declares war, then it is my responsibility to act," Regalclaw replied calmly. How can he be so calm? He could die out there just like any other cat! What will Lightray and I do without you? Lightray was Skypaw's mother and mate to Regalclaw. Because she was expecting kits, she was exempt from the upcoming war.
"What if you get hurt!? Let me come with you! I'll protect you!" Skypaw insisted. Regalclaw purred with amusement.
"Now there. You've only become an apprentice two sunrises ago. Dawnstar already decided that new apprentices would not take part in such a dangerous battle. Stay in the camp and wait for us to come back. I promise you, we'll win this war. I promise you, I'll return." He's lying. He doesn't feel confident at all!
"Why do our clans have to fight all the time anyway? Why can't this conflict be settled peacefully!?" Skypaw whined. It just doesn't make sense…
"I've always hated clan rivalries," Regalclaw began. "I've always wondered why our clans were separated as they were. If everyone was to work together and live in harmony, perhaps wars could be avoided." Regalclaw sighed. "Unfortunately, that's not how it works. We've always had a separation in clans. It's been like this since ancient times…"
"That's not true! I heard that originally, everyone belonged to the same clan! Why can't we go back to that!?"
"It's not that simple Skypaw," Regalclaw purred. "I can see I've raised quite the idealistic son." Regalclaw licked Skypaw on the cheek. "I can't bide any more time here. I need to leave for the battle. Wait for me when I get back, and I'll tell you all about the brave Stoneclan warriors that I took down!" Regalclaw dashed out to meet his fellow clanmates who were gathering at the clan entrance. Dawnstar herself took the lead. Her deputy, Ripplewind, was there too. Even Hawkleaf, the medicine cat was present, probably to be on spot to heal battle injuries. Along with them was Regalclaw and a bunch of various warriors and older apprentices. Skypaw watched in distress as they walked away. Please! Please come back!
It seemed as if moons had gone by, yet the camp was still mostly empty and silent. They're not back yet! What's taking them? Skypaw paced back and forth as a raindrop hit his head. He looked up to see the clouds burst into storm. Skypaw shivered. I have a bad feeling about this. I'd better go check on them. But wait, what if Dawnstar gets mad?
"Are you worried about your father?" He heard Lightray's voice from behind him. He turned to see his mother padding up to him, her pelt starting to get wet by the falling rain. "You shouldn't be out when it's storming. Come inside the nursery with me." But Skypaw couldn't bring himself to. No… I can't be standing around when the clan is at battle. I'm an apprentice of Goldclan. I should be fighting with them!
"I… I have to go!" Skypaw shouted, turning around and dashing out of the camp.
"Wait, come back! Stop right here!" He heard his mother calling him from behind, but he ignored it. Wait for me, father!
The sounds of warring cats pierced his ears as Skypaw ran through the Stardust mountain paths. Around he could see cats from both Goldclan and Stoneclan fighting. He tried scanning to see where Regalclaw was, but was unsuccessful. "S-Skypaw? What are you doing! You need to get back to camp!" Ripplewind's distressed voice called from a little ways away. The deputy was currently fighting another cat from Stoneclan. The big black tom from Stoneclan pushed Ripplewind down. Ripplewind yelped in surprise.
"Ripplewind!" Skypaw yelled, rushing to his aid. But a cat slammed into him, causing him to see stars.
"Urghhh…" Skypaw stood up to see a brown and red furred apprentice facing him.
"My name's Amberpaw! I'm going to be leader of Stoneclan someday! Fight me, for the glory of your clan!" He challenged. But Skypaw ignored Amberpaw. I don't have time for this! Skypaw dashed passed him. He could no longer see Ripplewind, as the two cats had seemingly moved from that spot. The sky slowly turned darker as the night creeped its way in. As Skypaw rushed through the canyon paths, he realized that he didn't recognize where he was. I've never explored too far into this place before! Usually, Stoneclan would teach its apprentices how to navigate these mountains so they wouldn't get lost, however, Skypaw had not had such training yet.
"Regalclaw! Where are you? Father!?" Skypaw called.
"What do we have here? A lost apprentice calling for his daddy? Ready to become birdprey, Goldclan rat?" A warrior called from behind. Oh no! Skypaw ducked his head as the warrior jumped to attack him. He heard a loud thud and the yelp of the warrior. He looked up to see Dawnstar's beautiful white and gold fur.
"Skypaw! Run away! Get back to camp!" She yelled frantically, pinning the Stoneclan warrior down. Skypaw nodded and ran towards the now clear path. Fear ran through his pelt as he dashed. W…where am I? Where's father? Where's the exit? Skypaw frantically turned his head, trying to find a path to take, as he had stumbled upon a fork in the road. It was in that moment, that a patch of white fur caught his eye. Skypaw immediately felt pins running down his body. N…no! He ran towards what looked to be a bloodstained white furred cat lying in the dirt.
"Regalclaw!" Skypaw yelped as he approached the cat. It was as he had feared. Regalclaw was lying around a pool of blood. The blood was dripping from a wound on his neck. "Stay put! I'll go get Hawkleaf! You're gonna be okay!"
"Skypaw…. Thank Starclan. I got to see you again… before I go…." Regalclaw coughed and blood splattered on the hard rocky floor.
"Don't speak! It'll only make you bleed more!" Skypaw started to panic. His breathing became quick, his heart was pounding very hard. Heat rumbled through his body. Anxiety began to peak heavily. Don't die… Please don't die on me!
"Skypaw… don't look so sad. I don't like seeing you so sad…" Regalclaw mewed weakly. No! No! NO! "I'm going to have to… leave you now… Please…. Take care of Lightray." Stop saying these things!
"You're gonna be fine! C'mon! Get up! I'll support you back to camp!" Skypaw pleaded. But his father only lay there, panting.
"If only our clans…. Could have lived peacefully…." Regalclaw's eyes shut and his breathing slowed to a stop.
"No…. No! NO! Wake up! Please! Wake up!" Skypaw frantically prodded his father's body. But Regalclaw remained unmoving. Skypaw's legs gave way as he collapsed onto the ground. He buried his face into his paws. It was then that it hit him. Clan rivalries! Was my father's life worth that!? All this pointless fighting. Cats dying left and right. It's got to stop! I'll stop it! No matter what it takes!
Skypaw stood up, feeling a new strength welling through him. He looked up at to the sky. "Starclan! Are you listening!? I'm going to unite the clans! Then, we'll all live as one! Do you hear me!?" This is how it should be. This is how it will be. I'll do whatever it takes, I'll create a new Empire! Please… watch over me, father.
Clan Allegiances
RAINCLAN:
Leader: Redstar (Redfang) – A reddish brown tom cat with amber eyes
Deputy: Stormfall – a Gray tabby tom with blue eyes and a black tip of fur on his tail
Medicine Cat: Whistleleaf – A white she-cat with beautiful blue eyes
Apprentice: Firesoul – A ginger white tom with amber eyes
Warriors: Emeraldclaw – A snow white tom with emerald, green eyes
Autumnwind – A brown and black spotted tom cat with brown eyes.
Grayvine – A gray tortoiseshell tom cat with green eyes
Apprentice: Blackpaw – A sleek black she-cat
Spottedfur – A brown tabby tom
Apprentice: Steampaw – A tiny, gray tom
Mistyfur – A blue gray she-cat
Apprentice: Racingpaw – A brown tom with a torn right ear
Raccoonwater – A tall black tom
Apprentice: Windpaw – A gray she-cat known for her fast running speed
Owltone – a White and black spotted tom-cat
Leafshine – A brown tabby she-cat
Dewstone – A white and gray she-cat
Springfur – A pure gray tom-cat
Lionleap – A ginger tom-cat with a striped tail
Pearstem – A gray she-cat with one white forepaw
Fawnshine – A snow white she-cat
Cloverdew – A black she-cat with green eyes
Queens:
Shallowpond: - A gray tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes
Kits: Icykit – white she-cat, Meadowkit – gray she-cat, Pyrekit – black tom
Dreamsong: - A white and gray spotted she-cat with amber eyes
Kits: Sleetkit – a grey she-cat that is mute, Moorkit – a black she-cat
Elders:
Oakleaf – A white tomcat with blue eyes
Flamewillow – An old ginger tom
Snowpath – A white she-cat with a gray patch of fur on her flank
Silverclan
Leader: Riverstar (Rivershine) – A light gray tom with dark blue eyes and dark tipped ears
Deputy: Lunarpelt – A grey she-cat with a crescent moon shaped patch of dark fur on her flank
Apprentice: Lovepaw – A ginger she-cat with red eyes and a red tail
Medicine Cat: Ivyfern – A white she-cat
Apprentice: Dawnpaw – a golden tabby she-cat
Warriors:
Mintstorm – A blue she-cat
Apprentice: Tinderpaw – A gray tom-cat with red eyes
Bramblethorn – A brown tabby tom cat
Apprentice: Patchpaw – A white she-cat with orange paws
Icicleclaw – A white she-cat with icy blue eyes
Apprentice: Marshpaw – A brown, gray, and black spotted tom
Wildshiver – A gray she-cat
Blazeleap – A ginger tom
Harefur – A black she-cat with amber eyes
Minnowfin – a gray tom
Firewing – A red and brown tom
Moonslash – A gray tom
Cedarwood – A dark red she-cat
Blossomflight – A white she-cat with pink eyes
Rainwillow – A blue tomcat with a dark gray tail
Eagleflare – A red, orange tom with a black stripe on his tail
Queens:
Whitesoul – A white she-cat
Kits: Yewkit – a black tom, Noblekit – a gray she-cat
Heatherdance – a gray she-cat with one black paw
Kits: Flarekit – a ginger she-cat, Sunkit – a pale brown tom
Elders:
Twilightfeather – an old, black tom
Badgerclaw – an old, gray tom
Stoneclan:
Leader: Shadestar (Shadepelt) – A black tom with white paws.
Deputy: Amberflare – A red and brown tom with ambitious amber eyes
Medicine Cat: Foggyfur – A white and gray tom
Apprentice: Diamondpaw – A gray she-cat with white ear tips
Warriors:
Troutmist – A pale, light blue tom with daunting amber eyes
Apprentice: Duskpaw – a black tom
Applesun – a yellowish furred she-cat
Apprentice: Birdpaw – a dark brown she-cat
Smokeshine – a tortoiseshell tom
Apprentice: Beaverpaw – a brown tom
Seedflame – a gray and brown tom
Mossgaze – a white tom with amber eyes
Palejaw – a brown tom with a pale, light brown jaw
Stormwind – a gray tom
Cobblerock – a black tom
Rosefang – a white she-cat
Doeflight – a gray she-cat
Briarfang – a brown she-cat
Thistlejaw – a ginger tomcat with long teeth
Brookfur – a brown and black she-cat
Queens:
Bluewish – a blue she-cat
Kits: Goldkit – a pale she-cat, Rushkit – a gray tom, Pearlkit – a ginger tom
Elders:
Dawnscar – a black she-cat
Swanbelly – a white she-cat
Goosewing – a gray tom-cat
Goldclan
Leader: Dawnstar (Dawnsoul) – A white she-cat with golden patches
Deputy: Ripplewind – A dark black tom-cat with red eyes
Medicine Cat: Hawkleaf – a gray tom cat with blue eyes
Apprentice: Timberpaw – a very small gray tom
Warriors:
Skywing – a white tomcat with gray stripes on the back of his flank and vengeful amber eyes
Cloudgaze – a White tom with black spots
Nightstream – a black she-cat with three white paws
Berryblaze – A ginger tom with red patches on his flank
Apprentice: Rushpaw – a black she-cat with green eyes
Tinypelt – A tiny gray she-cat
Apprentice: Highpaw – a tall white tom cat
Goldenfur – a pale brown she-cat with a black paw
Apprentice: Soaringpaw – a white she-cat with a scar on her muzzle
Antwhisker – a black tomcat with short whiskers
Longleg – a tall, long legged gray tom cat
Snowflower – A white she-cat with a black patch on her forehead
Dunepelt – A pale gray tom with a red paw
Waterwave – a blue gray she-cat
Diamondfur – a white tom
Queens:
Twinfeather – a Light brown she cat
Lightray – a gray she-cat
Elders:
Mudshard – a dark brown tom
Sunwhisker – an orange she-cat
Braveclaw – a black tom with long razor claws
