Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors, nor will I ever claim to do so.

I was really disappointed with the ending of The Last Hope involving Firestar's death among others so I decided I decided to write a series called Future of the Clans that takes place about a year after the battle against the Dark Forest, and this is the first book of it. I wanted it to be about the kits of SquirrelflightXBrambleclaw or CinderheartXLionblaze, but I couldn't seem to come up with a creative plot for it that didn't come to a standstill or become cliché. So I decided to bring Ravenpaw back and make a story with that. Sorry for becoming all informative there!

So without further ado, I bring you the Allegiances and Chapter 1.


Allegiances

THUNDERCLAN

Leader: Bramblestar – dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Deputy: Squirrelflight – dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

Medicine Cat: Jayfeather – gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes

Warriors: Graystripe – long-haired gray tom

Millie – striped gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Dustpelt – dark brown tabby tom

Sandstorm – pale ginger she-cat with green eyes
Apprentice; Tailpaw

Brackenfur – golden brown tabby tom

Cloudtail – long-haired white tom with blue eyes

Brightheart – white she-cat with ginger patches

Thornclaw – golden brown tabby tom

Sorreltail – tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes
Apprentice; Tigerpaw

Leafpool – light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes, former medicine cat

Spiderleg – long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes

Birchfall – light brown tabby tom

Whitewing – white she-cat with green eyes

Berrynose – cream-colored tom

Hazeltail – small gray-and-white she-cat

Mousewhisker – gray-and-white tom
Apprentice; Amberpaw

Poppyfrost – tortoiseshell she-cat

Lionblaze – golden tabby tom with amber eyes

Foxleap – reddish tabby tom

Toadstep – black-and-white tom

Rosepetal – dark cream she-cat
Apprentice; Snowpaw

Blossomfall – tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Bumblestripe – very pale gray tom with black stripes

Ivypool – silver-and-white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes
Apprentice; Honeypaw

Moleface – brown-and-cream tom

Cherryfern – ginger she-cat

Lilyspots – dark tabby she-cat with white patches

Seedpelt – very pale ginger she-cat

Apprentices: Amberpaw – pale gray she-cat with white paws and amber eyes

Snowpaw – white tom with amber eyes

Tigerpaw – brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Honeypaw – light brown she-cat with ginger patches and green eyes

Tailpaw – small dusky brown tabby tom with a long tail

Queens: Cinderheart – gray tabby she-cat (mother of Lionblaze's kits: Firekit (golden tom with a flame-colored pelt) and Shrewkit (small gray tabby tom))

Dovewing – pale gray she-cat with blue eyes (mother of Bumblestripe's kits: Willowkit (pale gray she-kit), Larchkit (dark gray she-kit), and Beekit (black-and-gray tabby tom))

Icecloud – white she-cat, expecting Mousewhisker's kits

Daisy – cream long-furred cat from the horseplace

Elders: Purdy – plump tabby former loner with a gray muzzle

SHADOWCLAN

Leader: Blackstar – large with tom with one jet-black forepaw

Deputy: Rowanclaw – ginger tom

Medicine Cat: Littlecloud – very small ginger tom
Apprentice; Fernpaw

Warriors: Smokefoot – black tom

Toadfoot – dark brown tom

Applefur – mottle brown she-cat

Ratscar – brown tom with a long scar across his back

Snowbird – pure white she-cat
Apprentice; Mistpaw

Olivenose – tortoiseshell she-cat

Owlclaw – light brown tabby tom

Ivytail – black, white, and tortoiseshell she-cat

Shrewfoot – gray she-cat with black feet

Scorchfur – dark gray tom
Apprentice; Dewpaw

Tigerheart – dark brown tabby tom

Dawnpelt – cream-furred she-cat

Pinenose – black she-cat

Ferretclaw – cream-and-gray tom

Starlingwing – ginger tom

Queens: Tawnypelt – tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes (mother of Rowanclaw's kit: Petalkit)

Kinkfur – tabby she-cat, with long fur that sticks out at all angles

Elders: Whitewater – white she-cat with long fur, blind in one eye

Oakfur – small brown tom

Crowfrost – black-and-white tom

WINDCLAN

Leader: Onestar – brown tabby tom

Deputy: Ashfoot – gray she-cat

Medicine Cat: Kestrelflight – mottled gray tom

Warriors: Crowfeather – dark gray tom

Whitetail – small white she-cat

Nightcloud – black she-cat

Weaselfur – ginger tom with white paws

Harespring – brown-and-white tom

Leaftail – dark tabby tom, amber eyes

Antpelt – brown tom with one black ear

Emberfoot – gray tom with two dark paws

Breezepelt – black tom with amber eyes

Sedgewhisker – light brown tabby she-cat

Sunstrike – tortoiseshell she-cat with a large white mark on her forehead

Furzepelt – gray-and-white she-cat

Boulderfur – large pale gray tom

Queens: Heathertail – light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes (mother of Breezepelt's kits: Swiftkit and Rainkit)

Swallowtail – dark gray she-cat, expecting Emberfoot's kits

Elders: Webfoot – dark gray tabby tom

Tornear – tabby tom

Owlwhisker – light brown tabby tom

RIVERCLAN

Leader: Mistystar – gray she-cat with blue eyes

Deputy: Reedwhisker – black tom

Medicine Cat: Mothwing – dappled golden she-cat
Apprentice; Willowshine

Warriors: Graymist – pale gray tabby she-cat

Mintfur – light gray tabby tom

Minnowtail – dark gray she-cat

Pebblefoot – mottled gray tom

Mallownose – light brown tabby tom

Robinwing – tortoiseshell-and-white tom
Apprentice; Shellpaw

Duskfur – brown tabby she-cat

Mosspelt – tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

Grasspelt – light brown tom

Mossyfoot – brown-and-white she-cat

Hollowflight – dark brown tabby tom
Apprentice; Lizardpaw

Rushtail – light brown tabby tom

Curltail – tabby she-cat

Podleap – sturdy tom

Queens: Petalfur – gray-and-white she-cat

CATS OUTSIDE THE CLAN

Ravenpaw – sleek black cat with green eyes


Chapter 1 - The Return of a Lost One

A leaf fluttered off of a nearby tree and Sandstorm felt the same familiar pang in her chest that she'd felt four seasons ago when Firestar had risked his life, dying as he lived, in the battle against the Dark Forest to save his Clanmates.

Four seasons later, Sandstorm could still remember her mate clearly, and whenever she looked at her kits, she saw Firestar in them.

She sighed. She was a warrior, and she'd fight, giving her last breath to her Clan, serving them well until StarClan came to take her away to join Firestar. Her life didn't stop because Firestar died.

Sandstorm walked over to the fresh-kill pile, quickly choosing a piece of fresh-kill and eating it. She'd promised her apprentice Tailpaw that she'd take him out that day, and she knew that she couldn't break a promise to the young bundle of joy.

"Sandstorm! Sandstorm!"

Sandstorm flicked her head towards the voice and saw Tailpaw scampering out of the apprentice's den, stumbling over a patch of moss as he did. The small apprentice's long tail waved out behind him as he bounded up to his mentor. Sandstorm swallowed the last of her mouse and stood up, brushing off her pelt as she did so.

"Let's go hunting!" he mewed, bouncing up and down excitedly.

Sandstorm purred, her apprentice immediately lifting her spirits. "Of course," she mewed. "Mousewhisker asked if he and Amberpaw could come with us. He suggested hunting in pairs."

"Sure!" Tailpaw mewed excitedly. "Where are they?"

"Why don't you have something to eat first?" Sandstorm suggested gently, hoping he'd agree. Tailpaw had a mind of his own, and Sandstorm had heard him complaining more than once of being hungry on their way back after a day of training because he hadn't eaten before they'd left.

For once, Tailpaw just nodded. He picked up a squirrel from the fresh-kill pile and then dragged it over to where his brother Tigerpaw sat against of the bushes at the edge of camp. Tigerpaw was busy munching on a vole and Sandstorm turned her backs on them, letting a faint smile creep across her face as she watched them.

She turned towards the leader's den and saw Bramblestar emerge followed by his mate Squirrrelflight. Sandstorm purred as she watched them. Squirrelflight and Bramblestar had been through a rollercoaster relationship, and she remembered the days worrying that her daughter would remain unhappy forever. Tailpaw and Tigerpaw were their kits along with their sister Honeypaw, and Sandstorm had a feeling Bramblestar had given her Tailpaw to mentor to take her mind off of Firestar.

"Hey, Sandstorm!" Sandstorm looked up to see Mousewhisker padding over to him, Amberpaw treading on his paws.

"Hi, Mousewhisker!" Sandstorm mewed brightly. "Ready to go soon?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," he replied.

"Come on, Tailpaw!" Amberpaw scampered over to where her friend was chomping on his squirrel. "Let's go! Mousewhisker told me I couldn't do pairs hunting with Snowpaw because he's my brother! But now that you're an apprentice…"

Her voice trailed off as Mousewhisker slowly drew his tail over her mouth. "Amberpaw," he mewed lightly. "I never said that. I just think that you and Snowpaw together would scare off all the prey."

"We're not that bad!" argued Amberpaw, nipping at Mousewhisker's tail to get him to move it.

"Come on," Sandstorm mewed, quick to change the subject before one of them objected. "We'd better get hunting before you do scare off all the prey."

Tailpaw leapt to his paws, and Sandstorm flicked her tail, signaling for the other three cats to follow. She pushed her way through the thorn tunnel, followed by the others.

Immediately, sunshine flooded through the trees, and Amberpaw let out a sigh, fluffing out her pelt, soaking in the sun.

"It's so much nicer than in the camp!" she mewed, her gray pelt glowing in the sunlight. "Camp is so cold with all the stone and trees."

"Yeah, but at least camp is warm," Tailpaw objected.

"It's probably one of the last nice days we'll get before leaf-bare," Mousewhisker mewed.

"Brr!" Amberpaw let out a small shiver, thinking of the cold days ahead.

"What's leaf-bare like?" Tailpaw asked curiously.

The four cats had stopped walking, and Sandstorm quickly picked up the pace to make sure they'd still have time to hunt. She knew Tailpaw was the master distraction. Either he did this on purpose or not, she wasn't sure.

"Come on!" she called, drawing ahead, knowing that Mousewhisker had dropped back to talk with the other two apprentices. "Silly, furball," she muttered under her breath.

She paused at the Sky Oak, waiting for the three cats to approach her. Amberpaw and Tailpaw came first, the two apprentices racing each other, Tailpaw far in the lead, followed by Mousewhisker.

"Tailpaw, you're fast!" praised Mousewhisker, seemingly out of breath.

"Maybe you're just slow," Tailpaw teased.

Mousewhisker shot Tailpaw an unpleasant look, and for a moment, Tailpaw looked as though he was about to apologize, but Mousewhisker just shrugged, brushing off the comment.

"Come on," Sandstorm mewed, pushing herself between the two cats. "First, I'll ask you two." She directed her attention towards Tailpaw and Amberpaw. "How do you think hunting in pairs is done?"

"Oh, I know!" Amberpaw was quick to reply. "Both you and the partner head for the prey," she mewed. "And one takes control and comes at it one way, and one comes at it the other, and then you attack…"

The apprentice's voice faltered, becoming more certain at the end. Sandstorm gave a nod of approval, and Mousewhisker jumped in.

"Close," he mewed. "How about Sandstorm and I demonstrate?"

Amberpaw and Tailpaw nodded eagerly. Mousewhisker stepped lightly off into the trees and Sandstorm followed. She turned around to make sure Amberpaw and Tailpaw were watching.

Sandstorm scented a vole coming from the direction of the clearing.

"I'll go this way," Sandstorm suggested flicking her tail to where she'd be downwind of the vole. "And you can stay here."

Mousewhisker shrugged. "Okay."

"And um…" she hesitated for a moment. "When it comes, head straight for it. It may scent you, but when it sees you, it'll turn, and I'll be ready for it."

"Good thinking!" Mousewhisker mewed, as though relieved that Sandstorm had made the decisions. She didn't comment and instead headed off downwind, hoping that Mousewhisker was paying attention.

Sandstorm stalked beneath a bush and crouched down into a hunter's crouch. It was then that she remembered that Mousewhisker wasn't the best hunter.

Sandstorm spotted Amberpaw and Tailpaw watching from behind a tree. They looked over at her and Sandstorm motioned for them to stay put.

The next moment, the vole leaped out of the undergrowth, and Mousewhisker charged for it. Immediately, the vole tried to dash away, but Sandstorm was quicker, leaping out of the bush and chasing it down. She flung her unsheathed claws at it, clipping it, while Mousewhisker pinned it down, delivering the final blow.

"Nice catch!" Mousewhisker commented.

"Same to you," Sandstorm replied.

She looked up at the two apprentices to see them watching her wide-eyed.

"How do you do that?" Amberpaw asked, clearly impressed. But as she spoke, her eyes were focused on her mentor instead of Sandstorm. The three cats watched him expectantly, awaiting an answer.

"Errr," Mousewhisker began unsteadily. "Sandstorm led that one," he mewed. "Generally, it's based on skills, and Sandstorm is a better hunter. So she has speed and can stealthily creep along the forest floor while at the same time maintaining a steady balance and figuring out where her prey is going to go. Right, Sandstorm?"

Sandstorm jerked her head towards Mousewhisker. Her gaze had wandered, and she hadn't realized he was talking to her. "Um, right," she replied.

Mousewhisker nodded again and kept talking. "I, on the other hand, am not as strong of a hunter, so I let Sandstorm lead, and I followed her instructions. She told me to come at it, which was smart, because voles run away if you scare them. So I scared it, and Sandstorm killed it once it had dashed."

Amberpaw and Tailpaw were staring at Mousewhisker as though he'd just given a speech greater than StarClan.

"I'm a better hunter!" Tailpaw announced immediately. "I'll give out the instructions!"

"Yeah, but you're a mouse-brain! You'll scare the prey which is why I should lead," argued Amberpaw.

"How about you both try?" Mousewhisker suggested.

"Okay!" the two apprentices mewed simultaneously.

Sandstorm watched them, her gaze filled with amusement, but her thoughts were broken by a rustle behind her. She whipped her head around, expecting to see a cat there, but didn't. She shifted on her paws, feeling uneasy.

"Sandstorm, what's wrong?" Sandstorm turned to see Mousewhisker gazing at her, concern in his green gaze.

"Did you hear that?" Sandstorm asked, wondering if she was imagining it.

"Hear what?" Tailpaw squeaked, sounding like a kit.

Sandstorm looked at Mousewhisker and Amberpaw, wondering if they'd heard the rustle, but clearly they hadn't. She shrugged.

"It was probably just the wind," she muttered, embarrassed. Pushing the rustling to the back of her mind, she quickly flicked a leaf off her pelt. "Come on, you two." She turned to the two apprentices. "Let's see!"

Sandstorm watched as Amberpaw and Tailpaw nodded eagerly, both of them dropping into their hunter's crouch, scampering off into the woods, arguing over who was going to lead the attack.

"Quieter!" hissed Mousewhisker, trying to keep his voice down.

"We're trying!" Tailpaw called back.

"They've probably scared off all the prey already," Sandstorm grumbled.

Sandstorm followed Mousewhisker, and the cats crouched down in the brush, watching Amberpaw and Tailpaw. Sandstorm sensed Mousewhisker's amusement as Amberpaw ended up being the one to hurry off.

"Do you think it was smart?" Sandstorm whispered.

"We'll see," Mousewhisker replied evenly, closing off his emotions.

The next moment, a rabbit hurried out from the brush, and Tailpaw rushed for it loudly, making a loud mess as he tried to hurriedly get into a hunter's crouch, scrunching himself down in the undergrowth.

Sandstorm cringed as the rabbit easily leapt over the small apprentice. Amberpaw charged out from the undergrowth and tried to leap at it, missing by a fox-length.

Sandstorm growled, but she was faster. She lunged forward, quickening into a hunter's crouch. She spotted the prey and quickly began stalking it as it headed in the opposite direction, making a circle back to where it came from.

She crouched, about to lunge at it, when all of a sudden a cat flashed before her.

She turned her head to see it was headed straight for the rabbit. Quick as lightning, the rabbit was pinned down by the blazing cat. The cat made it look so effortless… She watched, in stunned silence as the cat turned to watch her, his gaze boring into hers.

It only took a moment for Sandstorm to process the cat she was looking at.

Firestar!


So there's Chapter 1! Firestar's back! I'll be writing Chapter 2 shortly, but because of school, please give me at least a week or so to write it. Thanks! Also, most chapters will be about Sandstorm or from third person, Sandstorm's perspective.

Oh, and I also feel guilty because I got rid of some ThunderClan cats because the Clan really was too big. I was also going to put some cats into the elder's den, but I felt uncomfortable doing that because I kind of feel like it would've defeated the purpose of this story (you will see). Anyway, if you're curious these are the cats I got rid of (from ThunderClan only): Dewkit (Brightheart's kit—died from greencough) and Briarlight (I really didn't want to, but I had no idea what to do with her because she doesn't play a significant role in any of the books I'm going to write). I was originally going to get rid of more, but that made me feel guiltier so I've decided to find a way to somehow incorporate them. The allegiances just seem way too long because there are just way too many cats to handle. Anyway, don't judge me for that.

Anyway, please leave a review! I love to hear from all of you!

-Leaf