Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors. Simple as that.

Rated: T

Author's Note: Here is the first chapter of The Sea:) Enjoy!

A ginger tom padded through a dark, unfamiliar forest. His neck fur was raised with fear, and his tail flicked restlessly as his golden eyes scanned the trees that seemed to press in closer than they normally

did in the oak forest of RiverClan territory. He shivered as a chill wind ruffled his greenleaf-thin fur, like the touch of a frosty paw on his back. It whistled through the trees, growing in strength until he had to narrow his eyes against the cold. Why aren't the trees blocking it? he wondered. It's more like WindClan territory here.

The wind suddenly increased in strength and flung him off his paws and his back struck the base of a large oak tree. The impact sent hard-shelled acorns falling from the oak to hit his head painfully. He winced, closing his eyes as the wind died down. Then he opened his eyes and gasped.

Before him stood a powerful golden tabby she-cat with distinguishing spots. She had an air of authority that demanded respect, but her green eyes were kind as she watched him get up quickly. Starlight glittered in her fur, as if bits of stardust had been captured in her pelt. A StarClan warrior! he thought excitedly, then felt suddenly embarassed at the state of his wind-ruffled fur. He dipped his head low as the golden she-cat meowed, "There is no need to bow to me, Tigerpaw of RiverClan. Here, in dreams, we walk as equals."

Tigerpaw raised his head to look at the startlingly beautiful StarClan warrior. Her whiskers twitched with amusement before she continued. "It is good to finally meet you. I am Leopardstar, leader of RiverClan in the time of Tigerstar."

Tigerpaw stirred at the name. He felt his heart grow cold as he remembered the looks his Clan had given him since he had been old enough to remember. He hated his name.

Leopardstar obviously noticed his reaction, for her face became grave. "Tigerpaw, your mother gave you your name for a reason. It is part of a prophecy."

He gasped, startled. Then he felt the ground sway beneath his paws. "A prophecy? Leopardstar...do you mean I have something to do with Tigerstar?"

She closed her eyes. "It came to Bronzeclaw, medicine cat of ThunderClan, before you were born. It was passed on to his children, and to their Clans. It tells of a time when Tiger's strength shall be reborn."

Tiger's strength shall be reborn...

The words echoed in his mind with a creeping sensation that he recognized as horror. "Do...do you mean...do you mean that I'm Tigerstar?" He shivered, feeling as if the cold wind had returned to chill his heart.

"I cannot interpret this prophecy to you, Tigerpaw. You will discover its meaning someday, but not today." The former RiverClan leader meowed gently, yet firmly. "Right now, it's important that you know of the prophecy, but do not act upon simple instinct for now. All will be made clear to you one day. And Tigerpaw," Leopardstar's green gaze burned into his very soul. "Never doubt yourself."

The StarClan cat began to fade into the shadows of the trees, and Tigerpaw yowled, "No, wait! Leopardstar, what do you mean?"

"Tigerpaw? What are you talking about?"

Tigerpaw jolted awake to find himself back in the apprentices' den with his denmate, a young black and white tom called Rookpaw, standing over him, blue eyes showing concern. "Did you have a nightmare, Tigerpaw?"

He struggled to wake properly, blinking against the sudden darkness of the den and the new surroundings. "I'm fine," he meowed, getting to his paws. "Honestly." he added as he saw Rookpaw's eyes narrow in disbelief. "I was just tired after yesterday's training, and my mind must have brought up some memory."

Another apprentice, a black tom, meowed, "Well, you won't have to worry about training for much longer."

Tigerpaw jumped up, his heart beating faster. Of course; he'd forgotten that his ceremony was today! He felt his fur bristle with excitement, and the fear the prophecy had brought up dissipated, to be replaced with nervous excitement. He began to groom his short ginger fur, his golden eyes closing as his tongue's rasps slowed. He felt his heart beat faster than normal, but he was otherwise calm and composed, as befit a warrior.

Then the peace was shattered as his mentor, Lilacfoot, called, "Tigerpaw, it's time for your ceremony!"

He immediately jumped up, tail flicking with excitement. "Coming, Lilacfoot!" He meowed, scurrying out of the den, followed more slowly by Rookpaw and the black apprentice.

The RiverClan camp was an island formed by the splitting of two streams, upon which grew low trees and ferns, bordered by reeds and cattail. Today, the sunlight filtered through the leaves, causing the camp to be filled with a soft green light. Birds chirped in the trees across the streams, and the bubbling of the water over the stones always comforted the young tomcat. He breathed deeply, enjoying the warmth of greenleaf, and feeling assured that his Clan would never run out of water with the streams so close, and the lake just a short run away. Besides, the trees shaded the camp most of the time, so that they never grew too hot, even the cats with darker pelts.

He looked around the camp, and saw the warriors' den in a tangle of brambles beside the apprentices' den, which was a woven mesh of ferns. The medicine den was dug into the bank on the other side of the apprentices' den. Before him, there was a rise, and under it was the leader's den. When Clan meetings were called, the RiverClan leader would stand on the bank, which was known to them as the Highbank. Here, the leader could address their Clan and have a clear view of all that was taking place in the crowd.

There was a movement in the mouth of the den and a beautiful golden she-cat padded out, leaping gracefully up to the Highbank. Raising her proud head, she yowled, "Every cat old enough to hunt join beneath the Highbank for a Clan meeting!"

At once, the warriors and apprentices slipped out of their dens or away from the fresh-kill pile, forming a crowd beneath their leader's speaking place. Tigerpaw turned his head and saw an old gray tabby limp from the medicine den, his tiny left hind foot making walking difficult. He was known as Smallfoot, and, when he was made an apprentice, he had found hunting and fighting too difficult, and he had been trained as a medicine cat instead, by the former RiverClan medicine cat, Bronzeclaw.

Tigerpaw barely remembered Bronzeclaw; he had been only a kit when the ancient medicine cat had died from old age, but he was famous in all the Clans. He winced as he recalled his dream. The prophecy had first come to Bronzeclaw. Every Clan cat from the smallest kit to the oldest elder knew of it as well.

He shook his head, flicking his tail. This is no time to worry about things you can't change. he thought. It's your warrior ceremony, or had you forgotten?

Tigerpaw hurried forward to sit with Lilacfoot. As he settled, another apprentice joined him, a pretty young blue-gray she-cat called Rainpaw. "Hi, Tigerpaw!" she meowed cheerfully. "Are you sure you're ready to become a warrior?"

He flicked his friend's ear lightly with his tail. "Of course I'm ready!" he growled playfully. "I was born ready! D'you know they considered skipping my training and making me a warrior right away? Why, when I was a kit, I beat Palefur fair and square! Made her beg for mercy before I sent her off!"

Rainpaw's green eyes narrowed. "I'm sure you must've been pretty fierce, Tigerpaw." she purred. "Palefur's one tough cat!"

"Too right," Tigerpaw nodded emphatically. "She's been known to tear a fox limb from limb and whack weasels into the middle of the lake, from the top of the hill in WindClan! But I beat her, so that makes me the best warrior in all the forest! And WindClan knows it; we haven't fought with them since that day."

A snow white she-cat padded past, shoving Tigerpaw onto his back as she went. "Excuse me, your leadership." she meowed, dipping her head in mock respect. "I didn't see you there."

"S'fine," Tigerpaw muttered as he pushed himself up, shaking dust from his fur. "I'll let you go with a warning this time, Snowfoot."

Snowfoot's whiskers twitched with amusement. "Lucky me. But you'd best learn to keep your muzzle shut for tonight, young Tigerpaw. Remember that you have to sit silent vigil until dawn!"

He groaned. "Yes, deputy." he sighed.

The golden she-cat waved her tail for silence from the top of the Highbank. Tigerpaw straightened immediately, brushing the dirt from his chest with a swift lick, his whiskers trembling with excitement. "Tigerpaw, please come forward."

He followed Lilacfoot slowly, keeping his eyes straight ahead. The lilac warrior gave him a swift nod of encouragement and he hurried after her.

The RiverClan leader raised her head. "Lilacfoot, are you satisfied that Tigerpaw is ready to become a warrior?"

"Yes, Burningstar." Lilacfoot dipped her head.

Burningstar nodded. "Very well." Tigerpaw shivered with excitement as the ancient words were recited. "I, Burningstar, leader of RiverClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn." She turned proud orange eyes upon him, and he found that he could not move. "Tigerpaw, do you swear to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Tigerpaw, from this moment, you will be known as Tigerheart. StarClan honours your bravery and your intelligence, and welcomes you as a full warrior of RiverClan."

Burningstar leapt down from the Highbank and padded to him, resting her chin on his head. He gave her shoulder a swift lick of respect, and purred deeply. He was a warrior!

"Tigerheart! Tigerheart!" The voices of the Clan called as one, though Tigerheart heard Rainpaw's loudest. His gentle friend's green eyes shone with happiness at his accomplishment, and he purred even louder.

"Good work, young one."

Tigerheart turned and saw Burningstar, her orange eyes glowing with warmth. He dipped his head as she continued. "I remember when you first became an apprentice, how full of ideas and energy you were." she meowed. "You worked very hard for your warrior name, Tigerheart; you've truly earned it."

"T-thank you, Burningstar!" Tigerheart stammered, dipping his head again.

Burningstar nodded and flicked her tail in greeting to Rainpaw, then padded away. Tigerheart watched her go, a shiver of pride moving through him. He was a real warrior now!

"Well, Tigerheart," Rainpaw meowed. "What's the first thing you're going to do as a warrior? You still have the rest of the day before you sit your vigil."

He thought for a moment, then meowed, "Why don't we hunt, just the two of us? We haven't gone together for awhile, and the Clan needs feeding, even in greenleaf."

She purred, green eyes shining. "Great! Let's go, then."

She raced through the fern tunnel that led into the camp, leaping easily across the stepping-stones to the farther bank. Tigerheart hurried to catch up with her.

The two young cats padded through the undergrowth up the stream that branched off into smaller creeks that went nearly as far as the greenleaf Thunderpath. Tigerheart wasn't sure they should be going this way at all, as the forest there was teeming with Twolegs, their kits, and their dogs at this time of the year. However, there were no sounds today, so he took that as a good omen. Perhaps StarClan was keeping the Twolegs away from the lake this year.

Rainpaw stopped, scenting the air. Tigerheart's golden eyes scanned the forest, spotting the swift movements of a young water vole. The creature was busily stuffing seeds in its mouth, though it was already looking plump and well-fed. His mouth watered as the prey-scent drifted over him, but he forced himself to keep still. Beside him, Rainpaw crouched low, creeping forward stealthily. Slowly and silently she stopped in the bushes just behind the vole. The prey was focused on its task, and the wind was blowing towards the RiverClan cats. The blue-gray apprentice froze for a heartbeat, then leapt at the vole, pinning it with her front paws and finishing it off with a bite to its neck.

Tigerheart joined her as she dropped her catch, purring with satisfaction. "That was great, Rainpaw!" he mewed. "You're learning well."

Rainpaw looked pleased. "I hope so. Foxfur seems as if she doesn't like me at all, but then, she doesn't seem to like any cat."

He let out a mrrow of laughter. "She takes after her father alright. Cloudfur's the same. Thank StarClan Ambercloud isn't like that too!"

Her eyes widened at the thought. "Thank StarClan!" she repeated fervently. "Two grumps are enough!"

The two friends purred with amusement as Rainpaw buried her fresh-kill. "Want to fish now?" Tigerheart suggested. "This looks like a good spot."

Rainpaw nodded and they waited quietly, making sure that their shadows did not fall upon the water; the fish would be spooked away in a heartbeat if they sensed predators. Tigerheart spotted a silver flash just beneath the surface. Swift as lightning, he shot out a paw and scooped the fish out of the water and onto the bank. He bit it behind the head, and felt it go limp in his jaws. He turned to Rainpaw. "A nice plump old tr-"

Rainpaw yowled with fear as two huge white paws shot out of the bushes and grabbed her around the belly. She struggled desperately, twisting madly as she fought to escape. Tigerheart leapt forward with a growl of fear and fury, his fur fluffed up until he looked twice his size. He clawed at the white thing, but his claws couldn't get past the thick material. He felt confused. It wasn't skin or fur, but something else, something that smelt unnatural and dangerous. But he didn't have time to think about that. He bit and clawed and spat, but Rainpaw was lifted clear off the ground and taken into the bushes. There was a loud rustling and a yowl from Rainpaw as the huge creature straightened up.

Tigerheart shrank back in fear as the smell crashed over him. A Twoleg stood high above him, like some moving tree covered in strange material that claws couldn't get past. He carried Rainpaw with ease, and put her into a small den, slamming the door shut behind her. Rainpaw's terrified face looked out from the mesh of the Twoleg trap as the beast took her away.