Chapter 1

"Okay, Ravenpelt, you're leading the dawn patrol. Take Quailheart and Thrushpaw with you." Ravenpelt nodded and turned towards the apprentices den to wake Thrushpaw. Briarheart looked around the den and spotted Goldenpelt sitting up. "Goldenpelt, will you gather a hunting patrol together?" She asked.
"Sure!" Goldenpelt meowed, and then prodded Flameclaw in the side.
"Wha-?" Flameclaw mewed drowsily.
"Hunting patrol." Goldenpelt replied. "I'm going to get Silverpaw" he bounded toward the den entrance then stopped and called back "Do you want me to get Sleetpaw as well?"
"No," Flameclaw replied. "She went to the Gathering last night, so I'm letting her sleep in a bit." Goldenpelt nodded.
"Okay." He mewed, and then dashed across the clearing toward the Apprentices' den. Briarheart stifled a purr of amusement at the new mentor's enthusiasm. She remembered her first apprentice, Patchpaw. He was killed by Sootleg, of Nightclan. She growled at the memory. Patchpaw had been a good apprentice, very willing to learn, and all of that had been crushed by that horrible Nightclan. She suddenly noticed Flameclaw had stopped washing and was giving her a curious look. "What's on your mind?" He asked. She looked down at her paws and realized that she had torn apart the bedding beneath her.
"Oops…" She mumbled to herself. "Oh, I was just thinking about Patchpaw." She meowed to Flameclaw, knowing he would understand. He walked over and pressed his pelt against hers in a gesture of comfort. "Thanks." She murmured. Just then Goldenpelt ducked back into the den and Briarheart and Flameclaw sprang apart, embarrassed. Poppysong, who had watched the scene in silence, stifled a purr of amusement as Briarheart busied herself with licking her ruffled chest fur. Her ears burned with embarrassment. Poppysong stood in her nest and stretched, with her paws in front of her, then sat up and began washing herself.
"So, what would you like me to do this morning, Briarheart?" She asked between licks. Briarheart thought for a moment.
"Can you lead a patrol up towards the Roseclan border? There hasn't been much action there lately, but that could be good or bad." She meowed. Poppysong dipped her head to Briarheart.
"Yes Briarheart… Who should I take?" She asked.
"Gingertail and Blackfur." Briarheart decided. Poppysong nodded.
"Shall I take Snowpaw as well?" She asked.
"No, she'll be tired from the gathering last night." Briarheart meowed.
"Okay." Poppysong replied. Then she padded over to the sleeping Gingertail and Blackfur. "Wake up!" She meowed. "What are you, dormice?" Gingertail and Blackfur both stood up and stretched.
"What is it, Poppysong?" Blackfur asked. "I was just about to catch this really great mouse-" Poppysong cut him off.
"And now you get to go on a really great border patrol!" She snapped, then pushed her way out of the den and towards to fresh-kill pile. Poppysong had hated Blackfur ever since he had chosen Reedfur instead of her for his mate. Briarheart murmured sympathetically and then pushed her way out after Poppysong. She saw her leader, Quickstar, sitting, speaking with Reedfur. Briarheart called a greeting and bounded over to where the two cats were settled.
"Hello, Briarheart." Quickstar meowed.
"Hello." She meowed back. "I've sent out the patrols. Dawn patrol, border patrol, and a hunting patrol." Quickstar purred his approval.
"Thank you, Briarheart." He meowed. She dipped her head and then padded away towards the fresh-kill pile. She picked a thrush and a vole off the top of the pile and headed toward her friend, Lovepelt's den. She set the fresh-kill down and called out her friend's name.
"Come in." Lovepelt called. Briarheart padded into the medicine cat's den. It smelled of herbs and fresh water. She looked around the familiar clearing. There was a small cave where the sick cats slept, with mossy nests lining one wall, and a small pool of water in the middle. Beyond that, just visible behind a curtain of hanging lichen, was Lovepelt's nest and herb stores. Lovepelt quickly pushed her way out of the den, smelling fresh-kill. "I hope one of those is for me!" She meowed. Briarheart purred.
"Of course!" She meowed. She set down the prey. "Take whichever." Lovepelt leaned forward to take the vole. Briarheart picked up the thrush. The two cats ate their food in silence then curled up to share tongues. After a while Lovepelt meowed
"Poppysong was here earlier."
"Really?" Meowed Briarheart. "Is she sick?"
"No." Purred Lovepelt. "She just came in to tell me about your little incident with Flameclaw." Briarheart hissed. "Don't get your tail in a knot!" Lovepelt meowed. "I mean, it's not like I didn't already know!" She purred. Briarheart took a swipe at her with her claws sheathed. Lovepelt drew back dramatically. "Oh, now you've done it!" She yowled, and leaped at Briarheart. They tussled on the ground for a moment before sitting up, purring.
"Hey, where's Jingopaw?" Briarheart asked.
"Oh, I sent him out to look for herbs. We're running low on juniper berries." Lovepelt meowed.
"Ah, okay." Briarheart meowed. Suddenly a yowl split the air. Both cats dashed out of Lovepelt's den, where Blackfur, Gingertail, and Poppysong were pushing their way into clearing. Briarheart's tail fluffed up, the fur along her spine spiked, and her hackles rose at the scene in front of her. They were back, but not alone. They were covered in blood, and behind them, streamed what seemed to be the whole of Roseclan!