Chapter 1

A black-pelted she-cat was nestled in her small bond of soft moss. She groaned as a smaller silver-pelted she-cat poked her. "Go away, Moonpaw." the she-cat groaned. Moonpaw rolled her eyes. "Poisonthorn, your in patrol before noon. I would hurry if I were you. You also have a hunting patrol after that. Oh, and it's almost noon." Poisonthorn shot up. "What?! Why didn't you wake me sooner?!" She screeched. Moonpaw shrugged.

"You looked like you were tired from last night, so Stonefur decided to let you sleep." Moonpaw explained. "You are the worst sister ever." Poisonthorn groaned. They both walked out of the den. "Oh and father would like to talk to you." Poisonthorn grabbed a plump mouse from the fresh-kill pile and started to eat quickly. A few heartbeats later, she was finished. Poisonthorn turned to Moonpaw. "Where's Stonefur? Did he tell you where he wanted to talk?" Moonpaw thought. "He said in his den. I think." Poisonthorn sighed. "You can't remember anything even if your life depended on it." Moonpaw glared.

"Some big sister. Your supposed to be a model for me." Moonpaw and Poisonthorn snorted. "Yeah, that'll happen." Poisonthorn scoffed. "You're going to learn everything yourself. Learn it the hard way. That way you won't forget." She smirked. "Moonpaw!" a ginger tom called from the other side of camp. "I gotta go, Sunheart is calling." Poisonthorn nodded. "You listen to him. He is your mentor, after all. Even thought I teach you most of your training." She smirked at the last part. Moonpaw smiled. "Bye Poisonthorn! Be careful of Willowleaf, I think she's planning something." Moonpaw whispered the last part. Poisonthorn nodded and Moonpaw went over to Sunheart.

Willowleaf was a silver pelted she-cat that has had her heart set on being leader since she was a kit. When she didn't get it after Poppyleaf died, she was absolutely furious but was able to contain it. Stonefur, Poisonthorn and Moonpaw's father, became deputy instead. He was more level headed and thoughtful of his actions than Willowleaf.

This clan was different from the others. For one, the four clans didn't know about this clan but this clan knew of them and their customs. It was different here from there. Here, family was important. Siblings call each brother and sister, and call their parents mother and father. They did so when they have done something of honor and are proud of what they have done, if they were not proud of their actions or decisions, they called them by their names.

Another reason this clan is different is because of tradition. When an apprentice becomes a warrior, they get glass in shape of a paw print in the color of the leader's choice pressed against their belly and it leaves a mark of the same color and it never comes off. It is how the clan recognizes one of their own. If one has run away, or was banished, they get recognized because of their mark.

Poisonthorn went up the rocks to a small crack and entered. The space opened up almost immediately. "Father, you called for me?" Poisonthorn bowed her head for a second or two, then lifted it. Stonefur nodded. "Yes, I must speak with you about something important. It's about Willowleaf." The she-cat sighed. "I don't care if you don't believe me, but I'm sure that Willowleaf killed Poppyleaf." She growled. Stonefur nodded. "I believe you, except that there is no proof." She looked up in surprise. "Y-You believe me?" She stammered. Stonefur nodded. "I think she may be planning something big. And she might have outside help." Poisonthorn thought. "Outside help? Do you think it could be some of the outcasts?" Stonefur nodded. "I think Ragged claw could be in on it."

Raggedclaw was the deputy before trying to kill Foxstar. He had also killed others who got in his way. Foxstar banished him several moons ago. Poppyleaf had taken his place when Willowleaf killed her. Raggedclaw kills one warrior every moon.

"Raggedclaw? Are you sure? If he's in on it, the entire clan could die if he had followers." Stonefur nodded gravely. He's doing so much nodding, his head is going to fall off. Hmmm... That would not be good because Poisonthorn in the same den as him and if she walks out when her father's head isn't attached to the body, she's going to be look really guilty. Oops, narrator got sidetracked. My bad. Ummm, where were we again?

~Poisonthorn's POV~

"When do you think they're going to attack?" Father asked me. "Well, Willowleaf has been going out alone for a few moons so I think it shouldn't be long." Then the devil herself poked her head in. "Poisonthorn, it's time for your patrol." I nodded at her, acting as if nothing was wrong. "Of course, I'll be right there." She left and when I was sure she was gone, I spoke. "I'll keep an eye on her and when I can't I hope you can."

Father nodded. "Of course, now hurry. You don't want her to think something's wrong." I nodded to him and stood up. I walked over to him and licked his cheek. "Goodbye father." And I walked out. The licking on the cheek thing is also a tradition. You do that every time you say goodbye to your parents. The first clan leader thought that family's should be closer than in the other 4 clans. I still can't believe that they don't know about us. We know where they are. They're on the other side of the mountains. When they passed through, they didn't even see me hiding in the bush watching them. They must be really oblivious.

Anyway! I walked over to my patrol and we started off. We didn't have borders but we have to check for intruders and outcasts. I sniffed a tree. It had Raggedclaw and Willowleaf's scents on it. I silently motioned to Leafdew to come over here. Don't let here name fool you, she's a fighting machine. She once took on a whole patrol and didn't have a scratch on her. Can't say the same for the patrol though...

Leafdew is one of my best friends. She looks like the complete opposite of me. I have the blackest pelt of our entire clan ancestry. The elders say so anyway. Leafdew has pelt whiter than snow. I have sickly purple eyes while Leafdew has the most beautiful green eyes.

She came over and sniffed. Her mouth turned into a snarl. "Raggedclaw." Um, Leafdew doesn't necessarily like him. She hates his guts. Mostly because he killed Poppyleaf, Leafdew's mother. Yeah. That's bad.

"If he even thinks about coming into camp, I'm going to kill him. I don't care if I become an outcast, I'll kill him like he did my mother." Her mother was all she had besides my family. Her father had died in battle and her siblings died during leaf-bare. She's had a hard life.

I nidged her with my nose. "You can't become an outcast because then I'll be lonely." Leafdew smiled. "Of course! I'll just kill him without getting caught." We laughed before catching back with the rest of the patrol.

After the patrol, me and Leafdew grabbed a rabbit and shared. We were just finishing up when Moonpaw, Fangpaw, and Lightpaw came up to us. Fangpaw has light gray fur and Lightpaw has light silver fur. "What's up, guys?" They looked around, at each other, then at me. "Lightpaw says that he saw a cat that looked a lot like Raggedclaw by the entrance. I snapped my head to Lightpaw who nodded fearfully.

"What do we do? I'm scared, Poisonthorn!" Lightpaw whimpered. "We tell dad. He can put more warriors on patrol." Moonpaw looked uncomfortable. "Poisonthorn, tonight is a full moon. He's going to kill a warrior tonight!" Fangpaw pointed out. I sighed. "Fine, but we're still telling dad." They all nodded.

I turned to Leafpaw. "Go to Lilywater and tell her to be ready for anything. We still don't know how Raggedclaw managed to kill the warriors." She nodded and went to the medicine den. For you dull heads out there, Lilywater is the medicine cat. "Come on, lets go." My younger siblings nodded and we went to the small crack in the wall. "Father?" I asked him, making him turn around. "What's wrong? Why are they here? What's going on?"

I turned to Lightpaw. "Tell father what you saw." Lightpaw nodded shakely. "I s-saw a cat that looked a lot like R-Raggedclaw by the entrance." Stonefur stiffened. "What did the cat look like, Lightpaw?" He asked softly. "U-um." Lightpaw stuttered. "The cat had a dark gray pelt with a black stripe on his back. He had blue eyes and one ear was torn." That's Raggedclaw, all right. I looked at father and he nodded. "Either the invasion is coming soon or he's killing another warrior." The triplets looked confused.

"Invasion? What invasion?" They said in unison. Now, if that was twins, that might've been cute but they're triplets so it's a little creepy. "Your sister and I think that Raggedclaw might be planning an invasion on the camp." Lightpaw was now quaking in fear. "I-invas-sion?" He squeaked. I nodded at him sadly. "Sorry little bro. If this invasion does happen, you can help in the medicine den. I mean, you are training to be a medicine cat, right?" Lightpaw nodded confidently.

He wasn't into violence or fighting of any sort. That's why he wants to be a medicine cat, so that he doesn't have to fight. "I'm getting really good, too!" He said proudly. I purred at him and nudged him with my nose. "Now there's my little brother." I murmured to him. I pulled away and turned to father. "What should we do for now?" I heard a chuckle and it wasn't from my family.

"What should you do indeed." I know that voice. It's Raggedclaw. "Raggedclaw, you coward." I snarled at him. "Come out and fight!" I heard that same deep chuckle. "Oh Poisonthorn. You haven't changed a bit." I growled at him. "Come out of the shadows, you coward!" I shouted at him.

Then, a lean cat figure appeared. "Hello, Poisonthorn." He smirked.