Luna: Hello! I gotta say this is my first Warriors story (and it's my first one that's not related to the actual series beyond the typical Clan Code that's being followed and having four Clans that were made with the same structure as the canonical Clans). I'm also admitting that this story, besides the Clan thing, borrows some similar ideas from the books (ie two cats from two different Clans having kits and the mother having to give up their kits to their father's Clan) and there will be some awkwardness throughout the story because it's been awhile since I've written a story of any kind. But feel free to leave some criticism (constructive criticism that's meant to help!) and possibly tips for improvement. With that said, I hope you enjoy the start to this story. I may comeback to this chapter and make it a lot longer and more fleshed out but for now I'm just gonna follow my inspiration because this has been in the works for five years and I've just now gathered the courage to write a Warriors fanfic.

Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors, the lovely ladies behind the Erin Hunter pen name does. The only thing I owned are the original characters (OCs) that make an appearance in this story and the idea behind this story (though it is influenced and sparked by some of the plotlines of the books).

Chapter 1

Crickets chirped in the darkness of the night. Owls hooting could also be heard as a white body with black and red spots all over it padded through the underbrush, the golden eyes glancing about, looking out for danger. She didn't want to be followed. And all the while, a smaller bundle of blue and cream fur mewled softly from her mouth as she carried it by the scruff of its neck. Every inch of fur on her body bristled whenever she felt a light breeze or heard something rustling in the nearby grass.

It was just earlier this afternoon that she had given birth. While she bore three kits in total, all of them but one died. And the remaining one was the one she held in her mouth. No one questioned who their father was during her pregnancy, nor did anyone even make any guesses, but then again, Lightningbriar had kept her pregnancy a secret until this past moon when her swollen belly became more noticeable. It was her mother, Kestrelheart, who took notice and it was only Kestrelheart that knew who the father was.

When Lightningbriar started kitting, Beetlewhisker was called and she delivered three kits, but there were complications. According to the medicine cat, two of the kits were stillborn but the remaining kit, a she-kit was perfectly healthy. But still, the instant death of the other two kits didn't make Lightningbriar feel any better. She sat there in the nursery, unable to believe what had just happened all the while of subconsciously nursing the little kit that she had named Sleetkit, albeit it was just temporarily because her grief and shock at having lost two kits had somehow brought about a plan. One that she would carry out herself (with some help from Kestrelheart and Beetlewhisker).

The plan was to take Sleetkit to Meadowclan so that Paleleg could raise her in his own clan. After all, Lightningbrial already felt that she wasn't quite ready to be a mother, even though she did feel something akin to love for her remaining kit. But something inside of her, possibly grief from the death of Sleetkit's two siblings, was making her go through with this rash plan. Well, it seemed rash, but she knew her way around the MeadowClan and StormClan territories quite well.

As she walked briskly through bushes that lined through the slowly changing scenery, while carrying Sleetkit gently with her teeth, she remained alert. Ears perking at every sound and whiskers twitching. But within minutes she finally arrived at the designated meeting spot, parting through some tall grass that would lead into an open meadow of flowers and other vegetation. The calico queen gently placed her kit onto the ground and opened her mouth, tasting the air and smelling it for any signs of Paleleg. Her golden eyes glanced nervously around. Despite the soft cries of Sleetkit and feeling the said kit nosing against her body, snuggling into it for warmth, Lightningbriar didn't allow herself to relax.

The She-Cat felt tense and quickly looked up at hearing the grass rustling once more. Her fur bristled again and this time, she crouched over her kit, her protective instincts kicking in. Her ears laid flat against her skull as she prepared herself to defend herself and the mewing kit, should it be an enemy. Many thoughts crossed her mind, fears beginning to form, but as the grass rustled a third time, a familiar scent greeted her senses and she relaxed a bit. A voice called out to her softly.

"Lightningbriar?"