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Ch. 1: Mysteries Abound

It was near dawn when Fireshade felt a weight hit his shoulder. Slightly confused, he looked his left to see Graystripe's broad head resting on him. His amber eyes were half-open so that he technically wasn't breaking vigil. The gray warrior only flicked his ears sheepishly and glanced at his friend as if to say, "I know you don't mind." The orange warrior rolled his eyes, but, in truth, the warmth was welcome on a brisk night such as this.

Further on his left, Ravenfeather was half-asleep himself, but a hint of amusement still shone in his green eyes and his tail twitched with mirth. A hot flush ran across Fireshade's face and he opted to just continue glaring out into the forest, wondering what the exactly what the life of a warrior would bring him.

As dawn drew closer, Fireshade noticed the camp slowly waking behind him and his friends. Halftail began stirring in the shadows of the elders's den. Bluestar pushed through the lichen curtain of her den. Tigerclaw appeared out of the lip of the warrior's den, his fur looking strangely ruffled, his burning amber eyes filled with a trace of unhappiness. Never the less, he met Bluestar at the edge of the clearing. He murmured something to her, his tail flicking urgently.

Fireshade had to push back his curiosity and instincts that told him to meow in greeting, the vigil still demanding his silence. He would have to see what was up with his old mentor later that day.

Graystripe suddenly leaned off of him and looked upward. An orange glow had appeared on the horizon.

"Glad to see dawn, you three?" Whitestorm's deep meow took all three of them by surprise. They hadn't even noticed the warrior approaching. If the white tom had noticed Graystripe's lazy posture, he didn't make it obvious. Still, the trio settled for nodding together.

"It's all right to speak now," Whitestorm said in a kind voice. "Your vigil is over." His eye held new respect ThunderClan's three newest warriors.

"Thank you, Whitestorm," Fireshade meowed gratefully as he stood to stretch one stiff leg at a time.

"Thank StarClan above," Ravenfeather meowed as he too gave his limbs a good bend.

"Brrr!" Graystripe added, shaking the chill from his fur. "I thought the sun would never come up!"

A scornful voice meowed from outside the apprentices' den. "The great warrior speaks!"

It was Sandpaw, the pale ginger she-cat. Beside her was Dustpelt, his light brown fur making him appears as though he were her shadow. He puffed out his chest importantly and mocked, "I surprised such heroes even feel the cold!" Sandpaw purred with amusement.

Whitestorm shot them a stern look before ordering the trio eat and rest. He moved to the apprentices and took them both out for training.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. No matter. Fireshade was in too good a mood for Dustpaw or Sandpaw to get under his pelt. He had achieved another step towards claiming something greater and his honor was intact for now.

"I hope he has them chasing blue squirrels all day!" Graystripe hissed to his companions as they headed to the corner where a few pieces of fresh-kill remained from last night.

Fireshade merely chuckled at his friend's odd idea of karma. It was good to think that the gray tom's mirth was one thing that would never change.

"I can't honestly say that I blame them," Ravenfeather said as he licked a paw washed his face with it as they reached the fresh-kill pile. "They started their training the same time as me. If they had fought in yesterday's battle, they would have been made warrior's too.

"I guess," Graystripe shrugged. "Hey look! Two mice and a chaffinch."

The trio picked up their meals and Graystripe's eyes sparkled with delight, "I guess we take it to the warriors' side of camp now."

"I suppose we do," Fireshade meowed coolly while sharing an amused glance with Ravenfeather.

After eating their fill and sharing tongues, it was finally time to settle in their new dwellings for well earned sleep.

The sound of a large thud and a shrill cry of death forced Fireshade to open his eyes. As he wondered what it could have been, he noticed that earthy dust surrounded him. Just, where was he? This certainly wasn't the warriors' den back at camp. He didn't panic, but he felt uneasy. Was this a dream?

His eyes looked around rapidly in confusion except…It didn't feel like he was the one moving his head. Like he was just seeing and not controlling, as if he were looking through someone else's eyes. He could feel the eerie sensation of having paws that weren't his own.

The dust began to thin out enough and what he saw in front of him made his blood run cold. There was a large boulder with some cat's tail sticking out from under it. Fireshade would wager the rest of him had been pulverized, judging from the thick red that oozed out from underneath the large stone.

All at once the warrior's pelt stood up on end and his tail stuck straight up. He could feel the horror from the cat that was carrying his essence as well as his own cold fear. Whatever cat he was "riding" with made the understandable decision to flee from the grim sight and head towards the dimly lit tree line. So, consumed was he in getting away, he didn't see the danger in the shadows until it was too late.

A large, menacing silhouette with gleaming eyes leaped from the shadows.

And tore his throat out.

"Wake up, Fireshade!"

Fireshade flicked up his head, startled out of his dreams by Tigerclaw's call.

"You were mewling in your sleep," the tabby remarked with a curious expression on his face.

"Just…a dream," the ginger tom stood up and shook his head clear. What had all that been just now? Whose death had he experienced? His tail tipped prickled with anxiety as his thought's raced.

"Anything specific?" Tigerclaw asked.

Fireshade quirked a brow at his senior's peculiar interest in his dreams. He pondered telling the deputy what he had seen as he slept, but decided it wouldn't do much good until he understood it better himself. "A bunch nonsense," he shrugged dismissively.

The scarred warrior's amber eyes almost seemed disappointed.

The ginger warrior saw an opportunity to have one of his own questions answered. "You seem kind of worried this morning," he commented casually. "Any nightmare's bothering you?"

Tigerclaw's ears pricked but he pretended not to hear him as he turned to exit the den. "You, Graystripe and Ravenfeather will join the evening patrol," he ordered over his shoulder. "They're already up, so make haste."

A stab annoyance poked Fireshade's gut. "Yes, Tigerclaw," he grumbled as he followed.

His annoyance didn't last too long though. He was still far too curious over what cat's eyes he'd seen through. What was the identity of the silhouette that killed them? Had it been a glimpse into the past? Or a vision from the future?

Was death not far away from ThunderClan?

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