CLANLIFE
This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finaly were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead.
Our story begins one moon later.
BONECLAN! - Thunderpath - Sunhigh
"Darkpaw!" Called Mudpaw, tail twitching impatiently as he waited for his fellow apprentice to catch up. When he did he leaped out of the undergrowth onto the hot surface of the Thunderpath.
"That isn't safe," Pointed out the she-cat, licking her paw from where she stood hidden safely in the undergrowth.
"You're the one who wanted to see what ShadowClan looks like. You've seen RiverClan while we were helping with the renovations and WindClan while we were going to Mothermouth, so you have to see ShadowClan." Said Mudpaw, making his was nonchalantly across the path.
"MUDPAW! Look out!"
Suddenly a monster roared past and something hard and furry shoved him into the middle of the Thunderpath. On either side of them metallic two-legs machined roared past them, paying no mind to the two cats huddled in the middle of the road.
"Lionstar is going to kill you!" Ranted the she-cat, "I can't believe how the apprentice of such a noble cat can be so mouse-brained!"
Mudpaw laughed. "But we made it. Come on, we're already halfway there!"
Darkpaw shook her head. "There is no was you'll ever make me go over there. Not in our life!"
"You're going to have to cross back over the path to get back anyways. This was your idea, after all."
"Oh, fine. I'll come."
The two cats hurried across the remainder of the hot trail and stopped in the brambles running along the ShadowClan boarder. Darkpaw was the first of the two apprentices to realize that something was wrong.
"I don't smell any ShadowClan..." She said, scenting the air. Mudpaw did the same and sure enough the air smelled different, not like ShadowClan at all. The young she-cat suddenly let out a squeal of surprise and pain as another cat leaped at her. Mudpaw hissed and knocked the cat off her back. By its scent he could tell it was not ShadowClan, or of any other Clan he knew.
"Mudpaw, help!"
Mudpaw looked up, wondering what is friend wanted now. She was currently battling another cat, this one a white and orange tom. Suddenly something slashed his underbelly and he looked back down to see his own opponent, a flame-colored tom, slashing at his underbelly with his back paws.
To protect himself, Mudpaw leaped off the cat and backed away, hissing angrily. The two cats circled each other for a few moments, then leaped. They met in mid-air and fell to the ground, hissing and spitting as they clawed at each other. All of a sudden the orange tom was pulled away from him and Mudpaw looked up to see Tigerclaw holding the young tom back. He turned and saw Lionstar holding the older cat who had been fighting Darkpaw to the ground.
"What," Demanded Tigerclaw, "Do you think you're doing?"
"We'll deal with this back in camp. We're going to have to take these cats prisoner." Said Lionstar, knocking his cat out with a blow to the side of the head. Tigerclaw did the same to his prisoner and the four ThunderClan cats made their way back to the camp in silence.
"What did you two think you were doing? I am especially disappointed in you, Darkpaw. I don't understand why you would ever do something so mouse-brained."
They were in Lionstar's den and the Clan leader was lecturing the two apprentices about the importance of staying in the Clan territory. Darkpaw had already tried countless times to explain that it was all Mudpaw's fault, but to no avail.
"Now for your punishment. I think you two should have to stay in the camp and take care of our prisoners, instead of training. This will go on until I believe I can trust you two again, even if you're both elders by then. Now go."
Tails between their legs, Mudpaw and Darkpaw left Lionstar's den.
"I can't believe you made me do something so stupid!" Complained Darkpaw. "Now I'll never get to be a warrior and it's all your fault!"
"I guess we're not going to the next Gathering..." Muttered Mudpaw.
"Of course we're not, and it's your fault!" Snapped Darkpaw, then hopped to her paws and stormed away.
Mudpaw shook his head, annoyed by the she-cat's attitude.
"Hey, Mudpaw. What's wrong with your girlfriend?"
Mudpaw turned to see Cloudypaw and Greypaw standing behind him. Both were bigger then he was, and also older. They made much of their superior age, although it was no secret that they envied Mudpaw for his mentor.
He got up and turned away from the two bigger toms. "Go away, you two."
"Aww. Did little Darkpaw break up with you?" Cooed Cloudypaw. Before Mudpaw could answer a yowl echoed from across the clearing. It was the younger cat whom Mudpaw had been fighting in ShadowClan territory.
Mudpaw ran over to see what was going on, closely followed by Cloudypaw and Greypaw. The three ThunderClan apprentices joined the crowd that had assembled around the two cats. The younger one was standing back, ears flattened to his skull while the bigger one faced off against Patchpelt. The she-cat was known for getting herself in trouble and the realization that she was a warrior brightened Mudpaw's spirits.
Hissing, the two cats circled each other, ears flattened.
"Patchpelt! Leave our prisoners alone!" Spat Mistyfur, shouldering her way into the heart of the crowd. Patchpelt nodded and slinked out of the group, back to the warriors den. Meanwhile Mistyfur turned back to the warrior and studied him for a moment.
"What is your name?" She demanded.
The cat hissed. "None of your business."
With a quick wave of her paw, a cut appeared across the warrior's face, blood dribbling down from his nose.
"I'm Swiftkill. This is my apprentice, Fangpaw." He said quickly and nervously, obviously uneasy about behind surrounded by such a large group of enemy warriors.
"Alright, Swiftkill, what Clan do you come from. It is clear you are not ShadowClan. Explain." Commanded the ThunderClan deputy, staring down at Swiftkill with cold green eyes.
"No."
Mistyfur swiped his face again and more blood dripped to the ground. The warrior backed away, pressing himself to the ground as if he wished he could simply be swallowed up.
"I- We are from BoneClan. We come from the mountains up north, but it has been getting colder lately so we moved south, into what you call 'ShadowClan territory'. They put up resistance, but we drove them out. BoneClan has its ways." He flashed a toothy grin, proud of the strength of his Clan.
Mistyfur nodded slowly. "I see. You will sleep next to the warriors den, over there." She said, motioning to the den. "Your companion will sleep with you, but during the day I will be his mentor. All prey he catches will go into our fresh-kill pile and he will be accompanied at all times. While he is in the camp, Darkpaw will take care of him. Otherwise Mudpaw will have the honor of looking after you."
Swiftkill nodded, afraid to protest.
"Good." With a flick of the deputy's tail the crowd broke up, all padding away to talk among themselves or go out for their duties.
Mudpaw was commanded to go find some moss for the BoneClan cats to sleep on.
When he finished his task he padded back to the apprentices den and fell asleep.
AN:
I wrote this last year and it took a while to do but I like how it turned out. I've already finished it and am starting on the sequil. The first chapter may not be very exciting but I promise you this story is filled with bloody battles, love, tragic deaths, claws made of bone and a desperate attempt to save both the world of the living and the world of the dead.