CHAPTER 1
The ThunderClan cats raced past Sky Oak and down to the lake. The pebbles on the shore clattered beneath their paws. They could already see the island on the far side, rising from the water, crowded with trees. Their slender leafless branches reached up to the star-pricked sky, trembling like whiskers.
As the cats began the long trek through WindClan territory, Firestar steadied the pace. They passed the horseplace and crossed into RiverClan territory, always keeping within five tail-lengths of the waterline, as agreed by all the Clans. The ground became muddier as they neared the island.
There were dark shapes streaming over the fallen tree that bridged the gap between shore and island. The scent of WindClan mingled with the scents of ShadowClan and RiverClan; the other Clans were arriving.
Brambleclaw, deputy of ThunderClan, kept pace with Firestar. He conversed in a low tone with his leader, and Firestar replied evenly.
"I wonder what they're talking about."
Near the back of the ThunderClan party, three apprentices picked their way through the marshland. Their small legs worked twice as fast to keep up with their Clanmates; they had just been apprenticed a quarter moon ago.
"Probably about the border markers," meowed one of the apprentices in reply. "I heard Sorreltail talking about it with Brackenfur!"
"WindClan and ShadowClan had better watch out," growled the third apprentice. "Once I get some battle practice in, they won't even dare show their faces around the border!"
"I'm sure," purred a voice behind them. The three apprentices turned their heads to see Squirrelflight's green eyes gleaming at them. "I see you haven't gotten yourselves covered in mud."
"Nope!"
"Good," Squirrelflight purred. "The last thing your father and I would want is for you to be embarrassed at your very first Gathering."
The three apprentices purred in agreement. They had waited too long - six moons too long - to ruin this moment.
Ahead of them, Firestar leaped up onto the tree that covered the gap between the shore and the island. He crossed, and jumped down onto the island's shore, turning back to watch his Clanmates cross. Brambleclaw followed, then Dustpelt -
"Our turn next," whispered one of the apprentices.
"It's more slippery than it seems," Squirrelflight meowed quietly. "Go on, now. Sunpaw, you first."
Sunpaw squared his shoulders and lifted his head proudly. Then, with less grace than intended, he scrambled up onto the branch. Like Squirrelflight had said, it was slippery, and his paws slithered in all directions.
"You're doing fine," called a voice from the shore. The tree shook as Stormfur, Sunpaw's mentor, leaped up behind him. "Just make sure you have a grip before you move forward."
Sunpaw nodded, not taking his eyes off of the black water lapping at the shore underneath the bridge. He unsheathed his claws and slowly made his way across, only hesitating as he swerved around a jutting shard of bark. Finally, he reached the other side and landed on the pebbly shoreline of the island.
"Well done," purred Stormfur, landing beside him. They both turned to see Sunpaw's littermates attempt the crossing.
"Go on, Badgerpaw," Squirrelflight meowed.
The small tabby nodded, flaring her nostrils as she approached the tree. Her own mentor, Brightheart, followed her. Together, they crossed without a word. Badgerpaw landed beside her brother, sighing with relief. Then they both watched as their brother approached the tree.
The tortoiseshell tom crossed the slowest of his siblings. His mentor, Sorreltail, followed patiently. When they finally reached the other side, the two leaped down onto the shore.
"Well done, Featherpaw!" Sorreltail praised. Featherpaw gave his mentor a grateful glance.
A few more cats crossed, and then all the ThunderClan cats stood on the beach. Firestar swept his gaze over them. Then, with a single nod, he turned and padded into the trees.
"Here we go!" Sunpaw hissed excitedly.
They reached the clearing, and ThunderClan dispersed. The three apprentices stared, wide-eyed, at the scene. There were more cats than they had ever dreamed existed - and this was only a fraction of the cats around the lake!
The Great Oak stretched into the sky. At its roots, cats sat talking to one another pleasantly. Everyone looked so different - lithe WindClan cats, broad RiverClan cats, sleek ShadowClan cats…
"Wow," Badgerpaw breathed. She stepped forward. "It's everything I could have imagined."
"I didn't realize there would be so many cats," Featherpaw meowed anxiously. "I mean, look at him!" He nodded in the direction of a broad-shouldered RiverClan tom, with scars stretching across his flank. "Imagine meeting him in battle!"
"Oh, I can't wait to," Sunpaw purred.
"Don't forget there's a truce tonight," meowed a sharp voice behind them. The three whirled around to see their father standing there.
"Sorry, Brambleclaw," Sunpaw meowed, only sounding half sorry.
Brambleclaw tried to look stern, but his kits could see that he could hardly keep the pride from his face. "Before you go off," he meowed, "come with us. There are some cats your mother and I would like you to meet."
Without another word, he brushed past the three and led the way over to a clump of bushes. Squirrelflight and Stormfur were already waiting there with two other cats.
"Is that -" Badgerpaw hissed.
"I think so," Sunpaw gasped.
"Oh no," Featherpaw moaned.
They slowed to a halt in front of the gathered cats. A tortoiseshell queen lay in the grass, her eyes glinting at the apprentices. The other unfamiliar cat was clearly a WindClan warrior, with long limbs and short, dark gray fur. His whiskers twitched as they approached.
"Sunpaw, Badgerpaw, Featherpaw - this is Tawnypelt and Crowfeather," Squirrelflight introduced. "Tawnypelt, Crowfeather - our kits."
"Glad to finally meet you," Tawnypelt, the tortoiseshell queen, meowed. She got to her paws slowly. "Brambleclaw's been yammering on about you three for moons."
It was strange to hear someone talk about their father so casually, Badgerpaw thought, flicking her tail. Yet again, this was his sister. Our kin.
"StarClan, he looks just like Firestar," Crowfeather grunted, nodding at Sunpaw. The aforementioned apprentice lifted his chin proudly.
"He's my apprentice," Stormfur put in.
"You're a mentor now?" Tawnypelt meowed. "Well, congratulations."
"Never thought you'd be a ThunderClan mentor, did you?" Crowfeather huffed. "How's Brook?"
"Doing well," Stormfur answered. "She's on sentry duty tonight."
"Send her our regards," Tawnypelt meowed warmly.
An enemy warrior, sending her regards to a ThunderClan cat? Sunpaw thought incredulously. Yet again, he considered, this was Tawnypelt. One of the cats who journeyed to the sun-drown-place with his parents.
"How's training going?" Tawnypelt asked. Featherpaw ducked his head shyly. Badgerpaw and Sunpaw exchanged a glance. Is this a loaded question? Is she looking for weakness within ThunderClan?
"Training is great," Badgerpaw meowed smoothly. "We're learning a lot."
"She's got your diplomacy as well as your pelt," Tawnypelt snorted to Brambleclaw. Badgerpaw's ears flattened, but Brambleclaw laughed loudly.
"They're all doing great," Stormfur meowed. "Sunpaw is picking up battle moves really quickly." Sunpaw puffed out his chest with pride.
"Can't wait to meet you on the border," Crowfeather meowed. The sun-drown-place cats laughed. The apprentices exchanged glances.
"Tightly wound, aren't they?" Tawnypelt joked.
"Oh, they've just never met cats from other Clans," Squirrelflight meowed. "You remember what we were all like."
"What some of us were like," Crowfeather snorted.
"Yeah, Squirrelflight - you were never shy," Stormfur purred.
"They get it from me," Brambleclaw chuckled.
The apprentices didn't know how to react. Their parents seemed very at home with these enemy warriors. They knew from the stories how close these cats had become on their initial journey, but to see it for themselves was another matter.
"Oh, go on," Tawnypelt meowed. "I know you don't want to sit around with us all night. Go, meet some other cats."
They looked up at their parents.
"Go ahead," Squirrelflight purred. "We just wanted you to meet them."
"Make sure you're quiet for the announcements," Brambleclaw meowed.
"Unlike some cats," Crowfeather grunted, flicking his tail at Squirrelflight.
Featherpaw, Sunpaw, and Badgerpaw meowed their goodbyes, and hustled away from the sun-drown-place cats.
The three maneuvered their way through the island, looking about. At the roots of the Great Oak, a tightly clustered group of cats watched them with interest. The shadows disguised the color of their pelts, and something about the way their eyes shone in the gloom made Badgerpaw shudder.
"Think they're ShadowClan?" she asked.
"I'll bet," Sunpaw meowed. "They look shifty enough."
"How can you even worry about ShadowClan?" Featherpaw squeaked. "We just met Tawnypelt and Crowfeather!"
"Oh, come on, Featherpaw," Sunpaw sighed. "They're just cats."
"They're legends!" Featherpaw insisted. "I just met that cat who's named after the same cat I am! I'm barely a quarter moon out of the nursery, and I just met the only other cat who - who's a living memory of Feathertail!" Featherpaw fretted. "He probably thinks I'm not worthy to carry her name."
"Squirrelflight always said Crowfeather was prickly," Sunpaw reassured him. "I'm sure he doesn't care one way or another."
"Yeah," Badgerpaw agreed. "Don't worry so much. We've all got great expectations to live up to."
"And I'm going to get started!" Sunpaw meowed firmly. His amber eyes gleamed in the moonlight. "I'm going to go find the biggest, strongest warriors. They're going to know my name!" He waved his tail. "I'll see you guys later!"
Without waiting for a reply, Sunpaw turned and weaved his way through the surrounding cats, off toward the roots of the Great Oak. Badgerpaw and Featherpaw watched him go.
Badgerpaw rolled her eyes. "Like the deputies are going to want to talk to an apprentice," she teased. Featherpaw gave a halfhearted chuckle. "Oh, come on, Featherpaw!" She nudged her brother. "Look - those look like apprentices. Let's go introduce ourselves!"
Featherpaw followed his sister across the clearing. They approached a tortoiseshell molly and a light brown tabby tom. Featherpaw's nose twitched as he scented them. It was a familiar scent from their border markers - ShadowClan.
The ShadowClan apprentices watched the ThunderClan cats approach, but did not nod in welcome.
"Hi," Badgerpaw meowed. "I'm Badgerpaw. This is Featherpaw."
"Ivypaw," meowed the tortoiseshell.
"Owlpaw," meowed the tabby.
They spoke no more.
Badgerpaw looked between the two. "So…how's the prey running?"
Owlpaw curled his lip in a sneer. "Running well - especially on our new territory."
Featherpaw bristled. The ShadowClan apprentice was referencing territory that Firestar had gifted ShadowClan at the Gathering last moon.
Badgerpaw didn't let her fur get ruffled. "Glad to hear," she meowed evenly.
"How's ThunderClan faring?" Ivypaw asked snidely. "It must be easy to patrol when you have less territory!"
Badgerpaw unsheathed her claws into the sand. "We're doing fine, thank you," she ground out.
"We meet beneath Silverpelt -"
Thank StarClan, Featherpaw thought. He and Badgerpaw quickly left the mean ShadowClan apprentices and weaved their way through the cats to find ThunderClan's representatives. They spotted Sunpaw's ginger fur and took their places on either side of him.
"…commanded by the truce of the full moon."
Featherpaw and Badgerpaw swung around to see the four Clan leaders sitting like owls in the lowest branch of the tree. Firestar sat beside the lithe brown tabby who had spoken. A sleek, spotted tabby molly sat on his other side - Featherpaw guessed it was Leopardstar, leader of RiverClan. And beyond her was a huge white tom with jet-black paws - ShadowClan's leader, Blackstar. Which meant that the tabby who had spoken was Onestar.
"WindClan has little to report," Onestar meowed. "Leaf-bare has been kind to us this last moon. The rabbits are running, but not too fast to catch, and the windy weather has made hunting hard for the buzzards and hawks, which leaves more prey for us." His whiskers twitched. "Other than that, WindClan has nothing important to report."
Onestar turned to Blackstar, nodding for him to speak next.
"ShadowClan has one new apprentice this moon," Blackstar began. He looked out and nodded at the tortoiseshell apprentice. "Ivypaw."
Ivypaw nodded, her eyes narrowed. She didn't look pleased or proud to be announced as a new apprentice.
"I forgot Firestar was going to announce us," Featherpaw moaned anxiously. He quickly started to lick at his chest fur.
Blackstar continued. "Hunting has been good for ShadowClan since we enlarged our territory."
Featherpaw stopped his washing, stiffening as ThunderClan warriors gasped.
"Our new stretch of territory is a great source of prey," Blackstar meowed.
Liar!
Spiderleg muttered under his breath, "Firestar would never have given it up if it were!"
"ShadowClan would like to thank Firestar for his generosity in granting it to us," Blackstar finished with poisonous gratitude.
Firestar stared levelly at him. "I am pleased to hear that you are getting so much out of a strip of land prey-poor by ThunderClan standards," he meowed.
"Yes!" Sunpaw hissed. A subdued ripple of approval passed through the ThunderClan cats.
Then Firestar turned his green gaze on the crowd. "ThunderClan are fortunate to have more than one -" he lingered over the word - "new apprentice this moon."
Featherpaw's ears twitched. Anxiety churned in his belly.
"Sunpaw, Badgerpaw, and Featherpaw are training to become warriors that ThunderClan will be proud of."
Sunpaw puffed out his chest. Badgerpaw lifted her chin. Featherpaw tried not to tremble. Their pelts burned under the stares from the other cats. In a moment that was at once too short and too long, it was over, and Firestar was carrying on with his report.
"We have been lucky this leaf-bare," he meowed. "There has been frost but little snow, and the prey has continued to run."
Badgerpaw's pelt prickled. There was a new scent in the air, something she hadn't smelled before. Some of the others clearly scented it too - she could see their heads turning, searching the edge of the clearing.
There was a rustle in the bracken close to where the WIndClan cats were gathered. There was movement in the shadows.
Firestar fell silent and watched with the other cats as two lithe shapes emerged from the undergrowth.
"Intruders!" The alert spread through the Clans. All around Badgerpaw felt pelts bristling in alarm and battle-hungry muscles tensing, ready to spring.
The WindClan warriors who were nearest longest at the strangers. Yowling and hissing, they wrestled the trespassers to the ground.
Are they going to kill them?
Badgerpaw turned back to the Great Oak, wondering what the leaders would do.
Firestar's fur was standing on end. His tail was stiff with shock, and his ears were pricked as he sniffed the air and sniffed again.
"Stop!"
The WindClan cats froze and drew back, leaving the two strangers standing alone of the edge of the Clans. Badgerpaw strained to see over the heads of the other cats.
In a voice that was taut with shock and disbelief, Firestar called a name Badgerpaw had only ever heard mentioned in nursery stories.
"Graystripe!"
NOTES
(What, no kithood scenes?) Yeah, this first book jumps around and takes out scenes that were tailored to Lion, Holly, and Jay. Hope you enjoyed, regardless! And, of course, welcome the kits of Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight: Badgerpaw, Featherpaw, and Sunpaw!
Badgerpaw - dark tabby molly with green eyes; mentor is Brightheart
Badgerpaw is named for Midnight the badger. Squirrelflight originally struggled with this name, because a badger killed her sister.
Featherpaw - tortoiseshell tom with green eyes; mentor is Sorreltail
Featherpaw is named for Feathertail.
Sunpaw - handsome ginger tom with amber eyes; mentor is Stormfur
Sunpaw is named for the sun-drown-place.