CHAPTER 1
CLOVE: 24 moons old
Clove's olive green eyes opened, to see the bright rays of the sun shining into her bracken den. She could smell cats. Too many unfamiliar scents filled her nose. But to her it was a good sign. It meant she was getting closer to the clans her father Wasp had told her about.
"Maybe my father will be there," she assured herself, although the last she had seen of him was at the cat mill. He told her that he was once part of a clan called SkyClan, who had been searching for these clans.
Clove ducked out of her den, and checked for anything. When she saw that nothing had gotten stuck, she leaped out and made the den collapse. Clove trotted along, happily, going upstream. The small creek crawled down towards the twolegplace. Clove gazed back at the ruined den. Then, Clove walked away.
A day later, scents of cats completely blocked out all the others as Clove could see the water emptied into a huge lake. Clove stared in awe, as it was breathtaking. This is where cats will be. Clove dipped her head as she sighed in relief.
Mrrow! A flash of gray fur came before Clove's eyes, pinning her to the fluffy snow. It was a tom, with yellow eyes like gold.
"Who are you and why are you here?" he hissed, his voice rough like rock. Clove held her ground, her eyes ferocious with anger.
"Why should I tell you?" she spat, "You first." The gray striped tom sighed, and shaked his head.
"Darkstripe of DeathClan, leader of Skull camp. Now you," he introduced. Clove thrust him off of her.
"Clove, loner. And my wish is to join your clan," Clove whispered. Darkstripe nodded reluctantly.
"If it is your wish, my cats will accompany you to Dark camp," Darkstripe mewed. He pushed her into the camp, where he called to two of his cats, "Silverpaw! Rowanstrike! Come here!" Two skinny she-cats ran to Darkstripe, "Show Clove the way to Dark camp."
Once Darkstripe left, the three she-cats began walking.
"Is your name Clove? That's a strange name. I'm Silverpaw, and my parents are Ivypool and Hawkfrost. Do you like their names? I think they're brilliant. On the way can we stop and take a break? I just went hunting so I might get tired. How are you today? I'm fine," Silverpaw began to say.
"Does she normally talk this much?" Clove said to the brown she-cat, Rowanstrike.
"Every single day," purred Rowanstrike in amusement, "And I can never get that stupid cat to shut up." Clove smiled, and the three cats wandered off onto the moor.
Soon, they had reached the Dark camp.
"Fair warning, do the trial today. Onestar will talk your mouth off," whispered Silverpaw, "And you can join us."