One

The sun in the sky shone radiantly like never before, the trees and bushes tinted green. Leaf Bare was far behind all the Clans, and so were their troubles. For now, that is.

Last night, before the sun fell, the deputy of the FireClan and her chosen warrior returned and confirmed this as a great place to begin their new life. Only two elder remained, the others died during the fierce and horrible adventure here. They sat vigil the night they returned, but the bodies had to be left behind in the snow and in the blazing sun they traveled through to get here. The remaining elders were in their new den, being treated by the young tom medicine cat.

A larger den then the others was being glanced at by the cats anxiously. The deputy, StarPelt, and their young she-cat leader, MoonStar, were talking in there as they continued with their business. In the new nursery, the queens shared tongues and the kits played. The warriors trained with their apprentices, gaining new skills and building muscles and strength for any needed battle to come.

In MoonStar's den, the two cats, deputy and leader, were talking about the new territory.

"It's perfect! Plenty of prey, water and a lot of open, clean, space. No Thunderpaths near or twolegs roaming around either." StarPelt mewed excitedly.

MooonStar purred in amusement.

"Yes, it does, and we already had dens for the elders, me, the apprentices and a nursery. The only thing I'm worried about is the other clans. I put up a scent marker…but still…" She meowed, her tone unsure.

StarPelt sighed, her whiskers twitching in anxiety.

"I know, RedMoon had that worry as well." She meowed, her tone think with worry.

"You don't want us to leave, do you?"

MoonStar shook her head, purring again in amusement at her deputy.

"No, no. We all seem to enjoy it here too much. I think we can stay. We can fight for our clan, like they fight for theirs."

StarPelt purred happily.

"Let's go tell the others." MoonStar mewed.

Nodding, StarPelt and MoonStar exited the den, and as they entered the open, all heads turned to them, excitement in their eyes.

MoonStar sat on her haunches, and bunched up her muscles and she leapt swiftly onto a tall, rigged rock, followed by StarPelt.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather around the great rock for a clan meeting!" MoonStar yowled.

Obediently, all cats padded over at once, excitement flashing in their eyes.

"I know the journey has been hard, and that we lost respected warriors on the way here, hunting with StarClan as we speak."

Wails of depression arose in the crows of cats at the memory. As the wails died down, MoonStar spoke again.

"We have traveled through blizzards and heat, and cliffs deeper then the sea itself. And I think that we deserve what I am about to declare." She took a heavy breath, and called out,

"This will be our new home!"

Yowls of happiness and joy rose around, making StarPelt's ears twitch happily. MoonStar purred, shutting her eyes as she basked in the happy yowls of her clan. She would die for her clan, and hearing them so happy after all they went through made her paws tingle with joy.

"This meeting is over." She yowled, jumping down with StarPelt as they landed gracefully onto the ground.

EmberIce narrowed his emerald green eyes, and padded over to his leader and deputy. He dipped his head in respect, and meowed,

"Thank you for the wise decision, but I need to ask…what about the other Clans?"

MoonStar closed her eyes, then opened them again and gazed softly at the warrior.

"I have said this to StarPelt…we will fight for our clan as they fight for theirs, and I have put up the scent markers, so they know not to enter. If they do, we will chase them off." MoonStar explained calmly.
EmberIce seemed satisfied by this, and dipped his head.

"I see, thank you, MoonStar." He meowed gruffly before turning around and padding off.

MoonStar flicked her tail and meowed goodbye to him, and turned to StarPelt.

"Gather a hunting patrol to fill up the fresh kill pile, StarPelt." She ordered her deputy.

StarPelt dipped her head and padded off, leaving MoonStar to pad over to her den to think.

XXX

The next day, TwoEyes went hunting, and crept onto the twoleg yard, curious as to how good the hunt is there. Sure enough, he spotted a mouse right away, her nose twitching. She got into a hunting crouch, and snuck towards it. She then pounced, killing it with one swift strike of her large paw.

TwoEyes cautiously carried the plump mouse from the twoleg yard across the grass. She paused as she watched the nest in curiosity. She had never seen a kittypet before...
she placed the dead mouse gently on the grass, and licked her muzzle as she gazed with large eyes at the odd nest.

Then, suddenly a black kittypet with a slick black and white pelt leapt from an open window in the twoleg nest to land squarely in front of the warrior, all whirling claws and snapping teeth and snarling temper.

TwoEyes. Though, didn't even flinch.
"Hey, look. It's a kitty pet." She sneered.
"What? Are your two legs angry with me for hunting for my clan?" She snarled, ear flattened.
Suddenly, CaliPaw came tumbling up.
"TwoEyes! You said you would help me train since BlazeWind is busy helping...the..." She trailed off, eyes wide as she saw the kitty pet. Her slick fur showed her muscles tightening.
"TwoEyes, it's...a...kittypet!" She gasped with wide eyes.
"No duh." TwoEyes spat at the apprentice.

The black she-cat glared at them both.

"So what if I am a kittypet? I can fight just as well as you wildcats!" she hissed.

"And you're on my territory! Want to try me?"

TwoEyes lifted her upper lift into a snarl, but then MoonStar appeared suddenly, her paws silent as she stopped in front of the three cats.
"TwoEyes, CaliPaw what is going on here?" She mewed.
The two wild cats blinked in slight surprise.
"Oh! MoonStar!"
TwoEyes and CaliPaw bowed their heads respectfully.
"MoonStar, I was hunting here for the clan." TwoEyes mewed gently.
"On Two Legs terriotory?" She mewed crossly.
TwoEyes dipped her head in shame.
"Yes, I know..."
MoonStar turned to the kitty pet, and blinked softly.
"I'm sorry for my warrior's actions..." She mewed.
CaliPaw looked at her paws, and was silent.
"Um, MoonStar? I...well, our warriors...are low, and we need more...I was wondering..." She mumbled, shuffling her paws in embarrassment.
"Like FireStar from ThunderClan?" She mewed softly,.
Every one knew about FireStar, even though his clan usded to lived far away from FireClan. Of course, none of them knew they lived in his clan now…
"Like the kitty pet who is now clan leader? I think not!" TwoEyes spat.
MoonStar shot her a look, and she became silent.
"She showed great protection of her territory, and it is up to her." MoonStar mewed, gazing at the kittypet.

The cat, Shale was what her twolegs had named her, stared at them, a bemused expression on her face.

"Wait... you want me to join your clan?" she asked slowly. She glanced back at the twolegs nest, with its gaudy fake flowers and ugly wallpaper and thick wooly curtains.

"Yes." MoonStar mewed.
"But you must learn the warrior code, and the other cats may tease you about your kitty pet roots." She mewed.
"And you must be ready to protect our territory and our clan." She added.
"Yeah! And next time, pay more respect to our clan leader!" TwoEyes mewed angrily, her ears still flat on her head in anger.

Shale, unfazed by TwoEyes comment, mrrowed with delight.

"Oh yes! Anything to get out of this place!" she purred happily.

MoonStar made a mrrow of laughter.
"Follow me." She mewed.
She turned over, and jumped into the bushes.
TwoEyes and CaliPaw followed after their leader. TwoEyes shouldered Shale as she passed.

Shale scowled at TwoEyes and nipped at the end of the warrior's tail as it passed her, then padded along innocently. TwoEyes scowled, but said nothing.

MoonStar swiftly jumped onto the highrock. She yowled to her clan,
"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather around the high Rock for a clan meeting!" She yowled.
After all the cats sat down, MoonStar called out,
"As you all know, our warriors are dying, still fazed by the journey here. Like TreePelt, may she rest in peace." Yowls of distress rang out for the dead warrior cat.
After the yowls died down, MoonStar spoke again.
"A kitty pet has chosen the clan life, and will soon become an apprentice after she earns it."
Yowls of anger rang out, hisses and spits followed.
"I know, but remember what your mothers told you about FireStar….she will learn..." she trailed off, and jumped from the high rock after yowling a "this meeting is over"

Shale watched the other cats with half closed eyes. I can do just as well as any of them... if not better! She thought angrily. Just see if I can't!

MoonStar padded over to TwoEyes.
"Go and hunt with CaliPaw."
TwoEyes dipped her head, and ran off with CaliPaw.
MoonStar turned to Shale.
"I shall show you around." She mewed

Shale dipped her black, sleek head.

"Yes…MoonStar, is it?"

MoonStar nodded, and then meowed,

"Let me show you around."

She padded on, Shale following behind slowly.

"There is the nursery, where the kits stay." She meowed, jabbing her head in the direction of a tall thicket of reeds and rock stood.

"And that's the Warriors den, next to the apprentice's den." She added, motioning to two large dens.

"That is our medicine cat's den." She mewed as she flicked her tail towards a large, thick rock of a den.

"And finally, here is my den." She mewed, pausing at a large, thick rocky cave.

Shale blinked at it with wide eyes, and nodded.

"I see."

MoonStar purred, and StarPelt then padded up.

"MoonStar!" She gasped.

MoonStar shot her head over towards her deputy.

"What is it?" She mewed wearily.

Ignoring a confused and shocked Shale, StarPelt mewed urgently,

"Another clan! Another clan is coming towards our territory!"

XXX

A/N: Well? Please review! Tank yeh!