Moonstar gazed down with quiet satisfaction at the warriors assembled beneath the Highrock. She had worked hard in the moons since her arrival, bringing in rogues and loners from all corners of the territories and….disposing of those cats she felt had outlived their usefulness. Only a very few of the original ThunderClan cats remained, and she didn't trust them- but she needed as many warriors as she could get top fight in the coming wars. Moonstar had plans….
"Moonstar," a soft voice mewed behind her, and she turned to face Brightwhisker, her medicine cat. The black and white tom gazed back at her with a respectful twitch of white whiskers.
"Dreamflight will kit soon," he rasped, nodding towards a pretty silver tabby lolling in front of the nursery, her belly swollen with kits. The sun glinted off the collar that spoke of his BloodClan heritage as he turned to watch her, his green eyes glimmering in the midday sun.
"So quickly?" Moonflower gasped, the pride undisguised in her voice. These were the first kits her ThunderClan would see, and they could do with the apprentices- her warriors, though well trained and deadly, were few in numbers as yet.
"Excellent." She purred, wrapping her long silver tail around her dainty white paws, "And the father?" she asked, turning back to Brightwhisker.
"Beartooth." He replied, nodding to the heavy built brown tom that had slipped through the gorse tunnel, a fat rabbit clamped in his grasp.
"Good." She mewed. Beartooth was a faithful warrior; she could do with more blood like his in her ranks.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" Moonstar yowled, her eyes suddenly alight with the flame of battles yet to come. Brightwhisker took his customary post at the foot of the rock and waited for the warriors to assemble.
Dark Flame was the first to emerge, the rogues black and ginger stripes gleaming in the sunlight. Then came Sunstripe, Brightfang, Jackdaw….. All her loyal warriors.
"ThunderClan,!" Moonstar purred, drumming her unsheathed claws against the Highrock. "We all know that our territory is far too small."
This was resulted in loud yowls of agreement from her warriors as they leapt to their feet, already guessing what was coming next.
"Moonstar's right!" yelled Beartooth, pressing his shaggy fur against Dreamflight's silver flank. "Dreamflight's kits are on the way- we need more hunting grounds if they're to survive!"
Moonstar silenced the clamour with a flick of her tail.
"So, to survive, we need more territory!" she mewed. "The answer is clear: RiverClan had enough food to keep us fed for moons. We must claim our rightful hunting grounds if we're to survive!"
Dark lame leapt up to the Highrock's base, his eyes alight with bloodlsust.
"Moonstar, let me lead the invading party!" he begged, his whiskers quivering with excitement.
"No." Moonstar growled, and allowed her gaze to travel to the small black she-cat that sat hunched at the edge of the camp, sapphire eyes unreadable.
"Ravenflight will lead the party." She mewed firmly. The black queen might look scrawny, but she was a formidable warrior, unafraid to kill to get what she wanted. Her cold calculations was just what her clan needed- ice to cool their fire, to stop them from rushing into battle unprepared. Not that RiverClan would be able to stop them anyway, but it was best not to take any chances.
"ThunderClan," Moonstar mewed, "Today we claim what is rightfully ours."
"To me, ThunderClan!" Ravenflight yowled as she raced out of camp.
"Come, Dark Flame." Moonstar called the tom back as he went to follow. "Crookedstar is ours."
The toms eyes gleamed as he followed Moonstar, creeping stealthily through the trees.