Chapter 1

Blackclaw trotted through the snow on the edge of the SnowClan border. He opened his mouth to take in the scent; a strange tang hit the roof of his mouth; fear and FireClan. He kept low and crept to the jagged rocks that separated SnowClan and FireClan. Blackclaw poked his nose through the tall grass to see a FireClan apprentice walking on his clan's side of the border. He breathed in again. Goldenpaw; the beautiful golden apprentice was walking on the edge of the gorge. He stood up about to warn her to go away when she slipped and fell over the edge letting out a hiss of surprise. "Goldenpaw!" he yelled. Blackclaw raced to the edge and looked down. On a rock no more than five rabbit hops down was Goldenpaw hanging on by a paw. Without thinking he launched himself off of the top landing on the rocks. Grabbing her by the scruff with his teeth he heaved her back up. "Thanks Blackclaw,"

He tilted his head "Goldenpaw what were you doing on our territory?"

"I'm Goldenfrost now, I was chasing prey when I noticed I had crossed over," She licked her chest to calm down, "I was trying to find a spot to jump over so I stayed as close to our border as I could."

"Congratulations on becoming a warrior," for some reason he was happy to hear that she had come to their border no matter what reason.

"Thank you," She tilted her head, "Do you know a way to my camp without any cat catching me?"

Blackclaw nervously licked his paw, "Yes, would you like me to come with you?" He meowed anxiously, hopeful that she would need him.

"That would be great" Goldenfrost purred.

"Great, follow me" he set off at a fast trot along the gorge, Goldenfrost right next to him.

Blackclaw and Goldenfrost reached the stepping-stones that ran across the gorge. Blackclaw motioned to her with his tail, "Here," he licked his chest, "tonight's the gathering,"

She blinked, "Yes."

"I was wondering if you could persuade Thornstar to let you come,"

She purred, "I'll try." Her pelt brushed against his as he breathed in her sweet scent. Blackclaw turned around and bounded back into the bushes. He slowed down to a walk, what am I doing? He thought this is against our code! He shook himself and ran back to camp trying to put Goldenfrost out of his mind.

Blackclaw entered the camp, with a rabbit in his mouth. He walked to the food pile and put it down. He looked around, Winterkit and Firekit were wrestling outside of the nursery Spottedflower was sitting outside of her den, her tail curled delicately around her paws. Her frosty blue eyes burned through his fur as if she knew what he had done. Blackclaw bounded to Stormstar's den and sat outside impatiently scratching at the ground. Suddenly the large white and gray warrior stepped out of his den his amber eyes gazing over his clan. He walked over to Blackclaw and sat down at his side, "I suppose you would like to come to the gathering too."

Caught by surprise, Blackclaw stumbled on his words, "Yes, I was hoping you would choose me."

Stormstar sighed, "Every cat wants to go to the gathering," he looked back at Blackclaw a glint of humor in his eyes, "but you and Bloodfrost can go,"

Blackclaw dipped his head to excited to speak and ran to the other side of camp where the warrior's den was. Blackclaw rushed trough the entrance, "Bloodfrost," Bloodfrost looked up from where Redhawk lay curled up next to him.

He stretched luxuriously, "Hi Blackclaw, where have you been?"

"It doesn't matter we're going to the gathering!"

"Really Redhawk said that Stormstar had so many cats come up to him that he wouldn't answer any one yet,"

"So, we get to go isn't that great?"

Bloodfrost walked out of the warriors den Blackclaw flanking him, "Blackclaw, I've got to tell you something."

Blackclaw sat down and licked his shoulder, "Go ahead."

"I think Redhawk is going to have kits,"

Blackclaw's stood up and sat next to his best friend, "Really? Do you know who the father is?"

Bloodfrost's eyes glowed proudly, "There mine," he purred.

Blackclaw licked his friend's muzzle, "Congratulations," he purred, "Dose Spottedflower know?"

"No, Redhawk wants to keep it a secret."

"Good luck with that, Spottedflower's a medicine cat; she knows stuff."

"Yeh well, lets get some sleep before the gathering."

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, come for a meeting under high rock." Stormstar's yowl broke into Blackclaw's dream. He got up and flexed his long claws savoring the dream that Goldenfrost was in. He knew it was wrong, but he couldn't care less. Blackclaw nudged Bloodfrost and Redhawk with his long dark claws. "Come on! Stormstar's called a meeting." Bloodfrost heaved himself to his paws, Redhawk right behind him. They walked out of the warrior's den the fiery red tom, Firestorm right behind them. He walked up to Blackclaw as they headed to high rock, "Winterkit and Firekit are almost ready to be apprentices,"

"I noticed, they're getting big for the nursery," He slipped through the entrance leading into the warrior's den, "has Stormstar told you who will be their mentors?"

"Well, I suggested you and Bloodfrost,"

Blackclaw's eyes widened in surprise, "I'm honored," he murmured. Blackclaw padded over to Redhawk, "Congratulations! I hear you're going to be in the nursery soon," he whispered in her ear. She gave him a nervous look "I don't want Spottedflower to know though,"

"Why?" Blackclaw said puzzled.

"I want to stay with Bloodfrost in the warriors den," a pang of jealousy rose through him.

"I think she'll find out soon."

"I know it's worth a try though." Blackclaw saw a streak of white out of the corner of his eye. He turned around expecting to see Bloodfrost but instead Whitepaw crashed into him nearly knocking him over, "Sorry Blackclaw," she meowed, " But Stormstar's looking for you and Bloodfrost."

"Ok hold on," Blackclaw looked around and caught his friends eye and flicked his tail to summon him, "Stormstar wants us," he murmured as Bloodfrost appeared.

Bloodfrost gave him a curious look then shrugged, "I wonder what we did now," he laughed nudging Blackclaw through the crowd of cats to where Stormstar stood on the high rock looking down on his clan.

"Tonight is the full moon," he yowled, "Reedclaw will organize the cats that are coming to the gathering, but before that I have a ceremony to perform," He looked down at Blackclaw and Bloodfrost and then a Winterkit and Firekit, "Blackclaw, you have proven yourself many times before that you are ready for an apprentice," a shiver ran through Blackclaw's fur, he had been waiting for this moment for his life. It was finally coming. "Do you take this responsibility to train this apprentice in our ways as warriors?"

"I do."

Stormstar looked at Firekit, "Then from this day on Firekit, you shall be known as Firepaw," Blackclaw leaned forward and touched noses with his apprentice. He looked into his apprentice's eyes and saw curiosity and pride and his reflected out ambition flaring within him. He shook himself and sat back down to confused to hear Bloodfrost's ceremony and to hear Stormstar calling him when the meeting was over.

"Blackclaw," Stormstar yowled, "Come." He strolled into his den Blackclaw trailing behind him trying to hide his fear sent from his leader. Dose he know about my feelings toward Goldenfrost? "Blackclaw there is something I have wanted to tell you for moons after you had been made a warrior," Blackclaw's ears flicked with interest. Stormstar sat down and tucked his paws delicately under himself, "I have never told you who your father or your mother was."

The big black warrior looked down at his long claws, "Well I always thought my father was a hero, and my mother, well, I never really thought of her," he looked up at Stormstar, "Who are they? I know I have no family here."

Stormstar sighed and looked at Blackclaw straight in the eye, "Your father was a hero yes," Blackclaw's tail twitched in anticipation, "But not a good one. His ambition ruled over, he ran away and took cats from all four clans with him. He wanted to rule the mountain."

Blackclaw sunk his claws into the ground, "No, it can't be," he meowed hoarsely not wanting to believe what Stormstar was going to say.

"Your father was Shadoweye."

Blackclaw did not speak, his eyes clouded in pain and shock. He finally found his voice and said, "Who is my mother?"

Stormstar sighed he was afraid that the large warrior would not talk at all, "Your mother was proud, she was a loner. Her name was Crystal, she took Shadoweye for a mate a few moons before I was made deputy," Stormstar closed his eyes as if in pain, "I remember my first night as deputy, I had smelt blood on our territory. It was Crystal's, I found her with you hanging down by the scruff. There was only you but I could smell more kits, maybe three, but I wasn't sure." Blackclaw looked down at his paws. Was that his father's ambition that had blazed in his eyes that he had seen before? "Dose any one else know?"

"Yes, Bloodfrost,"

"And yet still he trusts me. You trust me?" He stared at his leader,

"Yes you are one of the strongest warriors in the clan,"

"The scar on my eye, is that what Shadoweye had?"

"Slightly yes but he had blue eyes and orange thunder bolts at the end of each eye,"

Blackclaw bowed his head and turned to exit, but his leaders den he turned around, "Thank you Stormstar."