Chapter 1

ThunderClan

Moonpaw prowled through the forest, opening her jaws to catch the scent of prey on the breeze. She pricked her ears and turned around, seeing a plump mouse scuffling in the lush grasses behind her.

She dropped into a crouch, staying low to the ground as she neared her prey. She placed her feet lightly against the forest floor, stopping when she was whisker-lengths away. She tensed, then sprang, catching the mouse with a swipe of her paw. She bit its back and started to bury it, then padded once again through the forest.

The sun dappled across her pitch-black pelt, warming her. The trees around her were tall and lush with leaves and greenery, and she smelled the lake only a couple of fox-lengths away from her right. Everything was peaceful and quiet.

Moonpaw closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the momentary peace after the fast-moving quarter moon where ThunderClan was helping ShadowClan after the fire that had raged in their forest. She remembered the friendship between Tinypaw, Skullpaw, Riverpaw, Blackpaw, Deathpaw, and herself during that time, and wondered what they were doing now that everything was back to normal.

"Hey." Moonpaw turned around to see Gorsepaw padding towards her; she looked healthier than when Moonpaw had found her in the forest before, and she gave off a warming happiness whenever she was near you.

"Hey, Gorsepaw." Moonpaw mewed, patting the ground beside her with her tail. Gorsepaw sat down, looking at Moonpaw with inquisitive yellow eyes.

"What's up?" Gorsepaw asked gently.

"Just thinking about..." Moonpaw trailed off.

Gorsepaw nodded. "Uh huh." She looked out on the lake, shimmering in the green-leaf sun. After a moment's pause, Gorsepaw mewed quietly, "It seems like the fire was seasons ago the way the Clans are acting with each other. Why, just the other day, we almost got in a border fight with WindClan!"

Moonpaw sighed and smirked at her friend. "That's what the Clans usually act like," she mewed dryly. Gorsepaw sighed in disgust.

"I just don't get why cats have to be so...cruel to each other; especially after the fire." Gorsepaw mewed in frustration; she lashed her tail.

"Hey, the Clans are acting much better than before you came; ShadowClan was practically breathing down our necks over borders. Now, they're quieter." Gorsepaw didn't reply, just continued to lash her tail.

Behind them, Moonpaw heard a rustle and the scent of Mossshadow reached her nose. "What're you two doing here? We need to gather enough prey before leaf-fall."

Moonpaw stifled a sigh at her mentor; she could be so urgent and impatient at times. "All right, all right, keep your fur on," Moonpaw muttered, and stood to fetch the mouse, vole, and squirrel she had caught.

When they arrived back at camp, it was sun-high and the air was muggy and hot; most of ThunderClan was either lounging in the shade or patrolling to pass the time. Cavepaw, now Cavesong, was in deep conversation with Brackenmask about borders, while Oakstar and Greenmoss were discussing the recent smell of rogue on their territory.

Moonpaw padded up to Seedpaw and touched noses. "Anything new?"

Seedpaw shook his head and looked around. "Everything's pretty quiet right now; although..."

"Although what?" Moonpaw pressed, excited.

"Although...it has been pretty dry, and the river has been low; we haven't had rain in moons."

Moonpaw exhaled. She thought of an old nursery tale that she had heard as a kit, one about how, when Dovewing was a 'paw, she had led the Clans to find the source of a huge drought that had killed the leader, Leopardstar. Moonpaw's mother had also said that she had had an extraordinary power, although Moonpaw didn't believe it; who had abilities like extra senses nowadays?

The story still intrigued her, however.

"Moonpaw?" Moonpaw jumped at the sound of her brother's voice; she hadn't realized she had disappeared in her thoughts.

"What did you say?" Moonpaw mewed, embarrassed.

"I was saying, what do you think is happening to any of the others right now?" Seedpaw sounded annoyed.

"I don't know. Probably the same thing we are, I guess." Moonpaw replied. She was suddenly desperate for something to do, so she made the excuse of fetching water-soaked moss for the elders.

She padded away from her brother, asking the newly named Tansytail if she could leave; she said yes, and Moonpaw was off once again.

While Moonpaw gathered moss to bring to the lakeshore, she wondered about Seedpaw's prediction for a drought. It could happen; at least the Clans would be doing something again.

When Moonpaw was satisfied with her collection of moss, she started for the lakeshore.

Along the way, she looked around her; the forest, however springy and green it was, did look a bit dry now that she mentioned it.

Suddenly, a black flash in the treetops caught her attention. She blinked, dismissing it as a squirrel. As she continued, she felt a prickle of unease run down her spine, and she had the suspicion she was being watched. Another flash, closer this time, flew past her, rustling the bushes in front of Moonpaw; she hissed in surprise, dropping her moss. Her heart thumping, she shakily picked up her moss again, setting a brisk pace that grew quicker as the feeling of unease increased tenfold.

Once she reached the lakeshore, she dunked her moss in and dashed back through the forest. As she was running, she tripped over a root and fell with a thud to the ground. A searing pain entered her right foreleg, and Moonpaw placed down her moss to lick her wound. Her eyes, watery from the pain, hardly detected the third shadow that flashed by, inches from her whiskers. Moonpaw stood, wincing as her ankle shot an angry pain up her leg.

"Who's there?" she choked; her voice cracked, half out of fear and half out of pain.

There was no answer, except for the bushes around her erupting into frantic rustling. Shadows flickered around the trees, not taking any form in particular; soon, Moonpaw found herself in the middle of a circle formed by the shadowy figures.

One figure took the shape of a cat, and Moonpaw blinked as a pair familiar blue eyes appeared out of the forest shadows.

"Moonpaw?"

Moonpaw blinked in disbelief. "Father?"

"Moonpaw! It is you!" The figure fully emerged from the shadows, and Moonpaw felt a rush of joy as she recognized the handsome blue tom that was her father; Frozenfoot.

Moonpaw ran up to her father and buried her muzzle in his shoulder. "I miss you so much, father." Moonpaw felt a sob rising in her throat like bile. Frozenfoot purred and brushed his tail across his daughter's pelt.

"I miss you and your mother and brother as well," Frozenfoot mewed sadly. Moonpaw broke away. She couldn't believe her father had come to visit her from StarClan; for a second, she forgot about the shadows he came about in.

"How's life in StarClan?" Moonpaw asked.

Frozenfoot shrugged. "Fine, fine." he mewed vaguely.

Moonpaw practically felt questions flowing out of her mouth. "We miss you so much; I wish you hadn't gone so soon. Is StarClan treating you well, are you comfortable where you are?"

Frozenfoot looked uncomfortable. "Moonpaw, I-"

Moonpaw stared into his amber eyes, concerned. "Is something not right in StarClan? Are you..." She trailed off, fear replacing the smile in her eyes. Her father's eyes weren't amber...

"Moonpaw, I'm sorry." Frozenfoot's voice sounded far away and muffled, to be replaced with a deep growl that chilled Moonpaw's bones. Moonpaw watched in horror as her father's blue fur turned to brown tabby in an instant, and saw him grow a malicious smile on his lips.

"Y-...You're not my father." Moonpaw whispered, her eyes widening as the shadow laughed.

The new cat stared down at her, a crazy look in his amber eyes. "Far from it, Moonpaw." The shadow laughed again, turning into a viscous black smoke that enveloped Moonpaw like snow; chilling and uncomfortable. Moonpaw felt a searing pain in her mind, and heard the terrible screeching of the shadows' laughter echoing inside her head.

"Stop it, Stop it..." Moonpaw cried, squeezing her eyes tight as if that would somehow dismiss the pain. The screeching laughter continued, louder and stronger, and Moonpaw found herself writhing on the ground from the pain. Her eyes flashed amber, and suddenly the pain was subsiding, the laughter turning distant and dull until it disappeared completely. Moonpaw was left, panting, on the ground, welcoming the silence and peace inside her mind. After a few moments, she stood on shaky paws and glanced fearfully at the forest around her. She felt a prickle at the back of her mind, and heard the words, "Nowhere to hide, Moonpaw." echo in her head. Moonpaw raced back to camp, abandoning her moss to the muggy forest.

Please review! Sorry if its a bit shorter than the usual, but I was kind of at a writer's block on how to start the story...