Oops, forgot to put up the disclaimer. I don't own Warriors, Erin Hunter does. Besides, if I did own Warriors, I wouldn't have made Hollyleaf, supposedly, die!
Anyway, enjoy!
Chapter 1
A gray tabby kit stumbled in an unfamiliar forest. He blinked his green eyes, confused. This wasn't Moonclan territory. Stars dappled the trees and bushes. Ivy-green leaves bunched together on every branch. Back in Moonclan, it was Leaf-bare.
"Hello?" He called out. The word echoed around strangely.
"Wake up!" The dream was shaken from him as two paws dug into his back.
Larchkit shot up out of his nest.
"Are you okay?" Ravenkit was watching him closely.
"Another dream?" he asked.
Larchkit nodded, he was too out of breath to answer.
"Maybe you should tell Silverdew," Ravenkit suggested. His tail was twitching. Larchkit knew that his brother often worried about him and his strange dreams.
"No," He shook his head. "Don't worry about it."
Loud arguments could be heard from outside the nursery. Larchkit pricked his ears. "What's going on?"
Ravenkit glanced toward the entrance. "The dawn patrol caught Skyclan hunting on the land where Gatherings are held," He muttered. "The clan is discussing it now."
"Including Rosepetal?"
"Yes."
Larchkit could feel Ravenkit's wariness and hesitation. He could also feel his paws building excitement. This could be the perfect time to explore the forest!
"Where's Daisykit?" Larchkit asked; his tail stirred the moss nest restlessly.
"Here." Dasiykit padded up to her brothers. "What is it? You woke me up." She let out a small yawn, showing her pink tongue and sharp white teeth. "This better be good."
Larchkit kneaded the soft moss. "This is the perfect opportunity to sneak out of camp," He announced.
His words were followed by silence. Ravenkit's ear twitched, and Daisykit's blue eyes were wide.
"Leave the camp?" Daisykit asked anxiously, "Isn't that against the Warrior Code?"
Ravenkit glanced at Daisykit. "Yes, it is." He turned to face Larchkit again, "It's not worth it, we'll get in trouble, and risk delaying our apprenticeship."
Larchkit thrashed his tail angrily. Ravenkit always acted like a leader, just because he was oldest.
"Fine," He snapped, "If you won't go, then I'll go by myself." He turned and peeked out the emergency hole.
"Wait," Ravenkit blocked his path. His amber eyes were uncertain. "Okay, I'll go too."
Larchkit brightened.
"I'm only going because I can't let you wander around by yourself," Ravenkit added. "Daisykit, are you coming?"
Daisykit shuffled her small paws nervously, "I don't like it, but I also don't like being left out," She mewed. "Let's go!"
The three kits bunched together at the escape tunnel. The hole was dug in case of an invasion. The clan was still gathered together in the clearing, their focus on what Leafdapple was meowing.
"We can go down and run one by one behind the Apprentice's Den," Ravenkit decided. "I'll go first."
Without hesitating, the dark gray kit ran out the tunnel and quickly ducked behind a stray strand of bramble hanging from the Apprentice's Den.
"Come on," He whispered to his littermates.
Larchkit went next, then Daisykit. The light gray tabby stumbled, and a few heads turned but Daisykit was already in the safety of the brambles.
Next, all three kits padded out across the border. The entire area was a meadow of ferns and bushes except a large rock that jutted out. Farther up water rushed and swirled in a constant motion, while straight ahead was a pile of rocks that seemed to stretch on forever.
"This must be the Gathering place," Daisykit mewed. "What if Skyclan comes and kidnaps us? I want to go back to the nursery!" Her mew ended with a whimper.
Larchkit was still in awe. The land was so wide and open!
"Yes!" Larchkit charged forward, diving into the soft ferns and flowers. "Come on, this is so fun!"
"Larchkit wait!" Ravenkit raced after his brother, followed by Daisykit. "This was mouse-brained. The meeting's probably over by now and they're bound to have noticed we're gone."
"This is mouse-brained?" Larchkit rolled over in the grass to face his brother. He snorted, "This is the most fun I've ever had!" The kit suddenly jumped up and started climbing the pile of rocks.
"I'm Larchstar!" He boasted, once higher than Ravenkit and Daisykit, "The most powerful warrior in the clans! So bow down to me, um, Ravenfur and Daisypetal."
"What in the name of Starclan?" A furious hiss startled Larchkit; he tumbled down the pile of rocks.
"Larchkit!" Daisykit nosed her brother over, "Are you okay?"
Larchkit tried to get on his paws. "Yeah, I'm fine."
"Are you Moonclan kits?" A brown tabby was staring at them curiously, "Why are so far from camp?"
"Forget that Thrushfall," A pale ginger tom hissed, "You crossed the border, gray tabby kit," He unsheathed his claws.
"Ravenkit! Daisykit, Larchkit! There you are!" Leafdapple burst through a wall of ferns and raced to the kits. "What in the name of Starclan were you thinking? You probably weren't thinking. Do you know how worried Rosepetal is right now?"
Fireblaze and Sandstorm padded toward them as well.
"You three kits have caused a lot of trouble," Fireblaze muttered. Sandstorm simply shook her head.
"Time to go back to camp," Leafdapple ordered, "Right now."
"Not so fast," Flamespirit slid in front of Leafdapple. His green-amber eyes burned with anger. "That gray tabby kit crossed the border."
Leafdapple glanced sharply at Larchkit. "Is this true?" Larchkit nodded hesitantly.
"I'm sorry Flamespirit," Leafdapple turned back to the pale ginger warrior. "They are inexperienced and I promise they will be punished severely."
"That's not enough," Flamespirit snarled. He unsheathed his claws and bunched his muscles to leap at Larchkit. Leafdapple widened her eyes.
Thrushfall quickly stepped in front of Flamespirit. "Remember they're just kits, Flamespirit," Thrushfall meowed quietly.
Flamespirit continued to glare at Leafdapple. Finally, he lowered his gaze. "Fine," He muttered, "I'll let it slide for now."
Leafdapple visibly relaxed. "Thank you," She dipped her head to Thrushfall. He nodded; an odd expression in his amber eyes.
"Larchkit stop!" Daisykit's yowl made every cat freeze.
Larchkit was racing away from them, running at random directions.
"I don't want to go back!" He yowled, "Nev-"
The gray tabby kit slipped in the muddy bank by the river and got swept away by the current.
Leafdapple turned to Fireblaze and Sandstorm, "Watch the others!"
The Moonclan deputy then raced after Larchkit and plunged into the freezing water. She swam strongly to where a limp gray head bobbed.
Flamespirit and Thrushfall stood their ground, frozen. Thrushfall kneaded the ferns, his tail swishing nervously.
Leafdapple managed to grasp Larchkit's scruff with her teeth and haul him onto the bank. Suddenly, another swift, rushing current carried Leafdapple back into the swirling water, and knocking Larchkit against a nearby rock.
The gray kit squeaked in pain, blood had already stained the water red. Leafdapple, using the last of her strength, pushed Larchkit onto land before another wave swallowed her up.
"Leafdapple!" Sandstorm dashed to the bank, ready to dive in, but Thrushfall sprinted past her.
The brown tabby tom leaped into the water and paddled toward Leafdapple, his head bobbing.
Sandstorm stood still, her blue eyes wide. "Come back!" Fireblaze meowed urgently, "You'll get swept in too!"
The pale ginger she-cat picked up Larchkit and backed away. Flamespirit was already trying to calm Ravenkit down.
Daisykit was shivering. "It's alright," Fireblaze murmured softly in her ear. "Leafdapple will be fine."
Thrushfall had his tail under Leafdapple's belly to support her as they swam back to shore. They stumbled onto the ground, dripping wet. Leafdapple sneezed, but pressed her nose into Thrushfall's thick, brown fur.
"Thank you," She murmured. Leafdapple looked up at him with wide amber eyes. "Thank you for saving my life." Her voice shook slightly.
Thrushfall purred softly and flushed at the same time. He hesitated before licking her ear gently. "You're welcome." His amber eyes were uncertain. "Could we, maybe meet here tonight? I really want to see you again."
Leafdapple paused, weighing her options. "Okay," She finally agreed. What was wrong with meeting a friend now and then?
They padded up the meadow and to the others.
"Glad to see your alive," Flamespirit butted Thrushfall's wet pelt playfully. "Thanks Leafdapple," He added, "See you at the next Gathering."
"Bye Flamespirit," She called, as the two Skyclan cats raced up the rocks to their territory, "Bye Thrushfall."
Sandstorm and Fireblaze looked baffled.
"So now their okay with Larchkit crossing their territory? It's all okay now, just like that?" Sandstorm asked.
"Yes," Leafdapple bent down to pick up Daisykit by the scruff. The kit was still shivering, now from Leafdapple's wet pelt. "We should get back to camp now," Her words her muffled by light gray tabby fur, "Rosepetal will be relieved."
Sandstorm carried Ravenkit, and Fireblaze bent down to pick up Larchkit.
The gray tabby kit was still unmoving on the ferns. Fireblaze widened his dark amber eyes.
"Leafdapple!"
The auburn she-cat turned, her fur ruffled, "What is it now?"
Fireblaze touched Larchkit's bloody, dismantled leg gently with a paw. "Is it…"
Leafdapple set Daisykit onto the ground and padded to Larchkit. She leaned down, her gaze on the leg. "Oh, dear Starclan... It's broken."
A/N: So, how was it? Do you think that last bit was a cliffy? What's going on with Leafdapple and Thrushfall? They say they're just "friends", but could it turn into something more?
Please keep reading and reviewing!