Hooray! First chapter of Dangerous Storms! Please R&R! W
There was light coming softly through the leaves and branches.
The smell of StormClan territory.
And the small scuttling of prey underneath fallen leaves.
Lionstar opened his eyes and gazed at the trees around him, his amber eyes following the river that separated the woodland and the moor.
Although StormClan had no RiverClan cats, he had thought it was important for StormClan cats to have a source of water other than the small stream that Tigerheart had discovered, just outside of camp.
Lionstar got up onto his paws and let out a large yawn while stretching his legs which were sore from lying down on the forest floor for so long.
He started going back towards camp when he heard a twig crack in the bushes next to him.
Lionstar whirled around, his claws unsheathing, ready for a fight.
He waited for a moment but nothing jumped out at him. Lionstar opened his jaws and tasted the air.
To his surprise, he smelled the soft, milky scent of a kit and wondered if one of Ivypool's kits had snuck out of camp.
"Who are you?" he whispered. The bush trembled for a moment then shook wildly as whatever was hiding in the bush ran away through the other side.
Lionstar stood there, bewildered, then turned and continued his way to camp.
"If it's one of Ivypool's kits, I'll box their ears," muttered Lionstar as he entered the camp.
It had been only a few sunrises ago when the kits had snuck out of camp and had nearly led an adult badger straight to camp.
Luckily, Littleflower and Mintsong had chased it away before it had found the camp. The two gray sisters had joined StormClan during leafbare when Jayfeather had discovered them, living near the Moontree where he went to share tongues with StarClan.
Littleflower was a shy she-cat and rarely spoke while Mintsong was quite the opposite. She was always the first to suggest something and seemed to have endless energy.
Both were excellent, strong, and brave warriors and Lionstar was glad they had joined.
But StormClan was still small and would die out if more cats didn't join.
Pushing the negative thoughts out of his head, Lionstar looked around the camp and saw that Woodpath's hunting patrol had returned with a plethora of fresh-kill.
"Lionstar!"
He turned around as he heard Tigerheart call him across the camp.
"Yes, Tigerheart?" he meowed as he padded over to him.
"Woodpath's patrol scented a rogue inside our territory while they were hunting," mewed Tigerheart with a worried expression. "Do you think it could be Darkstrike?"
Lionstar bristled at the name. Although the StormClan cats had no idea what or who Darkstrike actually was, they had agreed to call it Darkstrike so no one would be confused. Darkstrike was the black furred killer that had attacked Pinefall several seasons ago and had murdered Birchfall when Lionstar had lived in ThunderClan.
"Double the border patrols and make sure that all apprentices are never alone outside the camp," he ordered.
Tigerheart nodded and bounded across the clearing to his mate, Dovesong who was putting down a large squirrel on the fresh-kill pile.
Lionstar purred as he saw the two cats twine tails and rub their flanks together.
If the original StormClan cats had stayed in the Clans around the lake, they would never have been able to be happy and always be together like this.
Lionstar turned and padded towards the nursery where Ivypool was watching her kits sleep.
"Hi Lionstar," mewed Ivypool. "What are you doing here? Can I help you with something?"
"Hi," responded Lionstar while looking down at the small kits. "How long have they been napping?"
Ivypool blinked. "Ever since Woodpath's patrol went out."
Lionstar narrowed his eyes. Then who was the kit in the bushes? Was it perhaps a queen, not a kit?
"What's wrong?" mewed Ivypool, worry and curiosity in her blue eyes.
"I smelled a kit outside of camp and I was wondering if it was one of your kits," explained Lionstar.
"Oh," mewed Ivypool and glanced down at her kits. "Well these three have been with me this whole time."
Lionstar nodded. "Thanks Ivypool. Make sure you keep them near. Darkstrike might be around again."
Ivypool's eyes widened. "Darkstrike?"
Lionstar told her about how Woodpath's patrol had scented a rogue and that it might be Darkstrike again.
"Okay. Thanks Lionstar," mewed Ivypool as she wrapped her tail protectively around her kits.
Lionstar turned around and headed to his den which was a small cave that he had to jump into on the side of the sandy walls that covered and shielded the camp.
He leaped inside and was surprised to see Heathertail fixing his nest by adding fresh moss and bracken.
"Heathertail! You don't have to do that, you know," mewed Lionstar as he padded over to his mate's side.
Heathertail purred and pressed her muzzle against his. "Furball. Do you want to sleep in a nest full of old moss and fleas?"
Lionstar's eyes widened. "Fleas?"
Heathertail purred louder. "Are you really that stupid? There aren't any fleas. I was just joking."
Lionstar playfully pounced on her and she let out a fake wail as they rolled around the cave.
When they finally stopped, Heathertail dragged over a vole that he hadn't noticed before and they started eating together.
"Woodpath's patrol scented Darkstrike," Lionstar mewed through a mouthful of vole.
Heathertail's blue eyes widened and her neck fur started to bristle. "What?"
"Yeah. Do you think Darkstrike will come back?" meowed Lionstar, putting his head between his paws.
Heathertail was silent for a moment then mewed, "I'm not sure. But it followed you from ThunderClan, didn't it?"
Lionstar shivered at the thought that the killer had followed them this far. Who would be the next victim? Heathertail? His kits?
"I also scented something strange while I was out on my walk," he meowed as he gently groomed Heathertail between her ears.
"I think it was a kit or it might have been a queen. I'm not sure but it had milk scent on it," he mewed.
Heathertail blinked. "Are you sure it was a cat? It could have been a fox or a badger."
Lionstar nodded. "Definitely a cat."
His mate shrugged. "It could be a passing by loner or rogue. Maybe we can find her and ask her to join StormClan."
"That's a great idea," mewed Lionstar. If it was a queen, then the Clan would have more kits, helping it grow, and even if it was just a kit, which was fine, because kits grew to be warriors.
"Lionstar?"
Marshwater's voice called from outside.
Lionstar poked his head outside and looked down at the gray and brown tom. "Yes?"
"Robinpaw passed her warrior assessment and brought back an excellent amount of prey. If it's alright with you, I think it's time for her to become a warrior," meowed Marshwater, his eyes sparkling with pride.
Lionstar nodded. It was good news that the ginger she-cat would become a warrior. She was an excellent tracker and a very important part of the Clan. Her mother, Berrytail, had joined StormClan a couple seasons ago, the moment she stumbled upon a patrol.
"Everyone is back in camp, right?" he asked Marshwater.
When the young warrior nodded, Lionstar turned to Heathertail and purred. "Time for a warrior ceremony."
His mate purred also and jumped out of the cave, Lionstar following her.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather underneath the Highbranch for a Clan meeting!" he yowled, as he jumped up onto the tall birch tree that grew at the end of camp.
He swelled with pride as his warriors streamed out of the warriors den. Jayfeather and his daughter Starlingpaw, padded out of the medicine cat den.
Lionstar purred as he noticed that several scraps of herbs were stuck to her pelt.
His sons, Windpaw and Thunderpaw, tumbled out of the apprentice's den, followed more seriously by Robinpaw.
Her ginger pelt was gleaming but Berrytail was grooming her furiously anyway.
"Robinpaw!" Lionstar called, rescuing her from Berrytail.
Robinpaw wriggled out of her mother's grasp and jumped to the branch that Lionstar was sitting on.
"Marshwater has told me that you are ready to become a warrior of StormClan. Marshwater, are you satisfied that this apprentice is ready to become a warrior?" Lionstar asked.
The gray and brown tom's eyes sparkled. "Yes she is."
Lionstar nodded and turned towards Robinpaw. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Robinpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Robinfire. StarClan honors your enthusiasm and energy and we welcome you as a full warrior of StormClan."
He put his muzzle on the newly named Robinfire's head and felt the rasp of her tongue on his shoulder.
"Robinfire! Robinfire! Robinfire!" cheered the cats below.
Lionstar purred as he saw Robinfire swell with pride and excitement at becoming a warrior.
"Don't forget that you have your vigil tonight," he mewed.
Robinfire nodded and jumped off the branch where she was greeted by her new name by her Clanmates.
Suddenly a loud hiss ripped through the air.
"Intruder!"