Disclaimer: No, I do not own Warriors…blah-blah-blah…Review checkups!
Kira2667: Sparkfur is distantly related, actually. Okay, Redstripe's father was Lionfur, Squirrelflight's son. And, of course, she is Firestar's daughter. WHEW! I hope that clears things up!
Also, I'm giving out awesome Sparkfur stuffed cats if you review, but I'll give you Sparkfur AND Spottedleaf ones if you understood the family tree! Whoot!
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THE OLD FOREST: RAVENPAW POV
"Ravenpaw…Ravenpaw…Ravenpaw!" a voice called gently.
"Barley? Why are you in my dreams?" the black cat asked, confused. But an object appeared out of the forest, and it definitely wasn't the black-and-white tom, Barley. An orange face grinned out at him, and he gave a mrrow of laughter.
"Uh, Firestar, why am I dreaming about you and why are you dreaming about me, and why are we dreaming about each other at the same time?" Ravenpaw wanted to know, even more puzzled than ever. He was quieted by a flame-colored tail-tip that pressed itself against his muzzle.
"I'm not dreaming of you. I'm dead." His ears flattened as Ravenpaw let out a sudden cry of sorrow. "It's okay, Ravenpaw. I've come to tell you something more important. When the fire dies, flint and spark alone can harness the power to bring it back to life. Now, two cats will be coming. I don't know when, but they will come. And when they do, be ready. I will see you soon, my friend." They touched their muzzles to each other's shoulder, and Firestar disappeared.
"Hey, Ravenpaw!" another voice called, this one rougher and jollier.
Ravenpaw, thinking it to be Firestar, hissed, "WHAT?"…and then opened his eyes. He blinked into the chubby, happy face of Barley, who looked concerned.
"You were saying I was in your dreams, which is strange because all I was dreaming about was this really pretty brown cat, with white paws." Barley looked half-embarrassed.
Ravenpaw yawned and flipped over onto his feet. "You mean Princess?" The pudgy cat nodded. Ravenpaw jumped onto a hay bale and began pawing through it. "Hmm. This is strange; I can't find any mice." He jumped to the bale above it and clawed it apart. His heart wrenched in panic. "None here, either." Barley attacked the bales on the other side, and one by one, throwing down hay and straw, they dug through the bales, to find only four mice, all of which were dead already, and stunk like a drowned rat left on a Twoleg sidewalk to rot.
"Oh no!" Ravenpaw yowled. "The forest is Twolegplace now, and the only prey is a few occasional squirrels and some pet rabbits!" Barley's stomach rumbled. Ravenpaw's white-tipped tail flicked anxiously. "Barley, do you think we'll have to…"
"Become kittypets?" he finished. He twitched his whiskers. "I hope not, but if it means survival, I don't think we really have a choice." Ravenpaw's heart dropped into his stomach.
"StarClan!" he howled. "What have you done?!"
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THE LEADER'S DEN: SPARKFUR POV
"S-so…you're saying, you're going to leave to go to the old forest?" Redstar mewed, skeptical. Sparkfur's fur was fluffed and her claws scraped the stone in exasperation. She rolled her eyes and shook her head, looking at her distorted stripes.
"Yes. I need to go. Tonight." Sparkfur stood up, shook out her fur, laid it flat, flicked her tail, and walked out of the leader's den. Redstar looked after her, but didn't say anything. Silently he accepted her choice.
Blackfoot looked up from washing. "What were you up to?" he asked.
"Nothing." She hated lying to her best friend, but he could figure out later. Blackfoot suddenly jumped three feet in the air. "WHAT in StarClan was that for!" she yowled, surprised.
Blackfoot grinned. "Come on." He led Sparkfur through the entrance to the camp and onward for a while. Finally they stopped by a tree that had only twelve leaves left. The others were crowded around the trunk, looking for a piece of turf to call their own. His voice shook. "Sparkfur, ever since you became an apprentice, a day after me, I've been in love with you. When they called out your name, 'Sparkfur! Sparkfur!' when you became a warrior, I loved you more. And if I don't tell you now, I might just…never say it."
Sparkfur was shocked. Her mouth dropped open. Silence erupted between the pair. When she'd recovered, she hung her head. "I'm sorry, Blackfoot. But I do not feel the same way. I love you as a friend, but…not…that way." Blackfoot trembled, his bright green eyes dimming of all hope, and he raced away.
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NEAR THE RIVERCLAN BORDER: FLINTCLAW POV
Flintclaw crouched, spotting a vole only a tail-length away. He crept forward, the rodent's nibbling too loud for him to notice anything. As he pounced, another creature crashed into him and sent them flying into the river. Obviously, the vole ran away. "What in the name of StarClan?" he yowled, staring suddenly into smiling amber eyes. "Sparkfur!"
She stood up and shook ice-cold drops from her thick fur. "You've guessed correctly, my friend. Now come on! We gotta go."
"What? Why?" Flintclaw asked, confused, shaking as well. She quickly explained why, repeating most of Flintclaw's dreams, and hers.
"That's why. Now come on!" Sparkfur shifted from paw to paw impatiently.
"Hold on. I must say goodbye to someone." He jumped across the river, hind legs splashing in at the other side. He scrambled out and ran towards the camp, ignoring her frustrated, "Hurry!" He sprinted through the cattails, and saw Reedfoot look up. He spotted Flintclaw's face in the reeds. "Come here," he mouthed.
Reedfoot left his fish and trotted over to him, squirming into the cattails. "What are you doing? Why do you smell like ThunderClan?"
Flintclaw gave a hurried explanation. "Reedfoot, I'm leaving tonight, and I may not come back. I will miss you."
Reedfoot pressed his muzzle into the crook between his friend's collarbone and shoulder. "Goodbye, Flintclaw. I wish you luck. And I'll cover for you!" he called as Flintclaw dashed away.
A sudden sorrow drifted over him. He'd never been separated from his friend, let alone the Clan or the lake. Now…he was breaking away, breaking free. The sorrow lifted. He was going to go on an adventure, with a spunky ThunderClan she-cat with attitude and courage.
What could go wrong?
