Hello! I'm Tofdenrox, and this is my first fanfiction on this site! I've worke hard on this and I hope you enjoy it. More chapters up soon!

R&R!

'Tide!'

My call wafted over the moors, carried by the strong winds that buffeted my fur and stirred the waving fronds of heather around me. The silver-spotted head of my brother popped up from behind a thicket of gorse, and I sighed in relief.

'I think I've found a place!' he yowled back, and I turned to look for Breeze. I soon caught sight of her light gray fur against the darker hue of the clouds, and picked my way through thrashing strand of grass to tap her lightly on the shoulder. Whirling round, she hissed into my face, before realising who I was, and muttering a quiet, 'Sorry,' before joining me as we raced back to the bushes.

Tide was waiting for us, and we scrambled into a dip in the ground, sheltered by the bushes and the steeper incline surrounding us. Small rocks and boulders scattered the floor, which unusually had no grass growing on it; instead, a sandy floor, with occasional recesses in it. Too tired to appreciate our good luck, I stumbled over to such a sandy dent, and collapsed wearily in it, brother and sister curling up beside me in an attempt to provide warmth in our collective body heat. Despite the gale, and the uncomforting sensation of the hard sandy floor, it didn't take long before I felt the dark wave of exhaustion drown me in sleep.

I woke to the sound of Tide's snoring. My ears pricked and my eyes blinked sleepily open, before I lifted my head and yawned, mouth opening to reveal pearly-white teeth. We had been travelling for days, and as I closed my gaping mouth, I felt a little envy for the still sleeping forms of my brother and sister curled beside me; I wished I hadn't woken up so early! But there was no chance of me drifting back to my dreams now; I was fully awake, and as I carefully picked my way to standing, trying not to disturb those still snoozing, I felt a pang of curiosity as I looked around our shelter from the storm.

It was an odd feature to a deserted moorland, to be sure. In the light, and without too much weariness tugging at my paws, it was clear to see that this place had once been inhabited; the dips in the floor, the well-worn floor; cats had once lived here. It was certainly odd to think that we were not the only cats who had once slept in this enclosed hollow. But as I looked round, it became apparent no-one had lived here for quite some time; there was no moss or feathers lining the sleeping areas, and weeds had begun to spring up around a tall rock located in the centre, not far from where I was standing. It towered above me, at least two cats tall, and the ancient stone looked weathered and windblown. It looked incredibly old and noble, piercing the faint dawn light with its silouette.

This must've outlived generations I thought, pacing round it until I came to the back. Then I noticed a series of cracks spreading out across the surface, like veins on a leaf; perfect pawholds! It took only a little while for me to scramble up to the top; the rock leant at an angle, making it fairly easy for a strong cat to get to the top. The cracks were the perfect size for my paws, and I didn't make a single slip until I finally stood at the summit. It felt fantastic; the breeze flowed smoothly over my fur, and I squinted into the sun, amber eyes narrowing against its glow. I felt invincible; like a leader of many, ready to dive into battle and destroy my enemies. But my euphorbic happiness was shattered when I looked down.

There, in a large crack cris-crossing a slab of stone, was a pair of gleaming eyes.

They were not one of my siblings; I could spy them out of my peripheral vision, still sleeping safe and sound where I left them. I had not scented any cats on our approach, nor heard any as I woke this morning.

'Who are you?' I called. If this cat was an enemy, then he had to surrender; he couldn't beat all three of us. Could he? But the eyes did not give away any emotion at the cat's obvious discovery; he continued to stare steadily into my gaze, almost beckoning me to him.

Worried for my safety, it took me a little while to summon up the courage to leave my high perch. What if he attacked me while Tide and Breeze slept? I had never been a good fighter; Breeze had always been the quickest and fiercest of us. However, I couldn't just ignore him; he looked as if he had no intentions of leaving, and my curiosity goaded me forward.

I leaped easily down from the rock, feline agility aiding me as I lightly smacked the ground with my paws before walking closer towards the shadow-shrouded invader. 'Who are you?' I repeated as I drew nearer him; once again, he did not reply, but his eyes sparked with a faint amusement at the question. Puzzled still by his odd actions, I stopped at the entrance to the crack, only a tail-length away from him. Once I was inside, I would find out for sure this mysterious stranger intended.

I lifted up one paw and set it down inside the cavern, but before I could duck my head under, a familliar voice rang out behind me, and I turned my eyes towards the speaker.

'Who are you talking to?'