A/N: I return my fellow subjects, bearing bountiful gifts of fruit and flowers! No, I don't know what I mean. Anyway, here's chapter one. Enjoy!
Chapter One
'Leafbare is on its way. I can feel it,' Wingpaw shivered as she felt an ice-laced wind drift into the apprentices' den. She curled up tighter, sweeping her tail over her nose. If she were lucky, she might be able to get a few extra moments of sleep…
"Get up you lazy brats," Nightfall growled as he pushed his way into the den. In a heartbeat, most apprentices were on their feet, trudging out into the clearing. Wingpaw rose to her paws slowly, knowing that the ThunderClan deputy's bark was far worse than his bark. She caught his gaze as she brushed passed him, barely blinking at his cold glare.
Stepping out from the den, Wingpaw felt somewhat relieved to see her father leaving with a hunting patrol. If Stormstar found out what Lightningfang had done…
The other apprentices were already busy scurrying around trying to complete various tasks. With the exception of Darkpaw and Rainpaw, who were ordering the younger apprentices around as though they were Stormstar themselves, relaxing close the medicine cat's den.
"Wingpaw! I want you to report to the WindClan border with Tawnywing," her mentor, Acornclaw called from his position in front of Stormstar's den. He must either be too busy and naïve to be playing the mousebrained fool.
Wingpaw wove her way through a crowd of warriors to reach her temporary patrol members: Tawnywing, Whiteflash, Thrushflight, and Silentpaw.
"Hurry up, we don't have time to be wasting," Thrushflight growled, lashing his tail. Tawnywing and Silentpaw nodded in agreement, while Whiteflash shot Wingpaw an empathetic look. Breaking out at a full run, Tawnywing led the way towards the shared border.
"Silentpaw, do you know why we're in such a rush," Wingpaw huffed, keeping stride with her fellow apprentice. He shot her a disgusted look, speeding up to move away from her.
"Apparently, WindClan have been stealing prey from our side," Whiteflash meowed, dropping back a little bit. "So we've been sent to deal with it."
Wingpaw slid to an abrupt halt. Suddenly the forest seemed painfully small, and yet the border seemed so far away.
"Keep up you slackers." Thrushflight's voice carried above the howling wind. "Or else go back and deal with Stormstar." Sharing an uneasy look, the pair bolted in the general direction of Thrushflight's voice.
X
Wingpaw peered through the thick holly bushes. These cats were definitely WindClan, but they didn't seem to be taking any prey…
She took notice of the kits playing by the stream. They were far enough to avoid any serious injury, but just close enough to catch the scent of blood.
"Wingpaw, you're to go in after Tawnywing. When I say after, I mean only after. Do you understand," Thrushflight hissed.
"There, look over there," Silentpaw interrupted, "They are taking prey." Wingpaw craned her neck to see a warrior casually step over the border towards an oblivious blackbird.
"Not today," Thrushflight growled, springing from the bushes, charging towards the warrior. The ThunderClan warrior silently streaked past the tabby, pivoting before stopping to face the WindClan intruders. The tabby stood motionless less for several heartbeats, his amber eyes growing wide. He collapsed to one side as blood spilled from his neck in a cascading waterfall.
"I'm sick of you WindClan crowfood stealing our prey. If I hear, or catch, you doing it again, this will be your entire Clan," Thrushflight shouted over the enraged and panicked WindClan. He slipped back through the bushes, heading back over the border. Wingpaw scrambled backwards as a rush of WindClan cats stormed over the stream. Not only were they stealing prey, but they were about to ignore the border!
"Stop right there," an enraged snarl ripped through the clearing. The leading WindClan cats slid to a clumsy stop. Any cat in their right mind would if they saw Stormstar's figure looming over them.
"Stormstar, your warrior slaughtered one of our own. What did you expect would happen," a ginger she-cat growled, lashing her tail.
"Well your warrior, Rosestar, trespassed on ThunderClan territory. What did you expect to happen," Stormstar snapped, "When any and all cats caught trespassing will be dealt with as necessary."
"Fall back," Rosestar growled, backing away from the border, "You know, for a new leader, you sure are pushy.
"Yes, and for an experienced leader, you sure are naïve to underestimate another Clan," Stormstar chuckled.
A/N: Good-o! Chapter one is now complete. Now all I have to do is write more and I'm done! As you can tell, I've recovered from my trauma resulting in the prologue. Anyway, R&R!