Chapter 1: The Plan
Rougefoot walked into his Clan's camp huddled in the center of a tall pine forest. He was proudly carrying a mouse and two squirrels to show his effort for hunting. He placed it on the kill pile. Two warriors, Blackwhisker and Brambleleg were fighting each other over a rabbit. Rougefoot shook his head violently, trying to get the cats' screeching out of his mind. He walked up to his father's den, nervous to enter.
"Umm… Snapstar?" Rougefoot asked.
All he heard in response were a couple of growls, a screech and his mother, Leafstream running away. His father, Snapstar walked out of his den and shook his head in disgust. He muttered something low to himself that sounded like "She-cats…"
He turned to his only surviving son, Rougefoot. "Yes?" he asked.
Rougefoot kicked his back leg out to the kill pile where Blackwhisker and Brambleleg were still fighting violently.
"I swear!" Snapstar growled. "When isn't there a fight here of some sort." He snorted and stalked off to the kill pile where he picked up a snarling Brambleleg in his mouth and tossed him across the camp. Brambleleg then snorted and pushed his way out of the camp.
Rougefoot walked up to his father gleefully. "Wow Snapstar!" he meowed. "Can you teach me to do that?"
"Not just yet Rougefoot. Maybe when you get older." Snapstar meowed.
"But I AM older Snapstar!"
"Rougefoot. Don't argue with me." he meowed in a stern voice. Snapstar lighted up, "Today is your first day as a warrior. Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself?"
"I suppose so…" Rougefoot said, disappointed.
"That's my boy," Snapstar lay his tail over the warrior's shoulders. He walked back to his den.
Rougefoot's mother, Leafstream walked over to him. "Your father has no respect for us she-cats…" She licked a scratch on her leg.
"What happened Leafstream?" Rougefoot asked.
"Your father and I were play-fighting. I know it sounds weird but we were. He rolled me over into his bedding and there was a sharp stick or something and it cut into my leg."
"Ouch. Why don't you go see Shortleg?"
"I was just on my way there when I saw you."
"Oh," Rougefoot said. "I hope you feel better Leafstream."
She snorted. "So do I." She wandered over to Shortleg's den and the dark brown tom came out and sniffed along her leg.
Rougefoot did not watch any more. He walked out of the camp into the trees. The strong smell of sap and fresh pine smelled great. He took a few deep breaths before padding onward. He passed a fellow warrior, Squirreltrack along the way. "Good hunting Squirreltrack?" Rougefoot asked.
Squirreltrack sat down the rabbit and squirrel he was carrying. "Very. Good luck to you Rougefoot." He picked up the rabbit and the squirrel again and headed into the camp.
Rougefoot walked over to the border of MoonClan. He respected the other Clan's boundaries and hunted on his side of the marker. He soon brought down a rabbit and 3 mice. Rougefoot decided that was enough until he saw another cat hunting. It was a MoonClan cat. She was red in color with the oddest white chest. She was chasing a squirrel over the border. Rougefoot sprang and killed the squirrel. The other cat vaulted over Rougefoot. She hit a tree and sent some of the needles flying to the ground. Rougefoot stood over her and growled. The she-cat backed up against the tree in terror of the much larger, much more violent tom.
"P… please spare me," she mewed softly. Her gaunt frame shook terribly; her coat was matted and dull. "I... I was too absorbed in chasing the squirrel I accidentally crossed the border. I'm sorry!" She wailed.
"Clan Lore, drive off any intruder." Rougefoot recited.
"I… I'm sorry. My brother has fallen ill and he loves squirrels. I'm sorry for crossing the border." She squeaked.
"Here." Rougefoot tossed her the squirrel. "Consider it a gift. If you cross this border again I will have to drive you out with no remorse." Rougefoot growled.
"Oh thank you!" the she-cat meowed. She picked up the squirrel and trotted across the border.
Rougefoot stared after her. He shook his head and concentrated on hunting again. He brought down a vole and another mouse. He knew it was enough this time and gathered his prey up. He walked silently through the trees, his mouth teeming with fresh prey. He wanted to sit down and eat two of the mice but that was against Clan Lore so he followed a small dirt track back to the dense brambles at the entrance.
"All cats come under for a meeting." His father called.
Rougefoot quickly placed his prey on the kill pile and sat next to his warrior friend Tinyflight. Tiny, as Rougefoot called him, was about the size of an apprentice. He had the strength of any full grown cat, and he was not afraid to use all of his power.
"Thank you for joining me Clan," Snapstar called. "It is time to apprentice Iceshine's two kits. It has been a while since we have had new apprentices. Smokekit, please step forward." Snapstar asked.
A fluffy black kit leaped forward happily. He was very energetic. "I call upon my ancestors and those to come to look down on this kit. He wishes to join us as an apprentice. He will certainly do well. You shall now be called Smokepaw. Mapleheart, he is your apprentice now. Teach him all you know and certainly make us proud."
"Thank you for this great honor Snapstar," Mapleheart bowed his head and Smokepaw touched his nose.
"Slashkit, please step forward."
The other kitten, this one a light gray, walked forward slowly. He looked more dignified than his fluffy, outgoing brother.
"I call upon my ancestors and those to come to look down on this kit. He wishes to join us as an apprentice. He will certainly make us proud. You shall be now called Slashpaw. Flamestone, he is your apprentice now. Teach him all you know and certainly make us proud."
"Thank you," Flamestone meowed deeply. He bowed his head to touch noses with his new apprentice.
Flamestone always scared Rougefoot. He was his own uncle, but he was terrified of the giant cat. Flamestone was one of the more violent, ambitious cats in the Clan, maybe that's what scared him. Rougefoot shook off his dark thoughts of his uncle and called out the new apprentices names with the rest of the Clan. It just didn't feel right…
