A young cat stood atop a windswept hillside, gazing down at the forest below. To anyone else, the forest was nothing special. But to him, it was everything. It was proof that his search had not been in vain, proof that he had kept his promise. Fleck inhaled deeply. Finally. He had been searching for three moons, and had almost lost hope. But he was here. He had made it! He shook his pelt, a handsome black coat dotted with white speckles. Fleck stretched his muscles and plunged down the hillside, unable to wait any longer.
He tore across the plain below, headed for the forest. When he reached the tree line, he let the scents of the forest engulf him. It was a rich, leafy smell. The smell of leafgreen. He wove through the undergrowth, eyes half closed in pleasure, relishing the feeling of the dappled sunlight on his fur. The moment was short lived. A dark ginger ball of fluff attacked him, screeching in fury. He hissed, trying his hardest to throw the attacker off, but to no avail. The cat was younger than he was, but far stronger, muscles hardened by the harsh training regimen it had undergone. His attacker pinned him down, claws at his throat. He finally got a clear look at the instigator of the fight. A jolt of surprise went through him. His attacker was a dark ginger she cat, who couldn't possibly be more than ten moons old. She wasn't particularly large either, but it was clear from the fighting spirit that blazed in her amber eyes - she was a fearsome opponent. Her claws dug painfully into Fleck's pelt.
"Intruder!" she hissed. "This is Thunderclan territory! I'll FLAY you, trespasser!" The little she-cat was screeching now. She drew one paw back, prepared to slash him.
"Sunpaw, no!" A voice cried in desperation. The she cat whipped around, hesitating in her attack. Fleck turned his head to get a better look at the cat who had saved him from being clawed. A pale brown she cat with dark speckles was bounding towards them, her amber eyes wide with surprise.
"He's an intruder, Seedfern! We must defend our territory!" Sunpaw growled.
The older she cat- Seedfern, was shaking her head sadly. "Honestly Sunpaw, as the daughter of the clan leader and deputy, I'd expect you to show better judgment! Hasn't anything I've been teaching you for the last four moons gotten through to you? We give trespassers a chance to explain themselves before we attack them! You'll be a warrior soon! I expect better behavior from you!" Seedfern meowed in an annoyance. "Let him up!"
Sunpaw huffed angrily, reluctantly sheathing her claws and detaching herself from Fleck. Just then, the bushes that Seedfern had emerged from rustled, and three more cats walked out. In the lead was a brown tabby tom, followed by a dark cream she cat and a long furred white tom who looked far too old to be out and about. The brown tabby tom shook some twigs from his pelt.
"She got her mother's recklessness and her father's fighting spirit." The brown tabby tom mewed, eyes sparkling with amusement.
"This has become a reoccurring problem, Birchfall! This is the third time this moon I've had to stop her from tearing off some cat's pelt!" Seedfern meowed in exasperation. Fleck pulled himself up, wincing from the pain in his right front paw. He must have twisted it when Sunpaw had tackled him. The patrol had surrounded him, asserting their dominance, but their fur was flat, proving that they weren't hostile- at least, not yet. Birchfall, who seemed to be in charge of the patrol, stepped forward.
"You are in Thunderclan territory. I suggest you cross back over our borders and leave of our territory unless you have a good reason for being here. Leave peacefully now, or we will chase you out." He meowed firmly.
Fleck's heart beat faster. Thunderclan! These were Thunderclan cats! Just like in the stories he had heard as a kit! The clans really did exist!