For many seasons, wild cats have thrived along a majestic, flowing river. On one side of the river, MoonClan has made their home amidst towering trees that cast shadows over thick undergrowth. MoonClan cats are renowned for their stealth and resilience, taking advantage of the coverage provided by their territory's natural landscape. On the opposite side, SunClan dwells in wide open plains and rolling hills that stretch endlessly. Known for their ferocity and agility, SunClan has adapted to their expansive territory. Despite occasional conflicts, the two clans have maintained a careful balance, recognizing their mutual dependence on one another.
Recently, however, a sense of unease had begun to stir among the cats of both clans. The river, once a symbol of their bond, had grown turbulent in recent moons. Its once clear waters now churned with an unknown force. On both sides of the river, signs of disturbance have appeared: unusual prey migrations, and sudden, unexplained weather changes. In MoonClan, shadows had grown darker and the undergrowth more tangled, as if the forest itself was holding back bated breath. In SunClan meanwhile, the open plains, though vast, had become increasingly barren, and the hills seemed to echo with a foreboding silence. For both clans, the once-abundant prey had become scarce, and rumors of dark omens spread among the cats. Many cats feared that StarClan had become seriously angered, but no cat had any idea why.
"Fox-dung!" Crowpaw hissed in frustration as the rabbit he'd been stalking darted away, its white tail vanishing into the grass. The young black-furred tom, his pelt ruffled from a morning of hunting, lashed his tail in annoyance. He'd been made an apprentice a quarter-moon ago and was still learning the art of hunting. While he'd managed to catch smaller prey like mice, he was determined to bring back a rabbit to add to the fresh-kill pile. His sister, Larkpaw, had caught a rabbit on only her second day of hunting, and the thought sent a pang of jealousy through him. He quickly shoved the feeling aside, though not before his tail-tip flicked with irritation.
"Don't let it get to you," a deep voice rumbled beside him. At his mew, Crowpaw turned to face Shadowstorm, SunClan's deputy and Crowpaw's mentor. The large, dark gray tom, with muscles rippling beneath his sleek pelt, stood calmly. A distinctive white blaze marked his face between stormy blue eyes. "Even if you haven't caught a rabbit yet," Shadowstorm continued, his tone both strong and comforting, "you have already brought back an impressive amount of prey for your first quarter-moon as an apprentice."
Crowpaw felt his tension dissipate at his mentor's kind words. Shadowstorm's right, he thought. It's been only a quarter-moon, and I've already brought back so much prey for my clan. I bet I'll be the best hunter in all of SunClan in no time!
"Come now," Shadowstorm broke through his thoughts, turning to face the direction of the camp. "We should be headed back now. We'll gather the mouse you caught along the way."
Nodding, Crowpaw padded after him. Earlier, he'd caught a mouse, ensuring he wouldn't return empty-pawed. After that, he'd begged Shadowstorm to let him try his luck with one of the rabbits that roamed SunClan territory, and eventually his mentor had agreed. Though the rabbit had escaped, the mouse was still waiting – and so was his determination.
As they made their way back to camp, Crowpaw's gaze roamed across SunClan's vast territory. The open plains seemed to stretch forever, yet the way the newleaf sunlight cascaded the hills revealed details Crowpaw had begun to recognize. Each rise and fall of the landscape, each patch of wildflowers, and even the patterns of wind on the grass were starting to feel familiar. His paws moved more surely over the earth now, as if guided by an invisible force that came from deep within the territory itself.
The pride of this growing connection surged in his chest, but that wasn't enough for Crowpaw. Every dip and peak had to be etched into his mind, every faint scent memorized. I should know my own territory so well that I could recite it to a kit! Or-or, a kittypet! Crowpaw thought silently. Shadowstorm probably knows every inch of these plains. Crowpaw's heart swelled with admiration and determination.
His attention fixated on his surroundings, the walk back to camp seemed to fly past Crowpaw. As they neared the sun-drenched hollow, nestled safely between two of the largest hills on the plains, Crowpaw's mouth filled with the familiar scent of his clanmates. The entrance, a dip where the two hills met, was marked with a light covering of tall grasses and shorter shrubs. Looking past the entrance, he spotted a dark gray pelt with fur so glossy it reflected the rays of sunlight shining down, settled on one of the two hills overlooking the camp. Eaglestar, Crowpaw noted. His leader's name made sense as he sat there, overseeing the camp like an eagle surveying its domain.
Tearing his gaze away from Eaglestar, Crowpaw pushed his way through the entrance, the tall grasses tickling his nose as they brushed against it. The mouse he'd caught was clutched firmly in his jaws. Striding into camp, Crowpaw watched the bustling cats filling the camp. Wanting to impress his clanmates, he trotted proudly to the center of the hollow and dropped his catch onto the fresh-kill pile. At the same moment, a silver tabby she-cat – his sister – hurried over to greet him.
"Crowpaw!" The tabby she-cat started, pride gleaming in her eyes. "Great catch!" She brushed her pelt against his in approval.
Crowpaw blinked in response. "Thanks, Larkpaw," he muttered, his excitement faded a little. His sister always praised his catches, probably because she knew he felt self-conscious about her catching her first rabbit before him. But there was something more in her gaze today – genuine pride, not just sympathy. Larkpaw had always been the quicker learner of the two, but it wasn't just her skills that made her special. Her kindness and unwavering belief in him – despite his worries – anchored him more than he liked to admit. He knew she was only trying to be nice, and so he accepted her encouragement without argument.
"You know," Larkpaw added softly, her voice low enough that only the pair could hear, "I didn't catch my rabbit the first time I tried either. Took me three tries, actually." It was as if she could read his thoughts, knowing exactly what troubled him. Crowpaw's whiskers twitched with amusement, even though he wasn't fully convinced. Larkpaw always had a way of lightening his mood, even when he doubted himself.
Moving from the center of the camp, Crowpaw laid down, resting his head on his paws despondently. Larkpaw, however, chattered on, oblivious to his shift in mood. Crowpaw loved Larkpaw – how couldn't he? They were littermates for StarClan's sake! But sometimes, he longed for the feeling of kinship that the rest of his clanmates shared.
He and Larkpaw weren't born in SunClan. In fact, no cat knew where they were born, or to which cat. As the story goes, a patrol led by Oakfoot had found them when they were hardly a moon old. Crowpaw didn't remember any of it, but Brightleaf, who had been on the patrol, claimed that he and Larkpaw had somehow wandered into SunClan territory on their own. As outrageous as it sounded, Cropaw was never certain that he believed the story, but he knew one thing to be true – he could never feel the same warmth from his clanmates that he could detect that they showed one another.
He didn't have time for any more negative thoughts as a deep and commanding yowl called out to the hollow.
"Let all those cats swift enough to patrol the hills gather beneath the high mound for a clan meeting!"
Eaglestar. Crowpaw heard his leader call out to the camp. SunClan's leader hadn't moved from where he was when Crowpaw had returned from his hunt. High mound – where Eaglestar very often sat to watch over both the camp and the territory – was also the place he would stand to summon his clanmates for meetings. I wonder what he's going to say? Crowpaw thought, hearing the quiet murmurs of curious warriors around him.
"As you all know, the river that divides our territory from MoonClan has become more violent with each passing moon," Eaglestar began, his voice deep and his words ominous. "Gone are the days when a cat could wade through its waters. The current is stronger, the water is rising, and we must be vigilant for signs of flooding."
Eaglestar paused, as if waiting to read the expressions of each of his warriors. Though Crowpaw found his leader intimidating, he couldn't help but admire the confidence and poise Eaglestar exuded with every word.
"No cat is to be near the river alone. I don't even want any cat within several hill-lengths of the river! The current is no longer safe. I don't care how skilled or fast you think you are – the water has not yet claimed any SunClan lives yet, and I refuse to let it start now. Moving forward, every cat that travels near the river will be with a patrol of at least three cats." When a few warriors murmured their disagreement, Eaglestar silenced them with a sharp flick of his tail. "Three cats! One to run back for help, and another to assist their clanmate. If an apprentice is in the patrol, there must be a fourth cat. No exceptions."
Crowpaw swallowed, trying to push down the knot of uneasiness welling in his throat. Was the river really that dangerous? He didn't know for sure, but he surely wasn't harebrained enough to find out by himself. His eyes followed Eaglestar as the leader flicked his tail, dismissing the clan meeting with a gesture before beckoning for Shadowstorm to join him atop the high mound. Crowpaw watched his mentor move with calm, effortless precision to stand beside their leader.
A sudden warmth spread through Crowpaw's chest as his earlier thoughts resurfaced. I'm not alone in SunClan. I have Larkpaw. And I have Shadowstorm. He's more than just the deputy and my mentor. It's his duty to guide me, but… it feels like more than that. He's like a father to me. I look up to him in every way. The thought settled in Crowpaw's mind, filling him with a rare sense of comfort. No matter what challenges SunClan might be facing, he knew he would never have to face them alone.
A/N: A new story! Growing up, I was a massive Warriors fan, and very recently I fell back down the rabbit hole so here we are! I'll be continuing to write and upload this story as well as my ongoing Ben 10 fic.
As you've seen, this story focuses on two fictional clans, SunClan and MoonClan, and the dramas they experience. I haven't written anything about how these clans came to be (perhaps that'll be a story to be told another day?), but feel free to share your headcanons if you come up with any! In any case, you'll notice that many of their customs are matching those of the clans we all know and love, regardless of them being seemingly unassociated.
Definitely a bit of a different style that what I'm used to with my previous story, but I've got what I believe to be a great story to tell. I look forward to sharing it all with you over time!
