Chapter one: The Prophecies Begin
In the Thunderclan camp:
"Graypaw, I'm bored," Firepaw sighed, plopping down on the dry earth beside his friend.
"Same here," Sandpaw growled, sitting down beside the two toms.
"Darkstripe is on patrol," Dustpaw said regretfully.
"I have an idea, if there's nothing to do," Sandpaw said with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "We should play truth or dare."
"What's that?" Firepaw asked. The four clanborn apprentices groaned.
"One cat starts and picks a cat. They ask that cat truth or dare. If the cat says truth, they're asked a question they have to answer honestly. If they pick dare, the cat has to do whatever the dater says. If the cat does not perform the dare, that cat must steal a collar from Twolegs and run into the camp singing about the Warrior clans," Sandpaw briefly explained. Firepaw nodded.
"I don't know," Ravenpaw said. "I heard that Sunstar banned the game after he caught Bluestar and her sister playing it with Lionheart and Goldenflower."
"But Bluestar hasn't banned it," Dustpaw pointed out. Ravenpaw threw a terrified glance at Tigerclaw before nodding.
"I'll play."
"Okay, we'll say we'll go hunt. Spread out and meet at Sunningrocks," Sandpaw ordered before trotting over to Whitestorm. Her mentored said she could hunt and she dashed out of camp. Ravenpaw slunk towards the dirtplace tunnel to sneak out. Graypaw rolled in the dirt before disappearing behind the nursery and slipping through the camp wall. Dustpaw asked Darkstripe if he could hunt, while Firepaw snuck out behind the elders' den. The five apprentices met at the warm rocks by the river.
"Follow me," Sandpaw said, leading them across the Riverclan border. The apprentices came to a stop in a beautiful clearing full of flowers and plants.
"Firepaw, truth or dare?" Sandpaw asked.
"Erm… dare?" The flame colored tom said uncertainly.
"I dare you to go stick your paws in a fire ant nest, since it sounds like your name," Sandpaw said. She led the way to the nearest anthill. Firepaw leaped into the middle of it.
"This isn't so ba-" His meow was cut off by a yowl as the ants began to swarm over his paws and bite him. Firepaw leaped out of the pile of dirt, shaking his paws in a funny dance. Sandpaw, Dustpaw, and Graypaw burst out laughing while Ravenpaw wondered if Firepaw was okay.
"Okay Fireantpaw, your turn to truth or dare someone," Sandpaw said.
"Dustpaw, truth or dare?"
"Dare."
"Dustpaw," Firepaw looked at the brown tabby. "I dare you to walk into the nursery and kiss one of Brindleface's kits. Then run as fast as you can back to the Truth or Dare clearing."
"Dustpaw groaned but did as he was told. He ran into the Thunderclan nursery, walked up to Brindleface's green eyes pale gray she-kit, and gave her a big kiss on the head. Brindleface furiously chased the apprentice out of camp while Fernkit wondered what happened.
"Graypaw," Dustpaw panted. "Truth or dare?"
"Dare, life's no fun without daring!" The gray tom exclaimed. Dustpaw's whiskers twitched.
"I dare you to start flirting with the first Riverclan she-cat you see," he said, his eyes gleaming.
Graypaw didn't complain. He bounded across the stepping stones and came across a silver tabby Riverclan she-cat.
"Hey, did you know your stripes were extra pretty today?" Graypaw asked. The tabby looked at him, bewildered. "Your fur is as shiny as fish scales! And your eyes look like they are made of sky!"
"Who in Starclan's name are you, and what are you doing here?" Silverstream asked. She couldn't keep the amusement out of her meow.
"Talking to the prettiest she-cat I know!" Graypaw said brightly.
"Thanks," Silverstream meowed. "But I'm busy right now."
She whacked him on the head and Graypaw tumbled into the river. He dragged himself out on the other side where the other apprentices were waiting.
"Sandpaw, truth or dare?" Graypaw asked, his eyes misty.
"Truth," she sniffed.
"Who's your crush?" Graypaw asked. Sandpaw froze. Her eyes darted from cat to cat. Who should she say? She definitely couldn't admit to Dustpaw that she found a kittypet attractive, she had to seem impressive to him.
"Dustpaw," she mumbled. Dustpaw and Sandpaw blushed, avoiding each other's gaze.
"Ravenpaw, truth or dare?" Sandpaw asked at last.
"Truth," Ravenpaw said. There was nothing they could use against him.
"What's your deepest, darkest secret?" Sandpaw asked.
"That my mentor killed your father," Ravenpaw blurted. Sandpaw's eyes widened, then narrowed, blazing with fury.
"TIGERCLAW KILLED REDTAIL?!" She roared.
Ravenpaw nodded.
"Sandpaw, truth or dare?" Ravenpaw asked hesitantly.
"Dare!" She snarled, eyes blazing with the craziness of grief and fury.
"I dare you to… to go ambush Tigerclaw!" Ravenpaw said, gathering his courage.
"With pleasure," Sandpaw's eyes gleamed before she leapt into the forest. The four apprentices followed the ginger she-cat as she found Tigerclaw's fresh scent by the camp entrance. He was hunting alone. Sandpaw stalked the mighty tabby through the forest. The trail turned towards Snakerocks. Sandpaw stalked Tigerclaw as he stalked a mouse. Before Tigerclaw could pounce, Sandpaw did. She leapt on the deputy's back and clung on as he bucked wildly. She sunk her vicious claws into his pelt while her teeth tore at his ears. She finally leaped off his back. Tigerclaw gave chase. Sandpaw hared towards a roaring sound.
She emerged onto a stretch of black stone. She raced in front of a monster, foxlengths from it. She reached the other side safely. Tigerclaw did not.
Sandpaw trotted back across and dragged the deputy into the forest by his scruff. The apprentices gazed at her, horror struck. They all jumped as Bluestar and her patrol emerged from the undergrowth.
"Sandpaw? What is this?" The leader hissed.
"We were playing truth or dare. I dared Ravenpaw to reveal his deepest, darkest secret. He said that Tigerclaw killed my father. Ravenpaw then dared me to ambush Tigerclaw. I did so, and he chased me. In my terror, I ran across the Thunderpath. Tigerclaw didn't make it safely," the ginger she-cat said.
"It's true," said a starry tortoiseshell tom. "Tigerclaw killed me. Thank you, daughter, for avenging my death."
Sandpaw gazed in awe at her father's spirit.
"Of-of course," she stammered.
"Redtail, I miss you," Brindleface murmured before the Starclan cat disappeared.
"What are you doing here?" Firepaw asked.
"Brindleface insisted we track down Dustpaw, but it's clear his kiss is the result of this wretched game," Bluestar growled. "But I suppose it did reveal a traitor in our midst. I believe I have some new warriors to name."
The Thunderclan leader led the cats back to camp, where she gave them the names of Ravenheart, Grayfur, Dustwhisker, Fireant, and Sandfire.
Sandfire reflected the day's events during her vigil. She was glad her father didn't tell the leader that she'd led the deputy across the Thunderpath on purpose.