Chapter 1
Prologue
The sound of paws padding filled his ears, familiar windclan scents filled the air as the trees started to split from the forest. “We have arrived” he yowled. The windclan leader, SharpStar, prowled down into the front of the crowd, leading the clan into the entrance of fourtrees. He opened his mouth to scent the air. Shadow clan..and riverclan..where’s thunderclan? He thought. Must be a delayed arrival.. he assumed. He bounded up to the middle rock and heaped on top. He crouched down into a fitting sit next to Sparkstar, the shadow clan leader whose his sister, and Cranestar, the riverclan leader. Cranestar snapped his head toward SharpStar. “Thunderclan must be delayed..” he spoke in his deep voice. “Unusual for them. It’s slightly disappointing..” he nodded disapprovingly. Sharpstar lifted his head from his paws. “We have all been to a point where the clan delays the journey..” he sighed. “It’s not the newest thing, but you’re right. Thunderclan is usually the first here..” he stood up fastly when the sound of pained yowling filled his ears.
༻𓊈𓊉༺
Chapter 1
She sat up as morning dew dropped on her pelt, and rising sun shone into her eyes. She stretched and padded out the apprentice den. She went over to her mentor, Shroudedeye. “You’re awake as early as me!” She chirped. “Well, the plump vole I ate last night made me tired.” He promptly mewed, budding her playfully. “Now, Hollypaw, I suppose you remember you have training with Cinderpaw. We have better get to it, she and her mentor have already headed out towards hunting grounds.” He stood up, slowly making his way toward the gorse entrance. She craned her neck to look at him. “Yay! Hunting training!” She mewed happily, running past Shroudedeye and pushing through the prickly gorse tunnel. “I’ll meet you there!” She yowled over her shoulder. “I suppose since they will be there I’ll let you slide past me this time,” he mewed. Not long after sprinted that she had her flanks heaving, she sighted Cinderpaw and Ashclaw in the distance. “May I walk with you too?” She meowed, heaving for air. “Of course,” Ashclaw sighed “Where’s Shroudedeye?” “He said I could go without him since you two would be atleast still walking through here.” She straightened up. “And I didn’t wanna wait on him. I love doing hunting training!” She yelped out. He’s so slow, that weird eye he has makes him the slowest ever! She silently added. “Hollypaw!” Cinderpaw exclaimed “did you hear?” “Hear what?” Hollypaw mewed curiously “so far all I’ve heard is leaves bristling.” “We get to go to the gathering!” Cinderpaw interrupted. “I’m practically leaping every step with joy!” “The gathering!? You mean the one that’s tonight?” Hollypaw gasped out. “Yes! That’s what I mean! Cranestar permitted us!”Cinderpaw answered quickly, anticipation lining her voice. Ashclaw nodded “yes, he permitted you two, me, and Shroudedeye. How exciting.” “That’s amazing!” Hollypaw mewed. I always wondered what they even do up there.. she added to her mental notes. “I’m here,” Shroudedeye meowed from behind Hollypaw. Startling her. “You scared me!” She hissed playfully “I didn’t even scent you!” “Because you didn’t even try to,” he sarcastically nodded disapprovingly. “Let’s get started on our training.” He padded to a bush and crouched down, flicking his tail to motion for Hollypaw to follow his actions as Ashclaw led Cinderpaw away to do separate hunting. She crouched down next to him. “Scent the air.” He whispered. “What do you smell.” She opened her mouth to breath in any smells. She closed her mouth. “Mouse..” she whispered back. “Good, where is it? Do you hear it?” She strained her ears to listen, she heard squeaking from the left. “Over there..” she pointed with her nose. “Good again, now remember. Keep your weight on your haunches.” She nodded as she creeped closer to the fresh scent, seeing the mouse under a branch. She crept a bit closer before pouncing and just barely catching the mouse before swiping at it and killing it. She swiped it up in her mouth before padding back to her mentor. “Good,” he mewed. “But we need to practice on your timing. That was too close, now I think that the fresh kill pile is full enough. What you caught should be all we need. Let’s head back.” He meowed before padding off to the camp. She began to bound down the hills to the camp, and sliding through the gorse tunnel when arriving. She threw her mouse in the pile before hearing her leader call a meeting. She padded over and sat next to her sister, Scorchpaw. “Attention clan cats!” The leader began. “I have scented rogues nearby! We must prepare for battle! Scorchpaw, Cinderpaw, Hollypaw, you must fight in the battle!” “What?!” Shroudedeye and Ashclaw mewed in unison. “I refuse to let my apprentice, let alone those apprentices fight!” Yowled Snowtail. Scorchpaws mentor. “I do not care!” Said Cranestar. As if on timing, many rogues burst into the camp. As if she was controlled, Hollypaw hurtled herself towards one. Sinking her teeth into their shoulder. Crooked’eye, a recently banished riverclan rogue, hissed and scratched Hollypaws shoulder. She released her jaws and fell down. The rogue grabbed her by the scruff and dragged her out of camp, almost immediately she scented dog, and her heart sank. She thrashed violently as she realized what is gonna happen. The rogue approached a violent dog, snapping and snarling as it crept close. Crookedeye threw her onto the ground and held her so the dog could snap at her. But the rogue still turned tail and ran after the dog lunged at Hollypaw. She felt teeth sink into her right leg, and she thrashed again. The dog began to violently maul her leg. She scratched the dogs eyes and it whined and stunned itself. She scratched its shoulder after and it fell back. She sliced at its belly, praying the threat goes away. She watched it go limp as adrenaline pumped in and she sprinted with a limp, blood trailing behind her as she slipped into camp. She saw her sister hidden behind a den and Cinderpaw pinned under a rogue. Fury fueled her head and she lunged at the rogue, clawing and slicing with her eyes fused shut, she felt yowling and the rogue escaped from under her, causing her to stumble and fall, she struggled back up and limped toward Cinderpaw. Who was petrified at the sight of her leg. “We have to hide in the medicine den!” Cinderpaw yelped. She took Hollypaw by the scruff and carried her into the medicine den. Featherear, who was medicine cat, turned and got a serious expression after staring at Hollypaws leg. She started to feel dizzy as Cinderpaw laid her in a nest. Featherear began to speak “Get me cobwebs, lots, from the stash.” She ordered at Cinderpaw. Featherear approached Hollypaw. “What happened?” Her tone softened. “A rogue.. dog.. I don’t feel good I’m sorry.. the memory is fuzzy..” Hollypaw stressed in her words. “This doesn’t look good..” Featherear mewed with horror. As Cinderpaw returned with cobweb Featherear practically snatched it from her maw, wrapping it all over Hollypaws leg. Pressing down after wrapping it thick as it soaked easily with blood. Hollypaw felt immense pain before closing her eyes briefly to try to rid the feeling. She felt herself drift in and out of consciousness before blacking out.
༻𓊈𓊉༺
Chapter 2
She awoke with confusion, then the sudden soreness and pain in her leg. She looked over to see it mangled and twisted. Featherear looked at her. “You’re awake, it’s time for the gathering.” She mewed. Hollypaw stood up shakily as she was pushed out and towards the clan members that were pushing through the gorse tunnel. Crossing over the blood stained clearing. “You will be alright, just forever with a bad leg.” she spoke again, what choice do I even have.. thought Hollypaw. She didn’t know how to walk with a limp..”and Cranestar made you a warrior but changes your name completely..” Feathertail mewed with sorrow hinting in her voice. “You are now..Skinned’Leg.” Skinnedleg shot up her head Featherear spoke. “What?! He can’t name me that! It’s too cruel!” She hissed. “Let me go! I’ll walk by myself!” She thrashed away from Featherear and walked beside her. “I know, but I cannot do anything about. For, he is stubborn.” Feathertail replied with a soft tone. “Do not speak to me like I’m a kit!” She spat. “I will meet you at fourtrees, I suppose..” she began before limping off awkwardly into the distance. As she entered through into fourtrees, the overwhelming scent of windclan and shadow clan filled her nostrils. Wait, where is thunderclan? She silently thought as her leader pounced on the rock and she padded somewhere. She sat near her sister, Scarceeye, who is from shadow clan. “Scarceeye!” She whispered. “I was made a warrior.” “Oh really? Pray tell Hollypaw, what’s your new name?” Her sister warmly asked, nudging her side a bit. “Well..I’m no longer Hollypaw. The leader renamed me as Skinnedleg.. I’ll show you why..” she stuck out her twisted leg, wrapped in cobweb. Her sister stared with a cold look at her leg. “Your leader is cruel!” She hissed. “You should run to thunderclan..” she recommended. “Don’t you know? Plenty of freshkill there, as well as a kind leader. Tonight, I say! You must go.” “But-“ Skinned’Leg tried to protest, but her sister interrupted her with a flick of her tail. “No! You must obey-“ she was cut off by a pained yowl that made both of them jump. Two apprentices from separate clans were in a bloody fight, claws slicing and one was crying out for their mother. Without a single thought Skinnedleg jumped in between the two, dragging one away, and nudging the hurt one to their paws. “What happened? Are you alright?” She mewed. “That wretched apprentice attacked me!” Spiderpaw, a broad brown and orange tortishell tom, spat. “She has no sense!” He hissed again, and began to lick his wounds. His clan’s medicine cat padded over and nudged him to a spot away from the crowd. “You act disappoints me, Fangpaw.” Sparkstar began. “Shadowclan has now been embarrassed. Make your way back to camp this instant!” She hissed. Cranestar spoke up in a yowl. “Clan cats! I think it is time we have to start without thunderclan. We cannot wait much longer. Rogues have attacked riverclan and hurt an apprentice very bad! I demand all clans must be wary for rogues.” His voice rang out through the forest. Her sister nudged her. “Go, ask Scorchpaw and Cinderpaw to go with you.” “Scorchhalf and Cinderclaw.” Skinned’Leg corrected her sister. “But alright.” She stood up and struggled to limp towards her other sister and her bestfriend who sat together. “I have a question.” She spoke. “Would you two come to thunderclan with me?” “What?! Are you insane you mouse brain?! No! That’s risky!” Her sister spat silently. “If she won’t, I will.” Cinderclaw hissed. “I’m not letting you go to a new clan alone. It’s too dangerous, and plus. I lost faith in this leader. We must go to Pinestar.” Cinderclaw stood. Pinestar, the shecat thunderclan leader. One of the kindest but strictest and sternest leaders. “Let’s go. Before the leader realizes we are making our move.” Cinderclaw whispered as Skinned’Leg stood up and touched noses with her sister. “Goodbye..” they whispered to each other. Cinderclaw and , started to leave fourtrees. They bounded down the area, Skinnedleg slowed and awkward due to her leg. They swept past the Thunderclan border and crept through the gorse tunnel. A warrior bounded up to them, puffing his chest out to seem intimidating. “Why are you in the camp!?” He spat “May we speak to your leader?” Skinnedleg asked politely. “Pinestar!” The warrior called. “Please make your way here!” The stunning dark brown and regular brown tortishell with her piercing blue eyes and bright white chest merged from her den. “Who are you two?” She asked. Glaring daggers at them. “We are riverclan, we come to ask to join your clan because of our living states.” Cinderclaw replied professionally. Pinestar nodded, “I grant you permission. I smell fear and risk written on you, you obviously cannot stay in that clan a minute longer.” The broad brown tom twisted his body quickly to face her. “Pinestar, are you serious?! You really believe these two?” The tom spat. “Do you question my authority, Oakfang?” Pinestar spoke with softened anger lacing her voice. “They need sanctuary, and I’ve always been suspicious of Cranestar, and look at that warriors leg! Cobweb is still soaked in blood, and her paw is dragging in dirt! Do you not think that is concerning?” She hissed at the tom. Skinnedleg felt like she was intruding two parents arguing about a disabled kit. “Let them in, Oakfang.” Pinestar continued. “I am your leader and that’s a command.” Oakfang flicked his tail with annoyance. With reluctance, he stepped aside, and the two riverclan warriors stepped inside to see many eyes lingering on them. “Are you sure, Pinestar? You are too kind for us to freeload in your clan.” Cinderclaw mumbled loudly, obviously hesitant to take place in an unfamiliar clan. “I insist, I will give you duties. If any warrior picks on you, you may let me know.” Pinestar urged, pushing them through the clearing. A brown and black striped tabby tom came towards them “Pinestar, I can help them through the camp. You must rest for your trip.” He meowed, nodding them off with him. Pinestar reluctantly nodded and padded off towards her den. “You two, you are scented like Riverclan. Why are you here?” The tom kindly asks. Skinnedleg looks up at him with a lazy gaze, her green eyes blazing “The leadership in Riverclan is unbearable!” She spat “I would’ve died like a lazy mouse in there. So would’ve my friend!” She hissed at the thought. And looked at the tom again “Apologies, what is your name?” She replaced her tone with gentle words. He stared down at her “I suppose I should tell you. I’m Fernpelt, I help around this camp a lot. I am also the medicine cat here.” He mewed. Skinnedleg looked taken aback “Medicine cat?!” She couldn’t help but hiss loudly “But you seem so strong, I thought you were a secondary leader!” She nodded, shocked. He couldn’t help but snicker “That’s very kind, but I think I’m better suited for medicine cat. Now you two should come to the warriors den, you are probably tired. Thunderclan didn’t attend the gathering because of Pinestar needing to rest, if you were wondering.” “I was wondering, actually. Thank you for telling us.” Cinderclaw spoke in a tiny meow. Padding off, they followed Fernpelt and rustled into a mossy nest. “Now you two should sleep. Not a single mutter should be heard.” They nodded and laid their heads down, giving way to darkness.
༻𓊈𓊉༺
Chapter 3
They both stirred in their moss nests. Sitting up and grooming dried grass and moss out of their fur, it has been two days since the incident. Do I have to live my life like this now? Skinnedleg questioned herself, she straightened up and stretched before padding out of the den. The wave of new smells overcame her, and she was suddenly reminded she wasn’t at Riverclan anymore. She glanced around and saw a lanky ginger apprentice approaching her, with blazing deep blue eyes. “Oh wow, you two slept so long! You didn’t even gather for the patrols.” The apprentice fumbled out, digging her paws in the ground. “If we got to hunt together, that would’ve been really exciting.” She purred. Skinnedleg tilted her head in confusion “You seem nice, what is your name?” She rasped, her throat itchy as she hadn’t had a good sleep before. “I am Bluepaw!” She excitedly announced, nodding as she did. “I thought you were so cool when you came into camp, but my mentor pushed me back to bed!” She meowed with anger in her tone. “You know, I like your energy. You remind me of myself…” she trailed off, staring off into the distance as if Starclan was there. Oh Starclan! she called in her mind she’s just like me! She cried out, wanting to do it out loud but just couldn’t. “Oh wow!” She tumbled her words out. “That’s so cool! You look pretty. Did I tell you that?” She spoke fast, her words rolling out like monsters on a thunder path as she spoke and switched subject after subject. “Come with me! I know the best shady spot here, with the chilliest grass you could feel! The sun shines just right too.” Bluepaw leaped with joy and flicked her tail for Skinnedleg to follow her. Skinnedleg did just as she beckoned and found herself in a nice spot underneath a tree. She twitched her ears as she shifted until comfortable “You know, I heard that Riverclans leader is some evil snake tongue!” Bluepaw blurted, and Skinnedleg tried to hide her widened eyes. No! No! Don’t say Riverclan! Never say Riverclan! She yowled in her head. She wasn’t mad at Bluepaw, she was mad at Cranestar. Fury welled up in her chest just thinking about it. The way everyone found him perfect. No, not perfect, better. “Uhm..I-I heard this clan has great prey! Must be much better than those pesky…fish..at..Riverclant..” She felt nauseous when saying that word, and Bluepaw hit the ground excitedly with her paws. “Yes, yes actually! There’s much plump prey here! It’s so wonderful!” Her words jumped out, hitting Skinnedleg with every vowel. “We should ask permission to hunt! Oh wow that would be wonderful!” The apprentice spit out. “Huh, yeah I suppose we should.” Skinnedleg slowly nodded lazily with each word, as she stood up Bluepaw bounced up to stand with her, and they leaped off towards the leaders den. “Uhm.. Pinestar..” Skinnedleg sheepishly called into the dark den. Icy blue eyes looked her way. “Oh Skinnedleg! Yes, what is it?” Pinestar mewed gently, and Bluepaw butted in before she could answer. “Pinestar! We wish to go hunting. I think it’s also an amazing opportunity for Skinnedleg to hunt!” she meowed excitedly. Pinestar nodded slowly “The more freshkill, the merrier. Yes you may go.” Bluepaw jumped excitedly and ran off, and Skinnedleg skirted and tried to sprint off clumsily after her. As they approached hunting quarters Skinnedleg stopped dead in her tracks and sniffed the air. “Drop down Bluepaw!” She whispered urgently, as Bluepaw nodded quickly and crouched. “Shadowclan, I scented Shadowclan!” She spat quietly. And stood up to confront the intruder to her new clans border. “Make yourself known, you are crossing Thunderclan borders!” She shivered as the bush in front of her rustled, every muscled tensed for a cat to lunge and claw at her ears. Instead her sister smugly walked out, Skinnedleg flattened her ears. “Scarceeye!” She hissed “Why are you crossing borders? Why are you outside of the clan at all? Do you not have kits?” She meowed, a concerned tone in her voice. Scarceeye nodded her head disapprovingly. “I just wondered if you really were here, Skinnedleg.” She began “So I ran all the way here. I made sure Spidertongue watched over the kits.” She dismissed the concern and walked past Skinnedleg, fluffing her tail in her face. Skinnedleg let out a sneeze and spun around “But they will make crowfood out of you if they knew you were here!” She meowed urgently, and Scarceeye halted her smug walk and turned to her sister. “Who’s they?” She meowed, curiosity lacing her tone. “Thunderclan, mousebrain” she hissed with fear, she didn’t want her sister to be attacked! “We can meet next meeting, now scram! I don’t want you hurt!” “Fine, I’ll see you then sister. Goodbye.” Scarceeye mewed before turning tail and moving swiftly away.
༻𓊈𓊉༺
Chapter 4
She shifted as her eyes opened wide, and she stared at the cat in front of her, glowing with light the white she strayed closer to Skinnedleg. “M-mother?” She whispered like a tiny kit who’s terrified. Her mother nodded softly. “Yes, it’s me. I have an urgent message for you.” Her mom nodded grimly again “Broken skin will lead through water.” The cryptic message made Skinnedleg tilt her head in confusion. She glanced over behind her back where she heard rustling, she felt the scent of her mother go stale. She snapped her head back to where Cloudheart was. The she was gone. She woke to yowling and crying in the clearing, she rushed out just in time to see a kit being carried away by an hawk, and without thinking she leaped at the animal. She bit and fought with its talons as it finally released her and the kit, she landed hard on the ground, breath thrusted out of her as the kit landed on her belly. “I did it!” She shouted, and Goldenmoon sprinted over and took her kit by the scruff, blinking with grateful manner at Skinnedleg. Cinderclaw ran over “Thank Starclan you woke up! That was very risky but so sweet you thought to protect the clan. At this rate you could be a leader!” Her friend praised as a familiar lanky figure approached “Skinnedleg!” Bluepaw cried “are you alright? Fernpelt! Come! Quick!” Bluepaw yowled as Fernpaw approached. “She looks fine, don’t fret Bluepaw. Her back may be sore for a few, but that’s it.” He nodded, flicking his tail.
HEY GUYS QUICK AUTHOR NOTE! There will be chopped up parts of this book as I’m working on 26 books. 4 series and 6 special editions! On a whole different app as well. So I will still provide some parts of each book I finish! I hope you enjoyed, oh Starclan I am TIRED. Anyway next part will be sometime soon but not in a day or week. Maybe in a week, I’m a fast typer when I’m not drained of energy lol! Byeee!!
