Hello, all!

I'm sure you're wondering why I'm posting yet another story when I have three that I barely update as it is...

But I think this idea I have in mind is pure genius. Whether or not you think so, well... That's your opinion.

Let's get this started, shall we?

DISCLAIMER:

I DO NOT OWN THE SONG 'THE HANGING TREE'. IT BELONGS TO JENNIFER LAWRENCE AND THE CREATORS OF HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY.

Regards,

Author xx

The Hanging Tree

A Warrior Cats FanFiction by Tiny Author Life xx

Stars littered the night sky, the moon casting its gentle rays down upon the treetops. The forest that lay below was calm and untroubled; a sense of peace had washed over all of the Clans, at least for a little while.

In the deepest part of the Sky Oak, two cats sat admiring the stars; a light brown tom and a brown-and-white speckled she-cat

The pair were sitting side by side, their pelts brushing as they gazed up at the stars from the lowest set of branches that weaved and tangled around them.

"The sky is beautiful," remarked the brown-and-white she-cat. She turned to her companion, her green eyes sparkling in the irridesent light. "Isn't it, Runningpaw?"

The pale brown tom looked back at her, his yellow eyes bright. "I guess it is. But it isn't as beautiful as you are, Treepaw."

Treepaw let out a purr and rested her head on Runningpaw's shoulder, twitching her tail. "I never want to leave this place…" she murmured to no one in particular, "I never want to leave you."

"I know how you feel," Runningpaw meowed. "I'm the same way."

In the same exact moment that Treepaw opened her jaws to speak, a flash of dark gray fur cornered Runningpaw's vision. Turning his head, he saw the dark gray pelt of a cat holding the lighter pelt of Treepaw in their mouth. Blood dripped around the cat's paws, staining them and the grass a crimson color.

"Who are you?" Runningpaw demanded, his tail dipping slightly between his legs.

The cat dropped Treepaw's scruff and smiled cruelly at Runningpaw, its eyes a deep pool of victory. "Why, don't you recognize me, Runningpaw?"

"Stoatpaw," Runningpaw's eyes grew wide at the sight of his best friend. "Why would you do that to Treepaw?"

Stoatpaw let out a meek purr and pawed at Treepaw's body, all the while allowing her gaze to sear Runningpaw's pelt. "Oh, I was just…" she trailed off, her tail flicking wildly behind her as she said, "Helping a friend out…"

"You're a monster," Runningpaw growled, unsheathing his claws.

"That may be," Stoatpaw agreed wholeheartedly, unsheathing her own claws and allowing them to glint in the moonlight. "But I'll make sure I return the favor to you, don't you think?"

"What do you mean by that, Stoatpaw?"

Suddenly, Stoatpaw's body was gone from beside Treepaw's. Runningpaw whirled around, hissing with his ears flat to his head, trying to locate where the dark gray cat could be. A large weight, about half his own, plummeted down on him from above, sucking the air from his lungs and allowing it to dissipate into thin air. Claws grasped his ears and bore down, tearing out chunks of fur and flesh; the pale brown tom let out a cry, flipping around so that Stoatpaw's body was below his. He clawed and swiped at her, fighting her blow for blow, but the she-cat was too quick for him.

Stoatpaw's claws raked down his belly, and Runningpaw cowered away, leaping off of the she-cat. She took this as the time to leap at him instead, knocking him to the ground and tearing at his body.

Stoatpaw's teeth around his tail, tying him and Treepaw to the lowest branch… Her manical laugh as she watched him and his lover, him bleeding to death while she rested in peace up in StarClan... Stoatpaw's mentor, Swiftclaw, being hung up in the same position as they were, the life already faded from his eyes.

And finally, the light fading from his eyes as Stoatpaw's purr rang in his ears:

"Are you coming to the tree? I've strung up a cat and say I've murdered three… Strange things have happened here, no stranger would it be… If you met at midnight up in the Hanging Tree…"

Allegiances: CavernClan

Leader: Hollowstar - large tabby tom, green eyes

Deputy: Ivyfang - black and gray she-cat, yellow eyes

Medicine Cat: Tangleburr - golden tabby tom, amber eyes [ apprentice : Talonpaw ]

Warriors: Larkwing - gray she-cat, amber eyes [ apprentice : Dashpaw ]

Fleecefur - fluffy white tom, green eyes

Whisperfang - black tom, yellow eyes

Russetflower - dark ginger she-cat, amber eyes

Blacktail - white tom with a black tail-tip, blue eyes

Wildfur - brown tabby tom, green eyes

Beetletooth - gray and white she-cat, green eyes [ apprentice : Whistlepaw ]

Grasswillow - tabby tom, yellow eyes

Flamepelt - ginger tabby she-cat, blue eyes [ apprentice : Spikepaw ]

Apprentices:

Talonpaw - black tom, amber eyes [ medicine cat apprentice ]

Spikepaw - ginger and black tabby tom [ apprentice to Flamepelt ]

Dashpaw - brown and gray patched tom [ apprentice to Larkwing ]

Whistlepaw - dark gray tabby she-cat with flash of white on forehead [ apprentice to Beetletooth ]

Queens:

Vinestep - brown and black she-cat, mate of Whisperfang
[ kits: Sharpkit - black tom, Thistlekit - gray and white she-cat, Tumblekit - brown tabby she-cat ]

Elders:

Husktail - brown and white tabby tom

Allegiances: FernClan

Leader: Flowerstar - tortoiseshell she-cat, green eyes

Deputy: Icemask - gray and white tom, blue eyes

Medicine Cat: Firefang - ginger she-cat, yellow eyes

Warriors: Pantherleap - black and gray she-cat, blue eyes

Falconwing - brown tabby tom, green eyes

Littleheart - small brown she-cat, amber eyes

Leaf-fire - gray and white she-cat, amber eyes

Grayfur - gray tom, blue eyes

Fleckface - gray tom with white flecks, yellow eyes

Reedpool - black she-cat with brown paws, green eyes

Nightfire - black tom, amber eyes

Queens:

Poolcloud - gray and black tabby she-cat, mate of Grayfur

[ kits: Curlkit - brown and white tom, Duckkit - golden brown tabby she-cat, Pondkit - gray tabby tom ]

Creampelt - cream-furred she-cat, mate of Falconwing
[ expecting kits ]

Elders:

Duskpool - one beautiful brown tabby she-cat, yellow eyes

Half-ear - gray tabby tom with half an ear missing

Allegiances: RoseClan

Leader: Quietstar - black and white tom, blue eyes

Deputy: Whitefoot - ginger tom with one white paw, yellow eyes

Medicine Cat: Spottedtail - tortoiseshell and white she-cat, blue eyes

Warriors: Willowfrost - gray tabby she-cat, blue eyes

Goldenfire - golden tabby tom, amber eyes

Hallow-wing - black she-cat with white paws, green eyes

Ivyflower - tortoiseshell she-cat, yellow eyes

Shadefrost - black tom, amber eyes

Bristlefur - spiked white tom with ginger flecks, golden eyes

Brightfur - pale ginger she-cat, blue eyes

Elders:

Mist-tail - gray tom, yellow eyes

Sharpeye - golden she-cat, blue eyes

So, um, yeah.

If you didn't realize, the prologue was in the past... This first chapter takes place present day in the Clans.

Regards,

Author xx