The Beginning of the End Original Chapter 1: Prologue, a warriors fanfic

The Beginning of the End- Emberpaw, Stonepaw, Treepaw and Lilypaw are the kits of Cinderleaf and Lionclaw. But all of them have problems of their own. Emberpaw knows Cinderleaf isn't her real mother, and is trying to figure out who her real mother is. Treepaw has received a terrible injury that took his sense to see. Now he is blind. Stonepaw has fallen for a ShadowClan cat, and his father is getting suspicious. And Lilypaw has been catnapped, but no one knows where she is. The worst part is, they are all being pressured by Tigerstar as well. Lionclaw was right when he said it wasn't the end. This time, Tigerstar means business.

Hey everyone… Hehe… it's been awhile, huh? –Grins sheepishly-

Lionclaw: -Glares at Rainwhisker Luv- Did you plan on keeping this locked in your brain forever?

Emberpaw, Stonepaw, Treepaw and Lilypaw: Yeah! We thought we'd never get any of the spotlight.

Heatherpelt and Cinderleaf: Yeah! You kept all your loyal and loving reviewers waiting!

Rainwhisker Luv: Hey now, just take it easy. You all know that life hasn't been exactly easy for me…

Lionclaw: -Shifty eyes- No we don't!

Rainwhisker Luv: Ok, ok. I'm not gonna keep you all busy with excuses-

Everyone: -Breathes sigh of relief-

Rainwhisker Luv: -Glares- I really am sorry. It's just that A LOT of stuff has been going on… School's been kinda rough lately, and there's a lot of stress in my family right now. I can't promise you updates every day, like Claws of a Lion was, but I promise I'll do better with the updates.

Lionclaw: -Mutters- Yeah, riiiight…

Rainwhisker Luv: Would you be quiet!!!

Lionclaw: -Mumbles-

Rainwhisker Luv: Anyways, I'd like to thank all of my loyal reviewers. But ESPECIALLY ThrushflightEdward'sStalker who promised to babble to me EVERY DAY until I got the sequel up. Well, here it is, so give ThrushflightEdward'sStalker A LOT of thank-you's.

Also, if you want ThrushflightEdward'sStalker, I can PM you sneak peeks after every chapter, since I'm not going to put the sneak peaks at the ends of the chapter anymore.

Wow, this must be the LONGEST Author's note I've every written! We just reached the second page. So, without further ado, I present to you The Beginning of the End!!!!

Prologue

Shadows covered the snow-filled ground, keeping the new fallen snow from sparkling, like all new snow did. There was no sign of any pawprints, or sign of any cat for that matter. Yet from the cold air, the young golden brown tom could tell where he was.

His amber eyes were flaring with anger. Why was he back here? This had been settled moons ago, it simply wasn't possible to return to this place. The Dark Forest. The tom's long claws unsheathed, and he let out a snarl.

"Where are you Tigerclaw? I know you're out there." The tom growled. Silence. With the snow crunching under his pads, the tom moved forward, eyes scanning every tree, bush, or even rock that he saw. Something was not right.

Snap!

The tom froze, his muscles tensing. He whirled around, just in time to see the tabby shape hurl into him. The tom was pinned to the snow, staring up into the eyes of the dark tabby tom. Ice blue eyes met amber, and the golden brown tom let out a snarl.

"What do you want, Hawkfrost?" The golden brown tom hissed. The tabby called Hawkfrost simply laughed.

"Well, well, well. Lionpaw, long time no see," Hawkfrost growled. Lionclaw hissed, kicking at Hawkfrost's underbelly with his hindpaws, sending him flying. He got to his feet.

"It's Lionclaw." Lionclaw spat, his pelt bristling. A look of mock-surprise came across Hawkfrost's face.

"Aw, my wittle nephew is a big-bad warrior now," He taunted. Lionclaw hissed, preparing to lunge again. Hawkfrost got into a defensive stance, and just as Lionclaw prepared to lunge a strong voice pierced through the air.

"Now, now Lionclaw, we did not bring you here to fight," Tigerstar growled, stepping out of the shadows. Lionclaw turned to face him, then looked back at Hawkfrost. Hawkfrost just sneered at him, making Lionclaw's blood boil with anger.

"Then what did you bring me here for?" Lionclaw hissed, narrowing his eyes into tiny slits. "A family reunion?"

Tigerclaw chuckled coldly, shaking his head. "No, not really a family reunion. I need to speak with you Lionclaw,"

"I refuse to speak with you." Lionclaw replied sharply. "Whatever you have to say, say it to this!"

With a screech, Lionclaw lunged for Tigerstar, pinning him to the ground. A look of surprise came across Tigerstar's face, and he quickly shoved Lionclaw off him. Lionclaw landed a few fox-lengths away with a thud. Slowly he staggered to his paws, letting out another hiss.

Suddenly, his vision became blurry. Lionclaw's surroundings were slowly fading, and a large black hole formed beneath him. Out of nowhere, he fell through. The last words he heard chilled him to the bone.

"You'll regret not hearing what I had to tell you, Lionclaw! You will regret it!"

"Lionclaw! Lionclaw!"

Lionclaw grunted, opening his eyes. His whole body was drenched with sweat, including the moss nest below him. Leafpool looked down on him with concerned amber eyes. She let out a relieved sigh when she saw him open his eyes.

"Are you ok? You were shaking and muttering in your sleep, then you just started sweating," Leafpool murmured. Lionclaw coughed, and nodded.

"I'm… I'm fine Leafpool," Lionclaw replied, coughing again. "Really."

"Your Whitecough seems to be getting worse," Leafpool continued, as if she hadn't heard Lionclaw. "Do you need anything? Water? New bedding?"

Lionclaw chuckled at how motherly Leafpool was behaving. Sometimes he thought that Leafpool was his mother, and not Squirrelflight.

"I can get myself new bedding," Lionclaw replied. Leafpool looked over at him and shook her head.

"No, you can't go out in the snow. Your cough will just get worse. I'll get it, just wait here,"

Before Lionclaw could reply, Leafpool bolted out of the den. Lionclaw let out a raspy purr.

Whitecough had spread through the camp like wildfire. Stonepaw nearly died from it, as it slowly turned into Blackcough. Leafpool miraculously healed him though. Lionclaw felt that he'd never be able to repay Leafpool for that. Firestar lost another life from it, and Iceshard and Foxtail both received it just yesterday. They were in the den with him now, curled together in the corner.

Longtail had passed on from the Whitecough just a sunrise ago. It was a terrible blow to the clan. Lionclaw hated thinking about it.

"I'm bauck," Leafpool muttered through the moss bedding she carried. Lionclaw smiled up at her. He stood up, allowing Leafpool to take the dirty bedding and set up new bedding. Lionclaw curled up in the new bedding, watching as Leafpool left yet again to deposit the old one. She returned a moment later, settling herself into her moss nest.

It was then that Lionclaw remembered the dream. He remembered Tigerclaw's words that sent shudders up his spine.

"Leafpool," Lionclaw mewed. "I… I had a dream. I was in the Dark Forest again,"

Leafpool's ears pricked, and she stared at Lionclaw intently.

"Go on," Leafpool mewed, nodding. Lionclaw nodded back.

"Hawkfrost and Tigerclaw came to me. They didn't really say much, but before you woke me up, Tigerclaw said he wanted to tell me something. I didn't listen, and just as I was about to wake up he said that I'd regret not hearing what he had to tell me. What… what could be so bad, that Tigerclaw would actually want to tell me?" Lionclaw finished. Leafpool stared at him, a puzzled expression on her face.

"I will be going to the Moonpool tomorrow," She mewed after a moment. Lionclaw nodded.

"I'll ask StarClan if there is any approaching danger. Something isn't right at all." Leafpool murmured, her gaze on her paws. Lionclaw again felt chills go up his spine.

"For now, get some rest. Hopefully you'll be well enough to train Stonepaw tomorrow," Leafpool mewed. Lionclaw coughed, and nodded. He set his head on his paws, and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

Well there it is, the Prologue. Again, I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

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OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Sorry it took so long!!!!!!! The next chapter will either be up today, or tomorrow. ThrushflightEdward'sStalker, tell me if you want a sneak peak of the next chapter. That's all for now. SEEEE YAAAAAA!!!!