IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ: Hi everyone! Before you get around to reading this, there are quite a few things I need to say, so please be patient with me. First of all, I'm SO SO SO SORRY! I will freely admit that I've been a terrible writer who abandoned my stories and therefore deserves to be pelted with anything you readers wish to throw at me ='(. I do not even know if anyone who was previously reading this is still waiting for new chapter updates, but I really HOPE and PRAY that some fans of this story waited (even if somewhat in vain) for me to write it again, and I also hope you will find it in your hearts to forgive me for abandoning the story for like two years DX. The best explanation I can give is that, at first, the dreaded writer's block claimed my imagination. Then I just kinda forgot about the story while I did other things, until eventually, it got left in my folder altogether, gathering dust =(. I know that I really have little excuse for leaving it for such an appalling amount of time. All I can say is that I really missed all the people who showed me support in my writing, and I hope you will all forgive me and give me back that same support (although I probably don't deserve it). Anyone who has returned to this story, please let me know in a review so that I can at least reward you for sticking by me - you will recieve a Dedicated Reader trophy, a plushie of any cat you want, some chocolates and ice-cream, and my undying gratitude haha XD.

Ok, now that my grovelling is over and done, it's time for the serious part of my author's note. Any person who's read this story before will undoubtedly notice that I've made some changes to this chapter, some big and some small. The most noticeable change is, of course, that I've combined the allegiances and the first chapter, which were seperate before. The reason I did this was because I learned that chapters containing only lists (such as Clan allegiances) are against the rules of Fanfiction, and I didn't want to get in trouble lol! Another change I've made (or at least, am GOING to make) is that I'm going to rewrite my existing chapters - hence why this chapter is here in the place of the previous first chapter, if that makes sense XD. Don't worry though, I will be replacing chapters fairly quickly, so there shouldn't be any reason for people to get confused haha. I only had like seven chapters up before, so it won't take long for them all to be replaced with the improved versions. I should also say WHY I'm going to replace them. Well, since I decided to start writing this story again, I read through all the chapters I'd wrote and decided to make some improvements to them XD. These changes are incredibly minor, and people who have read the story before may not even notice them lol; they really are only changes to punctuation, speech etc. I only made them to give myself peace of mind lol, so it's nothing to worry about. I also now have a complete plot in mind - I was stupid before, because I didn't have one before I started writing the story, so yeah... But I should tell you that I have the plots for this book, Fire and Ice, Forest of Secrets and Rising Storm fully formed (this Unusual Circumstances series will actually span the entire first and second series of the real Warriors books before moving onto a seperate series of entirely my own creation, the titles and plots of which have been written and which I will explain later on - I don't wanna give away too many spoilers XD).

I guess that's all I really had to say, other than I want to offer you all an extra apology and hope that you'll enjoy reading the new and improved Unusual Circumstances: Into the Wild =). And, to any new readers, I hope you will enjoy the story just as much! Please leave me your reviews letting me know what you think =). And now, on to the story! x

Disclaimer: All characters in this story belong to Erin Hunter - I am merely experimenting with them XD.

Unusual Circumstances

Into the Wild

Allegiances

ThunderClan

Leader: Bluestar – Blue-grey she-cat, tinged with silver around her muzzle. (Apprentice: Firepaw)

Deputy: Redtail – Small tortoiseshell tom with a distinctive ginger tail. (Apprentice: Dustpaw)

Medicine Cat: Spottedleaf – Beautiful dark tortoiseshell she-cat with a distinctive dappled coat. (Apprentice: Jaypaw)

Warriors: Lionheart – Magnificent golden tabby tom with thick fur like a lion's mane. (Apprentice: Greypaw)

Tigerclaw – Big dark brown tabby tom with unusually long front claws. (Apprentice: Ravenpaw)

Whitestorm – Big white tom. (Apprentice: Sandpaw)

Darkstripe – Sleek black-and-grey tabby tom.

Longtail – Pale tabby tom with dark black stripes.

Runningwind – Swift tabby tom.

Willowpelt – Very pale grey she-cat with unusual blue eyes. (Apprentice: Hollypaw)

Mousefur – Small dusky brown she-cat. (Apprentice: Lionpaw)

Apprentices: Dustpaw – Dark brown tabby tom.

Greypaw – Long-haired solid grey tom.

Ravenpaw – Small, skinny black tom with a tiny white dash on his chest and a white-tipped tail.

Sandpaw – Pale ginger she-cat.

Firepaw – Handsome ginger tom.

Lionpaw – Golden tabby tom with amber eyes.

Hollypaw – Black she-cat with green eyes.

Jaypaw – Grey tabby tom with blue eyes.

Queens: Frostfur – Beautiful white she-cat with blue eyes.

Brindleface – Pretty tabby she-cat.

Goldenflower – Pale ginger she-cat.

Speckletail – Pale tabby she-cat, and the oldest nursery queen.

Elders: Halftail – Big dark brown tabby tom with part of his tail missing.

Smallear – Grey tom with very small ears, and the oldest tom in ThunderClan.

Patchpelt – Small black-and-white tom.

One-eye – Pale grey she-cat, and the oldest cat in ThunderClan. Virtually blind and deaf.

Dappletail – Once-pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with a lovely dappled coat.

ShadowClan

Leader: Brokenstar – Long-haired dark brown tabby tom.

Deputy: Blackfoot – Large white tom with huge jet-black paws.

Medicine Cat: Runningnose – Small grey-and-white tom.

Warriors: Stumpytail – Brown tabby tom. (Apprentice: Brownpaw)

Boulder – Silver tabby tom. (Apprentice: Wetpaw)

Clawface – Battle-scarred brown tom. (Apprentice: Littlepaw)

Nightpelt – Black tom.

Queens: Dawncloud – Small tabby she-cat.

Brightflower – Black-and-white she-cat.

Elders: Ashfur – Thin grey tom.

WindClan

Leader: Tallstar – Black-and-white tom with a very long tail.

RiverClan

Leader: Crookedstar – Huge light-coloured tabby tom with a twisted jaw.

Deputy: Oakheart – Reddish-brown tom.

Cats Outside Clans

Yellowfang – Old dark grey she-cat with a broad, flattened face.

Smudge – Plump, friendly black-and-white tom.

Barley – Black-and-white tom.

Chapter One ~ The Mysterious Discovery

Below the full moon, the island was crowded with cats. At the centre of the clearing, a huge oak tree towered above the assembled felines, and, sitting proudly on its branches, the four Clan leaders looked down as they addressed them. The Gathering was drawing to a close now, and already the Clans were preparing to head their separate ways for another moon. A handsome flame-coloured tom, one of the leaders on the Great Oak, leaped down and called the cats of his Clan to him for the journey home. Among them were three young apprentices, only seven moons old. They joined the other ThunderClan cats as they walked out of the clearing towards the tree bridge, eagerly discussing their very first Gathering.

"Did you see how many cats there were?" exclaimed a black she-cat, almost invisible in the darkness. Her green eyes were glowing and her pelt bristling with excitement. "I've never seen so many in my life!"

"Me neither," agreed a golden tabby, looking over his shoulder at the blind grey tabby tom following close behind. "What did you think of it, Jaypaw?"

"I talked to some apprentices from RiverClan," replied Jaypaw, "and they told me Leopardstar might be ready to retire soon. She's ancient!"

The black she-cat purred with quiet laughter and commented, "Yeah, she's been a leader since the time of the old forest!"

"Mind you, so has Firestar," added the golden tabby, also purring with amusement.

The three apprentices crossed the tree bridge in single file and headed off around the lake, back towards their own territory. Ahead of them they could see Firestar, deep in conversation with his mate, Sandstorm, and Brambleclaw, the ThunderClan deputy. Jaypaw could sense the anxiety coming off them in waves. He snorted.

"What are they so worried about? The other leaders didn't say anything to imply that they were going to invade our territory, did they?"

"No," answered the she-cat, her ears pricking up with interest.

The golden tabby looked at Firestar and suggested, "Perhaps he's concerned about the coming leaf-bare?"

"Hmm, maybe..." Jaypaw didn't sound convinced. His sightless blue eyes were narrowed in thought as he followed his siblings back through WindClan's hunting grounds.

When they arrived in their own territory once more, the golden tabby's eyes began to shine. "I'm not ready to go back to camp just yet," he announced. "I want to go exploring! We've hardly seen anything of our territory since we became apprentices."

"But, Lionpaw..." The she-cat started to protest but her brother turned to her, a determined expression on his face.

"Oh, come on, Hollypaw!" he whined. "You never used to be so obsessed with rules. Remember when we were kits and we sneaked out to find that fox?"

"Yes, and look what happened! Jaypaw nearly died!" Hollypaw's eyes clouded at the memory of seeing her brother lying, motionless and wounded, at the edge of the camp, where he'd fallen into the stone hollow after being chased by a fox cub.

But Jaypaw, on the other hand, seemed to agree with Lionpaw. "I wouldn't mind going exploring. After all, we'll need to learn the limits of our territory sooner or later," he pointed out.

"But... but..." Hollypaw tried to argue, but words failed her. In the end she relented, much to her two brothers' delight. But she still felt the need to warn them to be careful before they set off, however.

When they were certain that the other cats had all disappeared into the undergrowth, Lionpaw led the way in the opposite direction, his mouth open to pick up any scents. Jaypaw and Hollypaw followed, and soon the siblings had wandered a long way from the camp. They stuck close together, pointing out particular landmarks to one another and quite enjoying themselves. After a while, even Hollypaw started to forget that they weren't supposed to be out this late without a warrior.

When the apprentices had walked for what seemed like an eternity and Jaypaw was starting to complain that his paws were aching with cold, Lionpaw suddenly pulled them up. He gestured with his muzzle to something up ahead and Hollypaw stopped, staring in wonder.

"What is it?" Jaypaw questioned irritably, sensing their uneasiness and wishing he could see.

In front of them, shining eerily in the blackness, was something the apprentices barely understood. It appeared to be a kind of tunnel, but instead of leading off into darkness there was an odd, greenish glow emanating from the entrance. When the cats drew near, they saw (except for Jaypaw, of course) that the light was coming from a sort of vortex within the tunnel, a swirling green orb that hovered a few inches off the ground.

Lionpaw and Hollypaw could do nothing but stare, open-mouthed, at the thing, their eyes as wide as the full moon above. Jaypaw bristled when he felt the strange power that seemed to come from it, knowing instinctively that something wasn't right.

"What is it?" Hollypaw finally got the courage to repeat Jaypaw's question. Lionpaw just shook his head in bewilderment.

For a few more minutes, the three cats were silent. Then Lionpaw broke the spell by meowing in awe, "Whatever it is, I'll bet anything that it's not supposed to be here."

"Do you think Twolegs put it here?" asked Hollypaw, finally turning her head to look at Lionpaw.

The golden tabby shrugged. "Maybe," he replied. "But somehow, I don't think so."

Jaypaw suddenly let out a hiss. "We should have nothing to do with it!" he spat, glaring at the place where he guessed the vortex was. His hackles were raised and his ears flat to his head as he continued, "We should get out of here and warn Firestar. It might be dangerous!"

Hollypaw readily agreed but Lionpaw stayed quiet. For some reason that he couldn't explain, the apprentice felt captivated by the thing – whatever it was – and he knew that he didn't want the other cats to find out about it. He felt a strong, unexpected desire to pad forwards and touch the ominous green sphere. But just as he was about to take a step towards it, Hollypaw flicked his shoulder with her tail-tip.

"Lionpaw! Come on, we've got to move." She gave him a nudge that nearly unbalanced him, but still the tabby refused to take his eyes off the tunnel.

"Lionpaw! L-Lionpaw..." Hollypaw's voice trailed away and a frustrated snarl came from Jaypaw.

"Move, you big furball!" He, too, butted Lionpaw with his head, trying to steer him away in the direction of the stone hollow.

"Ouch! Stop it!" Lionpaw growled and waved his tail in annoyance.

"Well, move then!" Jaypaw was growing increasingly nervous now, for he could sense his brother's reluctance to leave and he knew that the longer they stayed here, the harder it would become for him to resist the pull of the eerie vortex. Jaypaw had no idea what might happen to Lionpaw if he entered it, or even if he would make it out alive – if he made it out at all.

"Lionpaw, please come with us!" Hollypaw begged, resting her pleading gaze on Lionpaw. He just looked blankly back.

"Why? Firestar's only going to tell us off. Why go back just to be punished?"

Hollypaw stared at her sibling in disbelief. "Lionpaw, this was your idea! Surely you realised what would happen when we got back to the Clan? I did warn you. And Jaypaw's right, this thing might be dangerous. Now come on!"

She glared sternly at the tom and felt a prickle of satisfaction as Lionpaw backed away from the tunnel mouth and turned to leave with her and Jaypaw. But her feeling of triumph quickly turned to horror as Lionpaw spun around without warning and, not taking as much as a backwards glance, ran straight for the glowing orb. He took a flying leap and his body made contact with the strange object. Then, with a rush of wind and a flash of light, he was gone.

Hollypaw and Jaypaw stared, dumbfounded, at the place where their brother had vanished. After a long moment, Hollypaw seemed to come to her senses once more. She threw her head back and let out a desperate wail. Jaypaw listened to her loudly calling Lionpaw's name, his whole body numb with shock and fear. How could Lionpaw be so stupid?

Eventually, Hollypaw stopped yowling. She faced Jaypaw, a fierce glint in her emerald eyes. "We have to go after him."

Jaypaw swallowed fearfully, but he knew that Hollypaw was right. Lionpaw was their brother – they couldn't just leave him, no matter what the danger. Jaypaw turned to the she-cat, his face set, and slowly nodded.

Then, together, he and Hollypaw leapt after Lionpaw into the unknown.