ALLIGEANCIES

ShadowClan

Leader: Clawstar- One-eared gray tabby she-cat

Deputy: Adderstrike- Dark gray tabby tom with white muzzle, paws, chest, and underbelly.

Medicine cat: Oakleaf- Tortoiseshell she-cat with bright green eyes

APPRENTICE: Marshclaw- mottled brown tom

Warriors:

Blossommist- silver she-cat

Badgerpelt- black-and-white tom

Stonestep- dark gray tom with one white forepaw

Leopardheart- tortoiseshell she-cat

Tigerstripe- golden tabby tom

Rowanwhisker- dark brown tabby tom

Maplefur- ginger she-cat with white paws

Scratchthroat- White tom who is unable to speak

Blueclaw- small gray tabby tom

Queens:

Heronflight- long furred golden she-cat

Featherdust- tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

(Dawnkit- tortoiseshell she cat with mostly golden patches, and Rosekit -black she-kit with small white patch on chest)

Moonclaw- slender silver she-cat

(Fallenkit- ginger tom, Vinekit, brown tom, and Goldenkit, Golden she-cat with white patches)

Apprentices:

Pidgeonpaw- gray-brown tabby tom

Bumblepaw- long furred gray tabby she-cat with tortoiseshell patches

Snakepaw- white she cat with black chest, underbelly, legs, and tailtip

Elders:

Dustwind- ginger tom

CHAPTER 1

The small shape made its way up the rocky slope to the Moonpool. Its slender form was outlined in moonlight. This wasn't the half moon meeting! The moon was huge in the sky, not quite full but definitely not half. The cat's paws were soundless as her steps fell between rocks. Her tortoiseshell fur was bristled. She glanced around warily, and anycat could have smelled her fear. Something wasn't right.

A twig snapped as she reached the pool. She whipped around, green eyes huge and terrified. A small furry brown shape scurried up a tree at her sudden movement. She sighed. A squirrel. Just a squirrel. She turned, fur flat, to the Moonpool. She was shocked to see the moon's reflection so much bigger than what she was used to. She laid cautiously down, tasting the air carefully. She then lapped some water from the pool. Icy water washed over over her tongue. She closed her eyes, hoping that StarClan would still accept her.

Too much light. Her eyes seemed to burn as it engulfed her. She couldn't move. She couldn't see. All she could do was scream. So she did, wailing her heart out to the stars and screaming her pain to her ancestors. This was not the StarClan she remembered. But just as the light became unbearable, she felt a familiar scent bathe her tongue. She looked up.

A golden tabby stood before her. He had broad shoulders and a white chest, and his eyes were a startling blue. He looked at her with such sorrow and disappointment in his eyes that she wanted to curl up into a ball and hide. From him. From her Clan. From everything she had done.

She squeezed her eyes shut. He licked her forehead comfortingly. "Oh, little one..."

"What have I done?!" She wailed. Her eyes flew open and searched his face for an answer. Her mentor bowed his head and stayed that way for what seemed like a moon.

"For each dark there is a light
For each wrong there is a right
There is meaning behind each mistake
Sometimes the wrong path is the right one to take."

She hissed. "That's not an answer, Sunstripe!"

"I was your mentor. Don't you trust my judgment?"

"Sometimes, I just don't know." she murmured, eyes clouded with pain. "I trusted his judgment too."

"Only the daughter of the snake can save you from what will happen. There is no way to stop it. It can never be undone."

"Don't leave!" she yowled as he turned and began to pad away into the light. He seemed oblivious to her cries until he stopped and turned slowly around

"Oakleaf? I truly am sorry." And then he was gone.

She jerked awake to the sound of rustling undergrowth. A horribly familiar scent filled the air. No. This couldn't be what Sunstripe meant... She took a deep breath, lifted her head, and mewed "Hello."

"Oakleaf." She heard the achingly familiar voice along with the scent.

"Please." That was all she said. Nothing more. She knew that it would have the same affect as begging. She knew what would happen.

"No."

She felt hot breath on her neck and looked up into two glistening eyes. "Goodbye."

A ThunderClan patrol was checking its border for foxes, just recovering from a recent attack on their camp. They had to do what they could for their Clan. One cat, a tabby tom, paced worriedly along the border that marked the start of Twoleg territory. "Did you hear that?"

"No," his Clanmate, a ginger she-cat, replied, flicking her tail dismissively. "You must be hearing things."

He nodded, but a chill slithered up his spine. He knew what he had heard.

A cat.

Screaming in pain.