Shiftingstar's Destiny

WARNING:
This book contains gore, death and blood, that you may not be comfortable reading.
If you are uncomfortable around gore, then I reccomend not reading.
                                                        Cats                                                                                                                
Leader: 
Crimsonstar: A ebony tom with gray markings and yellow eyes.
Deputy:    
Birdflight: A blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes.
Medicine Cat: 
Blazingfire: A ginger she-cat with emerald green eyes,
Apprentice, Snowpaw.
Warriors:  
Ashpelt: A gray tom with darker flecks and piercing blue eyes.
Breezefur: A black she-cat with green eyes
Rowantail: A flame coloured tom with 
Brambleheart: A tabby tom with glowing yellow eyes.
Appleheart: A dusky brown tom with hazel eyes
Apprentice, Hazelpaw
Whitecloud: A pure white she-cat with blue eyes. 
Queens:
Blackfeather: A black she-cat with yellow eyes, mother of Shiftingkit, Fallenkit, Darkkit, and Scarletkit.
Fernpelt: A white she-cat with grass green eyes, the mother of Crowkit.
Elders:
Longwhisker: A pale tabby tom with extremely long whiskers.
Foreststep: A dusky brown she-cat with hazel eyes.
Mousetail: A dusky brown she-cat with yellow eyes and a long tail.
 Prologue
Soft snowflakes gently touched the snowy surface, making it higher and higher. Stars glittered in the black sky, making it seem brighter, as if it were reflecting onto the snow. Dark figures trampled the snow, leaving small paw prints. One spoke up quietly.</span>==
"When are we going to speak to StarClan?"
"Hush, Snowpaw. We are almost at the Moonpool." Another silenced her.
"I was just asking..." Snowpaw murmered under her breath. The other figure gave her a glare, and carried on. When they finally reached the Moonpool, Snowpaw was out of breath. 
"We are here." A dusky brown tomcat meowed.
"Yes, now let us speak to StarClan." A spotted feline mewed quietly.
Snowpaw's tail curled with delight as she leaped down onto the sandy, trampled ground, where her Warrior Ansectors have once stepped. She breathed in their sweet scent, and quickly pelted to the pool. The stars reflected onto the pool, and the water made no waves. Her whiskers trembled in excitement, and her mentor, Blazingfire, purred with amusment. 
Snowpaw's tail curled with excitment, and she crouched down to the pool, and lightly touched her nose. She gasped in excitment as she saw starry grounds, and other cats with stars in their fur all around her. One stepped forward, a honey coloured she-cat, and rested her muzzle on Snowpaw. Her green gaze fixed on her, and she meowed calmly.
"StarClan accepts you as  a medicine cat apprentice of ScratchClan."
Snowpaw squealed in excitment, her white fur reflecting off of the moon. She purred with happiness and dipped her head to the she-cat.
"I have something to tell you." The she-cat says so quiet it was hard to hear her. "I am going to give you a prophecy." Snowpaw pricked her ears, and her tail twitched. She heard murmurs from the other StarClan cats, they must be worried and uneasy too.
"Listen closely," She started. Snowpaw nodded. "The tiger will run at moonhigh, but the shifting earth will deny it's deadly path."
Snowpaw's eyes widened. "What do you mean?" She yowled. "Tell me more!"
"I am sorry Snowpaw, that is all we can say. You must figure the prophecy out yourself."
"So I can't tell my mentor?"
"You can, but you will end up being the one who knows what it means."
Snowpaw's fur rose up, she wanted to beg more, she wanted to learn what the prophecy meant. 
Why me? She thought bitterly. I just started my training, They could've given the prophecy to a more experienced medicine cat, why did they have to choose me?
As they padded into the dense undergrowth, back to camp, Snowpaw still itched to learn what the prophecy meant.
Chapter 1 
Shiftingkit yawned and stretched out. The nursery was cramped, she wanted to get into the open air. She glanced at the entrance and slowly stepped outside, but a heartbeat later she heard a voice behind her. 
"Where do you think you're going?" A black she-cat meowed with amusement.
Shiftingkit shifted her gray paws. "Outside." She finally meowed. "I want to play with Darkkit."
"Darkkit is much older then you, he's almost an apprentice." She mewed thoughtfully. "I think you should stay in."
"But Blackfeather-"
"Hush, you don't want to wake up Fernpelt." She sighed and glanced at Shiftingkit. "Might as well go out, just don't leave camp." 
"I won't!" Shiftingkit promised.
"Out you go, then." Blackfeather gently flicked her tail on Shiftingkit's gray back, beckoning her to step out of the nursery. She ran outside and purred as the warm sun hit her pelt. 
"Hi Darkkit!" She mewed excitedly. Darkkit turned and meowed. "We're playing NightClan against ScratchClan, wanna join us?"
"Sure!" Shiftingkit said excitedly. She padded over to her sister Scarletkit, and Tigerkit.
"Tigerkit is in NightClan." Scarletkit smirked.
"You made me!" Tigerkit hissed, his tabby pelt standing on end.
Another kit, Crowkit, emergered from the nursery. He glanced at Darkkit, and mewed.
"Can I play?"
"Sure. We're playing with Tigerkit, Scarletkit, and Shiftingkit." Darkkit answered him.
"Oh, Shiftingkit's playing?"
"Uh, yeah.." Tigerkit meowed. "What's wrong with that?"
"I don't want to play." Crowkit mewed suddenly.
Scarletkit padded beside Crowkit, and meowed quietly. "I know, her name is so weird."
"If her name is weird, then it suits her." Crowkit sneered.
Shiftingkit had overheard all of that. She stared at them, with sorrow in her eyes, as they padded away, talking to each other and glancing back at her, before they broke into obnoxious giggles. Shiftingkit flattened her eyes and hung her head down, and Darkkit padded up from behind her.
"Don't listen to them." He meowed anixously, as if Shiftingkit was going to turn around and yell at him.
"How can I not?" Shiftingkit mewed, her eyes clouded with despair.
"It's okay, me and Tigerkit would never hurt you like that." Darkkit mewed. "Right Tigerkit?" 
Tigerkit nodded curtly and quickly, as if he wasn't listening.. or he didn't care.
Darkkit paused for a moment then meowed. "How bout we finish playing NightClan against ScratchClan, shall we?"
----
When they were done playing, Shiftingkit felt exhausted. She simply wanted to trudge into the nursery and drop down in her moss bed. But Tigerkit wanted to hear a story from one of the elders, so she just shrugged and padded after him. Foreststep was in there with Mousetail and Longwhisker. Longwhisker greeted them, and Mousetail meowed. "Come to hear another story?"  
"Yes." Shiftingkit mewed.
"Okay, I got one." Foreststep meowed quietly. "This one is of the dreaded Tigerstar." 
Tigerkit shifted his paws. Of course he feels uncomfortable, Shiftingkit thought. His name is Tigerkit, just like Tigerstar. 
Foreststep saw the uneasiness in Tigerkit's eyes, and meowed. "I bet you wouldn't have his ambition, you're not even related to him."
Tigerkit took a deep breath, and blew out. He flicked his small tail and pricked his ears, signaling he was ready to hear the story.
"Okay, so here it goes..." Foreststep started. There was once four Clans... ThunderClan, RiverClan, WindClan, and ShadowClan.  They are our anscestors. They look down on us, and give omens, and prophecies. But Tigerstar didn't go to StarClan, he went to The Place Of No Stars." 
"Why?" Shiftingkit gasped. She had heard of The Place Of No Stars, and she had realized that she would never want to go there.
"I can tell you the story." Foreststep meowed with a glint of satisfaction in her eyes.
"Yes please!" Tigerkit mewed.
"Yeah, I wanna hear it!" Shiftingkit mewed to Foreststep.
"Alright, here it goes... Tigerstar's warrior name was Tigerclaw. He was in ThunderClan."
"ThunderClan?" Tigerkit shrieked. "I thought he would be in ShadowClan!"
"Be quiet Tigerkit!" Shiftingkit put her long gray tail in front of his mouth to silence him.
"Okay, okay.." Tigerkit meowed in her fur and Shiftingkit put he tail down.
"A cat named Redtail was deputy at the time. Tigerclaw killed him in seceret, expecting him to be deputy after. But Lionheart became deputy. He didn't kill Lionheart though."
"But he still killed Redtail!" Tigerkit mewed, his amber eyes wide with surprise.
"Yes, and that was a bad thing to do, but then Firestar came in."
"I know Firestar!" Shiftingkit meowed. "He saved the Clans!" 
"Yeah!" Tigerkit meowed. "I would want to be him."
"His name was Firepaw at the time, and then Fireheart. After Lionheart had died, Bluestar made Tigerclaw deputy, but once he brought a band of rogues into camp, and tried to kill Bluestar. But Fireheart saw and saved her."
"Go Fireheart!" Tigerkit mewed happily.
"But Bluestar died when the stream took her away, so Fireheart became Firestar." Foreststep continued. "But Tigerclaw went to ShadowClan and became their leader because their other one had died, along with their deputy."
"Tigerclaw became ShadowClan's leader?" Shiftingkit shrieked, her blue eyes wide. "That's horrible!"
"Yes, but a cat named Scourge took away all his nine lives."
"How?" Shiftingkit meowed.
"I like Scourge." Tigerkit mewed.
"You shouldn't." Foreststep meowed. "He took away one of Firestar's lives." 
"Oh." Tigerkit meowed, his tabby fur ruffled.
"So that's how Tigerstar is in The Dark Forest."
"Cool story!" Shiftingkit meowed. 
"Yeah!" Tigerkit mewed thoughtfully. 
"Kits love that story." Longwhisker meowed, with Mousetail beside him.
"Yes, that's why I told it to them." Foreststep turned to Longwhisker, her dusky brown tail flicking back and forth. "I hear you're mothers calling you." She lied. "Okay." Tigerkit meowed and padded outside of the huge badger hole where the elder's den lay inside.
"Bye." Shiftingkit mewed. "Goodbye." Mousetail meowed, and the pale and dark gray fur was gone.
Chapter 2 
"May all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the high rock for a Clan meeting." Crimsonstar, leader of ScratchClan, yowled out through the ravine, where ScratchClan camp lay. 
Blackfeather stretched and slowly walked out of the nursery, with Darkkit, Scarletkit, Fallenkit, and Shftingkit behind her. All of her kits fur was cleaned, except Shiftingkit. Shiftingkit kept thinking why Blackfeather didn't get her ready, but pushed it away and looked up at her father on the tallrock.
"Three kits are now six moons old, ready to become apprentices." He started.
Three? Shiftingkit thought. What about the last one? Isn't there four of us? Then she pushed it away and thought. He probably just meant to say four.
"Ashpelt," Shiftingkit's father looked down on a pale gray tom with darker flecks, his amber eyes calm.
Ashpelt looked up at him, his eyes full of joy after realizing he was going to get an apprentice.
"You have courage and strength like no other cat, you are going to train Scarletkit."
"And Scarletkit," He turned to his daughter. "You will now be known as Scarletpaw."
Scarletpaw squealed in delight before she padded up to Ashpelt and touched noses with him.
Crimsonstar went on. "Rowantail." He looked down on a flame-coloured cat with green eyes. 
"It is your time to get an apprentice." You have worked hard when you were an apprentice, and I want you to pass on your bravery to yours. Your apprentice is Darkkit."
Darkkit hopped up and down and ran over to Rowantail. 
"Darkkit, you will now be known as Darkpaw." Darkpaw looked up at Rowantail and touched noses with him. 
"And finally, Breezefur." He looked down on a white she-cat, and her tail curled with delight.
"You will mentor Fallenkit." Crimsonstar meowed. "I would like you to pass on your courage and bravery. And Fallenkit, you will now be known as Fallenpaw." 
Fallenpaw ran over to Breezefur and they touched noses. All the cats started joining in on cheering their new names. "Scarletpaw! Darkpaw! Fallenpaw!"
"Wait!" Shiftingkit burst out. "You forgot me!"
Crimsonstar looked down at his other daughter, and meowed. "I would never forget you."
"Then why did you!" Shiftingkit squealed.
"You are two moons younger than your siblings. You are only four moons old. I'm sorry, Shiftingkit, you aren't ready to become an apprentice yet."
"But its not fair!" Shiftingkit yowled. "I'm as tough as any cat! Just because I'm small doesn't mean I can't become an apprentice!" 
"Shiftingkit, it's against the Warrior Code-" 
"You don't care about me!" She yowled and stomped away to the nursery.
Scarletpaw stared at her, as if Crimsonstar shouldn't have said they were related. Fallenpaw tried to break a smile through the embarassing pain in him. Darkpaw looked at his black paws and shifted them.
Crimsonstar looked down on his Clanmates. "Umm.. Meeting dismissed." Shiftingkit didn't understand the Warrior Code as they did, would that affect her life?
Chapter 3 
Shiftingkit stomped into the nursery and flopped down on her moss bed. She saw the tabby pelt of Tigerkit and grunted. He stepped closer, his amber eyes seeming to illuminate the room.
"I wasn't made an apprentice, either." He mewed quietly.
"But you still will be made one before me!" She yowled. "You're five moons old!"
"I know but-" 
"You probably are related to Tigerstar!" She spat at him fiercly and turned away.
Tigerkit stared at her, his eyes clouded with sorrow. He stepped out of the nursery, and looked back. He probably was related to Tigerstar somehow. 
Shiftingkit saw his depression in his amber eyes, and quietly mewed. "Sorry.. I-"
"No, you're right." Tigerkit meowed sharply. "I probably am related to Tigerstar. Because the great Shiftingkit is always right." He spat.
"No, wait Tigerkit, I didn't mean to hurt you.." 
"You don't care if you hurt me, and you know that." He meowed and padded out of the nursery, his tail down. What have I done? Shiftingkit thought. Nobody likes me, even Tigerkit, and now I don't know where to go next...
Shiftingkit felt extremly bad for Tigerkit, so she decided to apologize. She took a juicy mouse and padded to the nursery, where he was talking with Crowkit.
"Tigerkit.." Shiftingkit mewed quietly.
Tigerkit turned to see her and hissed. "Go away!"
"No, wait." She dropped the brown mouse in front of his paws, and looked up into his amber eyes. "I'm sorry." She meowed quietly. There was a long pause of them staring into eachother's eyes with affection, but then Tigerkit shook his head and meowed darkly. "Umm.. thanks. Apologie accepted."
Shiftingkit slowly padded out of the nursery. Why were we staring for so long? She wondered. Whatever.. She thought suddenly. She saw Darkpaw pad out with Rowantail, and a pain of envy shot to her heart like a sharp thorn. She wanted to be an apprentice, now. She couldn't wait the next two moons.. it just wasn't fair!
Shiftingkit decided to just dream. She had such a dramatic day, she felt just tired. The she-kit dropped onto her tiny moss bed, and soon sleep took over her like a crashing wave.
Shiftingkit decided to go outside in the clearing after that long sleep. She stepped outside only to hear yowling and screeching cats and smell the yucky tang of blood. Her eyes widened with fear. What's happening?
Suddenly, a tomcat that looked very similar to Tigerkit, but bigger, stalked towards her and meowed. "Come with me, you will be safer." 
Shiftingkit tilted her head but took no chances. She raced after him through the forest, deeper, and deeper. Until they came to a big pool of water.
"Now, touch your nose to the water." The tom instructed.
Shiftingkit looked up at him, to see a scar on his muzzle, and shivered. She quickly looked away and touched her gray muzzle to the water, and found herself spinning until Shiftingkit saw a big field.
"StarClan hunting grounds!" She squeaked. "The elders have said so much about it! I can't believe I get to see it!"
"No, come with me. It's dangerous here." The tom lied.
"But-"
"Just follow me!" He growled fiercly.
Shiftingkit hung down her head and followed him, until they finally approached a big, silver mist. "Go through there," The tom told her. "I will be with you."
Shiftingkit slowly nodded and sped into the mist, her face covered in clouds. When it ended, she saw huge pines, and there were no sounds expect the fast heartbeat of her heart.
The tom came out right after, and greeted her. 
"Who exactly are you?" Shiftingkit meowed to him. "And where are we?"
"I can answer both of those questions." The tabby meowed. "I am Tigerstar, and we are in The Dark Forest, or The Place Of No Stars.
"What?" Shiftingkit shrieked. "I want to go out!" She scrambled to the mist, but a strong paw held her tail down. "Wait." Tigerstar meowed quietly. "I don't want to be here, I've regretted the things I've done."
Shiftingkit tilted her head, and Tigerstar went on. "I can teach you to be the bravest, strongest warrior you've ever seen. To hold more power than your father, to hold more power than you can imagine. I will teach you ways no other warrior could have taught you. If you promise one thing."
"What do I have to promise?" Shiftingkit mewed wearily. 
"To do whatever I say." Tigerstar meowed darkly. "I will visit you once you become an apprentice, and I can sometimes visit you as a vision in the real world. Now go, it's okay, I will see you again." 
"Okay, Shiftingkit mewed. "I promise." And she ran away into the mist, and suddenly she saw herself in her moss bed again. 
Was I dreaming? She thought. It seemed so real... I know, if it was real, I will still keep my promise.
  
Chapter 4 
It had been a moon since she had seen Tigerstar in her dreams, Shiftingkit felt the urge to see him again. She kept thinking that it was actually cruel the elders were telling such horrible stories about him, stating that he is the villan. Tigerstar did regret doing that, right? He is good now, and doesn't deserve to walk in the Dark Forest.
Shiftingkit knew it was Tigerkit's apprentice ceremony, but she didn't want to see him. She knew Tigerkit would look past her and see the other apprentices like she is a ghost after he becomes an apprentice. 
At least I'm going to get special training from Tigerstar. She smirked as she thought about her training.
As Crimsonstar called the Clan meeting, she padded out of the warmth of the nursery to the Tallrock. She looked up at Crimsonstar, and envy filled her heart. She wanted to be an apprentice like Tigerkit, she would be lonely. 
Well I'll have Crowkit and Lightkit, but I despise Crowkit, and I barley even know Lightkit. She thought bitterly. 
She wasn't really listening to the ceremony, but after, Tigerkit, who was know Tigerpaw, padded up to Shiftingkit. She opened her mouth to say hi, but Tigerpaw walked right past her to Scarletpaw, and they started talking and laughing. 
Her eyes clouded with grief and envy, and she stiffened with anger. Shiftingkit grunted and turned away, she suddenly smelled a fairly familiar scent and realized Lightkit was behind her. 
"Hi Shiftingkit!" Lightkit greeted her.
"Hi.." Shiftingkit stared at her with glazed blue eyes.
"I can't believe my brother was made an apprentice!" She squealed. "I can't wait until I become one, don't you?"
"Ya, sure." Shiftingkit grunted.
"Is everything alright." Lightkit looked at her with concern, her golden pelt shining. "You look like a rat bit you." 
"I'm fine, alright?" Shiftingkit growled.
"Oh.. umm.. sor- sorry.." Lightkit stammered and slowly padded away.
Shiftingkit sighed. Now nobody knew she exsited, great! Her tail lashed and she padded to the nursery, and looked behind her to see Tigerpaw and Scarletpaw talking. Her heart sunk down and she slowly slunk into her moss bed, thinking about how angry and jealous she was of Scarletpaw.
----
Shiftingkit was six moons the next day! Tomorrow she would have her apprentice ceremony. It's been a moon since Tigerpaw became an apprentice, and she was so glad to become one at last. She didn't even eat, she just wanted to go to sleep so the day would skip by. So she went to her small moss bed and curled up into sleep.
When she woke up she yawned and stepped outside. A bright sun rose from the mountains in the distance, and she realized that she was now six moons. She squealed and padded over to Crimsonstar. His black pelt glowed in the sun as he was discussing with the deputy, Birdflight.
"Crimsonstar!" Shiftingkit called his name.
"Yes, Shiftingkit?" Crimsonstar turned around to face her and his amber gaze met hers.
"I'm six moons now! I need to become an apprentice!" She meowed.
"No you aren't, you were born at sunhigh, which means you are not six moons yet."
"But, can't we just do my apprentice ceremony now?" Shiftingkit pleaded.
"I'm sorry, you must wait until sunhigh." Crimsonstar meowed calmly.
"But-"
But Crimsonstar had turned his back and started talking with Birdflight again. Shiftingkit hissed in rage and stomped to the fresh-kill pile. She was about to take a piece of fresh kill when a squirrel fell on top of her.
"Look!" Scarletpaw started laughing. "The prey fell on top of her!"
Tigerpaw was with her and he started laughing along with her. "Have you ever seen a piece of prey attack a cat before?"
"It was by accident!" She stopped. She felt so embarassed, she just wanted to hide away in a corner and sleep forever.
They were still laughing, and other cats joined in. She furiously shook off the squirrel and stomped to her den. How could Tigerpaw be so rude? He never laughed at her before... was their friendship starting to fall apart? 
Chapter 5 
Shiftingkit sat in her den. She wanted no one to talk to her. She wanted no one to even look at her. She wanted her space. She suddenly heard the russle of leaves, and she slowly turned her head around. It was Lightkit. To her, Lightkit was extremely annoying, she would always get in Shiftingkit's way, but of course she never mentioned that in front of her. 
"Hi Shiftingkit!" She mewed. "Something wrong?" 
"Oh, nothing," She growled. "Not before you came in." 
Lightkit gaped at her. She said nothing. She just stared at her, and then she pelted out of the bramble door and raced to her mother. Shiftingkit snorted. Suits her well.
Shiftingkit stretched out and decided to go outside. She slowly stalked outside of the nursery and she suddenly realized how cold it was today. It was almost the end of leaf-fall, she didn't even realize. She glanced up at the sky, and saw the sun at it's highest point. Shiftingkit gasped. It was sunhigh!
She raced over to Crimsonstar and yowled. "It's sunhigh! It's sunhigh! Time for my apprentice ceremony!"
Crimsonstar looked down at his kit. "Alright, alright." He purred with amusement. He licked Shiftingkit's pelt to make it smoother, and went up to the Tallrock. "May all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Tallrock for a Clan meeting."
Shiftingkit raced over and her whiskers twitched with delight. She was finally going to become an apprentice! I can't wait. She thought. 
"Shiftingkit is now six moons and is old enough to become an apprentice." 
"Brambleheart." Crimsonstar meowed calmly.
Shiftingkit gaped. Brambleheart was the scariest cat in the Clan! Cats have said the last apprentice he had got killed because he "accidentally" killed him. 
Shiftingkit shivered with fear. Brambleheart looked up with a face so hard to understand, but it did look like he didn't even care. The scars on his tabby flank made Shiftingkit quiver. Crimsonstar went on.
"With your strength and bravery, you will be the mentor of Shiftingkit." 
Some of the apprentice's were murmuring to each other. Shiftingkit could hear Brambleheart's and her name, and sometimes "scary" and "I feel bad for her."
Shiftingkit puffed up her chest, trying to hide her fear.
"And Shiftingkit, you will know be known as Shiftingpaw." 
Some cats cheered. Others were shocked that Brambleheart had actually gotten another apprentice after what happened to the last one. Shiftingpaw slowly padded up to Brambleheart and lightly touched her nose to his. For a moment he could see a warm glow in his eyes. Suddenly, she realized Brambleheart wasn't bad at all.
It's probably just a rumor that he killed his own apprentice. She thought. Isn't it?
----
It had been two days since Shiftingpaw's training. It was dawn, and she was supposed to go out for patrol. Shiftingpaw was tired, and she wanted to sleep, but she knew she had to go on the patrol. Tigerpaw was going. Shiftingpaw kind of wanted him to come, but at the same time she didn't. She looked across the camp to see Birdflight.      
"Shiftingpaw, come on!" She meowed. Shiftingpaw padded up to Birdflight. Birdflight's long blue fur swayed in the wind.                
Shiftingpaw hurried after Birdflight, and stopped when she saw Tigerpaw. "Hey Tigerpaw."
Tigerpaw turned and his yellow eyes stared at her. "Oh, hi Shiftingkit."
"Shiftingpaw." She corrected him angrily. "Weren't you at my apprentice ceremony?"
"Oh, yeah, sure I was." He meowed. "Just forgot, you know."
Shiftingpaw stiffened with anger and padded out of camp. She stalked along their territory, sniffing the air for prey. She suddenly went to the river, where the NightClan border lay. She looked into the glassy water and stretched out a sere forepaw. Suddenly her claws latched onto a scaly animal, and she shrieked.
She threw off the prey and it wobbled on the land. Shiftingpaw sniffed it. It was a fish. Shiftingpaw realized that you can eat this and she picked it up in her jaws and carried it to Birdflight.
"Look!" She mewed through muffled prey.
"A fish?" Birdflight looked in shock. Just then Tigerpaw came up behind her with a vole.
"Really Shiftingpaw? A fish? That's one of the first things you caught. Lovely." 
Shiftingpaw dropped the fish and hissed with anger. "It's not my fault I can catch fish and you can't!" Tigerpaw hissed in fury and leaped onto her. Shiftingpaw felt the wind knock out of her. She gasped for breath. 
"Help!" She breathed. Suddenly a piercing pain shot at her through her ear. She kicked up with her hind legs and threw Tigerpaw off. 
"Enough!" Birdflight yowled with fury. "Cats of the same Clan do not fight amongst each other! Get your prey and we shall go back to camp. I'd like to see what Crimsonstar will do when he hears about this."
Chapter 6 
Shiftingpaw slowly entered Crimsonstar's den, with Tigerpaw beside her. Her bared his teeth back at her, and Shiftingpaw hissed. Why was Tigerpaw ever her friend? She despised him. Birdflight was behind them. Crimsonstar was chewing on a bird in his hollow. "Yes?"
"These apprentices started fighting over a silly catch of prey." Birdflight growled.
"It was just a fish!" Shiftingpaw burst out. Crimsonstar's yellow eyes glared at hers. "Tell me the story. I will get both of your sides. Tigerpaw, you first."
"Well," Tigerpaw started with a smirk. "Shiftingpaw caught a fish like a little RippleClan cat. She knows ScratchClan cats don't eat fish." 
"But-" Shiftingpaw started to protest. It's not my fault everyone hates my way of hunting. She thought bitterly. Tigerpaw kept talking. "And, I had enough of her nonsense, so I leaped on her. But it's not like I hurt her, my claws were sheathed!" 
"You bit my ear!" Shiftingpaw screeched. 
"You kicked me off!" Tigerpaw yowled! 
"Well I guess you don't like a new way of hunting, you want our Clan to starve!" 
"Do not!" Tigerpaw hissed. 
"Enough!" Crimsonstar glared at both of them. "You will be cleaning out the nursery for a quarter moon, both of you."
"Fine.." Tigerpaw grumbled. He stomped out of the den to the nursery. 
Shiftingpaw hissed. She did not want to work with Tigerpaw.
----
It had been a quarter moon. Shiftingpaw could finally rest, and hunt, and patrol. She went to the apprentice den to find Scarletpaw stretching. "Hi, Shiftingpaw!" She mewed. 
"You seem happy." Shiftingpaw mumbled. 
"Tigerpaw caught me a mouse!" Scarletpaw beamed. "Just for me!"
"That's breaking the warrior code." Shiftingpaw hissed. 
"Whatever." Scarletpaw snapped. 
"Can't you catch your own prey?" Shiftingpaw growled. "Or are you such a kittypet you have to have brats like Tigerpaw do it for you?" 
Scarletpaw's ginger pelt bristled and she hissed and walked out of the den. Shiftingpaw stared after her with fury.  At least I get rest. She thought. She curled up into her nest and a dream crashed over her.
Shiftingpaw looked around. She knew where she was. She knew exactly why she was here. She heard the brushing of leaves, and saw Tigerstar. His tabby pelt almost looked like it was going to dissapear any moment. She stared at him with icy blue eyes.
"Greetings, Shiftingpaw." He meowed. "It has been long since we met. Shall we work on battle moves?"
"Umm.." Shiftingpaw shifted her paws. "Will we learn how to hunt?" 
"Of course not!" Tigerstar snapped. "There is no prey here! We don't need prey!" 
"Oh.. sorry." 
"Okay," Tigerstar meowed. "Leap at me and try to scratch me. Anywhere."
"But.. what if I hurt you?" She mewed worryingly. 
"Ha! With an apprentice like you, with useless training, I think you'll barley touch me!" 
"Oh.. okay." Shiftingpaw meowed and positioned in a crouch. She was aiming for the flank. She fixed her eyes and Tigerpaw's tabby belly. She leaped and unsheathed her claws. Tigerstar looked at her and leaped out of the way.
"You must be faster!" He snapped. "And try to focus on something else, so your opponent won't know!"
"Okay.." Shiftingpaw meowed. 
"Now, I will try to aim for you, and you must dodge my attack."
"What if I get hurt?" Shiftingpaw's eyes stretched wide.
"Then you will know what you're up against." Tigerstar hissed. "Now get ready!" 
Shiftingpaw stared at him for a heartbeat until he leaped at her and scratched her flank. Shiftingpaw yowled in pain and fell to the ground. "Pathectic!" He growled. "You're weak!" 
"But you were so fast!" She meowed through pain. Suddenly Tigerstar slowly faded away and she was back in her nest. The pain was still there. Shiftingpaw winced and looked over at her wound. It was huge. She licked it and thought. Can Tigerstar hurt cats more than this?
Chapter 7 
Shiftingpaw stared across at the fresh-kill pile. It had been two moons since she went to visit Tigerstar, and her wound healed up. She lied to Blazingfire and said it was probably a thorn in her moss bed, and Blazingfire believed her. Her siblings assesments were today. Their final assesments. Which meant they were going to be warriors if they passed. Shiftingpaw felt a pang of envy, and she took a mouse from the fresh-kill pile. 
She saw Scarletpaw, Fallenpaw, and Darkpaw walk out of the entrance with their mentors, and her neck fur bristled. It was also Lightkit's apprentice ceremony today. Lovely. Crimsonstar called the meeting, and Lightkit padded up to Shiftingpaw. "Isn't this great? We'll be in the same den together!" She mewed happily.
"I thought you were afraid of me." Shiftingstar spat at her. Lightkit looked at her, her eyes wide, and padded away. 
"I thought so." Shiftingpaw murmured bitterly. 
She looked up at her father, and realized her neck fur was sill bristling. She let it calm down, and she glanced from Lightkit to her father. Crimsonstar started speaking. "I look down on this kit, whom is now six moons old, and congratulate her to become an apprentice of ScratchClan. She deverses this, and StarClan, I wish for you to guide her along her path to her destiny, along with her mentor. From this day forth, before you earn your warrior name, Lightkit, you will now be known as Lightpaw." Shiftingpaw twitched her nose. When is going to be my warrior ceremony? Once my siblings come back, they'll have their warrior ceremony.
"Whitecloud," Crimsonstar went on. "You will be the mentor of Lightpaw. StarClan honours your kindness and courage, and I would like you to pass that down to Lightpaw."
Whitecloud dipped her head and touched noses with Lightpaw. Everyone started cheering. "Lightpaw! Lightpaw!" Shiftingpaw didn't cheer. Out of the corner of her winter eyes, she saw a glimpse of Fallenpaw, Scarletpaw, and Darkpaw come back from their assesments, huge amounts of fresh-kill in their jaws. Behind them followed their mentors, who rushed over to Crimsonstar to talk.
"Hey Shiftingpaw." Darkpaw meowed. "I can't wait to become warriors!"
"Yeah.." Shiftingpaw meowed bitterly.
"I can't wait for you to become a warrior, too." Darkpaw meowed. "Then we'll share the same den!"
"Thanks for trying to make me happy." Shiftingpaw hissed. "It really helped."
Darkpaw glared at her, and padded after Scarletpaw, who hissed. Shiftingpaw growled at her. She saw Scarletpaw walk over to Tigerpaw, and they started sharing tongues. Shiftingpaw gaged. She silently hissed in envy. Suddenly, she heard Brambleheart's voice. 
"Do you want to go training with Tigerpaw and his mentor?" He meowed. "You will have a battle assement against each other." 
Shiftingpaw suddenly had an idea pop in her head. I can beat Tigerpaw against battle, then everyone there will be so impressed! She smirked. "Okay, let's go."
----
Tigerpaw was winning. He had pinned Shiftingpaw down, rage pushing through him when Shiftingpaw took a blow at his muzzle. Shiftingpaw struggled to get up. She twisted and turned, but Tigerpaw kept her down.
"Not so strong now, huh?" Tigerpaw snarled. 
"Let go of me!" Shiftingpaw yowled and violently kicked Tigerpaw off. He banged against a tree, and yowled in pain. Splinters were stuck in his tabby fur, and his eyes glazed with pain and fury. Their mentors stood by, and Brambleheart padded over. 
"Are you okay?" He nudged Tigerpaw. Tigerpaw groaned. Brambleheart glared at Shiftingpaw. "You know you can't seriously hurt others in a practice fight."
"But he dug his claws into my skin!" She protested, trying to sound weak and pained.
"You did worse." Brambleheart growled. Just then, Tigerpaw got up. "I'm fine." He meowed. "Now let's finish this."
He leaped at Shiftingpaw, but she dodged and scratched his flank. "Too slow." She boasted. Tigerpaw hissed and bit her tail. Shiftingpaw screeched in pain, and blood slowly dripped from her slate tassel. She bared her teeth and bit Tigerpaw's hind leg, then flinged him across the dusty hollow. Shiftingpaw smirked when he could hardly stand up.
She put her paw on Tigerpaw's belly. "Say I won." She snarled. 
"Fine!" Tigerpaw yowled breathlessly. "You won!" 
Shiftingpaw smirked. She suddenly stared at the two senior warriors and gulped. They just stared at her with blank, emotionless eyes. 
"Good job." Brambleheart grunted and brushed past her back to camp. Tigerpaw's mentor went past her without saying anything, and Tigerpaw just hissed and limped after them. Shiftingpaw stood there, frozen. Alone.
What have I done?
Chapter 8
When she got back, Shiftingpaw was greeted by her siblings. "Guess what?" Darkpaw meowed eagerly.
"What?" Shiftingpaw asked, but she already knew. 
"We're warriors!" Scarletpaw answered. 
"That's just great." Shiftingpaw hissed. Her littermates kept going on.
"I'm now Darkwing." Darkpaw, now Darkwing meowed. "And Scarletpaw is now Scarletclaw, and Fallenpaw is now Fallenoak!" 
"Aren't you supposed to not talk the day you become warriors? And aren't you supposed to guard camp?" Shiftingpaw retorted.
"Oh.. right." Fallenoak meowed. "You won't tell anyone?"
"I can't promise anything."  Shiftingpaw bared her teeth.
Fallenoak looked shocked, he just beckoned his siblings to the camp entrance, and Shiftingpaw was again, alone. She hissed to herself in fury and stomped to the apprentice den, where she found an apprentice she didn't know very well, Hazelpaw. She was the oldest apprentice, she should have been a warrior sooner, but she broke her leg while tripping on a log. She slowly stretched her right leg, and licked her glossy blue fur.
"Hi, Hazelpaw." Shiftingpaw tried to be as nice as she could. Hazelpaw was the only friend of hers that didn't make fun of her, nor hasn't seen her bad side, and Shiftingpaw wanted to keep it that way. 
"Hi, Shiftingpaw." Hazelpaw meowed calmly. "I heard Daiypelt's kits are being born today."
"Cool." Shiftingpaw said casually. 
"You know Daisypelt is my sister, right?" Hazelpaw mewed.
"Oh, uh.. yeah." Shiftingpaw lied. Why do I care?
Hazelpaw nodded and went back to her licking. Suddenly, Shiftingpaw heard a yowl from their medicine cat, Blazingfire. "Snowpaw! The kits are coming!" 
Shiftingpaw peeked outside the apprentice den to see Snowpaw rushing to the nursery. Shiftingpaw decided to follow her. Rowantail was waiting outside anxiously, and Shiftingpaw could tell Rowantail was the going to be the future father of these kits. 
"Two are coming." Blazingfire meowed. "Snowpaw, I need poppy seeds." 
Snowpaw was ready. She picked up the poppy seeds in her jaws and dropped them in front of Blazingfire. Shiftingpaw peeked in to see Daisypelt wheezing. She looked up at Blazingfire anxiously.
"Okay, Daisypelt. Eat these." Blazingfire meowed calmly, her orange pelt flashing. Daisypelt licked them, then ate the poppy seeds. She gulped them up, but her breathing was still shallow. 
"The first one is coming!" Snowpaw announced, probably so Rowantail could hear. Shiftingpaw looked closer, and soon enough, a tabby she-kit came out of Daisypelt. Snowpaw suddenly glanced at Shiftingpaw, then meowed anxiously. "Lick this kit!" 
Shiftingpaw rushed in and started licking the kit the wrong way to keep it warmer, soon enough, the second kit came, a gray and black tortiseshell. Rowantail came in and started licking the second kit.
"They're beautiful." Daisypelt whispered. She nudged the kits closer, and they started drinking milk from her belly.
"What are their names?" Shiftingpaw asked quietly. 
"Hmmm.." Daisypelt started. "How about you name her, Rowantail? The tabby one" Rowantail dipped his head, but he still looked a bit shocked. He hesitated, then meowed. "How about.. Talonkit?" Rowantail asked, as if it were Daisypelt's decision. "That's a lovely name." Daisypelt purred her approval. "I think the other one should be Dovekit." She decided. 
Shiftingpaw stared at the kits for a moment, then thought. I wonder if I'll have any kits of my own..
Chapter 9
Shiftingpaw licked her chest fur as her mentor padded up to her, his tabby pelt shimmering in the brisk fall day. Shiftingpaw looked up. "Hello, Brambleheart."
"Hello, Shiftingpaw." Brambleheart started. "I believe it is time for your assesment?" 
"Really?" Shiftingpaw jumped up. It had been a moon since her littermates had become warriors, and she wanted to become a warrior as soon as possible. "What about Tigerpaw? Isn't he older than me?"
"Well," The tabby warrior started. "You have done outstanding work this past moon, and Crimsonstar thinks it is time for your last assesment."
"Great!" Shiftingpaw bounced happily. "When are we doing it?"
"Whenever your ready." Brambleheart exclaimed.
Happiness surged inside her. "I'm ready now!" She could see a glint of amusement in Brambleheart's amber eyes, and flicked her tail with happiness.
"Okay, I'll call Tigerpaw and his mentor over." Brambleheart retorted. "Tigerpaw!" 
Tigerpaw rushed over. "What?"
Brambleheart looked at him. "Get your mentor. You're having your last assesment."
"Really?" Tigerpaw's amber eyes widened with excitement. "When?"
"Whenever your ready." Brambleheart answered him. "Shiftingpaw is already." He broke out a mroww of laughter.
"I'm ready." Tigerpaw meowed quickly. "Let's go!"
----
A vole scuffled under a leaf, and Shiftingpaw crouched low, the tall grass hiding her slate pelt. She creeped over, and pounced. The vole shreiked, but Shiftingpaw was too fast, and she bit it's neck. Shiftingpaw purred over her kill, and scraped dirt over it to pick up later. I wonder if Brambleheart saw that.
Just then, and idea popped in her head. I'll catch fish!
Shiftingpaw looked around, and sniffed a patrol near the stream. When she was persuaded no one was around except Brambleheart, she padded over to the stream. Waves crashed softly over slate rocks, and Shiftingpaw's whiskers trembled when she realized how deep the water was.
With a steady paw, Shiftingpaw unsheathed her claws, and lifted her right paw up. She didn't let her shadow fall over the water. Suddenly, a fish swam by the shore, and Shiftingpaw's paw scooped in, and she hooked her claw on the fish's scaly body. Shiftingpaw looked around and saw a flash of tabby fur, and purred.
He saw me catch it.
At that moment, a cat padded behind her. "What are you doing?" They hissed.
Shiftingpaw widly spun around to see Tigerpaw standing there. "Hunting." She answered, as calm as she could.
"You know ScratchClan cats don't hunt that disgusting excuse for prey."
"But-"
"You know I'm a better hunter than  you, I'm overall a better apprentice, and I will be a better warrior!" Tigerpaw snarled.
"You're just jealous!" Shiftingpaw spat.
"Am I?" Tigerpaw grimaced. "You know I'm better than you at fighting." 
"Am not!" Shiftingpaw yowled. "I won that fight against you!" 
"No.." Tigerpaw started. "I made you win."
"What do you mean?" Shiftingpaw stammered.
Tigerpaw gulped. "I didn't want to hurt you that much, but I still had to show my mentor I was worthy of becoming a warrior."
"Why didn't you want to hurt me?" Shiftingpaw asked. "We always quarrel."
"Exactly." Tigerpaw meowed. "I don't want to quarrel with you."
"Then why did you start a quarrel?" Shiftingpaw hissed. "And of course you even like me a bit, you're always hanging out with Scarletclaw."
"It's not like that.."
"I had enough." Shiftingpaw spat and hurried away with her fish. She looked back to see Tigerpaw's tail drooping, and realized she made a mistake. He just wanted to be friends, and to stop fighting. A pang of sympathy hit her chest, then she thought. Then why did he start a quarrel? This is so confusing!
Just then, Brambleheart jumped from a tree branch, making Shiftingpaw jump. "Time's up." He meowed. "Let's go back to camp." 
"I need to get my other prey." Shiftingpaw meowed to him, and he nodded. She rushed over to pick up the prey she got: a vole, a fish, and two squirrels. Not bad. She thought. Shiftingpaw then pelted over and followed Tigerpaw's scent, then saw him carrying a mouse and two squirrels. "Hey.." She started. 
"What do you want?" Tigerpaw hissed. "You obviously don't consider me a friend." 
"Yes I do. I'm sorry." Shiftingpaw breathed. 
Tigerpaw hesitated, then meowed. "I forgive you. And I'm sorry too, for everything."
Shiftingpaw purred. She then asked, "What is it with you and Scarletclaw?"
"Well.." Tigerpaw shifted his paws. "I think she likes me."
"Really?" Shiftingpaw joked. "I never knew."
Tigerpaw let out a mroww of laughter.
"Do you like her back?"
Tigerpaw froze. He turned to Shiftingpaw, then meowed. "As a friend, but I have some other cat in mind."
"Who is that?" Shiftingpaw tilted her head. 
"I can't tell you that." Tigerpaw mewed. "You wouldn't believe me. Come on, let's go back to camp."
As Tigerpaw and Shiftingpaw padded back to camp, Shiftingpaw cherished every step she took.
Chapter 10
When Shiftingpaw padded into camp, light filled her heart when she saw Crimsonstar jump down from the Tallrock. 
"Are we earning our names?" Tigerpaw meowed excitedly, with a glance at Shiftingpaw. Crimsonstar nodded, and Shiftingpaw's tail curled with delight. 
"May all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Tallrock for a Clan meeting." His low voice rang through camp. His ebony pelt shined, and Shiftingpaw's slate pelt quivered with excitement. 
"I, Crimsonstar, leader of ScratchClan, call upon my warrior ansectors to look down on these two apprentices. They have trained hard and learned the ways of their noble code, and I wish to make them warriors in their return."
Shiftingpaw's gray pelt bristled with excitement, and Tigerpaw's tail curled with delight.
"Shiftingpaw and Tigerpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and protect your Clan, even with your life?"
"I do." Tigerpaw meowed.
"I do." Shiftingpaw breathed.
"Then from this day forth, Tigerpaw, you will know be known as Tigerstripe," Crimsonstar began.
"And Shiftingpaw, you will know be known as Shiftingearth."
Shiftingearth dipped her head, but she wanted to screech inside. This was her time. She had wanted this moment forever, and now she has it. 
"You will hold a silent vigil tonight and guard the camp." 
Tigerstripe dipped his head and brushed his tabby fur against Shiftingearth's. Shiftingearth's pelt became hot with embarassment when some of her Clanmates saw Tigerstripe do that. She padded after him and they stood at the entrance of the camp.
"I never realized how late it is." He whispered. 
"Yeah," Shiftingearth mewed, then hesitated. "We aren't supposed to talk, remember!"
"Oh come on," Tigerstripe smirked. "I can't help it. You won't tell Crimsonstar though, will you?" 
"No." Shiftingearth promised. Then she smiled. "I won't."
Tigerstripe smiled back, and they both kept watch. Soon enough, it was the middle of the night, and Tigerstripe glanced at Shiftingearth with illuminating yellow eyes.  He turned to her. "Can I tell you a secret?" He asked.
"What secret?" 
"You promise you won't tell a soul?" The young tabby asked. 
"I promise." Shiftingearth vowed. 
"Okay.." Tigerstripe started. "I.." 
"Go on." Shiftingearth whispered. 
"I like you."
Shiftingearth stared at him with surprise. 
"Why do we always fight then?"
"Well," Tigerstripe started. "I didn't want other cats to know I liked you."
"I see." 
"I bet you don't like me back.." The young warrior shook his head miserably.
She stared at him for a moment. "I do."
Chapter 11
It was dawn. Shiftingearth felt exhausted. She wanted to plop down in a nest in her new den. The sun blazed hotly, making it seem like Shiftingearth's pelt was burning off. Just then, a gust of wind made her knock herself off her paws. Wind blew at her gray fur so strongly she could barley stand up. The other cats noticed too, calling each other's names when blown to the ground and gasping for breath.
"What's going on?" Darkwing yowled. The wind blew against his ebony face, making him struggle to keep standing. Shiftingearth caught a glimpse of Tigerstripe struggling to stand, his claws dug hard into the ground. The wind was so strong it made Shiftingearth's eyes water. Tigerstripe saw her and pelted over, letting her lean against his shoulder. 
"We must find shelter!" Birdflight screeched. 
"I know!" Fallenoak called out. "The Cave!" 
"Where the Gathering is?" Darkwing asked. 
"Yes."
"If we are to go to The Cave, we must tell the other Clans." Birdflight decided. "They must be in the same trouble right now." 
"Whose going?" A queen asked softly, her claws dug into the ground, and her kits at her tail.
"Shiftingearth and Scarletclaw." Birdflight answered. "Go all to the Clans camps and tell them where we are heading."
Shiftingearth nodded. What if I don't come back?
Tigerstripe nudged her. "You'll be okay." He whispered gently in her ear. "I believe in you."
Shiftingearth nodded sadly. She followed her orange littermate out of camp, slowly walking so she wouldn't get blown away. BreezeClan first.
"Scarletclaw." Shiftingearth looked into her sister's yellow eyes. "BreezeClan territory is going to be the hardest, you know that?"
"Yes." Scarletpaw breathed deeply. "Because it's such wide open space, it will be hard for us to stand with so much wind." 
"Which is exactly why they need our help." Shiftingearth answered. "They're probably suffering the most." Scarletclaw nodded, her claws extracting when she hopped onto their territory. They ran through the long grass, still trying to keep balance from the gusting breeze. When the two sisters finally reached camp, they saw a small kit get flown up in the air, then she dropped dramatically. 
"Are you okay?" Shiftingearth screeched. 
The kit stared at her wide-eyed. "ScratchClan!" She squeaked. "They're attacking!"
"No, it's not like-"
Suddenly, a muscular feline nudged up to them, wind blowing at his face. "Is that true, Gorgekit?"
"I think so." Gorgekit answered. She glanced up at Shiftingearth and Scarletclaw. 
Shiftingearth looked shocked. "No! We want to help you! The same thing is happening to us, Yarrowstar!"
"I see." Yarrowstar nodded, wind rustling his obsidian pelt. "How can we believe you?"
"Fine." Scarletclaw meowed through gritted teeth. "Do you scent any other ScratchClan cats?" She declared. 
"Of course we don't!" A warrior yowled. "The wind is so harsh we can barley smell anything!"
"You have to believe us!" Shiftingearth yowled. "You'll die here!" Yarrowstar lashed his ebony tail. "And where might you be taking us?" 
"The Cave." Scarletclaw replied. "It will be safe there." 
Yarrowstar hesitated for a moment then answered. "Fine. The Cave isn't that far from our camp."
"Okay." Shiftingearth exclaimed. "You and your Clan travel there, and we will get the other Clans." 
Yarrowstar stared at her. "I insist to other warriors from BreezeClan come with you. It would be more help." Scarletclaw and Shiftingearth exchanged glances, then nodded. "If you intend to, I do not challenge you." Scarletclaw meowed. "Two more cats would really help." 
"Okay." Yarrowstar declared. "Lionclaw and Deerfoot. You will go with them." Lionclaw's yellow tail curled in excitement, when Deerfoot's black paws shook with worry. "Why me?" She whispered to herself.
"Okay." Shiftingearth meowed. "To RippleClan."
Chapter 12
Shiftingearth's paws were sticky with mud when they came to RippleClan territory. At least it's holding me down.  She thought bitterly. 
"Let's go!" Lionclaw meowed. He seemed like a young warrior, about Shiftingearth's age. She slowly trudged after him, her slate paws sinking deeper and deeper.  What's happening?  She wondered. 
"Come on, let's go!" Deerfoot meowed. "Why are you going so slow, ScratchClan cat?"
"My name is Shiftingearth." Shiftingearth corrected her fericously. She breathed. "And I'm stuck."
Scarletclaw burst out laughing and Shiftingearth gave her a glare and hissed. "How would you like it if you were stuck down here with me!"
Lionclaw smirked. "Alright," He mewed playfully. "Yank up your paws." Shiftingearth sighed and yanked up her right leg. She held it up as she yanked out another one, and soon enough all of her paws were out. As they went on, Shiftingearth could smell something. RippleClan!
"RippleClan!" Shiftingearth hissed. "Why are they patrolling?"
"Because the wind is less of a threat to them." Scarletclaw replied as-a-matter-of-factly. 
"Well, they're going to notice us!"
"Then we can ask them to take us to Lightstar!" Lionclaw put in.
"Right.." Shiftingearth murmured.
Deerfoot yowled at the top of her lungs to get their attention, and three cats raced over. RippleClan scent reaked their pelt. One of them was a burnt sienna tom, with a huge scar on his muzzle. He growled. "What are you doing on RippleClan territory?"
Shiftingearth shifted her paws. "We need to speak to your leader." 
"Oh really?" A crimson apprentice hissed. "Why is that?"
"Why would it be your buisness?" Shiftingearth snarled. "You're just an apprentice."
"You seem like an apprentice too." He growled.
"I'll have you know I'm a warrior." Shiftingearth lashed her sere tail at his obnoxiousness. 
"This is not the time for arguing, Sparrowpaw." A white she-cat put in, her azure eyes sparkling.
Scarletclaw dipped her head. "Can we speak to Bluestar now?" 
"Of course." The snow feline meowed than glared at Sparrowpaw when he let out a menacing hiss.  Shiftingearth sighed and padded after them. Deerfoot turned to her and whispered in her gray ear. "Why are RippleClan cats even patrolling? Do they even know what's going on?"
Shiftingearth agreed. "I don't know." She answered. "Maybe the storm isn't affecting them." She stared behind her. Wind swirled, making trees swish back and forth, almost toppling over. Rain crashed from the slate clouds above them. How could it not?
When they arrived in RippleClan camp, Shiftingearth looked around. Some cats were looking at the BreezeClan and ScratchClan cats with puzzled looks, while others glared at them and growled. Sparrowpaw padded over and murmured something in another apprentice's ear, and they both then bared their teeth at the four cats. 
Why does RippleClan have to be so aggresive?  She wondered bitterly.  The white RippleClan warrior pelted into a small fern den, and out came a blueish-grayish muscular she-cat with a slick, glossy pelt. Her winter eyes fixed on the patrol. "Why have you trespassed on RippleClan territory?" 
"Trespassed?" Shiftingearth spat in fury. What has the white warrior told Bluestar?
"Look," Scarletclaw began. "There is a strange storm, and we are going to The Cave. If you do not come with us, all of you will die." A kit gasped and his mother wrapped a gray tail around him comfortably. 
"How dare you spread such rumors!" Bluestar hissed at Scarletclaw.
Lionclaw stared at Bluestar impatiently. "She's telling the truth." 
Bluestar turned her ferocious blue gaze on the BreezeClan cat. "Prove it." Deerfoot yowled in fury. "We don't have to! Look at the wind, if you stay here longer, you'll die!"
"Well, it is not affecting us." Bluestar spat. "RippleClan shall stay here."
Shiftingearth gasped. "And let the other Clans perish?" Deerfoot murmured something in Scarletclaw's ear, and Scarletclaw nodded bitterly.  Bluestar seemed taken aback by what Shiftingearth said, and she meowed. "Fine, we shall get ready. And I will bring two of my warriors with your patrol too." 
Shiftingearth nodded an approval, then Bluestar called out. "Graysky!" A she-cat popped her head out from the warriors den, her yellow eyes shimmering. "Yes, Bluestar?" 
"You will be going on a special patrol with these other cats." Bluestar flicked her tail towards the four cats.  Graysky stared at them. "ScratchClan and BreezeClan cats?" She spat. "Are you kidding me?" 
Lionclaw sighed. "Think of it as the Great Journey in the Ancient times."
Graysky brightened up. Bluestar called another name.  "Rainshadow!" A gray tom with hazel eyes looked up his head from the fresh-kill pile. He padded over. 
"You will join this patrol." Bluestar told him. Rainshadow nodded. "Okay. Sounds fun." 
"Off you go then." Bluestar meowed.  As Shiftingearth was walking out of the ditch used as the RippleClan camp, she overheard Sparrowpaw whisper to another apprentice: "I didn't want to go with those other Clan mange-pelts anyway."  
Shiftingearth growled. How dare he say that?
"Alright." Rainshadow meowed. "To ShadowClan camp?"
Chapter 13
Shiftingearth padded through the dense forest of NightClan territory. I can't believe we're going straight to their camp without permission. She thought. How does Lionclaw even know wher their camp is? She narrowed her eyes at the golden BreezeClan warrior. 
Lionclaw looked perfectly still, leading the way to NightClan camp. Deerfoot sighed. "Any longer?" She asked. 
"We're almost there." Lionclaw sniffed the air. Pine trees surrounded them, as if closing the patrol in. As they got closer, the stench of NightClan became stronger, and they finally found themselves at a mountain, a hole digged through. 
"Wait.." Scarletclaw meowed. "NightClan cats live in caves?" 
"Mhmm." Lionclaw shrugged. "I have no idea how they handle such a cramped space." Rainshadow and Graysky were silent. They've probably never been here before.
Suddenly, two cats popped out. One was a dark tabby tom with a scarred ear, and another was a sand coloured tabby she-cat with light amber eyes. "Intruders!" The tom yowled. "Sandtail, stay behind me!" 
The she-cat hissed and called out a name. "Shadystar!" 
A gray tom with blacks stripes rushed out and stared at the six cats. "Hide the kits!" He yowled. 
"No, wait!" Deerfoot stopped him. "We just need to speak to you." Shadystar tilted his head. "Alright.. What is it?"
"Have you been suffering from the storm?" Shiftingearth asked him politely.
"We're fine!" Shadystar said proudly. "Only one tree fell."
"Well more will fall if you stay here!" Scarletclaw mewed urgently. "You must come with us to The Cave. It will be safe there."
"How can we trust you?" The tabby tom snarled, but Shadystar flicked his tail for silence. "I believe you. No cat would go through all of this just to steal our territory. Plus, Crimsonstar would not something like that."
The tomcat's tail lashed with frustration, but he was smart enough to stay silent. 
"I'd reccomend you tell your Clan you are leaving temporarily." Deerfoot told Shadystar. 
Shadystar nodded and turned into the cave, calling out orders. NightClan grouped together quickly, the queens carrying their kits, and the deputy giving orders. "Warriors and apprentices will catch prey on the way, but once we cross another Clan's territory, you will not be tolerated to do so." Shadystar told them.
The warriors and apprentices nodded, and NightClan and the patrol set out to the huge mountain in BreezeClan territory.
As they trotted through BreezeClan territory, Shiftingearth caught a glimpse of RippleClan pushing through the fierce wind. All of the cats in NightClan, including the patrol, were digging their claws in the grass so the weren't knocked over by the strong wind. 
I can see the mountain. She thought. It seems so big! I've only been to a Gathering once.
Shiftingearth pushed herself against the wind and raced across the large prairie to the mountain. At the bottom was a huge hole. Shiftingearth stepped inside, and found herself smelling two Clans; BreezeClan and ScratchClan. Shiftingearth caught a glimpse of Fallenoak, Darkwing, and Tigerstripe together talking. There was a small pile of prey in the middle of the cave in case any cat got hungry.
Shiftingearth rushed over to her littermates and Tigerstripe. Tigerstripe saw her and purred, and Fallenoak jumped. "You're okay!"
Shiftingearth smirked. "You thought I wouldn't be?"
"Of course not!" Darkwing spoke for Fallenoak. "We had complete faith in you, isn't that right, Fallenoak?" He shoved his brother playfully. Shiftingearth smirked. She smelt RippleClan coming in, along with NightClan. Shadystar climbed up a huge slate rock and yowled out to overcome the noise, and then everything was silent.
Shadystar turned and whispered to Crimsonstar, who was already on the rock. He nodded, then flicked his black ears and spoke. "The Gathering is tomorrow, so we will all sleep here and wait, and at night tomorrow the Gathering will begin."
Yowls of protest came from the Clan cats then one RippleClan cat shouted. "On the cold hard stone? What kind of idea is that? Letting us freeze to death?"
Crimsonstar shook his head. "Of course not. If any cats would like to volunteer to collect moss, that would be great." Scarletclaw held her orange head up high. "I would like to collect moss!"
Competition flared in Shiftingearth's eyes. "I would like to collect moss too!"
Tigerstripe shrugged. "I'll go too." 
More and more cats started volunteering to collect moss, but Yarrowstar had made a rule that only apprentices over eight moons and warriors could go. I agree with that. Shiftingearth agreed with him in her mind. Shiftingearth trotted over to Scarletclaw. "Whoever collects more moss wins." She smirked.
"You're on." Scarletclaw bared her teeth playfully. "Hey, Tigerstripe, want to go collect moss together?" Shiftingearth's eyes blazed with fury, and Tigerstripe stiffly turned around, hot with embarassment.
"Well?" Scarletclaw mewed impatiently. "Do you want to go with me or not?"
Tigerstripe froze. "Uhh..." He stammered.
"Are you just trying to flirt with him, like always?" Shiftingearth bursted out, her gray ears flat.
Scarletclaw growled. "Why do you care?" 
"Well I'll have you know he has no feelings for you whatsoever!" Shiftingearth yelled. Tigerstripe seemed extremely embarassed at their bickering over him, and Shiftingearth could feel a stab of sympathy and awkwardness in her heart.
"How do you know!" Scarletclaw spat. Shiftingearth hesitated, then yowled as loud as she could. "Because he told me so!"
Tigerstripe's eyes went wide and Scarletclaw stared at him, sorrow in her yellow eyes. "Is that true?" She cried. "Did you tell her that?"
Tigerstripe stared at Scarletclaw awkwardly. "Uhm.. I think of you as a friend, that's all. Please don't be mad..." Scarletclaw stared at him for a moment, then at Shiftingearth. Just then she burst out of the cave entrance into the cold, hard storm.
"No!" Shiftingearth screeched and pelted after her. As she raced outside, wind swirled around, almost knocking her off her feet. Rain crashed down hard on Shiftingearth's glossy pelt, making it soaked and ragged. She looked up and saw a tree starting to fall, then darted her blue eyes down to see Scarletclaw sobbing under it.
"Get out of the way!" Shiftingearth yowled in terror. But it was too late. The tree had crashed down on her littermate, making her scarlet body limp. Shiftingearth ran over to her, only to be knocked out into utter blackness.
Chapter 14
"Is she dead?" A voice asked.
"I'm not sure." Another voice admitted. "We know Scarletclaw is dead."
"Why did it have to be her?" Another voice wailed. "Why couldn't it be me?"
I'm alive though! Shiftingearth thought urgently. Are they even talking about me..?
She opened one eye to see Tigerstripe, and two cats she had never seen before. A black tom with yellow eyes, and a brown tom with white stripes.
"Who are you?" She demanded, opening her other eye, yet still so exhausted to get up.
The black tom looked tooken aback. Tigerstripe padded up to her. "It's me, Tigerstripe."
"I remember you." Shiftingearth mewed. "Who are those cats?" The ebony tom gasped, then stammered. "It's.. it's me.. Darkwing.. do.. don't you remember me?"
Shiftingearth shook her head. "No. I don't remember you."
"That's odd." The brown tom meowed. "I can see why they don't remember me, considering I'm from NightClan, but why her own littermate?"
"It's not fair!" Darkwing screeched. "Why doesn't my own sister remember me?" His eyes watered up. "I.. if my own littermate doesn't remember me, I quit ScratchClan!"
Tigerstripe gasped, and Shiftingearth held her mouth open. She hesitated. "It was my fault, wasn't it?" She meowed. Shiftingearth looked around her surrounding. A small den in the cave with herbs, and moss beds. She looked down to see she was lying on one. She closed her eyes with sorrow. "It's my fault Dark.. uh.. Darkwing.. left ScratchClan!"
"It's okay." Tigerstripe comforted her. "None of this is your fault."
"No!" Shiftingearth yowled. "Because of me, Scarletclaw died! Because of me, I don't know my own  brother, and he quit the Clan!"
Tigerstripe stared at her with loving eyes, then told her sternly. "It's not your fault. It was just the love of your sister taking over." Tears stung Shiftingearth's eyes. "But now she's dead!"
Tigerstripe closed his eyes and turned away, his tail drooping. Shiftingearth wanted to call him back, but no words could utter out of her mouth. She lay, silent, then slowly fell into a slumber, letting nightmarish dreams take over.
Chapter 15
Shiftingearth breathed deeply, letting the wind ruffle her fur. Four moons since Scarletclaw left her side, and Shiftingearth was depressed. Tigerstripe stood beside her, comforting her, as they both stayed in the clearing of their camp. Fallen trees everywhere, despair lingering in every spot Shiftingearth stepped in. 
She decided to go to the medicine den and visit Blazingfire. The orange she-cat gave Shiftingearth some thyme, then scrunched up her nose. "I smell milk." 
"So?" Shiftingearth stared at the medicine cat. 
"So," She started. "It's coming from you."
Shiftingearth glared at her. "I am not expecting." Am I?  Blazingfire scrunched up her nose. "You are. But you're about seven moons due. You can still hunt and fight for about four." 
Shiftingearth sighed. I can't believe I'm expecting kits. And with the mate I stole from my sister...  She soon realized it was Talonkit's and Dovekit's apprentice ceremony. Crimsonstar yowled aloud. "May all cats old enough to catch their own prey, join me beneath the Tallrock for a Clan meeting."  
Shiftingearth looked at the two enthusiastic kits and smiled at them. Talonkit's tail curled with delight and Dovekit jumped up and down. Daisytail tried to calm down the tortishells, but she was beaming with pride too.
"Talonkit and Dovekit have reached the age of six moons, so they are now old enough to become apprentices. Talonkit, you will know be known as Talonpaw." He turned to Shiftingearth's brother. "Fallenoak, you have shown intelligence and bravery in the storm, so I wish for you to pass that down to Talonpaw. You will be her mentor." 
Fallenoak padded up to Talonpaw and licked her on the cheek. Talonpaw purred and smiled in excitement. 
"And Dovekit," Crimsonstar started. "From this day forth, before you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Dovepaw." He turned to Shiftingearth. She froze. "Shiftingearth," He began.
No, no no..  I cannot take on an apprentice now.  She pleaded in her head. "You have shown countless acts of bravery and sacrifice, espically to your loved ones. I would like you to pass on your skill to Dovepaw. You will be her mentor."  
Shiftingearth smiled sheepishly. This is not what I asked for!  She touched noses with the hyped apprentice.  Dovepaw looked at her mentor kindly, then scrunched up her nose. "I smell something weird." 
Shiftingearth rolled her eyes and sighed. "Let's go." She beckoned Dovepaw to the forest. "I'll teach you how to hunt."
----
It had been two moons. Shiftingearth thought that Dovepaw was a very skilled apprentice, especially at fighting. Shiftingearth watched her intently, while she was pinning down another apprentice.  Appleheart was telling the apprentice to flip over onto her, but Dovepaw leaped high in the air when she was being flipped, and then landed behind the apprentice, jumping and pinning them down once again. Shiftingearth stared at Dovepaw in surprise, and called the end of the session. "You were amazing!"
Dovepaw looked hot under her pelt. "Thanks."
They both trotted back to camp. Shiftingearth felt uncomfortable as she thought about her kits. I'm going to tell Tigerstripe today. She padded through camp, immediately saw him and raced up to him. "I have to tell you something." 
He was chewing on a mouse. "What is it?" She pulled him over. "I'm expecting."
Tigerstripe spit out his mouse. "Whose the father?" He widened his eyes and growled. 
Shiftingearth let out a mroww of amusment. "You are!" 
He stared at her for a second, then rasped. "You're serious?" Shiftingearth nodded. "I am serious." 
He smiled. 
Chapter in construction, sorry.
Category:Stories
Category:Cats