Warrior cats: The Shadow of Thunderclan

### Brief Description:

Thunderclan greets two new apprentices. But shortly after warriors start dying and one has disappeared. Now the apprentices must protect their clan, no matter the cost.

### Prologue

*There was a shrill cry coming from the Thunderclan camp. The clan was under attack.*

~\*~ ~\*~ ~\*~

*Icepaw flung herself upon a Windclan warrior. She was hissing and scratching when there was a desperate yowl. She bit down hard into the Warrior's neck, and the tabby went screeching into the undergrowth.*

*When Icepaw arrived she found a motionless feline body lying on the ground - Silverdawn.*

*She stood there for a moment, looking from the body to her paws until she decided to carry Silverdawn's body back to camp. The apprentice was a brave cat, and one of Icepaw's few friends.*

 *~\*~ ~\*~ ~\*~*

*The camp was quiet. The only noise was the sound of moaning for those cats who had joined Starclan.*

*"So many - we were lucky." Meowed Nightstar. The leader was looking over her clan with dull eyes. She was injured badly in the leg, limping over to the medicine cat.*

~\*~ ~\*~ ~\*~

*Three moons passed since the battle against Windclan, and Icepaw was wandering through the woods. She was on the hunt, and she wanted to impress her fellow apprentices. She picked up a scent, mice. The she-cat crouched down, and - Pounced! The mouse squealed, but with one fateful bite, the creature's heart ceased it's beating.*

~\*~ ~\*~ ~\*~ ~\*~ ~\*~ ~\*~

## Chapter 1.

### The Beginning

Icepaw looked up, holding the mouse in her secure grip. She listened and searched her surroundings. Then she peered over her shoulder. A silver striped she-cat crept around a fence.

Icepaw growled - she didn't know if it was an intruder, a loner, a rouge or what - she couldn't take any chances.

After quickly burying her kill, the apprentice crouched down on her paws. The wind ruffled her fur, making it stand on end. She sneakily crept toward the cat, advancing. Then she froze, she was a small, young, and especially quick cat, she could take the cat on now.

Using every ounce of energy she could spare, Icepaw sprinted toward the she-cat, catching her by surprise. She lunged forward onto her opponent's back and slashed their side. Then - pinned them to the earth.

The cat lied there, no movement. Icepaw released the feline, thinking of Silverdawn's body lying limp in a similar way. She kept her eye on the body, and slowly backed away.

But this time, the other cat threw herself onto Icepaw, stunning her. Icepaw threw the opponent off, but they only charged her and caught her neck with their teeth.

The two cats were thrashing and biting and spitting violently for minutes until Icepaw had the silver cat cornered.

The cat stood there, trembling. She obviously wasn't used to being attacked.

"Who and what are you?" Icepaw meowed furiously.

"I'm Mittens! And I'm a cat, same as you!" The cat replied angrily.

"No, I mean *what are you!* An apprentice, warrior, rouge, loner, what!" Icepaw spat.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Mitten's hissed. "Wait - are you a clan cat?"

"Yes, I am. Sorry, are you a kittypet?"

"A what?" Mittens asked.

Icepaw sighed. "Owned by Two-legs."

"Oh! Yes... I am. But, I wasn't always."

Icepaw stared at the kitty-pet, Mittens. How'd she know she was called a clan cat? And what'd she mean by *"...I wasn't always,"*?

Icepaw explained why she attacked her. She told Mittens how Thunderclan had been attacked and were currently vulnerable. Mittens nodded and seemed to understand all of this.

"I see..." Mittens meowed after Icepaw finished.

"And, I'm sorry about Silverdawn," she added quietly.

Icepaw frowned at the mention of Silverdawn but was slightly uplifted to see someone cared.

"You're a good fighter, I'm one of Thunderclan's stronger apprentices," Icepaw told Mittens as they walked into the woods.

"Thanks. I mean, Mittens is my name, fighting is my game." She meowed.

Icepaw froze. "What'd you say?"

"I said-"

"Winterkit?" Icepaw interrupted blankly.

"Yes?" Mittens mewed.

"Winterkit would be known as Winterheart by now, Icepaw." Said a voice.

## Chapter 2.

### Clawkit's Mystery

Icepaw and Mittens turned around. They stared up at a ginger she-cat, whose shoulders were broad but her face was gentle.

"You might want to be careful, Icepaw." the ginger mewed.

"Sorry, Autumnstar," Icepaw mumbled.

"And who's this friend of yours?" 'Autumnstar meowed.

"Oh, Mittens. She's a kitty-pet."

"Yes, I saw your fight. You are both strong fighters." Autumnstar said. Mittens looked up from her paws.

"Really?" She asked. Autumnstar nodded with a purr."

Autumnstar's eyes flickered with amusement, in a way of confirmation.

Mittens smiled, (if that's possible for a cat to do so...), and looked at Icepaw. Icepaw looked back, equally pleased, but containing her excitement a tad bit more than her new friend. "Y'know, you're very familiar." Mittens said softly, her eyes darting from Icepaw's icy blue ones to Autumnstar's green pair.

"Yes, that's because you two grew up together." The leader told the young cats. The same cats who looked more puzzled by the minute. Mittens especially.

"Well, I should be going." She said. Icepaw looked at Mittens ruefully. "Why?" "Oh, well. My sister, Twilight, doesn't know where I am." She said, clearly trying to hide the sadness in her voice.

"Well, I'll see you soon." Icepaw mewed quietly in Mittens' ear. And with that, the apprentice and leader were off.

"Kitty-pets aren't what you should be troubling yourself with." Autumnstar meowed. Icepaw nodded. She solemnly padded to the apprentices' den. She was greeted by a grumpy Oakpaw, her least favorite apprentice. The grey tom stalked her, *"Where were you?"* He hissed angrily. "What? Did you miss me that bad?" Icepaw replied dully. Oakpaw backed. "No. Training wasn't going well. Rainheart was looking for you."

"Oh! Well... I should explain I was on hunting duty." "Don't worry! I explained." Came the soothing voice of Fernpaw. The brown and ginger tabby was Icepaw's favorite she-cat apprentice. "Thanks!"

Fernpaw nodded, "Anytime, Icepaw."

Icepaw began to think about Mittens. "Fern, do you remember Winterkit?" She asked. The apprentice turned to her, nodding.

"Yes, I do. I also remember her disappearance," her den-mate meowed. Icepaw narrowed her eyes, thinking Mittens. "I think - I think I just saw her."

## Chapter 3.

Fernpaw had gone off to visit the medicine cat den after she got a stomach ache, probably from eating too many mice.