A New Enemy

This story is made by Maplesilver - Leaves are falling 01:17,12/19/2015, and is the first of the An Enemy Arisen arc.== Prologue ==
*Lightning streaked through the sky*, and a loud thunderclap followed it. The fighting cats stopped, and looked up at the sky.

*Oh, StarClan, is this Ragestar's fault?* wondered a ginger tabby tom with a white muzzle and paws. Then, a troop of starry cats came down from the stars.

"Ragestar!" yowled a black tom with the same white markings as the tabby tom. His voice was as loud as a thunderclap, and the end echoed. "Why are you doing this?"

"To gain more territory," Ragestar snarled. "The Clan is everything."

"That doesn't mean the other Clans have to die!" a golden tabby she-cat hissed. She had been a golden blur, zooming past all other cats only moments earlier. "The Clans should all be preserved. StarClan made the mistake of sending one Clan away before, and we will never do it again. As your punishment, I revoke you of your remaining nine lives, returning your original one. You are now Ragepaw, and I trust that Foxstorm will be a good mentor. Owlfeather will be your leader."

Suddenly, both Ragepaw and Owlfeather writhed in agony. Four lives swept themselves away from Ragepaw, and he was returned with his original life. Owlfeather's life was swept away, and nine flashes of white light in quick succession granted him his new rank. Owlstar rose. "Foxstorm, come forward," he yowled.

"Ragestar, you have been revoked to the rank of apprentice," Owlstar announced. "Until you re-earn your warrior name, you will be known as Ragepaw. Foxstorm, you have shown gentleness and the ability to think before acting. I trust that after dealing with Tigernose, you will be able to change Ragepaw's battle-hungry nature. Now, let us go back to our duties. Strikestar, I promise ShadowClan will leave you in peace for the next two Gatherings."

"Thank you, Owlstar," Strikestar replied. "But the real reason the battle was stopped was because of Thunderclapdusk and Lightningspeed."

"We were only willing," Lightningspeed answered. "I promise, Thunderclapdusk and I will always be here to protect our Clans from death and destruction. ShadowClan and ThunderClan must learn to live in peace." Lightningspeed and Thunderclapdusk disappeared into the shadows.

## Chapter One

Islandkit and Destinykit were best friends, but Destinykit knew her name gave her a destiny, one that she and Islandkit would never share.

Their mother, Shimmerheart, and Shimmerheart's 72-heartbeats-younger sister, Blazewave, were both queens in the nursery. Blazewave's kits, Pearlkit, Grasskit, and Rainbowkit, were a moon younger than Islandkit and Destinykit, and Islandkit and Destinykit were finally six moons old.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" called their leader, Strikestar.

"It's time for our apprentice ceremony!" Islandkit squealed. "Eeeeek!"

"Islandkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed," Strikestar called. Destinykit didn't mind always being last. She knew she was special. "From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Islandpaw. Your mentor will be Fireflyflicker. I hope Fireflyflicker will pass down all she knows to you. Fireflyflicker, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Tinywing, and you have shown yourself to be courageous and strong. You will be the mentor of Islandpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know on to Islandpaw. Destinykit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Destinypaw. Your mentor will be Dreamwhisper. I hope Dreamwhisper will pass down all she knows to you. Dreamwhisper, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Shimmerwave, and have shown yourself to be loyal and patient. You will be the mentor of Destinypaw, and I expect you to pass down all you know on to Destinypaw."

"Destinypaw, we'll be seeing part of the territory with Fireflyflicker and Islandpaw, and then we'll be returning to rest at sunhigh," Dreamwhisper announced.

"Why?" Destinypaw asked.

"You'll see," Dreamwhisper winked.

"Which way first?" Islandpaw asked.

"Well, we're going to be at peace with ShadowClan until tomorrow," Dreamwhisper answered. "So let's head there. We'll be stopping at a few other places on the way. Follow me."

"Wow...." Destinypaw gasped, gazing at awe at the huge tree standing before her. "It's the Great Sycamore."

"What do you smell?" Dreamwhisper asked.

"Snakes," Destinypaw answered. "Are we upwind of Snakerocks?"

"Quite right," Dreamwhisper answered. "The adders there are deadly. We'll be cutting a path around Snakerocks. It's a longer path, but Snakerocks is no place for new apprentices. We'll only be going a little while east."

## Chapter 2

*"The cats going to the* Gathering are..." Strikestar paused for effect. "Dreamwhisper, Destinypaw, Fireflyflicker, Islandpaw, Shimmerheart, Blossompetal, Berryfall, Smallember, Fireblaze, and Birdwing!"

Destinypaw gasped in pleasure.