Deathberries

## ***Prologue***

The wind rustled the tall, well over-grown grass. A brown blue eyed tabby dropped a small, but heavy looking stone onto a red sparkling berry sitting on the tree stump. The berry splattered. "Now, Nightpaw. This is a d*eathberry.* Avoid all red berries. For deathberries can kill a cat within mere minutes," she spoke, a rumbling as if remembering something dear to her. "They don't have an exact cure. But give cats yarrow, sometimes honey-covered yarrow, if they do happen to eat this poison."

"Alright. Yarrow. Got it," the small, grey and black she-cat next to the taller tabby meowed, understanding. In the distance she could hear the snoring of warriors, queens, and apprentices. The half moon shone high above the sky. "It's half moon!" She nearly shouted.

"Looks like it is. We shall not attend, we are at great war with VineClan and SandClan. Words spread that WaveClan has become weak. That is how you got your fractured paws. Remember, Silverclaw will be kitting soon."

## Allegiances

### **WaveClan**

Leader- Silverstar- A silver and black she-cat with green eyes.

Deputy- Troutsplash- A brown and black tabby tom with yellow eyes. Apprentice- Thistlepaw

Medicine Cat- Nightleaf- A small, grey and black she-cat with blue eyes.

#### *Warriors*

Snowflight- A pure white shecat with amber eyes. Apprentice- Ghostpaw

Blazingwing- An orange and brown molted tom with amber eyes. Apprentice- Cherrypaw

Goldenclaw- A golden-yellow she-cat with blue eyes.

Acornflight- A molted brown tabby tom with amber eyes. Apprentice- Stonepaw

Redglare- A reddish-orange she-cat with orange eyes. Apprentice- Thistlepaw

Rivercloud- A fluffy blue-grey she-cat with blue eyes.

Rosethicket- A reddish she-cat with orange eyes.

Dandelionblaze- An orange tom with yellow eyes.

Owltuft- A brown and white tom with blue eyes

Hickorypool- A brown tom with green eyes. Apprentice- Scarletpaw

#### *Apprentices*

Ghostpaw- A grey and white tom with blue eyes.

Cherrypaw- An orange she-cat with blue eyes.

Stonepaw- A solid grey tom with yellow eyes.

Thistlepaw- A brown she-cat with amber eyes.

Scarletpaw- a reddish she-cat with amber eyes.

#### *Queens*

Mistcreek- a smokey black she-cat with yellow eyes.

Robinflower- A reddish orange she-cat with amber eyes.

Rainclaw- A black tabby she-cat with yellow eyes.

#### *Elders*

Yellownose- A yellowish-orange tom with yellow eyes.

Berrysky- A reddish she-cat with green eyes.

Poppyflower- A blind golden she-cat with pale yellow eyes.

### **SandClan**

Leader- Scorchingstar- A blazing orange tom with fierce yellow eyes.

Deputy- Desertclaw- A pale brown tom with orange eyes.

Medicine Cat- Nettleberry- A brown she-cat with green eyes.

#### Warriors

Dunewhisker- A fluffy pale tom with amber eyes.

Brownnight- An all brown tom with amber eyes. Apprentice- Droughtpaw

Brightskip- A bright brown she-cat with green eyes.

Gravelspot- A molted brown and grey tom with green eyes. Apprentice- Mudpaw

Adderhawk- A pale brown she-cat with yellow eyes.

Duskrunner- A pale brown and dark brown molted tom with yellow eyes. Apprentice- Steampaw

Flamingmist- A bright orange she-cat.

Bumblestripe- An orange very distinct tabby she-cat with yellow eyes.

Salamanderstep- A molted orange tabby she-cat with amber eyes.

#### Apprentices

Droughtpaw- A molted brown tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

Mudpaw- A dark brown tom with amber eyes.

Steampaw- A grey-brown she-cat with green eyes.

#### Queens

Solarflower- A yellow-orange she-cat with yellow eyes.

Amberspot- A molted orange she-cat with amber eyes.

#### Elders

Lightpath- A bright pale yellow she-cat with blue eyes.

### **VineClan**

Leader- Ivystar- A grey molted tabby she-cat with green eyes.

Deputy- Lionfang- A golden-brown tom with amber eyes.

Medicine Cat- Webfoot- A silvery white she-cat with blue eyes.

#### Warriors

Pinefoot- A dark grey tom with green eyes.

Snowheart- A pure white she-cat with blue eyes.

## ***Chapter 1***

An all black she-kit with blue eyes bounced out of the nursery. "Hey Maplekit! I want to be leader!"

"Alright Ravenkit! As long as I am deputy!"

"Wait for me! I'll be the Medicine Cat!"

"Okay Blossomkit!"

The three kits ran across the shaded camp, running up to the ivy wall. A small outcropping was clearly put for the kits as a Clan Camp.

"Wait up!" A smokey black tom-kit ran up to them.

"Shadowkit! Want to be a warrior?" A pale orange she-kit, Blossomkit asked him.

"Don't you think you're too young for this?" A stern grey apprentice meowed.

"Stonepaw, you can't be serious! C'mon be our VineClan prisoner!"

"No Ravenkit. I'm too old for "Clan Camp" I'm too busy training to be the best warrior." The tom growled.

"Alright," Ravenkit just replied cheerfully. She leaped onto the small wood-chip. "Would all our cats gather?" She meowed. Blossomkit, Maplekit and Shadowkit sat beside the wood-chip. "Maplekit has trained hard, blah, she's the deputy!"

They continued playing until Sun-Down, when ceremonies begun. "May all cats of the Clan gather under the roots of the Sky Tree?" A silver and black she-cat stepped out of shadowy part of the owl-sized hole a little way up the tree. Apprentices, queens, kits, elders, and warriors sat in the clearing.

"Nightleaf has news, firstly." The she-cat nodded to the black and grey she-cat who had sat on the roots, who sat beside a brown and black tabby.

"Thank you, Silverstar," she nodded in thank, then turned to the crowd of cats. "There has been a recent grow of yew bushes around the Apprentices den. In my worst assumptions, deathberries will sprout. It is no use clawing them. I recon in a couple of moons they'll spread to inside the ivy barriers." She turned her soft yellow gaze across the crowd, landing on the kits. "I mostly fear the growth in the nursery, but I am not saying my prediction will be true. I received no sign from The Stars at all." Murmurs arose from the crowd. Birds chirped in the distance, as if also chattering about the deathberries, for after all, they were the only creatures immune to their curse.

"Silverstar, may I go?" The brown and black tabby tom meowed. She replied with a rumbling purr and a nod. "I will increase the numbers of patrols. Somehow word got out that Silverstar was on one of her last lives. VineClan and SandClan have always been very aggressive to us, after we "attacked" nearly full grown kits from VineClan, on accident, and we know SandClan has always wanted a shaded territory."

"Very helpful Troutsplash." Silverstar purred. Ravenkit scanned the apprentices, knowing none of her friends were six moons yet. "Stonepaw and Thistlepaw, step up to the roots." Silverstar commanded. A brown she-cat and Stonepaw wriggled their way through the crowd, heads high. Stonepaw stepped on a golden tabby's tail, resulting in a snap at his chin. "Your mentors spoke to me, and you received your final test already. Stonepaw and Thistlepaw, are your ready to become Warriors? Uphold the Codes? Fight for the Clan with your last breath?"

"I do. Very so," Stonepaw meowed.

"Indeed." Thistlepaw meowed sternly.

"Then by the power of our ancestors, I ask of them to look upon these Apprentices, agreeing that they have trained well and are ready for their warrior names." She paused, "the two until further paths will be known as Stonetooth and Thistlefang. They will do the annual camp guard duty. They may not talk, only if something as much as enters the camp. Not if they scent it." By the time the ceremony had finished, the sun was barely giving off light.

"Ravenkit! Pantherkit! Time to sleep!" Silverstar and Troutsplash called. The two bounded to the shrub covered nursery, sliding into the sand. Ravenkit curled next to Silverstar, while her brother, a jet black tom, curled up closer to Silverstar's head.

"C'mon guys! We just *have* to bother Stonetooth!" Pantherkit whispered.

"Perfect idea!" Blossomkit replied from somewhere near the entrance.

"Let's go then!" Ravenkit was heard bouncing to the entrance of the brush covered nursery. They all slid outside, the moon covered thickly by clouds. It had not rained, although it smelled as though it would. They saw Stonetooth and Thistlefang sitting at the entrance looking like a rock and a tree stump. "Hey Stonetooth!" Ravenkit called.

"Stonetooth!" Blossomkit hissed.

"Roar!" Pantherkit pounced at Stonetooth's tail. Stonetooth's throat rumbled. Troutsplash and a black tabby she-cat slid up silently next to them.

"Aunt Rainclaw! Daddy!" Ravenkit mewled.

"Lionkit told me you guys left the nursery." The black tabby replied.

"Uh oh, are we in trouble?"

"No. Just interested." Troutsplash purred.

Stonetooth gave Troutsplash a confused look. Thistlefang looked like she was about to burst, her brown muzzle clearly holding it in. "Daddy! Watch this!" Pantherkit called, leaping onto Stonetooth's back. In reply, he let out a *mrrow*of laughter. Stonetooth looked more than irritated. His head turned furiously and he snapped at Pantherkit.

"Stonetooth, you can't speak." Rainclaw pestered. In reply, he rolled his eyes and watched the entrance, Pantherkit sat down beside Troutsplash.

"Daddy, when are we going to be apprentices?"

"In a couple moons, Pantherkit."

"Maybe you could be a role model for my upcoming kits," Rainclaw purred, lapping at her swollen belly.

Ravenkit leaped at Stonetooth's head, and softly bit his ear. Stonetooth opened his mouth, but closed it. Blossomkit leaped at his back, holding on by his scruff. Stonetooth let out a rumble of a hiss, "ENOUGH," he finally let loose. He stood up and shook the kits off, then sitting back down.

"Stonetooth..." Troutsplash paused, "you can continue your vigil. Come on kits, stop bothering poor Stonetooth." The kits trailed behind, slipping into the nursery.

## ***Chapter 2***

Daylight broke through the bushes. Ravenkit woke to curling with Pantherkit. "Ravenkit, Pantherkit come on!" Troutsplash called.

Ravenkit and Pantherkit ran out of the nursery. *I'm six moons!*Ravenkit thought excitedly. They bounded through the clearing, Silverstar letting out a rumbling purr as they approached.

"Are you ready tonight?" She purred louder as they approached.

"Yep!"

"Yea!"

"Alright, you just have to wait now."

"Aw, come on! Can't you just let us be apprentices now?"

"It's the ritual, Ravenkit. Maybe you can play Mossball or Clan Camp until then?"

"Sure! Pantherkit, can you go get Blossomkit, Maplekit and Shadowkit?"

"Of course!" He bounded off to the nursery.

A while later, he returned. Maplekit, Featherkit, and Blossomkit trailing behind him. "So are we playing mossball or Clan Camp?

"Er, Clan Camp is kinda getting boring.." Maplekit mewled.

"What?! Maplekit, have you gone grumpy!" Ravenkit stared wide-eyed at the orange and red she-kit.

"Clan meeting!" Silverstar yowled. The entirety of WaveClan surprised, padded under the tree. The group of kits trotted to their normal area, next to the Queens. The morning daylight turned soft under the shade of the giant surrounding trees. "Ghostpaw has told me that deathberries have pushed through the wall near the apprentices' den." Conversations rippled through the crowd. She continued once they all died down, "apprentices may not go near any bright red berries, or any berries. Dismissed."

"That's scary," Ravenkit meowed.

"Mhm..." Pantherkit meowed back.

"I wonder what deathberries look like.." Blossomkit piped up.

"Well Blossomkit, you don't want to taste one, that's for sure."