1 Chapter 1

Leafpaw gasped and bolted upright, shaking and panting. "What- what was that?" She looked around, no one seemed to realize she was awake. She sighed again and shuffled her paws trying to go back to sleep, but before she could lay her head down the snap of a twig outside her den made her freeze. It's probably just the cat on guard duty, no need to worry, she thought to herself. But why had the sound come from outside her den? She sighed, "Okay. But just one check." She edged herself closer and closer to the entrance of the den, careful not to make a sound. She peeked her head slowly outside the den, everything seemed normal. Loud sounds of snoring came from the elders, Lionflock was asleep on guard duty, and small whispering floated by from the ki... "Wait what? She thought. Leafpaw's eyes darted back to Lionflock, if he was asleep, then why was there a broken twig on the ground? Her eyes slowly dragged down to her paws, where the twig lay nearby. She then looked up. Above her on the roof of the apprentice's den, red eyes locked on her, there laid Scarletwings. LeafClan was under attack.

Leafpaw screeched a warning and launched herself away from the attacking cat back into the den. Her screech woke up everyone in the apprentice's den who ran everywhere over the camp. Sagestar hurtled out of his den to join his warriors who were now coming to fight. IsletClan warriors filled the clearing being led by their deputy, Crossmatch. Leafpaw stayed in the apprentice den in awe shock, she always had thought of Shellstar as a peaceful cat that didn't like fighting. She guessed she was wrong. Outside Islet was slowly getting pushed back into the bramble that protected their home. ¨ I will be back!¨ Crossmatch snarled, he then signaled for his warriors to retreat. Leafpaw then walked out of the apprentice's den. She helped tend to the wounded warriors and trodden into the medicine den. Lightfeather, the medicine cat, was helping heal a warrior. She quietly waited for Lightfeather to finish and then asked: ¨ I want to train to be a medicine cat, I don't know how to fight and don't have any interest in it either, will you teach me?¨ ¨That is a large question, it has been a while since I have taught an apprentice, and I am not sure if you or I are ready. I will watch you and teach you some facts, but I have no decision at the moment¨ finished Lightfeather. ¨ I understand¨ said Leafpaw, with just a touch of sadness. ¨Good, now go.¨ Leafpaw left the medicine den and picked out a squirrel for the fresh-kill pile. She then strolled back to the apprentice's den to eat with her other friends.

She had just finished her squirrel when she saw dark eyes in the brambles. She immediately jumped up and ran in the direction of the eyes. The face disappeared and she ran headfirst into the thorny bushes. ¨Ouch!¨ she screamed. Dewpaw and Birdpaw ran over. ¨ Are you okay? What were you looking at? Why did you run into the bushes?¨ But Leafpaw wasn't listening to them. She slowly slid out of the brambles and into the open forest. Her friends just stood inside the barrier and told her she should come back, but she kept walking. She walked for a while until she picked up the scent of a group of cats. She ran through the forest, green and black blurring around her. The smell became denser and she slowed down. Through a group of trees, she saw a clearing. The Cats in the clearing were from Fireclan, unique with black fur, and orange eyes. She then saw the cat she had seen in the brambles walk up to camp and trot straight to a taller black tom. She could barely hear what they were saying but she heard: ¨LeafClan, they are growing stronger than expected, we should prepare a defense, you know that the Islet clan is very aggressive, we must prepare.¨ ¨I know, I have foreseen it, you are right, we must prepare a defense. But I have foreseen an unknown enemy, the prophecy says that we have no problem with the clans, the rest is personal. Thank you for spying, you are dismissed. The she-cat left and went into a den. Leafpaw ran back to the camp excited and nervous to tell the Clan about what she had found.