Warriors: The Stolen Warriors

Prologue

The warm Greenleaf sun cast dapples across the ground through the undergrowth as a small, light brown tom stood in a patch of sun, soaking it up. He wasn't used to the fresh air with trees swaying above him and sunlight warming his pelt. Leaves rustled around him as prey scuttled about the undergrowth, and he was startled as a small, grey mouse darted in front of him and under a bush, too fast for him to even try and catch.

"Reef!" a voice boomed behind him.

Reef turned around to face a large silver tom, anger flaring in his eyes.

"What have we told you over and over again? Focus!" the tom growled.

Reef looked down at the ground in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Rocket," he mewed. "I'm just not used to places like this. It's so much nicer than the Sanctuary!"

"Why do you think we're here, numbskull?" a white she-cat growled coldly as she stepped out of a nearby bush. "We need to find the perfect spot."

"And you just let a perfectly easy catch run straight past you!" Rocket added, his tail swishing crossly.

Reef hung his head. "I promise I'll catch the next one."

Rocket rolled his eyes, then smiled. "You're still young, you have a lot to learn. I'll catch the next piece of prey."

"Stop being so nice to the kit. He needs to grow up," the white she-cat snarled.

I'm not a kit anymore, Reef thought indignantly, though he kept his mouth shut.

"Leave him alone, Icicle," Rocket defended. "He's learnt his lesson."

Icicle let out a low growl, then walked off into a nearby clump of ferns, flicking her tail dismissively.

Rocket let out a soft chuckle, then padded on, leading Reef.

"This is the most prey I've ever smelled!" Reef mewed excitedly.

"Well it'll all be gone if you keep yapping so loudly," Rocket meowed sarcastically.

Reef awkwardly laughed, and continued following the older tom. Rocket's nose was raised in the air, drawing in all the scents around him. Suddenly, the large tom came to a halt, stopping Reef with his tail. He angled his ears toward a small bramble bush, where a shrew had just emerged, nibbling on a nut.

Reef nodded, staying as quiet as possible, and watched as Rocket stalked forward, and expertly killed the prey with a single pounce.

"That was incredible, Rocket!" Reef meowed, springing up. "I think the others will love this place."

"I think so too," Rocket agreed, a proud gleam in his eyes.

As Rocket picked up the prey, a new scent bathed over Reef's tongue; it was a cat scent for sure, but not one that he recognised. It was a mixture of undergrowth and prey scent. Rocket seemed to notice too, and the pair of cats whipped around at the sound of a voice.

"What do you think you're doing on our territory?!" It was a golden tabby she-cat, and a group of three other cats stood behind her, all with challenging glints in their eyes.

Rocket exchanged a confused glance with Reef, then placed his shrew down.

"Um...hunting? What does it look like we're doing?" he meowed smugly.

"Don't get smart with us, rogue!" another cat meowed, his golden-brown tabby pelt bristling. "This is our territory, and you can't hunt on it!"

"Since when do cats own land? You can't dictate who can and can't hunt here. Prey belongs to whoever is skilled enough to catch it," Rocket rebuffed, his tail bristling with anger.