War of the Five Clans: Book 1: Fiery Shelter

Chapter 1

     Hollykit stared out into the rain, wishing the skies were clear. Her siblings, Marshkit, Scorchkit, and Specklekit were fluffed up too, huddled in a warm group by Hollykit's sides. She felt warm and cozy, and an optimistic feeling tingled her back.

     But the rain melted the warm feeling away. Hollykit wished she could run out, dash in the puddles, cover her long, black fur in brown. But Hollykit's mother, Shellflower, wouldn't allow it. Not after what happened to her best friend, Splashcloud. 

     Hollykit had heard the story many times from her father, Lightningstorm. Splashcloud had been running back to the nursery with moss in the rain, and he had slipped and fell. His fall had broken his leg, and when he called out for help, no one would come for him. The freezing rain had chilled him to the bone, and when the storm was over, Shellflower and the other cats had found him dead.

     That story always made Hollykit tingle. It wasn't one of the happy stories of victory that Cloudysky, one of the elders, used to tell them. A sad scary story could chill a cat to the bone. Especially if that story was about a cat chilling to the bone. 

     And on the day Hollykit was supposed to become an apprentice, it just had to rain.

. . .

     Finally, finally, the clouds broke, and the sun soaked up the rain puddles. Bright sunshine filtered through the trees and landed on Hollykit's nose. Lakestar, the gray-furred leader of ThunderClan, stood on the Highrock, having just announced a meeting.

     "Come here, young ones!" Shellflower mewed, grabbing Scorchkit and licking his black fur. When Shellflower reached for Hollykit, she ducked and mewled, "Aw, mom!"

     Lakestar tried to hide it, but Hollykit saw it: the hurt look in Lakestar's eyes, the wishing that could be her. That didn't make sense. Why would Lakestar want to be Shellflower?

     Lakestar quickly turned her focus to the kits. "Marshkit, come here."

     Marshkit jumped up and ran over to the Highrock. "From this moment on, you will be known as Marshpaw. Flamescratch," she beckoned with her tail-tip to the orange tom. "You will mentor Marshpaw. I mentored you, and I believe you will be the right mentor for your first apprentice."

     Flamescratch stood tall as the clan called his apprentice's name.

     Lakestar then made Tawnyleg Scorchpaw's mentor, and Spottedash got Specklepaw. Finally, it was Hollykit's turn. "From this moment on, Hollykit, you will be known as Hollypaw. Your mentor will be Grassfeather."

     The older warrior came up to Hollypaw and smiled down at her. "Welcome to the clan, 'paw," she meowed proudly.

     "Hollypaw! Hollypaw!" the clan sang. Hollypaw felt her fur grow hot. She stared up at Lakestar. 

     The gray she-cat gave Hollypaw a wink. Wow, wow! I'm an apprentice and Lakestar just winked at me! But as Hollypaw watched her leader, she was startled. Lakestar's eyes...they were so like Hollypaw's.