For generations, four clans have shared the forest. But ThunderClan is in severe peril, and the other three Clans grow stronger every day. In the midst of this turmoil, appears two house-cat's named Rusty and Star... who both may turn out to be the...
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WHITEROSE COULDN'T SLEEP that night. It's been ages since her brother and Graystripe left and she was sure that Cinderpaw had chased after them. It made her anxious, especially when Tigerclaw left their nest in the middle of the night to wait for them outside. When dawn came and barely lit up the clearing, Whiterose came out to see her brother, Graystripe and Cinderpaw returning.
But there was no prey with them.
Tigerclaw bristled, stalking up towards them. "Well? Where have you been?" he demanded.
"We thought we'd hunt," Fireheart meowed slowly, glancing at Whiterose. "The Clan needs fresh kill."
"But we couldn't find anything," Cinderpaw piped up beside Fireheart.
"Really?" Tigerclaw looked sharply at the young apprentice. "Then why did it take you so long to get back, and," He came forward to sniff the young apprentice, and then did the same to both Fireheart and Graystripe. "Why do the three of you smell like mouse?"
Whiterose shuddered at Fireheart's guilty look.
"We ate the first prey that we caught," Graystripe meowed, shuffling snow off his thick gray pelt. "We ate it so we could keep our strength up to find more..."
"But we couldn't find anymore," Cinderpaw added, her ears flattened to her head, but she looked defiantly at Tigerclaw, her eyes blazing with an unreadable expression. Whiterose figured that Cinderpaw knew about how Tigerclaw murdered Redtail. They must have told her.
Whiterose watched as Tigerclaw said nothing and spun around, brushing past Whiterose without a word. He slipped back inside the warriors den.
"That was a close one," Graystripe breathed, his tail drooping in relief.
"You should go get warm in your den, Cinderpaw," Fireheart said softly to his apprentice. Cinderpaw gave her a tired nod, before dragging her small crazy form over towards the apprentice den.
"Let's go get some rest," Fireheart sighed.
Whiterose slid through the branches to see Tigerclaw settling himself into the nest near the centre. The dark tabby ignored Fireheart, turning himself around two or three times before curling up to sleep. Tigerclaw clearly didn't want to speak to her right now. Whiterose was confused as to why...
Whiterose felt her ears droop in sadness.
"Free spot next to Sandstorm," Graystripe quietly told her, being helpful in some way. Whiterose spotted the place he was referring to, nearby Sandstorm and Dustpelt were stretched out together.
Sandstorm sat up at Whiterose and Fireheart approached. "Tigerclaw has been watching for you ever since we got back from the Gathering," she whispered to Fireheart. "Is everything alright?" Sandstorm inquired, looking from where Tigerclaw was curled up, and where Whiterose was approaching the empty nest beside her.
Fireheart flicked his ear to Sandstorm and curled up beside Graystripe, going to sleep.
Whiterose felt comforted by the sympathetic look in her eyes, but she couldn't stop her jaws from gaping in a massive yaw. "I think I upset Tigerclaw," she mumbled. "I don't think he wants anything to do with me anymore."
"Don't be a mouse-brain," Sandstorm retorted quietly as she moved closer to Whiterose. "He loves you. Anyone with half a brain could see that he does. I think he was just mad because Fireheart is your brother and if he got hurt, you'd be upset. He'll come around. Promise." Sandstorm pressed her fur against Whiterose's.
Comforted by her friend, she closed her eyes.
"Whiterose! Whiterose!" A cat was nudging her the following morning. Whiterose tried to duck away, and heard her name called again. It was Fireheart's voice. Whiterose focused her eyes open to see the big flame-coloured cat crouching anxiously over her.
"Whiterose," he repeated. "Wake up. It's nearly sunhigh, let's go hunting with Graystripe. It will get Tigerclaw off our backs." Grunting with the effort, Whiterose hauled herself out of her nest. Pale, cold light was filtering through the branches of the den.
Willowpelt and Darkstripe still slept closer to the centre of the bush, but Sandstorm and Dustpelt had left already and so had Tigerclaw.
"It's nearly sunhigh," Graystripe repeated Fireheart's words as they approached. "We should go out hunting."
"Alright," Whiterose mewed, fighting to wake up properly.
"Hurry up, then." Her friend gave her a final nudge before heading out of the den. "We'll meet you at the gorse tunnel." Graystripe bounded out of the den with Fireheart.
Whiterose licked one paw and rubbed it over her face.
As she followed Graystripe and Fireheart out of the den, Whiterose found herself shivering, and not from the cold. She could feel trouble gathering like rain-heavy storm clouds. Whiterose had no idea why...
Whiterose looked down briefly, a glow of warmth came to her as she calmed down, her stomach was progressing fine, and she knew that in a few moons her kits would be here.
And I will protect them, even from StarClan themselves, Whiterose promised. Not even StarClan was going to destroy her kits. She unsheathed her claws and dug them into the snow. I won't let anything harm them!
