Warriors: Dark Sky's - Book 1

~^ Chapter 1 ^~

Lavender found herself staring outside into the forest. She was a rouge living in the Twoleg Place and she hated it there. The stink of monsters and the Thunderpath annoyed her everyday. She trotted over to the entrance of the forest, the scents of unknown cats spread everywhere. She sniffed and lifted her light blue and mixed purple muzzle up in the air before setting her path. She walked down a gloomy forest area where the trees blocked out most sunlight and fresh fall breeze fluttered her fur. She kept walking until she heard the yowling of cats beneath her.

Lavender looked down to see a whole tribe of them horsing around or talking to other cats, tending wounds, caring for kits, anything a tribe would do. Lavender knew she wasn't safe around these places, especially with the scent of the Twoleg Place on her fur. She quickly covered herself in a bed of moss to drown the scent and found the entrance tunnel to the tribe. It was full of life and happiness, and a young cat stood up high on a giant rock that covered most of the middle section of the tribe camp. Standing beside her was a middle aged cat, who looked in charge as well. She reluctantly went through the tunnel and some cats nearby stood at her edges.

"What do you think your doing here?" One cat said while staring at her, furious. The rest of the cats looked shocked and surprised and even quite a bit mad. Some of the cats stared, frozen on the moss before running away in scattered directions. Lavender crouched down in defense and unsheathed her claws.

"Back away from me, prune muzzles. I'm only stopping by." Lavender said, showing her claws by slashing them in the air. Some cats backed up while one stood on her side. He furiously lifted her up by the scruff and carried her to the leader. Lavender hissed as she was picked up. She looked around and saw the cat on the tall rock that lie in front of her. The she-cat on the rock looked down puzzled and hopped down and off of the rock, taking in her scent.

"This seems like a Twoleg Place rouge or a Kittypet," the leader said before standing on the rock again. "Place her in the jail, Pinetail," the leader said before hopping down and following them. Once she motioned the pinecone brown tabby cat away from the jail, the she-cat leader crouched down and looked at the resident.

"Who are you and which group of cats do you belong to..?" The she-cat said while staring at her with her wide and glowing green eyes. Her black fur was dim under the shade of the jail and it looked as if a pair of floating eyes were watching her.

"I'm Lavender, and I once belonged to Riverclan. My mother is RippleStar. But I became a rouge shortly after I finished warrior training." Lavender said while backing up. The other cats scoffed, but the leader didn't. She instead flicked her tail, amused, and smiled softly.

"Your mother is RippleStar? And why aren't you with your mommy, suckling at her milk?" The leader said in a mocking tone while chuckling. The other cats giggled, some bursted out of laughter, and some chuckled alongside their leader. She flicked her tail again, and a large gray cat with bushy fur sat up and stared at Lavender.

"Are you willing to stay with us? You look like you haven't eaten food in days," The leader said, pointed her tail to the other cats still laughing to shut up. Lavender stood there, confused. These cats were jailing her, but inviting her in their clan? Lavender shrugged and turned around.

"Give me a moment," she said, her tail drooping and her voice quiet and dim. The leader motioned the other cats to leave, and the only ones remaining was her and the tall gray cat with bushy fur. Lavender thought carefully. How would her mother see her? An enemy? A traitor? It didn't matter. Lavender needed a home badly. She couldn't keep living as a rouge.

"Are you finished thinking yet?" The tall gray cat hissed, his voice sharp. Lavender jumped as the silence was broken my a piercing voice. She turned around to face the cat. The gray cat was standing there, his head over her body. He scoffed and walked off, motioning his leader to come. She shook her head yes but stayed.

"He is right, Lavender, we need your response now. Are you coming or what?" The leader said, her dark gray tail flicking around impatiently. Lavender looked around reluctantly, and then she looked back. The leader was just about to head out of the den, sighing.

"Wait!" Lavender called out. The leader turned around softly and groomed her hind legs as she waited for Lavender to speak again.

"I am joining your clan. I can no longer live as a rouge. I need somewhere with a mate and caring cats," Lavender said, her tail flicking in worry. Was it all a joke? The leader smiled and walked closer, her green eyes glowing in the darkness of the jail.

"Welcome in, then. Would you like a name and territory tour?" The leader said, sitting up and placing her tongue back in her mouth. Her entire scent reeked of ShadowClan. Lavender sighed in relief that this wasn't some cruel torturing joke and she relaxed her hackles and muscles. She slumped down on the den walls and nodded her head in exhaustion. She overworked her self WAY too much, maybe. The leader nodded and left the den, and came back with a white she-cat. She smiled and motioned her with a flick of her tail to come out of her den. Lavender reluctantly stepped out and looked around the wildlife and the cats that lived here. Most of them were munching away at a bird or mouse, nibbling at their skin and ripping the flesh. The blood stained some of the grass and Lavender shuddered. It looked brutal, but that's just how they live.

The white she-cat sat on the grass next to the tunnel and walked right up. "Meet me up here, Lavender!" The she-cat said as she raced through the gorse tunnel. She was right up grooming herself as Lavender walked out.

"What is this place?" Lavender asked, her head turning everywhere. It looked more different as a clan member now. The white she-cat laughed and smiled, turning her head back.

"This is ShadowClan, darling. What do you mean, 'what is this place'?" She laughed as she jumped over to the edge of the surrounding rocks that held you up from the clan camp. She flicked her tail over to the clan rock and smiled, her back and hackles arched like a warrior being recognized after fighting bravely after a battle. She looked around and spotted the rock and smiled as she turned back to Lavender.

"This is our leader, ClawStar, and our deputy, GloomPelt." The white she-cat said as she smiled at the sight of the two. The entire clan must have loved the two. GloomPelt was the cat that stood overtop of her earlier. She couldn't help but smile, too, but her eyes weren't placed on her leader and the deputy, but eyes on another cat.

"You..okay? Why are you having a stare down with PineTail..?" the white she-cat asked, her tail brushing against Lavender's fur. She jumped up and looked at her, worried and scared she noticed.

"No, just looking around the many cats.." Lavender said. The white she-cat shrugged and walked back to the clan.

"It's dinner time now, so lets continue this tomorrow, okay?" The she-cat said as she jumped down and went into the gorse tunnel, heading for the fresh kill pile. Lavender shrugged and raced after her, too, and for the rest of the night, she finally became friends with at least one cat in her new clan. Lavender felt this world was her best, for now.