[abandoned] Warriors: Forgotten Clans of the Mountains

Chapter 1 - Strangers - Smallstar; ShadeClan

Smallstar let out a hiss as she left the shelter of her pine trees, being met with a layer of snow along the ShadeClan-IceClan border. The sun was too bright and the air was colder out of the forest. Lightningwillow and Starlingheart padded out of the undergrowth to join her on the border.

"The snow is early," Lightningwillow murmured, lowering his brown head to sniff at the powdery snow.

"Too early," Smallstar agreed, watching Starlingheart pad through the snow to find the edge of the stream and border. An IceClan patrol was pushing through the snow on the other side, Breezeclaw in the lead with Silverwhisker and their apprentices Icepaw and Rainpaw following behind him. Lightningwillow raised his tail in a silent greeting as Breezeclaw led his patrol over the frozen water to greet the ShadeClan cats.

"How is ShadeClan, Smallstar?" The large warrior asked with a respectful dip of his head.

"Very well, Breezeclaw, how is IceClan?"

"I'm very pleased to announce that Scruffystar has given birth to three healthy she-lits," Smallstar let out a gentle purr at the news.

"I'll have to arrange a trip to meet them!" The first of her littermates to have kits, she was curious to meet the father as well.

"You're welcome anytime, Smallstar," Silverwhiskers said happily. With a flick of his tail, Breezeclaw gathered the cats to continue the patrol. Rainpaw and Icepaw mewed their goodbyes to Starlingheart before racing across the ice to their mentors. Smallstar waited until the IceClan patrol was out of sight before continuing along the Shade Stream.

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The morning border patrol returned to camp around sun-high to find the clearing full. Smallstar didn't have to duck down as she padded under the pine bush, her pelt brushing up against the rocks on her left side.  Each member of ShadeClan was out of their den and looking towards the roots of the Great Pine. Pushing her way through her clanmates and leaping over the small creek flowing through the middle of the camp, Smallstar was muttering under her breath about everyone being useless. As she cleared the group on the far side of the stream she found her deputy, Arrowstrike, sitting upon an exposed root with two strange cats sitting beneath him.

"Smallstar," the deputy greeted her with a dip of his handsome head. The two loners at his paws lifted their heads and turned to face her. 

"Arrowstrike, what is happening?" The small she-cat asked as she padded up to sit beside her deputy on the root, her eyes wandering over the loners. One of the loners was short and stocky with blue-gray fur and a smug look on his face, while the other was a light tan color with orange tabby stripes. 

"Loners, looking to join ShadeClan."

"What do you think?" 

"I think they could be trained to be loyal warriors, but the decision isn't mine to make." Smallstar pushed onto her paws. 

"Whiteleaf, Flashstrike, join Arrowstrike and me in my den. Heatherstorm will you sit with our... Guests." Arrowstrike led the select group of cats into the hollowed tree trunk. 

"What is this about?" Whiteleaf asked, sitting down beside Smallstar's nest as the leader entered the trunk. 

"Do we allow the loners,"

"Coldie and Mick," Flashstrike interrupted. 

"What?"

"Their names, Smallstar," the orange warrior said with a shrug of narrow shoulders. 

"Right. Do we allow the loners to join ShadeClan?"

"No," Arrowstrike responded.

"Yes," Whiteleaf said, turning her head to glare at the deputy.

"Why would we let strangers join us?"

"Is it really wise to turn away able-bodied cats? There hasn't been a kit born since Heatherstorm's litter."

"And that was only one kit," Smallstar said softly.

"Actually," Flashstrike began, "Waterpaw was born after Forestpaw."

"Actually, they were born on the same day. Does it matter?" Arrowstrike grumbled. "We can't trust strange cats."

"Leafbare is coming soon, we should be willing to take in more cats to be warriors," Whiteleaf responded, rolling her eyes.

"We don't need more mouths to feed." 

"It's not even Leaffall yet, they would be nearly trained by Leafbare."

"Couldn't they be given a chance? If they haven't proved themselves in a moon, then we ask them to leave," Flashstrike suggested.

"I like it," Smallstar said. 

"Who's going to train them? We all have apprentices," Whiteleaf asked.

"How about Lightningwillow and Starlingheart? Both are loyal, strong warriors." Smallstar suggested, her gaze settling on her deputy.

"Fine," the deputy said simply, standing up and pushing out of the den. Smallstar followed him out, jumping onto the High Branch. 

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the High Branch for a clan meeting!" The tabby yowled to the already gathered cats. Duckheart padded up to the tree, settling on the roots beside Arrowstrike. "Coldie, Mick, ShadeClan has discussed your request to join us. Our decision is that you will be allowed to stay for a moon in ShadeClan and train as warrior apprentices. If you have proven yourselves loyal and dedicated members, and you wish to join, we will grant you warrior names and finish your training. Lightningwillow, Starlingheart step forward." 

The two toms glanced at each other before padding towards the loners.

"Lightningwillow you will train Coldie and Starlingheart you will train Mick. There is a bush by the apprentices' den. You will make your nests under there. Starlingheart, Lightningwillow, you may take them out to gather moss and show them the territory." With a dip of their heads, the warriors led the loners through the group of cats to the camp entrance. The leader leapt down from the High Branch, landing beside Arrowstrike. 

"Are you sure about this?" The handsome deputy asked, turning his head towards her.

"No, I'm not sure but we need the warriors."

"We need kits. Born and raised in ShadeClan."

"All the Clans need kits, need more warriors. Last Leafbare hurt all of us."

"Maybe the leaders need to decide a way to repopulate the Clans."

"Or recruit more cats to join us." Smallstar pushed past her deputy and padded into her den, curling up in her nest.