Chapter 1

Chapter 1

      The fierce dogs race after the cat, their tongues lolling, eagerly awaiting their prey.  The yellow tom makes a sharp turn, but the dogs are still on his trail, gaining on him.  And then the sky beyond the forest opens up more and more until the thunderpath is in the tom's view.  The tom's eyes widen as the monsters race past, the dogs gaining on him.  Suddenly, the fiercest dog of them all, the one with the sharp teeth and pointed ears, lunges forward, and the yellow tom closes his eyes and leaps into the air...
      Sunkit awakens, sweating like a crazy cat, panting like the sun had slept next to him instead of his mother, Cinderdrop.  He closes his eyes and leaves them like that for a few seconds, then opens them once more.  It was just a dream.  Just a dream, Sunkit.  No need to be worried... there are no dogs... no huge, pointy eared dogs with sharp teeth... none of them.  None.  I'm safe now, in the nursery... safe...
      Petalkit is the only other cat awake.  Her huge, soft brown eyes stare into Sunkit's.  Why are you awake? they seem to ask.
"Bad dream," Sunkit mouths to Petalkit, who nods.  Sunkit curls back up next to Blossomtail along with his other littermates, a gesture that Petalkit decides to copy.  And when Sunkit welcomes sleep again, no bad dreams join him.  You won't get me this time, pointy eared dog.  Not this time, not ever.
 Many, many moons later...
   

     Sunwhisker carries his vole back after a successful hunt.  Many cats turn to stare at the returning patrol.
"My, my, well done!" Streamstar purrs and walks toward my patrol.
"Very good, Sunwhisker.  You have led your patrol well." Streamstar flicks his tail and I follow him to the highrock.
"Let all cats old enough to swim gather beneath the highrock for a clan meeting!" Streamstar.  Cats gather around and I take a seat next to Petalsplash.
"Congratulations, Sunwhisker!  I've never seen more prey in the pile!  And not just fish!" Petalsplash whispers to me.  I shrug and smile.
"Volekit and Mousekit, please step forward," Streamstar says with a smile.  The two excited kits run up onto the highrock.
"Volekit and Mousekit, do you promise to obey the warrior code and listen to your mentor and respect your clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"We do!" the kits squeal.
"Than by the powers of StarClan, until you become warriors, your names shall be Volepaw and Mousepaw. Volepaw, your mentor shall be Otterpool.  And Mousepaw, your mentor shall be Sunwhisker.  May StarClan light your paths."  Petalsplash looks at me and smiles.  I gasp.
"Volepaw!  Mousepaw!  Otterpool!  Sunwhisker!" the clan chants.  I rise to my paws and follow Otterpool up to the highrock.  I touch my nose to Mousepaw's, and after the ceremony we head out so I can show Mousepaw the territory.
"I'm so excited!  I'm going to be an apprentice!" Mousepaw squeals.  I smile.
"Just you wait!  You'll be the best warrior around!" I tell her.  Mousepaw purrs.  As we near the heart of our territory, a new scent catches my nose by surprise.
"What's that?" Mousepaw's nose quivers.  I recognise that scent anywhere, and not from experience.  From a dream.  Dog.  
"Dog, Mousepaw!  We need to lead it away from camp!" I yell.  Panic fills her eyes and we sprint away.  The dogs are hot on our trail.  And the dream I had as a kit is all I can think of.  The dog with the pointed ears...  I hear a sickening crunch.
"Sun whisker!" Mousepaw yield in pain.  Sunwhisker can't help it.  He screams.  The young, excited apprentice he's supposed to train is sprawled on the ground, her fur covered in bright cherry red blood, the pointy eared dog standing over her body, challenging Sunwhisker with his triumphant gaze.  Suddenly, when the dog knows he's watching, he sinks his horrid yellow teeth into Mousepaw's neck, her delicate bones snapping as easily as a twig.  The dog chews on her dead body, knocking her head off her neck.  Sunwhisker's fills with pure hatred.
She was no more than an apprentice.  She was just being shown the world, and you ruined it for her.  And now, pointy eared dog, you shall pay.  You won't harm me again.
The dog looks at Sunwhisker, mocking the young cat.
Come get me, the dog says.  Oops, too late.  I'm going to kill you first.
The dog races after Sunwhisker, who runs strait toward the spot where the sky becomes more visible, an unnatural break in the trees...
StarClan help me.
"Sunwhisker!" It's Petalsplash.
"I love you, Petalsplash," he says.  He knows he can't stop.  He's running too fast, the dog is gaining too quickly.
If I go down, this dog will too.
"I'll never forget you, Suwhisker!  I'll always watch out from now on, I'll never let any detail get past me!  I love you too!" Petalsplash cries. Her words catch in the breeze, sailing into Sunwhisker's head.
     As he leaps in the air, sailing over the monsters, all time stops.
So this is the end.
the dog is still after Sunwhisker.  He won't be going for nothing.  The pointy eared dog with the black and brown fur yelps in surprise as a monster barrels over him.  And then a black monster, darker than dark itself, is hurling towards him, and as it hits Sunwhisker, the impact sends him flying towards another monster.
I'm glad no one else was hurt.  I saved the clan, I really did.
And Sunwhisker can't remember what happens next.