The Army Series: The Beginning

Summary
The Clans are fighting. Half-Clan cats are rising in numbers while "pure" families lose numbers everyday. Blood is rising again believeing they will "cleanse" the clans of the Half-Clans. With help on the inside, will we fight together or will our loyalties divide us?

ThunderClan
Leader: Bramblestar; dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Deputy: Brackenfur: long legged golden brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Medicine Cat: Jayfeather; mottled gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes

Med. Cat App: Applepaw

Warriors:

Darkmoon: pure black tom with a cresent moon mark on his head with blue eyes

Bloodclaw: black tabby tom with piercing yellow eyes

Lightningleg: black tom with a lightning bolt shape on his leg with brown eyes

Badgerfur: black and white tom whose colors make him look like a badger with amber eyes

Bluefire: blue gray she-cat with firey green eyes

Lionblaze: golden tabby tom with amber eyes

Berrynose: cream colored tom with a stump for a tail and light brown eyes

Toadstep: heavy black and white tom with light green eyes

App. Molepaw

Ivypool: silver and white tabby she-cat with white paws and dark blue eyes

Bumblestripe: very pale gray tom with black stripes like a bumblebee's with light blue eyes

Foxleap: fluffy, reddish brown tabby tom with green eyes

App. Cherrypaw

Applefur: mottled brown she-cat with dark green eyes

Snowbird: pure white she-cat with green eyes

Tawnypelt: mottled, pale tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

Rowanclaw: dark ginger tom with green eyes

Tigerheart: dark brown tiger-striped tabby tom with dark amber eyes

Rainheart: brown tabby she-cat with a white chest, muzzle, and paws and a brown heart on her chest and electric blue eyes

Bramblepath: brown tabby she-cat with one white paw and dazzling green eyes(from Arti)

Brightshadow: black and white tom with storm blue eyes(from Arti)

Apprentices:

Applepaw: tortoiseshell she-cat who resembles Spottedleaf with amber eyes

Cherrypaw: ginger she-cat with amber eyes

Molepaw: cream and brown tom with amber eyes

Queens:

Sorreltail: tortoiseshell and white she-cat with amber eyes

Poppyfrost: pale tortoiseshell and white she-cat with ice blue eyes

Squirrelflight: dark ginger she-cat with brilliant green eyes and one white paw, expecting kits

Cinderheart: gray tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes, expecting kits

Dovewing: pale, smoky, gray she-cat with brilliant blue eyes, expecting kits

Elders:

Dustpelt: dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Sandstorm: pale ginger she-cat with large, luminous, pale green eyes

Graystripe: solid gray tom with a stripe of darker gray fur running down his back and big yellow eyes

WindClan
Leader: Onestar;mottled light brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Deputy: Ashfoot

Medicine Cat: Barkface;brown tom with a short tail and hazel eyes

Med. Cat App. Kestralpaw

Warriors:

Darkshadow;brown tabby tom with black stripes and dark brown eyes

Silverclaw;blue-ish,silver-ish tabby she-cat and silver paws with light blue eyes

Blackfire;black tabby tom with fiery orange eyes

Crowfeather;smoky-gray, almost black tom with blue eyes

Ferretclaw;cream-and-gray tom with green eyes

Starlingwing;ginger tom with green eyes

Emberfoot;gray tom with two darker gray paws with yellow eyes

App. Moorpaw

Leaftail;dark tabby tom with amber eyes

Antpelt;brown tom with one black ear with amber eyes

Heathertail;light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

App. Furzepaw

Sedgewhisker;pale light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Sunstrike;tortoiseshell she-cat with a large white mark on her forehead and blue eyes

Harespring;brown-and-white tom with green eyes

Gorsetail;very pale gray-and-white she-cat with blue eyes

App. Whiskerpaw

Weaselfur;lithe ginger tom with white paws with green eyes

Ashcloud;ash colored she-cat with gorgeous green eyes

Apprentices:

Moorpaw;very pale lithe she-cat with very light brown eyes

Furzepaw;gray and white she-cat with blue eyes

Whiskerpaw;light brown tom with amber eyes

Kestrelpaw;mottled,brownish-gray tom with white splotches like kestrel feathers and green eyes

Queens:

Ashfoot;broad-faced gray she-cat with blue eyes

Pinenose;black she-cat with green eyes

Whitetail;small white she-cat with sage green eyes

Elders:

Webfoot;wiry, dark gray tabby tom with a torn ear

Tornear;wiry, lithe, gray tabby tom

RiverClan
Leader: Mistystar;blue-gray she-cat with thick, glossy, dense fur, a pink nose, and clear, ice-blue eyes

Deputy: Reedwhisker;slender black tom with small, neat ears and blue eyes

App. Hollowpaw

Medicine Cat: Mothwing;dappled, golden she-cat with rippling tabby stripes and amber eyes

Med. Cat App. Willowshine

Warriors:

Riverstone;blue gray she-cat with white paws and gray eyes

Owlwing;tan tabby tom with amber eyes

Owlfeather;brown tom with a white chest and muzzle with yellow eyes

Oakfur;small, dark brown tom with amber eyes

Crowfrost;black and white tom with light green eyes

Olivenose;tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

Icewing;pure white she-cat with blue eyes

Minnowtail;sleek, dark gray she-cat with amber eyes

App. Mossypaw

Pebblefoot;mottled gray tom with green eyes

App. Rushpaw

Robinwing;tortoiseshell-and-white tom with blue eyes

Grasspelt;light brown tom with dark blue eyes

Petalfur;gray-and-white she-cat with amber eyes

Fishleap;silver tabby tom with jet black stripes & 1 eye that is blue & 1 green

Apprentices:

Mossypaw;brown-and-white she-cat with amber eyes

Rushpaw;light brown tabby she-cat with light green eyes

Hollowpaw;dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Willowshine;dark gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Queens:

Duskfur;brown tabby she-cat with hazel eyes

Mosspelt;tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes

Elders:

Dapplenose;mottled gray she-cat with amber eyes

Pouncetail;ginger-and-white tom with blue eyes

Prologue: Firestar's POV
"Rainheart! Bramblepath! Brightshadow!"

Even from StarClan I could hear ThunderClan chanting the names of their newest warriors.

I turned to Leopardstar and Tallstar,"I know what's coming and I want them to have the powers." They simply nodded.

Leopardstar then turned and flicked her tail at RiverClan territory where Reedwhisker and Fishleap were celebrating as well.

"Fine but I want them. Also I want Reedwhisker as deputy. Someone needs authority in the clans for this to work," she said.

I looked at Tallstar and he nodded. "We agree," I said. "Who from WindClan Tallstar?"

He nodded toward WindClan,"Ashcloud. She is shy but determined and already is connecting with us."

"Of course," Leopardstar agreed.

"We should all tell our medicine cats and tell the leaders tonight. Leopardstar, while Barkface is there he can leave the sign for Willowshine to see as well," I said.

We nodded to each other and departed leaving the six cats to enjoy their ceremonies.

Chapter 1: Rainheart's POV
A/N From now until I change it, the POV is Rainheart. FYI!

"Rainheart! Bramblepath! Brightshadow!"

I was so excited! It was my time to shine, mine and my best friends in the whole forest. My mentor Tigerheart was sitting next to Tawnypelt and Rowanclaw, his parents, with his eyes glowing with pride. Tawnypelt and Rowanclaw were also filled with pride as they were the ones who mentored Bramblepath and Brightshadow. We were the first ThunderClan apprentices who they had taught. Ever since they left ShadowClan after they broke up, they were not completely trusted due to the fact of ShadowClan blood.

"Tonight we will sleep in peace knowing that three strong warriors are guarding us tonight," Bramblestar said. We jumped off the Highrock and went to our old mentors. I led the way as I normally did.

I touched noses with Tigerheart, " I am so proud of you! I knew you could do it," Tigerheart said.

" Well, I had a great teacher," I replyed.

He laughed. " I wouldn't say too great. I did kind of neglect your training for a little bit."

" That's only because of Dovewing. Besides the news of kits is great."

Just recently, Dovewing was told by Jayfeather that she was bearing kits. Tigerheart was so excited that one day he went off in the forest and was gone for three days. Dovewing was really worried so after he came back she didn't talk to him for a day. He said he needed time to think things through. He did hunt though so Bramblestar forgave him. He came back with two pheasants, four squirrels, 3 mice, and two thrushes so we all ate great for a quarter of a moon.

" Now, since you have some sunlight left go hunt some with Bramblepath and Brightshadow. I am sure Bramblestar and Brackenfur won't mind," Tigerheart said as he moved away." I for one am going to the nursery. Bramblestar granted me permission to sleep with Dovewing tonight."

" Great!" I replyed. " I will go hunt. Good night Tigerheart and don't worry. You and your family are well protected." He dipped his head and headed toward the nursery.

I turned to Bramblepath and Brightshadow and asked, " How about we get some hunting done? We have plenty of time and it would show that we do get work done."

" Sure," Bramblepath said. " We can all have a nice piece of fresh-kill before we have to stay up all night."

" I'll come," Brightshadow agreed. " I'll go tell Bramblestar where we are going." Brightshadow raced off leaving Bramblepath and I at the camp entrance.

" I can't wait for my first apprentice," Bramblepath said.

" We were just named as warriors. It will be a good few moons before that happens especially because of the war," I replyed.

A moon after we were made apprentices, a large group of rogues had threatened all the clans to leave their homes or to die to defend them. Of course none of us were going to leave our homes because of a bunch of rouges. Everyday Bramblestar sent more cats to fight them with WindClan and RiverClan so we could get rid of them for good. But there were more rouges coming each day and they wouldn't go quietly. Our apprenticeship had been very hard because the rouges kept coming closer to the camp. Soon we would have to fight too.

Brightshadow came back and was about to speak when we heard a battle cry.

Chapter 2
Immediately, the clearing exploded into a war. Ivypool, Tigerheart, and Lionblaze were covering the nursery, Cherrypaw, Molepaw, and Berrynose were in front of the elder's den, and most of the others were everywhere.

Bramblepath and Brightshadow whipped around and went after the closest cat. I almost joined them but then a black tom pounced on me.

We rolled and he landed on top of me. I exploded my legs up to kick him off. He flew off but quickly got his bearings back. I sprang up and clawed his side. He bit my ear and then scratched my side. I flipped him on his back and clawed his belly. He started bleeding really bad so I let him up. He ran out of the camp and I turned for my next victim.

Before I could attack, Bramblestar yowled.

" Rainheart! Go to RiverClan for help!" I quickly ran out of the camp, dodging cats as I went. I sprinted as fast as I could to RiverClan. I hoped help wasn't too late.

I finally hit the RiverClan border and forced myself to go faster. I ran to the camp and stopped at the entrance. My side and ear hurt but I was just worried for my clan.

" Help!" I yowled. Mistystar came out of her den and came straight to me with another cat flanking her.

" Rainpaw! Whats the problem?" Mistystar asked.

I could barely breath but managed words anyway.

" Rouges...attacked....camp....help" was all I could manage.

" Reedwhisker, this is your chance to prove yourself. Get some cats together now. We are going to help as soon as we can," Mistystar told Reedwhisker.

Soon half of RiverClan was assembled and ready to fight.

" Okay RiverClan! Follow me!" Mistystar ran out of the camp with RiverClan following. I quickly caught up and went to the front with Mistystar.

" Do you know where you are going?" I asked.

" Yes," Mistystar replyed. " I have been here many times before."

I nodded and continued running. Soon we got there and luckily we got there in time.

Mistystar yowled, " RiverClan, attack!"

I pounced on a gray tabby that had pinned Dovewing down.

I pinned the she-cat down and clawed her face. I ripped open her belly and made sure she didn't get away with less than a clawed face. I bit her ear for good measure and let her up. I went to check on Dovewing who was fighting even though she was expecting Tigerheart's kits.

" Are you okay?" I asked her.

" Yeah. I'm fine. Thanks." She replyed then went back inside the nursery

I turned around only to be pounced on by a pair of brown toms. I didn't know what to do because I knew I couldn't take both of them on. Just in time a handsome silver tabby tom bowled one off of me and I managed to pin the other. I clawed his belly open but he pushed me off. I clawed his side and that sent him running. I heard a yowl of retreat and the rouges ran off.

I looked around and saw that the camp was badly damaged. Luckily, there no terribly injured cats. Then I saw Bramblestar on the ground.

Chapter 3
I sprinted over to my leader's body and stopped beside Bramblepath. He's her father, I remembered. Brightshadow came up behind us and lowered his head. I tried to comfort Bramblepath. Soon Bramblestar stirred.

" It's okay." He said. " I have plenty of lives left."

I left Bramblepath knowing that she was okay now. I went over to the handsome silver tabby tom that had bowled one of the toms off of me.

" Thanks," I said. " For getting the tom off of me. What's your name?"

" No problem," he replyed. " My name's Fishleap. What's yours?"

" Rainheart," I told Fishleap. The tom who I heard was called Reedwhisker came over next to Fishleap.

" Who's this Fishleap?" Reedwhisker asked.

" Her name is Rainheart. She was thanking me for knocking a rouge off of her," he replyed. " Rainheart, meet my brother Reedwhisker. We were just made warriors when you came to ask for help. Mistystar was sent a sign saying that Reedwhisker was to be the next deputy."

"Congrats." I said as I dipped my head to Reedwhisker.

" We should be going," Reedwhisker said. " It was nice to meet you Rainheart. Maybe we will see each other at the next gathering."

" Goodbye," I said nodding my head to them both.

They turned and left following behind Mistystar as she called for RiverClan to leave. Bramblepath and Squirrelflight were helping Bramblestar up. He had lost a life and was still injured. They started carrying him to Jayfeather's den where about 5 warriors already were. I padded over to Tigerheart who was still standing in front of the nursery.

"Tigerheart!" I called to him. He turned his head towards me and I saw the wounds he got. His shoulder was the worst injury because it was long and deep. Other then that he was okay but I still wanted to talk to him.

"Yes?" he asked.

"You should go see Jayfeather and Applepaw and get that shoulder looked at. It looks pretty bad."

"Not untill Dovewing is looked after," he growled his additude still fresh from battle.

"Why?" I asked suddenly worried.

"Before I got out here to the front a black tom got through and surprised both of us. The tom clawed her face and side but I grabbed his front leg and threw him out. Would you help me get her to Jayfeather? I didn't want to do it by myself so I wouldn't risk hurting her."

"Of course!" I quickly slipped into the den behind him and got on her right side and Tigerheart and I helped her to the medicine cat den. She could walk but she was unsturdy and I was afraid her leg had been hurt too. On her right side not only was a side wound but I bite mark on her leg.

"Um Tigerheart?" I said slowly. "I think her leg has been hurt too."

We set her down inside the den in the line of injured cats an dhe came over and looked.

He snarled then spoke with a growl, "I will hunt down that cat and break his leg."

Just before I could reply Applepaw came over.

"What got injured?" she asked. She had a kind tone but I knew that she was beside herself with excitment at the prospect of her first battle wound treated.

"Tigerheart has some scratches and a deep shoulder wound. Dovewing took claws to the face and side, and I have a ear bite, and a cla-"

"Take care of Dovewing first." Tigerheart interupted me.

"Don't worry Tigerheart. She will taken care of first. Now Rainheart what were you saying?" Applepaw said.

"I also have a slightly clawed side. Nothing bad. Take care of everyone else first I can wait and carry out patrols for now."

Applepaw nodded and went to fetch the necessary herbs. I looked at Tigerheart and excused myself. I saw Brackenfur assigning patrols for those capable. I went to join one and ended up leading a hunting patrol with Bramblepath and Brightshadow.

"I guess we can do our hunting now." Brightshadow said jokingly.

Bramblepath shook her fur out, "Stupid furball."

I ran out of the entrance with my best friends behind me. I knew that we couldn't be long too long because we still had to sit vigil. I quickly signaled with my tail for us to fan out.

I smelled a squirrel and got into a crouch an dcrawled towards the scent. I saw it nibbling on a nut. It was oblivious to the world around it so I pounced and gave it a bite to the neck killing it.

Soon we gathered back together at the entrance with Bramblepath carying 2 mice and a vole, Brightshadow had a thrush, a squirrel, a mouse, and a vole, and I had 2 squirrels and 3 mice. We walked in proudly and put it on the fresh-kill pile. Cats murmured and I caught a few words.

"Wow...thats enough to feed all of us."

"Good job!" Brackenfur said from the Highrock. "Now that you have hunted, eat. You need your strength soon."

He padded into Jayfeather's den and we left to eat.

I grabbed a mouse and plopped next to Bramblepath and Brightshadow who were sharing a squirrel.

"Not long now!" I said excitedly.

"I know!" Bramblepath said. "No talking untill dawn. How will you survive Brightshadow!"

"Hey! I can be silent!" Brightshadow said.

"Yeah. When your sleeping or stuffing your face!" I said kidding with him.

"Yeah but you cannot stand 5 minutes without bossing someone around." Brightshadow countered.

"Whatever furball." I countered.

"Rainheart, Bramblepath, Brightshadow! Its time for your vigil." Bramblestar said as he came over with fresh poultices on his body. "Defend us well tonight and leave nothing to chance. Sound the alarm if needed but do not sound it unless there is real danger. Good night young ones, and good luck." He padded away and then our mentors came over.

"Your vigil has now begun. No speaking untill dawn. We will come to tell you when your vigil is over. Good night and may StarClan light your path." Rownclaw said.

We dipped our head in reply. They returned the gesture then turned headed towards the warriors den leaving us alone with our thoughts.

Chapter 4
Coming soon!