Island Sun

Chapter One
Destiny brought us here...but are we meant to survive?

Those thoughts spun around in Soaringstar's head. She'd just made the decision to follow the other three Clans from the forest to the island. It had been nearly a moon since they'd landed on this sandy 'paradise' (as WaterClan and FeatherClan called it) and they weren't doing well. Prey was scarce for the Clans who relied on forest prey- mostly her Clan and AspenClan did. She was considering trying to get at some of WaterClan's prey, but it would be a long trip...

A rustle in the bushes startled her. "We're back!" Winterpromise called, the rest of the hunting patrol right behind her.

Soaringstar looked at the meager amount of prey caught- three sparrows and a fish. "Nothing else?" she asked.

"Not exactly..." Winterpromise paused. "There was a Twoleg monster on our hunting grounds, so we couldn't go far."

That must be why prey is so scarce.

"We'll need to alert the other Clans at the Gathering."

Soaringstar nodded gingerly, though the last thing on her mind was trying to help her enemies. She could barely support her own Clan.

A young black tom stepped out of the shadows with the cats that were on the border patrol behind him as well. "Ravenwing?" she mewed. "Are the borders secure?"

He nodded. "AspenClan was a bit bold, but we handled them quite nicely." Soaringstar suddenly noticed the long scratches on his flank- and there were many more on the other cats as well.

"You should see Pearfur for those," she mewed. There was something in Ravenwing's eyes...a fire burning behind them is what it felt like. It was as bright as the unforgiving island sun which shone down on the camp and everywhere else.

Ravenwing leapt down off one of the rocks in camp over to the medicine cat's den, making an angling dive into it. Pearfur stared at him in amazement.

"It would save me a lot of time if cats that aren't obviously sick would stop coming to my den," she mewed. "I'll assume you've been in a little border skirmish, eh?"

"Yeah." He watched silently as she gathered up dock and marigold, bitter scents hanging in the air. He nearly flinched away as she chewed up the herbs and patted them on his scratch.

A loud blast sounded from outside. "Oh no," he groaned, unsheathing his claws. It might be those Twoleg monsters...

Chapter Two
Soaringstar was slammed into the rocks, and blacked out. The other cats were busy trying to fight off the Twolegs who'd entered camp with a monster and cages- as far as she knew, at least Winterpromise had been captured.

Glaring lights filled the area around her. She closed her eyes as high winds blew past her, chilling the darkness to a crisp midnight air. She watched as her breath puffed in front of her face, and tiny dropets began to form in the air.

"StarClan is calling."

She lifted up her head, heart beating wildly. "I can't leave my Clan!"

"You are on your last life." The voice was reduced to a whisper. "We never told you..."

Soaringstar moaned. SoaringClan was still young- she couldn't afford to let another cat take over when tensions were high-strung. But it was StarClan's will, and she had to leave.

She could already see herself, in her camp, the last breath fading away. She felt weak with pain, and nearly collasped to the starry, cold ground. As cold as her by now.

Ravenwing crawled out of the medicine cat's den, his ears flattened. The ground shook violently, like an earthquake. He could hear Winterpromise yowling for help somewhere- he picked through the crowd of fighting and hissing cats to find her. She was trapped in a tiny Twoleg cage- it may as well have been a bird cage.

Suddenly, he gulped- where was Soaringstar?

He once again picked through the cloud, over to the pile of rocks. ''She's dead. ''He could feel himself choke on the thoughts of their leader being dead. She'd been leader for so long...how could they afford to let another take the lead?

The deputy was Blazefur, former WaterClan warrior (though he was more of a spy). More than once had they caught him on their territory, and he often caused large disputes- which one time lead to a war. He was very violent as well, and if he was leader...the Clan would be in danger.

Ravenwing watched the ginger deputy slide out of the den, as if nothing had happened. When he saw the jumble of cats and Twolegs, he screeched and leapt onto the female one, who threw him off easily. Blazefur wasn't that heavy, and therefore wasn't that good at pinning or overwhelming opponents. He was more cunning.

Cunning enough to trick us all into trusting him.

He felt the urge to do something that would immediately classify him as a killer- murder Blazefur. He couldn't let leadership come to him, whether it be in this Clan or WaterClan.

He had to do it.

Chapter Three
Blazefur became Blazestar very easily. He showed no interest in the grieving Clan cats and jumped to more 'important' matters- attacking AspenClan. Ravenwing disagreed with this idea just as easily, and was even more tempted to carry out his plan of murder. Just one scratch...and SoaringClan will be safe.

But he was more honorable than that.

More coming soon.