A PantherClan Story

A PantherClan Story
Spottedkit sat at the door to the nursery. She would wait for her mother to come in, then she would pounce on her to scare her. She waited and waited for her mother to come back, she was getting hungry. "Whiteberry, that's a lot of fresh-kill." She heard the seinor warrior Brightpelt talk to her mother. "How are you feeling?"

"Very well, in fact. I felt like an apprentice again, hunting at the old camp." Spottedkit's mother replied. Spottedkit poked her head outside and saw her mother, black with a white belly, talking to Brightpelt.

"Prey is plentiful in MouseBarn, isn't it?" Brightpelt asked.

"It is." Whiteberry confrimed.

"Are you sure you weren't hunting somewhere other than MouseBarn?" Brightpelt asked.

"Why wouldn't I be hunting at MouseBarn?"

"I saw catch a mouse in TigerClan territory!" Brightpelt yoewled. "You hunt in thier territory all the time!"

Spottedpaw watched her mother being exiled from PantherClan. Whiteberry hwas being exiled, and for some reason, no cat was telling Spottedpaw why.

Spottedpaw waited and waited. Her mentor, Daisyflower, still had not returned. She hoped nothing had happend to her. Brightpelt, the PantherClan deputy, had ordered them to go on a hunting patrol and Daisyflower had run after a rouge that was on thier terriotory. All of PantherClan could run very fast, because they needed to be able to catch rabbits on morrland. If they couldn't catch a rabbit, they could fish in the river at the edge of thier territory. LeopardClan didn't like them to fish from the river, however.

At that moment, Daisyflower returned. Spottedpaw gasped at the sight of her mentor. There was a huge cut down her side and a big cut across her face. She was limping because of her intire paw had been cut off. "Daisyflower!" Spottedpaw meowed, "What happened?"

"I chased that rouge onto a Thunderpath." Daisyflower explained, "A monster stopped at the side of the Thunderpath and Twoleg jumped out of its belly. The Twoleg picked me up and put me in the Monster. It took me to a Twolegplace with a dog. The dog attacked me and I just barley escaped." Spottedpaw helped Daisyflower back to camp.

When they got back to camp, Brightpelt came rushing out of the nursery. Brightpelt was probably checking up on her sister's kits, Dustkit, Spotkit, and Mousekit. Whitepaw came out of the medicine cat's den and yowled in alarm at the sight of Daisyflower's lost paw. "Darkfur! Darkfur! Come and bring some herbs! Cobwebs, and something for infection!" Whitepaw yowled down into the gap between rock and earth.

Brightpelt ran to Daisyflower and winced at the sight of her missing paw. "Daisyflower! How did that happen?" Before Daisyflower or Spottedpaw could explain, a cat with dark black fur came running from the Medicine Cat den.

"Quick! Daisyflower, come into the den! Whitepaw, Spottedpaw, help her get through the tunnel!" The told her. It was Darkfur, the PantherClan medicine cat. Spottedpaw and Whitepaw half-carried Daisyflower into the den under th boulder. When they had settled Daisyflower into one of the nests Darkfur said, "Out! Even Whitepaw! I will need quiet to do this." Spottedpaw and Whitepaw scrambled out from under the rock. Spottedpaw noticed how sleek the medicine cat apprentice's fur was. He had been eating a lot of fish.

"Whitepaw? Have you been eating a lot of fish latley?" Spottedpaw asked. Whitepaw looked surprised that she had noticed.

"Yes, I have. I am not fast enough to catch rabbits, so I catch fish from the LeopardClan river." The apprentice answered. Whitepaw's fur gleamed. He was white with flecks of silver, like dust in the air. Spottedpaw could bet his Medicine Cat name would be Whitedust. Spottedpaw also noticed that Whitepaw had a limp. She had never noticed that before. No wonder he couldn't run fast enough to catch rabbits!

Spottedpaw's Warrior Ceremony
Spottedpaw sat at the foot of a boulder. Brightpelt watched from the top of the boulder, with the leader of PantherClan, Graystar. Graystar called out for all of PantherClan to hear. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey please gather beneath Tallcave!" Cats begain to gather. Dustpaw, Mousepaw, Spotpaw, Softpaw, Branchpaw, and Birdpaw all came out of the apprentice's den. With all the apprentices in the den, Spottedpaw was happy to be leaving.

The only 2 elders came out of the elders' den, Lost-Foot (previously known as Daisyflower), and Lionblaze. Graystar started to speak agsin. "I Graystar, leader of PantherClan, call upon my warrior ansestors to look down on this apprentice. She has worked hard to learn your noble code and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn. Spottedpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do" Spottedpaw quivered with excitement.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Spottedpaw, from this moment, you will be known as Spottedtail. StarClan honors your courage and strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of PantherClan." Graystar jumped down and rested his muzzle on Spottedtail's head. Spottedtail licked him on the shoulder, and walked to the center of the camp to sit vigil.

Cheers of "Spottedtail, Spottedtail!" followed her.

Graystar's DeathEdit
Brightpelt and Butterflywing were aruging. Spottedtail was easdropping from behind a rock thet lead to the warriors' den. "Leave, then! Go join LionClan! Not like I need a brother!" Brightpelt yowled. Butterflywing hissed at his sister, and they leapt at each other. Spottedtail was about to stop it when Brightpelt pinned Butterflywing to the ground and bit into his neck. "Go have the LionClan medicine cat heal that nice wound! No loss to PantherClan!" Brightpelt meowed angrily, then turned and dashed back into the camp. Spottedtail watched Butterflywing get up and turn to follow her, but then changed his mind and walked away, toward the border at Fourtrees.

Brightpelt sat next to Graystar in his den when Spottedtail walked in. Spottedtail's brother, Whitedust, was sitting next to Graystar. Graystar was on his last life, and was terribly sick with Blackcough. Brightpelt was deputy, so she would be leader when Graystar went to StarClan. "How is he, Whitedust?" Spottedtail asked her brother.

The meicine cat was coaxing Graystar into eating some more herbs. "Not too responsive. I'm afraid I can't stop him from joining StarClan. If only Darkfur was here! He could help us!" The medicine cat before Whitedust, Darkfur, was very skilled and and had joined StarClan shortly after Butterflywing left. Butterflywing was now deputy of LionClan.

"I'm sure Darkfur will be ther to welcome Graystar." Spottedtail meowed. At that moment, Graystar stopped breathing. The great leader was dead.

==Spottedtail's Deputy CeremonyEdit== Brightstar stood atop Tallcave and called her Clan for Clan meeting. The moon shone above, almost moonhigh. Brightstar had to choose a deputy soon. The Clan gathered at the boulder's foot. Spottedtail smiled at Dustheart, one of the newest warriors, when he tripped over a kit that had ventured out of the nursery. Dustheart hissed at it and it squeled then ran back into the nursery. "Dustheart! Chipkit is just a kit! It wasn't his fault you tripped over him!"

"He was in my way!" Dustheart snapped.

"Your the one scaring kits that can barley leave the nursery!" Spottedtail meowed calmly, inspite of the anger churning her stomach. Dustheart started to say something, but Spottedtail intupted him, "Chipkit will most certain not be your apprentice, and if you don't stop scareing the kits, I'll personally make sure you never have an apprentice!" Spottedtail turned and was shocked to see the whole crowd of PantherClan cats watching her. She thought her fur would fall off with embarassment.

Brightstar twiched her tail to bring the crowd's attention back to her. "I speak these word before StarClan, in hope they approve of my choice." She continued, "The new deputy of PantherClan will be..." There was a tense silence, but Spottedtail was not paying attention. Dustheart was staring at the door to the nursery where Quietstep, the mother of Chipkit, glared back. "Spottedtail!"

Spottedtail jumped. "Spottedtail! Spottedtail is the new deputy!" Graykit called from the nursery. His mother, Brownpelt, shushed him with a flick to the ear.

Spottedtail walked quickly towards Fourtrees with Brightstar at her side. Spottedtail wondered how Brightstar would start the Gathering. So much had happend, She had become deputy, Graystar had died, Brownpelt was killed by a fox along with Quietstep, and the kits have to be looked after by Mousefoot. The PantherClan cats dove into the clearing and Brightstar leapt to the top of the Great Rock. Her brother, Butterflywing jumped up beside her. Spottedtail realized that Longstar was not there. Butterflywing must be Butterflystar now!

A light brown warrior tabby nosed her in the side. "Hello, Hazelrock. How is it in LeopardClan?" Spottedtail asked her friend.

"It's fine." Hazelrock meowed. "Orangefire is our new deputy. Grayfur disappered." Hazelrock, although not getting his father's gray pelt, still had his father's amber eyes. Grayfur was Hazelrock's father, so he must be greiveing.

"Are we still meeting by the river?" Spottedtail asked.

"Of course!" Hazelrock meowed, then gave a shifty glance at an apprentice nearby, hoping he hadn't heard. Whitestar, the leader of TigerClan, called for the meeting to begin.

"May I start the Gathering please, Whitestar?" Brightstar meowed. Whitestar looked annouied but nodded for her to go on. "Graystar is dead. I am the new leader. We have a new warrior, Branchfall, but she couldn't come with us to this Gathering." Brightstar went on. "I have a new deputy, Spottedtail. Brownpelt and Quietstep were killed by fox near the LeopardClan border. I hope Flowerstar will be careful around that place as the fox could live across the border."

"Longstar has died." Butterflystar started his part of the meeting. "I am the new leader. My new deputy is Whitefoot. We have 2 new apprentices and a new warrior. Stonepelt, Kalepaw, and Frailpaw." Whitestar and Flowerstar went on to give their Clans' news. Hazelrock and Spottedtail stood close, white pelt and brown pelt close.

Brightstar paced her den. Her deputy, Spottedtail was missing. Brightstar needed to go to the Moonstone and share tounges with StarClan. " Mousefoot! Please come with me to the Moonstone." the cat called. The black she-cat with a gray paw that had been gaurding her den came in.

"Do you want traveling herbs from Whitedust?" Mousefoot asked.

"No, we can make it there and back soon enough. If we stop at Mousebarn then we can get there and back without even a pang of hunger." Brightstar meowed. Mousebarn was a Twoleg barn full of plump mice. Sometimes loners stopped and stayed there on their travels.

Brightstar dashed down the dark tunnel until she ccame too the Moonstone. It was glowing with the color of the moon, and was at least 3 tail- leangths high. Brightstar settled down and pressed her nose to the cold stone. A wave of freezing cold passed over her. then she was standing at Fourtrees. StarClan were all around her, but in the front was her sister, Brownkit, Graystar, the last leader, and Lilyheart, her dead daughter. Brownkit and lilyheart came closer and rubbed her pelt in greeting. Graystar came closer and licked Brightstar happily.

"We have seen what you want to know." he meowed to her. "PantherClan and LeopardClan will mix, then break and become River and Wind. Fight will come, but be lost and never found again. A lost cat will come back, then be lost again. "

"Mother, i know you can get through this, as being your daughter, I know you will never give up." Lilyheart moewed quietly.

Spottedtail's KitsEdit
Spottedtail walked into the PantherClan camp. "Brightstar! Spottedtail's back!" came a cry from Spottedtail's brother, Whitedust. All cats came out of thier dens, gasping. Spottedtail had come back with 2 kits. One was gray with white spots, like dust on the wind. The other was blue-gray, like the river.

Brightstar looked at her deputy, then at the kits. "Who are these?" the leader of PantherClan asked.

"My kits." Spottedtail meowed. The statment drew gasps from the cats gathered arround.

"She is deputy! How can she take care of 2 kits! How can she lead the Clan?" Several cats yowled.

"Come to my den." Brightstar told her. The leader picked one kit and walked to her den under the rock. Spottedtail took her other kit and followed Brightstar.

When they had settled the kits, who's eyes were closed, Brightstar spoke. "They part LeopardClan, aren't they?"

"They are." Spottedtail meowed.

"Who was ther father?"

"Hazelrock." Brightstar licked one of the kits.

"You know that StarClan will not be happy about this. You can't lead the Clan with 2 kits to look after." Brightstar mewed. "What are their names?"

"Windkit and Riverkit. You may choose another deputy in my place, but I beg you not to tell the Clan they are half LeopardClan."

"I will not choose another deputy in your place." Brightstar meowed. Spottedtail was surprised. She had broken the warrior code in so many ways thatshe should be killed, but Brightstar still thought she was right to lead the Clan. "No, do you mind to tell me where you have been."

"I ran away when I learned I was going to have kits, because no cat would want me to lead them if they knew I had had kits, let alone LeopardClan kits. Hazelrock and I left together, and lived far way for awhile. When I had my kits, I was going to pass them off as kits some other cat had abandoned, but I couldn't live with that. I brought Windkit and Riverkit here, and Hazelrock parted for LeopardClan." Spottedtail bowed her head in shame. "He took my other 2 kits. He turned hostile, the cat I loved, took my children. The other 2 are Thunderkit and Shadowkit, but I don't know how Flowerstar would turn them away." Brightstar pressed her pelt against her deputy's in comfort as Windkit yowled for food and Riverkit wandered around in circles.

Spottedtail couldn't wait. There was to be a fight with LeopardClan, and she would be fighting. They walked through LeopardClan territory, towards the camp. The plan was to create a distraction while she took her kits from the nursery. The LeopardClan cats from the cats started yowling, and pelting out to face the PantherClan cats. A fight broke out, and she ran into the camp. Every cat was running out of camp and didn't notice her. She slipped through the reeds and into the nursery. Only one queen was there, and was asleep. Spottedtail crept toward her kits, and grabbed Thunderkit. The tiny kit squeled, and the queen woke up.

Spottedtail grabbed Shadowkit and dashed out of the nursery. The queen was running for all she was worth at Spottedtail. "Your stealing my kits!" She yowled. Spottedtail turned and stopped running. She set each kit down at her sides.

"They are my kits." She said dramaticly. "I am their mother. Hazelrock took them from me." The queen jumped on her and tried to dug her claws into her stomach. Spottedtail spat at her, "These are my kits! I have four kits! Windkit, Riverkit, Thunderkit, and Shadowkit! I won't let LeopardClan steal my kits!"

"You lie!" the queen hissed, pinning her to the ground. "You lie! You can't have kits! You're deputy!"

"Sometimes there's things more important than the Warrior Code!" Spottedtail yowled. The queen stopped and stared at the deputy. Then she just got up, but held Spottedtail there. Thunderkit and Shadowkit hissed at her. Spottedtail felt a hole in heart begin to form at her kits' hostility.

"More important?" The queen hissed at her. "At my warrior ceremony, when I got my warrior name, Purpleflower, i promised to uphold the Warrior Code at the cost of my life. I imagine you promised the same. If what you say is true, than maybe it is StarClan's way of punishing you." Purpleflower bit Spottedtail in the leg, so she couldn't run away. "Come, in the nursery." Purpleflower lead the deputy to the nursery, making sure she could not get away. Spottedtail was a prisoner.

Hazelrock was suspisucs. A fight with PantherClan, and no sign of his mate. He threw a PantherClan cat off him and went to check on the camp. He saw his kits outside the nursery. He walked to Thunderkit and Shadowkit, and was surprised to see them hostile. "Daddy! Purpleflower has a PantherClan prisoner! She tried to take us!"

Hazelrock burst into the nursery. Spottedtail was sitting there, crouching beside her was Purpleflower. "I'm sorry about that leg, but I couldn't have you running away." Purpleflower was saying.

"Hazelrock!" Spottedtail hissed at him. "You stole my kits! Thunderkit and Shadowkit are my kits!"

"You broke the warrior code!" Hazelrock hissed

"You broke the Warrior Code as much as me! Our kits belong to PantherClan!" Purpleflower looked confused at their arugemnt.

"Hazelrock is their father!" She yowled. "How could you let this happen? You'll go to The Place of No Stars if you keep doing these thing!"

"What's going on?" Flowerstar and Brightstar entered the nursery, meowing the same question. Spottedtail licked her wounded leg and winced at the pain. "What's going on?" The leaders repeated.

"Hazelrock was exiled. To tell the truth, Spottedtail should have been exiled too." Flowerstar completed the story at the next Gathering.

"Don't tell me how I should run my Clan." Brightstar meowed calmly. "The four kits are now in PantherClan, where they belong. When they become apprentices, Spottedtail will be deputy again."

"Can I start now?" Whitestar hissed.

"Yes, Flowerstar, Brightstar, please can we continue?" Butterflystar asked.

"I have sencted LionClan on our territory myself!" Whitestar growled. "You can't deny it any longer!"

"You can't prove it!" Butterflystar meowed.

"Do you want our territory? How about we give you half?" Whitestar growled sarcastlcly. Suddenly, the moon was covered by a cloud. "We'll fight, at Moonhigh on the 3rd day of the Waning Moon!"

"The Gathering has ended!" Brightstar called to her cats. The Fourtees was deserted soon after.

==The LionClan/ TigerClan Battle (anicient)Edit== Spottedtail took vole from the fresh-kill pile. It was chubby, and wonderful. She wondered how any cat had caught it, because they lived on moorland. She finished it in a few juicy bites, then trotted back to the nursery. Windkit, Riverkit, and Shadowkit were playing with Branchpaw and Graykit. Thunderkit was napping in the corner of the nursery. "Thunderkit?" meowed Spotpelt, prodding him in the side. Thunderkit shifted, meowed, and stood.

"Spotpelt, I don't feel good." Thunderkit sneezed. Spottedtail let out a worried cry and sprang to her kit's side.

"Should I fetch Whitedust?" Spotpelt asked the kit.

"I feel hot and can't stop sneezing." Thunderkit moewed. Spotpelt's eyes widened and she sped out of the nursery. Shadowkit noticed his mother next to his brother and came to investigate.

"What's wrong, Thunderkit?" the black kit asked. "You still sneezing?" Windkit and Riverkit joined the other two. Riverkit sniffed her brother, and noticed the smell of sickness.

"Mother! I think he has Greencough!" the she-cat squelled. "He smells just like Pineclaw did before he died!"

"Thunderkit's sick?" Graykit asked. Pineclaw was his father. "Should someone get Whitedust?" Riverkit shook her blue-gray fur as if to say, 'Mouse-brain, he's already coming.' Windkit rubbed his white and gray fur against Thunderkit's golden pelt.

Whitedust sprang into he nursery and examined Thunderkit. "He must have had Greencough for awhile, it has almost devolped into Blackcough. Shadowkit winced at the thought of his brother getting the fatal Blackcough. "Spottedtail, please go get get catmint from the Twolegplace in LionClan territory. If a patrol catches you, say it's an emergency." Spottedtail was out of the nursery before he finished speaking.

Spottedtail raced through LionClan territory. The waning moon shone above, lighting up her path. She saw the Twolegplace in the distance, when she heard a screech. A yowl of pain and hostile hissing was comeing from deeper into the forest. She stopped, looking from the Twolegplace to the sorce of the yowls. She turned and ran towards the commotion.

She ran into the LionClan camp. TigerClan and LionClan fought against each other, and no one noticed the Pantherclan deputy standing at the end of the gorse tunnel. Spottedtail ran so fast she couldn't see the trees leafless branches, and her paws barely touched the snow. She ran to Twolegplace, got catmint, ran back to PantherClan territory, and into the nursery. She set down the catmint in front of Whitedust, and ran out before anyone gave her a glance.

"Brightstar! Quickly! LionClan and TigerClan are fighting in LionClan camp! LionClan is horribly outnumbered!" Spottedtail yowled at her leader, who was at the fresh-kill pile.

"Let's send a patrol to help!" Brightstar meowed, dropping her rabbit. "Organize a patrol. I'm going with you."

"Dustheart, Mousefoot, Birdpaw, Branchpaw, Softfur, and you." Spottedtail asked. Brightstar nodded and Spottedtail ran to fetch the warriors and apprentices.

Thunderkit watched the cats run by. He wanted to help LionClan too. Whitedust ran to get some herbs from his den, and Thunderkit slipped out. He followed the PantherClan cats to the LionClan territory. He heard LionClan cries in the distance. He wanted to help too. He would help. He would be just like a warrior, fighting by the rest of his Clan.

Spottedtail lifted her nose and sniffed the wind. Thinderkit's heart stopped. Could she scent him? "Thunderkit! Go back to the nursery now!" She snapped. She could scent him, then.

"I want to fight like a warrior!" Thunderkit meowed.

"If you join this fight, you won't live to be an apperentice!" Spottedtail snapped at her son. "Softfur, take him back to camp then come back to the fight." Thunderkit followed the she- cat back to the camp.

Spottedtail leapt onto Sandgrain, the TigerClan deputy. Whitestar was attacking Dustheart, but Dustheart's sister, Mousefoot, was running up behind him to join the fight. Branchpaw and Birdpaw fought a Tigerclan she-cat side by side. When Birdpaw gave the black and white warrior a big cut on her shoulder, she fought free of Branchpaw's hold and ran away. Sandgrain yowled and flipped over on Spottedtail. She tried to bite into Spottedtail's neck, but Spottedtail hissed and hit Sandgrain with her back legs. The TigerClan deputy bit Spottedtail's shoulder down to the bone. Spottedtail couldn't see how she was going to get out of this one.

Then the weight was lifted off of her suddenly. She looked to see her savoir, and instead of a thank you, a hiss rose in her throat. "Thunderkit! I told you to go back to the nursery!" The golden kit was digging his claws into Sandgrain's side. Spottedtail saw he was not alone. Graykit, Shadowkit, Riverkit, and Windkit were digging thier claws into Sandgrain's pelt. The kits' had saved her life.

Spottedtail turned to see Butterflystar and Whitestar in tight combat. Butterflystar bit hard on Whitestar's hindleg. Whitestar flipped around and knocked Butterflystar to the ground. He held him down, and was about to sink his teeth into his neck when he suddenly was flipped and Butterflystar had him pinned down. While Spottedtail was watching this, a TigerClan warrior pushed her over and clawed her flank. She was slightly surprised but easily flipped him over and bit his shoulder. The TigerClan warrior dashed into the bushes.

Thunderkit was slashing a TigerClan she-cat. The she-cat hissed, "I'm not to be beaten by a kit!" and flicked the kit away.

"That's my kit!" Spottedtail hissed at the she-cat and flung herself at it. After a flurry of flying fur when Spottedtail wasn't sure what happend, the she-cat fled. Spottedtail licked her inguird shoulder and looked to where Whitestar had Butterflystar pinned down. Butterflystar was weak, and his blows to Whitestar's stomach were falling short. Spottedtail felt herself get up and run towards the leaders.

"That's my brother!" came a hiss. Brightstar flug herself at Whitestar. Spottedtail ran to help Butterflystar. He was weak, and getting weaker. She turned to look at the leaders' fight. Brightstar bit Whitestar's throat, and the snow-colored leader stopped moving.

"Does he have enough lives left?" Spottedtail asked Brightstar.

"He has at least 2 left." the leader of PantherClan replied. "1 life now."

"Butterflystar is badly hurt. We need to get him out of here." Spottedtail told her.

"Have one of the apperentices take him to PantherClan camp for Whitedust to heal." Spottedtail nodded and ran to Birdpaw to tell her.

Whitestar shifted. Brightstar's fur bristeled. The white leader lay completely still again. The PantherClan leader let her guard down, which was a mistake. Whitestar leapt up suddenly, and bit her hard in the neck. he didn't let go for several moments. When he did, he called his Clan to follow him and left with the TigerClan cats on his tail. Spottedtaill ran to her leader, and lay by her side.

" Spottedtail, you will make a great leader for PantherClan one day. I knew I was going to die when Butterflystar and Whitestar went to war. StarClan sent me a message that I would die saving my brother. I still belive Butterflystar should have stayed in PantherClan. When he became leader of lionClan, I told him I didn't want to fight against him. Now I died for him, my last life for LionClan. I know at least my Clan will survive with you as leader, spottedtail, and I will be in StarClan naming you Spottedstar." Brightstar meowed. Spottedtail licked her leader's shoulder.

"No, Brightstar, this can't be your last life!" she yowled. That caught the attention of the rest of the PantherClan cats. Dustheart, Mousefoot, and Branchpaw came over.

"Good bye, Spottedtail. I will see you all in StarClan." Brightstar meowed, then she closed her eyes, never to be open again.

Spottedstar's Leader/ Nine Lives Ceremony
Spottedtail shivered at the cold feel of the Moonstone. She opened her eyes and she was at Fourtrees with starry cats all around her. She counted 42 cats that were closest. Only 1 of them she knew as Brightstar. "We are all Spottedstar." spoke a young cat Spottedtail din't recognize. "You are the 42nd leader PantherClan has known to be named Spottedstar." All the cats nodded and backed into the crowd except the one who had spoken.

"Spottedtail! I knew you would be leader." Pineclaw, a warrior that had died of Greencough, meowed.

"How is your brother? Did he save Thunderkit?" Darkfur, the prevoius PantherClan medicine cat asked. Spottedtail nodded.

"Thunderkit is fine and so is Whitedust." she meowed. Then a black and white cat caught her eye. "Whiteberry! You are in StarClan?" Spottedtail felt her heart lift at the sight of her exiled mother.

"I still lived by the Warrior Code as a rouge." replied her mother, touching noses with her daughter.

A few more cats Spottedtail knew came intot he clearing. Then Brightstar walked closer to Spottedtail. Spottedtail felt her life being sucked away to be replaced with her new 9 lives. "With this life, I give you the courage and power to lead your Clan." Brightstar touched noses with Spottedtail, and Spottedtail almost pulled away. This life felt cold, like a stone that has been sitting in the snow.

"With this life I give you the heart to love your kin, even when they are so far away." Whiteberry gave Spottedtail her second life. This one felt like a claw sliding through her belly.

"With this life I give you the power to forgive, and forget." said a light brown warrior. It was Hazelrock, Spottedtail's former mate.

"I thought you were exiled!" Spottedtail gasped.

"I still love you." Hazelrock meowed. "I couldn't stand to see my kits grow up in another Clan, my foolishnes lost your love, and I regret it deeply."

"With this life I give you the power to save the ones who need to be saved." meowed Pineclaw.

"With life I give you the power to stand up for what is right." Brownpelt meowed, an old queen who died when she was attacked by a fox.

"With this life I give you mind to decide what is right and what is wrong." meowed Quietstep, another queen killed by the fox. "Please let a good cat be Chipkit's mentor." she whispered after a hot splash of pain surged through Spottedtail.

"With this life I give you the strength to never give up." meowed another, smaller cat Spottedtail had never seen before. "I'm an unnamed kit. My mother and I died soon after I was born."

"With this life I give you the heart to die for a loved one." this one came from one of the 'Spottedstars.' "I'm Spottedstar the 30th. I gave up my last life for my one kit, who still has kin in LeopardClan. Orangefire is the last of my kin's kin."

"With this life I give you the mind to figure out the impossible." said the 'Spottedstar' that had talked to her before. "I am Spottedstar the 41st." he mewed in her ear before backing away.

"I give you the name Spottedstar, leader of PantherClan." Brightstar told her. The clearing faded and Spottedstar saw her four kits, Thunderpaw, Shadowpaw, Riverpaw, and Windpaw. "These kits will be the future." Brightstar said. "LionClan is no longer wild cats, no longer Lions, they will need to change their name and will be the cry of thunder. TigerClan is no longer Tigers, but just a shadowy pelt. LeopardClan are no longer Leopards, but the river floods. PantherClan is no longer Panthers, but will be a gust of wind."

Windgust's part
Thundercry, Shadowpelt, Riverflood, and Windgust were sitting vigil in the middle of camp. There was still crys of, "Thundercry, Shadowpelt, Riverflood, Windgust!" ringing through moorland. Spottedstar looked to her kits, who were just made into warriors. She thought of the prophecy Brightstar had told her at her leader ceremony. Would they really have to change the Clan names? If so, what would they change them to?

Spottedstar was on top of the Great Rock during a Gathering. "I have had a message from StarClan, saying we have to change the Clan names!" she called over the crowd. There was an uproar of yowles and meows. "We are no longer Panthers, Leopards,Tigers, or Lions. LionClan will be the cry of thunder, TigerClan will be a shadowy pelt, LeopardClan will be a flooding river, and PantherClan will be a gust of wind."

"Does that mean LeopardClan will be FloodClan?" Flowerstar asked.

"I don't know, I'm not sure." Spottedstar admitted.

"I think you would be RiverClan." Butterflystar told her. "TigerClan would be ShadowClan and LionClan would be ThunderClan. PantherClan would be GustClan, right?"

"That does sound right." Spottedstar said. Then she continued to tell of the new 4 warriors, Thundercry, Shadowpelt, Riverflood, and Windgust.

"I'm not done with this name-changing thing." Whitestar meowed. "It's mouse-brained. I don't see the point. If you ask me, were still TigerClan."

"I don't get It ethier. Why do we need to change our names?" Flowerstar asked.

"It was a message from StarClan!" Butterflystar cut in. "We have to do what they say!"

"Do you see ant clouds covering the moon?" asked the LeopardClan deputy, Orangefire. "That means StarClan doesn't care that we haven't accepted the names. Maybe something bigger is going to happen."

Thundercry and Shadowpelt were arguing, and Windgust was sick of it. "Stop fighting you two!" he hissed. They quarreled over everthing. Who gets the biggest fresh-kill, who gets to sleep in the back of the warriors den, even about Windgust and Riverflood. Windgust was sick and tired of the fighting between his brothers. They had fought with their claws unsheathled by Mousebarn yesterday. He knew he was getting sucked into the fighting sometimes, and didn't want siblings to fight. Riverflood just stood in the corner, only talking to defend herself in the arugment.

"Windgust! I can't take it anymore!" Riverflood exploded. Thundercry and Shadowpelt stopped dead for a moment. "I'm going to the river to fish." Then she walked out of camp.

"I think t would be better to eat rats than starve!" Shadowpelt continued his fight. "I could eat a lizard without even getting sick."

"What's wrong with you? Why are you fighting about something like this?" Windgust hissed at his broher. Shadowpelt hissed and unshealthed his claws, but Spottedstar stood only 2 tail-lengths away.

"Easy for you to say. You have an apperentice!" Thundercry cut in.

"What does Sweetpaw have to do with anything?" Windgust asked.

"I don't think he would be a better teacher than me." Shadowpelt stuck out his chest. "I bet Sweetpaw will never be a warrior with you being her teacher."

"I'm going to hunt for rabbits." Windgust said.

Before he could leave he heard his brothers start fighting again.

Riverflood, Thundercry, Shadowpelt, and Windgust stood at Fourtrees. "This is goodbye until the next Gathering, then." Windgust felt a lump in his throat.

"Goodbye, Windgust, Shadowpelt, Riverflood. I will do my best to finish this mission StarClan has sent us." Thundercry meowed.

"Same as I." Windgust, Riverflood, and Shadowpelt meowed at the same time. They nodded and parted, Shadowpelt heading for TigerClan, Riverflood to LeopardClan, Thundercry to LionClan, and Windgust back to PantherClan. Windgust hoped this mission StarClan had sent them would be easy. He didn't even know how he could solve this problem.

He just kept thinking the prophecy his father, Hazelrock from StarClan, gave him. 'River, Thunder, Shadow, and Wind will divide, come together, then divide again, but different from before. They will be responsible for The Great Change of The Clans.'

Windgust licked his gray-white pelt. Mousefoot came over and sat next him. "You shouldn't be sitting around cleaning yourself, with all the work to be done."

"What work?" he asked. "I've already been out hunting and I went out on dawn patrol, what more do you want?"

"Maybe you should take Chippaw out for some training. He should be a warrior soon." Mousefoot licked her paw a few times and raked it over her ear. "Whitedust and Fastpaw need herbs, mostly horsetail and watermint. They also ran out of yarrow. If you train Chippaw, I'll come with you to help." Chippaw had been Mousefoot's apprentice before she had gotten attacked by two foxes and twisted her back paw so bad she couldn't run.

"Fine, you got me." Windgust meowed, standing up and streching. "Just let me rest in the warrior's den a bit them meet me at sunhigh."

At sunhigh, Windgust, Chippaw, and Mousefoot were standing on an empty hill. Windgust turned and said to Chippaw, "Attack me."

Chippaw took a second, his short, brown fur waving in the breeze. He gazed around at Windgust, trying to choose where to strike. His amber gaze fell on Wingust's left forepaw. Chippaw leapt suddenly at Windgust, who easily turned to avoid the blow.

Windgust felt the wind get knocked out of him as Chippaw knocked him forewards. The small apprentice had gotten up from his miss and recovered so fast he had leapt onto Windgust's back. "Nice one, Chippaw. You'll make a fine warrior some day."

Windgust shook off his pelt and walked into the hot Greenleaf air. Something was wrong. Many cats were in the camp, more than usual. He saw Whitestar, Butterflystar, and Flowerstar talking to Spottedstar with their Clans behind them. All four Clans were in the PantherClan camp!

A big LionClan queen that was half asleep had three kits jumpinng on her back, playing whatever kit-games they were playing. A LeopardClan elder was asleep, and Orangefire sat next to him. As Windgust got closer he heard Orangefire whisper to the elder, "Are you okay, Berrypelt? Do I need to get Reedfoot?" Windgust knew that Reedfoot was the LeopardClan medicine cat.

He kept walking until he saw his two brothers, Thundercry and Shadowpelt, his sister, Riverflood, and a dark, almost purple, pelted she-cat from LeopardClan. "Thundercry, Riverflood, Shadowpelt! What's going on?" Whitedust called.

"Our mission." replied Riverflood simply, flicking her blue-gray tail. "We had to bring the Clans together. I had a few kittypets that liked wondering wonder onto our territory, make a fuss, then rush onto PantherClan territory. I hoped Flowerstar would just come visit, but apparently a bunch of badgers thought of attacking the camp while we were gone. We have to stay for a awhile."

"To get LionClan over here, I didn't do anything. A bunch of rouges from Twolegplace invaded the camp and captured Swiftfur and Patchfoot. They almost killed them, but their holding them captive unless Lionclan give them our territory." Thundercry mewed sadly.

"I'm not even sure why Whitestar is here, but he only brought a few warriors." Shadowpelt twitched and licked his fur to hide the twitch.

Windgust walked closer to here what his leader was saying. "Really? Kittypets invaded?"

"Rouges, not Kittypets. They almost killed Swiftfur and Patchfoot!" Butterflystar meowed.

"Badgers in our camp! Good thing they didn't hurt Mossfoot! She's the only queen we have and she has strong kits. Mintkit, Toadkit, and Rockkit are almost apprentices!" Flowerstar meowed.

"All I want to know is why foxes keep moving their dens closer and closer to camp. We have to live somwhere until we can chase them out properly." Whitestar piped up.

Windgust inched slowly away from the leaders and trotted back to his siblings. "Shadowpelt, Whitstar says he came because some foxes are near your camp." Windgust told his brother. "If all the Clans join, we could have finished our mission. If not, we better come up with ideas."

The biggest mission
LeopardClan and LionClan had to stay in PantherClan territory for awhile. After his mother, Spottedstar, agreed to send a patrol of PantherClan warriors down to help retrive Swiftfur and Patchfoot, LionClan warriors held captive by rouges, Windgust headed down to the LionClan camp. With him were Dustheart, Spotpelt, Softfur, Mousefoot, and Birdfoot. The LionClan leader, Butterflystar,l lead the cats into chaos. Rouges of all kinds were hissing at each other and clawing and even sleeping peacefully in the dens. Windgust was confused that some were so peaceful when others were ripping others' fur of. In the center of the clearing were two cats, one white with one black paw and the other gray with a dap of orange on his back. windgust these must be Patchfoot and Swiftfur, as they were battered and guarded.

Butterflystar yowled and the patrol leapt into the clearing. Windgust jumped on the back of a surprised guard that was standing in front of Swiftfur. The cat flipped over on him and gave him a big scratch on the nose and above his eyes. Windgust streaked away, blood triclking into his eyes, blinding him. He sniffed and found he had run far away from the fighting. He licked his paw and used it to rub the blood out of his eyes so he could see. He hadn't run far. "Windgust! Get back here you stupid furball!" called his brother, Thundercry.

"Coming, mouse-brain!" he called back. "I couldn't see!" He ran back to the fight. He looked around to see Butterflystar locked together with a big golden-colored cat. Windgust joined the LionClan leader's fight. The big cat gave jim a scratch and a bite in the hind leg for his trouble, sending him to fight a she-cat who was attacking his brother.

"Hi, you decided to come back." Thundercry meowed angrily as soon as they had driven the she-cat into the woods.

"I was blinded, I didn't mean to run away!" Windgust hissed. "Go help your precious leader! He's fighting the biggest!"

Windgust ran to help Swiftfur and Patchfoot to thier feet. A small, black tom with one white paw tried to stop him, but got a bite on his tail. He streaked away muttering something about using dog claws next. After Windgust had Swiftfur and Patchfoot safley out of harm's way, he turned to watch the fight and take a short rest.

Butterflystar and the biggest cat were fighting hard. As Windgust watched, a she-cat with a belly full of kits knocked the LionClan leader over yowling, "That's my mate!" The LionClan deputy, Coldfur, was attacking a strong, orange tom. Windgust saw the tom roll over and pin Coldfur down. The next few moments seemed to happen in slow motion. The tom amied for a kill, Windgust realized what was happening and sped down to help, Thundercry realized also what was happening and bolted for his Clans' deputy. None of the siblings made it in time, even Windgust with PantherClan's speed. The tom sunk his teeth into Coldfur's throat until Windgust bowled him over. Thundercry and Windgust both attacked the orange cat until it ran away. Butterflystar called a retreat and Windgust and Thundercry carried the body of Coldfur out of camp to PantherClan territory.

"Coldfur!" Butterflystar yowled in grief for the dead deputy. Swiftfur licked his friend's pelt in long, slow licks while Thundercry sat a few tail-lengths away, looking guilty. Windgust walked up to his brother. "If I had been a little faster," the golden tom said, "I could have saved him."

"I was running as fast as all of StarClan and I couldn't save him." Windgust meowed soothingly to his brother. "Don't be to hard on yourself. Have you seen Riverflood?"

"I'm right here." their sister meowed around a mouthful of fresh-kill.

"Our mission from StarClan was to bring all the Clans together. How do we do that with TigerClan in thier own territory and the other three here?" Windgust asked.

"I really don't know." Thundercry and Riverflood meowed at the same time.

"What's going on?" asked Thundercry's apprentice, Brownpaw. "Butterflystar's on that big rock."

"He's probably going to appoint a new deputy." Thundercry meowed, jumping to his paws. "Wonder who it will be."

"I say these words before all of StarClan, in hope they hear me and approve of my choice." Butterflystar called out. "The new deputy of LionClan is Thundercry."

"Thundercry! Thundercry!" echoed around the clearing, even PantherClan and LeopardClan joined in. Thundercry looked stunned at first, then held his head high and padded over to Butterflystar.

Twolegs and Dogs
Windgust licked his paw and used it to wash the last bits of rabbit out of his whiskers. He watched his friend, Wolfstripes, pad out of the cleaing with his apprentice, Longpaw, and his father, Strongheart. He was resting in a patch of sunlight, having just got back from a hunting patrol, when Thundercry rushed over to him. "I'm taking Brownpaw out for some hunting. Want to come?"

"Sorry, I just got back from hunting, but Riverflood's been laying about all day. Ask her." Windgust replied. Thundercry nodded and padded away, looking dissapointed. Windgust curled up in the warriors den and fell asleeep almost insantly.

Windgust stood alone in a clearing. Many stars shone low in the sky. The stars came closer and Windgust could see the stars were made of cats. Two of the star-cats came closer and he saw a cat he new only in dreams, Brightstar, and Sweetpaw, a cat who had once been his apprentice.

"I'm sorry!" he yowled suddenly to them. "I can't do this! I can't do this mission!"

"Quiet,young one." Brightstar meowed soothingly, resting her tail on his shoulder. "Your mission is a long one, and cannot be completed for some time. However, all the cats in the forest are in danger. Twolegs will bring their dogs and kits, and let the dogs run free through the forest."

"How do I stop them?" Windgust asked.

"You can't stop them, but you can save many lives by knowing ahead." Sweetpaw told him. Brightstar and Sweetpaw pressed their pelts to his, Sweetpaw's a light brown and Brightstar's golden with ginger patches.

Windgust woke up to a sharp jab in his side. "Windgust! Get up you lazy furball! You've been sleeping since sunhigh!" it was Mousefoot.

"I have?" Windgust licked his side for a second, then strecthed. "Better get out hunting then." Windgust padded out of the warrior's den and stood in the clearing a moment, choosing who to take hunting with him. He saw Whitedust and Spottedstar talking, their pelts looking so alike. While Spottedstar's fur was white with black spots along her tail and back, Whitedust was white with gray spots along his tail and back, just like dust floating on the breeze.

He saw Softpelt, the oldest queen, stumble out of the nursery. Her kits were going to come very soon. He watched Dustheart walk into the nursery with some fresh-kill. He was probably going to give it to his mate, Branchfall, and her kits, Blackkit, Treekit, and Dotkit. Windgust didn't know who the father was, but Branchfall didn't have to tell anyone, as it was not his business.

He finally decided that he would go and ask one of the cats from the other Clans to go for a hunt when the smell of rouge hit his nose. He ran to the smell, to find Wolfstripes, Strongheart, Longpaw, and a rouge that was black with two white spots on her side enrering the camp.

The rouge had an open wound, all down her belly and a big one on her shoulder. Fastbeat, a ginger tom with black spots and one gray paw, ran up to her and sniffed her wounds, "Bring her to them medicine cat den." he told Wolfstripes and Strongheart, who were almost carring her.

"Fastbeat!" Whitedust called to his apprentice. "I need to visit the Moonstone. Can you handle the Clan while I'm gone?"

"Of course!" Fastbeat turned to Windgust while Whitedust walked out the camp entrance. "Were short on marigold, Windgust. Please go fetch some."

"Okay." Windgust, happy to leave, turned and left the camp.

Wolfstripes was sitting next to the rouge when Windgust stepped in with the marigold. "Perfect!" Fastbeat took the marigold from him and started chewing it up.

"Who is she?" Windgust asked, sitting next to Wolfstripes.

"Her name is Fly, because the spots on her sides look like wings. She was chased out of TigerClan Territory by Whitetail. She wa to badly inguired to leave her there." the gray tom answered.

"She'll be fine." Fastbeat announced suddenly. "The wounds are deep, but not infected. She'll be better in a few days."

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here for a Clan meeting." Spottedstar called over the camp. She jumped down from the tall boulder to meet the Clan as cats gathered around her. "Two of our cats are retiring to the elders' den today. Whitedust, Strongheart, is it your wish to join the elders?"

"It is." Whitedust and Strongheart meowed at the same time. Gasps of astonisment met this. Strongheart was getting old, of course, but he was Clan deputy! Whitedust was the medicine cat, he wasn't even that old!

"Then our Clan thank you and you are welcomed to the elders den." Spottedstar continued, "Fastbeat is the new medicine cat, and now PantherClan need a new deputy. I speak these words before all of StarClan, so they might hear and approve of my choice. Windgust is the new PantherClan deputy!"

Windgust literally leapt into the air in astonisment. "Windgust! Windgust!" the Clan cheered. He couldn't be, it was crazy!

"My only apprentice died two moons after starting training!" he meowed. "Surely that can't count as having an apprentice!"

"Help! Help!" Riverflood broke through the camp wall.

"Can't you use the enternace?" Lost-foot meowed angrily, jumping out of the way.

"Flowerstar, Orangefire, Greenfern, Frondspaw, Snowpaw, and Coldsnow went to the old camp, and got ambushed by both foxes and badgers!" Riverflood gasped.

"Birdfoot, Mousefoot, Spotpelt, Windgust, Wolfstripes, Dustheart, Longpaw, and Petalpaw! Go to the old camp and help! Fastbeat, bring some herbs!" Spottedstar meowed over the crowd of cats, her black-spotted tail waving to the cats she had called. Windgust jumped up again and ran out of camp after Dustheart and Birdfoot.

The drama just keeps coming. Windgust thought, dashing towards LeopardClan terriotory.

Windgust and Petalpaw ran into the old LeopardClan camp, where all was silent. Orangefire was the only one on his feet. Windgust instatly turned back to tell the rest of the patrol. He and Petalpaw had been running a few tail-lengths ahead to see what it was like. "It's over." he gasped to the first cats he saw, Dustheart and Mousefoot.

"What do you mean?" Birdfoot pushed her way through the crowd.

"All the foxes and badgers are gone, only Orangefire's awake. We need an apprentice to go back and get Fastbeat." Windgust meowed.

"I'll do it." Petalpaw emerged from the camp. "Greenfern and Frondspaw are already dead." Riverflood gasped in pain. Windgust turned and lead the patrol into camp as Petalpaw raced for the border.

"Orangefire! Who else is dead?" Birdfoot called to the ginger deputy, who was stumbling from cat to cat to see how many were dead.

"It will take all of StarClan to save Coldsnow, and Greenfern and Frondspaw are dead. Snowpaw is fine, but he can't walk. A fox dislocated two of his legs." Orangefire meowed, not looking surprised at all to see a group of PantherClan cats arriving.

"We were to late." Windgust gasped. He had just noticed Flowerstar laying on her side in a pool of blood. "No!" he yowled. He leapt to Flowerstar, sniffing the wound in her belly.

"She had three lives left." Orangefire told him, joining him at his dead leader's side. "The cut took them all."

"Flowerstar!" Windgust jumped at the sound of his mother. Spottedstar leapt to Flowerstar's side. "Petalpaw told me that we were to late when she came back for Fastbeat. Flowerstar was LeopardClan's leader when i was born. She will be missed in all Clans."

"We should bring all the inguired that can be moved back to PantherClan camp!" Fastbeat was shouting. "PantherClan cats, bring the dead for vigil."

Windgust sat next to his sister and his brother as they sat vigil for the cats. Flowerstar and Greenfern were his kin, Flowerstar was Greenfern's sister and Greenfern was his father's, Hazelrock's, mother. He never new who his father's father was, but he did know that his mother's father, Goldheart, had been deputy at one time. His mother's mother, Whiteberry, was exiled, but not even the elders knew why.

Riverflood shifted next to him. It was almost dawn and Windgust was very tired. "Snowpaw and Coldsnow are alive." he heard Fastbeat telling Orangefire. "Coldsnow can't be moved for awhile, but Snowpaw's good as new."

"Let's get some fresh-kill." Thundercry stood and nudged his sibilings. "Mousefoot just came back with four rabbits, and more are still buried out there."

"Okay, let's go Riverflood." Windgust heaved himself up, his sore legs almost colapsing under him. The blue-gray she-cat stood and followed them to the fresh-kill pile, eyes still clouded with grief for her leader.

Windgust lay on a big rock, sunning himself with the last of the Greenleaf sun. He sniffed the air, and his pelt bristeled. Twolegs! He jumped up and saw two Twolegs walking towards him. He watched in horror as a Twoleg kit ran at him, huge paws outstrecthed. He hissed and ran to the nearest clump of heather. Another kit came with a dog on a string.

The dog sniffed the ground and attempted to pull away from the kit to get to the clump of heather where Windgust hid. Another group of Twolegs emerged from behind Mousebarn, this one with two dogs. Windgust waited for the dogs to give up looking for him, then dashed back to camp to warn the leaders.

"Twolegs and dogs?" Orangefire asked. "Were they on the way to the Moonstone? I need to recive my nine lives and the name 'star.'"

"Yes, they are." Windgust meowed urgently. "And they're coming closer to camp! We need to get the elders, queens, and kits to saftey!"

"What?" Spottedstar asked, alarmed. "Where would we go?"

"We could go to TigerClan." Butterflystar suggested.

"No, they wouldn't welcome three Clans to share their territory. We must go beyond Highstones and stay there until the Twolegs take their dogs away." Spottedstar told them. She leapt onto the tall boulder and called, "All cats old enough to catch their own prey please gather here!"

"What could she want?" Windgust heard Dustheart ask his sister, Mousefoot.

"I was sleeping." Birdfoot complained. Longpaw and Icypaw stopped play-fighting and joined the crowd around Spottedstar.

"Windgust has returned and told me of Twolegs bringing their dogs close to our camp. We must travel beyond Highstones to saftey until the Twolegs and dogs go away. We will send elders, queens, and kits first with a group of warriors. Birdfoot, Mousefoot, Iceflare, and, with permission to order LionClan cats from Butterflystar, " Spottedstar paused there as Butterflystar nodded, " Thundercry and Skycloud. All Queens, elders, and Kits go first, then apprentices, then the rest of the warriors."

"But, we can't leave!" Branchfall called from the nursery. "My kits aren't big enough to make such a journey!"

"I shall carry one." Whitedust stepped forward. "We all can carry any kits who can't walk."

"If the cats who I told to go on the first patrol would please depart!" Spottedstar called over the cats. The warriors, queens, elders and kits insantly gathered and left throught the camp entrance. A LeopardClan she-cat walked up to Windgust.

"Is that your apprentice?" she gestured with her tail to Icypaw, who he just realized was scattering the huge fresh-kill pile.

"Fernpaw!" Windgust meowed, running to the young apprentice's side. "What in the name of StarClan are you doing?"

Fernpaw sniffed an rabbit, moved it aside, sniffed a fish, moved it aside, then replied to Windgust, "I smell crowfood in here, but I can't find it!" As she said it, Windgust to smelled crowfood-scent coming from the pile. "Found it!" the siver and black apprentice exclaimed, pushing a old rotting bird from the fresh-kill pile.

" Good, Job!" Windgust praised. "Mousefoot is a good mentor. I'll ask Spottedstar if it is time for your warrior ceremony."

Fernpaw flicked her head up so fast it nearly snapped off her neck. "Really?"

"Really." Windgust smiled at how exicted Fernpaw looked. He turned his back on the silver cat and headed for his mother's den.

"We only have leaders and the last warriors to go!" Spottedstar called over the camp, flicking her white-and- black tail.

"Yes, let us leave." Orangefire added. "On the way I can go to the Moonstone. However, I have an announcement to make before we leave!"

A hush fell over the small group of cats left in the camp. "It is time for me to make a new deputy." Orangefire meowed. "I speak these words before all of StarClan, in hope they will hear and approve of my choice. the new Deputy of LeopardClan is Riverflood!" Windgust looked at his blue-gray sister. Riverflood's head was held high, proud. The last of the cats filed out of the camp and headed over Highstones.

Windgust gaped as he saw Tigerclan dashing after them. His brother jumped up to meet him. "Dogs in our camp!" he gasped. " Going to live over highstones!"

"Us too!" Windgust told his brother. "What else is new?"

"I'm deputy of TigerClan!" Shadowpelt grinned, his black pelt rippling with muscles as he ran.

"Thundercry, Riverflood, and I aredeputies too!" Windgust was happy. "Some day, we couldbe ruling our Clans together!"

Epilouge
After all the Clans got to the Highstones, they met a small family. The family was a silver-and-black she-cat about to have kittens named Ice Cave, and her mate, Ice Flare. They said they came from the Tribe of Cold Winters. Ice Cave and Ice Flare joined PantherClan as Icewater and Iceflare, and their single kit became Icykit, later to be named Icystream. After awhile of living in Highstones, they try to go back to the forest, only to be driven away into Twolegplace. They all split up and became rouges. Windgust and his siblings became Wind, Thunder, Shadow, and River. Wind's mate was a rouge named Gorse.

Spottedstar died as a kittypet, and went to the kittypet afterlife, Flowerplace. Spottedstar would search skies for moons to find StarClan, where she belonged. Orangestar died in a fight with other rouges. Whitestar lost his last life to a dog when he tried to go back to the forest. Butterflystar died when a Twoleg threw something sharp at him.

I know your diying to ask this, is Spottedstar's kits the Thunder, River, Wind, and Shadow who founded the Clans? The answer is yes. The story has been mixed as seasons go on, and most cats think Wind and Shadow are she-cats, but in the origanial they are toms. Gorsestar was a she-cat, not a tom. River was a she-cat that was blue-gray, not a silver tom. Thunder was a tom, but was golden, not orange. Shadow is a tom, not a she-cat, and Wind is a white and black tom, not a brown she-cat.

Owlstar and Ginger were sons of Orangestar. Ginger and Owlstar were seperated at birth, and never knew each other. Ginger later had a son, who had a daughter, who had a daughter, who had a son, who had daugther, who had a son, and so on until Jake was born. Jake was facinated by the forest because he had PAntherClan blood in him. I bet you have been wondering all this time what qualities made up PantherClan. These qualities were Brave, forgiving, and curious. Jake was all that, and so was Socks and Ruby, Firestar, Cloudtail, Leafpool, Squirrelflight, Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf.

Ravenpaw is also distantly related to Spottedstar, because he is diatantly related to Blacktail, daghuter of Branchfall and, get this, Whitedust. that is Why Whitedust retired early.