After TLH 2- The Dawn of a New Beggining

There will be massive changes to this one. This will Amberpool's POV (Cloud and Bright's daughter). I know in the last story, Orchidbreeze is a tom, but she's not. >->

Changes and Timelapse

Timelapse: 14 moons

Changes: Dovewing and Bumblestripe have had 2 kits: Hollykit (brown tabby she-cat with bright gold eyes) and Rainkit (gray tabby tom with amber eyes)

Sandstorm has moved to the elders den, along with Dustpelt.

Lilypaw, Snowpaw, Dewpaw, and Seedpaw have received their warrior names: Seedfall, Snowwind, Dewfur, and Lilysong.

Orchidkit, Mistkit, and Sunkit have received their warrior names: Mistflight, Sunspots, and Orchidbreeze.

Amberpaw has received her full medicine cat name: Amberpool.

Leafpool has shown immense skill in fighting and hunting.

Lionblaze and Cinderheart have had 3 kits: Poolkit (gray she-cat with green eyes), Goldenkit (golden tabby she-cat) and Copperkit (golden-brown tabby she-cat); recently apprenticed with the mentors of Bumblestripe (Poolpaw), Berrynose (Goldenpaw) and Cherryflower (Copperpaw)

Berrynose, Hazeltail, and Mousewhisker are now senior warriors.

Sparrowpaw of ShadowClan, has received his full medicine cat name: Sparrowflight. He has also taken Littlecloud's place as medicine cat.

Littlecloud has moved to the elder's den.

Story

Amberpool woke up, blinking the sleep away from her green eyes. She saw that her mentor, Jayfeather, was still asleep. She sighed, and trotted out of the den, stretching her limbs before she did so. She could hear Dovewing's kits stirring in their nests as they slept. Amberpool stalked over to the elders' den. Surprisingly, Sandstorm and Dustpelt were awake, chatting to each other. Sandstorm had a very lonely look in her eyes. She had heard nursery tales about Firestar, who was her mate. He had died the most bravest death ever, risking his own life to save his Clan. "So, I--" cut off Sandstorm, then looked up at Amberpool. "Oh, hello Amberpool." the old she-cat mewed. Purdy stirred in his nest. "Hello, Sandstorm, do you need anything?" asked Amberpool, twitching her ear. "I believe I'm fine."

Amberpool began to hear murmurs outside of the camp. The warriors must be waking up, finally! she thought, twitching her whiskers. She padded back into the medicine den, where Jayfeather would need her help. Jayfeather was sniffing at a shriveled leaf. "Throw these out." Jayfeather meowed, and prodded the wilted herbs torward Amberpool; she took the herbs and trotted over to the dirtplace tunnel. She discarded of the no-longer-useful herbs and trotted back into the clearing. Most warriors were awake now. Near the bramble entrance, she saw Orchidbreeze and Molefoot sharing tongues. She let her whiskers twitch in amusement. A good couple they will make. she thought. She turned to see Dewfur prowling up to her.

"Hi, Amberpool!" her brother mewed, settling down beside her. "What's it like being a medicine cat?" he asked, giving his gray forepaw a lick. Amberpool looked up. "Complex," she responded, "yet I enjoy it. But, Jayfeather can be a grump sometimes when it comes to me sorting the wrong things. I accidentally gave Purdy some yarrow instead of a willow leaf." she grunted, a wave of guilt crashing down on her. Dewfur purred. "But, is it cool speaking with StarClan and having a special connection to them, and stuff like that?" he asked, a gleam of curiosity in her brother's eyes. "I guess." she snorted.

Then she scented the air. A fresh scent; it smelled like rabbits. WindClan! she thought. At the latest Gathering, Onestar had accused ThunderClan of stealing their moorland prey. They were probably going to attack, any moment now. "WindClan invaders!" Amberpool shrieked. Bramblestar let out a battle cry, and the WindClan cats sprang out of the bushes, snarling and spitting. Bramblestar and Squirrelflight, at the same time, leapt on two seperate WindClan warriors, hissing and yowling with outrage. Snowwind and Dewfur were side-by-side, slashing at a WindClan tom together. Amberpool felt teeth snap at her ears. Amberpool dodged her head to the side, and sliced the WindClan tom's nose deeply with her sharp claws. Blood splattered all over her. The WindClan tom ran off, screeching. She heard Toadstep wail for help, but Sunspots began to help him. She saw a WindClan she-cat pin Dustpelt down. Dustpelt writhed helplessly under the black she-cat's grip. She seemed familiar, thought Amberpool. Relief sparked through her as Icecloud knocked the WindClan she-cat back, throwing her off of Dustpelt. "Retreat, WindClan!" howled Ashfoot, the WindClan deputy. "Retreat! We will avenge this defeat another time." she called. The WindClan cats began to pound out of ThunderClan's camp.

"And stay out!" yowled Bramblestar, turning from fury to triumph for their victory. Amberpool panted. She had dealt quite a blow to the smoky black tom. She had been training with the warriors lately, and it all seemed to be paying off. She glanced around at her Clan. She saw Mistflight rubbing at her ear, gritting her teeth in pain. Goldenpaw was licking a nasty scratch on her flank. She trotted over to Jayfeather, and as she approached him, his gaze was clouded with worry. "They're badly wounded. Amberpool, I need your help. Get Leafpool and Brightheart to help too." he mewed to the gray she-cat. A voice piped up from inside the den. "Can I help, too?" It was Briarlight. Jayfeather nodded.

The five cats began to treat their Clanmates. First, she started off with Mistflight and her ear. "It's torn," she told Mistflight. "I'll treat it.." She wrapped Mistflight's ear in cobwebs. She heaved a sigh, and put some foxglove leaves and some cobwebs on a deep scratch in her flank. Then she went over to Toadstep, and made a goldenrod-and-marigold poultice, dressed it on his wounds, and used some catchweed burrs to make the poultice stay on.

Once she was finished helping her Clanmates heal, all she wanted to do was sleep. She curled up in her mossy bed, and drifted into sleep. She thanked StarClan that although it was leaf-bare, the herb supply was great. She woke up in a grassy field. Amberpool leaped up to her paws, and began to explore cautiously. A scent wreathed around her. "Hello." a voice sounded behind her. It was a deep mew; so she knew it was a tom.

She turned around to see a handsome, blazing ginger tom with deep green eyes. Her gaze widened. This was Firestar, the cat who has sacrificed himself for his Clan, many moons ago. "F-Firestar.." she gasped. Firestar dipped his head. "Follow me, young one." Firestar mewed, and he began to run extremely fast through the woods. She struggled to keep up with the fiery tom. After a few moments of running, she came to a halt along with Firestar. "Beware, Amberpool, of an enemy convinced to harm the brambles that leads ThunderClan on." his voice rang deeply and eerily. He touched the water with his tail. (yay, corniness) The place began to collapse until she was falling into blackness.

Amberpool shot her eyes open, gasping in fear. Beware of an enemy who is convinced to harm the brambles that lead ThunderClan... She repeated the words in her head. Firestar's words had confused her. The bramble entrance was pretty important. But could he have meant Bramblestar? She shuddered at the thought of any cat wanting to harm her leader. She looked at the night sky, her gray pelt reflecting the moon. Dawn was almost here, so she slipped out of her den and went into the clearing, where Ivypool was on guard duty. Ivypool dipped her head, and went back to guarding the thorn barrier.

All the cats were waking up now. Squirrelflight was already announcing who was going on the dawn patrol. "Can I come, too?" asked Amberpool. Squirrelflight gave a small nod, and the patrols set off. "I've never seen so much snow!" squeaked Goldenpaw excitedly. "This leaf-bare is getting much colder throughout the days." muttered Sunspots, giving his tortoiseshell fur a shake. Cloudtail shot the two an angry glance. "Stop talking, you can go do that in the apprentices' den." he growled. "We're here to hunt." Amberpool caught up with her father. "I can't help agreeing with those two. It is pretty cold out here." He said, pointing his muzzle up to the deep gray sky. He heaved a sigh, and dropper into the hunters' crouch. Amberpool trotted off, to see if she could find any prey of her own. She ignored Goldenpaw's chirps of excitement while Berrynose scolded her. She scented the air for any signs of danger and kept on going.

She had only found one scrawny squirrel as she met up with the patrol, who had prey as no better as hers. "Let's take this back to camp. If this is the only thing we can find, then hedgehogs can fly."

Section 2

As the cats returned to camp, Toadstep bounded over to her.

"I need your advice, since you're a she-cat." Toadstep murmured. A she-cat? Thanks for pointing that out.

"What?" asked Amberpool, giving her gray chest fur a lick.

"I realized how much my feelings are torwards Blossomfall. I love her, Amberpool." Her orange eyes widened. Toadstep loved Blossomfall? Why ask me? I've never been through romance before. I'm a medicine cat. "Please, Amberpool."

"Fine. Try getting to know her better. Maybe ask her out to hunt." Toadstep's eyes lit up. "Thanks!" Amberpool sighed. "Here she comes!" The brambles that lead inside the warriors den rustled as Blossomfall came out.

"Patrols!" ordered Squirrelflight. "Cloudtail, pick three other cats to patrol the WindClan side of the border. Toadstep, Blossomfall, and Leafpool; come patrol the ShadowClan side with me." Toadsteps eyes lit up. "C'ya!"

"Toms!" growled Amberpool. She looked up. Tonight is the Gathering. I wonder if Bramblestar will confront Onestar about the attack. She pushed the thought away. No. That would show signs of weakness.

The sky grew darker. It was a clear night, and the moon shone brightly as the patrols returned. Bramblestar leapt onto the Highledge. "The cats going to the Gathering are Blossomfall, Icecloud, Bumblestripe, Goldenpaw, Berrynose, Sunspots, Cherryflower, Copperpaw, and Toadstep. Let's go!" Squirrelflight, Jayfeather, and Amberpool tagged along with the patrol. Toadstep and Blossomfall were in a deep, friendly conversation, Amberpool noticed.

Bramblestar leapt onto a tree branch, with Squirrelflight just below him. Dustpelt and Sandstorm went to go join a group of ShadowClan elders. Toadstep and Blossomfall sat with a few RiverClan cats, while Goldenpaw and Copperpaw sat in a group of apprentices from different Clans. Cherryflower sat next to Hollowflight.

Him! Amberpool saw the smoky gray tom, who now had a scar on the rim of his nose. Jayfeather padded over to her. "That's Crowfeather." he meowed. "He...he's my father." choked Jayfeather. Amberpool had heard nursery stories of what Leafpool and Crowfeather did, but Brightheart had never mentioned Leafpool nursing the the three cats.

"Let the Gathering begin!" yowled Blackstar. The massive tom dipped his head torwards Onestar. The lithe brown tabby gave a small nod and stood up. "All is well for WindClan. Heathertail and Owlwhisker chased a dog off a few days ago." He nodded to the two.

"Prey is scarce this leaf-bare. We drove a few pests"-he glanced at Onestar swiftly "a few days ago. They will not be seen in ThunderClan territory for a while." meowed Bramblestar, nodding to Mistystar.

"RiverClan is doing well this leaf-bare. The fish in the lake are not many, but we always have the river to fish in."

"ShadowClan is well. Prey is."

Amberpool noticed Blackstar didn't finish his sentence. All of the leaders glanced at Blackstar, confused looks on their faces. Snowwind leaned over to her. "I wonder what's wrong with ShadowClan?" he mewed.

"...Okay..? I guess this Gathering has come to an end. May StarClan light all of your paths!" yowled Mistystar. Amberpool realized how skinny Blackstar was. He's on his last life, she realized.

Section 3

A/N: Sorry, this one is short.

Swallowing, Amberpool glanced up at Bramblestar. He was yowling for his Clan. Frantically, Amberpool hurried over to him. "That was odd," she overheard him say. "I'm curious if something is wrong in ShadowClan. . ."

Once she got back, she decided to check in on Jayfeather. He was frowning at some herbs. "Jayfeather?" she mewed, padding through the bramble screen. He jumped a little and turned around. "Amberpool, there you are." he huffed, swishing his tail low on the ground. "Apparentally, Ivypool is expecting Foxleap's kits. It's going to get crowded in the nursery." he huffed.

"That's great!" squeaked Amberpool. "That means more warriors!" Jayfeather glanced at her with blind, dim blue eyes. She flinched. Could he see her? But he just took a deep breath and mewed, "I suppose."

                                 * * *

Three moons had passed. Ivypool's kits had arrived; three she-kits and a tom. Their names were Flarekit, Moonkit, Lilackit, and Tulipkit. The kits were quite beautiful, and leaf-bare had come to an end, replacing the snow with lush green grass. Prey was plentiful, and all was well.

"I bet you can't even catch a mouse!" boasted Moonkit. Moonkit was quite bossy. She was a silver she-kit with black dapples on her back, and white paws. "Can too!" growled Hollykit. The two kits were arguing.

"Well, I'm older than you, which means I'm stronger." Hollykit hissed.

"You still couldn't even catch a mouse if it sat between your paws and begged you!" snapped Moonkit.

"Oh, yeah?" Hollykit thrust her muzzle into Moonkit's face. "Watch me!" And with that, Hollykit charged to the tunnel, Moonkit following.

"Wa-" Amberpool's warning was cut off as Hollykit's body disappeared, swallowed by the bushes that guarded the camp.

Section 4

Amberpool glanced around. What would Dovewing and Ivypool do to her if she told them that she had saw the whole incident happen? A cold feeling of dread crept down the medicine cat's spine. Her eyes darted around for the nearest warrior.

Leafpool! she thought. She swiftly padded torward the former medicine cat. "Hey! Leafpool?" The tabby turned around. "Yes?" she asked, twitching an ear. She didn't know how to say this. "Um, we have two kits missing. It seems that they had wanted to hunt for the Clan."

Leafpool looked at her like she had sprouted two heads. "And you didn't go after then?" she bristled. "Come on, then. If they've gone somewhere, it couldn't have been far. We need to tell Bramblestar."

Leafpool beckoned her with her tail. Both scrambling up Highledge, they approached Bramblestar's den. "Come in," a voice called from inside. "Amberpool, Leafpool." He nodded to the two. "Well?" he asked, tilting his head slightly to the side as Leafpool explained what happened. Once she was finished, Bramblestar replied, "Alright. I'll send out a patrol."

The cats chosen to go onto the patrol were her, Leafpool, Cloudtail, and Lionblaze.

Cloudtail was concentrating on the scent trail the two kits had left behind. He stopped and peered over a bush. Hollykit was stalking a mouse noisily while Moonkit sat there with a smug look on her face. At once, the mouse ran off, sheltering somewhere safe near the roots of the tree. "I told you! You can't catch a mouse!" the dappled kitten mewed. Hollykit's ears flattened. "So what? You don't know how to catch one either."

At that same moment, the patrol padded out of the bushes. Lionblaze glanced at the two kits. "What do you think you're doing out here? Kits aren't supposed to leave the nursery until they're six moons!" growled the golden tabby. "Don't be too harsh." mewed Leafpool. She took Hollykit by the scruff, while Cloudtail picked Moonkit up. "Come on; let's get you home."

Once they arrived back to camp, Ivypool, Dovewing, and Bramblestar came rushing torward the patrol. Dovewing took her kit and curled her tail around it, while Ivypool grabbed hers by the scruff and placed it beside her.

Bramblestar turned to Dovewing. "Hollykit's apprentice ceremony is not long away. Until it is that time, she will be confined to the nursery. Moonkit will be confined for a moon. Understood?"

The two queens nodded and headed back to the nursery.

loltimeskip

It had been two more moons since the kits' punishment. Now it was time to name two new apprentices, and three new warriors.

"It is time for several ceremonies to occur today." yowled Bramblestar. He leapt from Highledge and beckoned Poolpaw, Copperpaw, and Goldenpaw forward.

"I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, call down on these these three apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in turn. Poolpaw, Copperpaw, Goldenpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this Clab, even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do." Poolpaw's gray fur fluffed out.

"I do." purred Goldenpaw.

"I do." mewed Copperpaw, her chin lifted boldly.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Poolpaw, from this day on, you will be known as Pooltail. StarClan honors your loyalty and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan. Bramblestar rested his muzzle on her head while she rasped her tongue over his shoulder. He turned to Goldenpaw. "Goldenpaw, from this day on, you will be known as Goldencloud. StarClan honors your determination and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

"And Copperpaw, from this day on, you will be known as Copperpelt. StarClan honors your intelligence and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

The Clan burst into welcoming cheers. "Pooltail! Goldencloud! Copperpelt!" The three cats looked proud to be warriors at last; Lionblaze and Cinderheart were rubbing up against their kits and purring so hard, Amberpool thought they would burst from happiness any moment now.

"Now, Rainkit, Hollykit, come forward. You both have reached your sixth moon and it is time for you to become apprentices." Bramblestar looked down on them as Dovewing and Bumblestripe nudged the kittens forward. Their pelts were sleek and well-groomed as they padded slowly until they were in front of the leader.

"Rainkit, from this day on, until you recieve your warrior name, you will be called Rainpaw. Brackenfur! You are a good warrior, showing loyalty only to ThunderClan. Pass down all you know to young Rainpaw."

Rainpaw's eyes glittered with excitement to hear to have such an experienced warrior as his mentor. Brackenfur looked just as excited. He stooped low and touched noses with Rainpaw, before he settled down beside the gray apprentice.

Bramblestar went on. "Hollykit, from this day on, until you've received your warrior name, you will be called Hollypaw. Whitewing will mentor you. Whitewing, you are a quick and clever warrior. Pass down all you know to Hollypaw." The white she-cat nodded. As her new apprentice hurried over to the white she-cat, they bent and touched noses.

As Bramblestar climbed up the rocks to his den, Amberpool overheard Flarekit mewling sadly to Rainpaw.

"You're an apprentice now, right?" mewed Flarekit. Rainpaw nodded. "Oh. That means I can't play-fight anymore with you." The ginger kit bent his head. Rainpaw glanced at Flarekit. "It won't be long now; probably about in two moons. I promise I'll show you all the battle moves Brackenfur teaches me." That seemed to cheer the kit up. He purred his thanks and tumbled back into the nursery.

Amberpool slid back into the medicine cat den. Briarlight glanced at her. "Jayfeather just went out picking herbs. And Amberpool, you look exhausted. Why don't you get some rest?" Amberpool opened her mouth to object, but snapped it shut again when she realized Briarlight would just pester her until she did. Nodding to the brown she-cat, she curled up in her nest and fell asleep.

Section 5

Amberpool woke up a while later, watery sunlight leaking through the bramble screen. Her gaze travelled sideways to see Jayfeather washing his paws at the pool in the corner of the den. Nodding to her mentor, she stepped out.

The air was clean and crisp, plus the dawn patrol would be returning. It was taking them a bit longer, but that was probably because it was early newleaf and they were catching prey for the Clan.

Meowing a greeting to Hazeltail as she knealt down to get a mouse, she quickly devoured the ash-colored rodent in a few bites.

A wail sounded from outside the camp suddenly. Dovewing pricked her ears.

A chilling wail.

Dovewing's eyes suddenly widened, their golden depths glistening with mingled fear and sadness. "No," she was mewing to herself.

The bushes rustled, and Poppyfrost appeared along with Squirrelflight, Icecloud, and Millie.

But where was Birchfall?

She suddenly realized that Birchfall was with them; not in the way she had expected.

Birchfall was dead.

"No--oh, no!" A pitiful yowl erupted and echoed around the camp. Bramblestar stood on the Highledge, eyes wide.

Whitewing ran torwards the patrol, green eyes struck with grief. "What happened?"

Squirrelflight quickly explained. "We met a badger. . .it slammed a paw down on his spine--Whitewing, I'm so sorry. . ."

Dovewing and Ivypool slowly padded up to stand by their mother.

Jayfeather came bustling out of his den. "What happened?" he spluttered, dark blue eyes wide.

"Birchfall was killed by a badger. . ."

"Oh, no. . ."

Setting the limp shape down, they waited until nightfall to start the vigil for the dead warrior.

Section 6

Coming Soon.