Path Of A Warrior

Confused, Redtail got to his paws. Nothing hurt now, and as he glanced down at himself, he saw that the long streaks of blood and dirt from the fight were gone. He looked up at Sunstar in confusion, and the ginger tom twitched his whiskers encouragingly and began to walk ahead of him. Instead of paw prints, faint stars glimmered behind him as he strolled toward the forest. Redtail followed.

They walked through a shimmering mist for what seemed like a long time, and then Redtail realized they were walking between trees, soft grassy ground under their paws. The sun shone onto his back, warming his pelt, and the air was rich with the scent of prey.

As they passed a pond, Redtail looked down at his own reflection. Spottedleaf had told him once that the cats of StarClan lived forever as they had been at their happiest times. He didn’t look too different—he wasn’t young again—but his eyes were bright. I’ve been very happy in ThunderClan, he thought. Every cat I loved was there. I liked being deputy, especially watching over the apprentices… .

A jolt shot through him. ThunderClan! How could he have forgotten the danger his Clan was in? Tigerclaw was such a bloodthirsty cat—who knew which warrior he would target next? All of Redtail’s Clanmates were in danger.

“Sunstar!” he said hoarsely. “You have to send me back! I have to warn the others about Tigerclaw!”

Sunstar looked at him, his eyes warm with affection. “I can’t send you back,” he said quietly. “But ThunderClan will be saved. Come with me.”

Side by side, Sunstar walked with him to the edge of a larger pond. “Look,” he told Redtail.

Redtail gazed down. Flickering forms took shape within the water. “It’s ThunderClan’s camp,” he realized. Ravenpaw was there, Spottedleaf smoothing a spiderweb over his shoulder. And there was Tigerclaw, speaking as the other cats listened respectfully. Redtail felt a low simmer of anger within him. What lies was Tigerclaw spinning now?

But the water shimmered, and it was as if he were moving through the crowd of cats. He glimpsed his sister Willowpelt, One-eye, Dustpaw … There was a stranger there, a small fiery orange cat, gazing at Tigerclaw with wide eyes. “Who is that?” Redtail asked. “He’s not a ThunderClan cat.”

“He will be,” Sunstar told him. “He’s about to be part of the Clan, and Bluestar will name him Firepaw.”

Redtail peered more closely. Was there a spark of something special in the young cat’s eyes? He looked like any apprentice. But Redtail’s sister had brought them a prophecy… .

Spottedleaf had told him and Bluestar that the solution to all their Clan’s problems lay in reach, if they could only realize what StarClan meant.

Was this the meaning of the prophecy? Warmth spread through Redtail. Firepaw, not Tigerclaw, would be the future of ThunderClan. ThunderClan would be saved.

My Clan will go on without me… .

“Fire alone will save your Clan,” he murmured, and felt a warmth spread through his pelt.

Tawnypelt’s Clan

Allegiances

THUNDERCLAN

LEADER

BRAMBLESTAR

—

dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

DEPUTY

SQUIRRELFLIGHT

—

dark ginger she-cat with green eyes and one white paw

MEDICINE CATS

LEAFPOOL

—

light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes, white paws and chest

JAYFEATHER

—

gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes

ALDERHEART

—

dark ginger tom with amber eyes

WARRIORS

(toms and she-cats without kits)

BRACKENFUR

—

golden-brown tabby tom

CLOUDTAIL

—

long-haired white tom with blue eyes

BRIGHTHEART

—

white she-cat with ginger patches

THORNCLAW

—

golden-brown tabby tom

WHITEWING

—

white she-cat with green eyes

BIRCHFALL

—

light brown tabby tom

BERRYNOSE

—

cream-colored tom with a stump for a tail

MOUSEWHISKER

—

gray-and-white tom

APPRENTICE, PLUMPAW

(black-and-ginger she-cat)

POPPYFROST

—

pale tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

LIONBLAZE

—

golden tabby tom with amber eyes

ROSEPETAL

—

dark cream she-cat

APPRENTICE, STEMPAW

(white-and-orange tom)

LILYHEART

—

small, dark tabby she-cat with white patches and blue eyes

BUMBLESTRIPE

—

very pale gray tom with black stripes

APPRENTICE, SHELLPAW

(tortoiseshell tom)

CHERRYFALL

—

ginger she-cat

MOLEWHISKER

—

brown-and-cream tom

AMBERMOON

—

pale ginger she-cat

APPRENTICE, EAGLEPAW

(ginger she-cat)

DEWNOSE

—

gray-and-white tom

STORMCLOUD

—

gray tabby tom

HOLLYTUFT

—

black she-cat

FERNSONG

—

yellow tabby tom

SORRELSTRIPE

—

dark brown she-cat

LEAFSHADE

—

tortoiseshell she-cat

APPRENTICE, SPOTPAW

(spotted tabby she-cat)

LARKSONG

—

black tom

HONEYFUR

—

white she-cat with yellow splotches

SPARKPELT

—