Heatherclaw
PROLOGUE:
Bella sprinted past the trees, ignoring the rain dripping into her eyes. She had to keep the kit safe. She had to get the kit to a- what did they call it? Tribe? Clan? Her thoughts were cut off as she tripped over a tree root, the kit dropping out of her jaw, and got up painfully as she watched it rolling into the river. “NO!” Bella yelled. She started running after it, but not before she was pinned down by a heavy figure. The badger had found her. She turned to the kit, which was on the edge of the river, dripping wet and curled in a little ball. “I’m sorry,” Bella rasped. “I’m sorry if I’ll have to leave you to do this by yourself. But I can’t let you die. You are the only hope.” She turned back to the badger, and striked it with her claws. The badger roared, and the two began fighting.
Out in the woods, a little kit sat beneath a tree, next to a loud, running river. She had only been in this world for such a small amount of time, and already she had watched her mother being killed. Slowly, she took her first steps. Walking around to look for the cat who had sacrificed her life for her. Out in the woods, a little voice spoke. “Mom?”
CHAPTER 1: A NEW LEADER
Heatherclaw woke up, a little shaken. She’d had the dream where she watched her mother die in front of her eyes. Heatherclaw’s mother - Bella - was a kittypet. When the Clan had found little Heatherkit all alone in the forest, they took her in. And when they’d searched around the area she was in, they found the dead body of her mother. Heatherkit had kept on repeating a name - Bella. So BrambleClan had assumed that was her mother’s name. But then name had always felt weird to her. Like it had a deeper meaning…And she was sure that the dream where Bella died wasn’t a dream, but a real memory. Although Milkyminnow kept insisting that Heatherclaw wouldn’t have been able to remember something that long ago. Still…It scared her. Her mother had tried to stop something dangerous from happening - and must have thought that Heatherclaw was the only one who could? Well Bella was wrong. Heatherclaw wasn’t special. “HEATHERCLAW!” She flinched. Liontooth must be in a bad mood. Even though he was one of the cats who suspected Heatherclaw of being a rogue spy (which she wasn’t), he was also the deputy. But even Liontooth didn’t yell at her unless he was having a really bad day. “Yes, Liontooth?” She replied politely. The only way to avoid getting yelled at was to act like you weren’t getting yelled at. “WHY AREN’T YOU UP YET?” He roared. Heatherclaw leaped out of her moss bed. She’d have to get the bedding changed later, too. Heatherclaw quietly walked out of the cave, and saw Liontooth barking orders at fellow warriors. He spotted Heatherclaw and walked up to her, looking quite furious. “What’s taken you so long? We don’t have all day, Heatherclaw! Now get out there, and make yourself useful! Milkyminnow will tell you the patrols for today. Great StarClan! Can’t ANYONE do ANYTHING right?” He muttered to himself, as he walked away. I might as well go ask Milkyminnow about the patrols, Heatherclaw thought to herself. She padded over to Highrock, and saw Milkyminnow waiting right outside the Clan. She saw Heatherclaw walking over and relief flooded her eyes. “Heatherclaw! Liontooth’s in a really bad mood! What took you so long?”
“Being scolded by Liontooth.” Heatherclaw replied. Milkyminnow giggled. “Alright, come on! You, me and Duskheart are in the patrol for now. Now hurry up!” She sprinted out, following who Heatherclaw assumed was Duskheart.
After the patrol, Bramblestar called a Clan meeting. “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!” He called. Heatherclaw and Milkyminow made their way to Highrock together. “I have called you all here because of an important announcement I have to make,” Bramblestar began. “I am very old, and have lived a long time. So I wanted to inform you all that I will be retiring to the elders den, and Liontooth will be taking over as leader for me.”