Warrior Cats: The Four Clans

   Fernpaw's mind was still spinning with excitement.  His paws glided over the pine-needle covered ground.  His encounter with the RiverClan she-cat at the Gathering was still fresh in his memory.  His nose was filled with her sweet scent.  All he could think about was Rainpaw.  Her voice, the way she had been so friendly to him, how her beautiful blue-gray pelt shone in the moonlight. Thank StarClan, he thought.  He shook his head to clear his thoughts.  What was he thinking?  Fernpaw knew as well as any cat that there could be nothing between the RiverClan cat and him.  Having those kinds of relationships were strictly forbidden by the warrior code.  Fernpaw knew all too well that his loyalty was already being judged by his Clanmates, he didnt want anything to confirm their rumors.  He tried to force all thoughts about the she-cat out of his mind, but in the end, his mind was still being haunted by her warm gaze.
   For the next few days, each moment was filled with thoughts of Rainpaw.  Once he even failed to catch the slowest frog he had ever seen.  "What was that?" Oakpaw yowled at his brother's poor hunting skills.  "That frog was practically hopping into your jaws!"
   Fernpaw studied his paws.  He couldn't confide in his brother; he knew how he was against all half-Clan cats.  What would he do if his own brother were one of the causes of his hatred?  "It just got away from me," he muttered.  Fernpaw for once was relieved to see Wetfoot padding toward them; Littlecloud flanking him.
   "Are you two fur-balls just going to sit here gossiping all day, or are you going to hunt?" Wetfoot snarled.
   "Sorry, Wetfoot," said Oakpaw to him impatient mentor.
   "Come on, you three," Littlecloud interrupted.  "We have plenty of fresh-kill.  Let's head back to camp."  The four cats padded down the bracken-concealed hollow.  Fernpaw discarded his fresh-kill into the pile, and padded off to the apprentices den.Outside, Poppypaw was sharing tongues with Brownpaw.    
    "Hello, Fernpaw!" she greeted.  Fernpaw muttered a reply and disappeared into the den.  He was in no mood to share friendly words with anyone, not even Poppypaw.  He flopped down in his nest and closed his eyes.  His stomach growled with hunger, but he was too preoccupied to bother about it.  StarClan why, he scowled to himself.  Why are you punishing me like this?  In spite of all of his worries, somehow, slept found him and pulled him in like sharp claws.
   He dreamed he was padding along in a forest that he had never seen before.  The scents around him were all foreign.  Suddenly, he noticed a large brown tabby tom sitting not far away; his eyes fixed on Fernpaw.  Cautiously, Fernpaw took a step toward the stranger.  "Hello?" he mewed.
   "Fernpaw," the brown tom rasped; his voice dark, yet welcoming.  "I have been anxious to meet you."  Fernpaw only stared at him, stunned that this strange cat had wanted to meet him.  The tabby rose to his paws.  "Allow me to introduce myself; I am Raggedstar."
   Fernpaws eyes widened.  Raggedstar?  He was a legend in ShadowClan for defeating the fierce rats from Carrionplace.  What was he doing walking in his dreams?  "Hello," he choked out finally.
   "I have come to share with you knowledge of your past."  Fernpaw tilted his head to one side.  What did the StarClan warrior mean?  "Search for the warrior with a broken spirit, and your heritage will be laid out in front of you."  Before Fernpaw could ask him what he meant, Raggedstar's brown pelt began to fade.
   He woke with a start and found himself lying in his moss nest.  Search for the warrior with a broken spirit,  Fernpaw repeated to himself, trying to decide where he would find this "broken-spirited warrior".          

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