Chapter One- Meeting

As the sun sank lower in the sky, the Clan gathered together before a tall stump at the edge of their camp. Upon it sat a proud black she-cat, her forehead marked with the white shape of a four point star. She watched with a cool and patient look, trying to hide the fact that inside, she felt her stomach twisting and knotting nervously. She watched her Clan gathering, including apprentices and kits who chatted boisterously to one another, springs in their steps and with energy and excitement in every movement.

At any other time, the excitement of the cats about to receive their new names would have rubbed off on her, but the news she had to relate to her Clanmates tempered her usual feelings of joy and pride. Once everyone had settled in, Eveningstar lifted her head and addressed her Clan.

"We have an eventful evening ahead," she began, "with the seasons so near their change. Greenleaf is ending, and already there is a chill in the air. Soon, the time will come to make our way to our next Camp." A cold breeze rippled through the clearing off the nearby river, and much of the Clan shivered, looking around as though this was some sort of omen. Eveningstar took a breath to compose herself, and continued.

"But for now, we have names to bestow upon kits ready to leave the nursery and embark on their paths to becoming warriors, and messengers." A ripple of excitement went through the gathered kits, as they each exchanged guesses as to which of them would have the honor and difficult path of learning how to navigate the swamp. Eveningstar waited for them to fall silent.

"Cricketpaw has returned, this morning, with his name: Cricketfish. He will sleep tonight with the other messengers, in place of his mentor, Silvercrane. She is expecting kits, and has now moved to the nursery," the leader continued. Warriors and queens gave the she-cat their congratulations, then looked back to hear more.

"His spot at vigil tonight will also be filled, for we have an apprentice gaining her full warrior name." A proud silver she-cat sat near the stump and lifted her head proudly.

"Tallpaw, step forward," Eveningstar meowed warmly. The apprentice stood before the Clan, head held high. Eveningstar continued, her voice taking on a strong and solemn tone.

"I, Eveningstar, leader of WanderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn." Nearby, a strong ginger tom watched with pride.

"Tallpaw," the leader looked down at the long-legged apprentice. "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

With assurance, Tallpaw meowed, "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Tallpaw, from this moment you will be known as Tallvine. StarClan honors your courage and determination, and we welcome you as a full warrior of WanderClan," Eveningstar concluded. A cheer of "Tallvine" went up among the gathered cats, and for a moment, Eveningstar was able to forget the business she was reluctant to touch on. Once everyone had settled down, their leader continued.

"Now, before we assign the dusk patrol, we have four kits who are to begin journeys of their own. I ask that they come forward now." The four kits stumbled over each other away from their mothers, excitedly bounding through the Clan to reach the stump, looking up at their leader with eagerness and excitement.

"We'll begin with it Airkit," Eveningstar mewed warmly, and the silver striped she-cat stepped forward, nearl quivering with excitement. "Airkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Airpaw. Your mentor will be Willowsong." When the deputy was named, the other kits looked to Airkit with jealousy.

Eveningstar continued, "I hope Willowsong will pass down all she knows on to you." The beautiful spotted deputy stepped forward.

"Willowsong, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Risinghunt, and you have shown yourself to be honest and strong. You will be the mentor of Airpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her." The pair of them touched noses, as the Clan chanted "Airpaw."

"Newtkit." Eveningstar called forward perhaps the most eager kit. The small spotted she-cat's ears stood tall, and her tail swished excitedly.

"Newtkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. You shall walk a different path, as a Messenger. You will, from this day forward, until you join the ranks of StarClan, live by the Messenger's Code, and create peace and balance between WanderClan and WoodenClan." Newtkit bowed her head respectfully, then stood taller, with pride.

"From this day on," Eveningstar meowed, "until you discover your guiding spirit and take the name of the animal it possesses, you will be known as Newtpaw. Your mentor will be Moonlitowl. I hope Moonlitowl will pass down all she knows on to you."

"Moonlitowl." A beautiful black she-cat rose and made her way to her new apprentice."You are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Owlsnake, and you have shown yourself to be swift and loyal. You will be the mentor of Newtpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her." Again, the Clan chanted the name of the new apprentice, as she and her mentor touched noses. Eveningstar looked up to the sky, where she could now see stars shining in the dusky purple twilight. She still had two more apprentices to name, and then she could express her worries.

"Reedkit," she called out, as the Clan went silent. The other spotted kit took a step towards her. "You have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. You shall walk a different path, as a Messenger. You will, from this day forward, until you join the ranks of StarClan, live by the Messenger's Code, and create peace and balance between WanderClan and WoodenClan.

"From this day on, until you discover your guiding spirit and take the name of the animal it possesses, you will be known as Reedpaw. Your mentor will be Pondmouse. I hope Pondmouse will pass down all she knows on to you." Eveningstar was growing preoccupied now, though she tried to remain focused on the important task at hand.

"Pondmouse, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Largedeer..." Eveningstar had to pause, then continued quickly, "and you have shown yourself to be resourceful and brave. You will be the mentor of Reedpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him." As they touched noses, Eveningstar looked to the back of the Clan, where their elders sat in a close huddle.

"And finally, Smokekit, come forward." Eveningstar looked down at the last kit, who seemed disappointed. Her head was hung, ears low, and she got to her paws slowly. The leader looked over the white, black-striped kit thoughtfully.

"Smokekit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Smokepaw. Your mentor will be Risinghunt. I hope Risinghunt will pass down all she knows on to you." The Clan's most senior warrior got to her paws, and the young she-cat suddenly looked intimidated by the large cat.

"Risinghunt, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Frozenheart, and you have shown yourself to be patient and skilled in battle. You will be the mentor of Smokepaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her." They touched noses, and Eveningstar finally allowed herself to sit upon her stump. The Clan quieted down once more.

"This meeting is dismissed, but I would like to have Willowsong, Airpaw, Flashstorm, Risinghunt, Smokepaw, Sunstorm, Tallvine Craneshard, Whiskerpaw and our messengers and their apprentices to remain. We have much to discuss."

Prologue- A New Home

The white tom walked among his Clan as they tried to settle in for the night. They had been unable to find any shelter besides an old storm drain, and now they huddled together in the residue of moss and leaves coating the damp ground. A dark gray cat limped between the two heavily pregnant queens, though he struggled clearly with a hind leg that was stiff and needed to be dragged.

"Breeze." The white tom looked over as he was joined by a black she-cat. Her blue eyes were stormy and troubled, and she looked over the Clan. "I'm taking the first watch. Go rest," she continued, "and keep an eye on Thrush."

"You've been taking every watch," he argued. "You need the rest more than any cat in the Clan."

"It's my Clan," she mewed softly. "You're my deputy, and I insist-"

"You're my mate," he interrupted her, "and I'm worried about you... You haven't slept in nights, and none of us know how much farther we still have to go before we find somewhere liveable."

"Not far; I'm sure of it..." the she-cat replied, looking at her exhausted Clan as they settled down to sleep in the crowded storm tunnel. "Just a day more... maybe two..."

"Echo..." Breeze sighed. "You need your sleep. Our paws are aching, our bellies are empty; our queens are getting weak, and Stripe's been chewing poppy seeds for his leg. If our leader doesn't has a clear head, we have no chance of finding a permanent home." Echo hung her head slightly, and shifted her gaze to a small white cat shivering in the cold and trying to get comfortable between the other two apprentices.

"I'll sleep tonight, but change the watch at moon high," she finally agreed. "Have Crow or Nemo relieve you." He licked her between her ears.

"I will... Go and get your rest." Breeze took his seat in the middle of the Clan, managing to find a small place between the medicine cat's apprentice and the queens. Echo walked back to her spot near the apprentices, where she could keep an eye on her son, Thrush, and settled down on the debris on the mostly dry ground. Once the Clan was settled, and sleeping, Breeze began to relax.

For nearly an hour, he sat still on the cool ground, watching the way the moonlight caught the fireflies darting among the blades of gently waving grass. If there had been sufficient shelter shelter, the tom mused, this meadow might not have been a half bad place to make their home. He opened his mouth to better taste the air, and could scent mice and rabbits so close it made his mouth water and his stomach clench with hunger. In the morning, he thought, he would take the apprentices and some other warriors to hunt.

As Breeze shifted where he sat, the wind changed directions, and a gust swept through the tunnel and over the huddled cats. It brought a scent on it that caught the deputy's attention; something near here was teeming with life. He could just catch the smell of pine, and water, and it filled the tom with excitement.

Moon high came at last, and Breeze reluctantly stood on his stiff legs, stretching as best as he could in the cramped space, and then made his way to nudge awake a pretty silver warrior.

"Nemo," he mewed softly as she lifted her head. "Echo asked that you take the next watch. Have Crow relieve you." The she-cat yawned, reluctantly getting to her paws.

"Oooh, my paws ache," she complained quietly, flexing her claws. "I'm almost willing to stay in this tunnel, if it means we can stop walking."

"Soon," Breeze replied, tail swishing. The tip struck one of the other warriors, who made a disgruntled noise in their sleep. After he was certain he hadn't woken his Clanmate, he continued, "I can smell the perfect place, less than a few hours journey from here. A forest, with a river." Nemo's ears perked up, and she was wide awake at the news.

"Only for a brief instant," he admitted, "but the winds changed directions and I caught the scent."

"We'll have a home by tomorrow," Nemo meowed in awe. "It seems unreal, after this moon of traveling..." The two cats stood in silence for a moment, this knowledge passing between them, before Breeze turned.

"There will be lots of work to do after we get there," he reminded her, "so don't forget to give the watch to Crow." He moved carefully between cats until he reached Echo and lay beside her. It took a few moments to quell his anxious and excited feelings, but soon he was able to sleep.

Nemo sat in the still warm place her deputy had left, trying immediately to see if she could smell their future home. As she opened her mouth, a breeze brought to her the sweet smell of pine, so faint, but distinct. Her heart leaped, for the first time since they had been forced to leave their old home. Tomorrow, she thought with a sense of relief and peace,  we will be home again.