Sandstorm

Short Story

Nobody like Sandstorm
(I am writing my own short version of 'Out of the Wild', that is the first book of the Warriors series)

"Firepaw, this is Spottedleaf", Whitestorm meowed. He had told Firepaw that Spottedleaf was ThunderClan's medicine cat. Firepaw stared into her beautiful amber-green eyes. Her tortoiseshell patterned fur illuminated her kind character in the crisp evening. "Well," Whitestorm began interrupting the silence and noticing the glances Firepaw and Spottedleaf were exchanging, "medicine cats are not allowed to have a family - no kits. Firepaw stopped looking at the heart-warming she-cat and went to find Graystripe - the apprentice who introduced him to the clan. Before his arrival in ThunderClan, Firepaw lived with his house folk (owners) and lived a straight forward life as a kittypet (kittypet = house cat), now it is the opposite.
     Sandpaw and Dustpaw glared at Firepaw when he padded into the apprentice's den (apprentices = cats training to become warriors). "I suppose you expected your two legged house folk to come and feed you," Sandpaw sneered, then she looked at Dustpaw with round eyes. "Uh, and you are not clan born." "Leave him alone Sandpaw, you're just jealous that Buestar the clan leader invited him to stay!", Graypaw meowed. Firepaw gave him a grateful look. But, before washing his paws, Firepaw peeked over to Sandpaw, when there gazes met Firepaw just continued washing his paws.
     "Firepaw, Graypaw, Lionheart, and Darkstripe, you are going on a hunting patrol," the cold-hearted deputy - Tigerclaw, ordered (deputy = next to become leader). Firepaw and his patrol bounded of into the forest. "Let's try hunting by snake rocks, prey has bound to be hiding in the cracks," Lionheart told them. "Sounds good, but, I would have chosen the owl tree, anyway let's go!" Darkstripe countered.
   When the patrol returned a shriek of horror awaited them. "What has happened," Lionheart demanded. Willowpelt, the cat who had wailed, whispered something to Lionheart. "Oh no, we must alert Bluestar and the Clan," Lionheart ordered. "What has happened?", Firepaw asked. "You will find out soon enough," Darkstripe said with a smirk on his face. Bluestar jumped onto her high rock and called in the clan. 
     "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath high rock for an emergency clan meeting," Bluestar called, and her voice wrung around the hollow. Cats emerged from their dens. Firepaw and Graypaw sat in the front and Firepaw noticed that Willowpelt had emerged from behind Highrock carrying a somber gaze. Lionheart, Darkstripe and other Warriors joined in. Longtail with his apprentice Swiftpaw entered through the thorn tunnel entrance and sat beside Lionheart. Dustpaw and Sandpaw stumbled out of the apprentices den and dragged the queens out of their den (queens are she-cats expecting or nursing kits). Goldenflower who was one of the lead queens  helped the elders into the clearing with the rest of the cats milling about to find a spot. "Eh-hum," Bluestar began, "You all know that we have been having difficulties with ShadowClan lately (ShadowClan is another group of cats)," "Spottedleaf is dead," Screams of dismay, hollers of worry, and gasps of grief rose from the crowd below. Meanwhile, Firepaw just stared at his paws. He thought to himself 'Why her? Why Spottedleaf? The most friendly and beautiful cat I knew. I didn't even get to know her!' Feline tears began streaming down his face and all of the noise around him seemed to die down, he was… alone. Firepaw began to tune in when ShadowClan was brought to the conversation. "What if ShadowClan killed her!", the eldest elder - One-eye, called out. "Stop!", Bluestar interrupted the argument, "Someone investigate Spottedleaf's… body." Whitestorm and Firepaw bounded up to her and Firepaw took one last look into her beautiful amber-green eyes and he saw, longing and love in them. Whitestorm sniffed and her, there were some bite marks in the neck. "Everyone, ShodowClan's scent is on her," he paused "To be exact I think it was Blackfoot," Whiteestorm told them. With that there was no more talk, Halftail, Smallear, Dappletail, One-Eye and Patchpelt - the elders - carried her limp body to the clearing for her mourning vigil. Almost all of the clan came and settled into a circle by her. Bluestar was the first, she leaped down and lay down by her head. Then Firepaw, he nestled up by her eyes and watched his lost love's eyes slowly lose their light.  The other apprentices came at the edge of the crowd to let the older Warriors gets chance. Darkstripe, Tigerclaw and Longtail lingered on the outside and soon suspiciously returned to their dens.

 

4 moons (months) later

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath high rock for a clan meeting," Bluestar called, and all cats assembled as they did with the previous meeting. Firepaw noticed Lionheart looking at them, he nodded approvingly. Firepaw, Graypaw, Sandpaw, and Dustpaw were all about to become Warriors - it was their Warrior ceremony! That is when with all of the training as an apprentice they finally become a Warrior that means that they are recognized a full member of the clan, can go around their territory by themselves, and have more 'options' and respect. Bluestar shot a proud glance at Firepaw, he was her apprentice and before he was a kittypet that would soon earn his respect. Darkstripe looked at him, too, and gave a contemptuous snort. "As you all know these four apprentices are ready to become clan Warriors," Bluestar purred. Murmurs of approval shot up and then as quickly as they came died down. Though some cats stayed quiet eyeing Firepaw. Firepaw looked at his paws, ready to burst with pride, he wondered if he would gain more respect from his adopted clan. 'Oh Spottedleaf protect me from harm and critical glares' Firepaw prayed to Starclan, the heaven where Spottedleaf lay.

     Bluestar leaped down from Highrock and padded over to Dustpaw. "StarClan look down on these four young cats becoming Warriors, please approve of my choice." Bluestar announced.

"Dustpaw do you take the challenge of becoming a Warrior."

"I do."

"Will you defend your clan even at the cost of your life"

"Yes."

"Then from here and on Dustpaw, you shall be known as Dustpelt." Dustpelt was trembling with joy when Bluestar rested her chin on his head he licked her shoulder in return. Next it was Sandpaw. Bluestar looked at the growing ginger she-cat with a kind gaze… "Then from here and on Sandpaw, you shall be known as Sandstorm." …"Then from here and on Graypaw, you shall be known as Graystripe." Lastly it was Firepaw. "Is Firepaw allowed to become a Warrior," croaked an elder from the back of the crowd. Some of the cats appeared as if they were about to counter Bluestar. "Of course he is!" Bluestar told them. Lionheart, Whitestorm, Willowpelt and Frostfur (Bluestar's former apprentice) stood up to defend her. "She will carry on as usual," Willowpelt argued calmly. Bluestar began again,"Firepaw do you take the full challenge of becoming a Warrior and passing on your knowledge for generations to come." Firepaw was puzzled by what she meant by his knowledge, but he was shaking with excitement. "I do," he said with a squeak.

"Will you defend your clan even at the cost of your life"

"Yes." 

"Then from here and on Firepaw, you shall be known as Fireheart, may StarClan light all of your paths and support all of our new Warriors." All of ThunderClan boomed out "Sandstorm, Sandstorm! Dustpelt, Dustpelt! Graystripe, Graystripe! Fireheart, Fireheart!" It sounded like thunder itself to Fireheart and they said his namely with an equal amount of enthusiasm. He beamed with pride. Fireheart noticed Sandstorm taking her place for their Warrior's night vigil. He thought to himself 'Well, I guess Sandstorm is sort of nice' he took his position next to her and maybe even scooted a bit closer. He looked over to the horizon - at the slowly setting sun "All good things end at some point," he whispered and began his vigil listening to the night.

     "Time for the dawn patrol!," Tigerclaw hollered. Fireheart ignored him, he had to speak with Bluestar. Ravenpaw the runaway apprentice had the proof, Ravenpaw had seen Tigerclaw kill Redtail (the previous) deputy just to become deputy himself… then leader. Ravenpaw saw the whole thing and he told Firepaw and Graypaw before he left. Fireheart meanwhile had witnessed Tigerclaw whispering to Shadowclan cats at four clan gatherings, and in his dreams instead of walking in Starclan Tigerclaw walked with the Dark Forest and spoke with his allies potentially plotting to kill Bluestar. Fireheart padded to Bluestar's den when he ran into Sandstorm and Dustpelt, "Where are you of to?", Fireheart asked them, "The dawn patrol," Sandtorm answered with a smile but but her voice sounded bored. "What about you?", Dustpelt asked, "To Bluestar," Fireheart said no more and left them wondering.

     Bluestar's den was dark. It was located under the high rock shielded by a lichen curtain. "Speak." "Umm, well… Tigerstar is evil - he is plotting to kill you!", Fireheart might have said that a bit too fast and frightfully. Bluestar just stared at him, "Listen, Tigerclaw might be cold but inside he is loyal to the Warrior code and ThunderClan." Bluestar looked into the young Warrior's eyes sympathetically then she walked out of the den. "No, but wait!" She didn't stop and only her doom lay in her future - precisely 5 seconds away. "Ahhhhh!", Bluestar yowled so unprepared for the attack that Tigerclaw had planned. Sandstorm and Dustpelt burst into the Clan's camp...