Warriors #4: Darkness Awakens

Prologue

The forest was dark with never-ending night. Not even Silverpelt shimmered up in the sky. Tall trees looked over the ground, with bushes surrounding each one.

A small mouse leaped out from one of the large bushes. It looked around with a couple sniffs and then walked quickly across a trail that had been formed.

Suddenly the small creature squeaked in terror as a larger animal leaped after it. It tried to escape the animal pursuing it, but soon enough the mouse had been caught and killed by the cat chasing it.

The gray tom let out a satisfied grunt and bent down to enjoy his new catch. As he took in its delicious scent, he decided to lie down and eat before he returned to his duties.

"Ashfur," a deep voice called from across the forest.

The gray cat turned from where he was eating. His fur began to bristle as another cat emerged from the bushes. He was a large, muscular tom with dark tabby fur and piercing amber eyes.

"Ashfur," the tabby cat repeated. "What are you doing back here? These cats can't train themselves!" The cat's claws unsheathed as he spoke.

Ashfur tried not to show his fear. "I'm sorry, Tigerstar."

Tigerstar let out a snort. "Sorry doesn't get these nuisances to where they should be," he growled. "Now, get back to the hollow!"

Ashfur gave a curt nod to Tigerstar and then followed him back to the main hollow.

Ashfur flicked his ears as he looked at the strange surroundings. He had only been in the Dark Forest for a moon, and it was hard to adjust after living in the bright forest of ThunderClan.

He didn't miss it, though. He had been exiled by his former leader, Firestar, after he was exposed for attempting to kill some of his Clanmates.

Ashfur had been driven to do so for one main reason, for the speckled-gray tom had been in love with a dark ginger she-cat named Squirrelflight. Ashfur thought she had felt the same way about him, but ended up becoming mates with Brambleclaw, the ThunderClan deputy.

Ashfur reflected the pain he had felt for Squirrelflight's rejection by trapping her three kits, Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf in a fire. Unfortunately for him, the three cats lived. Moons before, he had even helped another cat trap Firestar, Squirrelflight's father, in a fox trap.

When he came back for revenge after the exile, he was killed by his former clan mate, Goldenshine, with the help of ThunderClan's medicine cat, Jayfeather.

How did I let those pieces of crow-food kill me? Ashfur thought. He unsheathed his claws at the thought of the cat that first brought him to seek revenge on the whole clan after his exile.

"Lilypetal," he muttered angrily to himself.

Lilypetal had been the one who exposed him to the all of the clans during the gathering.

Ever since he had wanted to do anything he could to make her life miserable. His revenge was to kill Lilypetal's beloved daughter, Snowflight. He had succeeded, but he wasn't done yet. He wanted to give pain to anyone in Lilypetal's family.

Ashfur's thoughts were interrupted when Tigerstar let out an angry hiss.

"What's the matter, Tigerstar?" Ashfur asked him.

Tigerstar turned back to Ashfur, with his fur slightly bristled.

"We don't have nearly enough warriors here to train," Tigerstar growled. "We need to appoint more."

"I agree, Tigerstar," a new voice spoke behind Ashfur and Tigerstar. A tom that was almost identical to Tigerstar appeared out of all of the other cats in the training hollow. He had a dark brown tabby pelt, a muscular body, but had ice blue eyes. "We won't be able to fight against the other clans with this small lot!"

"That is certainly true, Hawkfrost."

Ashfur narrowed his eyes at Tigerstar and Hawkfrost and let a smirk emerge across his face.

"What?" Tigerstar demanded. "Do you already know of another warrior we could train?"

Ashfur nodded,"Not a warrior, but he's certainly a cat that could become an amazing one with our training."

Tigerstar narrowed his eyes and exchanged a glance with Hawkfrost. "Show him to me."

Ashfur led Tigerstar and Hawkfrost over to a small black puddle that filled where the ground had depressed. The puddle let out a ripple, and suddenly a kit appeared in the water. He was a muscular tom with gray-black fur with a white chest and paws.

Hawkfrost let out a purr of amusement. "You can't be serious?" Hawkfrost challenged Ashfur. "That's a kit!"

"I know that, thank you very much!" Ashfur hissed back.

Tigerstar just stared at the kit in the puddle. "Shut up, Hawkfrost. This is perfect! By the time he's an apprentice he'll already know how to fight and hunt like a warrior!"

Hawkfrost responded just by gritting his teeth and lashing his tail.

Tigerstar looked up at Ashfur. "Good choice, Ashfur," he praised the gray cat.

Ashfur tried not to let his excitement show. "Shall I visit him tomorrow at moonhigh and invite him in?"

Tigerstar just gave a small nod and turned to walk toward the training hollow, with Hawkfrost following quickly behind.

Ashfur turned away from the leaving cats and smiled with excitement and ambition.

His revenge had begun.