Conquering Boundaries

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these names or places. This is a fanfiction based on Erin Hunter's wonderful Warrior Cats series. I have created two fictional clans and the cats within them all. Please enjoy.



Installment One



Lightpaw slowly plowed through the powdery snow, soaking her thick pure white fur and enjoying the heavy silence. She was meant to be hunting, but Chillstar had just told her that she would be attending the Gathering tonight! This was Lightpaw's first time to go to the meeting of all the clans. Her mind was racing with excitement about seeing new cats and experiencing the truce. Once every moon cats from all four clans; SnowClan, RiverClan, TreeClan, and ShadowClan, all meet at the point where each of the territories touch. While the meeting is taking place no cat must shed another's blood, there is to be no fighting at the Gathering.

Lightpaw wondered what the cats of the other clans would be like; loud, to be sure. All the warriors said that the other clans were always making noise and they could never sit still in the quiet like SnowClan. She pictured the dark thin pelts of the other cats when a noise startled her. It was a small bird hopping around a dry spot beneath a tree. Lightpaw immediately sank into the snow, remaining completely still with her eyes barely opened to hide the dark color. The bird was only a tail length away, unaware of her threatening presence. She waited patiently until the bird paused at the very edge of the dry section, a mouse length away now, and pounced. Lightpaw shot straight at the bird, claws extended, and dealt a deadly blow to its neck. The limp fresh-kill made her mouth water, but she knew more needed to be caught and the clan must be fed first so Lightpaw dug out a small hole in the snow and buried the bird.

"How are you doing, Lightpaw?" Dawnshine, Lightpaw's mentor, came bounding toward her with a triumphant look.

"Only this bird so far, what are you so happy about?" Dawnshine grinned and walked away with a flick of her tail for Lightpaw to follow. She did and found a huge rabbit lying motionless in the snow.

"This should be enough for today. Help me carry it back to camp then you can come back for your bird." Lightpaw was thankful for the reprieve from hunting duties and gladly dragged the plump rabbit to her clan. After she had retrieved her buried bird, Lightpaw took a fat mouse to eat with the other apprentices. She saw them across the clearing near their den and she plopped down next to Springpaw and Icepaw.

"We finally see where Springpaw gets her name." Icepaw jabbed Springpaw with his light grey paw and purred.

"Oh, shut up, Icepaw. It startled me, that's all." Springpaw flicked her fluffy off white tail with embarrassment, but swatted at Icepaw good-naturedly.

"Did something happen on patrol?" Lightpaw turned her ears in a question as both the apprentices began telling their story.

"Well, we were on patrol over by the ShadowClan border and you know those really low bushes grow so thick. . ." Springpaw looked down at her paws and Icepaw finished the tale excitedly.

"Me and Rabbitfoot were farther behind and we hear this screech! And see Springpaw fly straight up then sprint toward us!" He purred some more and licked Springpaws ear to take the sting out of his jests.

"Was there a ShadowClan trespasser after you?" Lightpaw asked, genuinely concerned and somewhat annoyed at Icepaw for being so rude.

"You'd think so, but it was just a--"

"Snake. I hate em and this one just slithered right over my paw!" Springpaw finished in exasperation and shivered just from the memory.

"It probably would've scared me too, Springpaw." Icepaw's tone softened and he let his tail rest on hers. She purred a little and they both sank into a contented silence to finish their meal. Lightpaw watched them with slight envy, she had no best friend in the camp. There were six apprentices, but Icepaw and Springpaw were obviously going to become more than friends and Lightpaw would not get in the middle of that. There's Windpaw and Pinepaw as well, but they had been apprentices before the other four and lorded it over them. Then there was Stiffpaw, earning his name for his quiet serious manner since birth, who was to be the next medicine cat. Lightpaw had tried to be his friend, but he always seemed like he didn't like her so she stopped trying.

Just then, as if her thoughts had summoned him, Stiffpaw came out of the medicine cats den that was partially underground. He blinked in the harsh sunlight and swung his head around as looking for something. Maybe I didn't try hard enough. Lightpaw thought, and she wanted a friend so desperately that she casually padded over to Stiffpaw.

"Hey Stiffpaw, do you need any help?" the bulky dark grey apprentice glanced at her then at the ground and seemed to think very hard.

"I need to go gather some more herds before another snowfall. I have to get as much as I can take from each kind so yes, I need another cat to help carry the supplies." Stiffpaw's deep meow sounded coming from such a brooding cat, and that was the most Lightpaw had ever heard him speak in one sitting.

"I can help if you want. I just came back from hunting and I don't have to patrol today." Lightpaw tried to sound friendly and maybe it worked because Stiffpaw dipped his head and walked toward the packed snow tunnel that lead out of camp. Lightpaw happily followed and waited patiently for Stiffpaw to tell her what needed to be done. She waited for quite some time as Stiffpaw methodically sniffed and prodded nearly every plant they passed before moving on. Lightpaw decided to try and get Stiffpaw talking.

"Where's Frostmouth?" SnowClan's medicine cat wasn't known for being the nicest tom, earning his name from his barbed mew especially toward his apprentice.

"Oh, he had to get some coltsfoot from RiverClan. We always seem to run out..." Stiffpaw trailed off, almost speaking to himself so Lightpaw let it go as they continued traveling.

Finally, close to the ShadowClan border, Stiffpaw stopped and awkwardly faced Lightpaw, pawing at the ground and twitching his ears. Lightpaw tried to calm him and initiate a conversation herself.

"So....what are we here to gather? I don't know much about plants but I'll help any way I can." Lightpaw purred a bit and flicked her ears questioningly hoping Stiffpaw hadn't noticed it was somewhat forced.

"There's a large clump of heather nectar just inside ShadowClan territory. I'm allowed to go grab some but you're not. So...I guess I'll just bring you some to take back, too?" He phrased it as a question so I thought about an answer.

"I don't think ShadowClan would mind if I came over to help, too. I mean its still to get medicine, not like its fresh kill." It made Lightpaw nervous and excited to think about crossing ShadowClan's border but Stiffpaw didn't seem convinced.

"If you're worried about it we can just jump over real fast and be done before a patrol comes around. Come on Stiffpaw!" Lightpaw jumped over the border into a clump of bushes.

"Fox-dung!" Stiffpaw spat and scrambled after Lightpaw, cuffing her ears as he slid into her. His ears were flattened against his narrow head and his grey speckled white tail whipped Lightpaw's back.

"Are you mouse-brained?! Just let me do it so we don't get into trouble." Stiffpaw glared at Lightpaw and stomped to the base of a tree with many bell shaped flowers. Lightpaw purred genuinely at his uptight nature as she pranced after him.

Stiffpaw begin biting off the flowers but making sure to keep them upright so no nectar fell out. He stacked them leaning against the tree trunk in bundles for each of us.

"Just watch out for a patrol while I do this." Stiffpaw hissed at Lightpaw then under his breath, "Why is she acting like such a kit?"

Lightpaw hmphed and began pacing the clearing behind Stiffpaw, trying to ignore his grumbles. 'He calls me a kit and he's being just as immature. I guess I made a mistake trying to be his friend.' Lightpaw thought as she stomped back and forth not paying the slightest bit of attention to her surroundings.

"What is going on here?!" A deep scratchy mew sounded just before ShadowClan's stench hit both apprentices'.