Prologue

The full moon was bright as cats gathered around the fourtrees, ready for the news that the leaders would bring. It had been a good leaf-fall. However, the air had started to become chilly. Leaf-bare would come soon.

Young apprentices chatted and elders gossiped, while the warriors went around discussing news with others.

Suddenly there was a yowl, and the cats turned, facing the leaders who stood on the rock.

There was Frogstar, the leader of Shadowclan.

Swiftstar, the leader of Windclan.

Snowystar, the leader of Riverclan.

And then last but not least... Moonstar, the leader of Thunderclan.

"Let the gathering begin." Frogstar spoke as warriors, apprentices, elders, and medicine cats took their places.

"Swiftstar," Frogstar turned to the petite she-cat. "Would you like to begin?"

Dipping her head, Swiftstar stood up, walking forward. "Windclan is as strong as ever. Three kits have been made apprentices. Eaglepaw, Whiskerpaw, and Wingpaw are here for their first Gathering."

Swiftstar flicked her tail towards a mottled brown tom with a white head, a light brown tabby tom, and a white she-cat. The clans --Windclan mostly-- started chanting their names. As Swiftstar sat down, Moonstar, the oldest leader stepped forward. Her fur ruffled in the wind as her blue eyes glittered in the moonlight.

"Thunderclan is well. A new litter of kits has been born and our old medicine cat Feathersong has died of old age. Her apprentice Twigsnap has taken her place. We will all grieve her death for many moons to come, but we know Twigsnap will be a great medicine cat for Thunderclan."

Thunderclan cats dipped their head in respect, and the medicine cats from the other clans dipped their heads as well. Even some warriors showed signs of respect for the fallen medicine cat.

Twigsnap's eyes were clouded as she looked down at her paws. She missed Feathersong greatly. As Moonstar sat back down, it was Frogstar's turn. "Shadowclan is amazing. The prey is plentiful despite it being leaf-fall. Four apprentices have become warriors. Lilyraven, Lizardslip, Logfur, and Mushroomspots."

The four kin warriors sat together. Their chests puffed out and their eyes shining with pride. Shadowclan and some of the other clan cats chanted their new names.

"We also have a single kit born, Pebblekit."

The last leader, Snowystar, stepped forward. "Riverclan is fine. We have four kits made apprentices. Doepaw, Hivepaw, Shiveringpaw, and Cliffpaw. We also have two new warriors. Buffalocharge and Woodpeckerspeck."

A large fluffy tom and a grey white-spotted tom rose their heads as they heard their names.

"The fish so far have been plentiful."

As he sat back down, Frogstar yowled, "The gathering is over! Group up with your clan and head back to your territories."

As the clans left Fourtrees, the area was left quiet and peaceful again.

                                 Chapter One: Pebble.

Pebblepaw slowly crouched down, her claws unsheathed. Time for my next target, she thought, her tail waving behind her.

Logfur, one of the Shadowclan warriors was nosing through the fresh-kill pile, distracted as he tried to find a good piece of fresh-kill.

There's my next target!

Letting out a yowl, she tackled the tom. Logfur yowled as fell over with an "oof!". "Hah! Got you!" Pebblepaw giggled, getting off of the brown tom.

Logfur got up, shaking his fur. "I didn't see you at all." Logfur said, picking out a frog from the fresh-kill pile and walking away to sit with Pinetree, his mate.

Pebblepaw frowned.

She wished she had gotten more attention because of her sneaky attack. Maybe she'd get more praise from Mushroomspots-- "Pebblepaw!" A voice suddenly called. Pebblepaw groaned. It was her mentor Hawkclaw.

"Yes, Hawkclaw?" She said in her sweet innocent voice, turning to him.

She was absolutely tired of her mentor. He expected too much from her. "You're on a hunting patrol with Dustpaw, Cavepaw, Thorntooth, Vixenfur, and me." Hawkclaw said sharply.

Sighing, Pebblepaw followed Hawkclaw towards the other warriors.

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Pebblepaw tossed and turned in her moss nest, struggling to get comfortable. Pebblepaw couldn't sleep, like always. There was always a strange feeling telling her to out into the forest and explore beyond the borders. But... she stayed put. 

Getting up, she shook moss off of her fur, stepping over Cavepaw's tail as he snored loudly. Ugh, how could any other apprentice sleep with Cavepaw's snoring? When he got his warrior name, he should be named Cavesnore. 

As she walked out of the apprentice's den, she looked up at the sky. The claw-shaped moon was bright in the sky. It wasn't going to be dawn anytime soon.

Maybe she should sneak out?

Walking towards the entrance, she paused, sensing a cat on guard. Coyotedust was guarding the camp entrance.

Dangit!

Looking around, her eyes stopped at the dirt-place tunnel. Ew... she didn't want to go through there. But she couldn't get any sleep, and there was nothing else to do. 

Sneaking through the dirt-place tunnel, she held her breath, relieved when she finally made it out through the other side. 

Shadowclan territory looked even scarier at night. 

As she walked through the territory, she suddenly flinched, hearing something dash past her. 

"Follow me." A voice called. 

But where are you? Pebblepaw thought, looking around. Suddenly some bushes rustled in front of her, and a figure dashed out from behind the bush.

There! 

She dashed after the figure, not even realizing that it was taking her to fourtrees. 

Stopping, she looked around at the quiet area.

"Why take me here?" Pebblepaw asked, confused. 

The figure turned towards her, and she gasped.

Its eyes reflected the stars, and its fur was brighter than the moon. 

It was a cat, a Starclan cat, standing right in front of her.

                                        Chapter Two: The Vision.

Pebble could barely believe that a Starclan cat was here! Was this the reason she's been having a feeling of going beyond the borders? What did this Starclan cat want? 

"Come closer, Pebblepaw." 

Pebblepaw hesitated for a moment, but then did so. 

"Listen to these words." Suddenly the area around her turned to flames, as a large tree fell down. Pebblepaw yowled, looking around. She couldn't escape, flames were all around her. 

"When the strongest fall, they will start a flame."

The cat closed its eyes, fading, and Pebblepaw's eyes closed and darkness took her.

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Pebblepaw woke up, groaning. Her back ached and her paws felt sore. Pebblepaw sensed fear and turned, seeing Cavepaw sitting next to Lemonpaw, the newest apprentice.

 "Pebblepaw, you're awake!" The tom said, getting up as he nuzzled Pebblepaw. "I was so worried. We saw that you weren't in camp and we found you passed out in the middle of fourtrees."

Pebblepaw was confused. Wasn't there a fire? Shouldn't she be dead by now? The words the Starclan cat said rang in her head. When the strongest fall... they will start a flame. What did these words mean?

"Wasn't there a fire?"

"A fire? There was no fire. Fourtrees was fine."

"I swore there was a fire!"

"Did you hit your head on a rock or something? There was no fire."

Pebblepaw growled, frustrated. There was a fire! A tree had fallen. Getting up, she realized how much her muscles ached. Collapsing with a grunt, she sighed. "Can you tell Hawkclaw I don't feel well? I think I'm gonna rest... my muscles ache." Lemonpaw, who hadn't spoken yet nodded, padding out of the den. Cavepaw followed, murmuring goodbye before he left.

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While Pebblepaw was in the den for the whole day, the medicine cat Quietwhisper had come in a few times, checking if she had any fever or cough. Pebblepaw didn't feel sick. It was just her muscles that were sore. Slowly as the day went by, she started to feel a little bit better. Pebblepaw wondered if Hawkclaw was angry that she asked to rest. He hoped she didn't have to check the elders for ticks tomorrow. Mushroomspots, one of her best warrior friends even came in to check on her multiple times

"You okay little Pebble?" Mushroomspots asked. That was what she called Pebblepaw. 

Pebblepaw always responded with an "I'm perfectly fine." Every time she came in and asked. 

Now, she had come in again, but this time she was carrying a vole. Phew, Pebblepaw was feeling hungry.