Tornado stood up with a yawn. She was in the dark clearing where she always met Tigerstar at night.

"Hello, Tornado." Tigerstar's deep voice came out of nowhere from the shadows. "Ready to start training?"

Tornado shuffled her paws. "Actually, no. I need to learn more about the forest clans. How they live, what they do...I need to know it all!" She watched as he padded closer to her and sat down.

"The clans are all watched over by their warrior ancestors; called Starclan. They sometimes go to share tongues with these cats at a place called the Moonpool." Tigerstar watched Tornado to see how she was taking all this in.

"So...are you from Starclan?" She asked, head tilted.

"No. I'm from the place where cats who are not welcome to Starclan go." He growled.

"Oh...now answer my other question." Tornado meowed. "How do the clan cats live? It must be hard in the winter!"

"Winter? You mean leaf-bare? Well, the clan cats train each other so they all learn how to hunt and fight at a young age. Even in leaf-bare, the clan cats are skilled enough at hunting to keep food in their bellies. But sometimes it's only enough to keep them alive. You have to be prepared to live in these harsh conditions, because there is no turning back now. If you can't make it, it proves that your clan isn't strong enough and it will not survive."

Tornado watched a leaf drift by her paw. "Okay. I get it now. Let's start training!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Tornado woke up, her entire pelt ached with scratches.

"Hey, Tornado! Get out here!" Cyclone's call sounded from outside the den. "Typhoon caught a huge squirrel for you!"

Tornado jumped up and bounded out of the den. "Good! I'm hungry!"

Typhoon pushed the squirrel to her and she sniffed it cautiously. "Are you sure this is good to eat? It doesn't smell like the food my housefolk gave me." The squirrel smelled of the forest with a musky tinge. When Typhoon nodded, Tornado took a bite from the squirrel. "Yuck!" She swallowed the chunk she had bitten off. "That was gross!"

Typhoon chuckled. "You wouldn't be saying that if it was the middle of winter and your belly was grumbling louder than monsters on the thunderpath." He pulled the rest of the squirrel back to himself and began eating the rest of it. "It's really not that bad." He mumbled through a mouthful of fresh-kill.

"Tornado...can I, uh, talk to you?" Avalanche padded up to her, obviously with a lot on his mind. "It's pretty important." He shuffled his white paws and flicked his tail.

"Yeah, I guess." Tornado followed him to a shady place underneath a tree. "What is it?" She asked when he was silent.

"I need to talk to you about this clan. Are you sure you want to be a part of it? Won't er-Maxwell-miss you?" He avoided her eyes as he spoke. "I just need to know if you will stay, because I'm afraid if you leave later, the other cats might decide to leave too." He finally locked eyes with her, trying to read her thoughts.

"Are you kidding?" Tornado whispered, surprised. "Of course I want to be in this clan! Maxwell will be fine! Is this about the squirrel? I promise I'll learn to like them! I'm just not used to them..." She was rambling now, and Avalanche watched her with soft eyes.

"It's okay, Tornado. There's plenty of other prey here in the forest. I just needed to know that you wouldn't back out." He paused, giving her a chance to say something, but she was quiet. "Well, anyway, Cyclone has suggested that the more experienced cats start teaching the younger or less experienced cats how to fight and hunt."

Tornado remembered what Tigerstar had told her about mentors and apprentices in the other clans. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea!" Tornado meowed. "Each cat that has things to teach should teach the ones who don't know anything!"

Avalanche nodded. "Exactly. Also, we sent Derecho to go spy on the other clan cats and he found out that there is something called a deputy? Which is like, the cat who's next in line to be the leader, and also has some authority. And he also found out that there is a cat who knows how to treat battle wounds and sicknesses in Thunderclan." He looked around at the cats in the clearing. "Should we have one of those? I'm not sure how they learned which plants do what, but maybe we could find that out?"

"Yeah. And I think I might know a way to learn these things." Tornado was thinking of Tigerstar, and she was hoping he would know all about these plants and such. "And yeah, there should be a deputy. But Cyclone should choose him or her; because they will be her second in command."

When Avalanche nodded, Tornado sent him away to go tell Cyclone the news. "Maybe if I go take a nap, Tigerstar will come to my dreams again." She looked around at the cats bustling around the clearing. "I should probably not sleep in here; it'll be way too loud." She mumbled to herself. She decided to find somewhere outside the camp to sleep peacefully.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When she was only a short walk from the camp, she heard a voice coming from the trees. "Hello, Tornado." Tigerstar stepped out from the shadows in front of her, making her jump.

"Tigerstar! Am I dreaming?" She looked all around at the trees, which looked nothing like the ones from her dreams.

"No. I have just decided to visit you today, because there seems to be something you want to ask me." He sat down. "So what is it?"

Tornado sat down, too. "Well, Thunderclan has a cat who treats wounds and sicknesses and stuff with plants, and I was wondering if you could teach me that stuff so I could train some cat in our clan to do that!" Her excitement faded as Tigerstar's expression darkened.

"I forgot you would need a medicine cat." He paused, looking at the tall oaks surrounding them. "I cannot help you with that. You will need to travel to the Moonpool with the cat who wishes to bear the knowledge of herbs. But remember to tell them, that they won't be able to have a mate or kits; at least according to the warrior code. You still don't have to obey that if you don't want to, but that rule might help so that nothing bad happens to that cat." He turned his head as a small shuffling noise sounded from the bushes. "Quick! You better hide. That's a Thunderclan patrol!" Then he vanished.

"Thunderclan patrol? What's that?" Tornado asked just as three cats erupted from the undergrowth. Tornado recognized Bramblestar, but the two other cats she didn't know.

"Ah, Tornado, is it?" Bramblestar meowed. "We'd like to speak with the rest of your...clan."

Tornado narrowed her eyes at them. "Okay, I guess I'll take you to our camp. But don't try anything!" She flexed her claws and started to lead the way. She heard a giggle come from the cream-colored tom.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Cyclone!" Tornado yowled as she entered the camp. "Thunderclan cats are here to talk to us!"

Cyclone bounded over to Tornado and the Thunderclan cats. "What do you want?" She asked calmly.

Bramblestar surveyed the camp, eyes narrowed into slits. "My name is Bramblestar, leader of Thunderclan. All we wanted to know if this was a true clan, or just a joke." He glanced around again.

"Looks like a joke to me!" The cream tom grumbled.

"Berrynose! Be quiet!" A pale-gray she-cat growled.

Cyclone glared at both cats. "Yes. This is a true clan. We are joining Thunderclan in the forest and taking what is rightfully ours." She flicked her tail in defiance, daring the cats to question her.

"Have you...spoken to Starclan about this? Did they send you a sign?" Bramblestar asked, obviously confused.

"Starclan? What is that?" Cyclone took a step forward, curious.

"It is our warrior ancestors. And I believe you should speak with them, or else Thunderclan will not see you as anything but a group of rogues." Bramblestar lashed his tail.

Cyclone was quiet for a few moments, and the only thing that could be heard was the birds in the trees. "I will...speak to these 'ancestors' of yours, cat."

Bramblestar puffed out his chest. "Very well. Do you need someone to lead you to the Moonpool?"

When Tornado saw Cyclone's blank face, she jumped in. "Yes. We need an escort."

Bramblestar nodded at Berrynose and the gray she-cat. "Berrynose, Dovewing, please escort these cats to the Moonpool as soon as possible. It is almost nightfall by now."

Dovewing and Berrynose nodded, looking quite unenthusiastic.

Cyclone looked around. "I'll bring Tornado, Typhoon, Derecho, and myself." She gazed questioningly at Dovewing. "We are ready now, if you are."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On the way to the Moonpool, all was silent. Tornado's paws were tingling and her tail was twitching with anticipation. She suddenly remembered something important that she needed to tell Cyclone. She fell back into the back of the group where Cyclone was padding along. "Cyclone, I need to tell you something." She whispered.

"What is it, Tornado?" Despite the long walk, Cyclone didn't seem to be tired.

Tornado leaned in closer. "Thunderclan isn't the only other clan in the forest! There are three more; Windclan, Riverclan, and...er-"

"Shadowclan." Berrynose meowed from the front of the group. "We're not deaf, you know."

Cyclone bounded to the front of the group. "Did all the clans start out like ours?" She asked.

Berrynose rolled his eyes. "How am I supposed to know. The clans have been here forever!" He shook his head.

"Hey, we're here." Dovewing called from up ahead.

Tornado ran to catch up to the Thunderclan she-cat, to see a stone hollow, with a small but beautiful pool right in the bottom. There was a steep cliff on one side with water flowing out into the pool. A stream also led out of the pool going down in the direction of a huge lake. Tornado followed Dovewing on a narrow path, which had pawprints dimpled all over it. When they reached the flat stone next to the pool, Dovewing stopped.

"Okay, this is how it works." She watched all the Stormclan cats until they were off of the path. "You touch your nose on the water, and...er...you will fall asleep and wake up having a dream in Starclan." She glanced at Berrynose. "I never realized how weird that might sound to non-clan cats."

Tornado raced to the edge of the pool. Cyclone crouched down to her right, and Derecho to her left. Typhoon was beside Derecho.

The two Thunderclan cats crouched side by side far as far away as they could get from the Stormclan cats.

"Are you ready?" Derecho meowed to them.

Tornado watched Typhoon and Cyclone nod, and then nodded herself. She then touched her nose to the glowing water, almost immediately drifting off into sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Wake up, cat."

Tornado's eyes winked open and she saw big tabby paws in front of her. She sat up, yawning. "Tigerstar? I thought I was supposed to visit Starclan." She looked around, seeing the same dark trees and strange dark river as every night. "This is the place we usually train."

"Well, the thing is..." Tigerstar licked a paw and drew it over his ripped ear. "Starclan probably won't be speaking with you anytime soon. Let's just say, they don't get along well with me. And that's why they don't want to share tongues with you." He watched her closely.

Tornado flicked her ear. "I don't really mind. They seem a bit stuck up. But...will they speak with Cyclone and the others? Because Bramblestar said that Stormclan had to have Starclan's blessing to be a part of the forest..."

"Don't worry. Starclan will talk to them, and they will give your clan part of the forest as your own." Tigerstar narrowed his eyes. "And then we can begin training for the battle with the clans."

Tornado thought for a moment. "If they are giving us a part of the forest, do we really have to fight for the rest? Can't we just keep the part they give us?"

Tigerstar glared at her. "Do you want my help or not?" When she nodded, he continued. "That's what I thought. Then you better stop being so mouse-brained. Remember when Thunderclan attacked you for no reason? Remember how rude they were to you?"

Tornado nodded, her head drooping. "I'm sorry, Tigerstar. I was just being mouse-brained. You're absolutely right."

"I know." He growled. "I'll see you later for training. You better wake up, your clanmates are leaving."

Tornado watched as the dark tabby and the dark trees around him blurred and turned black.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Tornado? Wake up!" Typhoon's voice roused her from her sleep.

"Are we leaving?" She asked drowsily.

"Yeah!" Derecho meowed excitedly. "And Starclan gave us permission to live here in the forest! As long as we live by this Warrior Code thing! Isn't that amazing?" His eyes were bright.

"That is great!" But Tornado was filled with annoyance. The Warrior Code? Isn't that what Tigerstar said held back cats with great destinies?

"Yeah...but where were you? Both of us and the Thunderclan cats were there when Starclan spoke to Cyclone, but where did you go?" Typhoon asked suspiciously. "Did Starclan not speak with you?"

Tornado didn't know what to say, so she just stood awkwardly until Berrynose broke the silence.

"Come on, cats. I guess we have to break the news to Bramblestar." He added to Dovewing. "Oh, and don't forget to come to the gathering at the full moon so we can tell the other clans." He called to the Stormclan cats.

The journey back to the temporary Stormclan camp was filled with nothing but silence.