The Journey Begins

Pinestar had gathered the cats of the prophecy together deep in the Gorseledge. He looked at each one of them grimly, his hazel eyes dark with concern and seriousness.

"We have all been informed of this impending prophecy. Each one of you holds the power of Silverpelt in your grasp. And during the fox attack -" he paused, recollecting his grim dream, before continuing "-during the fox attack, my brother, Basil, came to visit me. He told me that the snake was coming soon, and that the cats of the prophecy must warn the pike: PikeClan. Snaketail is originally from PikeClan, and will try to overpower his Clan first, before moving on to ours. Warn the Pike, and go out to find the Snake...before it bites again."

Each cat looked down at his or her paws, surprised, afraid, and yet excited. Pinestar continued.

"This journey requires collaboration and courage. Basil visits me often, and also told me that the Snake will gather an army. He cannot defeat both Clans alone. On this journey, you must dissuade his followers from become part of his army, and also find the Snake so that he can be stopped before he wreaks havoc. Once the Snake is killed, troubles will cease to exist.

"Warn the Pike, then set off to find the Snake." He directly quoted his brother: "The Snake will be North of both the legs. You must stop him before it is too late."

Pinestar watched the cats before him take this in. Their eyes were wide with shock. "You will set off tonight, when Silverpelt glitters in the sky. The fate of both Clans rests on your shoulders. I will see you off." And with that, Pinestar turned and disappeared into his den.

~~~

The cats of the prophecy crossed the Gorseledge grimly and silently onto the border dividing PikeClan from PoplarClan. Not even the most excitable of the apprentices made a peep as they stared out over the border. 

"You must warn the Pike before your journey," Pinestar had told them. These words echoed in Fernpaw's head as she stared at the velvet night sky.

~~~

Treestar lay in his den, dozing off when Dapplenose entered. He raised his head to greet her.

"We have visitors from PoplarClan. A bunch of apprentices and warriors, thought it looks like they came in peace," she said.

Treestar rose and padded out of his den to the group of waiting cats. He gave them a nod of greeting and said, "Why do you come to the PikeClan camp?"

"Can we speak to you in private?" Fallowheart asked.

Treestar grunted and led the cats into the Medicine Cat den where Lilymask was sorting herbs. She stopped what she was doing to listen as Tawnymist explained, "Pinestar had several dreams, where he met his deceased brother, Basil. Basil told Pinestar that Snaketail, one of your former warriors that has disappeared, was trying to overpower both Clans. He is going to attack PikeClan first, but before that he is gathering an army. With this army he wants to overthrow both PoplarClan and PikeClan. The cats you see before you are the only cats who can stop him. But Basil said to warn you...before the Snake bites again."

As Treestar took this in, he looked at the cats with a look of disbelief. "How do I know that you are not tricking PikeClan into devoting time and energy to prepare for this so - called army? We could be using that time for other things like hunting and improving battle tactics."

Tawnymist stared at him imploringly. "Please, you must believe us! It's for your own good."

"Dapplenose, escort these cats to the border." Treestar said stiffly. Lilymask just stared after the cats, but said nothing.

She knew what was coming.

**Treestar**

Follow the rest of this part of their journey at: www.pikeclan.blogspot.com

To Meet the Cats of PoplarClan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA4nIsHddus

To see a Day in PoplarClan Camp: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6t8pzdV-NI

**Pinestar**

An Ominous Warning

Pinestar lifted his head and blinked his hazel eyes open.

The clearing was splattered with blood. He stood up and winced in pain as he realized his leg was broken.

Apprentices huddled together in small groups, shivering with fear and pain. Murkclaw lay, unmoving, on the ground in a pool of his own blood. Tawnymist bent over his corpse, yowling sorrowfully. Goldenstream was helping Windstreak over to the medicine cat den.

Lilypetal was busy distributing herbs. Snowpaw was hot at her heels, a bundle of borage clamped in his mouth.

Nightfrost had a large scratch across her face, but she was insisting that Lilypetal check that her kits were okay first before she was treated.

Why, StarClan!? Pinestar thought. Just then, Fallowheart approached him.

"We won, Pinestar," she panted, blood seeping out of a slash in her side.

Pinestar nodded, but his eyes were grim. "But our Clan is still in ruins..." he murmured, turning away.

~~~

He limped aimlessly between the trees of the Gorseledge, his eyes darting this way and that, not looking at anything in particular. His heart was filled with anguish for his Clan, and he wondered why StarClan had let this happen.

Pinestar then noticed yellow eyes gleaming in a bush beside him, and whirled around right as the eyes winked out.

Snaketail... an unidentifiable voice whispered in his mind. The snake... The bushes rustled.

Pinestar shouldered aside fronds of bracken as he chased the intruder. Every few heartbeats, those gleaming golden eyes would flash at him through the thick foliage.

He ran faster.

A hissing sound filled his ears. Ssssssssssss...

An adder. An adder was hissing.

Sssssssss...

He ran even faster, paws thundering on the soil beneath him, claws unsheathed, ignoring the stinging pain in his leg that was getting worse and worse.

Sssssssss...

He fell to the ground, breathing hard. The hissing was right near his ear. He opened his eyes a crack and saw an adder hissing above him, its fangs dripping with venom, deadly venom, as bitter sweet as fatal juniper berries.

 This was it. Pinestar closed his eyes, and the razor sharp fangs pierced the skin underneath his pelt...

Everything went black.

~~~

Fallowheart left the clearing, now blood soaked because of the fox attack. She raced up to the leader's den to check on Pinestar. She had had to drag him out of the battle and into the den when he lost a life.

To her relief, she found him sleeping soundly.

She approached him and prodded his flank with her paw.

He didn't move.

She ran to the medicine cat den, yowling, "Goldenstream! Help!"

The tortoiseshell she-cat had a bunch of marigold leaves in her mouth.

"Yes?" she answered, her voice muffled behind the marigold.

"Pinestar...he won't wake up!" Fallowheart hissed, panicked.

Goldenstream's eyes widened, and she spat the marigold leaves out of her mouth.

"Take me to him!" she ordered.

Once they had arrived at the leader's den, Goldenstream pressed her ear to his flank.

"He's having a dream with StarClan," she murmured, rising. "Leave him be."

~~~

Pinestar stood up and stretched.

There was no snake bite on his flank.

Was it all a dream? he wondered as he checked out his surroundings.

He was back in PoplarClan camp. All was calm. There was no blood, no corpses, no foxes. Maybe there was no fox attack, no adder...

But where were all his Clanmates?

He padded forward curiously. Suddenly Fallowheart appeared in front of him. 

"Pinestar!" she greeted him warmly.

"So...there was no fox attack?" he asked. He was still confused.

"What fox attack?" Fallowheart purred with amusement. "We never had FOXES!"

"Good, because I had a strange dream."

Fallowheart sat. "Dream?" she asked innocently. "Explain."

Pinestar sat as he began his tale.

"I was walking through the Gorseledge, and saw a pair of yellow eyes watching me. I chased them."

Fallowheart's eyes darkened.

"Then I heard an adder hissing."

A soft rumble started up in Fallowheart's throat.

"I fell to the ground, and then was bitten by an adder," he finished. "But then again, it was only a dream!"

Fallowheart's hazel eyes hardened, and suddenly turned...yellow.

"Um...Fallowheart?" Pinestar began to back up.

Scales replaced Fallowheart's fur. Her legs dissapeared, and her head became long and narrow. Sharp, glistening fangs replaced her teeth.

She had turned into an adder.

A loud hiss reverberated around the clearing.

"Basil! HELP!" Pinestar yowled.

His brother's voice echoed in his ears.

"The snake is coming soon...Both Clans must beware...Warn the pike..."

~~~

Goldenstream and Fallowheart watched Pinestar anxiously, then both sighed with relief as his eyes snapped open.

"Pinestar...are you alright?" Goldenstream asked.

Pinestar looked back and forth between both she-cats before answering.

"The snake is coming soon...Both Clans must beware...Warn the pike..."

**Pinestar**

((On a further note, the Gathering is tonight! The cats that will be going to the Gathering are as follows:

-Windstreak

-Thunderstorm

-Goldenstream

-Shootingstream

-Patchedtail

-Windpaw

-Seapaw

-Seabreeze

-Stargaze

To get to the gathering, just click HERE.))

The Explanation

Fallowheart left the nursery and took a deep breath. Cats bustled around the clearing. Whenever one of them bumped into her, they would give her a curious look. Fallowheart knew it was because they wanted to know who her mate was, but she kept tight-lipped.

She approached Tawnymist and asked, "Have you seen Pinestar?"

"The last I heard, he was on his way over to PikeClan territory," the black she-cat responded.

Without replying, Fallowheart raced away, bounding over the Grassy Field, until she had come to the edge of PikeClan territory. She saw Pinestar and Treestar talking in urgent whispers. She crept towards them, her ears pricked to see if she could pick up bits of their conversation.

Treestar was saying, "...last we saw him, he was running towards PoplarClan territory. That was several sunrises ago." He glared at Pinestar suspiciously. "Do YOU have something to do with his dissapearance?"

Pinestar growled angrily. "Well, I can tell you right now that I never saw Snaketail ANYWHERE on PoplarClan territory. Does that answer your question?"

"How do we know you didn't hold him prisoner?" Treestar snarled menancingly.

"Prisoner!? That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!" Suddenly Pinestar lifted his head. "Fallowheart?" he murmured confusedly.

Treestar looked confused.

"I think I smell my sister..." Pinestar muttered.

Fallowheart dashed away from where the two Clan leaders stood, her heart thumping wildly in her chest.

Snaketail's MISSING? she thought. Oh, no...this is NOT good...

She found shelter beneath a large boulder and rested there, her head on her paws as she thought.

If Snaketail was the snake in the prophecy, and he was missing, who knew what havoc he could do...Fallowheart drifted off to sleep.

~~~

Suddenly, she found herself in a mossy clearing. Tall poplars grew on either side of her.

There was a rustling in the bushes. Fallowheart readied her claws, then called, "W-Who's there?"

A long-furred, cream-colored tom stepped out in front of her.

"Basil!" she cried happily. "My brother...I haven't seen you in so long...since...since..."

"Since I was killed by dogs," Basil finished for her. They touched noses, Fallowheart's eyes shining with sadness.

After a few long heartbeats, Basil stepped back and fixed Fallowheart with a steady gaze. "You are a cat of the prophecy. You hold the power of the pelt of silver in your grasp."

"I-I know."

"But you are in more danger than the rest of the propheciesed cats. The snake itself has direct relations to you, and it will use you to try and gain power over all cats in both Clans."

Fallowheart gasped. The gray tom that she was formerly in love with had turned into a hissing adder in a matter of seconds in her mind.

"The snake may be one cat, but he will gather more to help him. You must stop him," Basil continued. "Once the snake is killed, the rest will be taken care of."

Basil gazed at her grimly. "The other cats of the prophecy have gotten this same message from different StarClan cats they know and love. It is up to all of you, combined, to stop the snake..." Basil began to fade.

Fallowheart watched him go, her slender frame trembling with apprehension. She lay down on the moist ground and closed her eyes...

~~~

Fallowheart awoke with a start underneath the boulder. She blinked sleep out of her eyes and decided to go back to camp.

As she reached the clearing, she heard alarmed yowls echoing through the trees. She quickened her pace and saw cats running wildly everywhere. Pinestar was standing on the Stonepile, trying to get his Clan's attention.

Fallowheart ran up to him and caterwauled, "What happened?"

Pinestar noticed her, and his green eyes flashed for a moment before he said, "Murkclaw reported a fox attack. Where were you?!"

Before Fallowheart could respond, several streaks of red burst into the clearing, snarling and swinging their large, narrow heads around to survey the camp.

Foxes.

((COMMENT BELOW TO FIGHT THE FOXES))

**Pinestar**

Guilt

Fallowheart stared up at Silverpelt glittering in the velvety night sky. Pangs tore at her stomach and she sighed. She knew exactly what the pangs meant.

Guilt.

She shook her head to clear it of her confusing thoughts and stood up, careful not to wake the warriors sleeping around her.

She padded into the Gorseledge, treading heavily on her paws. Her belly had swollen, and she knew why.

Fallowheart soon smelled the warm, sweet scent of her mate. She quickened her pace, and soon found the muscular grey tom waiting for her, the moon shining on his amber eyes.

"Snaketail!" she greeted him, nuzzling him. But the pangs of guilt still hurt her.

Ever since she had first met him in the Gorseledge, Fallowheart had been meeting Snaketail in private every night. And even though she loved him very much, she knew that he was from a different Clan, and that she was breaking the warrior code.

There was also something...something off with Snaketail. She just couldn't figure out what.

Fallowheart looked down at her swollen stomach, then looked back up into the eyes of Snaketail.

"There's...something that I have to tell you..." she began softly.

Snaketail purred. "I know," he interrupted. "We have kits!" His eyes shone with happiness.

Fallowheart tried to be happy, but she found that no matter how hard she tried, a solemn feeling still crept down her spine. She forced a happy purr.

Snaketail gave her a strange look, then looked away. "I have to get going..." he muttered suddenly. Then he raced away into the shrubbery.

Fallowheart sighed, and started back towards the den. Once she had curled up in her mossy nest, her mind began whirling with thoughts.

What was it with Snaketail that was...off? she wondered to herself. She recited the prophecy that Pinestar had told them in her head.

Only then will the snake's poison stop to flow...

She gasped, and her head jerked upwards. Her hazel eyes were wide-stretched with shock and fear.

Snaketail...he was the snake in the prophecy, she realized.

And that could only mean that she was going to give birth to the snake's kits.

Suddenly she felt a sharp pang in her stomach. And this pang wasn't guilt.

"They're coming!" she wailed. The cats around her woke up with a start.

"Stay calm," Tawnymist ordered. Then she turned to Windstreak. "Get a medicine cat in here immediately!"

Fallowheart's jaw was clenched in pain. Her claws dug into the ground.

"I never knew you had kits!" Tawnymist yowled over all the noise that now sounded in the den. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

Fallowheart didn't respond: not only because she was in too much pain to answer, but also because she didn't want to give the answer.

~~~

Three tiny pink kits wriggled at Fallowheart's stomach as they fought for food. One was brown, one was ginger, and one was a bright black.

She nuzzled the brown tabby tom. "You will be Tigerkit."

She turned to the ginger she-cat. "You will be Flamekit."

Finally, she licked the black tom. "And you will be Firkit."

She sighed and rested her head on her paws.

Tawnymist purred, then nudged her. "Who's their father?"

The snake. The snake is their father...Fallowheart thought. But instead, she just turned her head away and closed her eyes, trying to shut out the world surrounding her.

**Pinestar**

The Big Realization/A Meeting in the Gorseledge

Fallowheart slipped through the trees of the Gorseledge, barely making a sound, her mouth open in the hopes of scenting prey.

She soon smellt a mouse, and then spotted its plump frame scuttling amongst the leaves.

She crept towards it, and in one spring, she had the mouse hanging limply from her jaws.

"Nice catch!" a voice congratulated her. Startled, she whipped around to see a grey tom emerge from a group of ferns. He smelled like a PikeClan cat. "I'm Snaketail."

Against her better judgement, Fallowheart found him ruggedly handsome. "Thank you," she stammered. "I'm Fallowheart."

Then she ran off towards camp with a mouthful of mouse, panting hard.

~~~

Pinestar stretched and padded slowly out of the den. The prophecy had kept him up all night.

He walked towards the freshkill pile, his fur ruffled,  struggling to keep his hazel eyes open.

Suddenly a familiar scent wafted up his nostrils and jolted him awake. It was the smell of his brother, Basil.

He turned his head to see the shimmering outline of his cream-colored littermate walking beside him.

"Basil, my brother, my dearest brother..." Pinestar reached to nuzzle his brother, sadness growing inside of him. The images of young Basil being eaten alive by dogs flashed through his mind.

Basil vanished in an instant, leaving Pinestar's muzzle touching nothing but air.

Pinestar sighed heavily, frustration and sadness blending into one in his mind.

He felt a sudden urge that he couldn't pinpoint. Cats of the prophecy...must tell the cats of the prophecy...

Basil's voice murmured in his ear. "The cats of the prophecy hold the power of the pelt of silver...you must tell them..."

Pinestar whirled around, but his brother was no where in sight. He sat on the cold stone tiles beneath him, hissing in aggravation.

The pelt of silver...the pelt of silver...he wondered, puzzled, as he tried to decipher his brother's words. The pelt of silver...SILVERPELT.

Pinestar had soon collected the propheciesed cats deep in the Gorseledge. Eleven pairs of eyes watched him expectantly.

"I...I have something to tell you all..." Pinestar began, digging his claws into the ground. "You are more powerful then you will ever know, and I think its time that I told you what my brother told me...about the destiny that StarClan has for you..."

As he told the group the grim prediction that Basil had said the night before, none of them realized that there was a twelth pair of eyes watching their every move.

**Pinestar**

***JOIN HERE***

You are padding alone through the forest of tall poplar trees, cold and alone. Suddenly the bushes rustle and you are face-to-face with the bone-eating wild cats. An orange and black calico she-cat steps forward. "Welcome to the forest," she says. "You are in PoplarClan's territory. I am Berrystar, leader of this noble Clan. We welcome you to PoplarClan with open arms. Join us!"

To join PoplarClan, you must fill out this form:

Name:

Warrior name (for kits and apprentices):

Rank:

Description:

Personality:

Mate:

Kits:

Family (optional):

History (optional):

Picture Link (though right now I can't seem to be getting the pictures to show up!)

Thanks for joining the greatest Clan in the forest!

Leader's Den

Welcome to the Leader's Den. This is where you can speak to me and patrol leaders report about their patrol.

**Berrystar**

Medicine Cat's Den

This is the Medicine Cat Den. You can come here to speak to Lilypetal and Goldenstream.

**Berrystar**

Training Hollow

This is the training Hollow. Come here to train your apprentice.
**Berrystar**

The Gorseledge

This here is the Gorseledge. Most of the camp is found here. It takes weeks of practice to perfect climbing up and down the rocky ledges.
**Berrystar**

Nursery

This is the Nursery. Like the other dens, it is in the Gorseledge. It is the second-closest den to camp. Come over to talk to the queens and kits.

**Pinestar**

Elder's Den

This is the elder's den. Like the other dens, it is in the Gorseledge. Come inside to talk to the elders.

**Berrystar**

Nursery

This is the nursery. Like the other dens, it is in the Gorseledge. It is the den closest to the camp, so the kits and queens will be protected easier. Come here to chat with the queens and play with the kits.

**Berrystar**

Apprentices Den

This is the apprentices den. Like all the other dens, it is situated in the Gorseledge, but it is only a few foxleaps from the main PoplarClan camp. Come here to talk to the apprentices.

**Berrystar**

Warrior's Den

The warrior's den is where you can talk with your fellow warriors or rest for the next sunrise.

**Berrystar**

A Visit from StarClan

Pinestar curled up next to Nightfrost in the den. He couldn't stop thinking about the dead snake and the dead cat he had seen in the Gorseledge. Was it a sign? he wondered.

Pinestar felt Nightfrost's warm flank heave with every breath she took. Up...down...up...down...

He drifted off to sleep.

He found himself in a brightly lit forest. Tall trees surrounded him on either side. Beneath his paws, the ground was lush and moist.

Suddenly, he saw a cream-colored tom appear in front of him. His piercing blue eyes seemed to be beckoning him.

Basil! he thought, recognizing his dead brother. His face lit up.

He walked away, vanishing into some shrubbery.

"Basil! Wait!" Pinestar yowled, racing away after him. He pushed his way through fronds of ferns until he came to a small clearing in which Basil sat.

"Oh, no..." he murmured. In the middle of the clearing was a dead snake and a dead cat. In between them was a dead poplar tree.

As Pinestar neared the horrific sight, he realized that the two dead animals were the exact same ones he had seen that day.

"W-why did you bring me here?" he asked, his voice wavering. He couldn't bear to look at what was before him. "It...It's a sign, isn't it?"

Basil gave him a long look that lasted for several tense heartbeats. Then he spoke, his soft voice grim.

"Peace won't remain,

For blood will reign.

A traitor will walk amongst mortal remains.

On several cats' shoulders the burden will strain,

To stop the snake before it bites again.

Two winds, strong and powerful, will blow.
The fern, violet, and lily will continue to grow.

From the steaming hot river, mist will rise.

The golden sun will shine into your eyes.
Thunder will roar, and a storm will call.
The tawny leaves of the trees will begin to fall.
The fallow deer will run, lithe and swift.
Through the branches of the trees, a breeze will drift.

Through the holes in the ground, dust will go.

Only then will the snake's poison stop to flow."

Pinestar listened to the ill-omened prophecy with wide-stretched hazel eyes.

"What does this mean?" he finally hissed, fearful. "What are you trying to tell me, brother?"

"The fate of PoplarClan rests in the paws of these cats. If you don't find them cats in time, the snake will bite again." Basil started to fade.

As Pinestar began to call, "Wait! I don't understand...!" the prophecy echoed in his ears. The words intertwined with each other, and the prophecy became a jumble of omens, getting louder and louder, roaring in his mind...

Pinestar snapped awake. Being careful not to wake Nightfrost, he padded out of the den.

Windpaw, Fernpaw, Violetpaw, Mistpaw, Goldenpaw, and Dustpaw were all sleeping together, huddled in a group. Pinestar padded up to the dozing Windpaw and nosed her ear lightly.

"Wind, strong and powerful, will blow," he murmured.

He approached Fernpaw and Violetpaw, who were sleeping side-by-side. "The fern and the violet will continue to grow."

Mistpaw was curled up into a ball, her tail wrapped around her nose. "From the steaming hot river, mist will rise."

Dustpaw was the smallest of all the apprentices. He slept away from the group, a little to the side. "Through the holes in the trees, dust will go..."

Pinestar finally sat in the middle of the clearing on his own, gazing up at the benevolent Silverpelt that hung above him. "Only then will the snake's poison stop to flow."

His gaze traveled to the other older cats in the prophecy that were dotted around the clearing. Thunderstorm, Windstreak, Goldenstream, Lilypetal, Fallowheart, Tawnymist, and Lithefoot. The words of his brother sounded in his mind. "The fate of PoplarClan rests in the paws of these cats. If you don't find them cats in time, the snake will bite again."

Pinestar padded back into his den.

**Pinestar**

The Apprentice Ceremony and an Unexpected Surprise

Pinestar padded to the Stonepile and leapt on top of it in one easy bound.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Stonepile for a Clan meeting!"
His voice echoed around the clearing. Fallowheart emerged from the Gorseledge with a plump vole clasped in her jaws. Lithefoot padded out from the den, her sandy tail sweeping the ground. Patchedtail and Scareyes approached the Stonepile side-by-side. Soon the rest of PoplarClan was also seated in front of Pinestar, looking up at him expectantly.

"I am very happy to say that we have received many kits in the last quarter moon," he began, looking at the eager young kits. "Goldenkit, Snowkit, Windkit, Nightkit,  Fernkit, Grasskit, Dustkit, Violetkit, and Emberkit." Each kit pricked his or her ears as they heard their name being called.
"Each of the kits I have just named fully deserves to be an apprentice. Kits, please step forward," Pinestar continued.

Once each kit was sitting proudly before him, glowing with excitement, he spoke again.
"Does each of you promise to uphold the duties of a warrior, and to remain loyal to your Clan, no matter what?"
"I do," the kits squeaked together.
"Then, by the power of StarClan, I pronounce
Goldenkit to be Goldenpaw.
Snowkit to be Snowpaw.
Windkit to be Windpaw.
Nightkit to be Nightpaw.
Fernkit to be Fernpaw.
Grasskit to be Grasspaw.
Dustkit to be Dustpaw.
Violetkit to be Violetpaw.
Emberkit to be Emberpaw.

"Goldenpaw, you will be mentored by Fallowheart.
Snowpaw, you will be mentored by Pebbleclaw, and will learn to be a medicine cat, following in his pawsteps.
Windpaw, you will be mentored by Ravenfeather.
Nightpaw, you will be mentored by Lithefoot.
Fernpaw, you will be mentored by Sunsleet.
Grasspaw, you will be mentored by Patchedtail.
Dustpaw, you will be mentored by Ivydawn.
Violetpaw, you will be mentored by Tigerflame.
Emberpaw, you will be mentored by Mallowleaf."

Each newly made apprentice touched noses with his or her mentor while the Clan chanted,

"GOLDENPAW!

SNOWPAW!

WINDPAW!

NIGHTPAW!

FERNPAW!

GRASSPAW!

DUSTPAW!
VIOLETPAW!
EMBERPAW!"

The happy voices rang throughout PoplarClan camp.

"Meeting dismissed!" Pinestar yowled, his voice rising above all the others.

Pinestar padded past throngs of cats and jumped up onto the Gorseledge. He opened his mouth, scenting for prey. Soon he smelled prey - but something wasn't right about it. He just couldn't figure out what.

He tracked the scent, winding his way through numerous tree saplings and shrubbery. The smell got stronger as he went along, until suddenly he found --

A dead snake was lying in the middle of a small clearing in the foliage. But it wasn't the snake that made Pinestar hiss with fear.

It was the dead cat lying next to it.

**Pinestar**

Welcome To PoplarClan!

Greetings, visitors. I am Pinestar, leader of PoplarClan. We live in an abandoned Twoleg place on the edge of Twoleg territory. Our Clan is made up of honest cat who would fight to the death for each other. Our warriors are well trained and our apprentices are eager to learn. PoplarClan's medicine cat knows more about herbs than any cat I have ever known, and my deputy is trustworthy, kind, and intelligent.
We hunt squirrels, mice, birds, and rabbits, all of which are avaliable to us through the Gorseledge. The Rainkeeper provides us with water, and if it is Leafbare, we send out patrols to find moist moss to drink from. We make the best of our meager surroundings and guard our territory well against PikeClan cats and the kittypets that surround us.

PoplarClan started as a group of loners that depended on each other for prey, water, and shelter. The only thing we knew about PikeClan back then were that they were fierce cats that lived in the woods beside us and took our only prey. Then my sister, Fallow (now known as Fallowheart) stole some of the prey from their freshkill pile. We couldn't believe that they had a whole pile dedicated to prey!
Treestar and his warriors soon launched an attack on us, warning us not to steal their prey. During the battle, the only thing that echoed through my head was, A whole pile dedicated to prey. A WHOLE pile.
During the battle, Fallow had sneaked into PikeClan territory and hidden in bramble bushes. By the end of the battle, she had learned all about Clan life, and taught every loner in our group about StarClan, border and hunting patrols, warriors, kits, apprentices, and all other aspects of how to be a Clan.
I spotted a poplar tree sapling growing at the edge of the Gorseledge while she spoke. Sunlight dappled the sapling's leaves, and somehow, that young tree gave off a feeling of power. PoplarClan. It tingled on my tongue when I said it. I suggested the Clan name, and everyone accepted it immediately. I was appointed leader, and one by one, the other loners were given their Clan names, as well.
We started to live as a Clan. Cats were healthier, and had stronger bonds. StarClan watches over PoplarClan, and no matter what, I know that our ancestors won't let us down.

To join PoplarClan, you will need to give your:

Name--
Rank--
Looks (preferably a link to a picture)--
Description of Personality--
Kin--
Mate--

PoplarClan cats have strong bonds with each other, and will fight to the death for their Clanmates. You will not regret your choice to have PoplarClan cats as your Clanmates.

**Pinestar**