The sun shone proudly among a cloudless sky, and the trees brimmed with a thick, green foliage, taking in as much light as they could before leaf-fall arrived. All around, birds of all types called out to each other, livening the forest with their song, and the faintest breeze carried a hint of chill from the north, foretelling the harsh weather that was soon to come.

As Leafkit made his way through the forest, taking in his surroundings and the sheer vastness of the world around him, excitement and adrenaline coursed through his body without end.

The territory stretches so far! I can't believe how much I was missing out on in that nursery!

He briefly stopped walking to look around and comprehend all the strange new sights, sounds, and smells around him, down to the tiniest detail.

So many different kinds of trees... I wonder how many there are in this forest... That rock there has moss growing on it; I always wondered where moss came from... These flowers here smell wonderful; if only they grew closer to the nursery... Something is moving over there to the right, probably a mouse or other small creature... That plant over there looks kind of like the one I saw Wolftail use to help Birchkit when he had whitecough... what was that called again?...

"Leafkit!"

The call roused Leafkit out of his focus. Up ahead, his mother, Shadepelt, was standing beside a tree, beckoning him with her long, gray tail.

"Coming, mother!" Leafkit called out, dashing jubilantly over to where his mother was standing.

Shadepelt couldn't help but give a purr as she saw Leafkit and the pure happiness that was clear as day in his step. When he was finally standing beside her again, she asked him, "I trust you're enjoying your first day on the territory?"

"Oh, yes, I really am! This sure beats being clamped up in that awful nursery all day. Why couldn't we have done this sooner?"

"Because you weren't ready yet, Leafkit. The outside world is a much harsher place than you even know. And what do you mean 'awful nursery'? It isn't that bad."

"Yes it is! It's cramped and it's boring and all the other kits keep teasing me because I'm so small. And Rowankit smells bad."

"Well, you do have a point there... I wish Whitepetal did a better job disciplining her kits," Shadepelt replied, visibly irritated at the thought. "But anyway, it's time to head back to camp now. The territory doesn't stretch that far beyond here, and I was assigned for a patrol later today."

"Aww, but I want to stay out here! I want to see more of the territory!"

"Don't worry, Leafkit. I promise we'll go out and explore again soon. Now come along."

The two of them made their way through the trees, Leafkit making sure he took in as many sights as he could while keeping pace with his mother. The cold wind had begun to intensify, and Leafkit shivered as his nerves tingled from the chilling breeze.

Leaf-fall will be here soon... I wonder if it's true that all the trees are going to change colour... That must look so cool...

"Hey, mother?"

"Yes, dear? What is it?"

"Have you ever been past the edge of the territory?"

"Only where we share borders with the other Clans, a few times. But almost no cat has been past the west boundary. There's no point in going there."

"So, you don't know what's over there?"

"I do not know for sure, but a group of cats once claimed that a path to StarClan lies there."

"A path to StarClan? Really?"

"They described it as a path lined with silver on both sides, stretching farther than the eye can see. Even the forest itself parts for the path, as if it were laid out by StarClan themselves. It is believed that any cat brave enough to follow the path to its end shall find StarClan's territory."

"Do you believe that, mother?"

"Hmm... Honestly, I'm skeptical about the whole thing. It sounds like it might be true, but no cat has ever actually claimed to have followed the path to its end. I've never even seen the path myself."

Leafkit didn't hear his mother's response to the end, for he was already lost in thought about the mysterious path, and whether it actually existed.

If it does exist... I want to be the first one to reach the end. I want to know for sure if I'll really find StarClan's territory at the end. And then, when I come back and tell everyone that it's real... Maybe I'll become a legend! The whole Clan would remember my name forever! The other kits would have to respect me then!

I'm brave enough... Aren't I?

Leafkit knew he was small, but he had always felt like, somewhere deep inside, there was a warrior with an enormous spirit and a courageous heart, just waiting for its chance to be let out. And right now, it was calling to him. Telling him to prove to the rest of the Clan that the path was real, and that it really did lead to StarClan's territory.

And then, with nothing to fear, the warrior would finally be free.

Perhaps it was that warrior who made the decision that followed; but either way, Leafkit was filled with a sense of determination which he had never felt before.

I must find this path!

Download the above file to read the rest of this story

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Something a little different this time, figured I would upload some of my old warriors short stories here. Hope you enjoy~