PrologueMoonlight began to fall on the darkening forest. A beautiful golden she-cat sat on the edge of camp, torn between the wails of a cat in pain and the urge to hear what StarClan had to say.
“I can’t go, Fernstar. I can’t possibly. Lightflower is kitting, and…” her words were cut off by another yowl echoing throughout the clan.
“You must have faith in Blazepaw,” the light brown tabby commanded. “You must go to the Moonpool, Goldenblaze. We need answers now.”
Goldenblaze sighed.
I must trust Blazepaw. But Lightflower is my sister. I can’t just leave her. She knew there was no arguing when Fernstar had made up her mind, but it was worth another try.
“Can’t Blazepaw go?” It was not that Goldenblaze mistrusted Blazepaw. He was reckless, outgoing, and not very patient. It was his first time treating a queen while she was kitting. “I think it would be best if I handled Lightflower for this one.”
Goldenblaze’s efforts were in vain. “No, I can supervise him. I’ll make sure he does everything right. If he doesn’t, it’s no great loss,” Fernstar replied nonchalantly.
No great loss at all, just the death of my sister. Goldenblaze bit back the words with an anxious glance back at camp. She would have been somewhat confident that Fernstar would take control if Blazepaw hadn’t run over that moment, his black and white pelt fluffed up in excitement.
“Don’t worry Goldenblaze! I’ll take care of Lightflower!” A sudden yowl came from the nursery, and Blazepaw bounced back. Goldenblaze cast an apprehensive glance back at her leader, who just nodded. Knowing there was no way out, Goldenblaze trudged up the path to the Moonpool.
At the top of the hill moonlight already begun to gather. Concerned whispers filled out the glowing hollow. Goldenblaze scampered down to meet three pairs of eyes, all looking at her with worry.
“We thought you wouldn’t come, Goldenblaze.” Striking amber eyes glinted off of the ghostly light, and Goldenblaze was shocked to see Squirrelpaw, the WindClan apprentice medicine cat. “Applepelt was kitting, and Littlefur didn’t want to leave her alone.”
This brought on murmurs of uneasiness. “Icepelt was kitting as well.” “Strange, so was Nightfrost.” A queen from each of the clans was kitting while the medicine cats were at the Moonpool.
“We couldn’t miss this meeting. StarClan certainly has some explaining to do.” Frogtail’s voice rose over the rest of the confusion. “We need to know what to do with our population thriving.”
Goldenblaze shuddered, recalling the greencough that had recently swept through her clan. Sickness was striking, and many warriors weren’t getting anything to eat even in the prey-rich months of greenleaf. With leaf-bare quickly approaching, it looked like the clans were going to starve. With so many warriors, there wasn’t enough food to go around. Many were starving, and already a stubborn elder died of hunger. There was too much warriors. But how would they control that? Kill half of them off? It seemed cruel to do such a thing.
Silence echoed throughout the moonlit hollow. “Maybe StarClan will give us some answers,” Squirrelpaw piped. The medicine cats glanced uneasily at each other. They knew that a queen was kitting back at their camp. But they couldn’t leave without the answer to the problem plaguing the clan for the past moon.
Frogtail’s pelt began to glow a sickly green in the light. “Squirrelpaw’s right. The least we can do is try.” Without another word, Goldenblaze touched her pale pink nose to the rich cold water and began to fall into the dream StarClan provided for her.
Goldenblaze awoke to find herself in a word of blue wonders stretching out around her. She gasped, for four minuscule pairs of eyes were staring at her. The scary part? They were all the same deep blue eyes.
The flames will lead, the poppy flower in the night will follow… Silver flames engulfed Goldenblaze, making her gasp.
On a quest to wrong a right… An evil cackle stormed over the Earth with pale silver-blue eyes staring at Goldenblaze, threatening to overcome her. Blue pools of that deep blue of the eyes began to swallow her up.
The clans will be destroyed… Goldenblaze gasped in terror as she drowned in the blue depths.
Deep blue eyes, deep blue eyes… the clans will be destroyed by those deep blue eyes. Chapter 1: FlowerkitSunlight drifted into the hollow of the ThunderClan camp. A little ginger she-kit was struggling, forcing her eyes to open.
Today will be the day. Mother will be so proud. I will open my eyes. Gasping, she blinked open one eye and let the light flood through. It stung her eyes, and she snapped them shut. She tried again, blinking in shock when the light touched her eyes. Finally she began to be able to hold them open for a second before she had to blink. Amused, she began to try to force them open as she took quick glimpses of the world around her.
Finally, at last, Flowerkit opened her eyes and held them there, refusing to blink. She discovered she was in a thicket with a sharp bush surrounding her, and soft green stuff lining the ground. Happily, she began to shuffle them around with her paws, rolling one into a ball. She tried to pounce, but her legs were too wobbly and she landed with a thud on the soft ground beneath her. She let out a soft mrrow of laughter, and tumbled forward onto a pile of gray softness that squeaked underneath her. Horrified, she leaped off, not wanting to hurt her sister Bluekit.
Bluekit was a little bit of a weakling. Even in the darkness Flowerkit would bump into her and she’d squeak. She hadn’t opened her eyes yet.
I’m the strong one, thought Flowerkit in delight. For some fun, she poked Bluekit as she squeaked in terror. Flowerkit poked her again when a gigantic bundle of cream pulled her back and she looked up into the emerald green eyes of her mother, Lightflower.
“I see you’ve opened your eyes,” she purred happily. “Don’t bug your sister. It’s not her time yet.” Lightflower seemed to stare in wonder at Flowerkit. “You have beautiful blue eyes,” she commented. Flowerkit blinked her eyes happily, determined to please her mother. She purred, and Flowerkit purred as well, snuggled up in the closeness of her mother.
Bluekit began to mewl weakly. Flowerkit jumped up. “Bluekit’s awake,” her voice rasped at first, but became light. “Now she can open her eyes!”
“She’ll open them in her own time,” Lightflower told her. “Meanwhile, how about you get some rest?”
Flowerkit sighed. Resting was no fun. She’d rather be running around through camp, playing.
Branches rustled and a golden she-cat burst in. “Do you need any more borage, Lightflo-” she cut off when she saw Flowerkit staring at her. She seemed to shake a little, and Flowerkit bounced out of her mothers’ fluffy tail and bounded over to the she-cat. “My name is Flowerkit. What’s yours?”
“G-Goldenblaze,” the she-cat faltered.
“That’s my sister, Bluekit. She didn’t open her eyes yet. And that’s my mother Lightflower!” Flowerkit chirped, determined to win this Goldenblaze’s attention.
“That’s… nice.” Goldenblaze mewed distractedly, her gaze transfixed on Flowerkit’s eyes.
“I have blue eyes!” Flowerkit was tired of Goldenblaze acting like there was something wrong with her.
“You do… all kits have blue eyes to start off with…” Goldenblaze sounded like she was trying to comfort herself.
Lightflower just smiled at her kit. “Isn’t she sweet?” She purred. “Flowerkit, maybe you can go see the medicine den with Goldenblaze,” she offered.
“Really?” Flowerkit stared up at Goldenblaze, who smiled weakly. “Can I go?”
Goldenblaze nodded and the two headed out of the nursery into the ThunderClan camp. Flowerkit stumbled behind, her little ginger legs getting caught up in the irregular ground beneath her. She looked upwards and squealed, for a very bright object was hovering right above the camp.
“What’s that?” She squeaked, trying to get a better view.
“That is the sun. Don’t look; it will hurt your eyes.” Goldenblaze meowed brusquely.
Flowerkit gave up trying to make conversation and instead stumbled after Goldenblaze on the way to the medicine den.
Once she got in there, a black and white tom was sitting in a corner, sorting something. Flowerkit stumbled over, accidently tripping over a small pile of moss littering the ground. She landed face-first into the mess and scrunched up her nose. “Eww…” She padded at her nose with a paw, trying to get rid of the smell.
“Next time, don’t go tripping head first into the mouse bile,” the black and white tom purred while Flowerkit scowled. She stepped out and shook herself off, accidently scattering more mouse bile across the floor of the medicine den. The tom, thinking this was a joke, lifted some mouse bile in his paw and hurled it at her with lots of force while Flowerkit tried to dodge it. With her minimal strength, she picked up some mouse bile and tossed it towards him. He leaped away, crashing into bundles of leaves and petals that scattered on the ground. The two cats gazed at each other. Flowerkit was amazed by this apprentice’s enchanting green eyes, while the tom was stunned by the gaze of Flowerkit’s beautiful deep blue eyes.
Goldenblaze broke in to the medicine den, taking in the mess scattered across the ground and her apprentice’s guilty gaze. “Blazepaw,” she began, struggling to contain her irritation, “what happened here?”
Blazepaw shuffled his paws awkwardly and stared at the herb-littered ground. “Well, this kit and I may have had a fight…”
Lightflower burst in after her sister, sensing the troubles that lay. “Oh, Flowerkit!” She gasped, rushing over to her kit and covering her with licks. “Are you alright? What happened, darling?” She bent her cream-coloured head and frantically checked her daughter for any harm.
“I’m alright…” Flowerkit grunted, embarrassed to be treated like this. Her first day out of the nursery, and she gets treated like this?
Something shuffled near the entrance to the medicine den and a tiny little kit peered in. Flowerkit recognized her scent and her pelt from this morning. It was her sister, Bluekit, with silver-blue eyes that bore into Flowerkit’s, and ultimately Flowerkit noticed one tiny detail in those eyes that shocked her.
Jealousy.
Chapter 2: NightkitThe first time a kit opens her eyes is a magical moment indeed. The mother is filled with joy for her healthy, happy kit, and the kit is filled with joy to see the world. But on the occasion, a kit doesn’t ever open her eyes, or if she does, she wishes she hadn’t.
Nightkit felt a paw prodding her in the side. “Wake up, wake up, wake up! Mother says we can play outside as soon as you open your eyes! Come on! Come on, Nightkit!”
Nightkit groaned. That voice belonged to the overly enthusiastic Hazelkit. Hazelkit was her sister, the one who was always hyper and energetic. She was the first born. Nightkit’s other sister, Blossomkit, had just opened her eyes. Their brother, Thornkit, opened his eyes as soon as Hazelkit opened hers. They were inseparable.
Hazelkit’s paws shuffled against the ground. “Nightkit?” She spoke curiously, “are you going to open your eyes?”
Nightkit felt a growl bubbling in her throat. “Don’t act like I’m a weakling!” She hissed. “I’m just as strong as you! I can open my eyes any day!” She tried to force them open. They wouldn’t budge. Thornkit snickered.
“You sure about that, little sis?” Thornkit laughed. “We should just go outside and play. We don’t need to wait for her. We’ve been dying to see Patchpaw and Berrypaw for ages now.” Patchpaw and Berrypaw were the two newest apprentices. The kits have never seen them yet.
Blossomkit’s soft voice spoke up. “I’m going to wait here with Nightkit.” A warm pelt pressed against Nightkit’s side, and she shifted away. “Get off of me. I don’t need to be taken care of.” Nightkit struggled to open her eyes again.
Why won’t they open? Why can’t I wake up? Everything that happened next was a flurry of paws and blood. A yowl rang out over the camp. “RiverClan, attack!”
ShadowClan cats began attacking the intruders, but the RiverClan cats fought just as hard. The sounds of pain and bloodshed echoed around the nursery, and Blossomkit whimpered in terror.
“I-I hope Hazelkit and Thornkit are safe out there.” Blossomkit snuggled close to Nightkit. “And that the smelly cats don’t come into the den.”
The yowls were getting louder. Storms of paws came so close to the nursery entrance that Nightkit bristled.
“Where’s mother?” Blossomkit whined. “I want mother!”
“Mother went out on patrol,” Nightkit explained. Their mother had been rather ignorant of her four kits, and went out on a patrol for fresh air.
“Who will protect me?” Blossomkit wailed. “Who’s to say we won’t get killed?”
The scent of fish became stronger. Blossomkit crouched down, whimpering. A familiar, milky scent flooded in with it. “You stay away from my kits, you beast!”
Nightkit’s curiosity overwhelmed her. At last she opened her eyes. The light of the day flooded through, almost making her want to close them back again. But she wouldn’t back down.
Something red and sticky flew into her eyes, clouding her vision with a haze of blood. Nightkit blinked and blinked, wanting to clear the mess. Her mother was at the other end of the nursery, battling with a ferocious grey warrior.
The first sight that Nightkit saw was of blood and her mother’s death.
Nightkit wailed and struggled. The cat was drawing closer, his fish-scented breath poisonous. Blossomkit coughed. Nightkit brought herself shakily to her feet.
This frog-brain isn’t going to dare hurt Blossomkit or I! Nightkit flashed out a black paw, striking the warrior in the eyes. He reeled back, bringing both of his paws down upon Nightkit. Nightkit wailed, struggling under the weight. She got lifted into the air by the scruff, and was flung hard against the ground.
As Nightkit opened her eyes once more, she discovered she was in a pool of her mother’s blood. She raised her head weakly to see a different warrior talking to the one that nearly killed her.
“You fishface! That kit could have been a warrior, and now she’s dead. The other one is going to die of shock. Look at her! She could have been a RiverClan warrior, and you had to go out of your way and kill her. Rosestar is going to hear about this.” The two warriors walked out of the den, the noises of battle still raging on outside.
Blossomkit! Nightkit raised her head weakly.
Is she dead? Please StarClan, don’t let my sister die! Nightkit staggered over to where Blossomkit lay. Nightkit gazed at her diluted tortoishell pelt and glazed green eyes. Blossomkit slowly lifted her head, surveying her.
“You have beautiful eyes,” she croaked. “I wish mine were a beautiful deep blue as yours.”
Nightkit gazed at her sister with pity. “You have pretty eyes too. A leaf green.” She heard Blossomkit sigh.
“The Night will lead a clan to a new day.” Blossomkit whispered faintly. “Promise me something, Nightkit. Promise me you’ll destroy RiverClan. Lead us to a new day.” Blossomkit’s head fell back, but her flank was heaving with her last few breaths.
Nightkit gazed down at the pitiful little body, covered in scars and blood. The kit that didn’t yet live to be a moon, almost dead. It was the last thing she could do. “I promise,” Nightkit whispered. “I promise, I promise, I’ll kill all of those RiverClan scums for you. I’ll destroy RiverClan.”
Blossomkit let out a sigh and let her eyes close as her body went limp, resting forever in the pool of blood.
Nightkit took a step away. “You didn’t deserve to die. You were only under a moon old. Your death will be avenged.” Nightkit gazed down at her fallen sister, and watched as her heart turned to ice.
Chapter 3: Poppykit
Poppykit crouched down, her tail lashing against the ground. Leaves stirred up and fell into place. Her target was just ahead, a curled ball of white fluff. Poppykit sprang forward and laid her paw on her brother’s flank.
“Got you, Snowkit!” Poppykit yowled. She saw her brother playfully open up his dark amber eyes and heard him purr.
“Well, that’s one more point for you.” He drew himself up. “I always have to take a nap.”
Poppykit purred. She loved her brother.
Snowkit’s eyes sparkled. “C’mon, let’s go outside.” He got up and peered around the boulder that sheltered the nursery. Poppykit peeked out behind him.
“Should we go ask the Elders for a story?” Poppykit chirped, dancing around Snowkit. “I want to hear about the Great Battle again!”
Snowkit purred. “Let’s go then!” He started off, but then his eyes flashed.
Streamkit, Dawnkit, and Fuzzykit were marching near the nursery. Dawnkit appeared to be leading the way, her fluffy dark blue tail raised. Streamkit trailed behind Dawnkit, while Fuzzykit bounced around sniffing the reeds with her dark brown tabby tail held high and straight. Streamkit bounced over to Snowkit.
“H-hi Snowkit! We’re going to the Elders Den to hear a story, do you want to come with us?” Streamkit babbled, and Fuzzykit took a step back.
“Sure! We were going to go there anyways.” Snowkit spun around and headed straight towards the Elders Den.
Streamkit walked next to Poppykit. “You’re so lucky to have Snowkit as a brother. I wish I could have him as a brother!” Streamkit paused. “No wait, I’m fine with him not being my brother.” She giggled.
Poppykit saw Fuzzykit sigh in annoyance.
The five kits scrambled into the Elders Den, their tails held high and excitement lighting their eyes. They settled down on the soft moss beds, gazing up at the three Elders.
The Elders exchanged a glance nervously. “How should we deal with them?” Prickletail purred.
Willowheart purred, and settled down in her nest. “Now kits- do you want to hear a story about the Great Battle?”
The kits bounced up and down excitedly. “Yes, yes, yes!” Fuzzykit purred.
Willowheart took a deep breath. “Now, where should we begin? Oh yes, with the Dark Forest.
“The Dark Forest was the place where all evil cats went when they died. The Dark Forest began to recruit cats from all four clans, telling them they would serve their clan well.” Willowheart paused. “There were three cats with the power of the stars in their paws. Strange as it seems, they were from ThunderClan.” The kits gagged with disgust. Such powerful cats didn’t deserve to belong to ThunderClan. “Their names were Lionblaze, Jayfeather, and Dovewing.”
“What did they do?” Poppykit chirped.
Prickletail scoffed. “What did they do? They had powers. Lionblaze couldn’t be defeated in battle.”
Poppykit imagined a brave warrior, pelt shining, leaping bravely into battle with all other three clans and not getting a single scratch on him.
Prickletail continued, “Jayfeather could walk into the dreams of other cats,”
Poppykit imagined a moody medicine cat, grumbling and walking in her dream.
“And…” Prickletail paused. “I have forgotten what Dovewing’s power was.”
Suntail interrupted from the corner of the den, “Dovewing could hear something from so far away. She could even hear into the Dark Forest!”
Poppykit imagined a young she-cat leaping across the lake to RiverClan and warning the clan of an oncoming flood she heard.
Willowheart nodded. “It was thanks to the Three that the clans were saved. There was a prophecy about them: ‘There will be three, kin of your kin, who hold the power of the stars in their paws.’ It was given to the leader of ThunderClan, Firestar.”
“Who is Firestar?” Dawnkit asked.
“That you’ll find out.” Willowheart purred. “Now, when Jayfeather and Lionblaze were first born, they had a sister called Hollyleaf. Jayfeather walked in Firestar’s dream and discovered the prophecy, and thought Hollyleaf was the third.”
“But she wasn’t the third!” Fuzzykit gasped.
“No, she wasn’t. But there were no other kin of Firestar’s kin, and if Lionblaze and Jayfeather were two of the three, wouldn’t it make sense if Hollyleaf was as well?”
“What about Dovewing?” Streamkit asked. “Wasn’t she part of the prophecy as well?”
“Not yet. She wasn’t even born.” Willowheart paused. “Lionblaze got into the Dark Forest. He wanted to be powerful and help his clan. But he found out the scheme and got out safely.
“Now, there’s something you kits need to know. Lionblaze and Jayfeather thought their mother was a she-cat called Squirrelflight, and their father the deputy Brambleclaw.”
“Were they not their parents?” Fuzzykit asked.
“No, they weren’t. In fact, their parents were a medicine cat called Leafpool and a WindClan warrior Crowfeather.”
The kits gasped.
“When Lionblaze, Jayfeather and Hollyleaf found out, nothing was the same for them again. Hollyleaf revealed the secret at a Gathering, and then ran into some old disused tunnels beneath their territory. The tunnels collapsed.”
“Did she die?” Poppykit asked, leaning in closer.
“They thought she was dead for many moons. In that time, Lionblaze and Jayfeather wondered what would happen to the prophecy now that Hollyleaf was dead. Shortly after, Dovekit and Ivykit were born.”
“Who’s Ivykit?” Snowkit asked.
“Ivykit was Dovekit’s sister. Dovekit discovered her power when she was still a kit, and she used it. She thought it was normal. Later on, Dovekit became Dovepaw, and was apprenticed to Lionblaze.”
“What about Ivykit?” Snowkit asked.
“She became Ivypaw and was apprenticed to a fellow warrior, Cinderheart. Now, one day there was a terrible drought. The clans were deprived of water. RiverClan suffered the most, being unable to catch fish or drink. It was Dovepaw who heard big brown animals working away and building a large structure that blocked the water from fl-” Willowheart paused, the sounds of yowling outside. Poppykit froze in terror, and the other three kits huddled together. Snowkit got up and peered outside of the Elder’s Den. “The warriors are back!” He announced gleefully. “And they brought a kit!”
RiverClan milled around the patrol, bombarding them with questions and sniffing the little kit. “Let me go!” The kit yowled, struggling and writhing in the grasp of the deputy, Reedstorm. “Let me go!”
“Hush, little kit.” Poppykit’s mother, Icepelt, soothed the frightened kit. “You’re safe here.”
“No, no I’m not!” The bundle of dark brown wailed. “I’m safe in ShadowClan!”
Rosestar, the leader of RiverClan, leaped down from her den and perched in front of her deputy. “What happened?” She asked.
Reedstorm shot her a guilty glance. “We tried to get all four of them, but…” His gaze flitted to a young warrior. “Your warrior Silverstripe here killed two, and another blinded Splashtail so we had to kill him as well. This was the only one left.”
Rosestar sighed. “We’ll have a talk about this later.” Her gaze flitted over to the little kit. “What’s your name, little one?”
Poppykit felt sorry for the poor ShadowClan kit. She would hate to be taken from RiverClan to some other smelly clan.
“H-Hazelkit.” The kit stuttered, gazing up with scared amber eyes.
“Well Hazelkit, we hate to capture you like this, but it’s for the best. You see, we are at war with ShadowClan right now, and we need to get them to release one of our warriors.”
Hazelkit looked puzzled. “But ShadowClan didn’t-” She paused when she saw the kits staring at her.
Poppykit padded up to Hazelkit. “Hi Hazelkit! My name is Poppykit. This is Snowkit, Fuzzykit, Streamkit and Dawnkit.” In turn she pointed to each kit. “RiverClan is the best clan in the world. You’ll love it here.”
Hazelkit looked mildly better. “Are Nightkit, Blossomkit and Thornkit alright?” She asked.
Rosestar looked down with pity for the sad kit. “Don’t worry, they’re safe.”
Poppykit knew Rosestar meant that they were safe in StarClan. She let out a sigh, and looked at Hazelkit. Maybe she could be Hazelkit’s best friend, but that wouldn’t replace her lost littermates.
Little did anyone know that Nightkit was alive and swearing vengeance on RiverClan that very moment.
Chapter 4: Flamekit
A moon later Flamekit yawned boredly, looking at her sister Silverkit resting in the sun. The two kits would become apprentices in four moons, and they couldn’t wait. A patrol was already leaving, with a newly made apprentice and three other warriors. Flamekit sighed.
“How come we have to wait for six whole moons?” She complained. “It’s not like we can’t walk or anything.” Suddenly an idea came to her.
“Silverkit! Silverkit! I have an idea!”
Silverkit raised her striped head drowsily. “Wha?...” She asked sleepily, letting her head rest against the soft grass.
“I’m bored, and you’re bored, and it’ll be four moons until we can leave camp…” Flamekit was bursting with excitement, “and we can impress our mentors with the knowledge of our territory, before we’ve even gone there! They’ll make us warriors on the spot!”
“And how do you suppose we’ll know the territory?” Silverkit flicked her tail. “Sneak out of camp?”
“That’s exactly what I was thinking.” Flamekit mewed, exasperated.
Silverkit sat up, her blue eyes wide with fear. “B-but… if we go alone, the fox might get us!”
Recently, a fox had been wandering around the territory. On an occasion, a patrol would return with a report and many scratches. Silverkit had been out of her mind with fright.
“Not alone, silly. Foxes attack smaller groups of cats than larger ones.” Flamekit rolled her eyes. “If we bring Foxkit, Pinkkit, Sunkit, and Skykit, no foxes will dare attack us!”
Silverkit looked worried. “I-I’m not sure…” She froze. “Can I please stay here? I won’t tell anyone, I promise, especially not mother or the clan leader or the deputy or father or-”
“Fine, you can stay.” Flamekit spun away. Her sister was always a scaredy-mouse.
Flamekit ran towards the nursery, bumping into Skykit. “Skykit! Are you bored?” Flamekit asked excitedly.
Skykit paused. “Yeah, who isn’t on a day like this? What do you have in mind?” She replied, gazing at Flamekit.
“Well, I had this idea…” Flamekit explained her plan to Skykit. “We’ll sneak out through the dirtplace, and then find our way around the territory. It won’t be too hard.”
Skykit wrinkled her nose. “Ugh. I hate going to the dirtplace unless I have to. But if it will make us warriors sooner, I’m willing to do it.”
“Excellent!” Flamekit purred. “Now go tell Pinkkit and Sunkit. I’m going to go and find Foxkit.” Skykit nodded and walked away while Flamekit wandered into the nursery. “Foxkit?” She called out. “Where are you Foxkit?”
“Here,” came the weak reply. Foxkit was on his side, coughing and spluttering. “I think I’ve got a cold again.”
Flamekit sighed. It had only been a moon, and Foxkit had gotten whitecough and now this. Applepelt, their mother, was always fretting about how Foxkit would die of sickness. But miraculously, he never did.
“Foxkit, do you want to be a warrior?” She asked, coming closer to him.
Foxkit coughed again. “No. I just want to get better.”
Flamekit knew that five cats were safer than four, even if the fifth cat was weak and sick. “Since the medicine cats are low on herbs, we can help them.”
Foxkit looked up, his vision clouded with sickness. “How?” He asked weakly.
“Simple,” Flamekit explained, “we go out, explore the territory, and come back with herbs. The herbs can help you feel better.”
Foxkit’s eyes lightened a little. “Flamekit, if we get the herbs, will I get better?” He rasped.
“I believe so. I believe you will get better.” Flamekit purred, nudging Foxkit to his feet. Foxkit staggered weakly, and then flopped back down. “I can’t walk all the way across the territory, Flamekit. I’m too weak.”
Flamekit looked with pity at her brother. “I’ll bring the herbs back for you.” Flamekit smiled. “Silverkit will watch you. Once I come back with the herbs, you’ll feel much better.”
Foxkit sighed and laid his head on the moss. His breathing deepened into the darkness of sleep.
Flamekit padded out of the den, feeling sorry for her sickly little brother. Shaking her pelt, she walked over to where Skykit, Sunkit and Pinkkit were waiting.
“I can’t wait!” Sunkit purred. “We’re going to see the territory!”
“Shh…” Flamekit hushed her. “If they find out, we’ll be in big trouble. This will be our secret.”
The three kits nodded their heads. Flamekit found it funny how she commanded them, even though they were a whole moon older than her.
Flamekit raised her half-ginger tail and crawled under the ferns to the dirtplace.
Flamekit was making the greatest sacrifice. It would look too suspicious for four kits to sneak out of camp at once, so she went out first. A few minutes later, Sunkit would come out, then Pinkkit, then Skykit. They would make sure there were no other cats and leave the secure area and explore WindClan territory.
Flamekit waited for a few moments until Sunkit, breath held, crawled into the dirtplace. As she was making her way over to Flamekit, she noticed Sunkit abruptly jerk her paw up and shake it vigorously.
While Sunkit was doing that, Pinkkit came out. Seeing her sister, she carefully made her way through the dirtplace, being careful not to step on anything.
Skykit was less careful. While she still managed to get out without stepping in anything, it was a close call.
Sunkit was rubbing her paw on a leaf. “Ugh. Maybe we should go rinse our paws in a stream or something. I don’t want to lick this.”
Flamekit nodded.
Pinkkit looked away from her sister and straight to Flamekit. “Where’s the stream?” She asked.
Flamekit swelled with pride that Pinkkit treated her as leader. She had to admit that she didn’t know where the stream was. “Well, that’s what we’ll discover!” She purred. “WindClan territory can’t be that big. We’ll find something sooner or later. And we need to remember to bring back herbs.”
The four adventurous kits travelled through the moor, pausing then and again to sniff at sweet flowers or watch bugs dance around them.
Skykit gazed at a bee that was fluttering among the flowers. “Who thinks I can catch it?” She whispered, already creeping forward.
The kits held their breath. Skykit lay down each paw with care, tail held at a medium height, and eyes on the prize. She crouched down, and leaped.
Skykit flew through the air like a seasoned hunter. She landed square on the flower. She lifted her paw, and noticed the bee wasn’t there.
“I missed!” She wailed. Flamekit snickered. The bee was on her back.
Skykit lifted a paw to scratch her back when the bee attacked. It stung Skykit, making her roll to the ground in pain.
“It hurts, it hurts!” She wailed hopelessly. “Help! Help! Mother! Someone! Littlefur! Squirrelpaw! Help me!”
Flamekit bounded over and covered her jaws with a golden paw. “Do you understand me Skykit? If we’re caught out here, the plan will fail! We don’t want that, do we?” Skykit whimpered.
Flamekit sighed. “Come on. Once we get to the stream, you can put it in the water and it’ll feel better.”
Pinkkit’s eyes widened. “How do you expect she’s going to do that? Is she going to jump in the water? That bug attacked her back, you know. Not her paw or tail or anything that could easily be let down into the water.”
Flamekit thought for a moment. “We could find leaves or something and dip them into the water and onto her back. It wouldn’t be as effective, but it would still work.”
“And where do you suppose we’ll find leaves in a place like this?” Pinkkit challenged. “Will they fall from the sky?”
Flamekit narrowed her deep blue eyes. “No. We’ll go that way.” She pointed her tail towards a thick forest. “We can certainly get leaves there.”
Pinkkit gazed ahead and slowly nodded.
The foursome set off again, this time moving in a north-west direction. Not once did they encounter another trouble, although Sunkit occasionally rubbed her paw against the grass and Skykit drew her tail over her back a few times. Flamekit’s paws were becoming sore. Pinkkit’s tail dragged as though she was tired. Eventually, Skykit collapsed.
“Let’s go back,” she gasped.
Pinkkit and Sunkit nodded. Flamekit looked in defeat at the three kits.
“We can’t go back!” She complained. “How are we supposed to know the territory when we go back?”
“We know enough of the territory now,” Sunkit protested. “We know where the forest is, and where those patches of flowers are, and everything! We don’t need to know all of the territory, it would look too suspicious!”
“Sunkit’s right.” Skykit lifted her head and looked at Flamekit. “We don’t want to seem suspicious. It would be better if we go back home.”
Flamekit shook her head. “I promised Foxkit we’d bring him herbs to make him feel better. I’m not going back until I’ve got them.”
Skykit shakily brought herself to her feet. “It’s cold, and I’m hungry,” she complained. Flamekit became aware of her growing hunger.
“We’ll have to be tough.” Flamekit gazed at the near-defeated kits. “Like warriors.”
The kits nodded.
They walked on for what seemed like hours. Skykit collapsed multiple times. Sunkit let her tail droop and drag across the ground. All the kits fell over once from a harsh moor wind. Flamekit was beginning to have her doubts. But whenever she thought of giving up, she remembered poor, sad Foxkit lying in his moss nest and continued.
Flamekit’s vision was becoming blurry. Sunkit was panting. Skykit was practically dragging herself across the ground. It was Pinkkit who saw the bush.
“Herbs!” She called out weakly. “Berries!”
Flamekit raised her head. It seemed legendary. A bush with scarlet berries dangled overhead. They seemed to sparkle and shine in the sunlight, and they waved gently in the breeze. The sky was clear and blue. All the kits seemed to get some strength as they half ran half tumbled towards the berries.
“We’ve found berries! Foxkit will get better!” Flamekit yowled, gathering some in her mouth.
“I’ve never seen them before,” Pinkkit remarked. “I wonder what they do.”
“They must be rare berries,” Sunkit purred, “the berries that get everything better, from an infected cut to greencough!”
Skykit came up. “Do they help with bee stings?”
“If they’re get-everything-better berries, of course they would!” Flamekit purred, grabbing more. She tossed one to Skykit. Skykit turned to Pinkkit.
“Pinkkit! Crush this on my back. Right on the bee sting.” Pinkkit obeyed, picking up the berry and crushing it on Skykit’s sting. Skykit sighed. “It feels better already!”
“They work!” Sunkit yowled triumphantly. “They’ll heal Foxkit too!”
Each of the kits grabbed a mouthful of berries and set off happier than when they began the quest.
“This isn’t such a boring day after all,” Skykit mumbled through a mouthful of berries.
Flamekit became curious. She didn’t want to give her brother something that tasted terrible and he wanted to spit out, like the tansy when he had whitecough. She wanted to make sure the get-everything-better berries, as they were called by the kits, tasted well.
It won’t hurt to try just one, Flamekit thought.
Now that we know where they are, we can come and get them as often as we’d like. Flamekit carefully placed one berry in her mouth. She began to crush them with her teeth.
Delicious. She swallowed the berry, and resisted the urge to have another.
Suddenly she began to have a choking feeling, and she felt her breathing slow. She dropped the get-everything-better berries, which were probably get-everything-worse berries. She collapsed to the ground as the world spun. She heard the frightened wails of the kits and the sound of a patrol yowling as her world went black.
Chapter 5: Bluekit
Bluekit gazed into the medicine den. There was her mother Lightflower, licking and cooing over Flowerkit.
Hadn’t she realized Bluekit had just opened her eyes?
Bluekit remembered Lightflower’s happiness when Flowerkit opened her eyes. She had purred endlessly and remarked on the colour of her eyes. Right when Lightflower had heard fighting, she dashed out of the nursery. That was when Bluekit, neglected and sad, opened her eyes.
Bluekit had tried to walk. She failed the first few times, but eventually was strong enough to walk all the way over to the medicine den. That was where she heard Lightflower tending to Flowerkit, not even noticing poor Bluekit standing right outside the den, eyes open.
“Are you sure you’re alright?” Lightflower fretted, frantically licking Flowerkit’s pelt. “Are you hurt?”
“I’m not!” Flowerkit protested, ducking away from Lightflower.
“Blazepaw,” Goldenblaze was telling her apprentice, “you don’t go off and hit newborn kits with mouse bile.”
“She started it!” Blazepaw complained, his green eyes stretched wide.
“I don’t care who started it. If you want to be a medicine cat, you need to learn.” Goldenblaze turned away from her apprentice and to Bluekit. “Bluekit! You’ve opened your eyes!” She seemed very overenthusiastic. “They’re a lovely silver blue.”
Lightflower raised her head from Flowerkit and looked at her other daughter. “Bluekit! I see you’ve opened your eyes. Go back to the nursery while I tend Flowerkit.” Flowerkit gazed at Bluekit with pools of deep blue for a heartbeat, and then tried to struggle away from her mother, who paid no attention to Bluekit.
Bluekit sighed, glancing wretchedly at her mother. When Lightflower didn’t so much as glance at her, Bluekit turned away and trudged sadly back to the nursery.
Bluekit buried herself in her mother’s nest and closed her eyes.
Maybe when Lightflower gets back she’ll notice. Maybe when Lightflower gets back she’ll care. She fell slowly into a deep sleep.
Bluekit awoke to the sound of voices.
“Blazepaw, you’re staying back as a punishment.”
“But I never got to go to the Moonpool before! The first time Lightflower was kitting, the second you wanted me to watch the cats with whitecough, and it wasn’t even that bad! Now you tell me to stay back as a punishment!”
“You need to learn how to properly treat kits. I’m sending you to stay with Bluekit and Flowerkit in the nursery. Entertain them and whatnot. I’ll be back.”
Bluekit raised her head to see a dejected Blazepaw trudge into the nursery. “Hi Flowerkit and Lightflower. I’m here to entertain you.”
He forgot me. Bluekit looked up sadly at Blazepaw, who just ignored her.
“I’m hungry!” Flowerkit whined. “I want a mouse.”
“Flowerkit,” Lightflower began softly, “there’s not enough food to go around. You need to live off of my milk.”
“I want a mouse!” Flowerkit screeched.
Lightflower sighed. “Fine. I’ll get you a mouse.” She got up and walked out of the nursery, the protective screen of leaves trembling behind her.
Flowerkit sat up with a mischievous grin. “Blazepaw, what’s the Moonpool?” She asked.
“I’ve never been there.” Blazepaw shot a glance at Flowerkit. “But I’ve heard it’s amazing. The medicine cats there go once every half moon, and they meet with StarClan.”
“It sounds interesting,” Bluekit mewled. She wanted attention too.
“It does,” Blazepaw mewed distractedly. “I really want to go.”
Flowerkit gazed at Blazepaw. “What made you want to become a medicine cat apprentice? Being a warrior is much more fun!”
“My mother and father died of greencough,” Blazepaw explained sadly. “I was just a kit. My littermates died from grief and greencough. We were out of herbs, and Goldenblaze couldn’t leave the sick cats to get more. I wanted to help save lives, so I became a medicine cat apprentice.” He looked sadly at Flowerkit. “Now I wish I hadn’t. It seems like I’m not cut out to be a medicine cat. I’ve not been trusted enough to go to the Moonpool yet!”
Flowerkit gazed at him sadly. “If it’s what you want, you have to follow your dream.”
Bluekit blocked out the conversation. Flowerkit and Blazepaw already seemed to be friends, and they hardly met!
Flowerkit scrambled back into her nest when she heard Lightflower coming. “Bluekit, into the nest,” Lightflower scolded. Bluekit sighed and scrambled back into her nest. Lightflower gave the mouse to Flowerkit, who shared it with Blazepaw, and didn’t even acknowledge Bluekit.
Blazepaw only wanted to go to the Moonpool. Bluekit felt pity for the poor apprentice, with no father, mother or littermates, and she wanted to help him.
Bluekit slept soundlessly until something moved beside her and she got cold. She blinked open her eyes to see a ginger tail whisk out of the nursery.
Where’s Flowerkit going? Bluekit sat up, stopping when she heard her mother stir. Her tail brushed protectively over Bluekit, and then she fell back asleep. Bluekit snuck out from the bundle of cream and followed Flowerkit, her ginger shape easy to make out in the moonlight. Bluekit noticed she went straight towards the medicine den.
Bluekit peeked through the leaves of the den, to see Flowerkit prodding Blazepaw awake. Blazepaw raised his head and stared at her, and they talked for a while. Eventually Blazepaw’s eyes sparkled and he drew himself up.
Bluekit ducked to the side, grateful for her dark pelt. She watched as Flowerkit and Blazepaw walked out of the camp.
Flowerkit can’t go out of camp! She’s only a kit! Bluekit crawled under the thorn tunnel towards her sister and Blazepaw, wanting to see what they were up to.
The two were walking together, talking. Occasionally Flowerkit would bounce with joy, and Blazepaw would hush her. They kept on moving, careful not to make a sound.
Moonhigh had passed, and the two kept walking.
Where are they going? Bluekit silently asked.
What are they up to? Suddenly, Blazepaw flicked Flowerkit with his tail and gestured overhead. Flowerkit nodded, her eyes wide with fear, and the two ducked into a bramble bush.
Bluekit was confused, but was certain she’d catch up to them now. She ran forward towards the bush, ready to catch them and ask them her questions.
“Bluekit!” A shocked meow made Bluekit stop abruptly. “What are you doing here?”
Goldenblaze was running towards Bluekit, and she picked her up by the scruff. “Why are you here?”
“B-Blazepaw and Flowerkit are here…” Bluekit whimpered.
“Well then where are they?” Goldenblaze challenged.
“In that bush!” Bluekit stuck a paw towards the bramble bush. “I saw them, I saw them, I promise I saw them!”
Goldenblaze placed Bluekit down and walked towards the bramble bush. She peered into the bush.
“No sign of them.” Goldenblaze sighed. “Bluekit, you have to go home now.”
“No!” Bluekit whined. “No! They’re there, they’re there!”
“Stop this nonsense. Lightflower’s probably out of her mind.” Goldenblaze picked up Bluekit by the scruff again and carried her away. Bluekit was limp with despair.
They were there, I’m certain of it! I know that they were hiding in that bush! When Bluekit and Goldenblaze got home, Goldenblaze placed Bluekit down in front of the nursery. “You go inside and sleep. I’m going to tell Fernstar about this.”
“Wait Goldenblaze! Look inside! Flowerkit isn’t there!” Bluekit protested.
“I’ll check once I finish talking to Fernstar!” Goldenblaze called back.
Sadly, Bluekit scrambled into the den. There was her sister, Flowerkit, curled up against their mother, fast asleep.
Chapter 6: Hazelkit
Hazelkit sighed, listening to the Elders drone off in their elder tale of the Great Battle. Most of the kits found it interesting, except for her. And sometimes Streamkit, who would find some excuse to get away in the middle of a story.
Hazelkit liked Streamkit. They shared a lot of common interests: their opinion on most Elder Stories, (boring!) the type of fish they liked the best, (the small silver ones are very tasty in their opinion) and their friendship opinions. They also liked the same games (reed-pounce was one of their favourites). They also both couldn’t wait until they became apprentices.
Hazelkit was good friends with Streamkit, but that wouldn’t change the fact that she had lost all of her siblings. Thornkit had died in front of her, just like a warrior. How Blossomkit and Nightkit died was a mystery to her, and the warriors wouldn’t tell.
It was your average day as a kit, boring and had nothing happening. Hazelkit sometimes sat staring at the camp entrance waiting for a ShadowClan patrol to come and save her, but it never happened. Hazelkit sometimes felt as out of place as a flying fish, and as useless as an extra tail. The only thing that changed that was when her fellow kit friends would play with her.
They didn’t care she was from ShadowClan. They only cared that she was nice, or friendly. They didn’t care that she was from a rival clan. They didn’t look at her like the warriors do. They didn’t whisper about her like some of the warriors do behind her back. They were the only things that made Hazelkit happy.
Hazelkit lay in front of the Elders, struggling not to fall asleep.
“Ivypaw realized she didn’t belong in the Dark Forest. She discovered what they were going to do. But she couldn’t leave, for she kept waking up there every night.” An elder was explaining.
Fuzzykit gasped. Streamkit and Hazelkit exchanged a bored glance. Streamkit yawned visibly. “I’m tired, maybe I should go take a nap…” She meowed nonchalantly.
“Of course,” Suntail purred. “You six go get some rest.”
Hazelkit was only too happy to go. She ran back to the nursery.
She was supposed to share a nest with Poppykit and Snowkit, but she much preferred sleeping with Streamkit, Fuzzykit, Dawnkit and their mother. Poppykit kicked in her sleep. Hazelkit snuggled up close to Streamkit, and whispered “thanks” in her ear. Streamkit flicked her ear and went to sleep.
Hazelkit awoke to a sound of yowls, screeches, and a familiar scent of home.
“ShadowClan!” She yowled happily, struggling to get out of the nursery and to her clan.
Reedstorm, the deputy, ran into the den and flung Hazelkit under a mess of moss, reeds and twigs. “Don’t move or I’ll kill you,” he hissed, and ran out into the battle.
“Rosestar! Your clan stole our kit, and we’ll steal yours!” Shadestar, the ShadowClan leader, yowled.
“We’re protecting the future of our clan!” Rosestar yowled back.
“It’s the code not to harm a single kit!” Shadestar screeched.
“Is it the code for the clan to be destroyed?” Rosestar challenged.
Shadestar bristled. “If you don’t give Hazelkit back this very moment…”
“Which we won’t,” interrupted Rosestar.
“Then it’s a kit for a kit.” Shadestar let out a long battle yowl.
Hazelkit heard the body of a cat hit the ground with a thud, and scared whimpers of the other five kits. Hazelkit heard a cat sneak into the den, and Snowkit’s terrified yowl.
“Let me go!” He screeched. “Let me go!”
Hazelkit wanted to run out and save Snowkit, but she knew she couldn’t move.
“If your clan misses you enough, you can go back,” the warrior snarled as he left the den.
The other four kits were wailing. “Snowkit!” Poppykit cried. “Don’t go!”
Was this what my littermates were thinking when I was captured? Hazelkit thought. Nevertheless, she remained quiet as the sounds of battle died down.
“You think you’ve won by killing Rosestar, cowards!” A voice yowled, and Hazelkit recognized the voice of Reedstorm. “StarClan curse you forever! StarClan bring death upon ShadowClan!”
A she-cat came in and lifted Hazelkit out of the wreckage. “Hush now, little one, ShadowClan is gone,” she soothed. “We’ll get Snowkit back.”
Hazelkit closed her eyes.
I just want to go back to my clan! Chapter 7: Silverkit Silverkit had been terrified the moment a warrior patrol rushed into camp with Flamekit dangling limply from their jaws. She wailed for her sister, but the warriors didn’t stop until they reached the medicine den.
Squirrelpaw came out of the medicine den and walked up to Silverkit, a frightened look on her face. “S-Silverkit…” she began.
Silverkit closed her eyes.
Flamekit can’t be dead! She can’t be! “Flamekit is alive, but very weak. She wants to see you.” Squirrelpaw looked sadly at Silverkit. “I know this is hard for you, but you have to be brave and fight through this.”
Silverkit sighed. Flamekit was always the brave one, whereas Silverkit always stepped away from a challenge. She knew that she had to be brave, just this once, for Flamekit.
Silverkit slowly padded into the den, shyly heading towards where Littlefur lay with Flamekit. Flamekit didn’t seem to be harmed; her flame-point fur was shining, but her deep blue eyes were dull. Silverkit came up to Flamekit.
“Flamekit?” She asked softly. “Squirrelpaw said you wanted to see me.”
Flamekit turned her head. “Silverkit,” she rasped. “How’s Foxkit?”
“When he heard, he was scared,” Silverkit replied. “But you’ll be alright, right?”
“I will be brave,” Flamekit whispered, “for you, and Foxkit, and Sunkit, Skykit and Pinkkit. I’ll be brave for the clan.”
Silverkit smiled. “And I’ll tell Foxkit right now.”
Flamekit nodded drowsily. “Tell them I’ll be fine.”
Silverkit came out of the den in a better mood than she had been in before. She ran with joy over to Foxkit, who looked up at her with despairing eyes.
“Did she die?” Foxkit asked, trembling.
“No,” Silverkit whispered. “She’s alive. She says she’ll be brave and live for us.”
Foxkit smiled.
Pinkkit, Sunkit and Skykit ran right over to Silverkit, tripping over themselves in excitement. “Is she okay?” Sunkit asked.
“She’s alright. She says she’ll live for us all.” Silverkit replied, and the three kits cheered.
Days went by, then moons. Silverkit was getting closer to becoming an apprentice each day. Squirrelpaw received her full medicine cat name, becoming Squirrelberry. The whole clan cheered for their medicine cat. Flamekit was becoming stronger, and was able to walk with encouragement from Silverkit and help from Squirrelberry.
“Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here for a clan meeting!” Heatherstar yowled. All of the kits scrambled for the meeting, each thinking that it was to be their own apprentice ceremony. The kits never snuck out of camp again, although there were many of those boring days.
“WindClan is growing stronger. We have our full medicine cat, and Flamekit is becoming stronger and can walk without help now.” Heatherstar announced, and the clan cheered. Flamekit’s near death had brought shock to the clan. Flamekit beamed with pride- it had taken her two moons to achieve this. Silverkit was proud of her sister.
“It’s time to make a few new apprentices.”
Immediately all of the kits stood up straight. Skykit immediately began cleaning herself, along with Pinkkit and Sunkit. Silverkit knew she was too young, but she was proud of her denmates.
“These kits have had quite an interesting kithood,” Heatherstar purred, “and a lucky one too, if not unfortunate. They have at last reached six moons, and hopefully won’t be gathering any Deathberries any time soon.”
The warriors purred in amusement.
“Pinkkit! Step forward.”
Pinkkit took a step forward, her eyes glowing with delight.
“Pinkkit, from this moment on until you become a warrior, you will be known as Pinkpaw.” Heatherstar announced.
“Pinkpaw! Pinkpaw!” The clan cheered. Pinkpaw was apprenticed to a younger warrior, Grassfire.
“Skykit! From this moment on until you become a warrior, you will be known as Skypaw.”
“Skypaw! Skypaw!” The clan congratulated, and Skypaw beamed. Skypaw was apprenticed to the senior warrior Firetail.
“And Sunkit, from this moment until you become a warrior, you will be known as Sunpaw.”
“Sunpaw! Sunpaw!” Silverkit felt she cheered the loudest for her denmates.
They’re apprentices! It’s only two moons now until my turn! Chapter 8: Flowerkit
Two moons later Flowerkit stretched, her ginger legs quivering. She was getting stronger by the day, and she was about the size of your average apprentice. Bluekit was still smaller, but was also very strong. After two moons punishment from her sneaking out of camp, Bluekit had almost caught up to Flowerkit in terms of apprentice skill. She could pounce perfectly and learned most of the battle moves.
Flowerkit couldn’t wait to become an apprentice. Her mind flitted back to the night she and Blazepaw snuck to the Moonpool. At sight of Goldenblaze, they snuck into the bushes and managed to get safely back to camp. The next moon Blazepaw went to the Moonpool, and he brought back tales of the beautiful wonders that lay under the surface and his first dream from StarClan. Flowerkit was happy to see him confident he could become a great medicine cat. Bluekit had been furious at Flowerkit, insisting she saw her sneak to the Moonpool. No other cats believed her. Flowerkit felt guilty she got her sister in so much trouble, but she couldn’t speak out and tell her she was sorry. That would result in three moons punishment, and that would delay her apprenticeship. Flowerkit sometimes showed off her skills in front of Fernstar, hoping she’d make her an apprentice sooner. But Fernstar didn’t budge.
One day, Flowerkit was playing mossball with Blazepaw. She insisted he threw the ball in multiple directions, and Flowerkit acted as the hunter. Flowerkit reached out and grabbed every single one of them. She looked over her shoulder, and she noticed Fernstar staring at her and nodding her head slowly. Flowerkit smiled, and then toppled over as a mossball hit her in the back of the head. She looked up to see Blazepaw grinning mischievously.
“You must always watch for your prey,” Blazepaw purred, “or they’ll come out and knock you over.”
Normally Flowerkit would purr at her silly mistake, but today she stood straight up and stared at Blazepaw with anger.
“Blazepaw! Fernstar was watching me! She could have made me an apprentice, and you ruined it!” She hissed, back arched.
Blazepaw gulped nervously. “I-I didn’t know…” he whimpered.
Flowerkit sighed and shook out her fur. “Whatever. I’m going back to the nursery, even though I could be going to the apprentice den!” She walked on over to the nursery, but stopped once to give Blazepaw an icy glare.
Flowerkit didn’t look back once, although she heard teasing remarks from the newest apprentice, Dapplepaw, to Blazepaw. “Looks like you got into a fight with your girlfriend, didn’t you Blazepaw?” She purred.
Flowerkit groaned.
I hate Dapplepaw! She’s always going out of her way to gossip and spread rumours! She settled into her nest, boiling with anger about Blazepaw and Dapplepaw.
Unfortunately for her, a new litter of kits tumbled over. They were a moon old now, and were energetic and excited like Flowerkit once was. The strongest one, Lionkit, came straight up to her.
“Is something wrong, Flowerkit?” He asked, gazing at her with curious green eyes.
“Did you get into a fight with Blazepaw?” The youngest one, Specklekit, asked. “I heard Dapplepaw saying you got into a fight, and Blazepaw is actually angry at you. Dapplepaw said Blazepaw doesn’t want to be your friend anymore.”
Is it true? Flowerkit wondered. Flowerkit came to the edge of the nursery and peered out. Blazepaw and Dapplepaw had their heads close together, and they seemed to be whispering. Flowerkit couldn’t see Blazepaw, but from the way the black and white tom’s tail tip was twitching, Flowerkit began to wonder if Specklekit was right.
What if Blazepaw hates me now? Struggling to hold back tears, she climbed back into her nest.
I shouldn’t have gotten so angry… what am I going to do? “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under the Highledge for a clan meeting!” Fernstar’s yowl echoed across the camp, making Flowerkit jump up in excitement.
My apprentice ceremony! Flowerkit forgot Blazepaw and how he almost ruined her chances and quickly groomed her fur, and then ran up right next to the Highledge.
“Today is a great day for ThunderClan,” Fernstar began, “two of our kits have reached their sixth moon, and are worthy of becoming apprentices.
“Flowerkit!” Fernstar yowled, and Flowerkit immediately jumped up to the center of the Highledge. “From this day until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Flowerpaw.”
Flowerpaw! Flowerpaw sat there for a long time, listening to the clan cheer out her name with her head held high.
“Flowerpaw, you are already a natural hunter who is ready to impress. I will be your mentor.” Flowerkit almost fainted on the spot.
My mentor is the clan leader! Impressed meows echoed throughout the clan. Many cats looked at Flowerpaw with a new respect.
“Bluekit!” Flowerkit saw her sister stiffly walk up, her silver blue eyes depressed.
Is she jealous? Flowerpaw wondered.
She can’t be! I didn’t ask for Fernstar to be my mentor! “From this day until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Bluepaw.” Fernstar announced.
“Bluepaw! Bluepaw!” Flowerpaw chanted, proud of her sister. Bluepaw was apprenticed to an inexperienced warrior. Flowerpaw saw her tail droop when she padded over to her mentor.
“Bluepaw! Flowerpaw! Bluepaw! Flowerpaw!” The clan chanted. Flowerpaw beamed and looked down.
Blazepaw wasn’t cheering. He sat there with sad green eyes. He turned around and padded away to the medicine den, leaving a shocked and sad Flowerpaw feeling guilty and confused.
Chapter 9: Nightkit
Two moons have passed since the capture of Snowkit. Snowkit often would try to escape, but was held back by ShadowClan warriors.
“Why?” He always asked. And the answer was always the same.
“RiverClan captured Hazelkit. Once Hazelkit is returned, you will be returned.”
Nightkit, for that matter, stayed as far away from Snowkit as possible. There were no other kits in the clan, and she wanted to make sure Snowkit had the most tortured stay as possible. Sure enough, it worked. Whenever Snowkit tried to talk to her, Nightkit would hiss and scratch him. The warriors didn’t say a word, instead praised Nightkit. If Nightkit ever felt sympathetic, she remembered Blossomkit’s dying eyes, and treated Snowkit with more hostility than usual.
Today Snowkit was batting a ball of moss back and forth. At first he had refused to eat ShadowClan prey, but hunger took over him and he ate his frogs. He often complained that fish were much better, but no cat would pay attention.
Snowkit sighed unhappily, batting the ball of moss back and forth between his paws. With a mischievous glint in his amber eyes, he dared to throw one at the elders. The elders yowled and clawed him until he lay bleeding on the floor. Frogtail, the medicine cat, was given strict orders not to help.
One uncomfortable day, Shadestar leapt up to the top of the rock that the leaders used to call meetings. “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here for a clan meeting!”
Nightkit raised her head. She smoothed her black fur, guessing what was going to happen, and crouched down beside the rock, deep blue eyes staring upward.
“Today is an important day for ShadowClan. We will have two new apprentices.” Shadestar announced.
Horrified gasps echoed throughout the camp.
Two? The only other kit here is Snowkit! “I know you’re all shocked,” Shadestar continued, “but it would torture RiverClan more to see one of their own as an apprentice. They’ll give Hazelkit back in no time.”
Nightkit nodded.
That’s fair. “Nightkit! Step forward.”
Blue eyes gleaming, Nightkit stood up on the top of the rock proudly.
“Nightkit, from this moment until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Nightpaw.”
“Nightpaw! Nightpaw!” The clan cheered. Nightpaw beamed with pride.
“Your mentor will be our own deputy, Darkfur.”
Nightpaw purred with happiness, touching noses with her new mentor.
“Snowkit, from this moment until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Snowpaw.”
No cat cheered.
“You will not have a mentor,” Shadestar announced, “because I wouldn’t curse my own cats for you.”
The ShadowClan cats nodded.
Snowpaw stood in horror atop the rock. He seemed horrified to be standing up there without a mentor or encouraging cheers.
I’ll show him what’s horrifying, Nightpaw thought.
Nightpaw walked up bravely to Snowpaw. She smiled and lashed out a paw. Snowpaw fell off the rock, falling into the midst of the ShadowClan cats below. Everyone stared in shock.
“Nightpaw,” Shadestar announced, “you are an apprentice to be proud of.” Smiling, Nightpaw watched as the cats chanted her name.
Snowpaw lay on the floor, injured and sore. He bristled and looked up and the black she-cat above. She would pay for this outrage.
Chapter 10: Streampaw
“Poppypaw! Poppypaw!”
Streampaw cheered for her new denmate. It had been two moons since she had become an apprentice, and she loved it. Now they would have a new apprentice to gather moss and clean the elders den.
Snowkit should be up there too, thought Streampaw sadly. She missed her former clanmate.
I’d march to ShadowClan and get him back if I could! After the death of Rosestar, Reedstar had become leader. He decided it wouldn’t be wise to attack ShadowClan yet, much to Streampaw’s dismay. He told the clan he would wait until he got more apprentices.
Hazelpaw had gotten her apprentice name at the same time as Streampaw. The two insisted on doing everything together, and Hazelpaw even volunteered to help Streampaw the first time she had to clean out the elders den. Fuzzypaw stayed independent and out of the way. Dawnpaw seemed to naturally know some amazing battle moves that she taught with the rest of the clan. Overall, the apprentices were doing great.
Streampaw padded up to the newly named Poppypaw. “You’re an apprentice!” She yowled happily. “Come and pick out a nest! There’s room for one near Hazelpaw and I!”
Once Poppypaw picked out her nest, night was falling. Poppypaw immediately curled up and fell asleep quickly, her tortoiseshell and white flank slowly rising and falling. Streampaw couldn’t sleep. She was filled with excitement and anger for Snowkit’s capture.
Slowly, not to disturb the sleeping apprentices, Streampaw crawled out of the den. She looked up at the stars above.
StarClan, please let us get Snowkit back. Please. Streampaw’s ear twitched. She thought she caught the sound of a voice. She slowly crept forward, noticing the sound coming from the medicine den.
“I-I’m not sure about this, Reedstar.” Streampaw could pick out the voice of Frostpelt in the den. “Let me speak to StarClan first.”
“Why are you so concerned? RiverClan has been in many battles in our life.” Reedstar’s voice was closer to Streampaw, and she shrunk back.
“It doesn’t seem right. We did kidnap Hazelpaw first, we shouldn’t steal Snowkit back.” Frostpelt protested.
“But it’s for the best. You told me so yourself. You told me that the night will destroy the cat in the prophecy!”
There’s a prophecy? Streampaw wondered in shock.
Who’s it for? “But we don’t have a clear meaning on what this “night” is, or who the prophecy cat is!” Frostpelt hissed, annoyed. “We might be jumping to conclusions!”
“I’m not letting you go to the Moonpool.” Reedstar mewed stubbornly. “And that’s final.” He turned around and stalked out of the den, not noticing Streampaw crouched around the corner.
Once Reedstar was gone, Streampaw bounced into the den. “Frostpelt! What’s the prophecy?” She babbled excitingly.
Frostpelt sighed. “I suppose you heard. On the night Poppypaw and Snowkit were born, I went to the Moonpool to meet with StarClan. They gave me a prophecy-”
“What was the prophecy?” Streampaw interrupted.
Frostpelt suddenly became hostile. “That was six moons ago. It’s none of your business.”
Streampaw shrank back. “If I go to the Moonpool for you, will you tell me what the prophecy is?”
Frostpelt’s eyes widened. “Streampaw…”
“I heard Reedstar say that
you couldn’t go to the Moonpool. He didn’t say that I couldn’t.” Streampaw pointed out. “Please can I go, Frostpelt?”
Frostpelt sighed. “Fine, you can. But I need to tell you how to get there.”
Frostpelt explained the instructions to Streampaw. “Go across the border into WindClan territory, but keep within three fox-lengths of the lake. Keep moving close to the shore until you reach a stream. Follow that stream and then you will eventually reach the Moonpool. Once there, lap up some of the water and StarClan will tell you what you need. Be quick and quiet though; you need to be back here before dawn. I’ll tell Whitepelt to not put you on the dawn patrol.”
Streampaw nodded. “I’ll do my best, Frostpelt.” Streampaw bounded out of the medicine den and out of the camp.
I’m going to the Moonpool! And I’m not even a medicine cat! Streampaw slowly approached the border of WindClan.
I have to cross the border here and stay within three fox-lengths of the lake. No one can stop me. I’m coming under the order of a medicine cat! Streampaw bounded ahead, feeling the moor grass scratch against her paws as she flew across enemy territory.
No one can stop me! “What are you doing on WindClan territory?” A voice hissed. It sounded like a newly made apprentice.
“I come on the order of a medicine cat. Who are you?” Streampaw mewed, hoping she sounded confident.
“My name’s Sunpaw.” A golden tabby she-cat padded up to Streampaw. “Who are you? Why did a medicine cat send you?”
“I’m going to the Moonpool. My name’s Streampaw.” Streampaw replied to Sunpaw. “Why are you out here so late?”
“No reason,” Sunpaw mewed quickly. “I mean… well, can you keep a secret?” She asked desperately. “Like you won’t go to StarClan or someone and tell them?”
Streampaw hesitated. “As long as it won’t hurt the clans,” she mewed, uncertain.
Sunpaw nodded. “On my first day of becoming an apprentice,” she mewed, “I saw something going on in RiverClan.”
“That’s my clan!” Streampaw exclaimed.
“That’s why I wanted to tell you,” Sunpaw continued, “there seemed to be a battle or something. A warrior dashed across our territory carrying a kit in his jaws. Our patrol tried to stop him, but he got away. He smelled like ShadowClan, so he must have crossed through ThunderClan territory to get back to his.”
Snowkit! “Do you know how we’ll get him back?” Streampaw asked.
“I don’t know. But I promise I’ll help you.” Sunpaw bowed her head. “Are you a medicine cat apprentice?”
Streampaw’s eyes widened in shock. “No!” She gasped. “What makes you think that?”
“Because you’re going to the Moonpool, and you’re only an apprentice.” Sunpaw meowed matter-of-factly.
“I’m a warrior apprentice. The leader wouldn’t let our medicine cat go to the Moonpool, so she told me to go instead.” Streampaw replied.
“Well you better go if you want to reach it before moonhigh,” Sunpaw flicked her tail. “There’s a stream up ahead. Follow it to the Moonpool.” Her gaze softened. “I wish you luck, Streampaw.”
“Thank you Sunpaw,” Streampaw mewed, grateful that Sunpaw didn’t show too much hostility. Streampaw nodded to Sunpaw and sprinted up over the open moor, up towards the stream lit with starlight.
When Streampaw finally reached the top, she was filled with awe. The pool shone with all the power of StarClan, illuminated by the moonlight. Streampaw gazed down, and she saw the reflections of her ancestors from seasons and seasons back.
“Welcome, Streampaw,” voices seemed to whisper. Streampaw took a step forward, crouched down, and gently lapped the starlight water.
Streampaw awoke to find herself in a meadow near a stream. She sat up, wondering how she got here.
This isn’t the Moonpool nor is it camp! A silver tabby she-cat padded towards her, her blue eyes shining and her pelt sparkling. “Hello, Streampaw,” she meowed in a sweet voice.
“Wh-who are you?” Streampaw asked. This she-cat smelled like RiverClan, but Streampaw had never seen her before.
“My name is Feathertail,” she purred. “And I have a message for you.”
Streampaw looked up. “Is it about the prophecy?” She asked.
Feathertail smiled. “Yes it is. Now I want you to deliver this message to Poppypaw. Don’t give it to Frostpelt.”
“Then what will I say to Frostpelt?” Streampaw challenged.
“Tell her that StarClan doesn’t want RiverClan to fight this battle.” Feathertail replied with a flick of her tail.
“Why?” Streampaw asked.
“Because you will lose more than you can handle. You won’t be getting Snowpaw back.” Feathertail’s eyes darkened. “It won’t be worth it. It will leave ShadowClan in a rage, and they will attack and kill many warriors. It’s not worth the sacrifice.”
Streampaw sighed. “What do you have to tell me?”
“Tell Poppypaw that she must meet the flower in flames at night.” Feathertail replied. “Goodbye, Streampaw.”
“Wait!” Streampaw called out, rushing up to Feathertail. “What’s the flower in the flames? What are you talking about?”
Feathertail didn’t say a word, just faded away and left Streampaw on the edge of the Moonpool, the stars shining down on her.
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