Left To Stay

Hiddenkit, now more than ever she's determined to figure out her mother's secret...but finding a really dangerous enemy, who's not really an enemy will change everything....

What can you do, when trust is so far away....? This story occurs around one moon after Changing Hearts.

Story not done.

Enjoy! ッ

xoxoxo Hiddensun♥

Characters
MysteryClan:

PuzzleClan:

SecretClan:

Prologue - Wishing - Bubbles
I lay down, looking at my beautiful kit. She had sleek black pelt - just like him. Today I had found out that her eyes were amber - just like his' - the way I had iknown they would look. The same look in their faces. She would always be a memory of him, for me.

A memory that I loved. I had always pictured myself living in the forest as a rogue, with a mate that loved me and a kit that looked up to me and him. But this life hadn't turned the way I wished when i was younger.

My mate was a clan-cat. But he loved me - and I loved him. I had a kit, that I knew would row to look up to me, but she hadn't met her father. She wouldn't be able to look up to him, and wish she woudl grow up to be stronger, brighter, smarter and faster than him. She wouldn't.

I felt a rush of anger inside me. I felt frustrated with myself for not being able to give my kit what I 've always wanted to - what I wished I could.

''She's going to meet him some day. ''I told myself. And when that day comes, we will be teh happiest family I could ever imagine. We would be an inseperable threesome. Living in a clan - like he wanted - happily. Nothing would tear us appart.

And she, Sunny, woudl be proud to look up at both of us. Her parents. She will.

When she meets him.

Chapter 1 - Accepting - Hiddenkit
"Hiddenkit!! Hiddenkit!" I woke up startled by the voice crying my name. I covered my ears annoyed and tried to get back to sleep. Suddenly I felt a paw nudge me from side to side.

"Wake up! What's wrong? You're always the first one to wake up!" I stretched and opened my eyes to see the figure of a gray tom with brown paws. His blue eyes starred at mine and I blushed imediately, figuring that I was starring.

"Mmaybe I'm tired because you kept me awake all night yesterday because of your hurt paw." I meowed back. I looked down at his paw that had been hurt yesterday, btu it seemed perfectly fine - as if his little climbing-a-tree-mischief had never happened. "Fairheart cured it?" I asked, knowing the answer.

"Yup! But that doesn't matter. I ahve better news and nobody knows it - except soem warriors. Not even Muddykit!" he meowed exitelly, and it surprised me that he hadn't told whatever he was exited about to Muddykit, hsi sister. They told each other everything.

"Must be really good news for you nto to tell her. What is it th-?" I asked, btu he interrupted me before I could finish.

"Our apprentice ceremony!!!!" he meowed which seemed like almost a scream.

"Oh My Spiritclan!!! Seriously? Yes!!" This was the most exiting thing ever! This meant that I was getting closer to making Strike and my mother proud by becoming a warrior. Each time, I took a step closer. "But when?"

"I heard them we were going to become warriors a few days after Wolfkit and Bearkit have their apprentice ceremony - and that's today!" Wolfkit and Bearkit - Arcticmask's and Starwatcher's kits. Nice, btu spend most fo teh time play fighting or getting into trouble - more trouble than Kestrelkit, who was eavesdropping!

"You were eavesdropping!" I mewoed at him. "Didn't Echocave said that if you went ousied teh nursery without permision one more time, you're apprentice ceremony would be slowed down?"

"I know, but this was different and important. It's our apprentice ceremony!" he meowed with his exited voice again, this time, he was bouncing up and down.

"I guess it is a good reason... But if you get caught - dont' tell me I didn't warm you!"

"Fine. Fine - don't worry. I won't!" he meowed and leaped at me playfully. I rolled on my belly, crushign him and then punced on him, making him jump.

"Hey!" he meowed. He hissed playfully and then leaped at me. This time I was ready, and quickly got out of the way, tripping him with my tail. I turned around with one quick movement and saw him crashing into the wall of the nursery.

"Beat that!" I meowed happily, but soon one word came into my mind. Strike.

He had taught me that move. He had taught me many things. And I missed him so much - he was like the father I never had. It was as if he had been sent to me by SpiritClan.

"Hiddenkit? You ok?" I came back to reality and realized that a few tears were now coming from my eyes. "Another memory?" he asked.

I nodded, and cleaned off the tears with my paw. Every since I've been here, once in a while I woudl get memories from before taht woudl get me sad and unfortunately crying - which was a great oportunity for Littlekit and her friends to bother me. Kestrelkit knew me too well.

"Hiddenkit!" I heard Vinecloud's call. She rushed inside the nursery.

"Hey Vinecloud!" I meowed greeting her and padding up to her. "What's up?"

"Littlekit went to visit Orangemask and Skylight. Want to come with?" she asked. Orangemask and Skylight - Vinecloud's parents - were always fun to visit in the elder's den. Them, Vinecloud and Darkbranch - her mate - made me feel as if Ii was truly part of their family.

"Sure!" I meowed, already getting ahead of her and saying 'bye' to Kestrelkit. I got out and padded faster. The different smells of camp amzed me and I looked at the clearing. There were a few cats there; Darkbranch, Stormstrike, Talonpaw and Brindlefang. The three warriors were discusing patrols by the look of it but Ttalonpaw just looked bored no to be doing anything.

He looked up when he heard me coming. "Hey Hiddenkit! What's up?" he meowed, droppign the prey he was eating.

"Hi Talonpaw! Going to see Orangemask and Skylight!" I meowed while runnign inside the elder's den. Inside, I saw Softstep eating a vole that an apprentice had brought him - I assumed. Farther inside were Orangemask and Skulight playing with Littlekit.

"Hello!" I meowed happily and leaped at Skylight, ignoring Littlekit's annoyed face - whihc she gave me each time I came.

"Hey Sunny Hiddenkit!" Skylight meowed. Skylight always had a name for us. Littlekit was 'Llittle Littlekit' and I was 'Sunny Hiddenkit'. Even if his name coudl sometiems be weird at first, you get used to it and it makes you fee liek you belong. And you knew he said thsoe names with love.

"I have something to tell you!! But guess first!" I meowed at them.

"You...umm...brougth me a mouse?" Orangemask meowed jokily.

"No...We're going to become apprentices in a few days!!" I meowed looking at Littlekit.

"Yes-!!! Wait, how do you know?" she asked.

"I have my ways. Some trouble-free ways." I told her and she just looked at me without saying a word.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Hightree for a Clan meeting!" I heard Freedomstar's voice from outside. His loud voice echoed throught the elder's den's roots-wall.

"I guees that's our cue. C'mon kits, let's see what's this about." Vinecloud meowed to Littlekit and me, and we both followed her outside. I saw the whole clan gather around teh huge tree taht lay in teh middle of the clearing. The tree that holded still the ceiling of our camp. Freedomstar was seated on one of teh lowest branches - his usual spot. Most cats were murmuring and I knew thsi was Bearkit's and Wolfkit's apprentice ceremony.

"Wolfkit. Bearkit." Freedomstar meowed to the brothers and I saw them leaving from theire parent's side, Arcticmask and Starseeker, to go Freedomstar. They carefully climbed the tree and sat on teh same branch as our leader.

"Wolfkit, from this day, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Wolfpaw. I ask SpiritClan to watch over you and guide you until you find in your paws the strength and courage of a warrior. Netteltangle, you will be mentor to this apprentice. You are a true and trusted warrior, and I hope you will pass this knowledge to your new apprentice." Netteltangle, climbed up the branch and now him and Wolfpaw touched noses.

"Wolfpaw! Wolfpaw! Wolfpaw!" the whole clan shouted and called.

"Bearkit, from this day, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Bearpaw. I ask SpiritClan to watch over you and guide you until you find in your paws the strength and courage of a warrior. Brindlefang, you will be mentor to this apprentice. You are a true and trusted warrior, and I hope you will pass this knowledge to your new apprentice." Brandlefang, climbed up the branch and now she and Bearpaw touched noses.

"Bearpaw! Bearpaw!! Wolfpaw! Bearpaw! Wolfpaw! Bearpaw!" we all started chanting again. I looked over at Arcticmask and Starseeker and saw their proud faces.

Someday, I'll see my mother's and Strike's faces with the same expression.

Chapter 2 - Hurt - Hiddenkit
"I can't wait to be an apprentice! It's going to be soo cool!" I meowed, thinking about how Nettletangle and Brindlefang had taken their apprentices out right after their apprentice ceremony. I padded to the nursery, like Vinecloud had tolds us when she went to get something to eat.

"I can't wait ot become an apprentice!!" Kestrelkit surprised me from behind. I made a shriking noise and almost jumped, blushing in embarrasment.

"You're going to get into trouble for eavesdropping! And I bet you're wrong about our apprentice ceremony!" I heard Littlekit's voice meow at me.

"Well prepare to lose your bet." I meowed at her, and saw her mad face. Her eyes looked annoyed and full of revenge-hungry. I looked away, not wnating to make her any more madder than she was, just because she knew I was right for once. I padded into our small nest. I layed down there, hoping to get some rest.

I could hear some giggling and laughing from outside the nursery. I tried to ignore it, but it got louder and louder each time. I tried covering my ears with my paws, but I was too tired to keep holding them in that position. ''Who am I kidding? There's no sleeping during the day.'' I stood up madly and bothered not to have been able to sleep, and fastly padded to teh entrance of the nursery to see who was laughing so hard.

When I neared, I saw two cats lying beside each other, flirting. One was a white she-cat with black flecks all over her pelt and teh other was a brown tabby tom. Littlekit and Kestrelkit! How could they! They were flirting and laughing as if they had been friends for a very long time. I felt a pang of sadness crushing my chest and I could breath for a second. I was just starring at both of them, and I told myself not to cry.

I started backing away, and saw Littlekit's eyse on me. She smiled at me, and I knew this was her revenge. Littlekit didn't like him. She had known I liked Kestrelkit, and now this was a way for me to pay. I ran back inside, not wanting to stay there, looking at them for another second.

I wasn't going to let anybody else hurt me. For teh past moons I had lived, all I learned was not to get too close to anybody, because somehow, someway, someday, they'll just break your heart.

I padded out of the nursery. It had been a few days since the incident with Littlekit, and I was doing ym best at just tryign to act normal. I tried letting go of what I felt for Kestrelkit, now that he spent more time with Llittlekit. They seen to start becomign very good friends and that got me jalous.

I want towards Vinecloud, who was talking with Darkbranch and sharing a vole. They looked happy. I wondered how a love so powerful could exist. So far, it hadn't worked so great with me...but mayeb someday, when I get older, things will change and I too, will have an oprtunity.

"Hey Vinecloud! Hi Darkbranch!" I meowed at them, sounding more cheerful tha the past few days. They both greeted me back and told me to get a small mouse since Littlekit had already eaten and shared hers.

I took a mouse and sat down, eating it slowly. Suddenly I saw Wolfpaw and Bearpaw comign from the entrance. Practicing. I figured. They neared the fresh-kill pile and only Bearpaw had prey hanging from his jaw. I guessed Wolfpaw had been fighting practising and Bearpaw had been on a hunting patrol.

"Hey Hiddenkit!" Bearpaw meowed droppign his prey into teh pile and getting a fat sparrow. He sat beside me and started eating. His brother joined him, bringing himself a fat mouse. I looked surprised at how much, such young apprentices, could eat.

"Starving aren't you! Looks like you haven't eaten in moons. Didn't know being an apprentice required so much energy and starvation!" I joked.

"You have no idea!" Bearpaw meowed. "Takes spacial sorts of apprentices to make it through."

"You're cating like you've been an apprentice for such a long time! And you're only a few days older than me!" I meowed. I saw Wolfpaw laugh a bit.

I saw a black tom approaching us with Llionpaw; his apprentice. I remembered the black tom because he was Darkbranch's best friend and they spend a lot of time talking and on hunting patrols. He sat down infront of us and looked up. "Hello Everyone!"

"Hi Blackrock!" "Hey Blackrock!" "Sup Blackrock?" we all greeted him.

"How are you all going? Being an apprentice good so far?" he asked both brothers.

"Awesome!" Bearpaw meowed.

"Since you've alreday brough the subject." Wolfpaw started, "Heard you're becoming one of us soon. True?" he asked.

"I certainly hope so..." I answered. I didn't wnat to stay in the nursery anymore. Ecah time I went inside, I felt trapped in memories and a lost friendship.

"What's wrong?" Bearpaw asked, suddenly changing his funny tone of voice into a serious one which was weird for the two brothers.

"Nothing. I'm good!"

"You sure?" Black rock asked, suddenly his amber eyes on me. I just nodded.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Hightree for a Clan meeting!" Freedomstar's voice startled me. I quickly stood up, exitement now building inside of me takign all of my other feelings away. I knew exactly the reason why we had to be gathered around.

"C'mon Littlekit! Hiddenkit! It's your big day!" Vvinecloud meowed, hurryign us to go outside. Everyoen was gathered around the Hightree. I sat down eagerly, moving ym tail back and forth from excitement.

"Cats of MysteryClan! We are gathered here today to celebrate the apprentice academy." he meowed. He signaled Littlekit, Sweetkit, Muddykit, Kestrelkit and me to step forward.

"Littlekit, from this day, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Littlepaw. I ask SpiritClan to watch over you and guide you until you find in your paws the strength and courage of a warrior. Swiftstorm, you will be mentor to this apprentice. You are a true and trusted warrior, and I hope you will pass this knowledge to your new apprentice." the big gray tom and Littlekit, now Littlepaw, touched noses.

The ceremony went on with the other three kits getting their apprentices names; Sweetkit unexpectedly becoming the medicine cat's apprentice. Finnaly, it was my turn - the wait was over.

"Hiddenkit, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, even at the cost of your life?" he asked.

I hesitated for a moment, knwoign that from up in teh sky, my mother was lookign at me proudly. "I do." I answered.

"Then by the powers of SpiritClan, Hiddenkit, from this day, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Hiddenpaw. I ask SpiritClan to watch over you and guide you until you find in your paws the strength and courage of a warrior." He meowed, I felt so excited that nothing could describe what I was feeling. But his next words took me down.

"Wildpanther, you will be mentor to this apprentice. You are a true and trusted warrior, and I hope you will pass this knowledge to your new apprentice. Be sure to follow her every step of the way." Freedomstar meowed teh last sentence a little lower, so only Wildpanther and I could hear. Wildpanther dipped his head in acknowledgement. Finally, Wildpanther neared me and we both touched noses.

"Hiddenpaw! Hiddenpaw! Hiddenpaw!" My clanmates cheered. I looked all around, pride inside of me. My sun-liek eyes went through all my clanmates. From Vinecloud to Skylight. From Cindersky to Bearpaw and Wolfpaw. Their eyes shinning, and their cheers overherad from the crowd.

Chapter 3 - Apprentice
"Are we going hunting? Patrol? Practising? What are we doing?" I asked Wildpanther as everyoen started going off to their own business aroudn camp. Wildpanther was heading out, so I figured we woudl be doing something exciting.

"Actually..." he meowed very slowly as he turned aroudn to face me. "I have a plan for you to do on your own." he finished.

"Oh! Is it exciting? What is it?" I asked really fast.

"Oh...It is very exciting and I really want you to do it properly." he meowed, and for a seconf I thought he was going to be a great mentor.

"Check the elders for ticks using mousebile and then, clean their nests."

"What!? But everybody else is going out! Visiting the territory and everything!" I insisted. He flicked his tail and I stopped. "Fine..." I meowed sadly, going to the medicine cat's den. "Lilacmoon?" I called the clan's medicine cat.

"Hello? Who is it?" I heard a voice, which clearly wasn't Lilacmoon's. A pale ginger tabby she-cat appeared. "Oh, it's you!" I loooked at Sweetpaw, and yet couldn't believe she had chosen the path of becoming a medicine cat apprentice.

"I just need some mousebile, Sweetpaw." I mewowed and she laughed.

"Searching the elders for ticks? Wowwww! Must be horrible to be you!" she meowed, still laughing.

"Are you going to give me mousebile or not??" I meowed and she gave me a dirty look. She grabbed the mousebile and passed it to me. I smelled the horrible foul smell. Eww...I padded out of the medicine cat den, through the camp and into the elders' den.

"Hello Hiddenpaw! What brings you here?" Orangemask asked and then looked at what I was carrying, now understanding. "Oh." I nodded. Well, here goes nothing.

Finally!

....