The Monster Within

Allegiances
HorseClan

Leader:

Horsestar-small, long-furred, tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with a half-black-half-white face, blue eyes, and a long, bushy black tail with a ginger tip; mother of Piperkit, Jaykit, Songkit, Spiritkit, and Spirekit

Apprentice-Cleverpaw

Deputy:

Sparrowblaze-black tom with yellow eyes, a dark orange underside, a white stripe down his spine, and a black-and-white striped tail; father of Piperkit, Jaykit, Songkit, Spiritkit, and Spirekit

Medicine Cats:

Darkmist-sleek, dark gray she-cat with short, thick fur and dark green eyes

Barkwing-black tom with huge amber eyes and prickly, bushy fur; twisted hind leg

Warriors:

Arrowtail-sleek black tabby she-cat with silver stripes, electric blue eyes, and a long, straight tail

Apprentice-Lionpaw

Sunfur-yellow she-cat with green eyes

Birchstripe-huge, short-furred, cream-and-brown tom with amber eyes

Apprentice-Windpaw

Goldentail-handsome, shiny, golden tabby tom with green eyes

Falconfall-pretty, gray tabby she-cat with bright green eyes

Apprentice-Coldpaw

Wheatfur-very pale ginger tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Cornpelt-white-and-yellow patched tom with green eyes

Honeywish-white she-cat with blue eyes and golden tabby patches

Apprentice-Shatteredpaw

Chivepelt-brown-and-black tom with green eyes

Apprentice-Tanglepaw

Vixenfur-dark red she-cat with thick fur, yellow eyes, and a bushy, white-tipped tail

Foxfrost-white tabby she-cat with ginger stripes and blue eyes

Apprentice-Woodpaw

Snipewing-gray-and-white tom with green eyes

Apprentice-Runningpaw

Shadowbranch-dark gray, almost black, she-cat with stormy green eyes and white-tipped ears

Apprentice-Snappaw

Thornstripe-dark brown tabby tom with yellow eyes and black stripes

Eaglefall-brown-and-white tom with yellow eyes and a brown-and-white striped tail

Apprentice-Finchpaw

Flamedust-bright ginger tom with white paws and yellow eyes

Brazenheart-golden-brown tom with green eyes

Apprentice-Sweetpaw

Wolfpeak-solid gray tom with short, clumpy fur and amber eyes

Apprentice-Swooppaw

Brindleshade-huge brown tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

Moonflight-black she-cat with green eyes, a broad head, white ears, white paws, and a white tip on her tail

Icewind-lean white tom with gray ears and ice-blue eyes

Apprentice-Hutchpaw

Larkfoot-black-and-white she-cat with green eyes

Apprentice-Swirlypaw

Redstep-dark red tom with green eyes and a white underside

Apprentice-Cowpaw

Apprentices:

Larchpaw-cream tabby tom with brown stripes and green eyes

Cleverpaw-brown-and-white she-cat with green eyes

Lionpaw-golden tabby tom with ginger ears and tail; green eyes

Windpaw-gray tabby tom with blue eyes

Coldpaw-gray-and-white tom with black patches and amber eyes

Shatteredpaw-white tabby she-cat with very thin black stripes that make it seems as though her fur is shattered; blue eyes

Tanglepaw-long-furred brown-and-white she-cat

Woodpaw-light brown tabby tom with green eyes

Runningpaw-reddish brown tom with yellow eyes and one white paw

Snappaw-ginger-and-white patched she-cat with amber eyes

Sweetpaw-yellow-and-white patched she-cat with amber eyes

Finchpaw-tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with green eyes and ginger ears

Swooppaw-orange-and-white tom with green eyes

Hutchpaw-brown tabby tom with gray specks and yellow eyes

Swirlypaw-very pale gray-and-white tabby she-cat with swirly black stripes and green eyes

Cowpaw-black-and-white tom with green eyes

Queens:

Littlefeather-primarily black tortoiseshell she-cat with flecks or brown, tan, ginger, russet, and gold; yellow eyes; expecting Redstep's kits

Gingerbird-very pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

Cedarwing-brown tabby she-cat with a white chest, white paws, and a long white tail; unusual sea-green eyes; expecting Eaglefall's kits

Frozenfur-pretty, long-furred white she-cat with blue eyes and silver-tipped fur

Dawnberry-dark gray she-cat with yellow eyes and a white stripe on her head; mother of Wolfpeak's kit-Shardkit

Kestrelheart-brown she-cat with green eyes and a white chest; expecting kits (deceased mate)

Poppystem-cream she-cat with black stripes and blue eyes

Aldermist-cream-and-brown she-cat with yellow eyes; mother of Snipewing's kits-Smallkit and Tankit

Elders:

Owlnight-black she-cat with white flecks and blue eyes

Talltulip-long-legged tortoiseshell she-cat with stormy green eyes

Glowfoot-pale yellow she-cat with amber eyes and white paws

Bladeclaw-dark gray tabby tom with stormy blue eyes and sharp claws, retired due to hearing loss

Tinytail-small, gray-and-white she-cat with blue eyes and a short, thin tail

Shadypool-dark gray she-cat with green eyes and a black stripe on her forehead

Gorsebush-grizzled, matted, long-furred gray tom with amber eyes and a broad, flat face

Snowdrop-white she-cat with orange eyes

Waspstripe-yellow tom with black stripes and green eyes

Blindwillow-pale gray she-cat with pure white eyes, oldest cat in HorseClan

Kits:

Piperkit-brown-and-white tabby she-kit with a long black, white-tipped tail and yellow eyes

Jaykit-black she-kit with gleaming yellow eyes, white hind paws, small, sharp fangs, a black-and-white striped tail, a white stripe from her forehead down her back, white patches over her eyes, a white "mohawk", and spiky black fur on her neck

Songkit-black-and-ginger she-kit with yellow eyes

Spiritkit-long-furred tortoiseshell-and-white she-kit with blue eyes

Spirekit-black tom-kit with blue eyes

Shardkit-dark gray tom-kit with a white stripe on his forehead and white paws; dark green eyes

Smallkit-cream tabby she-kit with light brown stripes and blue eyes

Tankit-light brown tom-kit with green eyes

Prologue
Jaypaw shuddered as a frozen wind sliced through her fur. She padded around in search of her sister Piperpaw until she spotted her across the clearing. Jaypaw fluffed her fur up against the snowflakes that dotted her unique-patterned black-and-white pelt. "I can't wait for this very much longer. I need to do this. Piperpaw needs to pay. Jaypaw turned her head, attempting to block out the swirl of leaf-bare snowflakes as they stung her face. Baring her fangs, she moved in on Piperpaw, who was turned toward Cedarwing as the queen lay sleeping on the ground. "Shh. She needs her rest," Jaypaw heard Piperpaw tell Ashkit. It's time. Jaypaw's mind was filled with a thorn-sharp, monster-like instinct. Kill her.

Chapter One
Horsestar lay on the ground as her body convulsed with pain and agony. She gritted her teeth in order to stop herself from screeching at the top of her lungs. Her mate and deputy, Sparrowblaze, stood beside her and gently urged her on. The two medicine cats, Darkmist and Barkwing, were sitting with their paws on Horsestar's stomach. Suddenly a kit slid out. Darkmist purred approvingly as Barkwing sliced the membrane open with a claw and gently set the kit beside Horsestar's muzzle. "Lick him," he said softly. Horsestar did not need to be asked twice. She quickly began to lap at his slick black coat as she felt another pain. Another one's coming, she thought to herself. ''I wish this was over. ''Sparrowblaze purred. "A she-kit!" He bent his neck and licked her as another one came out. "Another she-kit!" said Darkmist. She set her down in front of Barkwing, who began to lick the tiny kit. But Horsestar felt yet another spasm. "Another one," she gasped. This one hurt so much, it was hard to believe that it was an extremely small kit that caused all of this pain.

Darkmist set the final kit down and licked her black-and-white coat as Horsestar turned to look. Finally, the others gently put the kits down in the curve of her belly. "They're so beautiful," she whispered as she looked at each one. "Here's the last one," said Barkwing as he put the smallest kit beside her mother. Sparrowblaze's eyes widened. "I've never seen a kit like that before in my entire life!" he declared. Horsestar looked down and her eyes went huge as well. This tiny kit was the strangest looking that she had ever seen.

Her fur was black-and-white, and she had white patches over her eyes. Her tail was striped black-and-white and there was a white stripe down her back, just like her father's, but the fur on the back of her neck was stiff and spiky, and she had a thick white stripe of fur in the middle of her head. She let out a screeching wail and immediately latched onto her mother to suckle.

Darkmist peered at her. "She's quite the unique one," she said. "What is her name?" Horsestar answered, "Jaykit. The black one is Spirekit, the ginger-patched black one is Songkit, and that long-furred one is Spiritkit." Darkmist nodded. "Those are wonderful names." Barkwing nodded. "They will make great warriors." Sparrowblaze nuzzled his mate. "I'm so proud of you, Horsestar," he whispered in her ear. "I love you."

...........................................................................................................................................................................

It had been a few days since Horsestar's kits had been born, and she had sent them to play in the nursery while she was doing her job as Clan leader. She did, however, come to suckle them and play with them. Jaykit stood in the nursery and looked peeped out through the opening in time to see Sparrowblaze padding toward them with something good-smelling in his mouth. She watched as he set it down in front of a brown-and-white queen. "Here, Cedarwing," he said. "You'll need to keep your strength up for when you have your kits. How's Eaglefall?" While they chatted, Jaykit sneaked up behind her father and pounced on his tail. "Gotcha!" she mewled with triumph.

TO BE CONTINUED