Template:A Twisted Heart/Sample

Prologue The heather rustled and the grass bent in the wind. Dark storm clouds rolled across the sky. Shadows dappled the camp, disturbed by a pacing tom. His eyes were wide with terror as a fat raindrop landed on his muzzle.

" Great StarClan. Surely she can't be out in this?" He fretted, shredding the grass stalks with his claws. A dainty silver-and-white she-cat pressed her muzzle against his comfortingly.

" Flowerheart's a tough warrior, Stormstar. She'll make it," the medicine cat soothed.

" I hope you're right," the leader muttered darkly. Why, oh why, had his mate insisted on leaving camp before her kitting? I should have stopped her. It's all my fault! Horror chilled his heart. What if she never made it back? Suddenly, the heather entrance shuddered and a cat pushed her way through. Stormstar purred and raced across the clearing, halting in front of his mate. She looked exhausted. Her tortoiseshell fur was matted and caked in mud. Her eyes were dull, but three shrieking bundles were perched on her back. The she-cats legs trembled and she sank to the ground. Stormstar pressed against her and gently nosed her up. He swung one kit off her back, then let the medicine cat take the others. He purred, and Flowerheart responded with a feeble one of her own. Stormstar twined his tail with hers.

" What were you thinking, going out in this weather?" he chided gently. Flowerheart let out a hacking cough.

" You've got more important things to worry about thab me," she almost sounded bitter.

" Not right now, I don't. You should have been kitting in the warm nursery, not all out in a storm by yourself!" He brushed off her comment. Flowerheart suddenly straightened.

" The kits!" She drew away from Stormstar and began to hobble painfully towards the nursery. He stopped her with his tail and carefully drew her back.

" The kits can wait. They've got Silverleaf to look after them. You need some rest," Stormstar meowed firmly, his leader authority coming thorugh in his meow. " So, there were only three?" Abruptly, Silverleaf drew away. Her eyes flashed and she bushed out her fur.

" Why do you ask? You saw three! Isn't that good enough?" She hissed and stalked away, nearly tripping in her fatigue. Surprised, Stormstar halted and stared after her in astonishment. Flowerheart had always been touchy as his apprentice, but that was unsual. She'd been so excited about the kits. What had he said wrong?

Flowerheart's pulse raced as she swung away from her mate. Almost at once, she regretted her hard words. But Stormstar could never find out… he could never know her secret. She ducked into the nursery and curled around her three trembling kits. But there weren't always three… she thought to herself. There was a fourth...