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Prologue[]
Feather felt Screech Owl's tail caress her, but she was too tired to care. The five kits lay beside her, already suckling. Screech whispered something to her, but she didn’t hear him. Was it important? Surely not. She ignored him. After a while, she realized something. She was dying. Dying like her sister, Cinder, who had died after delivering Shade.
"Kits... see..."
Screech Owl placed each kit into her line of sight. She purred weakly. Her tail gently touched the golden tom.
"Dandelion Smoke."
Screech Owl nodded, then pointed at the silver tabby she-cat.
"What about her?"
"You name her..."
"Mountain."
Feather nodded weakly, then shook her head abruptly.
"Mountain Song."
Screech Owl didn't seem pleased with The last three kits lay unnamed. She knew she had to name them before she died. She had come so far, it would be foolish to give it all up now. She placed her paw upon the dark brown tabby she-cat.
"Bramble.... Fire."
Screech looked at her oddly.
"You're naming her after him?
"Yes... The tabby tom... Lynx Feather."
Screech Owl tried to comfort her. She knew he understood how limited her time was.
"And the last one?" he prompted. She gazed at the tabby and white she-cat, feeling the life slip from her. With her last words she christened the kit.
"Tiger Speckle." And she was dead.
Chapter 1[]
I sunned myself on the rock, letting the sun heal my body. The long gash in side ached, but I ignored it, knowing I had to or I would be killed. It was especially annoying, as Sun had taught me basic healing skills, and I knew how to fix the wound.