Defy the Stars

A collab by Night, Echo, Yellow and Golden.

Chapter One (Night)

The brown-and-white kit shook out his pelt. A few loose hairs flew off, and drifted away, carried by the soft breeze that wrapped its way around his legs.

The kit surveyed the land, and breathed in deeply, savouring the sharp yet fresh scent of the pines. The pine forests were perfect; they had kept him and his family safe for three full cycles of the moon. Apparently, once they had lived by a river, but not any longer. The pines were his home now, and they always would be.

A sudden change of the direction of the wind bought a new scent to his nose. Fox. The brown-and-white kit spun, staring with keen eyes at the elms and oaks behind him. Although he had remarkably good vision, he could not see a hint of a ginger pelt, even though the scent was heavy, and fresh. Where was the fox? Where was it?

A flash of fur, redder then the flames that had cost his father's life suddenly erupted into view. The fox. The tom kit stood still, paralysed with fear, then shook his head. It was dumb enough that he'd even gotten into this situation, and there was no need for him to make it worse by letting the fox-hearted fox kill him. The tiny tom reared on his hind legs, and batted at the fox's muzzle with razor sharp claws. "Stay back!"

The fox stopped, and blinked. The kit realized that the fox actually wasn't a fox after all, only a large ginger cat with an unusally narrow muzzle. The cat glared at the kit. "Who are you, and what are you doing on our territory?"

The kit shuddered, and tried to back away, but the cat hissed, so he stopped.

"Who are you," hissed the cat, more force in their mew this time. "And what are you doing on our territory?"

The kit seemed to have regained his courage, and spat back, "Why do you need to know?"

Amusement briefly danced in the ginger cat's eyes, but was almost immediately replaced by fury. "Because you are an intruder. State your name, and purpose for being on SkyClan's land, and I won't kill you."

The kit fluffed out his fur, trying to seem larger, but could tell that the ginger cat meant business. He seemed to wilt slightly. "I-I'm called Fang... and I didn't mean to intrude on you 'terriory.' I'll leave now." He turned to leave, but the ginger cat intercepted him.

"How old are you?"

"Five moons," answered Fang. "But it's none of your business!"

The ginger cat stalked closer. "Where are your parents?"

Fang glared up at her, mistrust in his eyes. That cat doesn't like me for some reason... I bet they want to kill my father! And my littermates, Tooth and Claw!

"Dead." He lied.

The cat seemed taken aback, and a soft sympathetic look flickered across their face. They then spoke in a completely different voice, a kind and quiet one. "You're an orphan, huh?"

Fang nodded, and the cat frowned. "You had better come with me then. Brightflower just had kits, I'm sure she can look after you. Come."

The brown-and-white kit stiffened. What? The cat was going to... abduct him?! "I'm not going!" He hissed, voice wavering. "I can look after myself."

"Yes, I'm sure you can," muttered the ginger cat. "But still. Come with me, or you'll die." They seemed to realize that they had just threatened a kit, and added hastily, "There have been a lot of foxes around here. If you don't die of starvation, they'll get you."

Fang nodded slowly. He didn't see that he had much choice in the matter, and he could always escape from whatver prison-cell the cat put him in. "O-okay." He muttered, and the cat nodded. "Good choice. Now, follow me."

The ginger cat began to walk along the border of the forest, and flicked their tail at him, which he understood as a signal to follow. As they walked into the forest of elms, oaks and sycamores, Fang felt his freedom depart. Although the flame coloured cat seemed like they wanted to help him, he was sure that joining this so called 'SkyClan' would end in his death.

Chapter Two (Yellow)

The breeze ruffled the dark grey she-kit's fur as she pressed herself to the forest floor. Her eyes gleamed amber as she stalked toward her prey. Pine needles crunched softly underpaw, and she tensed, worried. Her prey didn't notice. A whisper of breath stirred the leaves as the kit came closer. She pounced, needle-sharp claws piercing her prey. Triumph erupted in the kit's belly.

"Emberkit! What are you doing out here?!" A sharp voice sliced through the elation of the kit's victory. Emberkit turned, her claws still tangled in the scrap of moss.

A pretty tortoiseshell she-cat was rushing out of the nursery, eyes wide," Emberkit, how many times have I told you not to go out without a warrior?"

"But look! I caught a mouse!" Emberkit held up the moss hopefully.

"Back to the nest," Her mother grunted, picking her up by the scruff and marching back to the den. Smokekit and Sootkit were sitting in their nest, pelts immaculate and whiskers straighter than Emberkit's would ever be. Smokekit smirked at her, clearly amused she had managed to get in trouble again.

A twist of resentment coiled in Emberkit's stomach. Her mother, Dapplerose, had always preferred her tom-kits.

Why won't she be proud of me?

Emberkit resentfully curled in her nest, squashing herself as far from Smokekit as possible. Sootkit was up against her, his warm fur making her cold pelt slowly heat up. The scrap of moss was curled in her claws as her eyes closed, fighting to stay awake. But sleep soon took over, enveloping her in it's calming embrace.

. . .

The dawn light was streaming in when Emberkit woke. She could hear chatter outside the den. Sootkit and Smokekit were already up, playing mossball by Blackwing's nest. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw what they were tossing; her scrap of moss!

My mouse!

Emberkit shot in front of them, hissing with anger.

"That's mine!" She growled, taking a swipe at Smokekit's smug face.

"No it's not," Smokekit replied snootily, "It's mine."

"I caught it!" She cried angrily, eyes narrowed in slits.

"Caught?" Smokekit laughed, taking the moss and prancing away, out of the den. Emberkit's eyes widened and she raced after her brother. As she did, she crashed into a large furry shape.

"Watch where you're going, kit!" The tom hissed, shoving her away. She shook herself, bounding towards Smokekit. He flashed her an arrogant grin, leaping away. She gave chase, soon catching up and bowling him over. A dark shape loomed over the fighting kits.

"What," A voice snarled, "Do you think you're doing?"

Chapter Three (Echo)

The sky was dark, and a full moon floated eerily above the forest. A small black kit padded through the looming clusters of trees and slipped past the forests of shadows, his eyes shining bright. He was alone, without his Clan and without anyone, but he didn’t mind.

Blood. There would be blood.

Two. There would be two.

Hope. There would be hope.

Storm. There would be storms.

Death. There would be death.

The words rang endlessly in his head. It wasn’t a prophecy—right?

“Only medicine cats get prophecies,” he muttered. “And I’m not a medicine cat.”

And yet he remembered something, something that had happened the day he was born, or maybe the day after. He had been with his mother and his other siblings, and suddenly, he had felt something strange. Something he couldn’t describe.

“Splashkit! Splashkit!”

Splashkit ignored the desperate yowls and continued to walk through the void of darkness. This wasn’t real life—it was merely a dream, and the voice he heard was an echo of his thoughts.

But why would I be saying my name in my head?

Splashkit whirled around and unsheathed his claws just as something hurled out of the darkness. It was a cat, like him, and though it was small, Splashkit sensed something ruthless and deadly about it.

“Help!” he screeched, writing away from the dark cat and slashing desperately at its eyes. But he wasn’t big enough, and the cat easily knocked him to the ground and sank its teeth into his neck.

Splashkit flailed wildly, trying to scream for help, but the only sound that exited his mouth was a feeble gurgling noise. Blood poured out of his throat and spilled onto the black ground. Above him, the dark cat faded and the world went dark again. Even the full moon’s light didn’t reach the patch of ground where Splashkit lay. He closed his eyes and shuddered weakly before going still.

“Splashkit! Splashkit!”

Splashkit awoke with a jolt. Had the whole thing really been a dream? He shook out his short black fur and blinked his clear yellow eyes. His sister Stripekit was standing above him, squealing happily as he awoke and batted her away.

Splashkit felt himself growing weary as he stumbled to his paws. Should I tell someone about my dream? he wondered warily, glancing around. His mother was curled up nearby, talking quietly to Greencloud. Stripekit trotted off with an annoyed huff and went to go join the other kits’ game.

Larkkit and Sunkit were Greencloud’s kits, and although they were nearly two moons younger, they loved playing with Splashkit and his siblings. Stripekit and Yarrowkit were his two sisters, and Flamekit was his loud and rambunctious brother.

Splashkit watched silently as the kits tumbled around happily, chasing a ball of moss. He was usually the one left out of games, and none of the other kits, even his siblings, liked talking to him. He was loud and awkward and never said the right thing at the right time.

But that can change. With a new spark of hope, Splashkit trotted forward with his tail high in the air. Before he could reach them, though, he began to feel something strange. The ground seemed to vibrate under his paws, and he crept backwards, towards the shelter of a drooping fern.

He gasped as he felt his haunches brush against something furry. He whirled around to face Graytail, one of the elders. Splashkit narrowed his eyes. Graytail’s face and eyes were familiar, and his claws were dark—with blood. He spoke, and his voice was familiar as well.

“Hey, Splashkit!”

The elder’s cheerful tone didn’t match the menace in his eyes. Splashkit scrabbled backwards, his fur raised and his ears flat with fear. He knew why he recognized Graytail, and not just because he was part of Splashkit’s Clan.

Graytail was the cat in his dream.

Chapter Four (Golden)

Maplekit trodded out of the nursery, holding her head high. 

“Wait up!” she heard someone squeak from behind her. 

“You’re so slow Stonekit!”

“It’s not my fault! Swandusk wouldn’t let me leave because I wasn’t ‘clean’,”

Maplekit purred with laughter; Swandusk had never caught her. Ok, maybe once, but that was all. “Come on, let’s see what Hawkpaw is up to,” she mewed. Maplekit had always been the natural leader between her and Stonekit, and with Leopardsky so close to kitting, she would be busy. 

Just some training for when I become leader.

 “...no worries though! That bush wouldn’t stop me. I leaped right over it and landed square on the vole!” Hawkpaw boasted.

“Hawkpaw!” Stonekit yelled, hurling himself at the brown and red apprentice.

Hawkpaw fell over - on purpose - then growled.

“A badger!” Stonekit gasped playfully. He glanced back at his littermate - a signal to attack.

“Let’s get it, Stonekit!” Maplekit yelled as she helped her brother. They pummeled Hawkpaw until she gave up.

“Fine, fine, you win,” the apprentice meowed.

Maplekit got off Hawkpaw, licking her paw furiously. She turned to the red-tailed apprentice, “I have a thorn,” she exclaimed.

“You should have Bearheart look at that,” Hawkpaw mewed, then turned to Stonekit. “What else do you wanna do?”

The red kit limped to the medicine den before Stonekit could answer. “Bearheart?”

“Come in,” he mumbled.

“I have a thorn,” she mewed when she got inside.

“Let me see,” The medicine cat licked her paw, then ripped the thorn out.

Maplekit screeched. “Owwww! It’s bleeding even more!”

Bearheart didn’t respond. He just stared at her for what seemed like moons, some other knowledge glistening in his eyes. He finally ran out of the den, his tail smacking her in the snout. 

The weirdest thing is what he said as he left.

“Great StarClan not her,”

Chapter Five (Night)

Fang blinked. The ginger had lead him through the forest some time, but eventually they had entered a small hollow packed with cats. So many cats... there was a tabby she-cat sunning herself in a patch of sunlight, two black toms having a heated conversation by a rotting stump... a pale ginger tom watched a dark brown tabby, a loving light in his eyes... three small kits were running around a tortoiseshell's paws.

"W-what is this place?" stammered Fang.

The flame coloured cat glanced at Fang, amusement dancing in their eyes. "Your new home. SkyClan."