Prologue[]
The she-cat placed each paw delicately as she crossed the muddy ground. It was dark, the earth beneath her paws was slippery, and she was weighed down by her rounded belly. Slipping now would be the worst thing that could happen. She couldn't fall now, not when she was so close. She had meant to travel further, of course, before the birth, but you couldn't always choose your time. Sun had carried enough litters to know that when the first pains began, there wasn't long before the kits followed.
This litter was different, though. These kits were unlike any others she would ever send into the world. Sun trembled a little, knowing what was in store for her final litter. The previous one, Rascal and Goldbird and Sangha... they were happy, and they were safe. She had made sure of that much, at least. The rogues couldn't hurt them now, since he had extended his protection. She let a sigh brush past her lips, then stiffened at the slight noise in the silence.
Moving onwards now, Sun gritted her death against the pain coiling in her belly. She could scent other cats here, and she had to make it past their territory. If her kits fell into the paws of other cats, to be used as pawns in games of power... well, it wouldn't be right.
Stumbling now, tripping and falling over tussocks of grass, she came across the beginning of a fallen tree, and stepped up onto it, crossing over the water that roiled beneath her. The storm was beginning to rage, and thunder cracked above her, loud enough to drown all else. Dimly, Sun wondered what the lightning had struck, but the pain was too great to allow for much thought. As she reached the end of the tree bridge, she froze, realising she had made a terrible mistake. The scent of cats had become stronger here, and as she looked up she beheld thirteen cats staring at her. She appeared to have interrupted some kind of meeting, but that didn't bother her now. Toppling to the ground, she let out a yowl of agony as the rain began to pour down.
Instantly, a dappled golden she-cat was at her side. Pressing her paw gently against Sun's distended belly, she hissed between her teeth.
"She's kitting!" she called. "Now!"
A grey tabby tom weaved to her side, his blue eyes glaring at the rogue she-cat. "It's a large litter," he noted dully.
"We can't let this interrupt the meeting," a large white tom announced. "This Gathering is too important for a loner to spoil. StarClan sent us here."
"Maybe StarClan sent her here too, Blackstar," a small tabby tom soothed. "Everything that happens is preordained."
The grey tabby tom snorted. "Give us a break, Littlecloud," he said scornfully. "StarClan doesn't decide everything, you know."
Suddenly, five of the cats froze where they were crouched over the she-cat. Littlecloud shivered from head to tail, and the grey tabby's eyes opened wide. Then, in an instant, it was over. A grey tabby she-cat looked up at the cloudy sky in wonder.
"StarClan just sent us a message," she meowed in amazement. The dappled golden she-cat beside her looked at her sharply, but didn't comment.
"What did they say?" a ginger tom asked urgently. "What was the messgae?"
"These kits, the ones that are about to be born," Littlecloud meowed hesitantly. "They have a prophecy about them."
"They're supposed to live in the Clans," a mottled grey tom added. "Aren't they, Barkface?"
The short-tailed brown tom beside him nodded. The grey tabby looked concerned, but he didn't speak.
The ginger tom nodded. "I trust StarClan," he said solemnly. "The kits can come to ThunderClan."
Blackstar stiffened. "Not so fast, Firestar," he spat. "If these kits really are special, and I'm not saying they are, then they shouldn't go to one Clan. ShadowClan has no wish to see ThunderClan rise above the others."
A dark ginger she-cat nodded quickly. "Blackstar is right," she insisted.
"I agree," a brown tabby decided.
Firestar turned to a spotted golden she-cat, his expression curious.
"I can't see how we can decide which Clan to send the kits to," she said slowly. "There is bound to be a Clan that misses out."
"Leopardstar's right," said a dark brown tabby. "We should at least wait until the kits are born."
Sun watched the exchange with amazement, until suddenly, coinciding with a crack of thunder, more pain gripped her, and she heaved helplessly.
"A kit!" the dappled golden she-cat exclaimed. She gripped the tiny bundle between her teeth and started to lick it firmly. The tiny tom mewled in protest, squirming around. His golden fur was plastered close to his sides with rain and blood.
The second kit followed quickly, a white she-cat, and a third, tabby brown tom. And then they all waited.
"Perhaps there are only three," the ginger she-cat said at last.
Littlecloud shook his head. "No, there are two more, Russetfur."
"Two!" the little grey tabby exclaimed. "I've never heard of a litter larger than four."
"It's rare, Willowshine," the dappled golden explained. "But it does happen."
"Push now!" the tom with the blue eyes yowled suddenly, and Sun shivered as a spasm travelled the length of her body. The last two kits appeared together in a tangled mess of limbs, and Willowshine darted forwards to untangle them. When at last they were separated, the five cats gathered around Sun were all licking at rubbing at the fur of a kit each.
The grey tabby stopped licking the kit at his feet. "This one's dead," he said quietly.
Sun struggled to reach the kit beside him, but her head spun and her paws flopped weakly.
"She's losing a lot of blood," the golden she-cat murmured. "I don't know if we can save her."
Sun had been prepared for this. Her death was a part of the prophecy... but these strange group of cats were not! They made her uneasy, with their strange names and talk of 'Clans'. She didn't want her kits to stay with them.
"You should name them now," Willowshine whispered to her. "Quickly."
Gently, Sun flicked her tail over the downy-soft pelt of her first-born. "Lion," she said weakly. "Snow," for the she-cat's white pelt. "Tiger," for his stripes. "Night," for the shiny black pelt. "Opal." For the eyes that her dream had shown her.
The sounds of the strange cats talking seemed to fade in and out of her head. She could hear them now, but couldn't quite understand what they were saying. And that didn't matter. She was too tired to think. She just wanted to sleep.
"Alright then, it's decided. Lionkit will come to ShadowClan," Blackstar said firmly.
"Snowkit to ThunderClan," Firestar agreed.
"WindClan will look after Tigerkit," the brown tabby said.
"And that leaves RiverClan with Nightkit," Leopardstar said. "What about Opal? Or Opalkit?"
"Just Opal, I think," the brown tabby tom decided.
"I'll stay here, and bury her," the grey tom meowed. "Don't worry, Onestar."
Onestar dipped his head. "Thank you, Jayfeather. This meeting is over. StarClan have brought us the promised sign, and now we must all return to our Clans. When morning comes we will all have a new addition to care for."
Chapter 1[]
Snowkit yawned, her tiny pink maw gaping wide, and blinked open her eyes for the first time. Her sisters, Dovekit and Ivykit, were both staring down at her.
"Mama, she did it," Dovekit informed Whitewing. "She finally opened her eyes."
"See? I told you it would happen eventually," Whitewing purred. Snowkit turned her fuzzy eyes on her mother. Whitewing had a pale-coloured pelt, and her eyes were wide and filled with warmth. She blinked, half-dazed by the size of the queen, and turned to see her sisters. Dovekit was pale grey, and Ivykit was white, like their mother, but with messy tabby stripes.
"Mama?" Snowkit squeaked timorously.
"Yes, it's me," Whitewing soothed. "Do you want to go exploring with your sisters now that you have opened your eyes?"
"Please come!" Ivykit bounced on the spot with excitement. "Dovekit's such a bossy boots. I need you to be on my side!"
"Let's not choose sides," Whitewing interrupted. "Go on, Snowkit. Go and see the camp."
Filled with a sudden joy, Snowkit leapt to her paws. Glancing down at them, she noticed that they were white too. I look like Mama.
"Come on!" Dovekit called, already out of the nursery. Snowkit followed, slightly less steady on her paws, but catching up fast.
"This is the outside of the nursery," Ivykit stated as they emerged. "And that over there is the warriors den. No kits allowed!"
"That's the apprentice den," Dovekit added, flicking her tail across the clearing. "That's where we'll be sleeping in five moons time!"
"And that's the leaders den, where Firestar sleeps, and over there is the elder's den!"
"Can we hear a story?" Snowkit asked eagerly. "Mama's always telling you to keep out of trouble by hearing a story. I want to hear one too!"
"Come on then," Dovekit instructed, herding her sister across the clearing. "Make way, make way!" she yelled as they ran, ducking under the legs of cats many times their size.
"Where do you think you're going?" a voice purred high above their heads. Squinting as she raised her head into the sun, Snowkit made out the outline of a pair of strong broad shoulders. Ducking her head to look at the paws, closer to her level, she saw that they were a pale brown colour, and very fluffy.
"Daddy!" Dovekit squealed.
Birchfall bent his head closer to Snowkit. "I see you've opened your eyes at last," he said quietly. "I told you you could do it."
"Uh huh," Snowkit agreed. "Thanks, Daddy."
"Now," the brown tom added, straightening up. "where might my three favourite daughters be going?"
"To the elder's den!" Ivykit announced.
"For a story!" Snowkit yowled loudly, unable to contain her excitement.
Birchfall purred in amusement. "All right. Have fun, won't you!"
"Yep," Dovekit flung over her shoulder as the three of them dashed away.
"Who are all the other warriors?" Snowkit asked, turning to look at the bustling clearing. "They're all so big! Look at that one!" she exclaimed as a pale grey tom with black stripes strolled past.
"Silly," Ivykit scoffed. "That's Bumblepaw, he's only an apprentice."
"Only," Dovekit said with longing. "I wish I was only an apprentice."
"We haven't got long to wait," Snowkit offered eagerly. "Only... six moons."
"Five," Dovekit corrected. "But you were so close."
Pushing against each other, the three kits made their way into the elder's den.
"Kits!" someone exclaimed. Snowkit peered into the gloom, catching sight of a plump old tabby with a greying muzzle. "It's been a while since we've seen kits around!"
"Nonsense," a brown she-cat snapped. "Dovekit and Ivykit were in here just yesterday. Your memory is failing."
"Hello, Snowkit," the third cat said politely. "Do you finally have your eyes open?"
"That's Longtail," Ivykit hissed. "He's blind. He can't see anything at all!"
"If he can't see, how did he know I was here too?" Snowkit asked, a little louder than she had intended.
Longtail purred. "I could smell you," he told her. "You smell different from your sisters." Suddenly he tensed in a panic. Snowkit tilted her head, wondering why he was afraid.
"Can you tell us a story?" Dovekit asked, bored of the conversation. "Longtail? Will you tell it?"
"Maybe Mousefur should do it," Longtail meowed uncertainly. "Or Purdy. Purdy's great at telling stories."
"Yeah," Ivy kit muttered. "They never end."
"Hush," Mousefur scolded. "Longtail will tell you the story about hiding from the dogs at the ravine. Do you remember, Longtail? Or is your mind as bad as Purdy's now?"
"I remember," Longtail said calmly. "It was a long time ago, before the Great Journey. We lived in the old territory back then, where there was no lake, and a great thunderpath was the border between ThunderClan and ShadowClan. Between ThunderClan and RiverClan there was a tremendous ravine, and through the ravine thundered the river, moving so fast that no cat could swim in it."
All three kits gasped, huddled together with their eyes stretched wide. Mousefur gave a rasping purr.
"You look like little owls," she snorted.
"Don't stop, Longtail!" Snowkit pleaded.
"Well," Longtail continued. "around that time, ThunderClan had a warrior named Tigerclaw. Now, Tigerclaw was big, and brave, and strong. But he was also very ambitious. He was so ambitious, in fact, that he would do absolutely anything to become leader of ThunderClan. And one day, during a battle with RiverClan, he murdered the ThunderClan deputy, Redtail!"
Dovekit let out a squeak.
"Now, Tigerclaw knew that murdering the deputy was against the warrior code. So when he saw his apprentice Ravenpaw running away from the battle, he knew that Ravenpaw had seen what he had done. He tried to kill Ravenpaw! But a tom named Firepaw outsmarted him, and he and his friend Greypaw took Ravenpaw to safety far away from ThunderClan."
"I know who Firepaw is," Ivykit hissed knowledgeably.
"But Tigerclaw was still ambitious, and when the new deputy, Lionheart, died in battle, Tigerclaw became deputy of ThunderClan. But that wasn't enough for him! He wanted to become leader! He led a band of rogues to kill Bluestar, the leader at that time. But Firepaw, now a warrior named Fireheart, stopped Tigerclaw! And Tigerclaw was banished." Longtail frowned. "What was I telling you about again?"
"Memory loss," Mousefur muttered.
"The dogs," Purdy creaked.
"Right, the dogs," Longtail agreed. "So - "
The kits listened to him carefully, watching every flick of his tail and twitch of his ears. They gasped and groaned in all the right places, and as Snowkit listened, squashed between the warm pelts of her two sisters, she felt that all was right in the world. Right now, with newly opened eyes and a story to hear, life was perfect.
***
"Where do you think you're going?" Whitewing meowed sleepily.
"Out," her white daughter said solemnly. "It's just too crowded in this den. Ivykit and Dovekit are hogging all the soft moss, and Ferncloud and Daisy are taking up half the nursery, and Poppyfrost is snoring. I'm going to find somewhere else to sleep."
"All by yourself?" Whitewing purred, amused.
"Yes, all by myself," Snowkit snapped.
"Won't you be lonely?"
"No. I'll be peaceful and happy, and finally get a good night's sleep! Goodnight!" The little kit stomped furiously out of the nursery, her tail waving angrily as she left.
Whitewing watched in amazement, then shook her head, tucked her nose under her paws and waited for Snowkit to come back. She didn't have to wait long. Within heartbeats the kit was cowering in her mother's fur, babbling about 'the big beetle' that had tried to eat her all up. The white queen watched with love in her heart and her eyes, longing for these days of innocence to last forever.
"It's morning time," Ivykit announced, prodding her sisters. "And we're going to go and fetch prey for all the queens! It's our special mission."
"I think your special mission should be invading ShadowClan all on your own," Snowkit meowed sleepily. "If we're very very lucky they'll eat you, and you'll never wake me up again."
"Come on, Snowkit," the tabby kit whined. "We only have to go out into the clearing."
"Go by yourself then," Dovekit said unsympathetically. "We're absolutely fast asleep."
Ivykit huffed, and raced out of the nursery crossly. Bounding across the clearing, she paused by the fresh-kill pile, listening to the conversation going on above her head.
"When will Firestar tell her?"
"I don't know, Spiderleg. He'll have to some time, won't he?"
"She'll find out sooner or later," Spiderleg mumbled. "Better for her leader to tell her before she works it out on her own."
Ivykit shrugged, grabbed a mouse, and dragged it across the clearing. She didn't know who the warriors were talking about, and she didn't care. Right now she had a mission to attend to.
Snowkit curled closer against Whitewing's fluffy pelt. Her eyelids flickered as she drifted back to sleep, and with a sigh, she closed her eyes completely and let nothingness take her. Dimly, she heard a voice calling her name, but she ignored it and slept on.
Chapter 2[]
Lionkit crouched low to the ground, his tail pointing straight out behind him and his belly fur practically brushing the dirt. He narrowed his eyes, glaring at his prey, then launched himself suddenly forward.
"Gotcha!" he yelped, landing squarely on the oak leaf he had been aiming at. "Yes!"
"That was good, Lionkit," Kinkfur encouraged. "Nice crouch."
Lionkit raised his head proudly, enjoying the praise while it was offered. It was a nice change from the yowls and hisses that followed him through the camp. At least Kinkfur doesn't seem to care that I'm a rogue.
"It was alright," Ferretkit snickered, sauntering past the nursery. "Not much good if you're going to be a real warrior, like me."
"You're not even an apprentice, mouse-brain," Lionkit retorted bravely. "I'm not scared of you."
"Well you should be," the cream-and-grey tom snarled. "I'm three moons old, and you're barely one moon. Who do you think would win a fight between us?"
"Me!"
Ferretkit's eyes widened, and a furious growl rumbled in his throat. He seemed about to leap on the smaller kit when a black tail landed on his shoulder.
"Leave him alone, Ferretkit," Pinekit said softly.
"Why should I?" her brother snapped. "He insulted my honour."
"He's not worth it," the black she-cat said with a glance at Lionkit. "Do you want to be known as a kit-killer?"
"Fine," Ferretkit hissed, following his sister away from the nursery. "Rogue traitor," he spat at Lionkit as he left. "You'll never be one of us."
Lionkit crept backwards, trembling, and tucked his nose into Kinkfur's pelt.
"It's all right," she soothed. "He's gone now."
"But is it true, what he says?" Lionkit stammered. "Will I really never be a true ShadowClan cat?"
***
"I'm going to be the best warrior ever," Ferretkit boasted as he and his siblings played happily in the clearing.
Starlingkit snorted. "That's not true," he disagreed. "You lose totally and utterly." He leapt forward, landing squarely on his brother's shoulders.
Lionkit watched the other kits play-fight from the nursery entrance. He sighed heavily, feeling sad and alone.
"Lionkit?" Snowbird asked gently, brushing her muzzle over his back.
"I'm fine," the tom said, trying to sound tough.
"Is it this rogue business?" Snowbird asked. "You know that it doesn't mean you're not as good as any other cat."
"I know," Lionkit sighed. "But being Clanborn seems to be everything around here."
"Well it's not," Snowbird said firmly. "Maybe you should have a word with Tawnypelt. She wasn't Clanborn either."
"No, but she came from ThunderClan," Lionkit muttered. "I was born a rogue."
"So was Russetfur, you know," the white queen told him. "And now she's Clan deputy! Maybe you could have a word with her."
Lionkit brightened suddenly. "Okay! Thanks, Snowbird!" he called over his shoulder, running towards the leader's den. As he reached the entrance, Blackstar brushed out past him, heading for the medicine den. He looked down at the little kit, and for a moment seemed about to speak, then shook his head and carried on his way. Russetfur poked her nose out of the den after him.
"Russetfur!" Lionkit squeaked. He bounced into her leg. "Snowbird said I should talk to you since I was sad and you were a rogue too and now you're a deputy and that means I could be deputy because being deputy would be fun and I would always make Ferretkit check the elders for ticks." He paused, taking a deep breath.
Russetfur stared at him as if he'd grown an extra head. "You are a very strange kit," she purred. "Yes, I was a rogue. So was Blackstar, you know. We joined ShadowClan moons ago, back before the Great Journey, and now we're both loyal warriors. So will you be, in time. The others will learn to accept you." Gently she touched her nose to the top of his head. "We can talk more later, Lionkit. You should be sleeping in the nursery now."
"Yes, Russetfur!" Lionkit purred. He dashed back to the nursery, and lay quietly in his nest beside Kinkfur. I'll be leader when I grow up too. I'll be the best leader ShadowClan has ever seen. And if anyone asks me I'll say I was inspired by Russetfur. He purred to himself, content, and drifted off to sleep.
Chapter 3[]
Tigerkit crouched silently in the grass beside the nursery. He could hear his heart beating rapidly, and now that his eyes had adjusted to the dark he could see Whiskerkit's tawny pelt beside him.
"Ready to pounce?" the pale brown tom whispered.
"Now!" Tigerkit yowled, flinging himself forward and headbutting Boulderkit in the flank. The large grey tom stood his ground, batting at Tigerkit's ears with soft paws, and the striped kit scrabbled backwards away from him.
"Retreat!" he called to Whiskerkit.
"I'm stuck!" his partner yelped, wriggling underneath Furzekit. The grey-and-white she-cat purred as she dug her claws into the ground on either side of her brother.
"Eep!" Tigerkit muttered as Boulderkit thundered towards him. Backing up, he quickly turned on his heels and dashed back into the nursery, cowering behind Dewspots. "Help me, Dewspots!" he whimpered.
"Sorry," Dewspots purred, watching as Boulderkit and Furzekit dragged their brother into the nursery between them.
Tigerkit squeaked and crouched down low.
"Here we come!" Boulderkit boomed.
"You big lump!" Tigerkit yowled, poking his head up from behind Dewspots.
"Don't call him that," she scolded.
"Sorry, Dewspots."
Suddenly Boulderkit launched himself across the nursery in a single bound. Tigerkit turned tail and fled out the entrance, his paws pounding on the dusty ground. He propelled himself out into the middle of camp and crashed into Barkface. The elderly tom coughed and spluttered, glaring down at the stripy kit.
"Sorry," Tigerkit muttered.
Barkface stared at him with wide eyes. His legs shook violently beneath him, and his tail stuck out stiffly behind his body. "Doom," he rasped, staring right at Tigerkit. "Doom for all the Clans."
Cowering, Tigerkit took one step back, then another. He felt Boulderkit's pelt behind him, and the two terrified kits huddled close to one another. Barkface stepped closer to them, his mouth wide in a soundless yowl.
Kestrelflight leapt out of the medicine den. He took one look at the two kits, and gently but firmly steered his mentor back inside. "Don't worry," he called over his shoulder. "Barkface is very tired. You mustn't listen to everything he says."
Tigerkit stayed where he was, still shaking. Doom? What doom? Did he mean me?
***
"Your turn, Whiskerkit," Furzekit announced.
"All right. When I'm an apprentice, my mentor will be Kestrelflight, and I'll be the best medicine cat ever."
"Lie," Tigerkit said decisively. "We all know you're going to be a warrior, like the rest of us."
"My turn," meowed Boulderkit. "When I'm an apprentice, my mentor will be Onestar, and I'll be the future leader of WindClan."
"Lie!"
"How do you know?" the grey tom protested. "It could be true. Maybe."
"As if," Furzekit retorted. "When I'm an apprentice, I'll..."
The game stopped suddenly as yowls sounded outside the camp. All four kits looked up, startled. Tigerkit crept towards the entrance, but Dewpots blocked him with her tail.
"Don't go out there, kits," she said quietly. "Barkface has just died, and they're sitting vigil for him in the clearing."
Dead! Tigerkit thought in horror. Maybe this is the doom he was talking about.
"Should we sit vigil too, Mama?" Furzekit asked. Dewspots shook her head.
"I don't want you kits straying outside tonight. Just stay in here with me."
"Yes Mama," the kits chorused, but Tigerkit's mind was still a turmoil of prophecies of doom. What if Barkface really had been talking to Tigerkit? What if there was some kind of doom coming that only he could prevent? Tigerkit worried about doom a lot. He had been told the story of his parents - how they had died bravely defending WindClan when he was barely a moon old - and he felt that they had left him behind to care for their Clan. If he couldn't protect WindClan from the doom that Barkface had mentioned then his parent's sacrifice was all for nothing. He had to save his Clan.
Chapter 4[]
Nightkit glanced across at Icewing's nest, almost wishing she was still small enough to share it. Beetlekit, Pricklekit, Petalkit and Grasskit were curled up in a gently heaving heap beside their mother, and in a nearby nest on her own, Nightkit felt a little left out.
She knew that she was not a Clan cat, of course. She had always known. One of her earliest memories was Leopardstar gently taking her aside as she played, and explaining her story. She had been born to a rogue she-cat on the island, with four littermates. Her mother had died just after birth, and so had Opal, her sister. The remaining four kits had been split between the Clans, and Nightkit was now a RiverClan cat. The other members of her Clan treated her just like any other kit, something which she was grateful for.
"Are you awake, Nightkit?" Beetlekit asked, padding over to her quietly.
"Yeah," she muttered.
"It's too hot to sleep," the brown-and-white tom panted. "Especially if you're surrounded by hundreds of puffy furballs." He flicked his tail at his brother and sisters.
Nightkit purred softly, appreciating the effort to cheer her up. "We'll be in the apprentice's den soon, and that's even more crowded," she reminded him.
"Ugh. I wish we could stay kits for longer," he muttered.
"We still have a whole moon to go," Nightkit purred. "That's plenty of time. I can't wait to be an apprentice!"
"Yes, but there are too many," Beetlekit said stubbornly.
"Minnowpaw and Pebblepaw will be warriors soon."
"Go to sleep!" Icewing hissed. "It's midnight! Close your eyes right now, both of you!"
Nightkit purred a little, and lowered her head. She watched Beetlekit run back to his nest through slitted eyelids, then allowed her eyes to close and sleep to take her.
***
"Please show us, Copperpaw," Pricklekit begged. "Please please please?"
"Pretty please with mouse on top," Grasskit suggested.
"If you show us the moves," Nightkit bargained, "we'll be really good at fighting by the time we're apprentices. And then we'll have to spend less time training, and more time doing chores, which means less for you!"
Copperpaw purred. "That's good reasoning," she agreed. "But no. I'm not supposed to show tough fighting moves to kits."
"We're almost apprentices," Petalkit sighed. "Please?"
The dark ginger she-cat wrinkled her nose wryly. "Sorry," she said. "The moves I learn are too complicated for kits."
"That's so unfair!" Beetlekit protested. "You are a horrible meanie."
"I know," Copperkit sighed, pretending to be flattered. "Now go and play somewhere else. I need to catch up on my rest before training."
"Lucky," Grasskit muttered as the five of them moved on. "I wish I had to rest before training."
"We could do our own training!" Nightkit suggested. "Kit training! I'll be the mentor, since it was my idea. Grasskit and Beetlekit can fight first. Petalkit, Pricklekit and I will give you scores. If you're a butterfly then you lose, if you're a fox then you win. Go!"
Beetlekit was the first to react, launching himself at his brother with a cheerful yowl. Grasskit ducked, and pounced on the brown-and-white tabby as he landed awkwardly behind him. The bigger tom wriggled, throwing the light brown kit off him and bouncing to his paws again. He was preparing to leap, crouching down and wiggling his hindquarters, when Nightkit called stop.
"That was very good," she announced. "I vote that Beetlekit was a fox and Grasskit was a mouse. It's better than a butterfly," she told the tom consolingly.
"I vote that they were both rabbits!" Pricklekit squeaked.
"I vote that Grasskit was a fox and Beetlekit was a badger!" Petalkit cried. "Is it our turn now, Nightkit?"
Nightkit nodded, proud of herself for thinking up such a cunning game. "Yes. I'll fight Beetlekit, and I bet I win!" Crouching in front of the bigger kit, she purred to herself as she thought of the moves she would use. This certainly was an excellent game.
Chapter 5[]
"Keep still," Whitewing scolded, as Dovekit wriggled beneath her. "You can't go to your apprentice ceremony looking like you've been dragged through a thorn bush backwards!"
Ivykit and Snowkit sat off to one side, already neatly groomed.
"I just know I'll forget what to do!" Ivykit wailed.
"No you won't," Snowkit reassured her.
"I'm going to be sick," the tabby kit gulped.
Dovekit opened her eyes wide in alarm, and Snowkit took a surreptitious pace away from her sister.
"You'll be fine," their mother retorted. "Look, your father's come to get you."
The three kits clustered close together as Birchfall approached the nursery, purring proudly. "You'll do great," he told them calmly.
Snowkit followed her father and sisters out into the clearing, glancing behind her to make sure her mother, Daisy and Poppyfrost were following. It seemed like every cat in the Clan was gathered in a half-circle around the Highledge, and they parted to let the three kits through. Snowkit trembled as her parents stopped at the edge of the circle, and she pressed closer to Ivykit on one side, touching her muzzle to Dovekit's shoulder on the other. They stopped near the Highledge, and stood there gazing up at Firestar as he began to speak.
"I have gathered you here to witness one of the most important ceremonies in a cat's life. Today Dovekit, Ivykit and Snowkit will become apprentices." He flicked his tail at the kits, and they slowly walked forwards.
"Dovekit, from this day until you receive your warrior name you will be known as Dovepaw. I ask StarClan to guide this apprentice, and set her paws firmly on the path she must follow." The ginger tom looked into the crowd, his eyes seeking a single cat. "Lionblaze! You will be mentor to Dovepaw. You are a loyal warrior, and your battle skills are outstanding. I know that you will pass these qualities on to Dovepaw."
Snowkit watched, fidgeting with her paws as Dovepaw ran over to touch noses with her new mentor.
"Ivykit," Firestar meowed, "from this day until you receive your warrior name you will be called Ivypaw. May StarClan watch over you and guide you in your journey to become a warrior." He paused for a heartbeat to allow the rest of the Clan to call Ivypaw by her new name, then swept his tail towards Cinderheart. "Cinderheart, you have shown courage and endurance in your apprenticeship and I trust now that you will teach Ivypaw to follow your path."
Ivypaw bounced over to touch noses with Cinderheart, her eyes filled with wonder and excitement.
Just me left now! Snowkit thought, shaking a little. She tried to hold her head up high, all alone within the circle of cats. Firestar caught her gaze and held it. His expression looked odd, sombre and serious, as if this ceremony held more weight for him than the others.
"Snowkit!" he called, and the white kit struggled to stand even taller. "From this day until you recieve your warrior name you will be Snowpaw. Greystripe, you mentored Brackenfur and he is an asset to this Clan. Now I ask you to pass on the same skills of courage and loyalty to this apprentice. May StarClan watch over Snowpaw, and give her the strength and wisdom she will need."
"Snowpaw! Snowpaw!" The white she-cat spun around and saw Briarpaw yelling her name, leading the other apprentices in the chant.
Purring, Snowpaw padded up to Greystripe, reaching her head up as high as she could to touch noses. "I'll work really hard," she promised. "I'll be the best apprentice ever!"
"I'm sure you will," the grey tom purred. "I'll work hard too. We'll be a great team."
I'm going to be ThunderClan's best apprentice, Snowpaw vowed to herself. I'll never let my Clan down.
***
"Now, what can you smell over this way?" Greystripe asked, flicking his tail towards the pine-filled border.
"It's icky, and kind of... musty," Snowpaw replied without hesitation. "Is that ShadowClan scent?"
"Very good," Greystripe praised, and Brackenfur shot the white apprentice an admiring glance.
"Your new apprentice is rivalling me," he purred.
"Can we get on with the patrol now?" Spiderleg whined. "I'm hungry, I want to get back quick."
"Because your stomach is really the most important thing in the forest," Berrynose muttered. He led the way down the ShadowClan border, towards the lake. Suddenly the ShadowClan scent became much stronger, and the creamy tom turned around, hissing, "It's a patrol!"
Snowpaw stiffened, but Greystripe brushed her pelt soothingly with his tail, and she managed to force herself to keep padding onwards. Wait until Dovepaw and Ivypaw hear about this!
In a heartbeat, the patrol became visible - three warriors that Snowpaw didn't know, and two apprentices, one bigger than herself and the other about her size.
"Russetfur," Greystripe meowed peacefully, dipping his head to the dark ginger she-cat leading the ShadowClan patrol.
Berrynose brushed close to Snowpaw. "That's Russetfur, the ShadowClan deputy," he muttered in her ear. "And that brown tom is Oakfur. Don't be fooled by his size! He's violent and ruthless. The other warrior is Applefur," he flicked his tail at the mottled brown she-cat.
Snowpaw gazed at the patrol with wide eyes. The larger cream-and-grey apprentice had taken a step closer to the smaller golden tom, and seemed to be relaying similar information to what Berrynose has just told her. Russetfur nodded curtly to Greystripe.
"I hope all is well in ThunderClan," she meowed. "And that you have plenty of prey despite the water shortage. No need to come invading our territory."
"This is a simple border patrol," Greystripe reassured her. "We'll be on our way." As he turned to leave, he glanced casually at the golden apprentice. "Is this your newest warrior-in-training?"
"This is Lionpaw, yes," Russetfur confirmed. She stared at Snowpaw with slitted eyes.
"This is my new apprentice, Snowpaw," Greystripe offered. There was a heartbeat when both senior warrior and deputy seemed frozen, staring at the two apprentices. Snowpaw glanced curiously at Lionpaw, wondering what was so interesting about him. His amber gaze grazed hers, but then he pointedly turned his head away.
The patrols now separated, Greystripe leading their patrol deeper into ThunderClan territory. Brackenfur hurried to catch up with the grey tom, and they talked in quiet, hushed tones, occasionally glancing back at Snowpaw. Spiderleg prowled on the edge of the group, keeping an eye out for prey.
"ShadowClan warriors are so scary!" Snowpaw confided to Berrynose.
"Not to me," he boasted. "You'll see when you meet them at the Gathering. They're softies really."
Snowpaw purred, grateful for his cheerful words, and followed her patrol further from the border. Glancing at the lake as they passed, she winced when she saw how shallow it had become. The loss of the water was getting more worrying with every sunrise, and she hoped StarClan would find a way to fix the problem soon.
Snowpaw...
She jumped as a voice she didn't recognise whispered her name. Turning in a circle, she gave each of the other ThunderClan cats a quick once over, but they were all ignoring her. Was there someone else in the forest? Someone looking for her? Try as she might, Snowpaw couldn't fight the nagging feeling that there was something she was supposed to do, something that she wasn't doing. Shaking her pelt as if she had just climbed out of water, she stumbled after her patrol.
Chapter 6[]
"Do you think that patrol will steal our prey?" Lionpaw asked his new mentor, bouncing beside her.
"Don't be mouse-brained," Ferretpaw said scornfully. "They're way too frightened of us. Did you see that puffball apprentice's face?"
Oakfur looked pleased with his apprentice, but Russetfur frowned at him. "It's unlikely, Lionpaw," she told the apprentice. "But you did well to be aware. That's the first lesson an apprentice must learn. Never underestimate your enemies." She glanced at Oakfur and Ferretpaw again.
"I learnt that ages ago, when I was a newbie like Lionpaw," Ferretpaw scoffed. "Oakfur, can I stay behind and do some hunting? Away from noisyfeet like Lionpaw?"
"Go on then," the small brown tom said indulgently. "Make sure you bring something back to camp though. If you come back empty pawed, you won't eat until you catch something."
Ferretpaw nodded, then scampered back towards the border. Lionpaw watched him go nervously. "Russetfur?" he asked his mentor. "Should I go hunting too?"
"You don't know how to hunt yet," the deputy told him. "But you'll learn."
Lionpaw nodded, disappointed, and trailed behind her with his head and tail lowered. By the time they arrived back at camp, he was exhausted from his first day of training. Russetfur had taken him around all the borders of the entire territory, and it was a large place for a little cat to patrol.