Prologue[]
Trees surrounded a small clearing baked in moonlight. A brown tabby and a white cat, who were both blind, were listening to a silver cat with blue eyes.
"In all my time as leader I have never heard of a medicine cat wanting to become a warrior,"meowed the silver she-cat.
"I know it sounds odd Applestar, but I am in love with Whiskerfeather. I don't want to break the warrior code. Besides my apprentice Fallenlight is good enough to become the sole medicine cat," stated the brown tabby.
"How are we going to tell this to the rest of the Clan Willowheart?" inquired the white tom cat, "What if they think that StarClan won't approve."
"I understand your concerns Russetfall," commented Applestar before Willowheart could answer,"I will let Willowheart be a warrior, and if I get I sign from Starclan I will have Willowheart be a medicine cat again."
"That is good enough for me," stated Russetfall and with that he left. "Applestar?" said Willowheart.
"Yes?" commented Applestar.
"When do you thing the curse will happen? You are on your last life," asked Willowheart. "I don't know the next cat that can see will arrive, but I hope it won't be for a while before I look into the eyes of another seeing cat. For then I will die."
Chapter One[]
Five moons later, Whiskerfeather, a light grey tom, ran into the medicine cat's den. He like all the rest of the cats in his Clan. Besides, Applestar was blind. Heknocked over the herbs on one side of the den.
"What are you doing!" yelled Fallenlight.
"Willowheart is giving birth to her kits!" yelled a panicked Whiskerfeather. "Let me get some herbs," stated Fallenlight,"Wait for me at the nursery!"
Whiskerfeather rushed to the nursery, barely able to smell out obstacles in his way, so he hit something. He narrowly avoided running into the fresh-kill pile after almost crashing into Logfire, and Icemist. He arrived at a hollowed tree where the nursery was. "Willowheart, are you alright," he gasped.
"You don't have to worry as much you know," she yelped as a spasm hit her.
"I am here," said Fallenlight as she entered,"Whiskerfeather, why don't you wait outside?"
Whiskerfeather went outside and sat down. He lay down and waited. He listened to Ravenpaw, who was talking to his sister Pebblepaw. He heard Applestar's deputy Russetfall assigning patrols. He then heard Fallenlight come out of the nursery.
"Willowheart has given birth to one she-cat," exclaimed Fallenlight, "You can come in!"
Whiskerfeather walked into the nursery were his mate was waiting for him. "When Applestar comes to see the kit to see if she can see, I want to ask her what she looks like before we name her." commented Willowheart
"Okay," agreed Whiskerfeather.
Chapter Two[]
A few days later Applestar walked nervously towards the nursery. As she always did she hoped this wouldn't be the beggining of the curse. She hoped that this cat couldn't see. When she got there she could see the back of a tiny brown tabby she- cat. Whiskerfeather was listening to her along with Willowheart.
"She is a brown tabby," called Applestar as she got near.
"How about Woodkit?" suggested Whiskerfeather to Willowheart.
Applestar sat down, the tiny kit turned around and saw closed eyes. "She still hasn't opened her eyes," stated Applestar happy to put this off for longer.
"Maybe you should come in a few days?" commented Willowheart she then said to Whiskerfeather,"I like the name Starlingkit,".
"Starlingkit it is then," agreed Whiskerfeather heard Applestar as she walked away.
Later in the day during the evening Applestar was walking by the nursery and saw Starlingkit with her eyes open.
"Willowheart come quick," she gasped,"Starlingkit can see, she has dark green eyes!" With that Applestar lost her ninth life.
Chapter Three[]
Starlingkit was almost four moons old. All the kits born after her could see. There were whispers around that she heard about the first born cat that see for a while; that this would create a better Clan with seeing cats, but then destroy the blind cats. There were other parts of it, but she couldn't understand them. She didn't get why the blind cats whisper it and what it had to do with her. So what she could see? It wasn't like she got to do anything special. The three kits born after her to Frostriver that could see didn't seem to care about the whispers either. The other cats acted like she was someone that needed to be avoided. Russetstar, Flametalon, Frostriver's mate and the deputy, and along with Whiskerfeather, Willowheart, Fallenlight, and Frostriver were the only adult cats didn't act completely strange around her. Petalkit, Dogkit, and Chipmunkkit, Frostriver's kits didn't act as strangely around as her. She just didn't get it.
She spent her days playing with Frostriver's kits and being bored. Finally, when she was old enough to be an apprentice, Flametalon come to the nursery.
"Starlingkit's mentor is going to be Russetstar," stated Flametalon.
"Why does she get to have Russetstar as a mentor?" said Dogkit angrily.
"You will get a good mentor," Flametalon promised his kit," The ceromony is at dusk. Oh and Ravenpaw and Pebblepaw are going to get their warrior names."
"Come over here and let me wash you," insisted Willowheart to Starlingkit once Flametalon left.
"Okay," muttered Starlingkit
Chapter Four[]
"I have two new warriors to name. Ravenpaw and Pebblepaw do you agree to uphold the warrior code and protect you clan at the cost of your life?" announced Russetstar.
"I do," they both replied.
"Then from now on, Ravenpaw will be known as Ravenstrike. Pebblepaw you will now be known as Pebblesplash. And I have a new apprentice to name. Starlingkit come up here. From now on until you have earned your warrior name your name will be Starlingpaw and I will be your mentor."
Starlingpaw touched noses with Russetstar and then gleamed with pride.
"Ravenstrike, Pebblesplash, Ravenstrike, Pebblesplash," called the cats but almost no one called Starlingpaw's name.
Why do none of the blind cats like me, she wondered, What have I done wrong?
"Let me show you BlindClan's territory." commented Russetstar.
Russetstar took off with Starlingpaw following him.
"Because there are no other Clans, all you have to do is not get lost," explained Russetstar, as the trees flashed by. "Where BlindClan's scent ends is where you need to not cross. I have known cats to get lost and not find their way back for moons."
"How can you not run into trees?" questioned Starlingpaw when they stopped in a clearing.
"I know the territory well and I am good at smelling trees in my way," replied Russetstar.
"What do the other cats whisper around me?" inquired Starlingpaw
Russetstar's fur ruffled up "We are now going to see where the stream leads," stated Russetstar avoiding the question.
Looks like my question won't be answered, thought Starlingpaw.
Two moons later Starlingpaw was walking by Russetstar's den and she heard talking inside. Starlingpaw stopped to listen.
"We should kill Starlingpaw so she doesn't kill off all the cats like the prophecy says." stated Flametalon.
"But what of she is the cat that stops the curse?" inquired Russetstar.
"It is more likely that she isn't the cat that stops the curse," hissed Flametalon.
"If she is then we can't risk losing her then," commented Russetstar, "Anyway the curse from the cats in the Dark Forest said that the first of the cats that could see for a while would be the last of them to die if she exiled or killed the blind cats. And remember if she doesn't attack or kill the blind cats and doesn't exile them then the curse will be gone.".
"It is safer to kill her," retorted Flametalon.
"I will not kill one if my cats because of something that might happen."
"Fine then," answered Flametalon.