Prologue
This cat is destined for greatness.
Lightedpath looked up from the pool, confusion etched in her furry, golden tabby face. The voice seemed to come from everywhere, and nowhere, all at once. She glanced at the cats gathered around the pool. They were purring happily and muttering to each other, excited that new kits had finally been born into ThunderClan. They didn't seem to hear any strange voices.
Lightedpath shook her head. Perhaps I just imagined it, she thought, gazing at the pool. In the middle of the pool, there were five cats; two warriors and three newborn kits. The two warriors were Fireblaze, a ginger tom with flaming amber eyes, and Stargaze, blue-gray she-cat with a fluffy fox-like tail tinged in silver and also Fireblaze’s mate. Sagewhisker, the ThunderClan medicine cat, was licking the fur between the each kits’ head in turn; her green eyes alight with happiness. Stargaze watched them for a moment, before the kits started mewling and Fireblaze pushed them gently to his mate's belly.
The kits kneaded Stargaze's belly with small paws and began to suckle. Lightedpath watched Stargaze look at her kits, love shining bright in her blue eyes that seem to reflect the stars. Lightedpath felt a deep ache in her chest. She had always wanted a kit of her own. Too bad her prophecy led her away from toms and kits too. But that was another story. The golden tabby watched as the medicine cat dipped her head to the couple, more at Fireblaze then at Stargaze. “You are lucky to have such fine, strong kits, Fireblaze,” murmured Sagewhisker. The ginger warrior twitched his ears to show he had heard her. Seeing all their attention on the newborn kits, the medicine she-cat backed out with a wistful look at the bright ginger tom and his beautiful kits.
Fireblaze’s and Stargaze's kits had finish suckling and they were now awake, their eyes wide open. The golden tabby tried to get out of her nest, but she fell. Stargaze locked a paw around the kit and drew her back to her belly. The kit struggled to get away for a while, but there, tucked up cozily against her mother's stomach, the kit yawned, her tiny mouth gaping, and closed her amber eyes. She fell asleep instantly, alongside her sisters.
"What a sleepy-head!" Fireblaze let out a deep mrrow of amusement.
"What should we name them?" asked Stargaze, watching the little kittens with adoration in her eyes.
"Hmm." Fireblaze tilted his head. Their kits were light golden tabby, tortoiseshell-black-and-white she-cat with green eyes very much like her brother Redpaw’s, and a fluffy light brown she-cat with bright green eyes. "Wildkit, because of her pelt. It reminds me of a wild forest.” He touched the tortoiseshell-black-and-white she-kit on the head.
“And this one?” Stargaze inquired, pointing at the light brown she-kit with her blue-gray muzzle.
“Lilykit,” he purred, love welling up in his heart. “And this one”----he pointed at the golden tabby with his tail----“is Sunkit. Her pelt is like a ray of sunshine on a rainy day.”
"That sounds beautiful," Lightedpath heard Stargaze murmur, and the ache deepened. She had always wanted a kit with green eyes, and she had always wanted a kit with the name to be Wildkit. She sighed sadly.
Watch Wildkit carefully, Lightedpath. The voice came again, everywhere and nowhere, and Lightedpath whipped her head around here and there, trying to find the source of the strange voice. The other cats gathered around still seemed not to have heard the voice. Am I going crazy? The golden tabby she-cat wondered.
"The kits look strong and healthy," mewed one of the cats gathered around. Lightedpath recognized the cat's voice. It belonged to her littermate, Goldenheart.
"Yes," agreed dark gray she-cat with matted fur and yellow eyes .Yellowfang. "They will be a credit to the Clan." Yes, they will. Wildkit will save the Clans. She must save the Clans. A playful, but gentle breeze stirred the trees above, leaves rustling, and carried a unfamiliar scent with it. Lightedpath tried to place it; the scent was somewhat familiar, but how? The voice was still echoing around the clearing. Lightedpath was shocked that none of her Clanmates could hear it; it was so loud, the ThunderClan cats millions of fox-lengths below could probably here it! She swiveled her head here and there, wondering where it came from, trying to find the source.
"Lightedpath, are you okay?" A silver tabby she-cat with shining sky-blue eyes said to her. "You look...like a fox had scared you."
"Of course I'm alright, Shiningsky!" snapped Lightedpath, her usually gentle amber eyes flashing.
The silver she-cat shrugged Lightedpath’s anger off. "Wildkit will grow up to be a fine ThunderClan warrior," she mewed. "Maybe she'll become a leader someday."
“Perhaps,” agreed Lightedpath. The image in the water began to ripple, saying there was nothing more to see, and the cats gathered round left with farewell waves of their tails. Lightedpath stayed behind, thinking to herself about the voices warning her to watch Wildkit carefully. What was so special about her? Whatever it was, Lightedpath was going to listen.
Or maybe she'll be more than that, thought Lightedpath. Maybe she'll be the Savior of the Clans. I’m going to keep an eye on her littermates; too……maybe they’ll be part of this…this new threat.
~~~
Five cats stood in the middle of a field, the sky above a vast, deep, dark blue, dotted with shining stars here and there. Plump mice nibbled on seeds, but the five cats didn’t seem to notice such an easy meal.
The five cats opened their mouths at the same time, their fur gleaming as bright as the stars, their ominous eyes bleached white.
Together, they murmured five words, their soft voices echoing everywhere. Silence took hold of the air as they said together five words that would change the future of the Clans forever.
"A new era has begun."
This is the prolouge of my fan fiction, Incoming Darkness. If you want me to post Chapter 1, please comment. Thanks, Stargaze. And you can use the names in the story if you want to, they're not copyrighted.
Chapter One
"Quick, Sunkit! Poke her!"
"What? Now?"
"Of course! Stargaze is gone out to eat some prey! Poke her now!"
A paw stabbed into Wildkit’s side. She let out a groan, and then she rolled back deeper into the nest, expecting to feel her mother's warm belly. Instead, she found nothing but air. Empty air. Her eyelids snapped up, revealing eyes as green as the forest in greenleaf. The green eyes looked for their mother, Stargaze.
Suddenly, a face loomed up in front of her, wide amber eyes unblinking and scary-looking. Wildkit let out a frightened squeak and she shot out of the nest, her heart pounding. Then her shock turned into anger when she heard purrs of amusement coming from Lilykit and Sunkit, her sisters.
"You should have seen your face when I put my face near yours, Wildkit!" Lilykit let out a mrrow of amusement.
"Yeah!" Sunkit vibrated with a purr that seemed too big for her tiny body. "It looked something like this!" She widened her amber eyes purposely, and her mouth dropped open, revealing small, sharp, pointed teeth. She looked like a cat who had heard a mouse roar. Lilykit burst into more laughter, until she was twitching about on the floor. Wildkit felt anger and embarrassment fluff up every hair on her pelt. How could Lilykit and Sunkit do that to her? Just because she was the smallest! This could only lead to one thing: Fight!
"Play fight!" Wildkit yowled, and she leaped onto Sunkit.
"Hey!" Sunkit’s amber eyes widened in surprise, and she tried to wriggle out from under Wildkit. Wildkit batted her sister’s golden shoulder with sheathed paws, enjoying the play fight and enjoying seeing Sunkit struggle under her grasp. Lilykit tried to help Sunkit, but Wildkit flung her away with a strong flick of her hind paws. Lilykit landed in a nest of bracken and moss, dazed.
That'll teach you not to mess with me! she thought triumphantly, preparing to leap off Sunkit’s back. But before she could do that, a ginger shape flashed out of nowhere and knocked her off Sunkit’s back and out the narrow entrance to the nursery. Cherrykit!
They landed in a heap outside a leafy bush that was the nursery, breathing heavily. Before Wildkit could catch her breath, Cherrykit quickly scrambled to her paws and loomed above her, placing a paw on her shoulder. Lilykit rushed out of the nursery and pinned her own paw on Wildkit’s other shoulder.
"Surrender now, Wildkit, or face the fury of my claws!" Lilykit raised her free paws, unsheathed her tiny claws and twitched them jokingly, to make it seem like she meant the threat. Wildkit knew she wouldn't do that to her.
"Yeah, Wildkit, surrender!" echoed Cherrykit, triumph gleaming in her amber eyes.
"No way!" Wildkit struggled beneath the two kits' heavy paws. She was four moons old moons old, while the Cherrykit was close to her sixth moon, just like her littermates Creamkit and Fawnkit. That meant she had the advantage of strength and size. Suddenly, an idea formed in Wildkit’s mind. She went limp, making them think she had surrendered. When they lifted their paws from her shoulders, she suddenly leaped up, causing their amber eyes to go wide. She ran across the clearing to where their mother, Stargaze, and Fireblaze were sharing a plump brown mouse. Wildkit saw Sunkit race out of the nursery, only to come to a halt and watch her flee from the pursuing kits. Sunkit shrugged and padded back in to the nursery, her golden tail flicking. Cherrykit and Lilykit had recovered and they were now hot on her tail.
"Fireblaze! Save me!" Wildkit yowled as she dove into the narrow space between Fireblaze’s and Stargaze’s pelts.
A throaty purr rumbled in her father’s throat. "A warrior fights his or her own battles," he mewed, amber eyes twinkling. "They don't beg other cats for help!"
"But what if they really need help?" Wildkit argued, her hind legs scrabbling in the dusty ground to force herself between her parents. Stargaze shifted a little bit and Wildkit shot in right before her sister and Cherrykit halted in front of them.
"Stargaze, can you make Wildkit come out?" whined Cherrykit. "It's not fair; she gets to hide behind deputies and the deputy’s mate!"
"Shush, Cherrykit, you're talking to the deputy." Milkfur, Cherrykit’s mother, overheard them on her way to the fresh-kill pile.
"It's alright, Milkfur," began Fireblaze, "they're ju—"
"Fireblaze! Hazelstar!" Pawsteps pounded against the dusty ground as a patrol of cats bounded through the bramble tunnel and into the central of the camp. The dark gray tom, Ashwhisker, leading the patrol looked around wildly for the ThunderClan leader and deputy. Fireblaze stopped in mid-sentence and met the patrol of alarmed cats in the middle of the clearing. He looked at Ashwhisker sharply and asked, "What is it? What's wrong?"
"It's Tigerlily!" Ashwhisker was answered quickly.
"What's wrong with her?" a new voice demanded. Wildkit recognized it as Hazelstar’s voice. She twisted her head to see the ThunderClan leader racing down the rocky slope that lead to her den. Ashwhisker looked surprised for a moment, because his leader had appeared so fast.
"She's—she's giving birth!"
Chapter Two
Wildkit pricked her ears with interest and alarm. Tigerlily was giving birth? Right now, somewhere among the trees and bushes of ThunderClan's territory? What if badgers or foxes found her? What if they stole one of her kits? Did any warrior even stayed back with her? she thought worriedly.
"Did any of you stay with her?" asked Hazelstar sharply. "How did you find her, anyway?"
"Icestorm, her apprentice Sapphirepaw and Willowshade are with her, and we found Tigerlily somewhere near the borderline with ShadowClan. Oh and Cloudpaw! Brightnose’s apprentice!" answered Ashwhisker urgently. A white she-cat with creamy patches all over her fur and a very pink nose, looked up, but ducked down when Longwhisker, a black-and-white tom with long whiskers, turned his blue gaze on her. "What should we do, Hazelstar? Sagewhisker went out to collect herbs near the WindClan border, we haven't finished our patrol yet and my sister is giving birth near the ShadowClan border!"
Wildkit watched her father take a deep breath, calming his mind. She admired the way he took charge when he suddenly mewed, "Ashwhisker, finish leading the patrol." The gray tom nodded and he led the patrol out of the hollow with a flick of his tail. Hazelstar turned to where a small group of apprentices had gathered around, and ordered, "You all search the forest for Sagewhisker and lead her to the place where Tigerlily is giving birth, got that?" The apprentices nodded eagerly and bounded out of the hollow into the forest. "I'll go with Ashwhisker's patrol. I need to check on ShadowClan, anyway. They've been pretty strange, not marking their borders and all." The ThunderClan leader padded through the bramble tunnel and out of the stone hollow, her brown tail flicking one last order. “And Longwhisker chose two cats to go on a hunting patrol. We need to restock the fresh kill pile!” Wildkit watched the tom shyly choose Brightnose, who looked thoroughly happy, and Fernfall, a light gray she-cat with darker flecks and pretty leaf-colored eyes. They bounded out of the camp, after a swift check of the fresh-kill pile to see how low it was. Wildkit’s attention was undistracted now and remembered Hazelstar had just left.
Wildkit’s pelt was fluffed up with excitement. "Stargaze, can I go with Hazelstar?" she asked eagerly, turning to her mother. Her mother turned to her, shock flickering across her beautiful face. "No, Wildkit! It's dangerous out there, and Hazelstar wouldn't want you to go out anyway!"
"But I want to," whined Wildkit.
"No, Wildkit. Go back and stay in the nursery. Now that goes for you to, Cherrykit and Sunkit." Stargaze added when the two kits exchanged looks full of excitement. Wildkit threw her a sulky look and stormed back into the nursery, her sisters behind her with their tails drooping. She couldn't believe her mother wouldn't let her follow Hazelstar! I'm big enough to take care of myself! thought Wildkit angrily, tearing out clumps of moss from her nest.
"What's wrong, Wildkit?” Creamkit asked, tipping his head to one side. He and Fawnkit had probably been wakened by Ashwhisker’s panicked meowing. They were Cherrykit’s littermates and five moons old. "Why are you ruining your nest?"
"Stargaze won't let me out of the camp!" growled Wildkit angrily, glancing at the entrance as Lilykit and Cherrykit trudged in. Sunkit’s golden head popped up out of the nest she had been dozing in and joined Creamkit.
Fawnkit and Creamkit were silent for a while. Then suddenly Creamkit mewed, "Then let's sneak out!"
Wildkit's eyes went wide with surprise. "Sn-sneak out?" she squeaked. "Won't our mothers and Hazelstar be mad?" Sunkit, Cherrykit, and Lilykit shot astonished looks at the tom and wandered to the corner of the nursery as not to be a part of his mischievous plan. Wildkit watched as Lilykit launched herself onto Sunkit, who in turn wiggled from underneath and pushed up with all her might. Lilykit went a mouse-length into the air and landed on top of Cherrykit, surprising the ginger she-kit. A cuff on her ear brought Wildkit’s attention back to Creamkit.
Glaring at her, Creamkit tossed his milky head and mewed, haughtily, "So? Don't you want to get out of the camp?"
"Well...yeah," Wildkit meowed slowly, her ear still stinging from the cuff. "Yeah..." Excitement grew inside her, stretching and stretching until it filled her up from the tip of her whiskers to every hair on her pelt. "Yes! Of course I want to get out of this stuffy nursery and camp!"
"Then let's go!" Fawnkit lead the way, Creamkit’s sister led the way out of the nursery. Wildkit followed the two kits to a small, but strong smelling, hazel bush that was close to the bramble tunnel. Wildkit realized Fawnkit had intentionally led the kits to this bush to cover their scent. I wish I had thought of that! She squeezed in with the creamy tom and light brown tabby she-cat, pushing herself between them. No cat must have seen them because nobody poked their muzzle into the small bush, demanding them to get out.
"Okay, now we have to sneak through the tunnel," whispered Fawnkit, her amber eyes alight with anticipation. "That's where the warriors and apprentices always go to get out of the camp."
"We know mousebrain!" Creamkit reached across Wildkit, ruffling her already messy pelt, and gave his sister a friendly swipe on the shoulder.
"What are we waiting for, then?" demanded Wildkit, getting impatient. "If we waste anymore time, we’ll miss the excitement! No cat is looking at us, so we might as well take the chance to get out now!"
"Follow me." Fawnkit wriggled out of the bush, Wildkit and Creamkit close behind. She glanced around warily, and then crept through the bramble tunnel. Wildkit hesitated, but after a nudge from Creamkit, who was behind her, she scooted quietly after her friend. Then she emerged from the tunnel, and her eyes widened in awe. The forest was so big! Trees, and even bushes, larger than the small bush they had hidden inside just a few minutes ago, loomed above her, blocking out the sun's hot rays. The other two kits were looking around in awe; too, forgetting that they were just outside the bramble tunnel and that any cat could pad through it, and see the kits outside the camp.
"Wow..." Fawnkit’s mew trailed off.
“Wow…” echoed Wildkit, looking around with wonder. How could the forest be so big and she so small?
Creamkit nodded in agreement, and then he suddenly snapped out of his awe in seeing the forest for the first time. "You guys, I want to see ShadowClan!" He bounced around them anxiously, reminding them why they were sneaking out of camp and were not to be seen by warriors. "I heard Ashwhisker say that Tigerlily was kitting near the ShadowClan border giving birth, so why not we see her too?"
Wildkit and Fawnkit nodded eagerly. The three kits adored Tigerlily, with her creamy-white pelt, her hazel eyes and her stories the most. The elders, Dawnheart and Scorchstone, were always too tired to tell them stories, so Tigerlily told them instead. Scorchstone slept all the time because his joints were always aching and Dawnheart was just really, really old. Tigerlily told them stories about how the ancient cats found the lake, how the Three Great Warriors of ThunderClan named Dovewing, Lionblaze and Jayfeather saved all five Clans. The five Clans RiverClan, WindClan, ShadowClan, ThunderClan and StarClan from the attack the Dark Forest cats launched. Wildkit, Fawnkit and Creamkit always wished they would also save the Clans, become legendary cats, and be the main character of nursery stories someday.
"Where's the ShadowClan border?" asked Fawnkit, tipping her head to one side.
"I think it's...that way." Wildkit flicked her tail in a random direction.
"You’re sure?"
"Yes! Now come on!" Wildkit took over the lead, leading them through the forest, over large tree roots, around thick bushes, when suddenly they reached a small clearing with a stream rushing past at the bottom. A breeze picked up that moment, and a disgusting stench wafted into their nostrils. All three disgusted kits recoiled at once, Fawnkit exclaiming, “Dear StarClan, what’s that stench?”
"That must be ShadowClan!" Wildkit wrinkled her nose in disgust. And I thought mouse-bile stank! "No ThunderClan marker stinks that bad!" exclaimed Creamkit, loyal to his birth Clan.
"Their territory looks boring," remarked Fawnkit, gazing across the border. "Only boring pine trees and that's it. What kind of cat would rather live among pine trees than among thick trees and bushes with berries and flowers and grass everywhere?"
"Weird cats like ShadowClan cats," Wildkit answered. "Now where's Tigerlily?" Her gaze traveled around the forest, but only the sight of my trees greeted her.
Suddenly a yowl of pain came out from the direction the stream was rushing down to. "That must be Tigerlily! Come on, this time I lead." Creamkit added and followed the stream, with the other kits right behind him.
They followed it for a while before another yowl drew them back into the forest. And there, in a small clearing, padding anxiously around was Icestorm, her white pelt stark against the leafy green back ground; her apprentice Sapphirepaw, a blue-gray she-cat; Cloudpaw, a white tom with gray patches and green eyes; and, Willowshade looking like a ShadowClan cat with her pale gray pelt in the shadows.
Then rustles sounded and the three she-cats and tom tensed, hackles rising, claws sliding out, ready to defend Tigerlily if it were enemy cats. A heartbeat later, Featherpaw, an almost silver light gray she-cat; Squirrelpaw, a light brown she-cat with a white chest, burst through to ferns, flanks heaving. The ThunderClan medicine cat, Sagewhisker followed after them and hurried over to Tigerlily, a bundle of herbs freshly collected in her mouth. The she-cat began reassuring the creamy queen that everything was just fine.
Watching her, Wildkit decided she didn't want to be a warrior apprentice; she wanted to be the apprentice of a medicine cat.
Chapter Three
Somehow, Wildkit, Fawnkit and Creamkit managed to creep into a bush heavy with berries that ringed the clearing. There was another yowl of pain, and Wildkit winced. She didn't like it when Tigerlily was in pain. Tigerlily was like a second mother to the all the kits in the nursery.
"You'll be alright, Tigerlily," reassured Sagewhisker, running her tail along the wailing she-cat’s back. A spasm rippled through Tigerlily’s body, and it must've been very painful since Tigerlily wailed in pain again.
"You four"—Sagewhisker turned to Featherpaw, Squirrelpaw, Cloudpaw, and Sapphirepaw—"I need some moss to make a nest for Tigerlily. Fetch some, quickly, please."
Nodding, the four apprentices sped out of the clearing in search for some moss, tails streaming. The she-cat turned her attention back to her patient. "You'll get through this, Tigerlily," she murmured, placing a paw on her flank as another contraction shook Tigerlily, the milky queen’s flanks heaving. Wildkit admired the way Sagewhisker sounded so calm when clearly there was something wrong. Tigerlily was breathing too heavily and the contractions were increasing, but there weren't any sign of kits. Wildkit glanced at Creamkit and saw her own terror reflected in his amber eyes. Where were the kits? Meanwhile, Icestorm crouched in the shade of a birch tree, shock freezing her to the ground. Her blue eyes revealed her distraught even though she tried to hide it by starring intently at the forest ground. Willowshade patrolled the clearing, wary of every sound and rustle.
Bushes shook and ferns swayed as four apprentices returned with clumps of moss dangling in their mouths. "We got them from a large tree near here," mewed Featherpaw, after putting her moss on the grass, and she flicked his tail in a direction. Squirrelpaw, Cloudpaw, and Sapphirepaw placed their moss on the ground too. Now that Wildkit thought about it, Cloudpaw was only a few moons older than her. He was small for his age and she was small, too. He was only a little bigger than her. Another cry from Tigerlily brought her back to what was happening five tail-lengths in front of her.
"Good. Now help me gather them in a nest." The four apprentices and the medicine cat gently eased the moss under Tigerlily, attempting to make her feel as comfortable as possible. After they were done, Sagewhisker turned to them and told them they could leave. The apprentices bounded out of the clearing, tails streaming out behind them, and eyes shining that they had done something very important. Icestorm seemed to unfreeze as she saw the apprentices bounding away and followed them warily, but Sagewhisker stopped the white she-cat with a flick of her tail. "Don't go," she meowed, "I need you here to protect us. There might be a fox or something on the loose. I know this isn’t your area of expertise, but please stay. You’re willing to protect me from badgers? Icestorm, I’m sorry I couldn’t save your littermates and mother, but please don’t hate me. They hunt with StarClan now." Sagewhisker looked pleadingly at the white she-cat, giving her brown chest fur a few conscious licks. Wildkit distinctly remembered hearing the elders discuss the deaths of Icestorm’s past. Her mother kitted a moon and a half early, leaving her and the kits weak. Icestorm’s mother died of too much blood loss that night and her two littermates died during the night, leaving only the white kit. Her father had died in the same WindClan raid as Hazelstar’s mate before she was born.
Icestorm hesitated then nodded and started pacing around the clearing, ears pricked. Wildkit saw Ashwhisker, Hazelstar, and Redpaw, Wildkit’s brother, pad into the clearing, obviously finished with the ShadowClan border patrol. Icestorm and Ashwhisker exchanged a knowing look and Ashwhisker murmured something in Redpaw’s ear. Redpaw puffed out his bright ginger chest importantly, and Ashwhisker and he began patrolling around the clearing, sniffing for foxes or badgers. Icestorm paced around the clearing, clearly bored. Hazelstar padded softly over to Sagewhisker and murmured quietly into her ear. Sagewhisker shrugged her shoulders at her leader. Hazelstar seemed frightened for a moment then quickly left the clearing to return to camp.
Wildkit, Fawnkit and Creamkit drew back as quietly as possible as Redpaw passed them. Wildkit hoped the smell of the berries would mask their scent and held her breath. She didn't think her mother and Milkfur would be happy to find out their kits had sneaked out into the forest that was considered dangerous to cats under six moons old.
Thankfully, the bright ginger tom passed them without stopping and Wildkit left her breath out in a whoosh of air. Curious, Fawnkit crept forward a bit to watch Sagewhisker and Tigerlily, her amber eyes gleaming, but as she did so her flank brushed against a few leaves. Having her ears pricked for the slightest sound, Icestorm froze immediately and whipped her head around to face the bush they were hiding in, her eyes narrowing. Wildkit's heart pounded as the warrior took a few pawsteps towards them, sniffing the air.
Suddenly, Tigerlily let out another yowl, startling Icestorm. The white warrior jumped a tail-length into the air, her fur fluffing out with shock. Wildkit heard a muffled snort and turned to see Creamkit trying to stifle a mrrow of laughter, and she frowned. Tigerlily was giving birth and Creamkit was laughing? How rude!
"Oh!" The ThunderClan medicine cat suddenly exclaimed, making the three kits almost jump out of the bush. Ashwhisker, Icestorm, and Redpaw had stopped to watch what was happening. Wildkit forced herself to calm down and watched the medicine cat too. Why did she say that? What was happening? She couldn't really see Tigerlily; Sagewhisker was blocking her way.
"Start pushing, Tigerlily," urged the light brown medicine cat. Wildkit felt excitement grow in her; Tigerlily’s kits would be the first kits to be born in greenleaf. She wouldn't be the smallest kit in the nursery anymore, and she, Lilykit, and Sunkit would have kits to play with once Creamkit and his littermates moved into the apprentices’ den! She couldn't wait for the kits to come! Ashwhisker and Redpaw stopped patrolling to watch the queen give birth to new life. Redpaw’s green eyes widened as Tigerlily shifted and turned away.
Tigerlily shifted as a small, wet bundle slid into the forest. Wildkit watched with wide eyes as the medicine cat began licking the bundle. Why? Why did she have to lick the kit after it was born?
Another wet bundle appeared in the nest as another contraction shook Tigerlily. "Icestorm, lick it until it starts breathing," Sagewhisker ordered the white she-cat. Icestorm padded over to the nest and began to lick the second bundle’s fur the wrong way after nipping open the sack. So that's why you have to lick it, thought Wildkit, so that the kit will start breathing.
Then another bundle fell into the nest, and Ashwhisker hurried forward, claiming his sister’s kit to lick his tongue repeatedly against the small kit.
Several heartbeats later, there was another kit in the nest. "Are there any more?" asked Tigerlily, sounding exhausted and her eyelids were drooping.
"I don't think so." Sagewhisker was still licking the kit, more urgently now. Wildkit was the only one that seemed to notice.
Tigerlily let out a sigh of relief, and Ashwhisker nudged his bundle to her. The queen began licking it all around. Wildkit felt a thrill go through her. Four new playmates! She couldn't wait till the kits opened their eyes! Wildkit’s belly lurched. Suddenly, Sagewhisker’s licking became even more urgent. What's wrong? Wildkit’s green eyes widened in alarm. Tigerlily seemed to notice now and watched in horror as the medicine cat’s licking ceased, slowly giving up. The ThunderClan medicine cat raised her eyes to Tigerlily, her eyes full of sadness and sympathy.
"Sagewhisker!" Tigerlily’s head snapped up from her kit. "My-my kit's not breathing!" she wailed, looking at the motionless bundle in front of Sagewhisker. She attempted to reach over, but the kitting had completely zapped her of all her energy. Wildkit’s heart sank as she watched Tigerlily fight the urge to wail to StarClan.
“I’m sorry, Tigerlily. It’s a stillborn. It should have been the first kit out, and the other kits were behind it. That’s why your kitting was so difficult,” Sagewhisker choked out.
Ashwhisker immediately went over to the kit and his sister, Icestorm taking his place at the edge of the clearing. Redpaw had turned around now to watch and was close to tears. The cats waited with bated breath as the gray tom pushed his nose into the small kit's fur, checking for any sign of life. After what seemed like moons, the tom lifted his head, and shook his head sadly. "It's a stillborn," he murmured. "I'm sorry, Tigerlily, but she's"—her brother’s voice broke—"she's dead." Icy claws gripped the air as they all mourned the lost kit.
Wildkit heard Fawnkit gasped softly with horror. She struggled to control her own shock and sorrow. She would never play with the kit; she would never see the kit open her eyes. Wildkit choked with sadness.
Tigerlily let out a loud wail of grief as she pushed her nose into the kit's fur, murmuring words Wildkit could not hear. Ashwhisker curled around her, whispering in her ear.
"Tigerlily, I know you're upset, but your other three kits need you," Sagewhisker meowed softly.
The kits, their pelts dappled silver, black, and bracken-colored, were mewling loudly for their mother, for the milk. The still little cat was pale ginger. Tigerlily nodded absentmindedly, tears shining in her eyes, and looked up from the stillborn kit. Icestorm, Redpaw, and Sagewhisker pushed the kits to Tigerlily. The kits kneaded her belly and began suckling as Sagewhisker pushed a spiky green leaf towards the cream-colored she-cat. What is that? wondered Wildkit, as Tigerlily looked questioningly the medicine cat.
“The borage will help you milk supply,” explained Sagewhisker.
"What are their names?" asked Redpaw suddenly.
"The silver one is Shimmerkit," decided Tigerlily, "the black one, Midnightkit, and the honey-colored one is Brackenkit. And this one"—Tigerlily stroked the dead kit's head—"will be named Sandkit, even though she's not alive." The tears threatening to spill out of her hazel eyes did.
"Beautiful names," Sagewhisker mewed softly. The other cats murmured their agreement.
Suddenly there were rustles as leaves on bushes shook loudly. Ashwhisker, Redpaw, and Icestorm hissed at the direction from where the rustles came from, arching their backs and fluffing out their fur so that they looked twice their size.
A moment later, two she-cats, one a blue-gray cat and the other a light creamy peach, burst out from the bushes, their eyes wide with anxiety and fear. Their different colored pelts were spiked up in horror and fear.
"Stargaze! Milkfur! What's wrong?" Sagewhisker padded over to them. Tigerlily looked up from her suckling kits, her hazel eyes alarmed.
"It's Wildkit, Fawnkit and Creamkit!" Stargaze yowled loudly. As soon as she heard her name, Wildkit began backing out of the bush, Fawnkit and Creamkit following her example. Never mind the rustles; the cats were focused completely on the two panicking she-cats.
"What about them?" inquired Icestorm, her tail curled in confusion.
The three kits were almost out of the bush when Milkfur wailed, "They're gone!"
The she-cats gasped. "What do you mean, gone?" demanded Redpaw. "They've disappeared from their nests?"
"Yes, I've looked around in the camp everywhere," Stargaze mewed tearfully.
“What about Sunkit, Cherrykit, and Lilykit?” meowed Ashwhisker.
“They’re all there in the nursery. They don’t know anything about the disappearance or they say they don’t,” replied Milkfur. Wildkit’s heart tightened in thanks for the kits; they hadn’t told on them!
“Start searching,” ordered Ashwhisker. "They may be around here." Immediately Redpaw, Stargaze, Milkfur, Sagewhisker, and Icestorm began sniffing about.
Wildkit, Fawnkit and Creamkit were a few tail-lengths from the bush when Wildkit accidently stepped on a twig. It made a loud crack! sound. The three kits froze, unable to move. A heartbeat later, Milkfur had rushed around the bush and she saw the three missing kits. Her amber eyes widened in shock and anger.
We are so in big trouble. Wildkit thought.
Chapter Four
Wildkit wriggled out from underneath her mother's tongue. It had been a quarter of a moon since Fawnkit, Creamkit, and Wildkit were found missing from the camp. Once the three kits were found, Hazelstar had postponed Wildkit’s apprentice ceremony, which made her wail in dismay. She begged her not to, but Hazelstar said it was her punishment. Then she had turned to Fawnkit and Creamkit, her daughter’s kits. She decided they would be confined to the nursery for a quarter moon, only to go out if there was a ceremony or something. Wildkit had been dismayed, having to watch her sisters’ Lilykit and Sunkit complained they wanted to be apprentices, but she didn't complain. After all, she did deserve it, for making the Clan panicky once they found out three kits had been gone. And she didn't mind waiting another quarter moon; Tigerlily’s kits had just opened their eyes!
Wildkit felt somebody paw at her, and she turned to see Shimmerkit, a silver tabby she-cat with bright blue eyes and lots of energy. Midnightkit, a dark blue-gray she-cat, almost blue-black, with white flecks and dark blue eyes, then bounded up to the two she-cats, followed by Brackenkit, a golden-brown tom with dark brown tinged fur and bright gold tinged feet. Secretly, Wildkit thought his warrior name would be Brackenfeet.
"Play fight!" Brackenkit announced happily, and jumped onto Wildkit and batted her with his tiny paws. His two others sibling joined him. Wildkit was squashed under three kits. She heaved up and sent them flying a few tail-lengths away. Tigerlily, who was watching them, purred in amusement. Wildkit wasn’t tricked by her purrs; she could tell the creamy queen was still grieving for her lost kit. They had buried the pale ginger she-kit beneath Silverpelt the moment the sky had turned a dark blue. She was happier today since her mate, Liontail, had come to visit her and the kits. Milkfur was lecturing her three kits in the back corner of the nursery because they were playing too loudly.
Suddenly a yowl came from outside. "Let all cats that can catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a meeting!"
Wildkit felt a nudged from behind her, and looked around. Stargaze was pushing at her to go out. Wildkit unsheathed her claws and dug them into the ground so her mother couldn't move her.
"You need to go out and watch," meowed Stargaze. "I know a ceremony's about to happen."
"A ceremony? Whose?" Wildkit was mystified. Stargaze flicked her tail to Squirrelpaw and Featherpaw, who were conversing outside the nursery. Wildkit gazed at the two apprentices and Sapphirepaw chattering excitedly. Sapphirepaw and Redpaw were from an earlier litter of Stargaze and Fireblaze. Wildkit's green eyes widened in amazement. "It's their warrior ceremonies?" she squealed. "That's great!" She pushed out of the nursery, followed by her mother, Milkfur, Tigerlily, and her three kits Shimmerkit, Midnightkit, and Brackenkit.
Wildkit glanced at Squirrelpaw and Featherpaw. Their pelts shone in the sunlight from them grooming it thoroughly this morning. They looked older, somehow. Wildkit wondered whether they would still play with her once they became warriors. She hoped so.
She settled down beside her mother and Tigerlily and her three kits, and watched as warriors, apprentices and the elders poured out of their dens to watch the ceremony. Then a ginger tom leaped up to the Highledge, his pelt blazing in the sunlight. Fireblaze. Then a flash of bright brown followed. Hazelstar.
"Today is a very special day," she announced loudly, her voice bouncing off the walls of the stone hollow. "It is time for two apprentices to be made warriors," she continued. She paused to stare down at Squirrelpaw and Featherpaw, who ducked their heads in embarrassment.
"Squirrelpaw and Featherpaw, come out in front," she meowed loudly, and jumped off the Highledge as the two apprentices went to the front of the camp, their embarrassment forgotten, their eyes shining with excitement and happiness. Squirrelpaw gave a little bounce halfway to the leader, and Wildkit purred.
"By naming warriors, we show that ThunderClan will survive and remain strong." Hazelstar paused, and looked down at the apprentices.
"Tigerstripe,” the leader meowed, addressing the black-striped warrior, “are you satisfied this apprentice is ready to become a warrior?”
Tigerstripe looked up and answered, “Yes, she is ready.” Hazelstar nodded and continued the ritual.
“I, Hazelstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn.” Hazelstar looked at Squirrelpaw and beckoned with her tail.
“Squirrelpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?” Hazelstar looked gravely at Squirrelpaw and Wildkit felt her heart skip a beat. What was her warrior name going to be? Squirreltail? Squirrelfeet? She was so deep in thought; she missed the light brown apprentice say “I do.”
“Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Squirrelpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Squirrelleap. StarClan honors your courage and spirit and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan,” Hazelstar stepped forward just as Squirrelleap did and they bonked muzzles. The entire Clan let out mrrows of laughter and low-pitched snorts as Squirrelleap scrambled backward, repeating apologizes to Hazelstar. Wildkit was too busy in thought of how perfect the name Squirrelleap was for the bouncy young apprentice---she meant warrior. The new warrior was begging her leader not to make her an apprentice again which only made the Clan leader and the entire Clan mrrow in laughter harder and twitch their whiskers.
Squirrelleap finally realized they were laughing at her and slunk down the rock slope in embarrassment.
“Squirrelleap! Squirrelleap! Squirrelleap1” cheered the Clan, amongst purrs of amusement. Hazelstar stopped shaking with laughter and raised her tail for silence, causing the cats to stop in mid-purr. Hazelstar waited till utter silence took hold of the air in the clearing and meowed, “Featherpaw you are to receive your warrior name today also.”
“Liontail, are you satisfied this apprentice is ready to become a warrior?” inquired the ThunderClan leader, gazing at the golden tom with blue eyes. Liontail returned the intimidating stare steadily and answered, “Yes, she is ready.”
“I, Hazelstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn,” the small she-cat beckoned the silver apprentice with her slim tail.
“Featherpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend your Clan even at the cost of your life?” Featherpaw nodded solemnly, forgetting she was supposed to speak. Liontail hissed, “I do!” as quietly as possible but of course the entire Clan heard and yowled in laughter all over again.
The light grey apprentice opened her jaws to speak, but she couldn’t be heard. Wildkit saw her leader’s hazel eyes narrow dangerously, causing a wave of fear to wash over her.
“SILENCE!” yowled Hazelstar, lashing her tail back and forth. “How dare you all greet a newly named warrior like this? What does StarClan think of a Clan that laughs during a warrior’s ceremony? I’m fairly disappointed!” she turned back to the stunned Featherpaw and said sweetly, “Say ‘I do’.”
Featherpaw trembled with fear and Wildkit could practically feel the waves of heat coming of the apprentice’s pelt that was probably hot with embarrassment.
“I do,” she squeaked, looking at Hazelstar.
“Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Featherpaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Featherdust. StarClan honors your honesty and thoughtfulness. We welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan.” Hazelstar finished the traditional speech and vanished into her den before anyone could say ‘mouse’. Then she reappeared for some reason and raised her tail for silence, and didn’t put it down until there was complete silence.
“I seem to have forgotten that we have three new apprentices to name,” she meowed solemnly. Why did she sound so sad? Wildkit wondered. She sneaked a glance at Cherrykit, Fawnkit, and Creamkit. They were busy chatting amongst themselves excitedly, dodging their mother’s rough tongue at the same time. Milkfur looked proud of her kits, but also sad that their fur wasn’t gleaming.
“Cherrykit, Fawnkit, and Creamkit, you have all reached your sixth moon, and it is time you were apprenticed. From this day, until you receive your warrior names, you will be known as Cherrypaw, Fawnpaw and Creampaw. I ask StarClan to watch over and guide you until you find in your paws the strength and courage of warriors,” as the kits were called upon, they all flattened their ears, but puffed up their gleaming chests.
Creampaw, unable to hold it in, squealed, “Thank you, Hazelstar! You’re the best leader ever!”
Hazelstar looked angry for a moment and said, “I couldn’t agree more!” which was followed by purrs of amusement and approval.
“Willowshade,” she said, looking at the pale gray she-cat, “You are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Blackwhisker, you have shown yourself to be honest and courageous, and I expect you to pass all you know to Cherrypaw.” Flowerpelt stepped forward and touched noses with the eager apprentice. “Can we see the lake, please, please?”
“Flowerpelt,” meowed the ThunderClan leader, speaking to the gentle tortoiseshell, “you are ready to take on another apprentice after Leafpaw”---sadness flashed in the new mentor’s eyes at the sound of the name and Hazelstar’s , her deep sorrow brimming in her eyes—“You had received excellent training from Scorchstone, you have shown yourself to be brave and independent and I expect you to pass all your know to Fawnpaw,” and even before she finished, Fawnpaw was rushing toward her new mentor to touch muzzles. Hazelstar went on to name Fireblaze, Wildkit’s father, as Creampaw’s mentor.
Wildkit didn't listen to Hazelstar as she called the ceremony to an end. She was wondering about when it would be her time to be an apprentice. Her punishment was over and she’d be free of the nursery. She saw her littermates, Lilykit and Sunkit, with Sapphirepaw. She thought she had wanted to become Sagewhisker's apprentice, but now she wasn't sure. Being a medicine cat was such a lonely life. Sure, she'd have a respectable reputation in the Clan, and everyone would go to her if they were hurt, and they would sit vigil sadly for her if she died. But they would soon forget her, and they would get on with their lives.
She didn't want that. Being a medicine cat meant never being loved and Wildkit wanted to be loved, not only have a respectful position in the Clan.
What she wanted was to be loved as herself, not as a medicine cat. But she couldn't have that if she chose the ways of a medicine cat. Wildkit sighed unhappily.
Why is life so hard, even as a kitten???
Chapter Five
It had been two moons since Cherrypaw, Creampaw, and Fawnpaw were made into apprentices. Wildkit would be an apprentice any day now, because she had been almost four moons when Tigerlily gave birth to her kits. The two she-cats rarely saw Wildkit nowadays; they were always patrolling, or hunting, or training, or doing apprentice duties, or whatever. Creampaw was the only one that visited Wildkit and her sisters anymore .Wildkit missed the three eager, adventurous littermates, but not that much, since she had Shimmerkit, Midnightkit, and Brackenkit to play with.
Right now, Wildkit was hiding behind the fresh-kill pile, which was pityingly low, because the hunting patrols had not yet return with their prey. But Wildkit didn't mind; she was planning to jump on Brackenkit, who was happily pawing at the fresh-kill pile, and surprise him. She bunched up her back muscles, preparing to leap, but before she could do so, teeth met in her scruff and someone swung her high up into the air. From the scent of the cat that wreathed around her, Wildkit knew it was Fireblaze who was carrying her.
“Let go of me!” she squeaked angrily, struggling to loosen her father’s grip on her scruff. She didn't want to be treated as a newborn kit! She was almost an apprentice!
The bright ginger tom set his daughter in front of the nursery. A moment later, Stargaze came out, her pelt fully groomed, muscles rippling under her shiny pelt, and her gaze darted from her mate, to her kit, which was sulking, and back to her mate again. She let out an exasperated sigh. “What did she do now? Did she ‘accidentally’ step on Shimmerkit's tail, like the other day? Did she try to convince Midnightkit to eat some poppy seeds, like last time?”
“She was going to jump on Brackenkit and scare him,” the deputy meowed, amusement glinting in his amber eyes.
Her mother sighed again, shaking her head, while Wildkit protested, “Hey! I was just practicing on how to surprise enemies!”
“I wonder what Tigerlily will say if you scared poor little Brackenkit to death,” pondered the ginger warrior, his expression amused.
“You can't scare a cat to death!” Then Wildkit shuffled her paws in the ground, turning her eyes upwards to her father. "Can you?" she squeaked uncertainly.
“Oh, yes, you can.” Her father nodded gravely.
“Can you really scare a cat to death, Stargaze?” asked Wildkit, turning to her mother. She could trust her mother not to lie to her.
“Mousebrain,” her beautiful mother purred lovingly. "How come I’ve never heard a story of how a cat scared another to death?"
“See?” Wildkit rounded on her father. "You can't scare a cat to death! You were lying!" Her grass-green eyes shone with triumph.
"Well, that's be—" A yowl interrupted Fireblaze in mid-sentence. Wildkit whirled around in time to see Cherrypaw, Fawnpaw, Willowshade, and Foxheart pounding to the middle of the camp. They were looking agitated and angry, and Cherrypaw was carrying something in her jaws. Wildkit's stomach clenched; whatever the thing in her ex-denmate's mouth was, she was sure it was bound to be bad news.
"Hazelstar! Hazelstar! Look at this!" the leader of the patrol had spotted the ThunderClan leader sharing tongues with her senior warriors and the four cats made their way over to their leader. Upon reaching them, Cherrypaw spat out the stuff she had been carrying, and screwed her face up into a disgusted expression. Following her father, Wildkit rushed over to the pile that gleamed white in the sunlight, and saw it was a pile of bones. Bones that belong to a small animal, a mouse maybe. She sniffed it hard, and recoiled.
ShadowClan! she thought. What is ShadowClan's stench doing on the mouse-bones? She turned to her father, who was talking to Willowshade and Foxheart.
"...found bones on our side of the border," Foxheart was meowing angrily, pacing around in front of Hazelstar, who calmly looked on. "With ShadowClan stench on it! A few fox-lengths along the border we found more bones, with ShadowClan scent on them too!"
"Stupid ShadowClan cats!" spat Fawnpaw angrily, her slender paws working furiously in the ground. "I'll rip them to shreds for stealing ThunderClan's prey! They'll pay!" She lashed her tail. Wildkit flinched; she had never seen the gentle apprentice like this.
Icestorm and Foxheart stopped pacing. "What should we do, Hazelstar?" he demanded to his leader. "We can't just let them steal our prey and get away with it!"
"You're right," Hazelstar solemnly agreed, nodding. "We'll have to do something." She padded across the camp, strolled up the rock slope, and jumped onto the Highledge. She called out the familiar words, ordering every cat that could cat their own prey to gather beneath the Highledge. She needn't have bother, though; most of ThunderClan's cat was there, brought out of their dens by Foxheart’s angry meowing.
Wildkit sat herself down next to Fawnpaw as Hazelstar opened her mouth to speak.
"Cats of ThunderClan," she began, "ShadowClan has been stealing our prey." Furious yowls met this statement; some cats even stood up, their eyes blazing, their fur bristling. Wildkit understood why they were angry: one more moon and it would be leaf-fall time. By then there would be lesser prey and the Clan wanted to stock up before leaf-bare approached. So ThunderClan was mad that ShadowClan was stealing their prey.
Hazelstar flicked her tail, demanding silence, and the cats quieted down. "We will teach them a lesson," she meowed loudly, her voice bouncing off the walls of the stone hollow. "We will attack them in a moon's time. But for now, we will train until we are sure we can beat them."
“But is that smart so close into leaf-fall?” asked a silver tabby she-cat with white paws. She stood up and padded to the front of the crowd of cats. Wildkit recognized her as Silvermoon, a quiet she-cat with blue eyes. “Why risk battle wounds and waste herbs on them instead of warning them at the next Gathering?” Murmurs followed her suggestion and Hazelstar looked rather taken aback.
“You have a point, Silvermoon, but if we don’t they may very well continue to steal ThunderClan’s prey.”
The ThunderClan leader flicked her tail to dismiss the Clan meeting and disappeared into her lichen covered den. ThunderClan cats immediately broke up into groups and started whispering excitedly. There were murmurs of agreement from every cat in the stone hollow. Hazelstar was very wise. Unlike the leaders of RiverClan, ShadowClan and WindClan, she'd prefer to make sure they will win if they fought another Clan, rather than attack straightaway.
"I'm going to train so hard that when the battle comes, I'll be the best fighter there," whispered Fawnpaw to Wildkit. Wildkit nodded vaguely, not really listening, feeling excitement trill through her. She wanted to fight ShadowClan so badly!
But then, she didn't like to see other cats get hurt, too.
In a few days’ time, it would be her apprentice ceremony. But to whom will she be apprenticed to? Sagewhisker, the medicine cat, or one of the warriors? Once again, the question whether she would rather be a medicine cat or a warrior haunted her.
