PROLOGUE 

RiverKit's eyes opened, her fragile brown eyes searched the area. There was two small ragged bundles of fur nearby. A tall sleek grey tabby tom and a short small dark grey tabby she cat with a small thunder mark on her snout. RiverKit heaved herself to her small legs but ultimately fell with a grunt. The small brown she cat's fall awoke the grey and white tabby tom. He had long legs with beautiful soft baby blue eyes. This was WillowKit her brother. WillowKit admired her unique coat and then wobbled off to sniff his younger kin. WillowKit was the eldest of the three. StormKit, the dark grey tabby she leaped up when WillowKit nipped her ear, and she stifled a groan.

                                    ThunderClan

Leader : SpotStar-

A wise older she cat with a cinnamon calico pelt and green eyes

Deputy: BlackSun-

A brindle black tom with sharp yellow eyes and a ragged pelt

Medicine: FeatherDrift-

a brown dappled she cat with a gentle paw and soft hazel eyes

Warriors:

SilverLeaf-

A proud loyal grey tom with a sleek pelt and almost black-brown eyes

MottledFur-

a grumpy ginger tom with a white snout and clouded blue eyes

IvyTangle-

a white she cat with green eyes like ivy and a grey tail

HollyThorn-

a beige she cat with rosey-white eyes.

PheasantTail-

an arrogant brown tom with a beautiful striped tail and amber eyes

NightGaze-

a shy black sleek tom with bright yellow eyes and a stub tail

ElkHorn-

a dappled cream beige she cat with amber eyes.

BrindleTuft-

a brindle brown-ginger she cat with long legs, and a plumed tail. She has teal eyes

LeafBreeze-

a swift ginger-brown and white tom with green eyes.

BadgerPaws-

a black and white tom with a broad back and a wide snout

SquirrelStrike-

a quick ginger she cat with grey eyes

Queens:

DuskFern-

an agile brown and grey she cat with small tufted ears and blue eyes.

VoleHeart-

a small pale grey mottled she cat with long whiskers and a dainty body. She has violet eyes

BirdSoar-

a dusty brown she cat with amber and blue eyes.

 Elders:

DuckFoot-

a snappy old tom with a dull calico pelt and one white paw.

FlyingWind-

a smart white she cat with one injured leg, she has indigo eyes.

Apprentices:

WeedPaw-

a frail white and black saddle tan pattern tom, he is the medicine cat apprentice.

BarkPaw-

a tabby brown and white tom with icy blue eyes and short legs.

DiamondPaw-

a light grey she cat with one small spot near her right eye and pretty teal eyes

Kits:

RussetKit-

a dark ginger she cat with a shaggy pelt and foggy blue eyes

SwanKit-

a long sleek white she cat with dark amber eyes.

RustyKit-

a ginger and black tom with brown eyes

WillowKit-

a grey and white striped dappled tom with sleek fur and a tall frame. He has blue eyes.

RiverKit-

a brown-almond pelted she cat with a feathered tail and chest, she has a dark grey banded snout with grey paws.

StormKit-

a dark grey tabby she cat with a small thunder mark on her snout. She has crystal blue like eyes and a feathered tail.

PART ONE

APPRENTICE HOOD + KIT HOOD

                                   Chapter 1

"You just had to do it, didn't you WillowKit." StormKit hissed as she batted his long nose. WillowKit pulled back arching his back as if he were shocked and ready for battle. He leaped forward tackling StormKit. RiverKit pushed aside StormKit and joined in nipping at WillowKit's heels. WillowKit folded his ears back with a mischievous grin, and he raised both back paws and harshly impacted into RiverKit's chest. RiverKit coughed and growled. DuskFern, their mother had heard her and she whipped her head around and scowled at WillowKit.

"Gentler!" she muttered as she grabbed WillowKit by the scruff. "Why don't you play with RussetKit and her kin?"

DuskFern mewed nudging the three towards BirdSoar.

StormKit laughed hysterically as if the idea were so humiliating even a vole wouldn't. RiverKit thought it sounded nice but she kept her jaw clenched. WillowKit spat on the moss bed, disgusted just thinking about the other kits. "RiverKit?" DuskFern asked. RiverKit hadn't noticed her mother speaking. When she realized she whipped around. "No, i'll stay with them." she whispered gently as she turned to her kin. SilverLeaf bounded in. scuffing up loose dust in the den. DuskFern coughed flicking up her tail. BirdSoar was resting but VoleHeart was awake and was in a grumpy mood that dawn. "Do you mind?"she hissed brushing the dust off her only kit, SwanKit.

SwanKit sneezed gently and returned to sleep. She curled her fluffy white tail around her fragile paws. SilverLeaf was DuskFern's mate which made him RiverKit's father. He was highly respected and was almost made deputy. BlackSun out won him though. 

SilverLeaf apologized to VoleHeart and he turned to DuskFern with a plump rabbit between his jaw. DuskFern nodded thanks and started chewing and swallowing the rabbit. WillowKit trotted over his long limbs floating across the den. "Food?" he asked poking the rabbit. SilverLeaf grabbed WillowKit and placed him near the others. SilverLeaf and WillowKit looked very familiar, tall, sleek, and slim grey toms. RiverKit had the brown palette from DuskFern and StormKit had the grey palette.

A loud yowl sounded outside the den. SilverLeaf touched noses with DuskFern and then trotted out, heading towards a high sturdy rock. The cat who lay upon it was none other than SpotStar. The wise and agile role model for nearly every cat in the clearing.

                                     Chapter 2

SpotStar's green eyes scanned the cats below her. Then she whipped her head up and began the meeting. "Today we will have two new apprentices here in ThunderClan. Two figures, one was RussetKit and the other was RustyKit. They were around one or two moons older than her litter. RustyKit had his head and tail held high as if he were becoming leader. RussetKit had her silky tail held just above the floor and her head at a respectable height. RussetKit was small like her mother, BirdSoar, but RustyKit was a tall tom with broad shoulders like his father BadgerPaws. "May StarClan gaze upon these two young apprentices, RussetPaw and RustyPaw

for they are formidable cats who will be mentored by SquirrelStrike and PheasantTail." RussetPaw and RustyPaw bounced with excitement at the thought of being one step closer to being a warrior, or maybe even leader. SquirrelStrike greeted RussetPaw and PheasantTail marched over his tail higher than RustyPaw's was and greeted him. It felt like a perfect match for them. RiverKit turned to DuskFern "When will we do that?" she mewed. "In a moon or so, I will miss you then." she purred. "And we will become super good leaders! Right, RiverKit?" StormKit bellowed, pride in her voice. WillowKit shook his head "There can't be two leaders you mouse-brains!" RiverKit swatted his ear, "We will find a way!"

"No you won't because I will become leader and you will be elders!" he meowed as he pranced circles around them. StormKit rolled her eyes and then proposed "Why don't we go check outside?" WillowKit stopped dead in his tracks and whipped around excitingly. "Yeah!" he meowed as high pitched as a tom's voice can go. RiverKit felt uneasy but nodded knowing she would have to stay close to them anyway as being the youngest. WillowKit lead the three as if he knew the territory better than anyone. They saw RussetPaw and RustyPaw chatting near a den, much smaller than the nursery but it was still as big as a badger den. RustyPaw turned to stare at WillowKit. "We are apprentices now! We don't talk to kits! We are respectable!" he hissed.

RussetPaw flicked his face gently with her tail. "They are only a moon younger than us!" she meowed. RustyPaw snickered at her sister "Kit! Kit! Kit!" RussetPaw ignored him and turned to face the three. "Soon, you will join us!" she purred. "Yeah!" StormKit yowled. A looming figure cast a shadow among the kits. RustyPaw froze and tensed up. RussetPaw dipped her head in greeting. The three kits turned around to face...

                                     Chapter 3

SpotStar, and she did not look happy. "Kits stay in the nursery." she growled. They obliged to the wise cinnamon calico cat and scurried to the nursery. WillowKit side eyed his leader but he obeyed like any smart cat. RiverKit told DuskFern the story and DuskFern sighed and brought the three closer to her chest. "Let me tell you a story."

SundewKit was a kind little kit who was brave and admired by their leader. One day in the clearing she heard two strong warriors speaking to their leader, GriffinStar. "There is a badger near Sunning Rocks! We would have tried to fight it but we're only two!"

That was his deputy ChalkFur, a white tabby tom with sunset like eyes. GriffinStar nodded and announced "Tomorrow at dusk, we shall go fight this badger, and reclaim what was ours." SundewKit admired what he said but she took it a step further, at dawn she would go fight the badger alone. 'A brave act it would be' she thought to herself. 

The next day the sun rose gently above the hilltops and valleys. SundewKit woke up her golden fur shining like a star in the midnight sky. She marched proudly to Sunning Rocks and there it lie, the strong yet lazy beast. 

She would have to be smart, one blow means bloodshed. Yet she had an advantage, the badger had poor eyesight.

The beast arose at the scent of cat and glared in the sunlight seeing a golden blob of fur. Only thinking it was an enemy it lunged towards SundewKit but only crashing into the dust. SundewKit was quick. The badger steadied its paws and looked for the golden bundle of fur again. But he didn't pounce, he waited, the badger was smart, he knew that SundewKit would dodge the blow. He ran behind SundewKit quickly and tried to fall onto her squishing the cat but SundewKit ran circles around him then leaped digging her little claws into his shaggy black and white fur. The badger's agony was so loud even WindClan could hear them. SundewKit dug deeper into his throat t'ill it collapsed with a thud. The End.

StormKit and RiverKit were already asleep by the time DuskFern mentioned ChalkFur. WillowKit's eyes were wide opened with suspense. "Is it real?" he begged to know. "I don't know, one day you will find out." DuskFern meowed drowsily with a yawn and then she fell asleep as quick as Storm and River had. WillowKit stayed awake with wonder. "At dawn." he whispered to himself. That night caused trouble.

                                       Chapter 4

The sun rolled over the high peaks and the jagged high rock, a small grey figure emerged. Its small tail tucked between its hind legs. "I can do this." he whispered to himself. He shakily dragged himself to the edge of camp. This took all the courage he could gather to cross where he hasn't ever been before. Now it was his turn for adventure. This miniature grey tom was none other than WillowKit. He traveled near Snake Rocks, a dangerous small area known for its vicious adders. He saw small snakes slither out curious and blood thirsty. WillowKit had the sense to avoid them and he continued on through the dry new-leaf grass.

WillowKit stumbled onto WindClan territory until he found a den. No cat would make a den on the moor and foxes would be keen enough to live among the trees. It had to have been a badger den. WillowKit peered into the pit of shadows. "Maybe it was abandoned." WillowKit 

muttered. But at the sound of his voice, a dusty unmistakable black and white muzzle slid out. Long and ragged, it had to be a badger. It's dangerous gleaming eyes widened and sharp. It's long wide set paws with gleaming black claws, stepped out of the shadows. it bared its yellow teeth angrily as it gave a grunt like a dragons. The cold morning air made it appear as if smoke drifted from in between its fangs.

WillowKit raised an eyebrow that even the badger probably knew meant 'Are you just gonna stand there or fight?'. WillowKit felt prideful and courageous on the outside but the loudest voice in his head screeched to duck and run. The badger felt challenged as it scooped it paw high in the air and slammed it down, pinning down WillowKit's tail. WillowKit snarled as it batted the badger's eyes. The badger retreated its paw annoyed at the kit. The badger opened its sleek spiky jaw biting down harshly on WillowKit's leg. WillowKit's leg was soaked in blood, the red liquid spreading to his haunches. WillowKit's ear piercing scream attracted a WindClan hunting patrol.

It was a senior warrior, RiceStripe and two apprentices, ShinePaw and CanopyPaw. RiceStripe was a stocky white tabby tom with tangerine-orange eyes, ShinePaw was a glossy sand furred she-cat and CanopyPaw was a proud golden tom with tall limbs. RiceStripe rounded on the badger and ShinePaw leaped on their eyes, slicing their gentle eyes. CanopyPaw knocked the badger off its paws and the badger fell heavily. ShinePaw shook her shaggy sand fur and licked her damaged torn claw. CanopyPaw's glossy fur suddenly was raised and dull.

"The kit is dead!"

                                         Chapter 5

It was near four trees that the two leaders met. DoeStar was with her deputy and RiceStripe who carried WillowKit's limp grey body. SpotStar was with BlackSun, SilverLeaf and FeatherDrift. SilverLeaf had a menacing look in his eyes at RiceStripe and RiceStripe returned a sharp glare at him. DoeStar spoke in a mellow voice "I did not do anything to this poor kit, we have no business with your clan." SilverLeaf arched his silver back"You do have business with us! You have killed the clan's, my kit!" he snarled. RiceStripe hissed back "He was killed by a badger!" "I wouldn't pick up a fight." WindClan's deputy [MeadowLark] meowed sternly.

MeadowLark gave a warning glance to RiceStripe and RiceStripe queited. DoeStar took the kit from him and dropped it and the small body fell into the grass. BlackSun growled "The small animal would have never lived anyway, if it thought it could kill a badger." SilverLeaf turned sharply and snapped "He is ThunderClan blood! This is how you speak?" Even DoeStar seemed surprised at the ThunderClan deputy's comment. DoeStar signaled to her two cats that this would be the right time to exit. SpotStar lowered her head in thanks as she turned to the arguing cats. FeatherDrift bounded through. "No time for injuring and no time to waste herbs on a bunch of mouse brain toms!"

SpotStar nodded and she picked up WillowKit gently between her jaws and the group of cats walked silently near the RiverClan border, the only sound was the water lapping up on the stones and reeds.

                                     Chapter 6

The clearing was bouncing with apprentices and full of quick witted warriors. WeedPaw saw his mentor and he bounded up his short black and white fur brushing against the wind. "FeatherDrift! Im so excited you're back!" he purred. FeatherDrift shook her head at the apprentice and nodded her head to WillowKit. WeedPaw screeched "WillowKit is dead!" Every single cat halted and turned. DuskFern leaped out of the nursery her paws sprinting across the dusty clearing. "My WillowKit! How? What has happened to my kit?" she sobbed. "Badgers." BlackSun meowed obviously not upset about the poor kit. RiverKit saw her mother leave and she crept out to see what had happened.

StormKit caught up to RiverKit her small grey tabby face curious. StormKit and RiverKit exchanged glances as they saw a soaking blood covered grey kit hanging from the leader's jaws. StormKit snorted in anger "Did SpotStar kill WillowKit?" RiverKit looked baffled. "She couldn't have!"

StormKit shook her head and lowered it to the ground. RiverKit nuzzled into StormKit's fur for comfort. DuskFern called the two kits' name and they crept over their tails low and ears back. "Did you kill him?" StormKit mewed angrily at SpotStar. SpotStar hissed "I am respectable and wouldn't dare kill a cat in my clan." RiverKit licked StormStar's ear. "Its fine." she whispered.

StormKit let her shoulders fall and she teared up. RiverKit started to also as SpotStar dropped their kin in front of them. 

Am I being too harsh on them? I could have saved their brother's life but here I stand with their kin in my jaw dead as a fox's heart. No. I must shape these kits with potential to be formidable warriors and one will be deputy and rise and the other shall fall to its paws. StarClan hinted at it perhaps. They showed me a river and dark clouds circling above. When I turned to touch the stream it drained and the storm struck down own me... Replacing me?

Maybe RiverKit is leaving me? Or will she die in StarClan's paws. StormKit will rise or maybe she will kill me and RiverKit. Maybe it isn't even about them, maybe I will drown in a river and lighting will hit me. Maybe thunder strikes and I fall into the gorge? StarClan never simplifies.

SpotStar snapped out of her thought trance and she looked at the sobbing kits. 

FeatherDrift.

                                  Chapter 7

"FeatherDrift, may we speak?" SpotStar whispered to her. She nodded and they walked to the medicine den and they began their private speak. "Remember my vision?" SpotStar asked. FeatherDrift nodded meekly. "Have you figured it out yet? Or had any more visions?" SpotStar demanded. FeatherDrift looked shyly around "Well I have had this small constant one, every moon since DuskFern's litter was born I had a vision of a clear moonlit stream with a hedge filled with berries. Every moon the vision grew a second longer." FeatherDrift murmured. "This most recent one a StarClan cat reached out to me and meowed something..."

"What?" SpotStar meowed interrogating like. "Something like a willow will burn beneath one's paws and join the scattered stars when the sun reaches peak and gives dawn to the fields." FeatherDrift meowed uneasily. "WillowKit." SpotStar meowed, her voice dipping into unsureness. FeatherDrift suddenly meowed "StarClan has been frustrating lately I just need some time." and FeatherDrift marched into the back of the medicine den sorting herbs. SpotStar trotted back into the clearing and FeatherDrift called out. "We need more poppy seeds!" SpotStar looked back and nodded and then she climbed up the High Rock, familiar with every crevice for she had been leader many moons.

                                   Chapter 8

It had been a moon since WillowKit's death, and it felt like the longest moon RiverKit has ever lived for. The sun rose quick and brightly that day and SpotStar called the cats to order. StormKit tore through the clearing, excitement covering her nose to tail. RiverKit trotted to StormKit overwhelmed by the thought but had the excitement StormKit had inside her. "I wish WillowKit were here." RiverKit meowed softly to her littermate. 

StormKit lashed her long tail "Happy thoughts RiverPaw." SpotStar yowled silencing the kits ands the gathered warriors. "Today StarClan will look down on these swift and strong apprentices, RiverPaw and StormPaw

who shall be mentored by ElkHorn and LeafBreeze. Clan dismissed." SpotStar meowed strongly as if they were her own kits becoming apprentices. The clan chanted their name and their mentors came up to them and touched noses. The two new apprentices ran over to the apprentice den. "RussetPaw! RustyPaw!" StormKit whispered.  A looming figure was behind them "Didn't you hear? They are in the medicine den." The two cats whipped around to face BlackSun. "They fell down from a tall rock while exploring with their mentors and RustyPaw broke his leg and RussetPaw was lucky enough to be ok. But she refuses to leave RustyPaw." BlackSun grumbled. StormPaw winced at the thought of pain.

RiverPaw shuddered. BlackSun narrowed his eyes "You will experience more pain so don't think that their fall was bad." he meowed dully. StormPaw hissed "Ok, what's your deal? What is your goal? Trying to scare us? We are apprentices now not your little kits to mess around with." BlackSun eyes were widened in shock. "I am your deputy! I will not allow that talk!" he yowled angrily. StormPaw's head was raised and tail high. BlackSun stormed out of the den his ears swinging back. 

"And that's how to deal with grumpy cats." StormPaw meowed sing-song. RiverPaw giggled "Think it will work on MottledFur?" StormPaw raised an eyebrow "If it worked on BlackSun, then definitely." she mewed. proudly.

A a stony, gruff voice sounded behind them "What is this?" The two apprentices whipped around and PheasantTail was narrowing his eyes. He was BlackSun's son and he had always shadowed behind BlackSun and copied him. StormPaw flicked a grey ear and yawned unimpressed but fear scent trailed from RiverPaw's pelt. How could she be so mouse brained! She just snapped at the deputy and now she is going to argue will his kin, and of course BlackSun is the role model of PheasantTail! PheasantTail growled through clenched teeth and could see fury in his eye burn. StormPaw teased "Is some cat angry?" PheasantTail snapped "Keep it up and you'll clean the elders den for your life!"

StormPaw shook her head "At the cost of your loyalty you will leave for that is a punishment for the worse cats. Remember I am merely a young apprentice! I can already picture SpotStar's long extended claws digging through your pelt knowing i'm a slave to cleaning elder's moss!" PheasantTail's tufted ear twitched and he opened his jaw as if to defend himself but only silence spilled from his mouth. StormPaw flashed a charming look at the arrogant cat and padded away RiverPaw at her heels.