ALLIEGANCES

RainClan

Leader- Robinstar- Pale sandy-ginger she-cat (Brilliant Green)-8 lives

Deputy- Frostheart- Thick-furred silver top with white eartips (Blue)

Medicine Cat- Darkflower- Cross black she-cat with a white splotch on her chest. (Hazel)- Gracepaw

Warriors- Dovefeather- Gentle light gray she-cat with darker flecks on her face (Blue)

Rowanflame- Burnt- ginger colored tom (Green)

Larksong- Extremely kind white she-cat with a darker side if threatened (Green)- Dawnpaw

Blackstream- Glossy black she-cat with white ears and tail (Blue)

Sunstream- Swift tan tom (Golden-Brown)

Mossyleaf- Brown-and-black speckled tom (Amber)- Flintpaw

Stormbird- Blue-gray snappy tom with a will to fight (Smoldering Blue)- Thistlepaw

Ambergaze- Cross black tabby she-cat (Cold Amber)

Morningmist- Fluffy light-gray she-cat with white-tipped fur that makes her appearance similar to that of a cloud (Blue)

Firestorm- Bulky and muscular ginger tabby tom (Blazing Green)

Apprentices- Gracepaw- Sleek and beautiful light gray she-cat (Blue)

Thistlepaw- Grumpy gray and white patched tom (Amber)

Dawnpaw- Milky-cream colored she-cat (Blue)

Flintpaw- Sharp-sensed black tom (Amber)

Queens- Feathermist- Sleek silver tabby she-cat (Pretty Gray)

Mate: Frostheart Kits: Moonkit, Graykit

Leopardleaf- Spotted black she-cat (Green)

Mate: Stormbird Kits: Ivykit, Snakekit, Bramblekit

Kits- Moonkit- beautiful sleek silver tabby she-kit; gets all the attention (Dashing Blue)

Graykit- Dull gray small, but muscular scruffy she-kit, fur shines in the sunlight (Dull Amber)

Ivykit- Gray-and-white she-kit (Green)

Snakekit- Brown tabby tom, secretly admires Graykit (Amber)

Bramblekit- Joyful dark brown tabby tom (Blue)

Elders- Whiskerstone- Quiet, old gray tabby tom (Blue)

Ravenwhisper- Tufted old gray she-cat, sympathetic (Green)

Chapter One

Feathermist groaned in agony, her stomach convulsing. Her mate, also the deputy, was by her side, eyes wild. She felt something slip out, and the pain subsided for a little bit. Darkflower, the medicine cat, nipped the kitting sac and groomed the little kit until she convulsed and wailed. The she-kit was a dull gray, and Feathermist immediately hissed, "Graykit."

There was a groan from her as the last kit slid out. This kit was weak and delicate, and it took all Darkflower's skill to make it breathe. Feathermist sighted in relief as the other kit began to suckle, squeaking as she did.

~Timeskip~

Graykit stared at her sister grumpily. After almost a moon of bickering, her parents had named her Moonkit, which she knew was against the warrior code. She sat off in the corner of the nest while her mother cooed over Moonkit, grooming the she-kit who already had sleek fur. The chilly night air caused Moonkit to snuggle with her mother, and soon they both fell asleep.

Graykit glanced at her own dark gray, tufty fur, and attempted to groom it down. She longed to set paw outside, but oh no, she couldn't. Only Moonkit was allowed outside, and she could go out once Moonkit was in. But Moonkit stayed outside from dawn to dusk, playing with the older kits. She already felt some sort of aggression toward her sister. Feathermist always pampered her, said she was the best and made Graykit feel like a nuisance.

She rose to her paws and glanced around. The night air breathed out on her face, while Feathermist had Moonkit tucked right by her side. Hissing, she slipped out of the nursery, squeaking in joy as she tossed an old scrap of moss in the air.

Nighttime was the only time she was out.

The only time she could play.

The only time she felt good.

Stormbird was sitting guars at the entrance, paying no attention to the young kit playing in the shadows. She figured that her dark pelt blended with it. She turned and glanced at Stormbird. The young tom's eyes flashed with alarm, and he opened his mouth to yowl a warning. Graykit tumbled from the shadows, not wanting to be in trouble. Stormbird's eyes flashed with annoyance, and he spat at the little kit.

Flinching, Graykit retreated to the shadows, the only place where other cats couldn't bother her. Vines grew thick here, serving as part of the camp. She sniffed at them, lashing her tiny claws across them, channeling all her anger in one blow. She looked carefully at the vine, where her claws had scored deep scratches across. The sun started to peek out, and she squeaked in alarm.

She ducked behind the vines just as Moonkit tumbled out of the nursery, squealing. Moonkit headed straight for the vines, trying to climb up them, probably as a game. As soon as she started, Ivykit and Bramblekit came bounding out, scurrying up the vines. Graykit shook the vines, grinning as Moonkit squeaked and fell to the ground, along with the others. Moonkit cried defiantly, catching the attention of Feathermist, who came launching herself out of the nursery to her wailing kit. Feathermist checked Moonkit all over, her eyes blazing in rage. Graykit almost jumped in alarm when Feathermist's eyes locked on her gaze.

Defiant, she locked her gaze, narrowing her eyes darkly. Feathermist growled and barked out an order, "Graykit! Out, now!" Graykit slunk out of behind the vines, ears flattened.

Feathermist snarled, "You never do that again! Moonkit would have been hurt!"

Graykit yowled back loudly, "She was only a tail-length up on the vines! No cat can get hurt from falling that far!" Her loud yowl had caught the attention of almost all the cats in the clan. Feathermist snarled, raising her paw. Graykit felt a flash of alarm as she saw her unsheathed claws. As she brought her paw down to cuff her ear, Graykit sprang up, her head smashing into Feathermist's face, before springing off, panting. Feathermist still cuffed her, cutting a large nick in her ear.

Graykit yelped in pain, but didn't flinch.

She sprang away from her mother, hopping into the shadows. Blood trickled from the nick in her ear. She felt it, wincing as the blood stained her fur. Feathermist herded a wailing Moonkit into the nursery, eyes narrowed. She curled up, tucking behind the vines. She frowned defiantly, wishing that the vine she had clawed was Moonkit's face. She sighed, wishing that someone would like her. The blood hadn't dried yet, and was still seeping out. She winced in pain, the cut was ragged and deep, half her ear hung loose from where it originally was. Peeking out, she saw that most of the warriors were gone. She scampered to the medicine cat's den, where Darkflower, hopefully, would treat the wound. All she got was a warning hiss from the inside and was sent scampering by a wounded tom back to the nursery. She crept in hesitantly, Feathermist snarled at her, while Moonkit was still wailing about how her paw 'hurt'.

Graykit flinched backwards as her own mother lunged forward. She yowled as her mother's teeth collided with the torn ear. She squirmed, trying to get loose from her mother's grip. Snakekit was at the edge of his own nest, staring at the mad queen in horror. Graykit screamed in agony as the rest of her ear tore, leaving Feathermist with the scrap of her ear in between her teeth. The fiery pain hurt like nothing ever, and she trashed her head, screeching in agony. Gracepaw slipped in the den, borage in her jaws before she saw the injured kit. The medic apprentice dropped the borage, and picked up the kit in her jaws. Graykit felt the burning pain in her ear, as well as the blood dripping down from her face.

Gracepaw brought her to the den, setting her down in a nest. Darkflower came over, eyes full of concern for the tiny kit. Darkflower whispered to her, "What happened?" Graykit could only wince, her head swimming. Darkflower left the den and soon returned with her father, Frostheart, the deputy. His eyes burned with rage as he saw his kit, with blood trickling down her face. Gracepaw had returned with herbs and cobwebs. Graykit felt the sting of the herb as the poultice was plastered onto her ear. Gracepaw wrapped the cobwebs around it, securing the wound. Frostheart groomed the blood off her face, returning it to the same gray fluff.

He growled, "Who did this to you?"

Graykit managed to get the name out, "F-Feathermist." She flinched at herself saying the name. Frostheart left, tail lashing. He came back with Feathermist, who still looked angry. She heard the hiss of disgust from Feathermist, and flinched backwards. Frostheard moved in front of her, "Would you like to explain, my dear?"

Feathermist growled, "She hurt my precious Moonkit!" Frostheart scoffed.

He licked Graykit gently between the ears, "Yes I saw your argument, Graykit had a point. No cat other than a newborn could ever get hurt from falling a tail-length!"

Feathermist snapped back, "Moonkit is small and fragile, she could have gotten hurt!"

This time Graykit yowled at her, "She's bigger and fatter than me! She's stronger, she gets to go outside, she gets to eat more, she gets to sleep with you! It's like you don't love me!" Feathermist growled at her, claws unsheathed. Graykit knew she was ready to deliver another blow to her. A cough sounded behind Feathermist, a tall sandy she-cat stood at the nursery entrance, her eyes narrowed.

She mewed coolly, "Feathermist, is this true?"

Feathermist stuttered, "W-well, yes…" Graykit saw her mother's ears flattened in shame, but she saw that Feathermist was still glaring at her. Her mother looked away, "Sorry, Robinstar."

Robinstar's eyes relaxed from their narrow, "Well, alright. But, as punishment, Graykit will not share the same nest, or den with you, and you are confined to camp for a moon." She looked as Frostheart, "You will share your nest with Graykit in the deputy den until her apprenticeship." Frostheart nodded, and pretty soon everything else was sorted and only Gracepaw was left in the den. Graykit fell into a fitful sleep, unaware of what her future held for her.