Prologue:

So this is the start of my new series. Enjoy!

PROLOGUE

Shadekit tumbled towards the other kits as they got ready to play battle. "Hey guys!" he meowed and he stepped beside his sister, Willowkit. "Can I be ThunderClan's leader this time?" he asked, looking around at the other five kits.

Thrushkit shook his head. "No, you can just be a RiverClan warrior," he said to Shadekit.

Shadekit hung his head in disappointment. "But I never get to be a leader!" he complained.

"Sorry," replied Thrushkit, shrugging.

Shadekit narrowed his eyes, but knew there was no point in arguing. They would never let him be the leader in their fake battles. They all just seemed to ignore and pick on Shadekit because he was smaller than the rest of them. The groups were sorted out, and Shadekit ended up being a RiverClan hunting patrol with Willowkit and Volekit. Thrushkit, Cherrykit, and Flowerkit were grouped together as a patrol of ThunderClan warriors.

"You dirty RiverClan cats!" screeched Cherrykit, standing on a rock. "How dare you hunt on ThunderClan territory?"

"This is our territory!" yelled Willowkit. "And it was our prey!"

With a high-pitched wail, Cherrykit jumped onto Willowkit. The two cats rolled around with Shadekit, Volekit, Sunkit, and Thrushkit batted each other with their paws. For a few moments, they play-fought until a cat padded up to them.

"That's enough," she said briskly. "You're making too much noise, and Branchtail is trying to sleep."

The fighting stopped and Shadekit looked up at the cat. It was his mother, Moonfoot. Her silver fur glistened in the sun and Shadekit felt a rush of admiration. His mother was such a great mother and she was one of the best hunters in ThunderClan. Well, she had been before she moved into the nursery. But in a moon, she would be back into hunting, and Shadekit would be an apprentice.

"Okay," said Willowkit, padding up to Moonfoot. "But can we go listen to the elders tell stories?" There was a hopeful glint in her eyes.

"No. I told you, Branchtail is trying to sleep," the queen replied. "Now, all of you, get back into the nursery."

The six kits shuffled back to the nursery and crammed in there. Thrushkit, Cherrykit, and Volekit's mother, Dappledface, was curled up in the back. "Great StarClan, it's getting crowded in here," she groaned. "I can't wait till we get more space."

"Well, since I'll be an apprentice soon, there will be more room," boasted Thrushkit, fluffing his chest out.

"Us too!" Cherrykit and Volekit cried out, standing beside their brother.

"Don't brag," scolded Dappledface, cuffing her kits over the ears.

Shadekit flushed with jealousy. Thrustkit and his siblings were going to be apprentices in just a few sunrises, while he had to wait an entire moon. At least Thrustkit would be out of the nursery and not able to tell Shadekit how to play and everything.

Willowkit noticed her brother's envy and flicked her tail over his head. "Don't worry, Shadekit, we'll be apprentices soon enough," she mewed comfortingly.

Thrushkit leaned forward. "I'll be the best hunter and fighter ever!" he whispered. "Well, better than Shadekit at least," he added, throwing a glare at the black kit.

Shadekit growled and then whimpered as he curled against the edge of the nursery.

"Thrushkit!" exclaimed Dappledface. "How could you be so rude! Go out and tell Nettletooth that you're to help him search the elders for ticks," she ordered.

"Yes, Dappledface," Thrushkit groaned, thumping out of the nursery.

"Are you okay, Shadekit?" asked Willowkit, curling up beside him.

He grunted and flicked his tail over his eyes. Why was every cat so mean to him? Why was Thrushkit so mean to him? He'd never done anything to hurt Thrushkit, but he felt as if StarClan was punishing him for something. Had he done something wrong? He racked his mind, but couldn't find anything that might make StarClan so mad at him. Shadekit sniffled and then closed his eyes, trying to fall asleep.

But what Thrushkit had said still lingered in his mind.

Would Shadekit ever be a good warrior to ThunderClan?