Chapter One
Bramblestar squeezed into the nursery, he could make out the plump shape of Poppyfrost lying curled in her nest. With a pang of grief he remembered how her mate, Berrynose, died saving her from a fox the previous moon. The dark tabby shook his head then padded to Squirrelflight's nest where she was grooming their daughter, Lightningkit. Bramblestar touched his nose to the she-cat's ear, Squirrelflight purred then nosed the smoky black she-kit, "Your father is here," she mewed.
Lightningkit blinked and looked up at the large dark tabby, "Hi Bramblestar," she squeaked scrambling from her nest.
"Are you ready to meet your clanmates," Bramblestar asked Lightningkit nodded and followed Bramblestar out into the clearing. "I'll take you to meet the elders first," he said and started toward a cave across the clearing where three gray muzzled cats were basking in the green leaf sunlight. Lightningkit padded beside her father, feeling small compared to her clan mates. As they passed a tumble of rocks a snowy white tom bounded over, leaving a light gray tabby she-cat warrior looking irritated. "Hey Lightningkit, you've opened your eyes and come out of the nursery," he purred, "Are you taking her to meet the elders Bramblestar?" he asked the leader nodded, "Yes Snowpaw," he purred. Lightningkit noticed the light gray tabby padding toward them, "Snowpaw, Mousewhisker and Ivypool are waiting on us to leave," Snowpaw dipped his head, "Okay Cinderheart," he turned back to Lightningkit, "See you later," he mewed before bounding off.
Bramblestar led her to the three elders, "Greetings Sandstorm, Dustpelt," The pale ginger elder lifter her head, her gaze brightened when it fell on Lightningkit, "Well welcome to Thunderclan Lightningkit. This is Dustpelt," she pointed to the dark brown tabby tom, the gray tom next to her let out a light snore, "And this snoring furball is Graystripe," Sandstorm prodded the gray tom in the side, "Wake up, Bramblestar brought Lightningkit," she hissed in his ear. Graystripe blinked his big yellow gaze, and found Lightningkit, "Welcome little one," he purred.
"You're Sandstorm right," Lightningkit asked, "You smell like Squirrelflight,"
A large golden tabby tom bounded over to Bramblestar and whispered something in his ear, Bramblestar narrowed his amber gaze, "You go Bramblestar, we can keep an eye on Lightningkit," Sandstorm mewed Bramblestar dipped his head in thanks before bounding after the golden tom.
"I remember when Firestar greatly distrusted Bramblestar," Sandstorm mewed. Lightningkit tipped her head, "Why didn't Firestar trust my father?" she asked
Graystripe's eyes darkened, "Because Bramblestar looks just like his own treacherous father, Tigerstar," Graystripe spat. "Tigerstar was evil and too ambitious for his own good,"
Lightningkit listened as Graystripe told her how Firestar uncovered Tigerstar's evil plot to kill Bluestar in order to become Thunderclan's leader. Once he finished Lightningkit yawned causing Sandstorm to purr in amusement, "Come along little one, time to go back to the nursery," Lightningkit didn't protest as Sandstorm lifted her by the scruff and carried her back to the nursery.
"Did she behave," Squirrelflight asked as Sandstorm set the she-kit down next to her belly, "Yes, Graystripe told her the story of how Firestar saved Bluestar from Tigerstar," Squirrelflight mewed her thanks and began to rasp her tongue across Lightningkit's flank.
"Squirrelflight, why did Tigerstar turn evil" Lightningkit asked
"I don't know little one,"
"Do you think that once a cat starts on a dark path that they can turn from it?" she asked
"Of course," Squirrelflight mewed, "Ivypool herself was led astray into the paws of the Dark Forest, but she realized her wrongs and returned to the path of the warrior code,"
Lightningkit murmured as she listened then finally drifted off to sleep.