BEFORE
My name is Brightkit. I know, you see my name and assume that I have some kind of great destiny built from one of StarClan's famous prophecies. Or that I live a regular, happy life filled with love and family. Maybe even achieving a high rank in the Clan, like deputy or leader.
But that is not my story.
I wasn't born to be a hero. I didn't come to leave my legacy with the Clans. Kit tales like those weren't meant for me. My whole life was spent being used. By everyone. And the thing is, I wasn't even bothered by it. I let everything happen—I didn't even try to stop it.
I could've just blamed someone else—like Hawkstar for his twisted plans or StarClan for not stopping this madness or even my mother for not fighting hard enough for me. But it wasn't any of them that caused this. I sat there and made my choices.
I spent my whole life trying to be an obedient warrior. I tried to follow orders and remain loyal to ShadowClan, even if that meant breaking moral codes. I'm not perfect. I was never meant to be.
I'm just Brightkit, a she-cat from ShadowClan. I wasn't a monster. I was a kit who was lied to and twisted to be a hardened warrior.
And this is my story.
"My daughter is not going to be your little puppet spy, Hawkstar!" a voice spat. Brightkit raised her head and blinked sleepily. She recognized that voice—it was her mother, Willowleaf. The kit rose to her paws and shook her ginger and white fur, sending moss bits scattering onto the dirt floor.
The nursery felt cold and empty without her mother. Sure, Brightkit's siblings were both snoring quietly in the corner, but it wasn't the same.
"Mother?" she whispered, stepping out into the clearing. She squinted from the harsh sunlight and waited for her vision to adjust. Willowleaf stood facing a large black tom, her green eyes staring at him harshly. "What's going on?" she asked curiously, her head slightly tilting to the side.
Her mother sighed and shook her head, "It's nothing, Brightkit. Go back to your siblings."
The dark tom scoffed, "Honestly, Willowleaf? You can't hide her away into the nursery. She deserves to know."
"She is two moons old, Darkfeather. Ease off," the cream-furred queen warned, her tone sharp as she took a protective stance in front of the ShadowClan deputy. "Tell Hawkstar to find another victim for his insane plan," she snapped.
Brightkit's blue eyes darted between the two. She was confused. Hawkstar was ShadowClan's leader, what could he possibly want with her? And what about Cinderkit and Whitekit? Did he want them too?
"Stop being foolish," Darkfeather growled. "You know what ThunderClan did to your mate—her father. Hawkstar finally is offering some chance of redemption for our Clan and you want to squander it just because you're afraid?"
"What are you afraid of?" Brightkit couldn't help but ask. She stared at her mother with honest eyes.
The queen's gaze softened when she looked at her kit. "I don't want anything to happen to you, darling. The world isn't safe," she admitted, stroking her tail down Brightkit's spine in a soothing manner.
Darkfeather's eyes filled with realization. "Hey," he murmured, bending his head down so that he was Brightkit's eye level, "have you ever wanted to be a hero?" he asked.
The little kit blinked shyly at him and she took a few nervous steps backwards. "I—I don't know. Could I be a hero?" she wondered. Brightkit had never been a hero before. Usually it was Cinderkit who got to be the leader when she and her siblings would play games.
"You can do anything," Darkfeather answered honestly. "You could be a medicine cat or a deputy or ShadowClan's new leader," he promised. Brightkit's eyes widened with excitement and the tom grinned. He was winning her over. "You could even save ShadowClan!" he mewed excitedly, smiling widely at the kit.
Brightkit inhaled sharply. Saving ShadowClan? That's something that she could only dream of. "Really?" she murmured, her tail swishing against the ground.
"Really," Darkfeather nodded, "and Hawkstar knows you could be a hero. He wants me to help you become one."
Willowleaf glared. "Stop filling her head with lies!" she hissed. "Brightkit is not going anywhere!" She reached out a paw and pushed the little kit behind her.
"I haven't said anything that wasn't true," Darkfeather defended. He returned his gaze to Brightkit, "You can be ShadowClan's greatest warrior," he repeated.
Brightkit glanced at her mother, "Why can't I be a great warrior?" she questioned.
Willowleaf shook her head, "It's not the life you think it is, Brightkit. You aren't ready."
The ginger and white she-cat fluffed her fur in anger, "I'm ready!" she argued. "I promise I am! I'll work hard!"
Darkfeather smiled in triumph, "You aren't going to win, Willowleaf. Besides, nothing's going to happen. She'll be fine. And you have Whitekit and Cinderkit to worry about as well. Leave Brightkit to Hawkstar," he persuaded.
The queen let out the breath she'd been holding. She knew she had lost. Her face lowered so that she could stare Brightkit in the eyes. "You listen to me," Willowleaf meowed firmly, "I want you to be careful. Listen to Darkfeather and do not try and get in over your head. Wait and observe and protect yourself," she instructed.
Brightkit stared at her with wide eyes and Willowleaf felt her walls slowly crumble away. She wrapped her body around her young daughter and hugged her fiercely. "I love you, Brightkit," she whispered, a small tear escaping her eye. "Please don't get too caught up in Hawkstar and ShadowClan. Don't forget yourself."
The kit buried her nose into her mother's soft, familiar brown fur. "It's not like I'm leaving, mother," she mewed lightly, "I'm right here."
Willowleaf drew away and shook her head, a pained smile on her graceful face, "You don't understand now, but you will someday," she murmured. "You're going to do great things, little one. I know it."
Brightkit grinned cheerfully, "I'll try," she promised.
"She's a bit small, don't you think?" Hawkstar muttered, nudging Brightkit with his large brown paw. She caught herself from falling sideways and stood back up with a quiet huff. She didn't enjoy being pushed around. "What about her brother or sister?"
Darkfeather shrugged, his eyes scanning over her, "She's the least threatening of the three and she listens well," he reported.
Darkfeather had brought her to the leader's den a few moments ago. It was dark and musty and the ground was damp even though it hadn't rained in days. Brightkit had gotten to see the ShadowClan leader first hand, and from what she had observed, he was very rude. She thought he was going to make her a great warrior, but so far all he'd done was compare her to her siblings.
Hawkstar's cold amber eyes stared at her, "Do you know why you're here?" he asked.
Brightkit blinked up at him with her large, innocent eyes. The ones kits would use when they were trying to get out of trouble. "I'm going to be ShadowClan's hero," she said proudly, her chest slightly puffed.
The leader snorted at her words and shot her an amused glance, "I suppose you are. You'll be a fine warrior, Brightkit. Now tell me, are you aware of the other Clans that surround the lake?"
The kit tilted her head, a habit she had adopted whenever she was thinking something over. "Sometimes Whitekit and I pretend to be WindClan warriors that are attacking camp and Cinderkit is ShadowClan's leader," she mewed.
Hawkstar nodded impatiently, "And ThunderClan you know of them, right?"
"Yes."
"Do you remember a few moons ago when ThunderClan warriors attacked our camp? Your father was one of our many warriors that died in the war," the leader reminded. Brightkit flinched. She didn't know much about her father, but it was still a very tender topic. "ShadowClan was nearly wiped out after that attack," he continued, "but somehow, we found a way to survive."
Brightkit stared at the ground, "Why did ThunderClan have to kill all those cats?" she asked quietly.
Darkfeather shook his head, speaking up from the side of the den, "They aren't good cats, Brightkit. You can't forgive them for taking so many innocent lives."
The she-cat nodded slowly, "Why didn't StarClan stop them?"
"StarClan is wise; they knew that ShadowClan would pull through. However, ThunderClan still lurks and I fear that if they were to launch another attack our Clan would be destroyed permanently," Hawkstar revealed.
Brightkit's ears angled forward with interest.
The ShadowClan leader rested his tail on the she-cat's shoulder and he looked at her with complete serious. "You can save ShadowClan, Brightkit. Your name will be spoken of for seasons to come," he boasted, amber eyes wide with excitement.
She narrowed her eyes, "Me? How?"
Hawkstar chuckled and nodded slowly, "You'll protect us from ThunderClan. You'll be our hero."
ALLEGIANCES
ThunderClan
Leader
Lionstar – huge golden tabby with amber eyes
Deputy
Brackenpelt – muscular ginger tabby tom with darker stripes and green eyes
Medicine Cat
Sparrowfeather – small tawny she-cat (apprentice, Featherpaw)
Warriors
Rippleclaw – black tom with white paws
Hazelfoot – gray she-cat (apprentice, Tigerpaw)
Amberpelt – ginger she-cat (apprentice, Sandpaw)
Snowflight – large white tom with amber eyes (apprentice, Rainpaw)
Pebblefoot – gray and white tom
Sootwhisker – gray she- cat with black speckles
Nightstorm – black and white tom with blue eyes
Apprentices
Tigerpaw – dark ginger tabby
Rainpaw – dark gray tom
Featherpaw – light brown she-cat
Sandpaw – ginger she-cat
Queens
Dovefeather – small, silver she-cat with blue eyes; expecting Pebblefoot's kits
Elders
Fernshade – brown she-cat with green eyes
Shallowpool – dark tabby tom
ShadowClan
Leader
Hawkstar – dark brown tom with cold amber eyes
Deputy
Darkfeather – huge black tom
Medicine Cat
Emberpelt – light ginger she-cat
Warriors
Flightwing – white tom (apprentice, Leafpaw)
Shellclaw – gray she-cat with green eyes
Rowanfoot – muscular tabby tom
Sharpfang – black and white tom
Apprentices
Leafpaw – pretty dappled she-cat
Queens
Willowleaf – cream furred she-cat with green eyes; nursing Ashclaw's kits (Whitekit – white tom with blue eyes / Cinderkit – small gray she-cat with green eyes / Brightkit – ginger and white she-cat with blue eyes)
Elders
Lakeshade – blue-gray she-cat
RiverClan
Leader
Mallowstar – pretty brown she-cat with green eyes
Deputy
Swiftfoot – gray and white tom
Medicine Cat
Tawnyleaf – tortoiseshell she-cat (apprentice, Thistlepaw)
Warriors
Ravenfeather – black she-cat
Graypelt – gray tom (apprentice, Pikepaw)
Finchwing – ginger tom
Brambletalon – dark tabby tom
Larchfur – brown she-cat
Minnowstream – calico she-cat with blue eyes (apprentice, Ivypaw)
Honeytail – ginger and white she-cat
Lightstep – silver she-cat (apprentice, Owlpaw)
Apprentices
Thistlepaw – dark brown tom
Ivypaw – white she-cat with green eyes
Owlpaw – black and white tom
Pikepaw – light brown tom
Queens
Quietrain – light gray she-cat; expecting Brambletalon's kits
Elders
Russetwhisker – small black tom
Shrewfang – black and white tom
WindClan
Leader
Rushstar – light brown tom
Deputy
Patchfur – black and white tom
Medicine Cat
Petalwhisker – pretty calico she-cat
Warriors
Icefang – white she-cat
Fawnheart – gentle brown she-cat
Scorchstep – dark ginger tom (apprentice, Bluepaw)
Goldensky – light golden tom
Hailcloud – gray tom
Dappleheart – calico she-cat (apprentice, Heatherpaw)
Mothflight – tortoiseshell she-cat
Nettlewhisker – black tom
Apprentices
Heatherpaw – light gray and white she-cat
Bluepaw – gray-blue she-cat
Queens
Mossystone – pretty gray she-cat with green eyes; nursing Nettlewhisker's kits (Mintkit – small silver she-cat / Tumblekit – dark brown tom)
Elders
Wavepelt – mottled brown tabby
Sorrelfeather – calico she-cat
Cats Outside the Clans
Kenzie – pretty tortoiseshell she-cat | loner
Finn – ginger tom | lives at the Horseplace
Ally – light brown she-cat | lives at the Horseplace
Thank you for clicking on my story! I hope you enjoy this crazy, crazy ride. Please leave me a review with your thoughts or if you have questions! I'd love to hear your feedback—it helps me improve my writing skills.
Can't wait to share Brightkit and her story with all of you!
-Stormyyy