Hello everyone! Welcome to my newest story, To Be or Not To Be: Book One. I actually adopted this story idea from TheFanfictionMaster. They allowed me to create this into my own story and well here you have it. I really hope you enjoy this story and also check out TheFanfictionMaster when you get a moment.
Summary: A kittypet is a just word until you turn into something. I was once a kittypet until I found this whole new land. Now I'm living in the world of the clans. My name is Dawn and this is my story.
A light gray kit stared off into the shadowy, mysterious forest. Her curiosity had always had her wondering what was in there for her. As a light breeze ruffled her soft fur she wondered what it would be like to venture into the forest that she dreamt about every night. She wondered what adventures awaited her in that forest. What creatures would she meet in there? Would she prefer that life over her boring, easy life here? What scents and objects would she discover?
Her curiosity was so strong that she decided she wanted that life. She wanted to live life and see what was in that forest. She leapt from the fence that surrounded her owner's home and bounded toward the forest. The moon was her only light. She felt her body rush with excitement as she entered the dark, mysterious forest. She pelted deeper and deeper into the forest until she could no longer see the two-legs homes. She purred with satisfaction. Her old life was no more. She was now a wild cat that she had heard about from her neighbors. She was reminded of another cat she had heard about that also went out to join the life that she was now pursuing.
The cats name was Rusty. He had been a kit, like her, when he left. He was older though. She heard that he had found a group of wild cats and joined their 'clan'. Dawn thought that was a little far-fetched. Wild cats living this life as a group, sounded like a crazy dream. Although, Rusty had never returned…
Dawn shook her head to clear her thoughts. She padded on. She let her senses take her to another world. She felt so free and brave to be out in the forest at long last. She breathed in the fresh air and relinquished it for as long as she could.
All of a sudden, Dawn felt like she wasn't alone. She stopped and peered around, wondering who was there. She allowed the fur rise along her spine and she found her voice.
"W-Who's there?" Dawn asked. Suddenly, two cats jumped from the trees and landed in front of her. One was a stocky gray tabby tom. The other was a magnificent fiery tom. Dawn knew that she was in trouble now.
"Who are you and what are you doing on Thunderclan territory?" The fiery tom asked. His inquisitive green eyes gave a sense of security to Dawn for some reason and she answered honestly to the tom.
"I'm Dawn. And I didn't realize I'd wandered onto your territory," Dawn answered. The gray and ginger toms both shared a look before continuing.
"Are you a kittypet?" The ginger tom asked. Kittypet? What in the world was a kittypet.
"I'm not sure. What is a kittypet?" Dawn asked, curiously. She suddenly felt no more fear but only curiosity. She wanted to learn as much as she could about these cats.
"A kittypet is a cat who lives with two-legs in twolegplace. They led a soft an overfed life and do not have the heart to make it in the forest," The gray tom answered her this time. His words were hurtful to her since she realized that she was a kittypet in their eyes. Or in his eyes. She could've sworn she saw the ginger tom flinch at his words.
"I… I guess I am a kittypet," Dawn said sadly. The gray tom narrowed his eyes at her and the ginger tom murmured something in his ear. The gray tom's eyes widened and he nodded slowly.
"Did you leave your owners?" The ginger tom stepped forward and asked Dawn. He sat down calmly in front of her and wrapped his tail around his paws.
"Yes. I didn't feel right where I was," Dawn answered honestly.
"Interesting. By the way, my name is Fireheart. This is Graystripe. We are a part of Thunderclan, one of the four clans that live in this forest," Fireheart explained to Dawn. Her eyes widened at this knew knowledge. Clans? They were real?
"The clans are real?" Dawn asked.
"Oh yes, they are very real. Graystripe and I are both warriors," Fireheart purred. Graystripe sat down next to him and nodded.
"Warriors? What are warriors?" Dawn asked. Excitement began bubbling in her once again. So much new information. But she felt as though she already knew the answer.
"Warriors are the cats that hunt and fight for the clan. They also train apprentices once in a while. And apprentices become warriors after their training. And when warriors become too old or ill to serve their clan properly anymore, they retire to the elders," Fireheart explained. Dawn nodded curiously.
"Tell me more," Dawn said excitedly. Fireheart and Graystripe both nodded to each other.
"Maybe you'll learn more if you joined Thunderclan yourself. You could come back with us and introduce you to our leader, Bluestar. She'll make the decision on whether you stay with us or not. But we must ask you a question," Fireheart proposed the possibility. Dawn nodded quickly.
"Are you sure you want to give up your life as a kittypet? If you join us you cannot go back at any costs. This life can prove to be too difficult for you, especially when Leaf-Bare comes and there is little food to go around. You will have to fight other clans sometimes and the battles can be long and hard. Are you willing to give up your life as a kittypet and join us?" Fireheart asked Dawn. His words seemed ominous and frightening, like joining them would be a mistake. But Dawn had made up her mind. She was going to join these wild cats.
"I am willing," Dawn said bravely. Fireheart and Graystripe stood up and beckoned her to follow them.
They led her deeper and deeper into the forest. They took her through twists and turns in the paths, bushes, and even leapt a few streams. The entire journey was quite nerve racking. Dawn couldn't believe how large the forest was. From her old home, the forest didn't look that large. But now that she was here, it proved to be quite the opposite. If she joined these wild cats, would she have to memorize the forest? These wild cats must be crazy from doing so.
A new scent hit the roof of Dawn's mouth. Cats. A lot of cats. The moon was now high in the sky when she entered a clearing. Fireheart sprinted of to a giant rock and disappeared. Graystripe led her to the rock and sat down at the base. Fireheart then appeared with a blue-gray she-cat behind him. She sat down in front of Dawn and the two other warriors. Dawn looked into her mysterious blue eyes and saw curiosity in them. She lifted her head to Fireheart.
"This is her? She is very small," The she-cat murmured. Dawn felt a burst of anger course through her body.
"Yes, but she is only a kit, Bluestar," Fireheart told her.
"Oh, but she is also a kittypet," Bluestar growled.
"But, Bluestar, the warrior code says that if we find a kit in our territory then it is our duty to protect and care for them," Fireheart pointed out. The warrior code? What was that?
Bluestar looked thoughtful for a moment. She then sighed and turned to Fireheart and Graystripe.
"Give me some time to think this over. I'll announce my decision tomorrow. Until then take her to the nursery. I'm sure Brightsky will be willing to look after her," Bluestar told them. Fireheart and Graystripe dipped their heads to her and Bluestar leaped up onto the rock and sat there, gazing at the stars.
Fireheart told Graystripe to head back to the den and he'll take care of Dawn. Graystripe nodded and padded off to a den. Fireheart led Dawn across the clearing. He pushed into the den and moments later reappeared with a little light gray cat. She looked almost exactly like Dawn. The only difference was that Dawn had a splash of ginger around her muzzle. The she-cat, Brightsky, looked at her in shock and disbelief. She padded toward her a sniffed her cautiously. Her eyes widened as she pulled back, shock and excitement in her eyes.
"D-Dawnkit?" She muttered. Dawn looked at her a moment longer before Bluestar jumped from her seat on the large rock. She padded over gracefully to the two she-cats.
"Brightsky? Do you know this kit?" Bluestar asked.
"A mother never forgets the smell of her kit," Brightsky purred. She instantly wrapped her tail around Dawn, squishing her into Brightsky's soft underbelly. Her kit? Does this mean…
Dawn pulled back and looked into the cats bright amber eyes. She tried to pull any memory of this cat back into her mind. She suddenly felt a memory surface of her snuggling into the soft belly of a light gray she-cat. She remembered another kit beside her, suckling her mother's milk. Another cat, a tortoiseshell tom, looked down at the two fondly and nuzzled both of them before leaving the den. Dawn couldn't believe it. This cat was her mother. Dawn pressed against her once again and breathed in the suddenly very familiar scent.
"Dawnkit has returned," Bluestar purred.