~VergeClan~

Leader~

Redstar- a very fluffy russet orange she-cat with green eyes.

Deputy~

Nightsky- a very muscular black tom with tiny white spots on her torso. His eyes are a brilliant blue. (Apprentice: Snakepaw)

Medicine cat~

Bloomshine- an old, yet wise, orange and white splotched tabby she-cat with green eyes. (Apprentice: Shadepaw)

Warriors~

Wetrock- a sleek furred silver tom with yellow eyes.

Morningsun- a skinny, beautiful tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes. (Apprentice: Honeypaw)

Slatestripes- a prickly gray tabby tom with yellow eyes. His tabby stripes are jumbled shades of light gray and black.

Acornspots- a white and brown flecked tom with green eyes.

Pinknose- a short furred white she-cat with yellow eyes.

Forestsong- a slender brown tabby she-cat with green eyes.

Rosetail- a majorly white she-cat with orange spots on her tail, with yellow eyes.

Thunderhawk- a very large, pale orange tom with yellow eyes.

Mintleaf- a fluffy gray and white she-cat with green eyes. (Apprentice: Foxpaw)

Starlingfeather- a pure gray she-cat with blue eyes.

Ashcloud: a silver and white flecked tom with blue eyes.

Elmspots- a white tom with brown spots and green eyes.

Talonstrike- a black and gray splotched tom with yellow eyes.

Duskshadow- an all black tom with green eyes. (Apprentice: Sweetpaw)

Creamfur- a very fluffy cream colored she-cat with blue eyes. Her fur is very thick around her neck and along her tail.

Goldenleaf- a pretty light orange she-cat with green eyes.

Barkclaw- a young, solid brown tom with green eyes.

Apprentices~

Snakepaw- a black and white tom with green eyes.

Shadepaw- an orange and black speckled tom with russet orange eyes.

Honeypaw- a very light orange she-cat with blue eyes.

Foxpaw- a fuzzy orange and white tom with green eyes.

Sweetpaw- a pretty tiny calico she-cat with blue eyes.

Queens~

Berrysplash- a very soft calico she-cat with amber eyes. (Kits: Smogkit- a sleek light gray tom with blue eyes, Newtkit- an all black tom with green eyes, and Lilackit- a fluffy gray she-cat with stunning light purple eyes.)

Snowpuddle- a very beautiful white she-cat with brown spots along her back and tail. Her eyes are a bright blue. (Kits: Doekit- a dark golden tabby with light swirly tabby stripes and green eyes, and Lionkit- a large golden tabby with light spots resembling flowers on her chest and brown eyes)

Elders~

Twistedfern- a very old, short furred cream colored she-cat with green eyes. Her left eye is permanently squinted shut from a fern leaf being lodged there when she was a kit.

Mintgaze- a fluffy gray she-cat with light green eyes.

Frogleap- a brindled brown and white tabby tom with green eyes.

Chapter One

The morning was dim and frightfully cold for the newest members of the nursery. A loud, deafening roar was constantly droning on from somewhere outside. Lionkit, a tiny golden tabby, was turning her head towards the nursery entrance.

Her eyes were not yet open but a startling array of scents were being wafted towards her on the air. It smells yucky out there, she thought inwardly. Her eyes hadn't opened yet, but she felt like any moment she could just blink them open and see this strange world.

Something was shifting behind her in the nest. She turned her head towards the noise and heard her mother's soothing voice. "Lionkit what are you doing awake," she rumbled softly.

Lionkit squeaked in surprise as she felt her mother's fluffy tail curl around her and pull her back to the safety of her stomach. Smelling the milk on her fur, Lionkit happily latched on and began to suckle.

"She seems very adventurous," an unknown voice purred from somewhere close by.

"Yes, I'm sure she will be a handful," her mother replied warily. Lionkit wasn't really paying attention to the queens. She could hear some of the other kits starting to wake up in the other queen's nest.

"Are the new kits awake," one of them squeaked excitedly.

"They're too small yet for you to play with," the strange she-cat mewed softly. I'm not small, Lionkit thought indignantly. Beside her, she could hear Doekit whimpering as she was woken from her sleep.

Breaking away from their mother, she stumbled over to her sister on shaky paws. She mewed in surprise as her nose bumped into Doekit's soft fur and she tripped over her tail.

"How am I going to keep ahold of you," their mother sighed as she picked up Lionkit by the scruff. As she placed her down next to her stomach once more, an unknown cat poked their head into the entrance.

"Snowpuddle? I've come to see our kits," a gruff voice meowed nearby. Lionkit felt her mother stand next to her, giving her the chance to stumble back over to Doekit.

Snowpuddle sighed, "I just can't get Lionkit to sit still. She wants to wander all over the place."

The gruff male voice laughed, "she is only a day old! How much trouble could she get into," he asked mischievously.

"Only to slip out of the nursery and onto one of the Thunderpaths," she growled, "no, Nightsky, I would rather they just stay right here."

"Those Thunderpaths protect us, you know," he meowed, "I'm sure without them we would have to worry about foxes and badgers taking our kits. Besides, I'm sure they wouldn't get as far as the Thunderpaths." His voice was soft and soothing, clearly trying to calm Snowpuddle back down.

"I just don't want to lose them," she sighed. Being her first litter, Snowpuddle felt fiercely protective of her two tiny she-kits.

"It's natural to be protective. Even though you're the deputy, you're not going to feel the same way a mother feels," the strange she-cat mewed from her nest in the corner. Nightsky grunted, "I suppose, Berrysplash. I just don't want you to discourage them. The urge to explore is a nice quality for a warrior to have."

Berrysplash's kits started to mew excitedly in their nest. "I'll be the greatest warrior!" "No, I'll be the greatest warrior!" "Well I'll catch the most prey!"

Nightsky couldn't help but chuckle as the kits chirped up from the depths of Berrysplash's nest. "I'm sure if you can handle three kits, we will be just fine with our two."

Lionkit felt her father's nose graze over her fur as he bent to sniff his daughters. His scent filled her nostrils, making her feel calm and protected. Snowpuddle was stepping back into their nest, placing her paws carefully to not step on her kits.

"Yes we will be fine," she purred as she snuggled back down next to Lionkit and Doekit. Her earlier anger had subsided to be replaced by affection for her daughters. Lionkit started to purr happily as she realized Nightsky was also climbing into the nest beside them.

"Don't they need you on patrol," Snowpuddle mewed sleepily as she bent down and started to gently lick Doekit's fur. The other golden tabby kit really hadn't moved too much while the older cats were speaking.

Lionkit was just content to listen. Most of the words still confused her, but she felt warm and fuzzy now that her father was curled into the nest next to her. She stumbled over to his side and nuzzled herself happily into his fur. She could faintly detect that icky scent from outside the den, but she could also smell fresh air and green growing things on his fur.

I wonder how it looks out there, she thought suddenly. The curiosity was burning, paired with the warmth of her parent's pelts was almost unbearable. She attempted to open her eyes, but the lids felt heavy and awkward to maneuver.

After a few seconds, she managed to open them to tiny slits. All she could see was her father's pitch black fur, like a wall of darkness over her vision. "I think I see her eyes opening," she heard Nightsky meow.

"You must be imagining it. They're still too young to open their eyes," Snowpuddle mewed softly. She was starting to drift back to sleep.

Lionkit noticed Nightsky lower his head so he could look directly at her. His brilliant blue eyes startled her, making her stumble backwards on top of Doekit.

He chuckled softly as he pawed her off of Doekit and back over to his side. Lionkit was starting to feel tiredness weigh her limbs. Her curiosity about the outside was still burning within but for now she must rest. I guess I am too small, she thought sadly.

But in six moons time, she would be an apprentice. Then she would be able to explore as much of the territory she wanted. The thought made her feel giddy but her slurred eyelids were beginning to close with tiredness.

One day I will explore beyond the Thunderpaths, she thought. With Doekit beside me, we can do anything!