Snowkit hit the moss ball with his tiny paw. He flung it up and caught it. He saw movement out of the corner of his eye. His mother
was beckoning him over. He wondered why no one spoke to him? Their mouths moved but ni words came out. He wondered if he was born ugly or
different...was it possible?

But the cat with the twisted leg was spoken to all the time. He felt it. But when he neared them to find out the words vanished
Snowkit bounded over to his mother. The flame pelted cat looked at him and then walked looks like such a high rank!Snowkit
thought. I want to be like him one day! He studied the camp. Many cats he reconized by rank or pelt trotted in and out of the dens.
and a tunnel that must lead out of camp! He wanted to see the territory! Learn where he lived. Suddenly a soft nose nudged
Mother nodded to the flame pelted cat whose mouth was wont he talk! Am i really different? The thought sent a fear through
him. Then he felt ashamed. Maybe they can't talk. He raced to the tom and looked up at him smiling. He tried to tell him it was all
right to be different, but when he couldn't hear his own words, fear andd curiousity blazed through him.

Snowkit and the Flame pelted cat trotted back to his mother. She wasn't looking at him. The Cat with the twisted leg was mouthing
something. His mother's face fell. He could sense her great disappointment and anger mixed with grief. He has done something wrong!
She didnt like him! Oh no! Please mother! Don't hate me! What did i do? He wondered. The flame cat walked off, his gaze on something
else. He began trying to ask his mother why she was mad. Why she hated him. She only glanced at him. Then snarled at the twisted legged
cat and picked him up. As he was carried off he waved a paw at the kind twisted legged cat, but she turned away from him. He froze. I am
different! No! Don't hate me! But his mother dropped him in her nest and curled up by him, soothingly licking him til he fell asleep.

Five Sunrises later he with his mother. She was squatted down in a position. She beckoned to him. He tried to copy her and he fell over
then noticed his waving white tail. He darted his paws up to grab it put as he did it pulled away. Doing what he thought was making sounds
of joy, he twirled after his snowy tail. His mother sighed, sitting up. Snowkit sensed she was hungry. She gazed at a bunch of dead creatures,
and then stalked towards them full of discouragement. Ever since she spoke to the twisted legged cat, she seemed gloomy and sad. He tumbled
towards a moss ball and swatted it up. Suddenly a cold feeling hit him. He froze and looked up. He tried to ask where everyone was but he wasnt
sure he made a sound at all. Suddenly he saw his mother race towards him. Fear rippled through him. Then claws dug deep into his back. He tried
to warn the other kit to be gentle, but as they sank deeper he realized it wasn't a kit. It was't even a CAT! Snowkit looked up and saw two
hateful blacke eyes, feathers, and a sharp pointed claw on the creatures face. What was that!

He was lifted up by his flesh. His motherleapt for him. Save me!he tried to cry. The flame pelted cat leapt for him too. Snowkit froze.
He had HEARD something. The flame cat grunted as he leapt. His mother's blue eyes sank into his. "Snowkit!," she said silently before a
set of claws seared her face and she let go. Then everything was silent again. HE HAD HEARD! His happiness was soon replaced by fear.
He wailed and wailed and rose higher and higher and then he froze. His wish to see everything had come true. He saw many trees so thick
he couldnt see through them. A small thing that looked like his camp only made out of wirt brown plants, surrounded by water, many cats
entered and left it. A dark swamp where a tabby leapt on something too small for him to see. Then he saw a field so large and tall it
touched the sky. He was amazed. Suddenly the claws sank deeper. His vision blurred. Snowkit accepted his fate. He had heard, and seen more
than his paws could walk. As darkness swirled, he heard his mothers kind words she had uselessly spoken all her life, one louder than the rest
"Snowkit, I love you"