Shadowkit didn't even flinch as a set of claws tore a tuft of fur from her flank, and she watched expressionlessly as her attacker let a clump of her black pelt spiral to the ground between her paws. She just narrowed her brilliant green eyes, then lifted her head, meeting the larger cat's gaze defiantly and challengingly, flattening her ears. Then, a paw flashed out at her face, and Shadowkit instinctively ducked, feeling warm blood flow from just above her eye.

She was used to this sort of thing. She had lived in the nursery for four moons, now, and this was what she received every day. Her forepaw lifted and slammed onto the nursery floor, and a cloud of dust surrounded the small, black she-kit.

"Leave." The owner of the vicious set of claws pointed a long tail toward the den's entrance.

Shadowkit's eyes blazed. "Fine." Whirling around, she stalked out of the den, her heart drumming furiously within her chest. She looked back and saw what she had expected to see; her attacker, a tabby-and-white she-cat, blinked dark amber eyes that glared as they rested on Shadowkit. The sunlight momentarily blinded her, and she shook her head vehemently to clear it as she stormed across the clearing.

"Easy." Shadowkit felt a soft tail on her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

Shadowkit pricked her ears, then sighed in relief. She didn't need to turn her head to see who had spoken. It was the only cat who really seemed to care about her: Goldenkit, a golden-brown she-cat with white paws and clear pools of amber for eyes. She was a rather popular she-cat, so it was strange how she chose to befriend Shadowkit of all cats. Shadowkit stopped to face her friend. "Duskstripe!"

"Oh." Goldenkit's voice was sympathetic. "She's been hurting you again, hasn't she?"

Shadowkit nodded, her tail drooping. Her mother, Dapplecloud, died giving birth to her, and Shadowkit was put to blame for the death. Now, there were very few cats in the clan who behaved decently toward her and treated her like any other kit.

"That needs to stop." Goldenkit's voice was firm.

"You think I don't know that?" Shadowkit mewed, her ear twitching slightly, creating a stinging pain where Duskstripe, her foster mother's, claws had pierced it. Duskstripe was also Goldenkit's mother, so it was strange that Goldenkit was actually a friend of Shadowkit's. Her forepaw lifted to gently touch the torn ear, and, before she could fall over, placed the paw back onto the ground.

"You're not very emotional for any cat, forget a kit," Goldenkit mewed thoughtfully.

Shadowkit shrugged. "Well, if every cat in the clan hates you, then you'd try to hide if you're in pain, and you'd also be used to the wounds by now." Goldenkit winced as though Shadowkit's claws had struck her. "Oh... I mean, you're my friend, but most of the clan isn't," Shadowkit amended hastily.

"Should I go and as Honeysong for something for your wounds?" Goldenkit suggested.

Shadowkit turned her head away before Goldenkit could see her green eyes fill with tears. She shook her head. "Honeysong hates me. She wouldn't do it."

"Don't worry," Goldenkit mewed, her tail gently touching her cheek before whisking away. "I'll tell her that Stonekit hurt his paw on a thorn." Stonekit was Goldenkit's brother, one of the cats who truly despised Shadowkit, treating her the way that Duskstripe did. Before Shadowkit could protest, Goldenkit bounded away, leaving Shadowkit alone in the center of the clearing.

Shadowkit sighed. It wasn't as though she killed Dapplecloud, was it? She didn't have any control over how her mother gave birth to her, did she? Then why did every cat in ThunderClan view her as a curse from the Dark Forest?

It just wasn't fair.

She could be equal to Goldenkit and her littermates anyday, if she was given the chance. But she wasn't, because of the way she was born. And every cat blamed her for Dapplecloud's death, but Shadowkit couldn't recall having any control over her birth.

"Well, do you want these or not?" Shadowkit jumped, turning in surprise, to see Goldenkit standing them, cobwebs dripping from her jaws. She took the herbs from her friend gratefully, then patted them onto her ear, flank, and the other wounds she had received from Duskstripe's claws. "Honeysong was so busy, she didn't even seem to know I was there. She wasn't even paying attention when I asked her."

"Thanks, Goldenkit." Shadowkit touched her nose to her foster-littermate's, then broke away as she heard a yowl.

"Goldenkit! What are you doing with her?" Shadowkit forced herself not to flinch, then stood perfectly erect as Duskstripe approached them, frowning. She nosed Goldenkit away from Shadowkit, then turned on the little black she-cat. Her claws struck Shadowkit across her chest. Her lips curled into a sneer. "Where did you get those cobwebs?"

Shadowkit cast a helpless glance at Goldenkit. Before she could reply, Duskstripe's claws had torn cobwebs from her ear, flank, and shoulder, and they were poised to strike at the top of her head. And then, a small golden figure threw herself in front of Shadowkit, yowling furiously. "Stop that!"

"Goldenkit? What in the name of StarClan are you doing? Are you out of your mind?"

Goldenkit shoved the startled Shadowkit sideways. "No!" she mewed honestly, her tail curling over Shadowkit's back. "It isn't fair to her!" Duskstripe's dark amber eyes flashed with cold, heartless fire, and her paw swiped Goldenkit to one side, then curled around Shadowkit's neck. All at once, Shadowkit felt an intense pressure on her throat, and she squirmed. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Goldenkit jump to her paws, staring at her, aghast.

One of Shadowkit's flailing paws clawed Duskstripe's paw, and the startled she-cat released her. Shadowkit's claws weren't sharp enough to draw blood, but it was enough to cause pain. Goldenkit padded up beside her. "Nice job, Shadowkit!"

Duskstripe glared. "You are not to spend any more time with Shadowkit, do you understand?" she demanded, staring directly at Goldenkit, who remained silent. "Answer me, Goldenkit. Are you to play with this killer?"

Goldenkit's gaze dropped to her paws, then met Shadowkit's. I'm sorry, her eyes said. "No, Duskstripe," she muttered.

Duskstripe seemed satisfied. "Good. Now go on. Play with your real littermates." Goldenkit turned and wordlessly padded over to join Stonekit and Bluekit on the other side of the clearing, without turning back. "As for you!" Shadowkit, who had been watching Goldenkit with huge, round, green eyes, snapped her gaze back to her foster mother. "You come near any one of my kits, and you will be punished."

Don't you punish me every day? Shadowkit thought bitterly. The look in her eyes may have said what she was thinking, for Duskstripe's mouth twisted into a sneer, as though she had said the words aloud. "This will be real punishment." Her eyes gleamed with cold satisfaction. "Let me show you."

Almost instantly, pain exploded in Shadowkit's underbelly, and the black she-kit fell to the ground, writhing in pain as Duskstripe stood over her, watching. And then, Shadowkit moaned as agony spread through her shoulder, which Duskstripe had jerked to an awkward angle. Her green eyes dulled with pain, and she glanced in the direction of Goldenkit, who didn't appear to be having too much fun with her littermates.

"Don't even look at her!" Duskstripe snapped. "It's bad enough that I have to care for you, but I can't have you poisoning my kits' minds, as well." And then, she turned and stalked back towards the nursery, leaving Shadowkit to jump awkwardly to her paws, her foreleg lifted because of the way her foster mother had jerked it.

Shadowkit tucked her tail beneath her hind legs, then, ignoring Duskstripe's words, turned to watch Goldenkit, Stonekit, and Bluekit. She pricked her ears to hear what those kits were saying. Bluekit stepped towards Goldenkit, a sneer on her face. "That pathetic little furball couldn't even defend herself against Duskstripe!"

Shadowkit flattened her ears, then listened as Stonekit joined in. "How are you friends with that thing? You deserve better than that! She won't even make it to the stage of a warrior, mark my words."

Shadowkit let out a hiss, unsheathing her claws despite the pain that flashed through her shoulder. To her surprise, Goldenkit let out a hiss and raked her claws across Stonekit's face, then drew a deep gash in one of his ears. Stonekit let out a yowl of pain, then jumped back, looking startled. "Leave Shadowkit alone!" Goldenkit snapped. "What did she ever do to you personally?"

Stonekit let out a hiss, then turned and vanished into the nursery. Shadowkit felt a shiver down her spine. She had a feeling that this wouldn't end well for her. Sure enough, heartbeats later, Stonekit reappeared, with Duskstripe behind him. "And then... she clawed me on my face!" he was wailing, and Shadowkit rolled her eyes as Duskstripe rasped her tongue across the gray kit's face.

"Well, I'm not surprised that little excuse for a cat would do something like that," Duskstripe growled, and, to Shadowkit's surprise, she was staring right at her. And then, she realized that Stonekit must have placed the blame on her.

"What do you mean?" Goldenkit snarled, stalking over to them. "Shadowkit didn't do that. I did."

Shadowkit thought Stonekit seemed a little guilty as he stared at his paws. Duskstripe, however, was furious. "Honestly, Goldenkit, I thought you would be better than that. Why would you defend Shadowkit? She's not even going to be a warrior in the end!"

"How can you say that?" Goldenkit's voice rose to a higher wail. "She's just a kit!"

Duskstripe let out a snarl. "She's a murderous kit! Goldenkit, you're not to waste your time with her anymore. I will personally ask Silverstar to delay your apprenticeship by a moon, and I'll make sure she does it." Shadowkit flinched, and Goldenkit turned to shoot her an uncertain glance. Shadowkit gave a small shake of her head, then pointed her tail towards Duskstripe.

Goldenkit's tail drooped, and her eyes dulled. "Fine."

"Good. Now, Goldenkit, go and play with your littermates while I deal with Shadowkit." Goldenkit exchanged alarmed glances with Shadowkit, but padded silently after Bluekit and Stonekit. Shadowkit forced herself not to flinch as a shadow fell over her.

Duskstripe glared at her. "Can you tell me why Stonekit has an ugly scar across his face?"

This time, Shadowkit did wince slightly. She didn't want to cast the blame on Goldenkit, who had always been her only friend, but she didn't want any more wounds than what she already had. She lowered her head. "I clawed him because he said I wouldn't become a warrior."

"And he's quite right," Duskstripe mewed. Her paw shot out, and Shadowkit jumped back just in time, feeling her eyelashes shiver as she realized that Duskstripe could have blinded her if her blow had struck true. And then, Shadowkit stumbled as she felt agony wash across her flanks, and she let out a low moan. "Now, go on. Leave my kits alone."

Shadowkit dipped her head obediently and slunk to the other side of the clearing.