~Prologue~

A small young kit was walking through the forest. Suddenly there was a loud snapping noise and the kit froze in fear. The kit looked around with large green eyes and suddenly an owl swoops out of no where towards it. The kit let out a terrified wail and ran deep into the undergrowth. Unfortunately, the large bird had its talons in the kit's back and was about to carry it off when three cats ran out from the undergrowth. They ran towards the owl, letting out screeches of rage and made it loosen its grip on the kit. The kit fell to the ground in agony already unconscious from the ordeal. The cats were quick to scare off the owl and were now looking at the small almost undersized orange and white tabby she-kit.

"What should we do with it, Tigerclaw?" a small dusky brown she-cat meowed sniffing the unconscious kit curiously. The big dark tabby looked at the kit with uncertainty for a moment before answering.

"We will bring the kit back to camp and let Bluestar decide what to do with it," he replied before walking forward and picking the she-kit up by her scruff. With a flick of his tail to the other two he ran off into the forest.

They had ran swiftly through the forest and soon came to a ravine and Tigerclaw was careful in not jostling the kit he was holding, so as to not make it's wounds worse or cause pain. He soon landed at the bottom and shouldered his way through the tunnel that led into camp. As he walked into the clearing, an old gray she-cat approached him, her blue eyes glowing in the moonlight.

"Tigerclaw, what is the meaning of this?" she meowed, looking down at the young kit for a moment before meeting his gaze once more.

Tigerclaw then carefully settled the kit down between his paws and looked up at her calmly. "This kit would have been killed if I and my patrol hadn't came at the moment that we did, Bluestar," he replied as the young kit stirred and sat up blinking large green eyes up at the gray she-cat.

"Who are you?" Bluestar meowed gently, as she looked down at the orange and white tabby she-kit.

"My mother named me, Ginger," the kit squeaked.

"Where do you come from?" the old gray she-cat asked.

"Twolegplace," Ginger mewed.

"Do you live with Twolegs?" the she-cat demanded sharply and the kit shook her head, "Not any more. I ran away days ago." Bluestar stared at her in amazement before continuing.

"Would you like to stay here?" the old cat asked and Tigerclaw's head snapped up to attention automatically.

"Bluestar, you can't be serious," he snapped, "She's a kittypet."

"Quiet, Tigerclaw." Bluestar hissed sharply and glared at him as the young kit crouched down and covered her face with her paws.

Bluestar looked down then and her gaze softened again, "There's no need to be afraid, Ginger." She watched then as the kit looked up at her through her paws.

"But I'm not a kittypet," she wailed, "I ran away because my Twolegs were mean to me. They kicked me and threw me around and starved me." The kit once more hid behind her paws and Tigerclaw was looking down at her in surprise and anger.

"In other words they hurt you," he stated struggling to keep his voice from becoming a growl and Ginger nodded.

"Let me ask you again. Do you want to stay?" Bluestar meowed.

"Yes. I don't want to go back," the orange and white tabby she-kit whimpered shaking slightly.

"Then you will now be named Flamekit. All right?" the old gray she-cat replied and the young kit nodded meekly.

"Tigerclaw? I want you to take her to the nursery and give her to Brindleface and tell her to take care of her," Bluestar ordered.

"Yes, Bluestar."

THUNDERCLAN

Leader: Bluestar = old blue-gray she-cat with silver tinged around her muzzle

Deputy: Redtail = small tortoiseshell tom with a distinctive ginger tail

Apprentice, Dustpaw

Medicine Cat: Spottedleaf = beautiful dark tortoiseshell she-cat with a distinctive dappled coat and amber eyes

Apprentice, Flamepaw

Warriors:

Lionheart = magnificent golden tabby tom with thick fur like a lion's mane

Apprentice, Graypaw

Tigerclaw = big dark brown tabby tom with unusually long front claws and fierce yellow eyes

Apprentice, Ravenpaw

Whitestorm = big white tom with blue eyes

Apprentice, Sandpaw

Willowpelt = very pale gray she-cat with unusual blue eyes

Runningwing = lean brown tabby tom

Mousefur = small dusky brown she-cat

Darkstripe = sleek black-and-gray tabby tom

Longtail = pale tabby tom with dark black stripes

Apprentices:

Dustpaw = dark brown tabby tom

Graypaw = long-haired solid gray tom

Ravenpaw = small, skinny black tom with a tiny white dash on his chest and white-tipped tail

Sandpaw = pale ginger she-cat

Flamepaw = orange tabby she-cat with white patches, darker orange stripes and green eyes

Firepaw = handsome ginger tom

Queens:

Frostfur = beautiful white coat and blue eyes

Brindleface = pretty tabby

Goldenflower = pale ginger coat

Speckletail = pale tabby; oldest nursery queen

Elders:

Halftail = big dark brown tabby tom with half his tail missing

Smallear = gray tom with very small ears, oldest tom in ThunderClan

Patchpelt = small black-and-white tom

Rosetail = light ginger she-cat with a pinky-orange tail

One-Eye = pale gray she-cat, oldest cat in ThunderClan. Virtually blind and deaf

Dappletail = once-pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with a lovely dappled coat