Prologue
Minnownose watched as the Twoleg kit played in the river, frightening all the fish. It was leaf-fall now, and the disturbance meant that kits would have empty bellies tonight, in the moons when they needed all the fat on them they could get in order to survive the harsh leaf-bare. This had to stop. From his point in the bushes, he tensed. The kit noticed the disturbance and came to him. He heard a yowl, and two hairless paws came down on him. They lifted him out of the bush. Minnownose let out a yowl of shock. He couldn't let this Twoleg take him as a kittypet, not when he'd just had his warrior ceremony! He raked his claws down the kit's face, and the kit immediately dropped him. He ran away, but not before an older Twoleg threw something at him, yowling loudly.
What would Mistystar say?
"Twolegs are unpredictable. Who knows what they'll do? Do you want to get them to bring the monsters to the lake? Or perhaps poison our prey?" His leader was right, but Minnownose wasn't about to show it. "What did you want me to do, get turned into a kittypet?"
"No. Struggle, but next time keep your claws sheathed."
"Well, if you insist."
"You will be spending half a moon clearing the elders' ticks for that fuss."
Minnownose's shoulders drooped.
"We'll just have to wait and see what happens." Mistystar murmured, half to herself.
The next morning dawned, and there was no sign of twolegs.
Minnownose lifted his whiskers in triumph. Ha! Those mangy twolegs wouldn't dare come near him.
Meanwhile, a few Twolegs were headed towards the camp.
They yowled something, and Minnownose felt guilt like a big rock in the river weighing down on him.
It was pandemonium.
Cats fought with Twolegs, and Mistystar…
Minnownose watched his leader fall down from a Twoleg's grasp, hitting a stone with a sickening crunch.
She got up. The twoleg shook his head and fired a twoleg object at her in burst, before looking at her.
She lay unmoving. Please let her be alive. Please…
She did not stir.
Willowshine checked her breathing quietly and pushed her nose into her leader's fur, barely noticing the twoleg shoving her into a cage.
A twoleg gave a shout as Minnownose ran to free her, trying to put him into the cage. The twoleg threw something on the ground, and Minnownose drifted.
He saw his sister, Almondkit, who only their family knew had existed.
"Hi, Minnownose!" she squeaked.
"StarClan? There must be some mistake, I led the Twolegs here!"
"It was an accident."
Minnownose closed his eyes, still with his tail drooping, and followed his sister.
In ShadowClan, Rowanstar was unmoving, floating in the lake. He'd put up a noble fight, Tawnypelt thought miserably. What she wouldn't give to sink her claws into whatever caused this! Tigerheart told her to ask for help from ThunderClan- the bleeding-hearts. But she held a fondness for them, being raised in their Clan. She ran, panting, into the camp.
"We need your…oh."
She saw a lump of brown fur, mingled with orange. The fur of her brother and his mate.
"Bramblestar! NO!"
Some warriors looked up.
The Twolegs threw a metal object on the ground, covering their hairless faces.
Tawnypelt felt the strangest desire to sleep.
And so, she did, nose pressed into her brother's fur.
She was greeted by two starry cats.
"Rowanstar! Bramblestar!
"Nine lives. I still can't believe it…"
He pressed his nose to Tawnypelt's.
"It's happening everywhere. Cats' lives, just… gone. The only comfort is some cats are being taken as kittypets. The elders and kits managed to escape, and I think I saw a few warriors fleeing, too."
"At least the kits are safe."
SkyClan were sorely regretting not going to the gorge, while WindClan's running didn't help them much in the end.
StarClan huddled around the moonpool. "Look!" a cat yowled. StarClan looked, and saw a small camp being set up on the island, with the elders and kits, and precious few warriors. And a small murmur of happiness and hope went around the island.
IT'S UP! I'm finally done with my other story, so have the first chapter of this! Hope you enjoy!