Dawn light rays shone across the camp, making it look weary but fresh at the same time. It has been several generations after the battle with the Dark Forest and things were looking well. As the sun rose up to the middle of the sky, the Clan was buzzing with excitement as for three new kits just arrived.

Their mother, Mossfur, lied in the nursery content and happy for her healthy batch of kits. She did have some worrisome thoughts...Birchkit was abnormally small and both Mossfur and Brightwhisker wasn't sure if she would make it thought the first night. Plus, knowing that Leaf-Bare was coming especially early this year made her hopes go down.

Mossfur's mate, Stormclaw, didn't want any litters so he did the simplest but the most fox-hearted thing: he ignored all of them. No cat knew why he hated kits so much but Mossfur knew that he had a horrible past. She knew that this would horribly upset the kits so she hid the fact that he was their father.

Mossfur felt something nudge her stomach. She peered over her shoulder and realized it was Birchkit. Already? But I just fed you. For a tiny kit, she sure ate a lot. Mossfur nuzzled her closer till she found milk and started suckling.

A sudden shock of surprise flooded Mossfur as her son, Berrykit, rolled out of her nest. As she came to her senses, she gave a mrrow of laughter and picked the cream coloured kit up. She set him down beside her and Flamekit.

Then she heard a large thump...then many more 'thumps'.

Thump, thump, thump.

Thump, thump, thump.

Mossfur's eyes widened when she suddenly came to realization; badgers! A group of badgers had settled near their camp but there were so many of them that it was just too dangerous to go clear them out. It was very rare that badgers travelled and set down in a group and Brightwhisker thought it was a sign from StarClan.

She saw Dawnflower's whisker twitching with fear as the thumping came closer and closer to the nursery.

"Mossfur..." Dawnflower managed to sqeak.

"I know," Mossfur replied, "protect your belly, you're expecting kits soon. I'll fight them."

Dawnflower gave a mere nod.

The newborn kits sensed fear and started crying trying to find their mother blindly. Birchkit, however, had a wide smile plastered on her face.

Then, the badgers came.

Mossfur got on her hind legs, challenging the badger. The badger swiped a paw against Mossfur's head half knocking her out. I return, it got a deadly bite to the shoulder. The badger's fur was thick and Mossfur couldn't get any damage in. But she knew she had to keep fighting, with Dawnflower and her kits behind her.

The battle was quite short with the badger using a death blow on Mossfur. Then the badger left as if nothing happened.

Dawnflower was shakened the the point where she could barely breathe. The badger had only wanted to kill for fun. With her dead friend on the ground and two crying kits, she let out a loud wail. In the corner of the nursery, Birchpaw lied, eyes now opened. Her face was impassive but a tiny twitch of her ear showed that she indeed enjoy the death of her mother.

One moon later

Brightwhisker had been sure that Birchkit would not survive the first night. There were strange things going on here. First, as she thought before, Birchkit would not survive the first night. Second, she had opened her eyes right after she was born. (Dawnflower had told her) Normal kits opened their eyes the first week if not, the second. Third, she had that smile on her face ever since Mossfur had died.

This kit is evil. Brightwhisker finally came to a conclusion as she stared at the restless Birchkit across the Clan.

...

Birchkit glanced at her two brothers. For some reason, she secretly despised them. They were weak and they grew tired fast. It has been a moon and Birchkit turned from being the one that wouldn't make it through the first night to becoming the strongest kit.

Dawnflower had given birth to a litter of two; Snakekit and Bumblekit. Birchkit, again, has taken an unliking to them. One day, Birchkit even tried to claw Bumblekit because of her crying at night. Psh, how annoying, Birchpaw thought.

"Birchkit!" Flamekit and Berrykit mewed across the nursery, "Come play Warrior with us!"

Birchkit jerked her head to see what her brothers were doing, then she nodded.

"Okay, I'll be Leader since I'm the strongest. Flamekit, you can be deputy...And Berrykit, you can be Lead Warrior."

Flamekit and Berrykit's eyes twinkled on the thought of being Deputy and Lead Warrior.

"What is your first command, Birchstar?" Flamemit dipped his head.

"Well...Flamekit, you will now be known as Flamestripe for your nobleness and Berrykit will be known as Berryfur for his berry-like fur!"

Berrykit laughed, "Berry-like fur! That's mouse-brained."

As the three of them played and played, Birchkit's anger flowed away from her brothers. Huh? I thought I hated them for a moment, She thought.

After a joyful afternoon, it was time to go to sleep. Birchkit quickly doozed off in her warm nest and fell into a deep sleep. When she opened her eyes, she saw tenebrous trees and shadows. It seemed endless and for the first time, she was scared.

Then, her body started pulsing.

There was something in there that wanted out. It was going up her stomach and though her throat. Birchkit gaged and threw up on the ground. She couldn't breathe because the thing that wanted to get out was stuck in her throat.

As by miracle, the thing finally gave a push and tumbled out. Birchkit looked as if she wanted to cry and she started noticing emotions she had never before.

"Mother...you were killed by badgers trying to save me. Oh Berrykit, Flamekit, I would never hate you..."

Birchkit started crying and when she looked up, there was a strange dark cat. He-or it was the thing that came out of her.

"Greetings little Birchkit," said the crackled voice, "I am Brokenstar."

I hope you guys like it:) check out my other story 'Clarity' you can. I'll see you guys next time!