Prologue

"Are you ready to go?" a dark ginger tom asked.

"I'm always ready, Thorntail." Replied his companion Harvey.

"Good, were covered in the scent of fox but as long as we stick to the plan I don't see anything that can go wrong. I quietly ripped a hole in the bramble wall; all that's left is to take Firekit, Fernkit and Echokit." Thorntail explained.

"What about Speckletail? She's expecting her first litter." Inquired Harvey.

"That was ten moons ago Harvey, she's already kitted and Bagerkit is already a warrior!" Hissed Thorntail, "any way the moon is almost out of sight so we have about half an hour or less to get the kits out of the nursery, strait to your mate and I sneak into RiverClan territory to get this stench off me! You get Fernkit and I'll get Firekit then I'll go back for Echokit."

"I don't see why you want to get rid of your own kits so badly, especially Echokit."

"Echokit is a StarClan Warrior, which means she will be a dangerous she-cat when she's fully warrior. Only StarClan can save us all!" Thorntail warned, "Let's get this over with."

Thorntail lead the way to the nursery on the secret path he had made a few moons ago that was behind the nursery. Going through the fern wall and strait into the nursery, Bluefur was curled up with Firekit and Fernkit but Echokit couldn't be seen anywhere. Snowfur was there with Whitekit snuggled in the curve of her belly. Sneaking past Snowfur, Thorntail grabbed Firekit and Harvey had Fernkit and turned out through the hole in the bramble wall. As they walked Thorntail had a feeling they were being watched by a cold stare on their way to the Twoleg place. and on top of the fence was Harvey's mate Storm.

"Where did you find these kits Harvey?" Asked Storm as Harvey and Thorntail emerged from the forest.

"In the forest." Replied Harvey putting down Fernkit.

"Can't ThunderClan take them?!"

Thorntail couldn't let this argument continue any longer as he dropped Firekit gently, "Storm please; ThunderClan can't take care of these kits, there from ShadowClan. And our nursery is full of queens and kits already, and there from another Clan, and not many queens would want to nurse kits of another Clan, and I know you'd treat them like your own. Please, you're doing a favour to ThunderClan Storm."

"Oh alright but on one condition once they grow up they must never ever see you or ThunderClan again or I'll find you're camp and kill you if I sent you here ever again! Deal?" Storm said.

"Deal." Thorntail said.

"I'll walk with you to the border Thorntail."

"No you won't Harvey, as you're mate I make the rules round here; you will never see Thorntail or ThunderClan again as well!"

"No! I thought I loved you but apparently I was wrong. This isn't love I'm feeling; its hate! I never thought I'd say this before now but I never want to see you again Storm! Take our kits will you; I never want to see them again too! I hope to see you again Thorntail." He added before stalking off into the forest.

"May StarClan light your path Harvey." He whispered starting to move towards RiverClan territory.

Chapter 1

I woke up at the sound of my mother, Bluestar yowling for the start of a warrior ceremony that was held for my apprentice, Fawnpaw and her littermate Sparrowpaw whose mentor was Whitestorm. Earlier today, RiverClan tried to take Sunningrocks again. A lot of cats had gotten injured. But I couldn't dwell on that now. I shook all the moss from my pelt and groomed my fur the best I could before I pushed through the entrance to the warriors den. Fawnpaw, Sparrowpaw and Whitestorm were there beneath the Highrock waiting for me, also the Clan deputy Stormclaw, died in the fight for Sunningrocks, so a new deputy would be chosen before moonhigh, his body lay in the middle of the clearing motion less. As I sat down beside Whitestorm in the circle of gathered cats, Bluestar began the ceremony.

"Whitestorm, has your apprentice, Sparrowpaw, learned the skills of a warrior? Has he studied the warrior code and understood what it means to every cat?"

"Yes Bluestar,"

"Echosong, are you satisfied that your apprentice, Fawnpaw, has learned the skills of a warrior and the importance of the warrior code?"

"She is ready to become a warrior Bluestar,"

Bluestar jumped down from the Highrock and stood in front of the two apprentices, "I, Bluestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these two apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code and I commend them warriors in their turn. Fawnpaw and Sparrowpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do," Fawnpaw replied excitedly.

"I do," Sparrowpaw answered more slowly.

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior names. Sparrowpaw from this moment you will be known as Sparrowfeather. StarClan honors your courage and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full member of ThunderClan."

Bluestar rested her muzzle on Sparrowfeather's head and he gave her shoulder a thankful lick before wandering off to join the other warriors.

"Fawnpaw from this moment you will be known as Fawnstep. StarClan honors your energy and enthusiasm; we welcome you as a full member of ThunderClan."

Bluestar rested her muzzle on Fawnstep's head on she licked Bluestar's shoulder in respect.

"Sparrowfeather! Fawnstep! Sparrowfeather! Fawnstep!" every cat yowled to say their congratulations.

"Also, Stormclaw died in the battle for Sunningrocks today so I must appoint a new deputy. I say these words before the body of Stormclaw so he may hear and approve of my choice. Echosong, you proved yourself worthy of this position. I hope that you will serve the Clan well. And an announcement. Tomorrow night is the Gathering so I'd like Echosong, Whitestorm, Frostfur, Brindleface, Longtail, Mousefur, Sparrowfeather, Fawnstep, Sandpaw and Dustpaw to come."

As Bluestar padded away to her den, all the warriors came to congratulate me. Whitestorm waited as I walked up to the new warriors.

"Remember you two keep silent vigil tonight and I will come tell you when you're done."

They padded away to the warriors den to get comfy as Whitestorm came up.

"Congratulations Echosong! I knew you are one of the best warriors but I never expected you to be deputy."

"Me neither, being deputy, it's something I might need help with Whitestorm. I know you'll help me along the way."

"Of course I'll help you, that's what I'm here for,"

"Actually you're here because StarClan gave you a chance at life." I murmured.

"Hey! I know we weren't born in the same litter, but I was there watching you as you were born, I was there from the moment you and you're litter mates were born and I'll be there from the moment one of us dies, Echosong."

"Litter-mates? I never had litter mates Whitestorm."

"Whitestorm's right Echosong, you do have litter mates." A gentle voice said behind me as I turned to see Bluestar coming up behind me, "I had three kits, you, Firekit and Fernkit. I was on patrol a lot by the Twoleg place and I saw Firekit on top of a Twoleg fence recently. He's nine moons old now and he came into the forest today. I asked if he wanted to come and join but he asked if he could think for a bit, so I gave him until tomorrow at sunhigh. So I want you to go talk to him tomorrow. And remember he was born wild so take it easy on him. Remember, I don't think he learns as fast as you do Echosong."

"Wait, wait, wait hold on. You, want me a wild born cat, to go talk to my kittypet brother? Are you serious?!
"Yes and no. Yes, I'm serious and no, I want you and Whitestorm to go and evaluate him, see if he has the heart of a wild cat, still."

"Okay, I'll go evaluate him."

"I'll go to," Whitestorm replied.

"I knew I could count on you two!" Bluestar said, "Let's just hope he decides to stay with us."

I woke up to a paw poking me in the side and as I opened my eyes; Whitestorm was standing over top of me.

"Wake up Echosong, it's almost sunhigh, we have to be ready. Firepaw will wonder where we are."

"Firepaw, is that what we're calling him now?"

"Well, considering if he wants to join us, he has to be given an apprentice name."

"Don't get your hopes up," a voice come from behind us and Tigerclaw came into view, "you don't know if he even wants to become one of us, and remember he is a kittypet. And we are properly trained warriors, so he might go crying back to his mother like the rest of them do."

"Stay out of this Tigerclaw," I warned and I thought, Bluestar is actually his mother, and supposedly my brother, and I said out loud, "You don't even know who he is yet. He might be our greatest ally."

"That's what you say Echosong, and just because you are the new deputy doesn't mean you can boss me around like a kit."

"If you say one insult to him, remember who my mother is. And if she doesn't agree, we could always go claw to claw."

"You don't scare me," Tigerclaw retorted.

I would have taken Tigerclaw out if I didn't have anything to do, but I did so I left with Whitestorm behind me.

When we got to the ThunderClan border Whitestorm said, "You go test him, I watch,"

"I'm deputy. I say you go, and I watch," I replied, "and we're just bringing him to camp Whitestorm! We're not going to hurt him. Or test him."

We had one of those silent arguments were we looked at each other in the eyes. I won when he looked at the Twoleg fence.

"Fine, I'll do it. But you have to catch me the plumpest mouse I've ever seen!"

He walked off and crossed the border. A few seconds later I could hear that he was talking to someone so I went to the nearest tree and climbed it. Climbing trees wasn't really a thing for Clan cats, but I could do it.

That's because I had a secret.

A secret that can destroy the Clan.