~Prologue~
"I found you!" crowed a small voice. The bush rustled and leaves fell around the small kitten crouching inside. A small black tom poked his head through the branches, his violet eyes glittering with laughter. His younger brother huffed angrily.
"No fair Raven! You always win!" The kitten protested swiping a black tipped paw at the other. Raven laughed and bolted off. The bush shook wildly as his brother exploded out of the shrubbery with leaves sticking to his white fur.
"Catch me if you can Shadow!" Raven taunted over his shoulder. Shadow shoved himself forward. The smaller kitten was determined to catch his older, and larger brother.
Raven looked back and his eyes widened in shock as he saw his brother closing the distance. Though small, Shadow made up for his size with his speed. Raven sped up and as he looked back a second time, Shadow launched himself into the air and landed on his brother. He wrestled him to the ground despite his size due to his brother being caught off guard and they began to play fight. Raven swiped him across the ears nicking him in the process.
Suddenly, the world slowed down and became a blur. Shadow shook his head, but his vision, and teetering mind would not clear. After what seemed like an eternity to the confused young kitten, teeth pricked his scruff and his paws lifted off the ground.
He came to his senses and heard his brother wailing in both fear and pain. Concern for his brother filled his mind and he struggled to get free. The other cats in the Fighting Order were hissing and glaring at him. They were mostly afraid, Shadow could sense it, almost smell it. He could also smell a large amount of blood; his paws were wet with it. Confusion filled his mind again.
He squirmed as the teeth began to hurt him. He was small enough to be picked up, but just large enough to where that didn't last for long. He tried to escape, "What happened? What did I do?!" He wailed. He was set down, and a large gray paw pulled him closer.
He looked up at his light gray mother. Her blue eyes were wide, but they seemed to carry a hint of sadness in them, "it's ok Shadow!" His mother murmured, licking his ear reassuringly.
"Wh-what happened I don't know what happened!" He cried. Raven had stopped crying. He was on his paws and charged over to his brother.
"YOU ATTACKED ME YOU MONSTER! STAY AWAY FROM ME!" He hissed, fury lighting his violet eyes. Shadow was shocked. Blood dripped from a cut over Raven's eye his right ear was slightly torn and his shoulder looked to be the worst off. His shoulder was torn, more like shredded. Shadow's mouth hung open and then he shut it with a snap. His brother hissed in anger and limped off as fast as he could. He disappeared into the Medicine Cat's cave.
"Momma I-I didn't-" He began glancing wildly around at all the unfriendly faces.
"Shhh, I know you didn't little one," his mother murmured. Cats were dispersing now, and several hissed and sent him glares.
"Just like his father, Moon, we told you this would happen," a mottled brown tom said his green eyes filled with hate. Shadow pressed into his mother, still in shock.
"Shove off Thorn!" His mother snarled raising a paw and causing the young tom to skimp off. She picked Shadow up by his scruff and carried him outside of camp. Moon sat him down and sighed.
"Momma?" Shadow mewed, his voice sounded small and soft to him.
She stared off into the distance, a thoughtful and pensive look on her face, "well," she glanced around and then crouched down to his level, "we have a lot to discuss," she said her eyes steadily on his, "I wish I didn't have to do this so soon," she said looking at her sons trembling frame.
"Momma I didn't m-" he started to exclaim.
"I know," Moon interrupted, "I must talk to you about your father," she said.
"Dusk?" Shadow said tilting his head in confusion.
"Yes." Moon paused and then gave her son a reassuring smile, "your father is a part of a Order-"
"I thought that he was a part of our Order?"
"Well, sort of...but not entirely. It's not structured like ours, but it's a large group of cats that work like our order would. Your father is a part of this group. They come from different orders around the forest, so they don't follow border rules, or much of the order's rules at all. They have their own sort of 'code'. They don't actually believe in the Ancestor though, which was… and is the most surprising part to me," she said, "well, this group…they…kill another group of cats who are evil and are trying to take control of all the orders," she said. Shadow looked startled, but mostly curious.
"What does this have to do with my brother?" He asked.
"Well, this Order is called, 'The Order of the Assassins,' and they pass their skills down to their kits," she said slowly. Horror filled Shadow's face.
"A-And what are these skills?" He stammered feeling his world sway a little.
"Well, when in a fight, their instinct takes over and they can deal deadly damage…if they aren't trained," Moon said sympathy filling her voice. Shadow's eyes filled with tears.
"I-I almost killed my brother?!" He said his voice became high pitched and he was shaking. He could not believe what he'd done his brother hated him now and it was all because of this stupid Order.
"Yes…but you can be trained!" His mother said quickly as the kitten bristled in horror. Shadow burst into tears and ran off.