Prologue
A dark shape raced throughout the hollow swiftly and silently. The cat dug its claws into the cold, hard surface of the boulder. It scrambled up the rock and perched itself there. It breathed slowly and quietly. The cat swished his tail impatiently as its amber eyes raked the clearing. One of the guards with the silver tabby pelt pricked her ears and silently signaled to the other guard. The guard with the brown and white pelt started to come closer. Wispy clouds of steam escaped from their lips with every breath. The dark figure crouched lower in hopes that that the guards wouldn't see anything and go back to their posts. It let out an inaudible hiss. The silver tabby pressed her fore paw on the boulder and dug her claws in. The silver tabby climbed the boulder and peered over the edge. The shape bunched its muscles and let out a loud hiss. The silver she-cat stumbled backwards with her ears flattened and her fur on end. The cat leaped off the rock and ran in to the darkness.
Chapter 1
Ravenkit awoke to see her sister's snowy white and gray pelt next to her mother's pelt. Ravenkit held her breath and stepped out of the den. She heard a crunch beneath her white paw. Her sister's ear twitched and her eyes opened slightly. Ravenkit took no notice as she stepped into the freezing powder. Snow drifted around and the cold nipped at her pelt. Ravenkit looked around with her fur on end and her ears flattened against her head.
Ravenkit had been leaving the den without her mother's consent for days, sick of the choking scent of milk, even her sister Snowkit didn't know. Her mother was very strict, if her mother knew she was out here, she probably would never be an apprentice. Their brother Blazekit was taken away by a hawk when they were just 3 moons old. This was probably the reason their mother wouldn't let them outside.
Ravenkit felt a rush of cold as the freezing powder covered her head. Now Speckledfoot will know I was out here...Ravenkit thought with dismay. She swiped her paw over her ears in hopes to avoid her mother noticing. Ravenkit quickly scanned the clearing to make sure no one was awake yet. A flash of amber shone from under a bush on the other side of the hollow. Ravenkit perked her ears and lowered herself to the frozen earth. Ravenkit slowly crept towards the glowing amber. The amber disappeared and then came back a split second later. They were blinking. Ravenkit felt her fur stand on end as she reached the bush. The eyes disappeared and Ravenkit's fur flattened.
2
Ravenkit slowly crept back to the nursery. She was shaking from the piercing cold. Ravenkit walked back into the nursery and crept around Snowkit. To her surprise Snowkit turned towards her and flattened her ears.
"you're lucky I didn't tell her..."Snowkit hissed ruefully. "I saw you sneak out earlier. Why didn't you tell me? Or invite me to come with you?"
"I'll tell tell you about it later." Ravenkit sighed sympathetically. She never knew her sister felt that way. She always thought of her sister as a playful little kit, not an adventurous, reckless kit like herself.
Ravenkit awoke to the light pouring into the bramble den. She could hear the voices of many cats outside. Heavy footsteps rang throughout the hollow as a large muscular cat climber the boulder. The air was freezing and sharp as she watched her leader climb Highrock. Amberstar raised her broad head as her words rang out throughout the hollow. "All cats who can catch their own prey meet beneath Highrock for a clan meeting!"
Ravenkit and Snowkit looked at their mother expectantly. Speckledfoot nodded reluctantly and followed the bouncing kits outside. Sunlight beat down on her black fur as she stepped proudly into the clearing. Snowkit looked from side to side rapidly as she bounced up and down towards the Highrock. Ravenkit looked at all the possible mentors she could have. There was Cloudpelt, kind and caring, there was also Flowerstem, strict but praises easily. She looked over to see a ragged tom with his ears flattened in annoyance. His gray tabby pelt was ungroomed and his blue eyes were slitted and and glaring. I hope he's not my mentor... Ravenkit thought.
She saw her mother's ears flick irritably. Amberstar nodded and continued her speech. "Ravenkit, please step forward"
Ravenkit stepped forward with a surprised glance at her leader. Amberstar's amber gaze urged her to keep moving. Ravenkit stepped through the thick snow and lowered herself to the ground. Amberstar opened her mouth and meowed loudly, "Ravenkit, from this moment forward you will be know as Ravenpaw" Ravenpaw closed her eyes as she felt the sun warm her pelt. Please don't be Rainshade, please don't be him...
"Rainshade, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You will be mentor to Ravenpaw." Amberstar meowed. "Rainshade, you have shown yourself to be a loyal and brave warrior. Do all that you can to pass on what you know down to Ravenpaw."
Ravenpaw stepped back towards her new mentor. The gray tabby's ears were perked and he stared intently at her. Ravenpaw felt awkward around her new mentor. She was surprised she managed to even say a word to him. "so...what are we going to do first? Hunting? Fighting?"
"no, I'm going to give a tour of the territory." He got up and started walking towards the entrance. As
3
Ravenpaw turned to follow her mentor she heard the last of her sister's ceremony.
"Cloudpelt, you have shown yourself to be a swift and strong warrior. Do all that you can to pass on what you know down to Snowpaw."
Ravenpaw sighed and followed her mentor through the barren forest. Sounds of small creatures reached out to her ears. As they went deeper in the forest the snow beneath her feet became thinner and thinner. Rustling up ahead made Ravenpaw jump. She felt her mentor stiffen beside her. A strong smell smacked her in the nose as a large creature stepped forward. Its fur that was as red as blood was matched by its piercing fangs. The fox advanced slowly with its tail sweeping from side to side. Her mentor stepped back and whispered in her ear to run.
"I can't leave you! It will kill you!" The apprentice yowled. The fox leaped at Rainshade and plunged its fangs into his shoulder.
"Just listen to me!"
Ravenpaw turned and ran back to camp. The scent of prey reached her nose, but she had no time to stop. Rainshade needed backup. A large shiny creature was prowling on a thick, black, stream as she ran. The creature's eyes shone on the stream as a pinkish furless creature poked its head out of the shiny creature. The furless creature was holding a smooth stick and was holding the stick up to its face. Ravenpaw was surprised by her speed. She felt a sharp pain in her side as she ran. The world started to blur around her and black edged her vision. She felt tiredness swamp over her as her legs went numb. Ravenpaw felt herself collapse into the snow.
~ To Be Continued ~
