Prologue

Stormkit stood in the forest by the stream. The winds whipped around her, making her squeeze her eyes shut.

"Stormkit." The breeze seemed to whisper.

Stormkit turned around to see a sturdy bracken colored tom sitting beside a willow tree.

"Oakheart?" She squeaked.

Oakheart nodded.

"Danger is coming, Stormkit. Darkness will smother the fire, leaving the storm alone. But hope will join the battle, in a attempt for victory."

Oakheart faded, leaving Stormkit all alone.

"Wait, Oakheart!" Stormkit wailed. "What do you mean?"

But the kits only reply was the sound of the moaning wind.

Reedpebble guarded the entrance to the camp, but was unaware of a cat slinking in from behind the medicine cat's den. Darkshade twitched his whiskers in triumph. His spy was keeping him well posted on the secret entrances to camp. He slunk around the edges of camp, till he reached the nursery. The queens and kits were asleep, but a tiny tabby kit raised his head sleepily when Darkshade approached.

"Who's there?" The kit squeaked, standing up drowsily.

"It's your father, Leafstripe." He meowed, hoping the kit would be fooled. He had the same dark pelt as the kits true father, but he was missing the distinctive white stripe down his back. "It's so dark, which one of my kits are you?"

The tiny kit tottered over to him. "It's me, Volekit."

Darkshade nuzzled the tiny body. "Come, I'll show you something you can only see at night."

Volekit hesitated. "Why do you smell funny?" He asked warily.

Darkshade laughed quietly. "Why, because I smell just like what you're going to see!"

Volekit perked up. "Ok, so what are we going to see?"

Darkshade's eyes gleamed. "Well, because you're a special kit, I'll take you somewhere special. Let's go straight into the ShadowClan camp!"

Volekit froze. "Y-your not Leafstripe!"
Darkshade smiled evilly. "No, I'm not!"

Volekit turned and tried to run into the nursery, but Darkshade scooped him up and ran for the exit. Volekit let out a shriek that woke the entire clan. Bubblepool's head shot up, and she wailed when she realized only one of her kits, Stormkit, was with her. She raced out of the nursery to find Leafstripe waiting outside the den. "What happened?" He demanded.

"Volekit is gone!" She wailed. Shocked caterwauls erupted from RiverClan, but Bubblepool paid no attention. Raising her head, she yowled in anguish the name of her lost kit.