Chapter 1
Clouds swirled overhead, threatening rain. The sun was still not visible over the treetops, leaving a cool mist over the forest floor. Firestar picked his way through the underbrush, adding a scent marker to the border every now and then. He had chosen to go on the dawn patrol on his own, needing some time away from the clan. While sniffing the air for signs of Windclan, he let his mind drift to the previous evening. The gathering had been going as usual when a cloud had covered the full moon. Blackstar had been reporting a loner scented in Shadowclan territory. Because of the panic, the gathering had been cut short, and Thunderclan had been asking questions ever since. Firestar himself had questions about the unexpected severity of Starclan, but none had been answered.
Firestar pulled himself from his memories when he detected a trace of non-clan cats. Could these be the rouges that Starclan clearly did not want? Eats flat and teeth bared, he slithered through the underbrush, ready to pounce. Firestar leaped forward on the intruder, only to see a queen, huddled under a tree. He stopped, mid-pounce, when he saw her.
She did not protest, in fact, it took Firestar a few moments to detect her shallow breathing. She looked up with frightened eyes. "Are you a clan cat?" she mewed. Firestar looked the queen over before he answered. She was small and slim and would be quite attractive if she wasn't covered in scratches and bites.
"Yes," Firestar replied tentatively. "I'm Firestar, Leader of the mighty Thunderclan." He puffed out his chest, hoping he had given the right reaction. To his surprise, her face fell, just a bit.
"Well, you'll have to do. We need to come to your camp, only for a moment. Please." The queen laid her head down in exhaustion. We? Firestar thought. Who's we? Then he noticed a small kit, barely bigger than Sorreltail's new litter. Despite her size and age, she was staring challengingly at Firestar. The look in the black kit's eyes made his blood run cold.
"Okay. I see you have a young kit." Firestar did not like the idea, but he had no other choice. He helped the queen to her paws, careful not to disturb the worst of her wounds. The kit followed silently, never taking her eyes from him.
They padded on for a while. The sun slid over the treetops, illuminating the lush ferns and bracken. The mist had cleared, leaving the forest sparkling with dew. The cool wind from the moor pushed its way through the trees, making the leaves and the underbrush dance. Still, Firestar felt chilled with the kits unusually blue eyes locked on his fur. Soon camp was in sight. He knew his clan would be outraged if another cat joined the clan, but he had to let the she-cat tell her story.
"Wait here." He commanded. "I'll go ahead to announce your arrival." Firestar had no idea how to tell his clan, but the truth was always the best answer. Picking his way between the gorse tunnel, a familiar scent hit him.
"Hello, Firestar!" It was Cinderkit, Sorreltails inquisitive kit. She looked up at him with deep blue eyes that reminded him so much of Cinderpelt. His heart ached to think of Thunderclan's former medicine cat. She had died in the badger fight only 3 moons ago, leaving Thunderclan in the paws of her apprentice, Leafpool. "What did you find on the dawn patrol?"
"I'm going to announce it to the entire clan, okay? Why don't you find your mother and listen?" Firestar mewed gently. He smiled and turned toward Highleadge. He yowled for his clan to come for a clan meeting. Slowly, the clan rose sleepily from their dens. Once the last cat emerged from it's nest, Firestar began. "You all know what happened last night at the gathering. It appears Starclan does not want a certain cat in our clans. I do believe I've found here. I would like to discuss-"
"Firestar! I found someone hanging around the camp entrance! Can she stay?" Cinderkit called from the entrance. The little black kit was at her side, head tilted to one side, looking every cat over with her piercing blue eyes. Every cat stared back at the strange kit, eyes wide.
"Her mom is outside. She wants to come in. Should I let her?" Before waiting for an answer, she called into the entrance. "Come meet the clan!" Cinderkit beamed brightly as she stared at the gorse tunnel. Before Firestar could react, the she-cat came limping into the camp. Dustpelt yowled from the crowd before anyone else.
"This is the cat we're supposed to be afraid of?" His voice was not full of mockery, just plain bewilderment.
"Starclan did not say she was to be afraid of. They only sent a cloud over the moon. We do not know why." Firestar was determined to keep his clan from panicking.
"Please. I mean you all no harm. I-" The queen stumbled, only to be caught by Brambleclaw. "I am Star, and I have come from a long way. You must listen to my plea; I have nowhere left to turn." Firestar nodded her head, urging her forward. "You must take my kit."
An eerie hush fell over the crowd. "Wh-wh-what?" Thunderclan's leader was bewildered. The bond between a mother and her kit was nearly unbreakable. Why was she asking to have someone take her only kit away from her.
"I need you to take her. I know I cannot raise her the way she needs to be. I want her to grow up as a warrior, honoring others, with a stable family. Please." Star closed her eyes as though she could block out the pain.
"Why can't you stay? Your kit will need the guidance of her mother." Firestar was more offering the kit a chance than her.
"No. I must go. Take care of her." Star seemed to stand a little taller, and he could tell she was not going change her mind. She padded over to the little black kit. "My little Night, be strong. For me. For your Father. For your new home." Star bent to touch noses with her kit.
"Why, mother? Aren't you taking me with you?" Night's voice was strange and yet somewhat familiar to Firestar, and it struck his heart.
"No, dear." Star whispered. Tears welled up in the kit's eyes, but she didn't let the sobs come. "No tears, my sweet. Tears are a sign of weakness, and you are strong." She licked her ear before turning to leave. The kit tried to run after her, but Daisy came from behind her and gently stopped her with her tail. Night let the tears spill over and fall down her cheeks. No cat spoke, the only noise was the rain that had begun to fall. The ice blue eyes closed for a moment, as though to stop the flow of tears. When they opened again, they were no longer tear filled. She raised her head and stared into the sky, letting out a long, mournful wail. Night looked directly at Firestar, eyes suddenly clouded over in a determinedly stubborn look.
That was the first and only time anyone saw Night cry.