Foxstar trod through the swampy pines, pride bubbling underneath his pelt. He has just received his 9 lives yesterday, and he was the new leader of Marshclan. {With leadership, comes responsibility!} He remembered the phrase his former leader taught him on his deathbed. {Yes, responsibility..} He thought to himself as he jumped over a fallen log, {But it also comes with great power! I can rule the entire forest..} He thought hungrily.

His stomach growled.

Foxstar snarled. One of the bad things that came with leadership was the problems that the clan faced. Two rogues had been stealing their prey recently. There had been more than one occasion where hunting patrols came back with just a mouse because the duo had stolen everything else. Fang and Feather were their names. They were probably mates, but that was no excuse to take their prey! "They will pay..believe me!" He snarled at the forest and swamps around him. And to make matters worse, leaf bare was just a moon or two away, and they only had a mouse and two birds to feed the entire clan. That would feed the queens and maybe the warriors, but it certainly wouldn't feed the entire clan.

A sudden rustle made the new leader whip around, "Who is there?! Show yourself right now! I am NOT afraid!" He snarled, approaching a fern. Suddenly a dark shape leapt at him with a screech. Foxstar yowled, rearing on his hind legs and wrestling the opponent. Foxstar flipped the cat, and got a good look at him.

"YOU!" He hissed. It was Fang, one of the two rogues who were stealing prey. "Why have you been stealing our prey?!" He placed a paw on the tom's throat, unsheathing his claws. "When will you lea-"

"I'm sorry! I never meant to st-"

"DON'T INTERUPT ME!" He dug his claws into Fang's throat. Fang snarled in pain, and rolled. Foxstar leapt off him and the two cats faced each other. Foxstar was about to attack Fang as a sudden yowl echoed through the swamps. Four more cats leapt through some reeds and cattails. They saw Fang and instantly got ready to fight. At the same time, another rogue appeared beside Fang. It was his cohort, Feather. Foxstar laughed. It was 5 to 2. "This is so easy. We won before we even started." He cackled as they surrounded the two rogues. Suddenly Fang lashed out, causing two of his cats to back up. Taking the opportunity, Fang and Feather ran into the marshes. Foxstar snarled, "Don't just stand there you idiots! After them! Kill them, you fools!" He screeched. He and the patrol raced off into the evening swamps.

Foxstar burst onto the Thunderpath, his patrol of 4 cats behind him. Feather was backing on to the hard grey path, while Fang stood in front of her, hissing and lashing out at any cat who dared come close. Foxstar chuckled, "I wonder...what should we do? Kill you quickly, or torture you until you can't stand it and die? What do you think, Redpaw?" He asked the russet apprentice.

"Hmmm..." She thought, her eyes glinting dangerously. "Let's torture them!" Foxstar nodded, "Good apprentice, right answer!" Foxstar turned, and charged the two rogues. They turned on their heels and ran. Just as a monster came barreling down the Thunderpath. Foxstar skidded to a halt, turning and running back to the safety of his clanmates. He turned just in time to watch as the monster roared down on top of the two rogues. "What a pity." He said, with fake sympathy, "I wanted to kill them. Oh well. You guys head back to camp. I am going to..make sure they are gone for good."

After inspecting their corpses, Foxstar was walking through the forest when he heard a squeak. He stopped. It was so faint, he almost thought he didn't hear it. {What was that?} He thought, looking around. He heard the squeak again. He followed the squeaking until he found a well concealed den. Foxstar was surprised at how concealed it was. You could stand 2 cat lengths away and not see it. He ducked into it, and gasped.

"A kitten?" He looked at it. It was completely black, with it's eyes completely shut. He poked it with a paw, and it opened it's eyes. He gasped again, "A monster!" He looked around, and picked up the kit. It looked at him, it's bright red eyes shining. He couldn't have this filth in his territory. He ran to the small river separating his territory from Fallowclan's. He set the kitten down, "Dark Forest, take this kit. Bring it back to the forest from which it came!" With that, he picked up the kit and tossed it in the river. He watched it, hate in his eyes. He then turned and stalked into the swamps.

Two she-cats wondered the river's edge. It was Silverstripe and her elderly, sickly mother Sunnyheart. The medicine cat said Sunnyheart wouldn't live for much longer, and so Silverstripe decided to take evening walks with her mother, to fill her last days with content and happiness. "I can't wait until you're kits arrive, Silverstripe." Sunnyheart said to her pregnant daughter. Soon the elder started coughing, her body shaking.

"Don't talk, mom. You must rest your voice! Here, drink some water." She said, motioning to the river. As Sunnyheart leaned down to drink the cold, crisp water, she gasped. "What *cough* is that *cough*?!" She looked in the river. Silverstripe followed her gaze, and saw a black heap of fur clinging to the rocks.

"Oh my goodness! That's a kit! Stay here mom!" Silverstripe plunged into the icy water. She paddled furiously towards the kit, who was clinging onto the rock, desperately. Silverstripe grabbed the kitten, and swam towards her mother. As Silverstripe emerged onto the bank, Sunnyheart saw her red red. "That kit!" She coughed, "That kit is not normal..Cats *cough* don't *cough* have red eyes!" She frowned. Silverstripe instantly jumped to the kitten's defense, "Mom, this kit almost died! We must care and nurture it! It's not even a moon old."

"Who wil care for it?" Sunnyheart gently sat down.

"I can. My kits are due any day now. And Shadowclaw is my mate, he has a dark pelt. No cat will suspect."

"I don't know Silverstripe." Her mother warned.

"Mother, I can take care of this kit, and she will be the best warrior. Just wait and watch. I promise."