Welcome back, dear readers. I was wanting to release this chapter in a week or so, but my hands just kept flying off the page. Enjoy.


"Thunderclan, Attack!"

The silver tabby unsheathed her claws, baring her haunches, and leaped on the dark gray tom before her, raking her claws down his back. "Sunningrocks is ours, fish-brains!"

"Never!" The tom flipped over on his back, crushing the she-cats smaller frame beneath him. Struggling to breathe, she clawed out patches of the tom' gray pelt, her legs strong for her smaller build. Her actions incited a yowl, causing the gray tom to stand back upright, releasing his weight on her.

The silver tabby sprung up, slashing the tom's flank as he whipped around to face her. Her opponent drew his lips into a snarl, baring his pointed teeth as he leaped forward, trying to catch the she-cat's scruff. The silver tabby dodged skillfully, but her paws began to slip on the smooth ground beneath her. Starclan help me!

A massive black tom plunged forward, acting as the she-cat's saving grace. "Go! I'll take care of this one!"

The silver cat nodded hesitantly and ran to safety, watching the cats around her spill unnecessary blood in the heat of battle. Was this much bloodshed really necessary for a pile of rocks?

Before she knew it, a cat was on her back, racking her claws along her spine. The tabby shook violently in an attempt to swing her attacker off of her, but her actions were in vain. A pale ginger she-cat flipped the silver she-cat around, exposing the tabby's delicate belly fur. Please, not now! I have my whole life ahead of me!

Just as the ginger cat was about to dig her claws into the tabby's belly a yowl was heard from below. "Thunderclan, retreat!"

The pale ginger cat snarled, keeping the tabby pinned for a moment longer, "Serves you mouse-brains right! Sunningrocks is Riverclan's!"

Hesitantly, the pale ginger cat loosened her grip, allowing the cat beneath her to flee. Ashamed and embarrassed, and without a single moment to lick their wounds, the Thunderclan cats ran back to their own territory with their tails beneath their legs as the Riverclan cats yowled in triumph.

"And don't come back!"

The Thunderclan cats ran home with their tails between their legs, panting as the group reached the bramble entrance. The black tom shouldered his way into the camp first, the silver tabby close behind him.

The black tom jumped onto a rock, flinching from the pain of his injuries. Cats assembled beneath him, licking their raw wounds.

"Clanmates, we lost," he began with a pang of regret. "It's true that we have lost Sunningrocks, but I promise you that it will be Thunderclan's again when the time is right!"

His clanmates howled with agreement.

"Sunningrocks is ours!"

"We'll get them next time!" The silver tabby yowled the loudest, blinking fondly at him.

The gathering was interrupted by a yowl from across the clearing. A pinkish-gray she-cat bounded up to the litter, anger blazing in her blue eyes. "Nightkit! Stormkit! Gingerkit! Shadekit! What in Starclan's name do you think you're doing out of the nursery this late?" Anger burned in the queen's blue eyes as she waited for a response.

"Sorry, Rosefall." Nightkit flattened his ears in embarrassment. "We were just playing Attack on Riverclan." The tom shuffled his paws underneath him, waiting hesitantly for his mother's response.

The queen let out a sigh, exasperated, the anger in her eyes turning into affection as she scolded her son.

"It's dark now, kits, " the pink-gray cat mewed to the three kittens in front of her as she looked up the darkening sky, "Silverpelt will be out soon, and you all know that it's bad omen to be out of the nursery the night before your apprentice ceremonies."

"Yes, Rosefall." the four kits said.

With a swish of her fluffy tail, Rosefall motioned for them to go back to the nursery before she herself disappeared into the thick bramble walls, three of the four kits following her in.

The silver she-cat, however, stayed out for a moment longer, enjoying the night breeze on her last day of kithood. Starting tomorrow, no one could tell her when to sleep!


That Night

The silver tabby awoke to a dense forest, covered in mist and shadows so dense she could barely see the earth under her paws. The forest around her was lush and in bloom, and she could hear the sounds of prey scuffling around. Where's Dawnflower? And Shadekit and Dappledkit?

A moment later, a gray she-cat emerged from the shadows, starlight shining in her amber eyes. She was not young, but clearly strong, her muscles rippling underneath her sleek pelt as she padded through the mist.

The younger cat tipped her head to the side as the gray cat sat down in front of her. "Who are you? And Where am I?"

The gray she-cat looked at the kit for a moment before responding, an wistfulness clear in her amber eyes. When she spoke, it was with an air of regality that could only come from moons of wisdom. "Welcome to Starclan, Stormkit. We have been waiting for you."

Stormkit jumped back, startled, unable to keep control of her emotions. "I can't be dead yet!" she wailed, "I want to be a warrior!" the little cat's front paws churned the air in desperation. I need to live! Dawnflower, where are you!"

The gray cat in front of her let out a faint purr as she pressed her nose to Stormkit's head, her tail tip twitching with amusement. "You won't be coming to StarClan for a while yet, my dear. But I am here today to let you know that the stars watch over you." Warmth filled the older cat's eyes as she reassured the kit.

Suddenly, the strange cat turned and ran into the mist before Stormkit could ask any more questions, her lithe body moving gracefully through the forest before disappearing.

Stormkit felt herself fading, her dream dissolving as the first rays of dawn poked through the nursery's roof.

The stars watch over you...