Author's Note: Alright, I tried my best to remember what I wrote before. I've rewritten it and I hope you enjoy.
Foxbracken: Well? X3 I did as you said and continued.
Blazzer12: Can I get some better feedback other than "It's a good story"? What did you really think of it?
Thunderous Intentions: Maybe.
Frostbliss: I have a habit for knocking people off cliffs.
Now, on with the story~
Lilysnow awoke to the sound of hushed voices and the sobs of kits. Huddled in the dirt behind her was a silver tabby she-cat, tail wrapped around five kits. "Mama, what are they going to do to us?" a brown tabby tomkit whispered.
"I don't know Lynxkit. Maybe they'll let us go if we stay quiet and do as they say," the silver tabby murmured, trembling like a newborn. Lilysnow got to her paws, wincing at the pain that shot down her spine. "What's going on?"
The sound of her own voice made her wince. It was broken and wavering. It made fear glow in the eyes of the kits, and the silver tabby eyed her suspiciously. "Stay back, ShadowClan. Don't touch any of these kits."
The sullen, hostile voice suddenly sounded familiar. "Splashfeather? Of RiverClan?" Lilysnow meowed, tilting her head. Splashfeather curled her tail tighter around the kits as she realized who this cat was. "Lilysnow. Daughter of the tyrant Sharpstar," the silver tabby hissed.
A nasty remark crawled up Lilysnow's throat, but she swallowed it as if it were prey. "Why are you here? Why am I here?" she forced out. Splashfeather's gaze suddenly softened. "You mean that even as his kit, you don't know Sharpstar's plans?" she whimpered. Lynxkit struggled free from Splashfeather's hold and hopped over to Lilysnow. Immediately the cream tabby noticed Lynxkit's twisted leg and his look of agony.
"What happened?" Lilysnow croaked. "He tried to run from the rogues. He slipped on the ice and hurt his poor little leg. If it isn't healed now, it probably never will," Splashfeather moaned, burying her head under her paws. Lynxkit looked up at Lilysnow mournfully. "You'll help us escape, right?"
Lilysnow was about to respond when she heard footsteps. Lynxkit's eyes widened and he limped back over to Splashfeather's side. Lilysnow's head whipped around, and she was barreled over by a black-and-white blur. The she-cat on top of her looked frazzled and rather embarrassed. "Sorry," she murmured, stepping off of Lilysnow.
Two of the kits dashed to the she-cat's side. "Mama!" they cried. Splashfeather stood up, and her three kits hovered behind her with frightened expressions. "Cosmos, what did you find out about the rogues?" she asked.
Cosmos took a deep breath before speaking. "Their leader is a small tan she-cat named Heather. The second-in-command is a bulky gray tom. Haven't learned his name yet."
Sharpstar, Lilysnow thought angrily. "The four cats closest to Heather are Kestrel, Hawk, Tear, and Katie," Cosmos continued. "The rest are just the workers. Nine cats have died only today. It seems they have no knowledge, or perhaps no interest in healing. They fight a lot to test their strength."
"Did you find out what they plan to do with us?" Splashfeather asked. Cosmos shook her head. "I was caught eavesdropping so I had to come back. Those cats are faster than you think," she murmured. Her blue eyes flickered to her kits. "How are Lisianthus and Stephanitos doing today? How are my little daughters blooming like the flowers they are going to be?"
"They have been waiting all day for you to return. They didn't want to play with Lynxkit, Scarletkit and Ivorykit because they were waiting for you," Splashfeather reported. Lisianthus stared up at her mother with big green eyes, and for a moment Lilysnow thought of Maplekit. She suddenly remembered what she was doing before she was abducted.
"Finchsong," Lilysnow whimpered, flattening her ears back. Splashfeather tilted her head. "Pardon, Lilysnow?" she asked. Lilysnow squeezed her eyes shut, hoping she would wake up from this nightmare. "Finchsong... my poor, poor sister. And her innocent kits, never to see me again."
There was the sound of pawsteps, and a familiar scent rushed uup her nose. It was a scent she never wanted to get a whiff of again. As the gray tom pushed his way into the den, Lilysnow raced up to him and slammed her paws into his chest. Sharpstar stumbled back with a grunt, and Lilysnow's claws flashed across his cheek.
Cosmos and Splashfeather stood behind her, eyes wide with surprise. "Why did you do it, Sharpstar?" Lilysnow screeched, knocking Sharpstar down and placing a paw on his neck. "And to your own daughter!"
Sharpstar kicked and thrashed wildly, but Lilysnow only put more pressure on his neck. "Start talking!" the cream tabby screeched. "For one thing, you're not my daughter, Lilysnow. Finchsong isn't my daughter either. I thought Softfeather told you that!" Sharpstar growled.
"What? You expect Softfeather to come down from StarClan and tell me that? No! I have to find out when you are losing your third life!" Lilysnow screamed. "Am I only a replacement? Were Finchsong, Brownpaw and I only your little pawns? You take us from WindClan to replace your mousebrained, weak son and expect us to suddenly become your little dirty workers? What was that runt's name anyway? Puddlekit?"
Sharpstar growled, and his eyes became clouded with fury. He knocked Lilysnow off of him, dragging his claws across her nose. Blood rushed into her mouth. Blood was all she could taste and smell. Lilysnow coughed, spitting up drops of blood. Sharpstar threw a scrawny rabbit into the dingy den. "Eat your food. We can't have you dying. You are somewhat useful to us," he hissed, stalking out.
"Somewhat useful? He talks about us like we're the snow under his bloodstained paws," Splashfeather hissed, curling her claws into the dirt. The kits rushed forward and took large bites out of the prey. It was like they never had food in their life. Lilysnow could hear her belly rumbling, and the other two queens were eying the prey hungrily. The kits had to eat though. If anyone was going to die, it would be her. Scarletkit, Ivorykit, Lynxkit, Stephanotis and Liasanthus needed to survive. They didn't know the glory of life. They only knew darkness and dirt.
Lilysnow would die for any kit. She would die for Maplekit and Darkkit. She would die for Finchsong. The sound of hushed voices soon lulled her into a dreamless sleep, just as they roused her from nightmares.
-linebreak-
Lilysnow woke up again to feel a paw prodding her. Cosmos stood over her, a solemn look on her face. "What's going-" Lilysnow began, but Cosmos cut her off with a hiss. "Hush. I hear Hawk talking with Sharpstar in the clearing. There might be some information we can use."
Lilysnow rolled to her paws, looking back to Splashfeather. She was asleep, the five kits curled up in little balls at her stomach. Lilysnow turned back to Cosmos. "Alright. What did you hear so far?"
Cosmos motioned with her tail for Lilysnow to follow. "Keep quiet. The guard is a light sleeper, and he has long claws," she murmured. Lilysnow nodded to show she understood, taking light steps across the floor as if she were hunting a frog. Soon, they stood at the entrance of the den. The guard was dozing at their paws, tongue lolling out of his mouth. Cosmos cautiously stepped over him, crouching beside a boulder. Lilysnow did the same.
Sharpstar was in the clearing, talking with a black tom that was probably Hawk. "So you're sure you have the right cats?" Sharpstar grumbled. Hawk nodded, hissing with delight. "So you continue to doubt me? I rid your Clan of that weakling Tawnystar. You got the position you wanted. Now, I found the cats that are guaranteed to bring us straight to the cats of the prophecy."
"How is that she-cat who calls herself my daughter supposed to lead us to the chosen one? How are a RiverClan queen and her kits supposed to help us? How are loners going to help us?" Sharpstar hissed. "Heather has sent spies a couple of times. One of the chosen ones is the sister of the cream tabby," Hawk growled.
Lilysnow's heart nearly stopped. They're after Finchsong! she realized.
