Chapter I: The Sorrow of the Forgotten

Firekit's POV

SettingClan cats had a skill that most other cats would consider rather pointless. There were very few situations where one would need to be able to tell the time of day only by the colour of the sky, and not the position of the sun. Yet it was a skill that they used everyday, for their camp was situated underground, in a place where an underground river had once flowed. There were small holes in the roof to let light in, and it was very rare for a cat to be able to see the sun itself through these gaps.

At this time of day, the sky was a pale yellow with lingering darker tints of the nighttime. This told of the approaching dawn, when the sun would take to its throne in the sky and wash its dazzling light over the hills and forests. The birds would burst into song and the forest would come to life. Cats and kits alike would enjoy the light of day, smiling and laughing. But that didn't mean to say that they couldn't do so a little earlier.

Three small shapes sneaked out of the nursery. Being kits, they weren't the quietest or the best hidden. There were two white kits and one ginger kit, which was rather unfortunately obvious against the dark brown cave walls, and they kept having to hold in snickers and giggles. Nonetheless, they were convinced that they were the best stalkers in the Clan.

But who or what was their prey? A tom sitting at the camp entrance to guard the Clan had been selected as their target. The golden-furred warrior acted oblivious as the littermates crept up on him, pretending that he had no idea of their presence. When they pounced with a loud cry, he let them pin him to the ground.

"Oh no!" he cried playfully. "Mercy!" As he feigned defeat, amusement gleamed in his eyes.

"We've got you right where we want you," one of the white tom-kits growled teasingly. His vivid amber eyes gleamed in the semi-darkness.

"Should we kill him now or take him prisoner?" the ginger she-kit asked her brothers, trying to put on the voice of a strong warrior.

"I think," the last kit hissed, "we should take him prisoner so that we can trade him for something his Clan has!" He seemed very pleased with his idea.

Unfortunately the kits' adventure was cut short when their mother hurried out of the nursery and saw them. She strode over to her kits, wearing an expression that told them she might have been just a little displeased with them. Most likely a bit more than that.

"Icekit! Cloudkit! Firekit! What do you think you're doing?" the tortoiseshell growled. When her kits saw her, they got off the tom, annoyed that they got caught.

"It was Cloudkit's idea!" Icekit protested, glaring at his brother.

"You didn't have to come," Cloudkit pointed out, green eyes flashing.

"You could have been eaten by a fox for all I know," their mother fretted. "And you've stopped Simba doing his job properly. What if the Clan was attacked?"

It seemed Firekit was the only one who looked guilty. Her brothers appeared to think they had done nothing wrong. Firekit had always been more honest out of the three of them – the odd one out. That didn't mean she ever felt left out of their games, though. Icekit would always remember to involve her.

"They weren't getting in the way, Darkfire," Simba purred, now sitting up. "They just wanted to have some fun. They're kits you know, you can't blame them."

Darkfire sighed. "If you say so." Looking at her kits, she meowed, "I'll let you off this time, but anymore nonsense and I might just have to tell Shadowstar to hold back your apprentice ceremonies."

Firekit's eyes widened in disbelief. "You wouldn't!"

"I would," Darkfire promised. "Now back to nursery. You should still be sleeping."

Icekit, Cloudkit and Firekit padded back to the nursery. As soon as Darkfire was out of earshot, Cloudkit growled, "Moaning old pile of mouse-dung."

"Cloudkit!" Firekit gasped. "That's mean!"

How could he say something like that?

Cloudkit sighed in annoyance. "I know, but she just ticks me off sometimes."

"She ticks off everyone once in a while," Icekit pointed out.

"You were thinking the same thing!" Cloudkit protested, lashing his tail.

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Was not!"

Darkfire had just approached behind her kits at this point in the conversation. "I have no idea what you two are arguing about, but stop it right now or soon every cat in the Clan will be awake because of you." Before they could even consider talking back, she herded them into the nursery.

"But mother-" Cloudkit began.

"I don't want to hear another word out of you," Darkfire proclaimed. "Now get some more sleep."

Firekit curled up and began to drift off asleep with the comforting pelts of her brothers at her back and the sound of sleeping cats all around her.

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Icekit's POV

Icekit was second to wake up. They hadn't slept long, but it was enough time for their mother to consider it light enough for them to wander about camp by themselves. Cloudkit had wandered off to StarClan knows where again, leaving Icekit with Firekit. The sound of camp life outside tempted the young kit to go and look for his brother, but common sense told him not to leave his sister.

The only other cat in the den was Applefern, a sleeping queen carrying Simba's kits. Darkfire had gone to talk to Icekit's father just after Cloudkit had left, and Vividmist and her kits had already gone out to play. So Icekit was content just sit there and watch Firekit sleeping. She wasn't particularly frail in build, but more in heart. She was nowhere near as boisterous as Icekit and Cloudkit, so he always took the time to make sure she wasn't left behind. If he ever left it to Cloudkit, she would be forgotten on many occasions.

He waited until his sister finally stirred before meowing, "Hello, Firekit." He licked her ear affectionately. "Mother says we can go out to play by ourselves. Do you want to ask the elders for a story?"

Firekit sat up and nodded enthusiastically. "Maybe they'll tell us about a battle!" she meowed. The ginger she-kit got to her paws and raced out of the nursery, leaving Icekit to chase after her.

Outside, the camp was buzzing with life. Warriors gathered where Spiderstripe was giving out orders for patrol, and kits play-fought at one side. Apprentices chatted outside their den, and in the medicine cat den Sharpsight was busy organising his herbs. Shadowstar watched from the entrance of his high-up den, his expression unreadable.

On arrival at the elders' den, Icekit was surprised to see that Cloudkit was there with Firekit. He must have had the same idea about getting a story from the elders. His brother sat before an aged grey tabby tom, whom he recognised as Cavepelt.

"Tell us a story, Cavepelt!" Firekit piped up excitably.

Cavepelt sighed. "I'll tell you one later. I need to go and see Sharpsight for these aches," the grey tabby meowed.

"Please!" Icekit begged.

Cavepelt shook his head, standing up. "Come back at sunhigh and I'll tell you one."

"Pleeeeeaaaaaase!" Cloudkit whined.

"I would tell you a story but I can't," Cavepelt told them. "Go find something else to do." The elder padded out of the den.

A moment's pause later, Icekit suggested, "Let's ask mother if we can go out into the forest."

"Yeah!" Cloudkit agreed, eyes shining. Firekit didn't say anything but the look on her face was enough to say that she was also for this idea.

The littermates charged out of the elders' den and ran up to their mother, who was talking to their father. Unfortunately, in their excitement Icekit and Cloudkit forgot to slow down and tumbled in Darkfire in one big heap.

"Oof!" Icekit cried as Cloudkit's shoulder jarred into his stomach. However, the pain faded quickly as he and Cloudkit got up, with embarrassment. Behind them, Firekit had fallen over in fits of hysterical laughter. Icekit looked up at his mother, not sure whether she would be amused or annoyed.

Luckily, it was the former. "What are you doing?" she purred. "So excited that you forgot how to stop?"

"Um…" Cloudkit trailed off without even starting whatever he was going to say.

Their father mrrrowed with laughter. "Maybe some time out in the forest would help," the white tom suggested.

"That's what we were just going to ask!" Icekit chirped.

"Well, it seems as if I can predict the future," their father purred. "Who knows, maybe I'll have to be the medicine cat."

"Yuck! I don't want to be related to a medicine cat!" Cloudkit protested.

"Oh, but you are," Darkfire purred with amusement, waiting to see her son's reaction.

"We don't need another- wait, what?" Cloudkit was comically late in realising what his mother just told him. "I am?" His eyes were wide with shock.

She nodded. "Sharpsight is my brother." The mirth in her eyes couldn't be hidden.

Icekit couldn't contain his laughter at the horrified expression on his brother's face. He and Firekit ended up giggling together while Cloudkit slowly became annoyed.

"It's not funny!" he complained, but Icekit and Firekit ignored him.

"Ok, stop now," Darkfire purred. "We've had our laugh, now let's go out to the forest." She began to herd her kits out into the forest, but not before turning back to her mate and calling, "Bye, Stormwhisker!"

"Bye, dad!" Icekit and Cloudkit meowed in unison.

"Bye," Firekit mewed.

"Bye, everyone!" Stormwhisker purred as his mate and kits padded away.

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Wildkit's POV

Sometimes, Wildkit felt left out. He told himself it was just because his sisters preferred to do other things, but deep down he knew it was something else. Most cats in the Clan would charge straight into battle, regardless of the situation, in order to defend their pride and land – it was the classic SettingClan fashion after all. But Wildkit never had the intent to do the same. He would always think before about the consequences, not afterwards when it had all gone wrong. That just wasn't him.

He tried always to blend in, joining with his sisters, but sometimes he just didn't have the heart. When they wanted to raid the warriors' den, he wanted to go out into the forest with his mother. When he wanted to get something to eat, they would already have started playing 'Clan' without him. Dovekit was the worst for it, but Fernkit was just as bad sometimes. They didn't know how much it hurt to be abandoned. And Wildkit wasn't even shy. He was just as chatty and confident as his sisters at times, sometimes even more. But his tendency to hesitate meant his sisters would always get first word in, and make up their minds before he'd even opened his mouth.

The only cats – or kits – in the Clan he could feel natural around were Icekit and Firekit. Firekit seemed to have a similar problem to him, only he was sure it was out of shyness. Icekit was a lot like Dovekit in some ways, but he always made sure his sister wasn't left behind. It was this that told Wildkit that Icekit was nice.

But today they had been taken out of camp, leaving Wildkit to try and join in with Dovekit and Fernkit. Right now, his sisters were currently discussing how they could raid Sharpsight's den.

"We need a diversion to get him out of his den," Dovekit meowed, casting a quick glance towards the medicine cat.

"How can we do that?" Wildkit asked. He preferred to be the one who asked the question because, while it made him look mouse-brained, it meant he didn't have to spend time discussing how to do something that he wasn't even going to do anyway. But he still liked pointing out his sisters' mistakes in their plans.

"We could pretend to be hurt," Fernkit suggested.

That won't work because he'll know that you're faking it. Even if you were actually hurt he'd still take you into his den to heal you.

"Hm, what about telling him someone else was hurt?"

Unless you had a convincing story he might not believe you, especially with your trouble-making reputation. And if he did believe you it would ensure that you would get into trouble because he'd soon find out that you were lying.

"I don't that would work. What about telling him Shadowstar wanted to see him?"

Again, that would fail because he'd find out you were lying as soon as he went to see him.

"Wildkit, what do you think?" Dovekit turned to her brother.

If you found some berries and put them somewhere far away from the medicine cat, then you could go and tell Sharpsight that you saw some berries and ask if they were his herbs, since there isn't supposed to be any random berries underground. He'd ask you to show them to him, and while that was happening someone else could sneak into the medicine cat den and raid it while he wasn't there. There are one or two ifs, but it would work much better than any of their other plans.

Wildkit shrugged. "I can't think of anything else better."

"Guys, mother's coming," Fernkit muttered. Surely enough, Vividmist was approaching them.

"What are you three up to?" the dilute tortoiseshell purred.

"We're deciding who should be leader in 'Clan'," Dovekit told her. "I think I should be leader."

"No, I should be leader!" Fernkit argued, quickly playing along with Dovekit's excuse.

"It's always one of you two who has to be leader," Vividmist pointed out. "Why doesn't Wildkit be leader?"

"Wildkit can't be leader," Dovekit meowed.

Wildkit narrowed his eyes, annoyed that his sister didn't think he would make a good leader. "Yes I can!" the cream tabby protested. She shot a disbelieving glance at him.

She thinks I'm a mouse-brain.

"Fine, I'll be medicine cat," Dovekit decided, looking dubious about the whole situation.

"And I'll be deputy," Fernkit settled on. She also looked a little uncertain about Wildkit being leader.

Vividmist purred. "Glad to see you're getting on with each other." She padded away, presumably to talk to Frosteyes or Patchflower or someone.

Dovekit and Fernkit turned to Wildkit expectantly, for once waiting for him to speak.

"I'll be Wildstar," Wildkit meowed. "What do you want to be called?"

"I'll be Fernflower," Fernkit decided, looking very happy with her name.

"I'll be Dovefeather," Dovekit meowed, still looking as if she had doubts about Wildkit playing leader.

Wildkit thought for a moment before meowing, "Let's launch an attack on Simba."

Simba was a favourite target amongst the kits. It had all started when Applefern had become pregnant with his kits. He decided he wanted more experience with kits and started spending more time with them. After one time he was ambushed by small cats they realised that, unlike most warriors, he wouldn't try and make an excuse to get away unless he really needed to, and that he was very good at playing the part of a captured prisoner.

"He's out on patrol, 'Wildstar'," Dovekit pointed out.

"He just came back not that long ago and went to visit Applefern," Wildkit told her. "He should be coming out soon."

As if on cue, the golden warrior padded out of the nursery. Wildkit glanced at Dovekit, hoping to see her shocked or annoyed, but her expression was unreadable. It might take a little bit more to convince her that he wasn't a complete mouse-brain, but he was up for the challenge.


Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed. If you have anything you want to say about my story then don't hesitate to review. And if you have any questions, you can also review. Constructive criticism is very welcome. Flamers will most likely be laughed at.

Anyway, onto the reviews.

RainbowNinjaUnicorn279 - I didn't tell you everything for two reasons. One: I made up part of it at the time. Two: You know some stuff but you're still left wondering what's going to happen.

Fairy Hound - I tend to be really bad for that. I'll know in my head exactly what I want to write, but I'll subconsciously type it down wrong and then not notice when I read over it again for mistakes. I'm better than I used to be though.

The Storm-Mist Account - Good to hear it :-). I hope you continue to like it.

I don't normally update this fast, but I know that not many people are interested in a story with just allegiances and a prologue, which is why I tried to get the first chapter up as quickly as possible. There may not be anything interesting about the storyline so far but this is just to introduce the main characters to you. The next chapter should be a little bit more interesting.