Chapter 1

The small gray she-cat opened her eyes and screwed them up at the bright sunlight. Once her eyes adjusted, she looked around and spotted two larger kits next to her, a dark brown tabby tom-kit and a silver calico she-kit. Both of them already had their eyes open and were looking around for someone. That's when she realized that her mother wasn't there. She let out a little squeal and looked around. The two kits glanced over at her and took up the squeal.

Finally, a slender silver tabby padded over to them and scowled. "Ungrateful brats," she spat and lied down so they could suckle.

The little she-kit pushed herself to her mother's belly and started to suckle along with the two other kits, which, by now, she was guessing they were her siblings.

Their mother sniffed and flicked her tail at the tom-kit. "Kovou," she mewed stiffly. "Vitani and Mink."

Mink felt warm on the inside when she was given her name. (I know in the prologue she is named, but Mink doesn't know that…) Kovou puffed out his chest and continued to suckle.

Their mother lied there for a few moments longer before standing up. The three kits squealed in protest and their mother hissed and lashed out her paw, silencing the kits, fear gripping Mink's heart. "Never do that again. I will decide when you eat and when you stop eating," she spat.

The three kits huddled close, ears flat against their heads, kit-blue eyes wide with fright. Their mother snorted and lied down again, but the kits were too terrified to snuggle into her belly for warmth. She glared at the kits and hissed, "You will call me Luna, not mother or mama or anything like that."

The three kits nodded softly and Luna snorted, resting her head on her paws. Mink swallowed and curled up next to her siblings, ears flat against her head.

Sandkit watched Coalkit with wide kit-blue eyes, curled up next to his mother's belly. The other queen was curled up around Coalkit's sister, Pebblekit, unaware that Coalkit was trying to perfect his walking.

Coalkit stumbled around, falling down but trying to get to his paws but repeating the process, trying to be the best. Knowing him, Sandkit was guessing that Coalkit would try to change his eye color now instead of waiting the normal amount of time. He sighed and turned his head to his mother's belly and started to suckle. The dark ginger she-cat raised her head and opened her brilliant green eyes and smiled down at her son. "Good morning, Sandkit," she purred and nuzzled him.

Sandkit stopped suckle and smiled up at his mother. His mother touched her nose to his and Sandkit continued to suckle.

Coalkit stumbled around, trying to stand and walk, but he kept lifting one paw and falling down, stumbling around. I'm gonna show mama that I'm the best! He thought, still trying to get his footing. His mother yawned and raised her head, blinking open his blue eyes. She saw her son and purred, "Hello my little warrior."

Coalkit grinned and stumbled over to his mother and fell onto her tail. His mother purred and nudged her son back to his paws and watched him try to walk. Pebblekit raised her head and blinked her kit-blue eyes at her brother and squeaked. Coalkit stumbled again right next to sister. Pebblekit squealed and batted her brother away and started to suckle. Coalkit rolled his eyes when his mother wasn't looking and started to suckle as well.

The pale gray queen blinked at the dark ginger queen, blue eyes sparkling with amusement, and mewed, "Squirrelflight, how are you doing being stuck in the nursery?"

Squirrelflight looked up and purred, "I'm doing fine. What about you Dovewing?"

Dovewing smiled and replied, "I'm doing fine but I know that Coalkit is going to be a pawfull." Coalkit squeaked in response to his name and continued to suckle.

Squirrelflight twitched her whiskers in amusement and replied, "I can tell. Anyway, I'm going to get some prey. Want some?"

Dovewing nodded and shook her head in amusement when the dark ginger queen left, Sandkit pulling himself after her. Squirrelflight padded back in and gave Dovewing a shrew and lied down in her nest, tucking into a vole, Sandkit suckling greedily.

Bramblestar led a patrol toward ShadowClan territory, flanked by Bumblestripe, Cherryshine, Molefur, and Rosepetal. The ThunderClan leader stopped and scented the air to make sure ShadowClan wasn't pressing the borders. With a satisfied flick of the tail, Bramblestar padded on and stopped to remark the border along with the rest of the patrol.

Cherryshine darted toward Bramblestar, eyes wide with fear. "Bramblestar! There's a-"

A battle cry cut her off and a group of large, powerful rogues exploded from the brush on ShadowClan territory and surround the patrol, launching themselves at the cats.

Screeches echoed around as they clashed, fur and blood flying. Bramblestar found himself battling a huge dark ginger tom with massive paws and icy green eyes. With a roar, the tom launched himself at the ThunderClan leader and felt his claws ripping away fur, skin, and flesh and blood burst out. Bramblestar snarled and lashed his paw across the tom's face, tearing away skin and fur as blood trickled down. Anger lit n the rogue's eyes and he launched himself at Bramblestar, using his weight to throw off the leader.

Bramblestar clawed the rogue's belly as hot blood poured on top of him, but that didn't seem to bother the tom. The rogue kept slashing at Bramblestar's chest, trying to get to his throat.

The tom suddenly hooked Bramblestar's front paws with his large, thorn-sharp claws and launched his head down like a viper, sinking his fangs into Bramblestar's throat as blood bubbled and spilled around them.

Bramblestar struggled weakly, his life flashing before his eyes as darkness settled on him.