Chapter 1

Wind rustled the soft green leaves that lined the nursery's den. Curled deep in the warmth of their mother was two tiny kits, the biggest one a dark ginger tabby tom and the other a slender tortoiseshell and white she-cat. They were just reaching to time to open their eyes. Ashkit opened his dark green eyes to look at the world around him, he saw his mother's soft under belly and his sister's fluffy kitten fun sticking up against the wind. Giving his sister a sharp nudge, in hopes that he could wake her from her sleep. When she didn't open her eyes, Ashkit nudged her harder.

"Silentkit wake up, I want to go outside." He complained, tearing at the ground with his tiny claws.

Tigerlily lifted her head to stare at her kit with amusement, before brushing her tail over the kit's mouth. "Hush, before you wake the whole camp. She will wake up when she is ready. You can wait till she's awake to go outside the den, but before then go back to sleep." Tigerlily pulled Ashkit back into her warm belly and laid her head back down in her leafy nest. Ashkit followed her orders and curled up next her sister, he was willed to sleep by the smell of her mother's milk and Silentkit's gentle breathing.

Silentkit was awaken but the sound of her brother Ashkit scrapping the away at the ground.

"Can I please go out into the clearing now? Silentkit's taking to long to wake up!" Ashkit whined. Quickstream and Fawnleap, the two other queens in the nursery, looked at the ginger tom with amusement. "Don't worry little one, she will wake up on her own time." Quickstream purred as she placed a tender lick to her own kit, who rested quietly into her belly.

Yeah Ashkit, let me rest a little longer. Silentkit snuggled deeper into her mother. Tigerlily gave her kit and tender lick, "Go on Ashkit. I'll send Silentkit out when she wakes up." Ashkit purred and hurried out of the den, his tail high in the air. Silentkit jolted up from her nest, her green eyes looked up to her mother, to the other queens, back to her mother. "Tigerlily can I go outside the den with Ashkit?" With a purr Tigerlily nodded and Silentkit bolted out the entrance; the queens purred after her.

Silentkit was surprised by the many colors and smells. Cats were mingling about each other sharing tongues. With a quick look around the camp, Silentkit spotted Ashkit poking around the freshkill pile. Stalking towards her brother, she took great care not to alert Ashkit she was near; she wanted to surprise him. Weaving quietly around the other warriors, until she was a little ways away from the dark ginger tom. Giving her haunches a little shack, she leapt onto her brother's shoulders, both kits struggled to pin one another to the ground.

"Hey stay out from under my paws1" Howled Leafwhisker, a tabby and white she-cat; she looked down at the kits with a sneer. Both kits bowed their heads in shame.

Great, the first time out of the nursery and I get in trouble. Tigerlily is going to make us stay in the den until we're six moons! Thought Silentkit bitterly as she crouched lower under leafwhisker's gaze.

"We're sorry." They meowed in in unisons. Leafwhisker's gaze softened, "Well go on you two, go back to your game." Ashkit and Silentkit sprang to their paws and scrambled after each other.

"And stay out of from under other cat's paw!" Leafwhisker called after them.

Ashkit fought to keep his sister on the ground as she wriggled and thrashed around. "Feel my claws, Darkclan!" Cried Ashkit, swatting Silentkit. Gathering all her strength, she shoved her brother off her. "You will feel my teeth in your throat!" Fur fluffed, back arched, Silentkit let out a hiss and pounced on the tom; they rolled in the dust, their claws sheathed.

"Okay that's enough you two. You're kicking up enough dirt to coat the whole clan." Meowed a familiar voice.

"Firetail!" Silentkit howled in enjoyment as she raced to her father. Tackling the scared warrior, the kits batted at Firetail's soft under belly.

"Oh no, such strength, I have never felt such power in kits! Moonclan is not a clan to mess with!" Cried the older ginger tom as the kits pawed him.

"Hear that cats from all clans, Moonclan has kits with the strength of lions!" Silentkit jeered, standing atop Firetail's belly.
Purring, Firetail shook the kits off of him. "Despite what your name is, you're sure not silent." And he reached down to nuzzle his kits. A purr erupted from Silentkit throat as her father's raspy tongue licked her ears.

"Go back to your mother, I'll be over there in a moment." And Flametail nudged them back to their den.

"Do we have too? We just got out of the nursery!" Ashkit trudged his way after his sister. Firetail purred in amusement, "Yes you do, but if you get back there quickly I'll let you taste a bit of mouse." He promised, flicking his tail just over their heads. Silentkit didn't need to be told twice, she pelted towards the den; Ashkit following close behind.

Tigerlily lay outside with the other queens, Fawnleap, a young she-cat expecting kits, and Quickstream, they watched Mousekit scuffle around after a ball of moss. Silentkit slid to a halt, her brother slammed into her. Tigerlily purred at the young kits as they scrambled to their paws. "What has gotten into you two?" Ashkit shook the dirt from his pelt, "Firetail said if we got back to the nursery he would let us try mouse!"

Mousekit padded up to the other two kits, his eyes sparkling with hopefulness, "Can I try some mouse too Quickstream?" A loud purr erupted from the grey and white queen. "I don't see why not. Go over to the freshkill pile and get a mouse for the both of us and we can share it." Mousekit padded away, his tail held high in the air.

Firetail came trotting over to his mate, a fat mouse hung from his jaws. He placed the mouse down at the kit's paws, before sitting down beside Tigerlily. Ashkit was the first to tear at the mouse, Silentkit soon followed suit. Silentkit was surprised at the rich taste of mouse.

"Prey is running rich this Greenleaf." Tigerlily licked her mate's shoulder. Firetail nodded in agreement. They purred in affection as they watch their kits try their first mouse.

"Attack! Snowclan's attacking!" The warning came a little too late and the next thing Silentkit saw was huge, muscular cats break through the bramble walls. Tigerlily grabbed Silentkit by her scruff and hauled both her kits into the nursery; Firetail jumped into action.

Silentkit watched the battle through a small hole in the bramble wall, enclosing their den. Their mother hissed as a grey tom pushed his way into the nursery, Silentkit, Ashkit. And Mousekit was shoved into the corner of the den. Spins arched and claws out Fawnleap launched herself onto the huge warrior as Quickstream and Tigerlily clawed at his soft under belly. Silentkit stood watching in horror as the warrior took a bite of Tigerlily's paw, before slashing at Fawnleap's belly.

Finally the Snowclan warrior broke free from the queens' offending claws. There was howling of pain and furry as the cats outside fought hard to keep what's theirs. As soon as the fight had begun, is stopped, the camp went silent.

Tigerlily faced Silentkit and Ashkit. "Stay here with Quickstream and Fawnleap, I'll go and check if everything is safe." And her tortoiseshell fur disappeared out of the den.

A wail sounded from outside broke through the silence like claws.
Tigerlily! Thought Silentkit, her fur prickling in fear. Someone's hurting her!" Silentkit followed behind Quickstream, who guided Fawnleap out of the den. Silentkit's eyes landed on Tigerlily, who was crouched over the bloodied fur of Firetail. Ashkit broke away from Quickstream, Silentkit followed; they headed towards their mother. Silentkit looked down at Firetail, he lay unmoving on the blood stained ground. "Mother is he okay?" Ashkit brushed up against Tigerlily, whose fur was standing on end in distress. Mousefeather, the clan's medicine cat, padded forward, sadness in her eyes. She touched her nose to Tigerlily and leaned down to nose around Firetail, before raising her head.

"I'm sorry." She whispered to Tigerlily, before turning to face the crowed. "Firetail is dead!"