Chapter 1:

Story's Beginning

Rare are the times a kit comes to me wanting a story about the Troublepaws. Normally it's about Adderfang, or the Founders, or the Originals, or Lionstar and Ferretstar. They, at least, have some semblance of a story behind them.

I know, I know. You asked about Vixenstrike, not about the Troublepaws, but that's just it. The Troublepaws were Vixenstrike's life, her whole reason for being. Her loyalty to that group surpassed her loyalty to her clan - our clan. If you really want to hear about Vixenstrike, you have to hear about the group.

Some will argue that the group was formed during our apprentice years, and to a degree that's true. However, I think it was something that started during our kithood, when she first had a taste of adventure, when she first travelled to the tunnels. The group wasn't formed then, no; we didn't even know each other at that time! But going to the tunnels as a kit was what brought her back to them later in life.

She was always attracted to danger, mistakes, and adventure. From kithood to StarClan.

Are you ready to listen? Very well. Here's the story, from beginning to end.

"Ow!"

"Sorry, Shadekit!"

"You're going to get us in trouble!"

"Everyone, quiet!"

The half-frantic mutterings of the small group of kits came to a sudden stop as they approached a small, rabbit-sized hole in the ground, and as their tiny pawsteps halted, they glanced at each other quizzically. Bright yellow eyes gleamed downwards into the hole as Vixenkit stepped forward, her tail and ears twitching with unsuppressed excitement. A loud, content purr rumbled deep in her throat.

"This is it guys." She turned, addressing her followers pridefully. "This is the entrance I told you about. The one that leads to DarkClan's tunnels."

The two oldest kits, Shadekit and Frozenkit, exchanged dubious glances at Vixenkit's claim, frowning at each other.

"Are you sure?" Frozenkit asked, coming to stand beside their younger self-elected leader and peering down into the hole. "Don't seem very big."

Vixenkit gave a contemptuous snort. "Sure I'm sure! You've seen Sagetongue, right? DarkClan cats are tiny. I'm sure they'd be able to wriggle through here and steal our prey!"

Foxkit stood a little ways away from his sister as she explained why the hole made such a great entrance and why only they can discover the rival clan's secrets (seeing as they were the only cats who could squeeze through the hole). His amber eyes flickered in the moonlight as he came up to stand beside her, pressing his bright ginger coat against her darker one as a cold breeze blew through the pine forest. "That's so awesome you found this, Vixenkit!" He purred warmly, earning a lick between the ears in response.

Shadekit's pale form, outlined in the dark by the shining moonlight, was shivering. "It's too cold for this, Vixenkit. We should head back before we get in trouble."

"Finchflight's dead asleep, and so is everyone else. We won't be missed if we just explore a little bit."

"But-"

Before Shadekit could finish her argument, however, Vixenkit was squeezing through the small hole, her bushy tail vanishing from sight in moments. Foxkit glanced at the other two siblings, then shrugging his shoulders followed his sister down.

Frozenkit looked at his own sister. "It could be fun, Shade."

Shadekit frowned, then nodding at her brother's encouragement followed him into the hole. The damp, muddy entrance eventually gave way to a cavern, a large one at that, with various sharp rocks jutting from every which point and odd wooden beams holding the roof and walls in place. As Shadekit's eyes adjusted to the gloom, she spotted Vixenkit sniffing the air, whiskers twitching appreciatively as the only scents she could detect were their own pine-filled ones and of the rock around them. Foxkit was pacing around the cavern, staring intently at the wooden beams.

"You know," he said thoughtfully, "Lakeheart used to say that Twolegs actually built these tunnels, said that these aren't...natural."

Vixenkit shrugged, her long muzzle still pointed in the air as she sniffed about. "Who knows? There is that old Twolegplace outside our boundaries."

"MarshClan's boundaries, Vixenkit." Shadekit corrected, finding herself more at ease now that they appeared to be alone. She sat down, winding her long tail around her paws, watching carefully as Frozenkit poked at a small black beetle on the ground. Vixenkit didn't respond, instead walking carefully over to a corresponding tunnel and peering into the endless darkness.

"This leads to DarkClan." She announced after a moment or two of silence. Frozenkit bounded over, taking a step inside and brushing his oak brown pelt against its walls as if he were marking the territory with his scent.

"They better not come anymore!" The five-moon-old tom announced, standing on his hind paws and rubbing his back along the jagged edges. "Not now that we have our scent here!"

"Oh yes," Foxkit's voice was dripping with sarcasm. "Because the scent of an IceClan kit will totally ward them off!"

"Why you -" Suddenly, Frozenkit jumped on the smaller, younger kit, and the two toms began rolling around the cavern in a playfight, nipping at each others ears and kicking at each others stomachs. As the two toms competed in their fierce brawl, Vixenkit nudged Shadekit's shoulder, jerking her head in the direction of the tunnel Frozenkit had apparently claimed. Shadekit's eyes widened as the younger she-kit bounded down into the tunnel, then reluctantly she bolted after her, realizing Vixenkit should never be left alone.

Bad things tended to happen when Vixenkit was alone.

Shaking her pale golden fur, Shadekit slowed her pace, making sure her blue eyes never left Vixenkit as the smaller cat walked on ahead. As the two adventurers progressed, however, the walls seemed to close in more tightly, and the wooden beams that Shadekit decided gave her a sense of protection vanished. The two could no longer hear their loud brothers who remained in the cavern, oblivious to their disappearance, and Shadekit's anxiety grew with every pawstep.

There was a loud crash up ahead.

Then another.

Then everything went dark.

. . . . .

"You know, Shadepaw's not much looking forward to sharing a den with you again."

Foxkit watched as his sister looked up from the mouse they had been sharing, her yellow eyes glinting like stars. She didn't respond, slowly chewing the bit of morsel she still had in her mouth, eyes half-closed in thought and reflection. When she swallowed, she let out a quiet sigh, shaking her sleek head in disappointment.

"She was older than me. She should've known better."

While a part of Foxkit felt like arguing with her, another part knew that Vixenkit was right. Shadepaw and Frozenpaw were older than they were by a full moon; they should have taken charge when Vixenkit first told them of the entrance. But then, who could be a better leader than his sister?

"You guys were lucky that Sharpclaw knew about those tunnels. Otherwise, you'd both be dead." It had been a moon since the accident occurred. Vixenkit, according to Sharpclaw, had lead the way to the Deeper Tunnels, steep and unstable things that not even the wisest of "tunnel-diggers" would take for granted. Then-Shadekit had broken one of her paws - an injury that would have delayed apprenticeship if not for Honeyspot's medicinal expertise - and Vixenkit was bruised all over. Ever since, Shadepaw has had limited association with Vixenkit, her trust in the adventurous kit shattered, possibly beyond repair.

Vixenkit snorted, giving her brother no verbal response as she got up and stretched, claws digging into the soft ground beneath her paws, the white points glinting in the sunlight. Foxkit finished off the brown-furred mouse, taking one last mouthful before beginning to kick dirt over the remains.

The sun was warm on their ginger pelts as they strolled leisurely back to camp, having eaten their meal just outside the main clearing. Foxkit glanced at his sister for a brief moment, and silently he wondered just where he would be now if his sister wasn't there for him, always ready to help, comfort, and lead.

In the clearing, the warriors not on patrol were relaxing in the warm sun, most graced with the look of gleeful relief. Leafbare had been particularly harsh that season, cold, and every one of the clans was ravaged by sickness. Creekstar even seemed more relaxed than in moons past, talking contentedly with his brother and only remaining elder, Bluenose. Sharpclaw and Raventalon were curled up together in the sun; Lavendernose and her former apprentice, Snowspirit, were sharing a squirrel; the youngest warriors, Thornpool and Cloudheart, were play fighting in the center of the clearing, like they were kits again.

Foxkit found himself purring. What a great day to become an apprentice!

Even though he had been informed of his coming apprenticeship days before, the thought still sent a shiver of thrill coursing through his small frame, especially knowing that it wasn't to be delayed, in spite of his and Vixenkit's expeditions outside the camp. And despite Vixenkit's calm facade, he was certain she felt the same way.

Creekstar seemed to spot the two siblings from where he was speaking with Bluenose, and a fatherly warmth crossed his pale silver features, the look he seemed to give every kit in the clan. He flicked his tail, and instantly the two scurried over to the great leader.

The two brothers were both large, tall and broad, with Bluenose remaining especially muscular even though he had retired moons ago. Vixenkit looked bashfully at the elder, as she always claimed that he was her hero. Bluenose gave her a comforting smile and a wink before turning to Creekstar as he addressed the to-be apprentices.

"Just on time you two." The leader purred warmly. "I was just talking to Bluenose about who your mentors should be."

The always-inquisitive Vixenkit cocked her head curiously. "Isn't that something you should discuss with Jayflight?" She quickly glanced Bluenose. "No disrespect intended, of course."

While Bluenose chuckled in amusement at the kit, Creekstar explained: "Jayflight's out right now on border patrol, and I already discussed it with him before, along with my other senior warriors."

"He just wanted my approval," Bluenose finished for his brother. The elder stood then and dipped his head respectfully to both the leader and kits before he walked away, the blue tom's tall form still possessing a dignity most warriors didn't even have. Creekstar's ice-colored eyes twinkled as Foxkit looked up at him.

"You decided, then?"

Creekstar nodded, he, too, standing up. "I'll hold your ceremony when the patrol gets back. Clean yourselves up; I'm sure Finchflight wouldn't want to groom you two now that you're older."

With that, the pale silver leader walked away, meeting Raventalon and Sharpclaw from where they lay together, possibly to discuss the ceremony. Taking his advice, both of the fox-named kits began to groom each other, flicking off any vegetation that clung to them and making sure their fur lay as flat as possible; Vixenkit especially made sure she was presentable, always having a certain pride in her fox-like appearance.

"Do you think Finchflight's proud of us?" Foxkit wondered aloud as the siblings groomed themselves. Vixenkit didn't stop her meticulous grooming, focusing on one plume of fur which failed to lie down no matter how many times she rasped her coarse tongue across it.

"Probably not. We aren't her kits after all." She stated matter-of-factly. Foxkit thought on that, then:

"Are you proud of me?"

That was when her grooming ceased, her leg with that stubborn plume returning slowly to the ground. Her eyes held a certain sorrow in them, one Foxkit knew he should have understood but didn't, along with a certain longing. After a period of silence passed, she looked up, yellow eyes soft and gleaming, all bad feelings gone from their sun-colored depths.

"Of course I am, Foxkit." Before Vixenkit could continue, the border patrol - headed by the deputy, Jayflight - came into camp. Shadepaw was on that patrol, and for a brief moment, she and Vixenkit locked gazes. Distrust gleamed in Shadepaw's eyes, and Vixenkit was forced to look away as Creekstar jumped onto Fallen Tree and called the clan meeting.

Despite his discomfort with Vixenkit and Shadepaw's disliking of each other, excitement and nervous tension swelled within Foxkit as he padded over to the edge of the gathered cats, sitting nervously beside his sister and Sunshadow, who gave him an encouraging smile.

"Cats of IceClan," Creekstar began, "Today I gather you for perhaps one of my most favorite and important of traditions. Vixenkit and Foxkit have reached their sixth moon, and it is time for them to be apprenticed." He jumped off from his post then, standing just in front of his den and looking directly at the ginger kits. "Will you please step forward."

Making sure his pelt brushed Vixenkit's, Foxkit stepped forward, looking up at Creekstar and mustering all the control he could to keep himself from shaking, to keep his fur - which he tried to hard to groom - from fluffing out. Creekstar's pride was evident on his face as he spoke again.

"Vixenkit, you and your brother are now of age to be apprenticed. From this moment on, until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Vixenpaw. Your mentor shall be Cloudheart." At the sound of his name, the small, fluffy white tom approached, and Foxkit found himself wondering if this had been rehearsed. "You have proven yourself ready for your first apprentice. You had a superb mentor in Sharpclaw, and I hope you shall pass on all that you have learned from her to Vixenpaw."

While Foxkit thought his sister seemed disappointed at receiving such a young warrior as a mentor, she didn't seem to hesitate as she touched her nose to his. She stepped back beside her new white-furred mentor, watching with pride-lit eyes as Foxkit's turn came. Creekstar turned to the young tom.

"Foxkit, from this moment on, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Foxpaw. Your mentor will be Brackenleap." The brown-tabby warrior came forward, just as Cloudheart had done. "Brackenleap, you were an excellent mentor to Reedshine, and I hope you will pass on all that you know to Foxpaw and turn him into anothe one of IceClan's fine warriors."

"I shall do my best," the warrior promised before leaning down and touching his nose to Foxpaw's. Vixenpaw, eyes alight, rubbed her face along Foxpaw's as the rest of the clan chanted their names, every voice ringing distinctively in his ears.

"Vixenpaw! Foxpaw! Vixenpaw! Foxpaw!"

Vixenpaw and Foxpaw… The names tasted like the sweetest, smoothest honey on his tongue.

And he liked it.