Chapter One
Stormkit awoke to a tingling sensation by his ear. "Stop it," he muttered, pushing away the prodding nose.
"Sorry! But Spiketail promised to show us that battle move!" Chirped Darkkit, bouncing around. Stormkit's brother swiped at the air with his paws, battling imaginary enemies. "Hail Darkstar, leader of ThunderClan!" Darkkit yowled, pouncing on Stormkit. "And his deputy, Stormclaw!"
Stormkit nudged him off. "Not yet!" He squealed, giving chase. The two ran outside the nursery, engaging in a mock-fight. What could ruin a day like this? He thought. Only one moon should pass when he and Darkkit would become 'paws'.
Stormkit was distracted by a soft mew, "Can I play?" He whirled around to see Nightkit, a mottled black and white she-kit. Everyone thought her pelt was that of stars, but it was nothing special to Stormkit. Darkkit saw his chance, pinning his brother down.
"Got ya!"
Angrily, Stormkit shook him off. "No, this fight is for apprentices only."
Nightkit stood up straighter. "I'm only a moon younger than you are! And you're not apprentices anyway." She sniffed.
Darkkit shouldered up next to Stormkit, his dark gray tabby pelt rising. "How do you know? Moonstar might train us early."
"Never! Moonstar wouldn't break a rule in the warrior code!" Nightkit hissed, un-sheathing her tiny claws.
Great StarClan, she is so annoying!
"We are exceptions!" Darkkit exclaimed.
"Yeah, and kittypets don't get exceptions!"
Stormkit immediately regretted it a soon as it left his mouth. Everyone knew Ivystone was not clanborn, and she had Nightkit shortly after. No one knew the father, but the gossip was evident.
Nightkit's eyes flashed with hurt. "Take. That. Back." She said through gritted teeth. But Stormkit stalked away, angry with himself. Darkkit padded after him.
"You shouldn't have said that."
"Oh yeah? Well maybe cats would stop calling her that if she stopped acting like one," he snapped. Stormkit plopped down. He wasn't mean, honest. He just wanted Nightkit to stop bothering him. Stormkit ran his pale gray paw over his ear in distress .
Suddenly, a purr arose from behind him. "I think I promised you guys a battle move." Stormkit whirled around to find Spiketail standing behind him. Darkkit squealed in delight, leaping, landing on their father, dark gray kit against ginger and white of a warrior. Purring, Spiketail fell gently to the ground. "Help I'm being attacked!"
All problems forgotten, Stormkit joined his brother, pummeling Spiketail with tiny paws and growling fiercely.
"Spiketail!"
A brown and white she-cat waved her tail, at the entrance of the hollow. "Grassclaw assigned you to a hunting patrol with me and Turtlescar!" The she-cat motioned to a scarred tortoiseshell. Her face was clawed, one green eye shining, and so was the rest of her body.
"Coming Leaftail!" Spiketail shook off the kits. "Sorry, I'll show you the move later." The tom padded away, leaving the kits to their own devices.
Sighing, Stormkit watched his father walk away, then turned to watch the action around camp. Moonstar sat on the Highledge, her white pelt glowing in the morning sun, dark blue eyes missing nothing. Unnerved, Stormkit looked at the rest of camp.
Through the bramble screen, muffled mews came from the medicine den. Bugeyes emerged, a wad of herbs in his mouth. His big green eyes bulged, and his black and white pelt rippled. A young silver she-cat appeared next to him, chatting away. "And then the mouse escaped! Cloudthought was so frustrated!" Her laugh rang around the clearing. Blushing and not knowing why, Stormkit looked elsewhere, Bugeyes ancient reply fading away.
Grassclaw discussed prey with Shademoon and Redpelt, the ginger and brown toms foot splayed. Silentwhisker and Cloudthought shared tongues, and Lionbramble mock-battled Thornfall.
The Elders sunned, their ancient bones stretching and creaking, or at least that was what Stormkit thought. The sun filtered through the surrounding forest to the hollow, the heart of ThunderClan. It's history was legend. It was where the Leaders Bramblestar and Squirrelstar found the new home, the Great battle fought, Firestar's resting place, where most prophecies happened. Hat as Riverclan boasting about? Sure, sure, Hawkstar was famous for his back kick, white paws like lightning, eyes like ice and river, one each color. Saved the fores tby outwitting rogues, yada yada yaa. But this was ThunderClan!
A tail wrapped around him, followed by an indignant sqeak from Darkkit. Mossfur smiled down on them. "Let's go back to the nursery."
Stormkit frowned. "Just a little longer, please!" He begged her with his amber eyes.
"Yeah!" Darkkit shuffled nxt to his brother. "Please!"
Mossfur sighed, smiling back at them. "Alright, but just a bit. What ever am I going to do with you two?"
Mossfur disappeared into the nursery. Stormkit turned back to Darkkit. "I've got an idea!"
Darkkit groaned. "What is it this time? We got in big trouble for your last "idea". We put mouse bile in the elder's nts because you said the ticks would stay away!" Darkkit glared.
"No, this is better! We are going prove Nightkit wrong! Moonstar will apprentice us early."
"Uh, we?"
"Yes, we are going to catch the most prey this clan has ever seen. " Stormkit's eyes glimmered in anticipation.
"We are going into the forest!"
