Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors or any related content. Those belong to Erin Hunter. I only own the characters and plot.

On an unrelated note… I got my first review yesterday! *fist pump* Thanks, Mosstail21!

Cat whimpered and pressed her muzzle deeper into her mother's matted fur that was along her stomach. She didn't have the slightest idea on where she was. All she knew was that something bad was about to happen… something very, very bad.

"It's okay, my dear. Everything will be okay…" Sassy wheezed softly. Her eyes were glazed over and she smelled of disease.

"What's happening, mama? What is Man doing to us?" Cat yowled, fear gripping and clawing at her mind. It was very dark inside the monster, but the young kitten could still make out Man's outline from the front.

Man yelled and hit the wire cage very hard with his front paw, almost knocking the entire thing to the lower floor. Cat whimpered again and tried to hide her tear-stained face. Her mother's fur was originally a light crème color, but now it was splotched with mud and feces. Despite the fact that bugs were crawling all over her face, Cat nuzzled in deeper.

"My daughter, listen to me." Sassy whispered, closing her green eyes. Cat peeked at her mother through her dingy pelt. "My time in this world is coming to a close. I want you to promise me that you'll try your best to escape this hell. Please promise me that much before I go."

Cat's eyes were wide with fear, but she managed to nod shakily.

A very small smile cracked the old she-cat's lips. She was very skinny; her hips and ribs sticking out from her pelt, despite the fact that she had long fur. Man had made her breed many times to sell her children; she always loved the kits she bared, and her heart broke a little more with every one that was taken away. Now, it was broken beyond repair. Eternal rest called to her like a songbird, so sweet and tempting. She knew she had to go.

"Thank you, my daughter. You made certain that I can leave this world happy. Always know that I love you, and please keep your promise…" A single tear crept from her closed eyes as her breathing started to slow.

"Mama, no! Please! Don't leave me yet! I still need you! What am I to do?" Cat cried, licking her mother's face.

But it was too late. The old she-cat stilled. A tear was still traveling down her face, and a smile still creased her lips.

"MAMA!"

The monster skidded to a stop, making the cage roll with the motion. Man yelled as he got out, walked around and opened the door beside them. Instantly, freezing wind blew into the monster, and many snowflakes managed to swirl past Man and onto the two cats' pelts, making Cat shiver. He jerked the cage's entrance to face him, yanked the latch open, and pulled Sassy out roughly by her scruff. He shook her violently, yelled again, and threw her somewhere along the bank. The she-cat's body had disappeared into the raging snow before Cat heard it land.

"Mama, no!" Cat screeched. Rage then took over, and she leapt blindly from her cage and onto Man's front paw. She kicked, clawed, raked, bit, and gnawed as much as she could before Man screamed and threw her as well. Cat quickly took off and hid in the deep snow behind the bank. As Man was taken away in his monster, a waterfall of slush washed over Cat, making her gasp. She waited until she couldn't hear Man anymore before she crawled out of her hiding place.

"I kept my promise, mama, but now what do I do?" Cat was already shivering violently as she huddled into a ball, trying to fight the blizzard. She began to sob quietly.

"Foxkit, wake up." the kit felt a strong nudge against her flank. Foxkit gasped and her eyes shot open. It was strangely warm, and Cat was confused as she looked around. Her eyes then met apair of striking blue ones.

The young she-kit jumped up to face the stranger, fur bristling. Then, something struck her.

Foxkit?

"Shhh, it's okay." the queen whispered. "You were whimpering and crying in your sleep. Were you having a bad dream?"

Cat nodded slowly.

"Come here." The she-cat smiled as she spread her front paws wider to create enough space for the frightened kit to lie underneath her head.

"Why did you call me Foxkit?" Cat asked.

"It is your new name; your clan name." The white and grey spotted queen replied in a whisper. Seeing Cat's confused look, she explained, "You will learn soon enough. Now, come."

Foxkit then crawled her way back into the queen's embrace, pleased that she laid her head along the kit's back to warm her.

"My name is Lillyfur. I'm going to be your new mother." Foxkit stiffened as the queen spoke. "I know this is a lot for you to take in at one time, but please know that you are safe. You were saved by some of our warriors; your new clanmates. Your whole life now lies ahead of you." Lillyfur licked the kit's back.

Foxkit slowly felt her eyes started to close. She was still confused about everything, but she was very happy.

I made it, mama. I'm safe. That was her last thought before drifting off into a deep, peaceful sleep.

It wasn't long before she felt another nose sniffing in her ear. She twitched it, then looked up to see a fuzzy tabby kit with blue eyes.

"Hi, I'm Thornkit. Who are you?" he asked kindly.

"I'm Ca- …Foxkit."

"Of course. You do look like a fox!" he purred. "My brother and sister are over there with my mom, Tawnystripe. Their names are Wolfkit and Whiskerkit. And my dad, Lizardscale, is curled up behind her." he said. "They're all sleeping now, but I can't. I was wondering if you'd like to explore with me. Since, you know, you're new and stuff. I'm sure you're confused." He titled his head.

"Um… sure. Lillyfur?" Foxkit wiggled around to wake Lillyfur up.

"Hmm?" The queen lifted her head off of the kit to gaze at her drowsily.

"Can Thornkit show me around camp?" Thornkit walked toward the bramble entrance.

"Sure, sweetie. I don't mind. Thornkit, did you ask you mother?"

"She asleep, and so is Lizardscale." he whined.

"…okay, go ahead. Don't get into any trouble, though." Foxkit got up and padded over to where Thornkit was. Lillyfur just went back to sleep.

"Awesome! Okay, let's go." The two kits squeezed through the den entrance.

The snowstorm had passed entirely, revealing a blanketed ThunderClan camp. The sun was high, and it made the snow sparkle.

"Wow." Foxkit said, fazed by the beauty.

"I agree; it is pretty." Thornkit replied. He then walked toward the large rock with lichen covering the distance. "This is the first thing you need to learn. You see this big rock?" Foxkit nodded. "This is called Highrock. Our leader, Snowstar, calls clan meetings from the top of the rock. Her den is past that stringy plant." He then twitched his tail at Foxkit, signaling her to follow him. They then walked into the camp clearing. They sat down as Thornkit pointed to the nursery with his forepaw. "We cover the nursery with those spiky things to keep intruders from harming kits and queens during a raid."

"Other cats raid this place? Why?" Foxkit asked.

"They want more power; more territory. Either that, or they hate us or something." He shrugged.

"Who's 'they'?"

"The three other clans. You don't know about those, do you?" Foxkit shook her head.

"Well, there's ThunderClan, the clan you're in now, WindClan, RiverClan, and ShadowClan. Each clan has their own territory in this forest. It's against the warrior code for cats to go on others' territories. That's why we have border patrols."

"Jeez, you sure do know a lot for a kit." Foxkit said, overwhelmed by everything Thornkit was telling her.

"My dad says if I was to be a good warrior, I'll have to remember everything there is to know." he said proudly. He then leaned toward Foxkit to whisper, "That's why I sometimes eavesdrop on the warriors when they're sharing tongues." He grinned.

"Sharing tongues?"

"It's what the whole clan does when the sun's highest. But since it's leafbare, not very many stay outside if they can help it." Thornkit's eyes suddenly got an excited gleam in them. "C'mon, I gotta show you something." They quickly padded over to a tree stump with ferns behind it. "This is the apprentice's den. Apprentices are warriors in training." he said happily. "This is where I'm going to sleep in four moons. Speaking of which, how old are you?"

"Two moons."

"You'll be in there with me! How cool!" he purred.

Foxkit nodded. Struck with sudden curiosity, she poked her head into the den.

"Why's it empty?" she asked, bringing her head back out.

"Kits came really late this year; I should've been born in early leaffall."

"If you were, then we never would've met." Foxkit pointed out.

"True." Thornkit smiled.

Just then, Darktail, Cougarfur, and Badgerfang walked through the camp entrance. Badgerfang had managed to get two hibernating squirrels, Cougarfur caught four voles, and Darktail caught a cardinal.

Foxkit's eyes grew wide at the sight of those strange animals. Thornkit practically started jumping up and down. "Freshkill! They caught more freshkill!"

"Is that what you eat?" Foxkit gasped.

"Yep! Mother says I'm old enough to try it now. Trust me, it's a lot better than the slop you were probably fed." Thornkit's nose crinkled with disgust.

Foxkit had faint memories of eating rotten tasting food that Man usually gave her and her mother. Thinking of her mother made Foxkit sad.

"Hey, cheer up, I didn't mean to make you sad." Thornkit nudged her.

"Oh, no, it's not that." Foxkit said hurriedly, trying to hide her sadness. "Anyway, can we try some freshkill now?"

"Not yet. Elders and queens must be fed first… but we can still eat what our mothers don't." he quietly added the last part. He ran to the nursery, followed by Foxkit.

They curled back up with their mothers before a black furred warrior came in with a cardinal and a squirrel. The sweet smells of food awakened the queens, and the kits. Lizardscale awoke, too.

Foxkit stayed back She watched as the tom nuzzled Lillyfur and laid the cardinal in front of her. He took the squirrel to Tawnystripe and another queen. The other she-cat had golden yellow tabby fur with white paws and tail. Her belly was swollen. "Here Goldenheart and Tawnystripe, you two can share this squirrel. It's surprisingly plump for this time of year." He smiled. "Lizardscale, Badgerfang want to speak with you. I think he wants you for border patrol." Lizardscale nodded and left the den.

"Thank you, Darktail." Tawnystripe replied. She quietly told her kits to eat too, and they did. Thornkit, catching Foxkit's eyes, looked at her, then looked at the cardinal near Lillyfur, and looked at her again. He was telling her to try it.

Fox kit then padded toward Lillyfur, who was now eating. Darktail turned and stared at her. "Who's this?" he asked.

"Her name is Foxkit. I'm her new mother, and you're her new father." she looked up at her mate with hard eyes. "Don't say 'you don't have enough milk'. Hollyfire said I had plenty."

Darktail got a defensive look on his face. "I wasn't!" he exclaimed.

Lillyfur's expression softened. "Good." she leaned up and licked Darktail's face, who purred. "Come, Foxkit." Foxkit then padded over and sat away from Darktail. "I want to try the freshkill. You're old enough now." She smiled.

Foxkit slowly bent down and sniffed the bird. She stole a glance at Darktail, who was staring right back at her. She quickly looked down and took a ginger bite. The flavors flooded her mouth and sang on her tongue. It was so much better than the stuff Man had given her.

After she swallowed, she glanced at Thornkit. He smiled his approval as he ate more.

Maybe this won't be so bad after all. she thought.