Snowfeather5: Thanks for the encouragement and I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 1: A Death Witnessed

Early dawn light seeped through the branches and leaves of the holly bush where the apprentices slept. Now only a small gray-black she-cat slept. Only did she awake when she realized the nests around her were empty.

Getting up to her stiff legs, she stretched then washed before she headed outside to the camp. The camp was at a usual pace like every morning.

"Silhouettepaw! Why are you standing there like a moonstruck rabbit?" A voice teased the she-cat from behind.

She turned to see her brother, Stonepaw, with a look of excitement in his eyes. "What could you possibly want?" She meowed, walking over to her brother and cuffing his ear with claws sheathed.

"Well, actually I wanted to know if you'd want to go hunting with me." He replied suddenly looking serious.

"I probably have training with Swift-talon about now though." She then paused. "Have you seen him? I was just asking because he usually waits for me at the fern tunnel for training."

"Don't you remember? He and Fireflight have the Dawn Patrol today. So, what about that hunt?" He asked. "I mean it's been ages since we've hunted together!"

Silhouettepaw stared at him, then nodded seeing the sense in his words. "Okay. Do you want to see if Scarletpaw can come?" She said suddenly feeling thrilled at the prospect of a hunt with her three litter mates.

"She can't. Sparrowtail has taken her out already to do some battle training this morning.

Silhouettepaw shrugged. "Well then, last through the fern tunnel is a mouse brained idiot!"

Then the two siblings dashed through the tunnel and into the forest beyond. Only did the stop when they reached a very old-looking oak tree.

"So who's the mouse-brained idiot?" Stonepaw huffed.

"I'd say it was a tie." Silhouettepaw replied, her breathing returning to normal.

"Well, we'll have to fix that! Whoever can catch the most prey and bring it back here wins!" Stonepaw squealed.

"Okay, you're on!" she growled playfully.

"Fine. On your mark, get set, go!"

The two apprentices dashed off in opposite directions, beginning their hunt.

Silhouettepaw spotted a small thrush pecking at a root about a tail-length ahead. Silently she slipped into the hunter's crouch and paw step by paw step, she silently crept up on it. As soon as it spotted her, she leapt and killed it with a swift bite to the throat. She then covered dirt on it.

But as she turned to leave, she stopped. She could hear muffled voices ahead of her. Silhouettepaw's curiosity got the best of her, so she scooted forward silently 'til she could see and hear the voices.

She was surprised to see her sister, Scarletpaw, and her mentor Sparrowtail. Pricking her ears, she tried to listen to their conversation.

"We could rule it all. You and me. I'll be leader and you can have the position of deputy. What do you say?" Sparrowtail whispered.

"What do I say?" Scarletpaw was barley holding back from rage. "I say your being stupid. And Fawnstar should never let such an ambitious cat like you into the Clan!"

Sparrowtail smirked. "Well, now you know too much. And I can't have you telling Fawnstar, it'll ruin everything." Scarletpaw had a sudden look of fear spread across her face. She knew what was coming. She let out a startled yowl and tried to run but Sparrowtail was already on top of her, pinning her down.

"No one tells me no." She snarled, then grabbed a stick, plunging it into Scarletpaw's throat several times before she hopped off of her.

Silhouettepaw watched secretly in horror as her sister's body convulsed and blood poured from her throat. She found she couldn't move or speak. She was frozen to the spot in shock. She watched as Sparrowtail padded away from her apprentices bloodied body.

As soon as Sparrowtail was gone, Silhouettepaw raced into the clearing by her sister's side. "Scarletpaw! Oh, StarClan, no!" she said, her voice faltering.

Her sister's jaws opened, trying to form words to speak, but only a harsh gurgling sound came out.

Silhouettepaw leaned over to pull the stick, still lodged in her throat, out. But as soon as she did, she wished she hadn't. Many paw steps could be heard from behind her, and Silhouettepaw turned to find Fawnstar, Sparrowtail, Reedrustle, and Larkwing.

Fawnstar looked shocked. "Silhouettepaw, what have you done?" She gasped.

Silhouettepaw's vision started turning weird colors before her world went black.

R&R as usual! And sorry if it was a long chapter. Oh, it's also a cliffy! I know…I'm so evil! Lol!