The beginning of a love story! 3 And a hate story!

I no own warriors!

Rosekit woke up with a pounding heart. Her dreams had been terrorized by her own sister and those dark amber eyes. Every morning she woke in fear of what may lay behind the nursery walls, and only followed her friends out. Her days began to drag as the nightmares stole her restful sleep.

Each night they became more vivid. They went from her old home to the Thunderclan camp or out in the forest. Some night her sister died, some nights, Rosekit died. Each day was a battle to stay awake, and each night a battle for her sanity.

Rosekit stood as close as she could get without falling out of the nursery, attempting to listen to her friends' apprentice ceremony. She could barely hear the words, but she managed to make out who her friends mentors would be.

Jaypaw doesn't seem too happy to have Brightheart. She noted as the ceremony died down. Hollypaw is thrilled becoming the medicine cat apprentice, Lionpaw doesn't seem overly excited, but he's not disappointed either.

She had spent that last two moons bonding and playing and beating up Lionpaw, and now they were out of the nursery. She had Foxkit and Icekit, but Holy Starclan, Rosekit thought, I feel so lonely.

She had grown so used to the company of another cat, that she couldn't let it go. She'd gone from mom and dad and an old friend to an entire clan at her paw tips. She had so many new rules, so many new faces. It was overwhelming. Her first few days she had hid under Ferncloud or Dustpelt or Brambleclaw every time a new face appeared. She was so far from home, so out of her comfort zone. She looked down at her unsheathed claws. They were a part of something other than the paw they were stuck on now. She was a part of something.

Rosekit was startled out of her thoughts by Firestar entering the nursery. He looked down at her, then around at the empty nursery. His green eyes contemplating.

"Now, tell me again," he whispered, "Who told you who I was?"

"Spottedleaf." Rosekit knew where he was going with this. She wasn't supposed to know about Starclan yet, let alone be communicating with them.

He motioned for her to follow him. Rosekit found herself trying to figure out who was who by looking, but she couldn't find her three friends anywhere; their mentors must have already taken them out. She couldn't even see Brambleclaw, or Ferncloud or Squirrelflight.

Firestar had led her into the medicine cats' den, where she promptly spotted Hollypaw.

"Rosekit!" Hollypaw exclaimed as she greeted her, "I'm going to be a medicine cat!"

"Hollypaw, "Leafpool interrupted, "You still have a long way to go. And I need you to go and pull the ticks off the elders. I'll meet your there with some bile and herbs for the elders, okay?"

Hollykit looked a little saddened by the basic task, but she raised her tail and marched with a gleam that said 'This is my future.'.

"Did you need something Firestar?"

"Sort of," Firestar mumbled and turned to Rosekit. "Tell Leafpool who told you who I am."

"Spottedleaf." Rosekit said, mocking confusion. She didn't have to share everything.

Leafpool gasped the same way Firestar had the first day. She looked at Rosekit a moment longer.

"How do you know Spottedleaf?" Leafpool ask, crouching down to her level.

"I dream about her." Rosekit said, looking between the two cats. "She tells me things."

"What kind of things?" Firestar and Leafpool asked simultaneously. Rosekit smiled. The things that happen in a clan amused her.

"She tells me about Thunderclan, and some cats. She told me to come here…" - The leader and medicine cat both looked amazed, ."… and she told me about Starclan, and the warrior code."

"Maybe she should have been my apprentice." Leafpool mumbled.

"No, no no!" Rosekit yelped, "I'm going to be a warrior." She knew that. A warrior was her destiny.

Firestar noticed the panic in her eyes; "Don't worry, you will be."

Firestar had left after that, and Rosekit stood alone and watched Leafpool gather strong smelling leaves and flowers.

"Leafpool?" She mewed tentatively. The medicine cat looked up at her. "Do you have anything to stop nightmares?"

Rosekit tried to find Lionpaw for a game, lonely as she was. He was too busy running around and training. He really only spent time with her at dusk, but he was too tired to play, so they mostly talked. Rosekit understood; they were too busy to play, it wasn't their fault. Hollypaw occasionally came by to sit and share tongues, or a quick meal, but she was busy too. She had traded places with Jaypaw so now they were both tense around each other. After her first day in Thunderclan, Jaypaw had played with her a little, but now he didn't seem to like her. Rosekit was a little saddened by it; she wanted his friendship.

Rosekit spent her time occasionally playing with Icekit and Foxkit but mostly watching her clan mates, learning their names, their roles in the clan, and their views on her. Some of them didn't seem to like her, but the others didn't much care. A few cats, mostly she-cats came and visited the nursery. Those cats accepted her with an open heart.

Rosekit had been sitting outside one cool, leaf-fall around moon high. Ferncloud had shuttled her and her own kits into the nursery, but Rosekit had snuck back out.

The wind had been gently carrying Thunderclans' scent to her as they returned home from the gathering. They soon cam through the entrance, she sat up, knowing Lionpaw, Hollypaw and Jaypaw had all gone to the gathering. She waited a few minutes until they came and sat beside her.

"You'll never guess what happened." Lionpaw stated as he sat beside Rosekit, curling his tail around himself. Hollypaw sat on her other side, while Jaypaw sat beside his brother.

"No?" Rosekit mewed, "What happened? Did a fight break out?"

"No, but a lost member of Thunderclan showed up!" Hollypaw purred. "Did you see him? He's all thin and scraggly."

"I don't think I did." Rosekit responded, "But I should go back to sleep. Ferncloud will be angry if she finds I snuck out again." Rosekit mumbled goodbye, and touched her nose with Lionpaw and Hollypaw, but looked at Jaypaw, knowing he didn't really like her. It was strange, how the blind toms' eyes bored into hers as if he could see her.

"Goodnight Jaypaw." She mumbled before returning to the nursery. Jaypaw flicked his ears at her. He was the one she didn't understand. He was so distant and emotionless until the point of no return. She was the one he didn't understand.

Rosekit woke one morning to a layer of dew on the grass outside of the nursery. She tentatively took a step into the grass and shivered as she touched the coldness of the water and forgot the horror show dreams.. Foxkit and Icekit had woken up too, and followed her outside. They didn't hesitate to jump into the grass and pile on top of each other.

Rosekit looked around, hoping for some entertainment. She could see Brambleclaw talking to his patrol,. She could have gone up and begged for attention, or maybe run into the warriors den and pounced on Dustpelt or Squirrelflight.

Deciding to fetch a mouse, Rosekit got up and began trotting towards the left over fresh kill, until she was tackled by a little ball of red fur.

"Foxkit!" She cried, "Eep!"

Together the three kits tumbled back into the nursery, waking up Ferncloud. She jumped up and sighed when she realized it was only her kits being naughty.

"Kits," She mewed, "I love you, but you're driving me crazy. Go back outside."

Rosekit led the way, bouncing happily to have some companions and once again being tackled by Foxkit.

"Riverclan!" He hissed, "Stay off of Thunderclan territory!"

"Never!" Rosekit shrieked and wriggled out of Foxkits' grasp. He jumped back and they rolled a few feet with Icekit trailing behind. Rosekit pushed her hind paws up, forcing Foxkit to get off.

"Riverclan!" He shrieked again, and a few warriors poked their heads out. "This isn't over."

Jumping at the red and white she kit again, Foxkit forced her to tumble back onto a thorn. She yelped loud enough to startle them both, causing Foxkit to put too much pressure on her shoulder. She cried out again, this time a wail in pain.

"Oh Starclan," He cried, "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean it!" Rosekit hopped up and limped as fast as she could into the medicine den.

Inside the medicine den, Jaypaw and Leafpool were busy sorting herbs. Rosekit hobbled in and watched Jaypaws ears perk and his nose lift to scent the air.

"Back so soon?" Leafpool mewed with a gentle smile.

"What happened to you?" He mewed impatiently.

"I hurt myself!" She sniffed. Jaypaw sighed and immediately plucked the thorn from her side and medicated it. He sniffed her shoulder briefly before telling her to lie down. Laying down, Leafpool came over and rubbed her paw against it. "Foxkit kind of fell on me."

"Well, it's not broken, it's just a little pulled." She mewed gently. "Just stay off of it for a while okay?"

Jaypaw ushered her out, wanting to get back to being a busy bee, Rosepaw guessed. She looked around, Leaf-Fall was coming on. Leaves were turning strange colors and squirrels were hording for winter. Rosekit watched as a hawk swooped down on a falling leaf, ripping it as if it had been a little bird. It's eyes seemed to catch hers. They were gold colored and lonely looking. There was an anger behind them that could only be described as abandoned.

The dark amber eyes from her dreams came back to her with a flash. Rosekit hissed and stumbled into the shade of a fern. The hawk floated around above the camp for what seemed like forever.

Rosekit sniffed one more time, put on a brave face and forced herself not to limp. She ran out of the medicine cat clearing just as a gray, flecked she cat crashed into her. She didn't apologize, but glared and continued walking with her head high as if trying to say 'I'm better than you.' With Rosekit behind her, the gray she cat took a swipe at her, forcing Rosekit to stumble. As if she had been practicing for moons, Rosekit turned and threw her claws back, catching the gray fluff ball by surprise and taking a chip from her ear. She spat at her before dashing into the medicine den.

Rosekit watched her until she was safely out of view and found her way to Lionpaw and Hollypaw. The hawk was gone.

"Who was that?" She asked as she took her spot beside the black she cat.

"Who? Cinderpaw?" Lionpaw asked. "Yeah, she's a meany. Nice swipe" He was gulping down a little rabbit as if it was his last meal. Of course, Rosekit couldn't allow that. She carefully reached forward and took the remainder for herself. Lionpaw protested only briefly before lying down to share with the kit. She didn't notice Cinderpaw walk past them while giving a dirty look to Rosekit.

Lionpaws fur was so much thicker than hers, and so much warmer. She snuggled into his side on instinct. Confused, the golden tabby tom pulled away slightly. Rosekit protested, but decided that she could easily go find Foxkit and steal his warmth.

"Rosekit?" A voice suddenly asked, "You clawed Cinderpaw?"

It was Firestar, he was standing there with Cinderpaw behind him. Her ear was covered in cob webs where Rosekit had caught it.

"Yes," Rosekit said, embarrassed, "But you can't blame me entirely!" She cried.

"Oh?" Firestar perked his ears, "Why not?"

"Cause.. Cause I was coming out of the medicine cat den when she ran into me… and … and she knocked me in the back of the head and I just did it as a reaction."

"Oh, well in that case, I won't force you into apologizing, but you still get to take care for the elders in the morning."

Cinderpaw stuck her tongue out, and Rosekit hissed.

"Wait!" Lionpaw mewed, "Isn't Cinderpaw getting punished?"

"Well, there's no proof she did hit Rosekit-"

"I saw it!" Lionpaw insisted. "I did!"

"Alright, alright," Firestar sighed, "You get to care for the elders too." Cinderpaw looked angrily at Rosekit, completely ignoring that Lionpaw had snitched on her.

Rosekit turned her tail back to the nursery. She needed a nap. The nest she shared with Ferncloud and Foxkit and Icekit was completely empty and yet still warm. She curled up and pulled moss over her with a single claw. Her eyes drifted shut as Ferncloud shuffled the bracken and brambles around the entrance.

Rosekit stood alone again in a field. The wind was blowing away from her, and the sun was on her back. There were no flowers, nor were their any bees or butterflies. She couldn't even hear the pitter patter of mice feet.

Looking around, cats began to appear from the trees around her. The weren't the cats she knew, but strange, vicious creatures with a craving for blood. They gathered until they formed a band between Rosekit and the forest. She was staying.

Slowly, they began talking in hushed whispers. It sounded like wind at first, but as they grew louder, Rosekits ears pounded. Their noise increased until they were almost screaming in her ears. She shook herself, it was like her head was about to explode. Crouching onto the itchy grass, Rosekit covered her ears and whimpered. She could hear every word.

"Thorns," one would screech, "draw," said another, "blood," a third. They yelled it until it was all a blurred sentence. "Prayers will follow." They'd say. Rosekit folded her ears back. Let me go, let me go! She'd cry in her mind.

"Blood," they'd say, and the scent would follow the words to Rosekit. Tears streaked down her cheeks. "Blood spilled is blood saved."

Rosekit listened with horror. "Thorns draw blood, prayers will follow, blood spilled is blood saved." They wouldn't stop. They kept screaming at her. Rosekit screeched as they moved to her.