The kit felt a hard poke on her back.

"Wake up!" a voice snapped.

She twisted around to see Bearkit poking her. "It's time for the meeting, and you have to come. Ashstar said so!" he growled, towering over the young kit.

"I'm coming," she grumbled, swiping a paw at his muzzle. He staggered back, uninjured but obviously ruffled. The kit felt a glimmer of satisfaction, even though she knew Bearkit would tell Blueflower and she would get in trouble.

The kit climbed out of her empty nest and padded out of the nursery, her head down. As soon as she set paw in the clearing, she was aware that the whole Clan was watching, judging, hating. Hating her.

She knew she was different. She just wasn't sure why. She had heard whispers. Omen. Darkness. Gone. Sister. Brother. Mother. Dead. Weak. Skinny.

Stranger.

"Hey, Rogue-kit!" a voice cried. Not bothering to see who it was, the kit muttered, "Don't call me that."

A new apprentice, Dapplepaw, pranced up behind the kit. "What should I call you, then?" she asked mockingly. "Ashstar said not to name you until he had reached a decision about letting you stay."

The kit didn't reply, instead sitting down in front of the Scorch-Rock. She focused her attention on the black soot marks on its side, instead of Dapplepaw. She had to keep her temper in check. That's what Blueflower had said, scoldingly, when the kit had wrestled Tawnykit to the ground for sneaking up on her.

"Besides, you are a rogue," Dapplepaw persisted. "I know that your mother was one. You are too."

The kit felt anger boiling up in her, but held it down. When Ashstar started speaking, Dapplepaw would stop.

"Rogues are the enemies of Clan cats." Dapplepaw leaned close to the kit's ear. "That's why you'll never belong."

The kit leapt on her, knocking the surprised apprentice backwards. She began to hit the older cat with her small paws, putting as much force into it as she could. Dapplepaw wasn't much bigger than her, since she had only just been made an apprentice. And she had the advantage of surprise, and extreme anger.

Suddenly, she was knocked off into the dirt. Dapplepaw scrambled away from her. The kit looked up into the stern face of Ashstar.

"I'm not sure if you know this," he growled, "but in FireClan we don't fight innocent cats."

"Then why is everyone picking on me?" she dared, anger still burning in her pelt.

She felt a cuff on her ear. Blueflower was standing next to Ashstar. "Don't talk back to your leader."

"No, no, Blueflower, it's fine," Ashstar said, a strange malice in his amber eyes. "We'll just leave the kit and hold the meeting, shall we?"

The kit struggled to her paws, shooting a glare at Dapplepaw. The apprentice pretended to ignore her. Ashstar leapt onto the Scorch-Rock, yowling for the Clan to gather.

"We are here to decide on the fate of this kit," he said, gesturing toward the she-kit. "As we know, she is the only surviving kit of the rogue that arrived here late last moon.

We have to decide whether she stays, or she goes. Any opinions?"

The kit looked around desperately. However bad it was in the Clan, she was almost certain it was worse out in the wild, alone. Almost immediately, a voice came from the back of the group.

"The warrior code says never to leave a kit who is in danger. If we lead this kit into danger, leave her for the dogs, won't we be breaking the code in a million different ways?"

Jasminepaw. Of course.

Ashstar frowned. "Yes, but the code says a kit from any Clan. This kit is from no Clan."

"I agree with my apprentice," Speckleclaw said roughly, stepping forward beside Jasminepaw. "Are we crazy? This is a kit. An innocent."

Murmurs of agreement ricocheted around the Clan. Ashstar nodded. "I understand. But we must recall Jasminepaw's prophecy. It stated that a darkness was coming. I say we cut off all ties to that darkness, whether it be kit, rogue, or warrior."

"We don't know that she'll be involved!" a voice cried.

"But we do!" another cat argued. Rowanlight, from what the kit could see. The group erupted into yowls and angry fights.

The kit took a deep breath, about to leap into the fray. But before she could, Ashstar yowled, "STOP!"

The cats of FireClan broke apart, some with minor scratches. Ashstar shook his head. "Leopardtail, Speckleclaw, and I will consult."

The deputy, the medicine cat, and the leader padded into the leader's den. Instantly, Dapplepaw darted up to the kit. "I told you you don't belong. You brought bad luck with you."

"She's right," Tawnykit said sourly, coming up behind her. "It would be better for every cat if you just left."

"That's not true!" the kit snapped. "I belong as much as either of you!"

"Not if you leave the Clan," Dapplepaw purred. The kit scraped her claws against the Scorch-Rock pointedly. "D'you want me to show you how much I belong?"

Fear flashed in the apprentice's eyes, but Tawnykit darted forward. "You think you're so tough," she jeered. "You're not! We could take you in a fight."

"Are you kidding me? A blind rabbit could beat you before you could say help!"

Ashstar burst out of the den, putting an end to the two kits' argument. He looked shaken, yet excited. Leopardtail and Speckleclaw followed more slowly.

"We have made a decision," Ashstar said loudly. "Speckleclaw told me… information that changed my opinion." The leader looked down at the kit. "She will stay."

"What was the information?" Rowanlight called.

Speckleclaw stepped forward. "If I may, Ashstar," he said. Ashstar nodded.

"Ashstar's mate, Dewstrike, is expecting kits."

The Clan gasped. Dewstrike smiled modestly. Ashstar pushed past Speckleclaw. "Our medicine cat thinks that the kits Dewstrike will have are from the prophecy- the ones who will save the Clan. The kit of a star- that's obviously a leader's child."

The Clan nodded and whispered.

"And," the leader continued, smiling devilishly at the she-kit, "if our rogue here turns out to be involved in the darkness, I'm sure a kit of mine could defeat her."

{There were a lot of holes in that reasoning, but Ashstar was not a reasonable cat.}

"This kit, being a new Clanmate, will now need a name," Leopardtail said, taking over. "Usually, the queen names her kits, but this particular queen didn't see fit to do that."

"She died!" the kit called furiously, but quickly shut her mouth.

"So," Leopardtail continued, disdainfully ignoring the kit, "we shall let Blueflower, the kit's current guardian, choose her name."

"I will, Leopardtail," Blueflower said, dipping her head.

"I meant now."

Blueflower looked flustered and glanced at the kit. "I have an idea."

The whole Clan waited with bated breath, hoping to hear Darkkit or Deathkit or perhaps Evilkit if they were really lucky.

"Sparkkit. She is independent, but she is also from the fire."

After a few moments of silence, the cats of FireClan began to cheer.

Sparkkit knew what Blueflower was saying secretly, though. She could be independent, but with one move in the wrong direction, she could burn down the forest.