Here's another chapter! Sorry about the wait.
Chapter 2
Dark Whisperings
The three kits were now ten months old, nearly a year. Once they had reached the end of their first year, they would set off on their own.
It was around this time that they started hearing whispers of war amongst the Clan cats to the north. Their mother complained frequently about it
"Those Clans have been at war for well over a year now, Violet, in what world is this news?" Tasha told a friend of hers as the three young cats sat together.
"Well, evidently there was peace for a short period, and now whatever group started up the fighting in the first place is growing its power with the intention of ruling all of the area nearby. And it is news, because last week I heard that for this group's initiation for young cats to become full-fledged members, the young cat becoming a 'warrior' as they call it has to kill a rogue! Apparently they killed one of Mitzy's kits!" Violet told her.
"Kits, go inside," Tasha told them immediately upon hearing that news. Her voice was worried then, and highly concerned.
"But mother, we're ten moons old-" Willow began, but a sharp hiss from their mother silenced her and they scrambled into the den, but not so far that they couldn't hear the conversation.
"Who told you this?" Tasha mewed softly.
"Mitzy herself! She tried to stop them from taking her eleven moon old son, but they threatened to take all of her kits if she put up a fight. Rhyer went bravely after that, and told Mitzy to let him go and take care of his sisters. The fiends said that his death would make one of their young into a warrior! Oh, Tasha, you should have seen her! The poor she-cat was distraught!" Violet meowed in horror.
Tasha was silent a moment before speaking. "I've heard rumours of similar happenings. Cats disappearing in the dead of night, never to be seen again. Apparently they are taken by the DarkClan cats into the tunnels that they inhabit, and never come back out. All that comes out that could possibly be a trace of them are bones, scraps of fur, and bits of gore. The DarkClan cats don't kill them, they savagely destroy them," Tasha snarled.
"It's awful! I've heard that they say rogues are a crime against the Dark Forest, who are evidently their warrior ancestors."
"The other five Clans say that their ancestors are StarClan though!" Tasha replied, confused.
The kits imagined that Violet must have nodded. "That's true. All the other Clans do is chase us out if we try to settle in their territories, which is perfectly fine compared to this new Clan. Besides, the Rogue Forest is our more traditional home. The Lake was always just for those of us who wanted to go further off and try to be adventurous. We have no traditional claim to it. Our ancestors have lived in the Rogue Forest for centuries." Her voice began to grow sorrowful. "And soon, thanks to this new Clan, we may not have that anymore."
The three kits scrambled further into the den, unable to bear to hear any more.
"Do you believe this? They're killing rogues for no reason!" Willow mewed.
"If those rumours are true, then maybe so are the rumours of the resistance led by the cat known as Shadow," mewed Snow, fire igniting his eyes. "And if there is a resistance, as soon as I leave this place, I'm going to join it."
"I will as well," mewed Willow, determination in her voice and eyes.
"I'll go to. This life is the best I've known, and I won't let anyone take my freedom away from me. Not again," Light meowed proudly.
"Then it's settled. As soon as we are twelve moons old, we will go find the resistance and join," Snow meowed, and the two she-cats nodded in agreement.
