Note: This story takes place during the time of A Vision Of Shadows.

Prologue

Raven slowly went into a crouch as she stared at her littermate, ready to pounce. Grey didn't seem to notice her, his attention on a falling leaf. Raven tensed the muscles in her hind legs as the leaf gradually got closer to the ground, and just as it touched the grass, she suddenly pounced! She tumbled into Grey who squealed out in surprise. They tumbled around and landed in a heap near a big oak tree with Raven on top. She quickly sprang up and stood on top of her brother in triumph!

"Haha! I got you!" She squealed in delight! "No you haven't!" Grey said as he suddenly jerked up and spun around, slamming Raven to the ground easily! He looked down at his younger littermate with a look of amusement on his face. "Hey that's not fair! You're bigger then me!" Raven protested as she tried to stand up, but Grey just slumped down on top of her. "Oof." She gave out a low grunt as she struggled to push her brother off of her.

"Grey get off me you're too heavy! I can't breathe!" Raven huffed. Grey didn't move. "You're the one who attacked me! I'm only defending myself!" Grey said innocently, but Raven could feel him smiling. She tried to struggle out from under him again but to no avail.

"Grey dear, get off your sister." A beautiful light grey she-cat came out from under the oak tree, her fur shining in the green leaf sun. She looked at the two kits with love in her bright green eyes. "Yes mama." Grey said and stood up. Raven jerked up while he was still getting up and almost knocked him over. He growled playfully and swung a paw at her face. She easily dodged it and sprang at her brother again, and they once again went tumbling. Tulip purred as she watched them roll around.

Raven watched the sun as it slowly begin to go down behind the trees as her mother walked up from behind her and sat next to her on the small hill overlooking the forest. Raven looked up at her. "It's pretty, isn't it mama." She said. Tulip smiled and nodded. "Yes dear, it is very pretty." She replied as she looked down at her daughter. Raven gazed into her bright green eyes, mesmerized by how they shimmered in the dying sunlight. No matter how many times she looked into her mother's eyes, they always seemed to be more beautiful then the time before.

She looked down into a small puddle at her feet and stared at her own eyes, happy that at least one was the same as mama's. The other was an icy blue. Tulip had told her that her father's eyes had been that same color, his eyes always shimmering like ice. Raven was proud to have both of her parent's eyes, while Grey's eyes were a dark hazel green.

Raven lifted her one white paw and gently tapped the puddle, watching the ripples spread across the puddle, breaking the still mirrored image of herself. She giggled.

"Boo!" Grey suddenly said behind her, making her jump. She landed in the puddle and just sat there, stunned. Grey was laughing histerically! Raven heard their mother rebuke him, but he didn't seem fazed by it. Raven stood up and shook out her fur, splashing Grey in the face. He jumped back as mud landed on his nose. "Aahh!"

Raven smirked and launched herself at him. Grey jerked away, his eyes wide. "Ew no get away! You're wet!" He cried as she chased him in circles around Tulip. "You're the one who pushed me into the puddle!" Raven squealed. "I didn't even touch you! You jumped in the puddle yourself!" Grey retorted. Tulip just sat there watching them, her gaze filled with amusement. Raven caught Grey's tail and held on with her teeth and claws. Grey kept on running, dragging her along with him. "Ow that hurts, let go! Let go!" Grey protested, trying to reach the little kitten attached to his tail.

He suddenly jerked to a stop, flinging Raven across the grass and down the hill. She landed with a grunt at the bottom at just lay there for a minute. By now the sun had disappeared and the sky was now dark. The sound of rustling bushes next to her jerked her from her daze and a strange scent filled her lungs. She could hear her mother call to her from the top of the hill, but her attention was on the bushes in front of her. Suddenly, a large dark brown tom stepped out from between two trees and glared down at her. Raven heard her mother cry out her name, a hint of panic in her mew, but she was too scared to move.

The tom continued to glare down at her, a look of hunger in his eyes. Raven just stared right back at him. He stood still there for a second before suddenly lunging at her, grabbing her by the scruff and lifting her up. Raven cried out in fear, calling to her mother. The tom took of into the forest with surprising speed and carried her away from the hill, but he didn't get far. When he was only a few tail lengths into the forest, he suddenly went crashing to the ground, loosing his grip on Raven.

Raven managed to scramble away and ran to the nearest tree, hiding behind its roots. The dark brown tom had regained his footing and was now facing Tulip, his back to Raven. She had never seen her mother so angry and her fur so on end before! The dark brown tom lunged at Tulip, his claws aiming for her throat. Tulip dodged his first attack and brought in one of her own, swiping her claws along the tom's face. The tom hissed in pain and annoyance and backed away for a moment. Tulip didn't hesitate and grabbed Raven by the scruff and made a dash for the hill.

Grey was anxiously waiting for them at the top of the hill next to the big oak tree. Tulip dropped Raven near the entrance to a hole in the tree and nudged her inside. "Quick! Inside! Now!" She demanded, waiting for Grey to get slip past her to get inside. Grey obeyed without a second to waist was inside the tree within a flash. Raven's heart was beating so fast it felt like it would burst out of her chest.

Tulip started to slip through the hole but then suddenly stopped with yowled in pain. She suddenly jerked backwards and was replaced with the face of the dark brown tom, his yellow eyes piercing and glaring down at Grey and Raven. The tom reached one paw into the den towards Raven, his claws outstretched. Grey acted instantly and bit hard on the tom's foreleg. The tom yowled in pain and jerked back his paw just as Tulip yanked him away from the hole and they embraced into a fight.

"Grey! Take your sister and run! Run as fast and as far as you can! Don't stop! Just keep go-" Tulip's cry was cut off by a howl of pain. "Mama!" Raven cried and tried to go to the entrance, but Grey grabbed her by the scruff and pulled her to the back of the den, pushing her through a small hole. Raven tried to protest but Grey didn't let her speak. Once they were both out in the night, he grabbed her by the scruff and took off down the hill and into the forest as fast as he possibly could, leaving the sounds of hissing and yowling behind.