Prologue
"The kits are coming soon, Storm." A light ginger colored she-cat commented to her mate. A hint of concern edged her voice. "You should be happy, you've been so worried and serious ever since we felt the first cold winds of Leaf-bare. It's been like living with a twitchy badger!"
It was a cold Green- Leaf day, but Leaf-bare was coming so soon that it felt as though it had already been Leaf-bare for moons as she lay in a makeshift den next to her mate. A cool, crisp, autumn breeze seemed to go right through the half-done walls of the den, sending a shiver through her tail tip to her swollen belly all the way to her paws.
"I know, Rose." The gray and black tom answered. "I'm excited about our first litter, really I am. It's just that, well, you've been getting so skinny, and with Leaf-bare on the way, prey has been pretty scarce. I…I fear that you may fall ill without enough food to fill your belly and sustain our kits." He felt the silence engulf him as he waited for her to answer. Did he say something wrong?
"To be honest," He felt himself relaxed as she finally broke the silence with her soft voice."I have been wondering the same thing. However, I have an idea."
He wondered what in the name of StarClan she could have thought of. "What is it?" He insisted.
"Well," She began. "I thought that maybe we could ask the clans for help. You know that they live not far from here. I've heard stories about them helping cats like us, as long as we avoid TwilightClan, however, we should be good!"
He let out a mrrow of laughter at her last comment. Every cat he knew of, knew about the clans. Part of the stories about the clans was one about how mean and evil TwilightClan was. So often cats made comments to their kits to never wander off because a TwilightClan warrior would carry them off and make them a slave. These stories, however, were not true, they were simply used to scare naughty kits.
However, he did like the idea. I should have thought of that! He scolded himself. "OK. He agreed. In three days we will go and see if they will help us." He settled down next to his mate. "Goodnight, Rose." He murmured. With sleep coming to him quickly, the last thing he heard her say was. "Sleep well, Storm."
Chapter 1
Dawn lay, exhausted, on the floor of the den. She had been training all day-or at least what she thought was training-to prepare herself for her raid on the clans. When she was very young, not even two moons old, her parents, Rose and Storm, went to the clans to ask for help. They had to ask for help because Rose did not have enough food in her belly to sustain her, let alone three kits. Her father was not much better off. Together, they left, but they had never come back, so her brother, Ash left to go find them and came back to tell them that they were dead on the side of the thunderpath, and that some clan cats were carrying their bodies away.
Her, her brother, Ash and her sister, Daisy, blamed the clans for their death. Soon after, however, Ash and Daisy caught a bad sickness that killed them both. Ever since, Dawn made it her main goal to punish the clans by raiding them because she thought that, somehow, the clans were involved in the death of her family. Although, she does not quite have the reason for the sickness yet, but she will soon, at least, that's what she has been telling herself.
The only reason that she survived after her parents died was because she found a nursing she-fox. Every night the fox would be exhausted from taking care of her seven kits so she would be sleeping soundly, her kits would be exhausted from playing so much during the day, and Dawn would drink from the milk left in a puddle by the messy kits. She knew very well how dangerous it was and was relieved when she discovered that she could finally eat meat.
"What a day!" She exclaimed. She got up and went to the spot in her den where she has been marking the days until her raid, and froze. Today was the day of the raid! She bounced with excitement. She had been waiting for what felt like moons for this day to come! She ran through all of her self-taught moves in her head and felt sure that they would tremble at the mere sight of her!
As she bounded off into the forest, a thought crossed her mind. What if she failed? Would she let her family down? She shrugged off the questions. Now was not the time for doubt. Now was the time for bravery!
She stopped and tasted the air. DawnClan? She set off in the direction of the smell, slowing to a steady trot. Nearly there! She began to walk, a shiver of anticipation went down her spine as she began to hear the sound of cats talking.
Good! She thought. They're off guard! This raid will be easy! As she silently entered the camp from a side that no cat was at, she heard a kit say, "I'm going to be the best Dawnclan warrior ever!" Wait! She thought.What about kits and their nurse mothers! I can't take revenge on a kit! Okay, I`ll only attack the ones that can defend themselves, but intimidate the kits and nurse mothers. She decided.
"And who are you exactly?" A voice from behind her asked. She turned to see a huge light gray tom with a dark gray stripe on his back staring down at her. For a moment, she thought of running as fast as she could in the other direction, or lunging herself at him at top speed, but her legs wouldn't move! Her only choice was to answer his question. So, blood rushing in her ears, she answered him.
"D-Dawn, my name is Dawn." She replied. This is not going well! "Well, 'Dawn', why are you sulking around our camp?" Dawn didn't know what to say, if she told him, he would probably kill her and if she lied, she'd only have a small chance of the tom not noticing.
"Look, kid, answer me," He said, "I don't care why you're here unless you want to hurt our clan." Dawn thought That's exactly what I was going to do! The tom saw the struggle on her face. "That's exactly what you are here for isn't it?" He asked. Dawn, again, did not know what to say. She had no choice now, she was going to die either way. If every cat in the clan is as big and strong as he is, I don't stand a chance! "Umm… yes," she said, "That is what I was originally here to do."
"Well then I have no choice," He said. And then to her dismay, he let out a loud, long, warning yowl.
Chapter 2
Soon the entire camp was crowded around her. She felt as small as a mouse trapped by a group of badgers as they murmured to each other. She noticed some of them flexing their claws in and out of their sheaths. I'm going to die like my parents! She thought in despair. I should have listened to my parents about staying away from the clans until I'm fully grown, It's dangerous!
As she thought about how she wanted to die, she heard a yowl come from someplace behind her. She turned around to see a long haired brown tabby standing on top of a gigantic rock.
"What is going on here?!" The brown tabby demanded.
"Pinestar," The grey cat that found her answerd. "I found this kit lurking around our camp, she says that she was planning a raid on us." She held her breath as she waited for Pinestar -what a weird name!- to answer.
"Thank you, Adderfur." He meowed. He turned his attention to Dawn and she squirmed under his cool green gaze.
"What is to be done with the kit, Pinestar? A calico colored nurse mother asked. A murmur began to rise from the gathered cats. She heard a dark ginger colored tom ask the cat next to him, "I don't see what all the commotion is about. I say through her out and be done with it!"
Dawn noticed that a fox colored cat was talking with Pine-whatsit on the rock. When they finished talking, he waited for silence and when it finally came, he announced, "Foxpelt and I have agreed that the kit will stay," Yowls of protest broke out and she heard one cat yell, "Quiet!"
When the meows died off Pinestar said, "Thank you Willowheart, as I was saying, The kit will stay, but will be kept as a prisoner until further notice. Snowstorm! Mossflower! You will guard her. Clan dismissed!"
As they began to separate, two cats walked towards her. One had long, pure white fur, probably Snowstorm. The other had black fur with grey and ginger patches, most likely Mossflower. They looked down coldly at her.
"Come with us." The cat that was probably Mossflower meowed. She gulped. What now? I don't even want to stay here! She thought.
They led her to a spot in the bramble wall where a hole had formed. A single moss nest was inside and it was dark, too. "Do you like it? This is where you're staying until Pinestar decides otherwise," One of her captors said.
"I-Its fine." She replied.
"Good." The other cat said curtly. "I just want you to know that we're the nicest and probably the strongest clan you'll come by, you don't want to be our enemy. It'll be the last mistake you ever make."
She gulped and sat down in the small moss nest. As the two cats took their positions at the front of the bramble hole, she wondered if they would feed her even though she is their prisoner. She was so hungry they could probably hear her stomach growl all the way in Twoleg place!
To her joy, the white cat walked in with a nice plump vole, which she devoured gratefully while wondering, What will they do to me next?
Chapter 3
"Come on kit! Pinestar has decided what to do with you." A flame colored tom called Firesoul, said. It had been six days since she was captured and made a prisoner. They had fed her, but they never changed her moss, talked to her, or asked for her opinion on something, not that she expected them to though.
Groggily, she walked towards the entrance of the hole. The bright Green-leaf sun blinded her, the brambles in the prison did not let much sunlight in so it took her a bit to get used to it.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the high rock for a clan meeting." When all the cats were there, he continued.
"Most of you probably have been wondering what will be done with the intruder kit." Murmurs of agreement rose from the cats around her. When it died down, he continued. "I have talked with my deputy, and we have decided to let her stay as a member of Dawnclan, only, however, if she accepts."
All the cats in the clearing turned their attention to her. She felt uncomfortable, but decided to make her decision.
"I accept." She finally answered.
Uneasy and angry murmurs rose from the cats around her.
"Silence!" The cat she now knew was named Foxpelt, yoweld.
The clearing went quiet once more. "Thank you, Foxpelt." Pinestar continued. "As I was saying, the kit will stay in the nursery with Lillytail. Her new name will be Dawnkit. Clan dismissed."
Great, now she had a weird name, too. As the cats went on with their day, another cat, a calico nurse mother, walked towards her. "Follow me." She sighed. This must be Lillytail! My new care-mother! She thought.
She followed her into a pile of rocks with a hole in the front just big enough to squeeze through. Once inside the dimly lit den, she noticed the warm milky smell and the cry of kits.
"So, I think introductions are a must." Lillytail meowed.
"We will begin with your story, Dawnkit. Where did you come from?"
Chapter 4
"Well," She began, not knowing what to say after so much time. Then she decided that it would be fine to trust her and spilled out everything uncontrollably to her. The fox, the sickness, the crave for revenge, it all just fell out.
When she had finally finished, Lillytail looked at her and said, "I'm sorry for what happened to you. However, I know something that may change your story a little bit."
"What is it?" She asked.
"Well, it's about your parents. I knew them."
"You knew them?" She exclaimed.
"Yes, I knew them. Rose was actually my sister." She nodded. "Well, we did not kill them, but I saw them die."
"What! We are related!" She exclaimed. "You're lying! I know you killed them! I know it!"
"No, we didn't." She continued in a surprisingly understanding voice. "They were on their way back to you with fresh kill. I saw them to the border with my mate. As they crossed the thunderpath, a monster that we didn't see was hidden around the corner and it hit your parents. Afterwards, we buried them and went out to look for you three, but we never found you.
She didn't know what to say. She was shocked. All she wanted to do now was curl up into a little ball and cry herself to sleep.
Everything she thought she knew was a lie. She was half clan cat! Just the thought of it sent a chill down her spine. She wanted to close her eyes and open them to a world where none of this had ever happened, but sadly, that could never come true.
"Wake up, Dawnkit." She heard Skypaw say to her. It was two moons since she had been put in the nursery. Already, Lillytail had been acting like her birth mother and she actually kind of enjoyed it.
Apparently Skypaw was her cousin because she is Lillytail and Foxpelts daughter. She had also learned that she-cats that were pregnant or nursing are not called nursemothers, they are called Queens. Also she had been learning about Starclan, the warrior ancestors of the clan cats that watch over them and give the medicine cats and leaders visions, guidance, prophecies, and, for the leaders only, nine lives.
She did not see her capture much at all but when they did he would change the subject quickly if she talked about it.
"What is it?" She asked.
"Turtlekit and Quailkit are becoming apprentices today and Quailkit wants to talk to you before it. Your not old enough to watch the ceremony but you will be soon! Quailkit is with Turtlekit getting groomed by their mother.
"Thanks Skypaw!" She said as she got up from the moss nest and stretched each of her legs in turn until they quiverd with the effort. The cool Leaf-bare weather sent a shiver down her spine as she looked for Quailkit in the kit-filled nursery. When she spotted her friend, she walked over to her. Quailkit was in the middle of protesting to his mother about how she could groom herself now that she was going to be an apprentice.
"Its ok! I can do it myself now!" She heard Quailkit say as she approached, breaking loose from Mintfrost`s tongue. "Oh, hi Dawnkit!" She exclaimed when he noticed that she was approaching.
"Hey, Quailkit! I heard that you are becoming an apprentice today. I'm so happy for you!" She responded, even though she did not completely understand the whole system of kit, to warrior apprentice or medicine cat apprentice, to warrior or medicine cat, then maybe deputy and leader, and finally, elder.
"Thanks, but you know that you'll be an apprentice in a moon or so. Then we can be together again!"
She let out a mrrow of content. She was looking forward to being an apprentice with her friend. Plus that way she could finish explaining what it was exactly that she was supposed to do in this clan!
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the highrock for a clan meeting."
"It's time!" Quailkit said as she bounced excitedly. "Oh, and don't forget to take a 'nap', Dawnkit."
"I will." She answered, knowing exactly what her friend meant by 'nap'.
When they left, she went to her nest and watched through the small hole in the wall next to her den just big enough for her to stick her head through. It looked, however, like she was simply taking a nap.
"Today two kits are ready to become apprentices." Pinestar was saying. "Turtlekit! Please step forward."
She could feel the waves of excitement and anticipation coming off Turtlekit in waves as she walked from the crowd towards her leader.
"Turtlekit, from this moment on, until you have received your warrior name, you shall be known as Turtlepaw. Otterback! You will be her mentor. You have shown fierce loyalty and skill. I expect you to pass on all you know unto this young apprentice."
"I will do my best." Otterback mewed.
Then Turtlepaw and Otterback touched noses and she heard Otterback murmur, "I can't wait to start training you."
"We have one more apprentice to make today." Pinestar mewed. "Quailkit! Please step forward."
Quailkit, like his sister, was noticeably excited for her turn and bounced a little on her way over.
"Quailkit, from this moment on, until you have received your warrior name, you will be known as Quailpaw. Barkfoot! You will be her mentor."
When they also touched noses with each other the hole clearing erupted with the cats chanting.
"Turtlepaw! Quailpaw! Turtlepaw! Quailpaw!"
Then all the cats swarmed around them congratulating them and wishing them luck in their apprenticeship.
Quickly, before anyone noticed her peeking, she stuck her head back in and yawned as if she had just finished a nap.
"Sounds like you had a good 'nap' Dawnkit."
She turned around in surprise to see Berryheart, the medicine cat, behind her. Had she been behind her the whole time?
"What are you doing here?" She asked, begging her voice not to betray her dismay.
"Checking on you, I thought that you may be lonely without your best friend to keep you company while everyone else is at the ceremony. Oh, and don't worry, your secret is safe with me." She mewed seeing that she was worried about what would happen now that another cat knew her secret.
"Well, I should go. Violetpaw has a slight cold that I need to take care of before it gets much worse."
"Ok, see you later." She called as Berryheart disappeared through the small hole in the rockfall that formed the nursery entrance.
Dawnkit sat down and sighed. She was bored but he didn't want to do anything to draw attention to herself, most of the other clan cats didn't trust her.
Every full moon Dawnclan met with the other clans, Moonclan, Duskclan, and Twilightclan, to share the news, and Dawnclan had announced her arrival. Apparently, the other clans had a "unique" opinion on Pinestars decision to let her stay, and made it clear that they would have done it differently.
How lucky she was that she found Dawnclan because any of the other clans, she now knew, would rip her to shreds or drive her out. So she had to be grateful. Grateful that she had found a clan that was willing to take her in. Grateful for the food that was delivered every day to her, and grateful for how kind Lillytail had been with her. However, she couldn't help wondering, Will things change in the future?
Chapter 5
"Dawnkit, hurry, wake up already!" She heard Quailpaw yell in her ear.
"What's happening?" She asked, waking up to hear strange voices coming from outside. They didn't sound like any of the cats voices that she had come to recognise, was it one of the other clans perhaps? Quailpaw answered her question.
"Some Moonclan warriors are outside!" She exclaimed. "Let's go meet them, the whole camp is outside!"
"Ok! Let's go then!" She replied, not all that sure that she truly did want to go meet the other clan, but she didn't want to disappoint her friend.
When they got outside all the cats were circling around five cats in the middle of the clearing. They had a tangier, almost fishlike sent on them.
"Why are you here?" She heard Pinestar demand when they got there.
A sandy colored she-cat with darker colored spots answered him. "We mean your camp no harm Pinestar. We simply came to ask if you could spare some of your fresh kill with Moonclan."
Mewes of outrage raised from the gathered cats, when they died down, the strange cat continued.
"This Leaf-bare has been very hard on our clan, we only ask for your help for a few moons until we become strong enough to hunt properly for ourselves."
She wondered why they had not stocked up on food before Leaf-bare came, but she didn't think that she was supposed to say anything during this time.
Pinestar was thoughtful for a few moments. Finally, he answered her. "I will talk to my deputy about this. The visitors will stay without being harmed until we decide what is to be done."
When Pinestar had disappeared with Foxpelt into his den, the cats in the clearing went on with their days, obviously not very happy to have the Moonclan warriors in the middle of their camp.
When they had all left, Dawnkit got a good look at the visitors. There was the she-cat that had spoken, a black and white tom, an apprentice that had berry colored fur, but it was obvious that her natural color was white because she had white patches on her where the berry juice had not yet stained her fur, at least she thought it was berry juice, a ginger, tom, and a dark-grey apprentice with much lighter, almost white, markingings, who she noticed was staring at her curiously.
"Why is that small grey cat staring at me?" She whispered to Quailpaw.
"He's probably wondering if you're the mystery kit that was announced at the gathering. His name is Sparrowpaw, the black and white cat cat is his mentor Darkclaw, the one with berry juice on her is Backberrypaw, the only things that she loves a little more than berries, is family, friends, and fun, the ginger tom with white and darker ginger markings is Gingertail, and the sand colored one is Ferretfur. She's the MoonClan deputy."
"You sure know alot about MoonClan." She commented to her friend.
"Yeah. Actually I know alot about all the clans. So does Turttlepaw. Our mother made sure that we knew all that she knew about the clans so that we would be the best warriors we could! Come on, let's go meet them!"
"I'm not so sure that we shou-" She began, but her friend was already heading over to the MoonClan cats. She let out a sigh and got up to follow her friend, sometimes it's no use trying to talk sense into her.
"Hi there!" Quailpaw was saying when she caught up. "I'm Quailpaw and this is my friend Dawnkit. She'll be an apprentice soon so you can call her Dawnpaw if you want."
"Hi!" Blackberrypaw answered her. "Im Blackberrypaw, and this is Sparrowpaw. That's my mentor Gingertail, and Sparrowpaws mentor, Darkclaw. Oh, and this is our deputy, Ferretfur."
"Nice to meet you."
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather here."
Sarrowpaw opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted when Pinestar started to talk again.
"I have talked with my deputy and we have decided that we will help Moonclan," The faces of the MoonClan cats lit up.
"Thank you Pinestar." Ferretfur said respectively. "MoonClan will not forget your kindness."
Pinestar dipped his head to the sand colored she cat. " MoonClan has helped us in the past, it's about time that we paid you back. Heatherfoot and Firesoul! Collect some freshkill from the pile and give it to the MoonClan cats. After that, please escort them to the border."
"Yes, Pinestar." Heatherfoot, a milky white colored she-cat with emerald green eyes answered in unison with Firesoul. They walked over to the prey pile and took a group of fresh kill off of it.
He turned to the Moonclan cats again. "Tell Natstar that you may come back every claw moon to pick up fresh kill. When Leaf-bear ends however, we will send you away if you come."
Ferretfur dipped her head to Pinestar. "I will see to that myself."
Heatherfoot and Firesoul handed the fresh-kill to the Moonclan cats. When they had vanished through the bramble entrance, the whole camp erupted with chatter.
Quailpaw was one of the loudest of them."What did you think, Dawnkit?"
"I think you should have been in the nursery during all this time."
She turned around to see Lillytail standing over them, a stern look crossing her face.
"Im sorry, Lillytail." She replied solemley, then in a more defensive tone, she continued. "But, Im almost an apprentice, soooooooo, doesn't that mean that Im aloud to do this now?"
"Kits." She sighed. "Always trying to grow up quicker than they actually are." She looked down at them. "Alright. Just this time though."
"Yes!" Quailpaw said happily. "Your mom is the best, Dawnkit!"
Mom? She thought. I guess that you could call her my mom now. The more she thought about it, the more she felt that it was ok to call Lillytail mother. She had been keeping herself from calling her that because, after her mother's death, she completely accepted that she would not have another one, so to have one so soon, it felt… weird.
"Come on! Let's go play Dawnkit!" She was just about to follow when Barkfoot stopped them.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but I need to take Quailpaw out for a hunting patrol." He mewed.
Her friend was obviously excited.
"Yay! My first hunting patrol!" She exclaimed. "Sorry Dawnkit. Guess we'll have to play later. I'll be back soon though!"
"Ok! See you later! Good luck!" She watched as Quailpaw was headed towards the entrance.
Left alone in the clearing, she decided to go back to the nursery. Lilllytail and Mintfrost were talking when she entered.
"Quailpaw`s out on her first hunting patrol today." Mintfrost was saying. "I hope she doesn't get hurt! There's been rumors of badgers in the area."
"Badgers are very dangerous." Lilytail agreed. "But I'm sure she'll be fine! Is very unlikely that she will get attacked."
"Thank you, Lillytail. I'm just anxious."
"Of course you are!" Lillytail liked her ear comfortingly. "Any mother would. I was."
Mintfrost gave a small, reassuring smile and turned around. Noticing Dawnkit for the first time.
"Oh, hey there, Dawnkit!"
"Hey Mintfro-" Her mew was cut off by a commotion outside. Are the Moonclan cats back so soon? She asked herself.
She followed Lillytail and Mintfrost outside. It was Turtlepaw. Fear sent was flooding off of the small cat.
"Barkfoots patrol is being attacked!" She yowled. Her voice was shaking. "And Quailpaws hurt!"