Learn from the mistakes of others; you can't make them all yourself.

-Unknown

Hissing, Destiny flipped around onto her stubby legs and backed up to the wall of the nursery. The cat proceeded on her, fangs bared. The intruder swatted at the kit with his paw, shoving Destiny up against the side of the nursery. He grabbed her by the scruff, dragging her out of the nursery. The she-kit struggled, legs flailing and yowling.

Unfortunately it was moonhigh; all of RainClan was asleep and no cats were around. No one came to her rescue.

Destiny's legs grew tired and she stopped brawling. She peered up at the intruder's cold green eyes.

"What are you doing?" she mewed.

The tom growled through bared teeth, "Shut up."

"I- I..."

The cat's evil eyes squinted. He meowed, "I told you to shut up."

Destiny obeyed, fearing for her life. She silently prayed to StarClan. Please, oh please, let me get out of this alive.

The clouds above suddenly poured rain, instantly soaking anything it touched. Destiny's tiny heart thudded away. Days seemed to pass as she was carried, helpless. A strike of electricity a few fox-lengths ahead startled the kit.

She got a good look at the intruder's eyes once again. His pupils were wider this time; Destiny didn't know if it was from fear or from darkness.

A lightning strike ignited a tree nearby. The tom froze from shock. The fire spread quickly; even the rain could not put it out. Her kidnapper backed up slowly, eyes wide with terror.

"N- n..." Destiny stopped herself from meowing anything more.

"What?" the tom snapped.

"Nothing..."

The intruder said nothing more. He padded under a rock and placed the kit inside of a tiny hole in it.

"Stay here," he hissed.

"What do you want with me?"

Suddenly a speck of sunshine appeared, and the tom looked up at the sky. "I have heard of a great prophecy," the tom began.

What?

"Where's Destiny?" Cheetahpelt was rushing around, worried, wondering where her beloved daughter could be.

"Mom, is Destiny okay?" Orca mewed worriedly.

"Mommy! Where is my sissy?" Shark's eyes were wide with distress.

"That's what I'm trying to find out!" the queen exclaimed. "Shark! Go tell this to Titanstar! Orca, search the camp!"

The two brothers looked at each other for a heartbeat; the exact same look of anxiety was on both of their faces. They rushed out of the nursery and did as they were told.
Waterfall, who was in the nursery resting, suddenly opened an eye. "What's goin' on?" she asked.

"Destiny is missing!"

The yell from the mother in peril emanated throughout the entire camp. Cats crawled out of their dens, stretching and yawning, then rushing to the nursery.

"Destiny is missing?" one cat meowed.

"Yes," Cheetahpelt yowled, "my adopted daughter is missing. Please, if you've seen her, tell me. If you wanna search for her, please do. It would help-"

The she-cat couldn't take it any more. Tears stroked her cheeks, and she began to bawl. Wintermist ran up and tried to comfort her.

"It's okay," she mewed calmly, "we're making a search party right now. Titanstar and Applefoot know. We'll find Destiny, don't worry."

Cheetahpelt laid down and closed her eyes, droplets of water still streaming down her face. "Thank you," she whispered to the medicine cat. "P-please find my daughter."

"The prophecy explains that a single Clan cat will create darkness in the forest. They are a she-cat with a gray body and black stripes. They have something like a rain drop on their forehead. When I went searching the camps for this cat, you fit the description perfectly."

Destiny was stunned. She froze, pupils wide with surprise and horror. I will create darkness in the forest? I don't believe it.

"I- I think you've mistaken me for another cat. There's a newborn named Cricketkit in our Clan who looks just like me."

"No," the cat meowed, "only one cat has a rain drop on their forehead. It's you, I'm sure of it."

Destiny strained to look at her forehead, but her eyes did not roll up that far. "I can't see any rain drop."

"There is one. I promise," the tom said.

"Why do you want to get involved in a prophecy as dangerous as that? Why do you want me?" Destiny asked, shivering.

"The darkness is so powerful, it has the ability to conquer the lake territories and control every cat."

No... StarClan wouldn't let that happen, would they? Why me, anyway? Am I that unlucky?

"I guess I should introduce myself. I'm Tigerfang."

Destiny suddenly recognized the throat, which was still tinted with a bloody red. She remembered what her leader had said about him at the gathering, that he hunted in RainClan territory, that he attacked the patrol, that he planned an invasion. He was dangerous; perhaps even more dangerous than the prophecy laid out before her.

SnowClan didn't come to the gathering, I had a dream from StarClan, and now I've been kidnapped and heard about this stupid prophecy. What is going on?

"S-so I'm actually evil?"

"Not exactly," Tigerfang meowed. "Your soul isn't and the rest of you is."

The kit looked up at the sky. The rain has lightened up and the fire had been extingushed.

Without warning, another cat tackled the tom's side and he fell to the ground. "Get away from my daughter!" the cat growled, pinning Tigerfang to the ground. "I will rip your throat out if I have to."

Tigerfang batted at the she-cat and knocked her off of him. "You look nothing like her mother."

"I'm adopted, mouse-brain," Destiny spat. "When that prophecy comes true, I'll teach you a thing or two!"

"Prophecy?" Cheetahpelt rose up off the ground, eyes emmiting a curious aroma. "What do you mean, prophecy?"

Tigerfang was leapt at by Skyclaw and Thunderclaw. Tigerfang whimpered as Skyclaw repeated what she had done before. "Let me go! Fox-dung!"

"You said you'd never go into RainClan camp again. But here you are, kidnapping one of our kits? Unacceptable!" The warrior dug into the tom's throat even more. "You dung-eating mouse-brained... ugh!"

"Please!" he whimpered. "Let me go! I'll leave the forest! I won't-" he choked as Skyclaw tightened her grip.

"Be silent or you're dead!"
Tigerfang obeyed, and the she-cat let go of him. "Now fulfil your promise and leave the forest. Don't ever come back."

"A-"

"Not a word. Go."

Tigerfang's head drooped down in shame. He padded away slowly and silently. Destiny watched, petrified. What if the same thing happens to me?

"Now tell me about this prophecy," Cheetahpelt meowed urgently.

"It was nothing," Destiny mewed in response. "Something about me taking over the forest with the power of darkness."

Oh, StarClan, no! Please let me keep this a secret.

"What?" The queen yowled. "That's not possible. That's not my daughter. He must've mistaken you for another cat."

Destiny shivered. Should I tell her about the water drop? Er, no. I should keep this to myself. "I guess. Phew."

The search party of three let out a sigh of relief. "Well, glad this is over. Let's bring you poor thing home," Thunderclaw meowed with reassurance.