Prologue

Moonlight bathed the smooth concrete of the Twoleg path, the haunting silver glow ruffling the surface. I stood in the soft, rustling grass of leaf-bare as my mate caught up to me, his pawsteps pattering on the ground. All was silent as we stood still, watching the eerie glow of the stars flickering through the clouds.

"It's all ready? Everything?" I asked.

He nodded. "Yes, Jade. Everything, just like Scarlet promised. It is all ready. We just need to get there, so come on!" Leaping up onto the oak fence, but noticing that I wasn't following, he paused. "Jade? Are you okay?"

"Yeah." But I wasn't. There was an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of my stomach even now, and I struggled to conceal it. "Coming." Gritting my teeth, I backed up, fixed my eyes on the target, and leaped as hard as I could. My paws hit the side of the fence and almost made me fall, but I still held on tightly and began making slow, but steady progress up the tall wooden post. Blaze was already on the ground, gesturing impatiently with his tail, but even as I managed to climb up and catch up with him, his expression slowly turned to concern as another spasm of pain shot up through my body. "Jade? I know it's the kits," he began. "I… I won't make you. You can stay here while I go on. It must be tough for you."

"Oh, I'm not at that level just yet." I stretched and tried to ignore what felt like claws raking my insides. "I can still fight, believe me. Those flea-bitten lake cats are going to get a nasty surprise when we show up." I put on a smile and stood up. "What are you waiting for? Come on!"

He still looked a little uncertain, but decided to ignore it and began trekking again, our tails intertwined and pelts brushing. It was raining now, a fine, whispering rain, and as we neared the Twoleg nest that we and the rest of the group had made our homes in, my only thought was, these mouse-brained kitties that moved in are going to wish they had never been born.

"Hello, hello. I see that you have arrived just in time."

I looked up. It was a magnificent golden tom with small, vicious amber eyes. "Scarlet." I bowed down, following Blaze's example. He nodded curtly. "We are ready. I will call the others over here." Turning, he opened his mouth and let out a yowl. "Quiet!"

An excited hush fell over the crowd, and soon the nest was dead silent. Scarlet reared up on his hind legs. "Too many times have we been chased out of our territory, scorned by whoever sees us. Too many times have we ran away, too scared to confront our enemies. But tonight, this will change. Tonight, we take back territory that is rightfully ours!" He proudly spat at the ground. "Tonight… we will reclaim what belongs to us. Tonight…" Scarlet paused. "We will bring on the purge!"

Screeches and excited yowling broke out all over the camp. "Yeah! Chase them all out!" "They are not worthy to call themselves clans!" "We will fight to our last breath!" I felt a sudden surge of pride. We are ready. More than ready. Tonight, we will be victorious!

OoOoO

I scanned the seemingly endless forest of pines, and sniffed around, mouth open. "It's safe. No enemy patrols," I reported. Scarlet nodded, and we continued on our way. Here the thick tang of unfamiliar cats almost made me choke, and the darkness made it hard to see anything. But then I felt Blaze's soft tail on my back, and I relaxed. It will be okay…

"Look! I think I can see their camp!" Eagle, Scarlet's deputy whispered. I leaned forward. Sure enough, I could start to make out the shape of what looked like hollowed bushes and various dens, with the scent almost overwhelming me. I stepped back in relief, but then frowned. Something was not right. The smell… it was not as fresh as I expected it to be. But how-

Suddenly, a dark shape flew out from the shadows. "Shadowclan! Attack!" it yowled. As if on cue, an entire mass of cats appeared from nowhere, sending several of our group to topple backwards with surprise. Then suddenly a blow from my side caught me, and it pinned me down until I couldn't breathe. Meanwhile, the pain in my belly only grew worse, and whoever was there was obviously stronger than me, because however I tried, I couldn't shake her off. I was losing time…

Then it slowly released its grip. As I looked up, the clan cat stared at me, almost out of pity, and meowed, "I'm only letting you go because you're carrying kits. But next time, stay out of the fight." And just like that, she disappeared into the shadows. I stayed, rooted to my spot. Why did they let me go? Then my head cleared, and I shook my head. No, she was right. My kits were more important than this. I had to give birth to them safely.

Taking one last look at the raging battle, I picked up pace and scurried towards a large holly bush, where I gradually lay down. The spasm only increased from there on. Easy, Jade. Easy. Grabbing a nearby stick, I tucked it clumsily into my mouth and felt my teeth wrap around it. Easy. Even as I thought that over and over in my mind, the pain just kept coming. My teeth started clenching the stick tighter and tighter. Come on, relax… Those thoughts were almost a plea now. My eyes were shut tight, I seemed to forget how to breathe, and my whole body was tensed up like crazy. And that was when-

A small, silvery-black she-cat with dark green eyes, like the color of the forest, popped out next to me. I kept the stick in my hands, ready for the next one, but for some reason… I frowned. The pain has stopped. Did I do something wrong? Or maybe that was just an illusion. Maybe…

Then I just knew it. I suddenly got a shiver down my spine.

I had only one kit in my entire litter.

"Jade!"

I turned and gasped. It was Blaze, but now there were scars and bites riddled all over his body like a field of red grass. I suddenly felt guilty about leaving him when he needed me. "Blaze!"

He limped towards me as best as he could. "Jade! Are you…" His gaze traveled over the single kit that we had. "You… you gave birth?"

"Yes. She's ours." I smiled dreamingly. "Isn't she beautiful?"

That was the last thing I said before Blaze suddenly toppled over and started gasping like he couldn't breathe.

OoOoO

"Blaze! Are you okay?" I ran over to him and licked his chest fur soothingly. "Blaze? Talk to me!"

He groaned. "I… I should have known I wouldn't last much longer. The wounds… they were just too much."

"Shut up!" I hissed. "You're going to live. You have to. I'll get someone right away. You… you just stay here."

"No. It's too late for that." He lowered his gaze and avoided my eyes. "I know that, and I bet you know too." Blaze coughed like he was coughing his life out. "The only thing… the only thing that matters is our kit. She has to live, more than I do. Go. Make sure she is safe."

I leaned in closer. "Don't talk like that. There's still time."

"You don't get it!" His voice rose, then shrank again. "My time is already up. You need to let go. I'm sorry, but I can't travel with you anymore. Just make sure our kit lives. But…" Blaze blinked. "She can't stay here. We're already starving, and I can't bear to see her grow up like that." Closing his eyes, he muttered, "Journey's end…"

"Then what am I supposed to do?"

He didn't answer.

And he never will again.

OoOoO

"NOOO!" I screeched. But he was already gone. Sobbing, I turned my attention to the kit- no, our kit. She looked so innocent, so helpless. I bit the bottom of my mouth. She flailed her arms in the air wildly. "I, in this moment of time, shall name you Crimson," I spat. "For all the blood that has been spilled here tonight. Are you listening, Crimson?" I slowly picked her up from the bracken. "I will never let any harm come to you! I promise."

"Retreat!" I heard Scarlet yowl. But I wasn't paying attention; Blaze was right. I couldn't raise her here, however much it hurt. Carrying her to a spot in the middle of some dried leaves, I muttered, "There, there. I will come for you, I promise."

Crimson squealed, the memory of Blaze dying was fresh in my mind once more, and my voice took on a harsher tone. "One day, we will avenge this act of tyranny. One day, you will destroy them from the inside out!" My breathing became more and more ragged. "Avenge your father's death!"

She whimpered. The words seemed echoed around the woods. Avenge… Avenge…

Revenge.