Chapter 1
Thunderkit trembled in her nest, every second an agony of terror. She cowered against her littermates, Maplekit and Stormkit, seeking comfort to drown out the screeching, yowling, and ripping.
Thunderkit didn't know what had happened, one moment she, her littermates, and Brambleflower's kits had been playing and the next there was a battle-cry, and their whole camp had been filled with enemy warriors.
Squirrelpoppy, Thunderkit's mother, had gone out, itching to fight, and left Brambleflower and Redflower here to protect the kits. Squirrelpoppy was nearby, guarding the entrance from unwanted visitors.
Thunderkit shifted uneasily in her nest, and slunk over to the corner where Redflower, Brambleflower, and her kits were. She pressed against Redflower, and her two littermates soon followed.
Suddenly, there was a shriek, much more terrible and louder than any other she had heard. Brambleflower stiffened and Redflower moaned, "No no no no no…" Brambleflower hung her head.
"Wh-wh-what w-was th-that?" Maplekit asked, shaking. Redflower just shook her head, while Brambleflower answered Maplekit's question. "That," She mewed dully, "Was Lightningstar."
"What happened?" Thunderkit asked, also shaking. "The battle is over." Redflower meowed sullenly. "Over for a long time, hopefully."
Thunderkit cocked her head. "What do you mean?" Neither queen replied.
Outside a heart-wrenching cry sounded. "W-w-what…what happened?" Maplekit asked, frightened, "Why are they crying?" Redflower murmured to the kits, "Go outside and you'll see."
"No!" Brambleflower mewed firmly, "not by themselves, at least," She added softly. Redflower shuddered. "Of course," she murmured again.
Thunderkit, Maplekit, Stormkit, Softkit, Lightningkit, and Strikekit slowly started towards the entrance, as if they expected more enemy warriors to jump out at them. Brambleflower and Redflower followed.
Thunderkit heard the two queens whispering quickly, quietly, and urgently to each other. She wondered what the screaming had to do with Lightningstar. Did they win? Was that her victory-cry?
Once out in the open, the six kits stared, horrified, at the blood-stained camp. Huddled together, they didn't dare move from the place they had emerged, but when Brambleflower and Redflower came out, the kits were forced to move forward.
The two queens still padded side-by-side, their faces wore grim looks. Redflower let out another moan while Brambleflower wailed at something the kits had overlooked.
To them it had looked like the cat was just asleep on the ground, tired after the battle. Their minds were young and innocent, and they did not yet understand the concept of death.
Thunderkit saw her mother near the cat lying on the ground, head thrown back as another heart-wrenching cry escaped her tongue. And then Thunderkit, and perhaps the other five kits, realized that the cat, eyes glazed and jaws parted in a final snarl, was dead, and their innocence was gone. They stood, frozen, and stared, trying to find another explanation. There was none.
And then they all realized who the cat was, dead, on the ground. The gray-silver pelt, the black stripes, the icy blue eyes open and glazed. (If you bothered to read the Allegiances you'll probably know who this is.)
The cat on the ground was none other than Thunderkits's grandmother—Squirrelpoppy's mother—Lightningstar.
Woah! Sorry, I just realized that somehow the Doc. Manager deleted like half the chapter, so it ended at 'Thunderkit, Maplekit, Stormkit, Softkit, Lightningkit, and Strikekit...' So if you liked this and see it updated and you're like, 'What the heck? There's still only the Allegiances and Chapter 1!' Then I just wanted to let you know I updated this chapter! Oh, by the way, 22 views and NO REVIEWS?! What is wrong with you people? I need feedback to make this story better!