A/N: You, while writing all this. I've suddenly had to the urge to become a cat XD Alright, let's continue.

A World I Never Knew

I blinked. Then I blinked again. And then a few more times. She was gone. Just disappeared. Poof. Like a fairy. I was speechless. It felt like reality just slapped me across the face and took a taxi home. Could I really talk to animals now? Am I really one? I looked down at my paws. Yep. This was real. The reality had begun to set in.

The night was getting cold. I wasn't really tired. Was that part of being a cat or just a part of the Witch's curse? I don't know, and frankly at this point, I don't give damn.

As I padded through the night with my cool new cat night vision, I began thinking of what the Witch had said. There are others like you Jani. Go to the place that mirrors the stars.

Others like me? Did she mean cursed people like me? Or something else? Well I wasn't just about to turn down free advice. I got up and started to walk to . . .

Wait, the place that mirrors the stars? Where the hell was that? Ugh! Witches. Always answering in riddles. Alright, let's see. A place the mirrors the stars.

I looked up at the sky. It sparkled like a thousand diamonds frozen in ice. Did I have to go to some place shiny? Like a jewelry store? Nah, that's just stupid.

Damn this riddle! Okay Jani, don't overstress yourself. Now let's see. I guess if something's mirroring something else, it's kind of reflecting it, right? So something that would reflect the star would be . . .

Crap! I stepped back from the puddle I just stepped in. Now the fur on my front paws was all wet. Great. I couldn't help but stare at myself in the puddle. Despite the reality of this whole thing sinking in, I was still finding it hard to believe this cat in the reflection was me. Looking in, it looked like my head was floating in the sky with the all the stars. I wish I was in the sky like it looked like in this reflec-Hey! The water's reflecting the stars. It's mirroring them! That's it! Water. It mirrors the stars.

Now I'm sure the Witch didn't mean that I could find help at a little puddle. No, I'm sure she was talking about something bigger . . . . Much bigger. And I think I knew exactly where to find it.

The lake seemed almost like glass reflecting the stars. It was so still. There was not even the tiniest ripple in the dark water. It really did seem to mirror the stars. I felt like I could walk on it, but I'm not Jesus, so I won't be trying that (plus, cats and water don't really mix).

Looking around, I couldn't really see where I could find help. The only places where I could possibly find help, was the David's horse ranch, and the house that rested way back in the pine forest, but that was home to an old couple. They were nice people. Their eldest daughter use to babysit me when I was little. She brought to the house one time. I didn't really like playing in the pine forest; it was damp, and swampy-like. However, the deciduous forest that neighbored right next to it was heaven to me. It was so fun to play in. The trees were fun to climb, the land was flat and grassy, and there was little stream where I would play. Too bad a dumb quarry was built in the middle of it because it was believed there were diamonds there. However, when they discovered there was one, they abandoned it and left the mess behind. Now there was rocky area left in the middle of that beautiful forest. They declared the area too "dangerous" for any living thing to be near.

As night continued to stretch on, I walked around the ranch. The horses and other animals (David had a small petting zoo on the side) were asleep. A small light was on in David's house. I assume he was probably having one of his famous poker nights with his friends. That or the sound of drunken laughter coming from his house was the wind.

Resting against the fence, I scanned the area around the lake. There was a watery-grassland on one side of the lake, next to it the pine forest, then came the deciduous forest, and finally the moorland. I out of all the lands, I was most familiar with the moorland with its rolling hills and soft breezes.

Maybe the smartest choice to look for help would be to start in the area I know most well, which would be the moorlands. Before I could start off, I heard a sound.

"Hey, over here!"

I looked over my shoulder to see gray and white cat standing on the over side of the fence. I was confused for a second because I expected to see a human face. Then reminded that I was cat now, and I couldn't stop the sorrow that flooded over me.

"Hello? You made off stone?" I could tell the cat was joking. I think it was a male, because he had a deep voice. Strange how I can understand him as if he was a human.

I walked up to him. "Yes?"

"Hi," he said in a friendly way. "I'm Smoky."

"Hey," I greeted him. "I'm . . ."

Well Jani didn't really sound like a cat name. What could be my cover up name? I could use the name Mary gave to her pet hamster . . . On second thought, Hermione didn't sound too thrilling either.

Improvising quickly I just simply answered, "Violet."

Violets were my favorite flower and color. I remember going to India for my cousin's wedding. While everyone else wore saris with vibrate colors like a rainbow, I worse a simple violet sari with silver bangles. All the boys were flirting with me that night (I would've have probably found a husband that night if my father hadn't scared them all away).

Smoky nodded. "That's a pretty name." He blushed a little. "For a pretty she-cat."

I couldn't help but widen my eyes a little. I'm sorry but was that a flirt? Did he just make a pass at me? Dang, men are always trying to get some aren't they?

After an awkward moment of him just staring at me, I finally thumped him on the tail. "Are you made of stone?"

He laughed. "Are you lost?" he asked.

"Well um . . . Hey maybe you can help me."

He perked up. "Sure, anything you want."

I smiled. "Um, do you know of anyone living around this area? The lake I mean."

Smoky's face suddenly turned serious. "You mean, you don't know about them?"

I was bewildered. "Know about what?"

"The clan cats," he answered.

Clan cats? What on earth are clan cats? I mean, I've heard of clans before. The Zulu clan for one. But still. Cats being formed in clans? I thought a group of stray cats were called a clowder? This night is becoming more surprising by the minute.

"Are you a loner?" he asked.

"Um . . . Sure. Yeah, I'm a loner," I answered, not entirely sure what a loner was, but judging by the name, I guess it was someone who worked alone.

"Ohh." He slithered underneath the wooden fence to come to be. Gesturing with his tail, I followed him as we walked closer to the moorland. "You see," he said. "Awhile, back, this whole lake area use to be occupied by only birds, squirrels, and rabbits. However though, I'd say a couple seasons back, a large group of cats came here. Upwalkers had driven them out of their old home, and they came here in search of a new one."

He began pointing at different parts around the lake. "They each live in separate groups in their own what they call 'territories.'"

I nodded. So there are cats all around this lake, and I never knew! Wow. I mean, I recall sometimes riding and coming a small band a few times, but I never knew they lived all around. That seemed fascinating to be how they can hide themselves like that.

Wait, how could cats help me? The Witch said if I came here I would find others like me. Well the only others here are cats . . . . Wait.

I looked down at my paws. She didn't mean others like me who have been cursed. She meant other girls like me who are cats! Oh my God. That woman has bamboozled again! Damn she was good.

Well this is fantastic. I've traveled all this way thinking I can find help. Nope. Didn't find help. Just cats. Perfect.

Then again . . . Perhaps these were a bunch of nice kitties. Maybe they have something that can help me break this curse! In my head, I highly doubted the idea, but at this point, I need something to keep my spirits up.

I looked at Smoky. "Are they friendly cats?"

Smoky stopped in his tracks. His face got stern. "Well . . . they're um . . . tolerant . . . sometimes."

My eyes widened. "You mean they're racists?"

"What are racists?" Smoky asked, bewildered.

I wanted to slap my forehead. What was I thinking? These cats don't know what racism is. They're cats!

"Being racist means to hate or dislike another group because of who they are or their color or background," I explained as simply as I can. How can cats be racist? I almost laughed at the thought of white cats treating brown or black cats bad. Of course racism is no joke, but the humor of adding animals to it makes me want to giggle.

Smoky nodded his head. "Uh huh. Sorry, I guess different loners have different words they use, but the clan cats aren't that extreme. They're just a little hostile to outsiders that's all."

I sighed. "Oh that's wonderful, hostile cats. That's just what I need."

Smoky put a comforting tail on my shoulder. "Hey there, not all the cats are hostile."

"Really?" I looked with interest.

He nodded. "From what I hear, there are four groups-er-clans of cats living along the lake.

He pointed his tail to the pine forest. "Now those are the cats you don't want to mess with. Of all the clans, they're the most hostile." He then pointed to the watery grassland. "Those cats, well, they're not all bad, but still, strangers aren't really welcomed in they're clan." He pointed to the moorland. "They are a little friendlier than the other two, but there are still a couple of bad seeds in there who might not welcome as friendly as their clan mates." Finally he pointed to the deciduous forest, the one I loved to play in as a child.

"Now they," he said, "are but by far the most friendliest."

"Really?" I began to feel a little hope fluttering in my stomach.

"Well, there are a few bad seed there too, but overall the cats there might always take in a cat in need. They're led by a ginger tom who goes by Firestar. He's extremely friendly, and tolerant of all cats, good or bad. He took in my mates and three kits."

Smoky paused for a minute and stared at the forest for a minute, his eyes clouded with sorrow.

I touched his shoulder with the tip of my tail. "Do you miss them?"

He sighed and nodded. "At least I know they're in a place safe, where they'll grow strong and brave." He looked down at paws. "But I still miss them with each passing day."

"If you don't mind me asking, why did they leave?"

"My mate didn't want our kits to be taken away by our owner. That's what they do. They take our kits and give them away to other Upwalkers. I wish they wouldn't though. It tears us up inside taking them away like that."

My stomach weighed down with guilt. I've seen a few times when David would come with a basket of young kittens. He usually sold them to family that came by the ranch. It never occurred to me once what the parents of those kittens were feeling. Suddenly the Witch's words rand through my head. Humans are ignorant of animals' feelings and thoughts as you take away their loved ones for your own selfish purposes.

I let out a loud gasp as I saw that she was right. We were ignorant of their feeling.

Smoky looked at me. "Are you okay?"

I nodded, quickly shaking the thought out of my head. I had something else more important to concentrate on now.

"Where can I find Firestar?" I asked Smoky.

He shrugged and yawned. "Beats me. They have a camp hidden somewhere in that forest, but I have no clue where it is." He yawned again. "I'm sorry, but it's getting late. I have nice haystack to snuggle in." He began to pad away back to the barn.

"Thank you!" I called to him.

"No problem," he called over his shoulder. "And good luck!"

I'm goanna need all the luck I can get.

I started to walk along the edge of the moorland, along the banks of the river. It was a quiet and still night. There was an owl hooting somewhere and the crickets were singing their songs. All was peaceful and serine. But inside me, it was like a volcano just erupted. So many thoughts and worries were popping into my head.

What if they don't like me? What if Firestar decides not to take me in? What if they turn out to be a bunch of psychopathic cannibals that'll eat me alive?

Okay, maybe I was going a little over my head here. But then again, I just had a witch turn me into a cat, of course I would be going extreme! It's okay, it's okay. All I had to do was take a deep breath, and relax. Nothing bad would happen. All I had to do was be brave. That shouldn't be too hard.

I reached a river. It was way too wide for me to just jump over (not even with my awesome cat jumping skills). I guess I could go upstream until I found a narrow enough space to jump across. So I went upstream. Finely I had found a part of the stream that was narrow enough for me to jump. It was still a little too risky, but the current was too strong for me swim. I'd be washed right into the lake.

I backed up a little, to get a running start. Okay, I could do this. Alright here I go. One for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, and here I-

"Hey you!"

Crap! Crap! Crap! Crap!

"What is it Breezepelt?" another voice hollered, a female's by the sound of it.

"An intruder!" this apparently Breezepelt called back staring at me with cold eyes.

I stared as a black tom with deep amber eyes stood before me. His whiskers twitched in fury. Then he barred teeth at me, probably trying to scare me.

Okay I'll admit, I was a little scared, but I didn't dare show it. I kept my face emotionless. He couldn't read anything off me. It was then that I noticed a weird smell. A smell I hadn't noticed before. It wasn't exactly a bad smell. Just a different smell, like how each home has its own house smell. I guess each cat had theirs'.

I tried moving a little to see if I could still cross the river, but the male slammed a paw on my back and I collapsed to the ground. A yowl of pain escaped my throat. I couldn't help it. That hurt! What an ass.

"Hey!" I wiggled as he pressed his paw against my back.

"Keep quiet!" he spat at me.

Alright that's it. I quickly twisted out of his grasp. His claws, which were unsheathed, left three deep cuts on my side. It felt like glass was cutting into my flesh and it was hurting like crazy, but I'd worry about that later. Now, it was time to fly out here.

I flicked my tail at the tom. "See ya!" And I then I dashed quickly, jumping over the river. Woo! Yeah baby!

As I raced away from the river, I saw the cat standing dumbfounded on the river bank. Oh now this was good. Quickly I ducked behind a bush to see it all go down.

"Breezepelt?" A light-brown cat padded up next to him. She had striking blue eyes. I'm talking the most gorgeous irises I've ever seen.

She looked all around, and then at the male cat, who was still standing like an idiot. She wacked him with her tail. "Breezepelt! You yelled for me like a mouse-brain and then I come here and see you staring at the river."

"There was an intruder!" he scolded. "I had her, but she . . . got away."

The female seemed shocked. "Well where did she go? Is she still in the territory?"

He shook his head. "No, she leaped across the territory and went into ThunderClan territory."

The female let out a sigh of relief. "Well then she's ThunderClan's probably. Come on, we should probably report this to Onestar."

She turned and left. Breezepelt turned slowly, then stopped. He scanned the river bank on my side. As his eyes passed over where I was, I sucked in my breath. I let it out as he finally turned and disappeared.

As I crept out of the bush, two things came to my mind. First thing was, I'm alive! Second thing was, what the hell just happened? Who the heck was Onestar? Were those two cats part the clan that lived on the moorland? And what ThunderClan, where I was supposedly on the territory off?

My head began to hurt as more and more questions answered. Well I was about to find some answers. There was a giant hill in front of me. I was too tired to climb it, so I just walked around it. On the other side of the hill I met a little slope, which I climbed up because I figured it would lead me somewhere.

As I continued walking around, I admired the beauty of the forest. It looked almost the same as when I was little. I couldn't remind the ground exactly, but I do remind the trees, view, and sights. It brought so many memories. As a child I would run. Just simply run through the forest in my bare feet, feeling the soft grass and cool soil beneath my feet. Sometimes I play pretend house or something, but mainly I ran. I ran because there was no one and nothing to stop me. In the forest I had so much freedom it was like a drug to me, and I took in as much as I could. Oh my God, I had such good times when I was younger. It was simply just me and natur-

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Holy crap I was falling! How? There was a cliff there that I didn't noticed because there was a few bushes there that didn't allow me to see if. Now I was tumbling down to cliffs of rocks.

BAM!

I slammed into a flat surface of the rock. My whole body aches and though someone just threw a couch on top of me. I tried to stand up, but only to tip over and fall of the cliff.

BOOM!

Another flat rock surface. This one felt more painful than the first one. Now it felt like an elephant hand landed on me. Oh my God the pain! As I raised my head, and noticed all the rocks jagging out of the sides they way they were, it occurred to me the this was quarry that was built a long time ago. Wow. It was so big and spacious. It sport of remind me of a theatre from Ancient Greece. Down below, which wasn't too far down, was a dirt ground dotted with pebbles.

But that wasn't the only thing lingering on the ground. There seemed to be little structures of something down below. I leaned over to get a better look. Something down there was moving. As I squinted to see better, I saw that they had four legs, fur, and a tail. They were cats! I found them! Wow. Smart choice for them to pick a the quarry for their camp.

Now that I looked around it did seem to protect them from enemies. As I looked around, I noticed something sitting at the far end of the camp on a cliff. It looked like dome sort of den, similar to that of a beaver's.

I lifted myself a little to see better. Then, my front paw slipped and then the ground slipped from under me, and I went plumenting to the earth.

POW!

I just lied there flat on my face. My bones felt like they had been shattered into a million pieces. Everything hurt. Man, I just wanted to go home.

Lying face down, I could only see darkness. My hearing was working fabulously. There were the sounds of paw steps, and a lot of them. I don't know if that fall had hurt my hearing, but they seemed to be coming from everywhere. Voices began to whispers to each other.

"What happened?"

"I don't know Sorreltail."

"Is she alright?"

"I'm not sure, she seemed to have come falling from the sky."

"Someone go get Leafpool!"

I felt so dizzy I didn't even have the strength to open my eyes. Who were these clans? And what was up with the weird names?

I felt someone poking me on my side. I just let out a groan.

"She's alive!" It was a male's voice. "Come here," he said. "Firestar, quickly come!"

Firestar. That was him! That was the cat Smoky had mentioned that would help me. Gathering my streangth, I slowly got up, one paw at a time. When I picked my head up, I met a cat's green-eyed gaze. The green eyes belonged to an orange cat. No doubt this was Firestar.

"Hello," Firestar said softly.

I didn't say anything, but nodded head.

He nodded back. "Don't worry, we'll help you."

I was able to barely push the words out of my lips. "Who's we?"

Staring at me, he said, "We, are ThunderClan."