6 moons later(Starlingkit's POV)

"Mom? Where are you?"

I wandered through the tunnels I had grown up in and listened as my voice echoed through the different pathways. Usually my mom was very attentive to guarding the tunnels and making sure where I was every few minutes.

"2nd tunnel to the right dear!" My mother responded.

Since we have always been the only cats to roam these tunnels, I always wondered what is up there beyond the tunnels since my mother told me they were underground.

I ran to the 2nd tunnel on the right as she said and she smiled relieved as she licked my fur of the dirt on my head.

"You said that you'd teach me about the hunting above-ground, I've wanted to go there ever since you told me about it." I confessed. "It has to be better than here."

"My little starling, it is more dangerous." She told me. "The cats up there you see...they don't exactly like us remember?"

"But we didn't do anything right?" I asked her again.

"Of course not, it is their silly superstitions." I sensed she was holding onto some of the truth. "But I can't live forever, so I'll have to teach you how to hunt and fight. Especially to defend yourself from those cats."

"And those mean badgers that came three moons ago right?" I added, vaguely remembering the pair of badgers that entered the tunnels.

"They might be too much for you, most likely you'd have to escape the tunnel." My mother replied.

"But not for you!" I purred. "You sent them on their way!"

"Yes, and guess what? You'll be going out of the tunnels for the first time!" Mom exclaimed.

"Really?" I gasped. "Right now?"

"Yes, but stay by me. Like I said, those cats aren't messing around." Mom said more seriously. "Follow me."

My mom went on ahead and I followed to an opening, trotting right beside my mother eager to see the world for the first time.

It was very dark similar to the tunnels I was raised in, but the fresh air and sound of life made me feel warm and happy. My mother began pointing out the different things I've never seen before like the inanimate life called plants and then as we journeyed on I saw something similar to the trees but more square-shaped.

"That's the Moon-Den, one of those vicious cats goes there once every moon." Mom explained. "He's quite old so if he tries to attack you it wouldn't be hard to defend yourself."

My fur shivered at the thought of hurting a helpless cat, but if my mom said he was vicious, then he was. Then, I heard pawsteps in the distance.

"Let's get back in the tunnel now." Mom panicked, nudging me to go ahead of her.

"Wait! Stay where you are at."

Mom and I stopped to see a orange she-cat with brown splashes that was hardly bigger than me. Her amber eyes looked straight at me like I was the cat she was looking for.

"Stay behind me." Mom whispered, she looked to the cat and unsheathed her claws. "What do you want?"

"Your daughter may...she may not be exactly cursed." She started saying.

"I'm cursed?" I asked my mom.

"No, it's their imagination." Mom lied, then looked to the she-cat. "What do you mean?"

"She might be the solution to getting rid of this eternal night once and for all. I'm Stoneheart's apprentice, Myrtlepaw." Myrtlepaw explained. "The only reason this is a possibility with her over any other black-furred kit is that she has white fur too. Which no cursed kit has ever had."

My mind was whirling but despite that I put two and two together: I was cursed and perhaps I brought this darkness that I was used too. But what else was there besides darkness?

"It's possible, not certain." Myrtlepaw added. "But I'm afraid either way you two have to come with me."

"We don't have to do anything." Mom hissed.

"All of your precious tunnel entrances have been blocked off by our warriors." Myrtlepaw growled. "And with a single flick of my tail, a patrol of cats are behind me that won't hesitate to kill you."

She ended up being right as when I turned around, the entrance from which me and my mom came from was blocked by a fluffy silver she-cat that looked rather proud of herself.

"Fine, we will go with you." Mom hissed. "Come on Starlingkit, it will be alright."

I followed my mother and as Myrtlepaw lead us back, many cats surrounded us. And eventually we made it to a camp with several dens, with a fox-colored she-cat in front of the biggest one.

"Where's the leader of the patrol, Rabbitsong?" She purred.

"Right here, Vixenstar!" a grey and orange tom purred eagerly, running to the she-cat's side. "We managed to bring back Rosebreeze and her daughter."

"That's a good little tom." Vixenstar purred, rubbing herself against Rabbitsong. "Run along now, Vixie has some matters to take care of."

Rabbitsong nodded dumbly and left to a pile of fresh-kill when Vixenstar walked towards us with a mean glare, all her fake affection disappeared in an instant.

"Alright you disobedient little rogue-mating, flea-infested tramp." Vixenstar growled at my mother. "We knew about your 'clever' little network of burrows, we were about to kill you both when Stoneheart had returned from the Moon-Den."

"He told me the cat bringing us back the light for good was almost here come warrior ceremony." Vixenstar explained. "Your daughter may be the cat, but she may not. Either way, we can't kill her just yet. No, she must become an apprentice."

"Her name is Starlingkit." Mom snapped.

"Fine. Starlingkit? If your deadbeat mother didn't tell you, we are AngelClan. The best Clan to walk the Earth." Vixenstar boasted, lifting her head with pride. "I am not only it's proud leader, but I am the mate of three toms and mother of five kits."

"In other words she likes to sleep around." Mom hissed in my ear. "Most cats only have one mate unless they break up."

"Speak for yourself Rosebreeze." Vixenstar growled. "You mated with a rogue instead of a proud member of AngelClan. Now Starlingkit, come forth."

I did so, noticing many cats shocked and riveted by me becoming an apprentice.

"Starlingkit, you are now Starlingpaw. Gracecloud, I hope you like with my darling daughter Acorndapple, you can teach this runaway kit how to be a true AngelClan warrior." Vixenstar purred.

I looked and saw my mentor was the silver she-cat that blocked the tunnel entrance earlier. Oddly enough she didn't look angry having to teach me, she still looked proud.

"You're supposed to touch noses with her, mouse-brain." Vixenstar muttered.

Oh! I ran over to her and touched her nose.

"YOU COWARD!"

I immediately pulled away from my mentor Gracecloud and looked in shock to see two cats that appeared to be the same age as me knock down my mother.

"What are you two doing?!" I gasped.

"You don't know us do you?" a light gray she-cat with dark gray stripes growled. "We're your siblings!"