The kit faltered as she told the cat who had saved her from wolves her name. She didn't want to lie, every muscle and bone in her body fought against it. But she had to. Her siblings had saved her. They will not go un-avenged said her mind. The kit sided with her mind, thinking of the wonderful day when she had splashed in water for the first time. "Splashkit." She mewed, gritting her teeth.
"Are you cold dear?" Dapplestar asked, licking her fur, trying to warm her.
"Yes." Splashkit mewed but it was true this time. The mist in this forest had cooled her until she was almost frozen. Not to mention the fear from the wolves. 'The pack! Pack! Pack shall attack! Pack will kill!' They had chanted, growling and closing in on Splashkit as they did so. Then Dapplestar had come out of nowhere and saved her life.
"Then let's get you to my home, MistClan." Dapplestar meowed, bringing the kit close to her and smiling, washing away the memory of the wolves.
"Okay." Splashkit mewed, looking calm and cold on the outside but warm and excited on the inside. She had arrived at her destination! Of course, SpiritClan would have been better because of the connection they had with the dead. But she had arrived in the Elder Clans after her grueling and testing journey. It was hard, getting to the Elder Clans. She had to rest along the way numerous times. Splashkit started to fade away from the world, blackness edging into her vision. No! She thought, screaming in her mind, No more flashbacks! And not now! But shadows still crept into her vision until she could see nothing.
It was after the murder of her siblings. Rain poured from the sky. Smoke crawled into the sky from far away, in no Clan's territory. The wind lashed against the forest, wailing. The earth below her was shaking. The lone kit knew this was her siblings, mourning against their own loss and leaving their last living sibling alone. A breeze whipped around the kit and surrounded her. Rain circled around the kit. Earth quaked and creaked. Smoke covered the hole to make a roof. "Tell them...and avenge us." The whispers of her siblings, Firekit, the funny tom, Icekit, the sweet sister, Earthkit, the kindest tom, Waterkit, the playful sister, and Windkit, the excited little sister, flew around her. Suddenly, the smoke drifted away, rain poured once again, wind whipped through the lone kit's fur, and the earth started shaking. The kit knew what she had to do, tell on the murderer. She had no mother, no father, only dead siblings. There was one cat left to talk to. Silverstar. The kit passed through the lichen that hung over the entrance and ran over to the leader.
"Why didn't you call first?" The leader asked kindly. Then she settled on the more pressing matter. "Where are your siblings?"
The lone kit stared into Silverstar's eyes, not moving. "Dead. Murdered." The kit answered sadly.
Silverstar held her gaze for one long moment. "I am so sorry. By whom?"
"Darkgaze." The kit whispered. "I was with my siblings in the nursery. Then Darkgaze came in, claws glinting and sadly shaking his head. He whispered a prophecy, 'The elements and elder together shall destroy the clans.' Darkgaze advanced, my brave brother Firekit pushing me into the brambles, where I was stuck and could not help them. Firekit made fire and smoke lash, searing the medicine cat's coat. Icekit summoned icicles where she made them fly at the cat. Waterkit lashed him with rain. Windkit made wind howl and whip Darkgaze. But he was determined. One by one, and quickly, he killed my siblings." The kit choked with sadness. "I was the only one left alive. Alone. Darkgaze probably would've killed me too if he knew I was there but he separated us still." The kit's eyes crowded with sorrow.
Silverstar gave a solemn nod. "May they join SilverClan. I am not one to get revenge but that is proper in this case. And I know you are not lying little one." Silverstar took a deep breath.
Together, the kit and Silverstar made their way to the medicine cat den. "Darkgaze, have you killed every sibling of the family except this one?"
Darkgaze stared at the kit coldly and advanced. "You and your siblings will destroy the clans. You must be killed."
Silverstar stepped in the way of Darkgaze and swiped out at the medicine cat's throat. "You have broken the code Darkgaze. Normally, you would be exiled for harming a kit but you have harmed the whole family except this kit. Killed them. Therefore, you must be killed."
"But I was saving the Clans!" Darkgaze protested as Silverstar slit his throat.
The kit stepped over the cat's body. "You killed my siblings, the elements. You have made a fatal mistake Darkgaze. You didn't have to kill me to stop the prophecy. We would still be together. But you have split the elements and elder apart." Darkgaze's eyes were long glazed over and his body cold before the kit finished. "May you go to LostClan."
When Splashkit's eyes fluttered open, Silverstar, no, Dapplestar was leaning over her worriedly. "She's awake!" Dapplestar called to supposedly, another cat. Splashkit observed the den she was in. The ground was cold, but earthy, there were brambles forming the den, there was a slope leading don into a stone tunnel smelling sweet, tangy, and bitter all at the same time. "Why is the ground so cold?" Splashkit asked Dapplestar curiously.
"Look down." The golden leader smiled kindly with mist hovering around her. Then the she-kit looked down at the ground. There was mist everywhere, covering it.
"Why is the mist so...cold?" Splashkit asked. The mist heated to a warmer temperature. "Do you control heat?" Splashkit wondered wildly.
"No silly." The leader licked her fur and chuckled softly. "I control the mist around your feet now." Dapplestar answered.
Mouse-brain! Splashkit scolded herself. You've been hearing about the Elder Clans for ages and she just told you that you were in MistClan! "Of course! Now I remember!" Splashkit mewed convincingly. "I forgot!"
A soft gray she-cat with sea-green eyes and light green mist walked out from the tunnel, herbs in her mouth. "Hello Splashkit. I see you are awake. My name is Streampool and I am the medicine cat of MistClan." Splashkit held back a hiss. She had bad experiences with medicine cats before. The she-cat laid out herbs at Splashkit's paws. "This is Bronseed. The cure for mist chills." Streampool mewed, after laying out the first herb. "Thyme for shock." She laid out the second herb. "And poppy seeds for pain or sleep." Streampool finished.
"Okay Streampool." Splashkit said cautiously.
"Now, you may eat these in whatever order you'd like." Streampool smiled, licking the she-kit's fur softly. Splashkit examined the herbs. She had never heard of bronseed so best to eat it last? No, the poppy seeds have to go last in case I get sleepy while eating the herbs and don't finish them. What about thyme? It almost goes with poppy seed so second. I guess I'll just have to eat them in the order she gave me. Splashkit hooked the bronseed with her claw. It looked okay. Splashkit dropped the herb in her mouth. The next one she knew, it was safe. It was gone in a matter of seconds. Splashkit took one poppy seed and ate it. "You're a brave little kit. I bet you never saw bronseed before, did you?" Streampool asked.
"No, I haven't." Splashkit agreed, wide awake. Dapplestar licked Splashkit's fur at a nice gentle rate. The she-kit started to notice more of Dapplestar's features. Dapplestar was a slender golden she-cat with black spots. Her big silver eyes seemed to be loving and kind, like stars. The last thing Splashkit noticed before she fell into a deep sleep was that the mist curling around Dapplestar's paws was the same color as her eyes.
Splashkit dreamed about the moon. A cold, hard moon, merciless and a cage. She was on a star, stretching to reach the moon. The moon leaped out of her reach, laughing evilly. "How can I have my siblings back?" Splashkit asked the moon.
"Solve this riddle." The moon screeched with laughter. "It hasn't been solved in a million years!" Splashkit rolled her eyes. The moon stared at the kit. "Solve this riddle:" It repeated, "Adders strike quickly. Cats do not. But they must live very hot. They do not fight. Except at dawn's light. They both survive and strive. How is it possible?"
"It is not possible." Splashkit mewed sensibly. The moon zoomed toward her, threatening to crush her against the star. The moon had a deep crater in it's side.
"Jump in! Or be doomed forever to walk in these stars." Splashkit knew it was a trap either way, but how would staying in the stars solve anything? She, the kit, took a deep breath and jumped in the crater.
Inside the crater, there was darkness, cold and deep. "Welcome." Whispering voices echoed along the cave walls, menacing and malicious. There was a tortoiseshell she-cat with lots of scars, one over one eye, another noting where an ear was missing, a shadowy tom with bright yellow eyes, and a black tom with orange-almost red-eyes.
"Who are you?" Splashkit asked worriedly. These cats looked like the famous villains Loststar, Graystar, and Sneakstar.
"Come here..." The tortoiseshell cat whispered, beckoning Splashkit with her tail.
"No!" Splashkit yowled, turning around and trying to scale the walls but the only thing she achieved was the faint sound of scrabbling against the walls.
"Kit! I know you want your sisters and brothers. We have them. Now give up or watch them suffer." The black tom mewed.
"No..." Splashkit murmured, her voice quickly fading as she thought out a plan.
"Then see kit! Watch them suffer at your expense!" An image came to Splashkit. Her brothers and sisters were in a bramble prison, with fire quickly approaching them. The image of Firekit scrambled away from the fire but the fire kept approaching. Splashkit told herself that wasn't real.
"No!" She mumbled at first. "That wasn't real! I know it isn't you pieces of fox-dung!" Splashkit yowled. Sneakstar advanced, with Graystar and Loststar following. Splashkit held her ground and told herself over and over that this was just a dream. Just a dream. When they had circled Splashkit and she was prepared for death in dreams, she awoke.
Splashkit opened her eyes and saw Dapplestar, the beautiful leader of MistClan. "I had a nightmare." Splashkit confessed to the kind leader.
"Thank SilverClan you're okay." Dapplestar mewed, licking the she-kit's fur softly. Splashkit finally noticed she was in a different place. This was a hollowed out tree with warm mist curling around her paws.
"Where am I? And what time is it?" Splashkit asked quietly.
"My den. The leader's den and it is nearly sun-high." Dapplestar licked the she-kit again.
"I slept that long?" Splashkit asked in awe.
"Yes. I was very worried about you Splashkit. Would you like to tell me what your dream was about?"
"The greatest villains of all time, Loststar, Graystar, and Sneakstar!" Dapplestar gave a little gasp. "They were trying to torture me!" Then Splashkit noticed Dapplestar's azure expression. "What is wrong?"
"Goldenstar was killed in a grand battle against Sneakstar." Dapplestar meowed. "My former leader." Splashkit licked Dapplestar lightly to comfort her.
"I'm sorry I brought that up." The kit mewed.
"It's okay little one. Are you ready to move into the nursery?" Dapplestar asked, standing. Splashkit nodded, standing too. They walked out of the nursery and into sunlight with mist hovering in the air, mist shimmering beautifully.
Splashkit saw slim light brown tabby with stream blue eyes, golden stripes, and golden mist. "Hazelstream! Will you come over here?" Dapplestar called to the tabby with golden mist.
The tabby hurried over. "Yes Dapplestar? I was just going to take Deerpaw out for her final hunting assessment."
"That's fine Hazelstream. Perfect actually. This is Splashkit. I saved her from wolves." Dapplestar mewed.
"Hello Splashkit." Hazelstream meowed, smiling. "Pleasure to meet you."
A smaller version of Hazelstream that looked almost exactly like her hurried over. "Hi Splashkit! I'm Deerpaw! Pleasure."
"Hi!" Splashkit mewed happily. These cats were nice. Most unlike Darkgaze.
Another cat, a tom, muscular golden tom with large paws, amber eyes, and golden mist, walked over. "Is this the kit I've been hearing about?"
"Sure is Lionshade!" A handsome dark brown tabby tom with golden paws, belly, and beautiful amber eyes, along with a golden silver mix mist. "Hi! I'm Frogpaw, apprentice of Lionshade, our deputy!"
Dapplestar smiled along with Splashkit. "I'm taking little Splashkit here to the nursery!" Dapplestar mewed, kindly and lightly dismissing the cats.
"So I just met a warrior, the deputy, and two apprentices!" Splashkit mewed.
"Yep and there are a lot more cats to meet!" Dapplestar nodded, smiling as she did so. "We have arrived!" The leader announced as they stopped at bramble bush, tightly woven. "I shall leave you here for now Splashkit. There are more kits to meet!"
How many cats are in this Clan? Splashkit wondered as a little black she-kit with soft green eyes and purplish mist, slick gray tom with green eyes and lake-blue mist, golden tabby she-cat with light green eyes and mist golden like the sun, and a fiery red ginger tom with twinkly emerald eyes and fire colored mist, bounced over. "So you must be Splashkit! My name is Ivykit!" The black she-kit smiled.
"Wetkit." The gray tom bowed his head.
"I'm Dewkit!" The golden tabby bounced up and down.
"Emberkit is my name!" The fiery ginger tom yowled.
"We're all four moons old, same day, but different mothers. How old are you?" Dewkit asked, still bouncing.
"Five moons." Splashkit tried a smile.
"Then we have to play with you faster!" Dewkit responded. "Wanna meet our moms?"
"Sure!" Splashkit smiled fully this time.
Dewkit led Splashkit into the nursery. There was a tan she-cat with light green eyes and almost violet-blue mist. "Hello, I'm Brindlewing, mother of Ivykit and Wetkit!" The tan she-cat mewed.
"My name is Ashflower." An ash colored she-cat with a ginger tail, stark green eyes, and fiery mist meowed. "Mother of Emberkit."
"Hi! My name is Minnowshine, mother of Dewkit!" A sleek silver she-cat with a golden tail, paws, and nuzzle, including light green eyes and shimmering golden mist mewed happily.
"Hi! I'm Splashkit!" Splashkit mewed sweetly. She had a feeling that she would get along with these cats very well.
"This is your nest! It's made of moss instead of mist!" Dewkit smiled. "And you can sleep if you'd like!"
Splashkit smiled, "I think I shall." She mewed, slipping into her nest and a deep sleep.
An: Funny how touring can make you so tired! The co-author winner will be announced next chapter! Review for more updates faster!