"Take that!" Bark slammed her paw onto Snow's ear and yowled triumphantly as her sister squeaked and raced behind a bush. The sun was not yet high in the sky but the heat had already grown since dawn. Bark and Snow had been playing like this since Sasha had told them of the Clans, which she herself knew was a mistake.

Bark already had the looks and taste in battle of her father, but Sasha was now scared the young she-cat would want to join the Clans. If she did, Tigerstar might find out about who she really was and-

"Aha!" Snow shrieked through Sasha's thoughts and she looked over to see the white cat pinning her sister to the ground. "Now who's leader?" She growled playfully.

Bark grunted as Snow pushed down on her. "Get off me, you big lump!" She growled, pushing Snow off her and sitting up to clean the dirt out of her fur.

Snow crouched low, tail waving like a white flag above her head. "Scared of a little dirt?" She taunted.

Her sister stopped grooming her paw and growled, crouched low, and with a loud yowl, raced at Snow, who dodged the brown kit and pounced on her.

Sasha sighed as she watched. "Alright, come on, time to eat." She called her kits in and padded deep into the den to get a fat mouse. When she came out she found Snow and Bark in a ball of fur and kit fluff.

"Stop this at once!" Sasha growled and pulled Bark off Snow and placed her next to their dinner. "Behave yourselves." She meowed sternly and let them eat.

"Well," Bark mewed with a full mouth. "You said warriors always fight battles." She meowed as she swallowed her piece of mouse, then plunged back in for more.

Sasha narrowed her eyes. "Only when the battle is worth fighting." She growled and bit into her own sparrow.

Bark mewed nothing but kept eating, her little tail high in the air. Snow purred as she finished her share of the mouse and began grooming her snowy white fur. Bark did the same once she had finished, yawning as she did.

Sasha purred and padded to her nest to catch a wink of sleep, her kits following her tiredly. As she curled up, Snow leapt up next to her and curled up tightly, yawning. Before she could fall asleep, Bark growled and pushed her sister away, curling up in the same spot and letting out a tired sigh. Snow shook her head down below and jumped up, curling next to her sister and mother. Sasha watched with purrs and curled up tightly, letting out a deep breath and falling asleep...

Sasha slowly opened her eyes, looking around to see darkness around her. As she looked out of the den, she gasped at the burning flames rising above the den. Bark and Snow yawned looked up, squeaking at the sight and jumping behind their mother with terror.

"Get out through the emergency exit, now!" Sasha yowled at her kits, but they stared at her with terror glazed eyes, not moving.

Sasha growled and picked up Snow, tossing her out the small hole at the other end of the den. "Go!" She growled to Bark, who flattened her ears.

"But mama!" The kit protested, but Sasha picked her up and tossed her out the hole and pushed a ball of moss in front of it before Bark could push her way through. Sasha stared through the hole with saddened eyes, then faced the fire, breathing deep as she knew it was her time to go...

Bark squeaked as her mother pushed the moss in front of her, yowling in horror. "Mama!" She meowed as loud as possible, but all she could see were her mother's pain filled eyes.

Snow squeaked from beside her sister. "No, mama, please!" Still, no reply. Snow growled and scratched at the moss, but it was no use.

"Let me try." Bark pushed Snow aside and pushed herself against the moss ball with all her strength, but still no result. As they pushed, Bark could hear the raging flames engulf the den, roaring at the kits as it moved towards them. Snow squeaked loudly as a flame lit on her tail tip, but Bark pounced on it, putting the flame out.

"Let's get out of here!" She yowled to her white sister and the two kits dashed past more flames and smoke towards an opening in the fire. Above them, Bark's ears pricked as a branch cracked above the opening, and just as they were about to exit, the branch she had heard fell in front of them, blocking their only way of escape.

Snow whimpered from beside Bark, but the brown tabby knew there had to be another way to get out. There just had to be. Her large eyes searched among the flames, hoping to spot a sliver of green, but none was to be found. Tears fell from her eyes as Bark realized there would be no escape, and she curled up tightly around Snow, scared and hopeless. She let out a long sigh and closed her eyes, letting a scared sleep engulf her...

"Where did they come from, Onepaw?"

"I found them right beside the forest fire on the border."

"Well, good work. Lets see if they'll wake up soon."

Bark slowly opened her eyes as soon as the voices had disappeared and saw a huge black-and-white kit staring at her. The young brown tabby kit yelped and jumped back, landing on her sister's burnt tail. Snow growled and slowly opened her eyes as well to see the face, yowling in terror and jumping on Bark for protection. Bark rolled her eyes and looked back at the cat in front of them.

The black-and-white kit let out a mrrow of laughter and smiled at them, looking behind Bark and flicking his tail. "It's alright, I won't hurt you. Unless, of course, you're a kittypet." He crouched down and waved his white tail behind him playfully.

Bark cocked her head to the side. "Kittypet?"

"Yeah, the cats who live with twolegs." The kit mewed. "Now, my name is Blackkit."

Snow jumped out from behind Bark, tail high in the sky. "I'm Snow, and this is my sis Bark."

Blackkit dipped his head. "Nice names." He purred and looked behind him. "Why don't I show you around the camp?" He suggested, looking back at Snow with large, green eyes.

Snow purred and jumped up beside him. "I'd love that." She mewed happily.

Bark huffed and rolled her eyes, padding up beside them. "Me too." She meowed.

Blackkit purred happily and led the way out into the sunshine, tail flickering with joy. Outside, Bark gasped as she saw cats all around, some staring at her and others walking out of the camp. A group of cats outside one of the dens turned their heads and looked at the kits happily, padding over to see. Soon cats were crowded around to take a look at Bark and Snow. They purred happily and murmured softly, admiring the kits. Snow lowered her tail, neck fur rising with terror, but as Blackkit curled his tail around hers, she seemed to relax and enjoy the attention. Bark growled softly but mewed nothing as a huge black-and-white cat padded up in front of them, smiling.

"Welcome." He let out a rough, gravely purr of delight. "My name is Tallstar. Welcome to WindClan."

And that concludes our first chapter! If you cant already tell, I've decided to bring Blackstripes into the story, since at some point in time he and Snow have to meet before becoming warriors. If you see any problems such as spelling errors, any errors in the writing or even in the story, please either PM me or review it and I will be happy to fix it. Thanks!

-Goldmoonrider