"A-Are they going to attack?" Heartkit worried.

They stood, staring at the three kits. They stared right back.

Oakheart limped forward. Before he could speak, the one with the stick dropped it and spoke. "You're hurt badly. A badger-bite to the shoulder from the looks of it. Has anyone in your party treated it?" she asked. She was a wisp, pale silver with deep blue eyes that seemed to stare deep into their souls.

Cometkit stepped in front on Oakheart. "My knowledge is minimal, but yes. Me and Mommy have." he said defiantly, daring them to say he did a bad job. Starkit couldn't suppress a proud smile.

"Huh. Could be better." the dark tom next to her snorted.

"Cherry, Maple, please! Can't we just let them pass?" mewed the embarrassed one. He was a soft red, like the flames Two-legs would put on smelly colored sticks.

"Where are you from? Why are you all alone?" she asked, darting forward.

"We got ditched by our parents for an unknown reason." growled the tom.

"Cherry!" murmured the red one, turning and giving his brother a few quick licks.

"In that case, d'ya wanna come with us? We're mostly Clan cats, trying to find a new home!" she smiled.

"I would..." the flame-kit mewed softly.

"If he's going, we'd have to go." groaned the tom. "Phoenix, what've you gotten us into this time?"

So they made three new additions to their little group of- mostly- kits.

Chain made friends with Cherry, the tom, quickly enough. Maple, the kit with the clawed up stick, became chummy with Cometkit and Rose. Phoenix seemed distant, not part of the group. So she excused herself from Hollykit, Duskkit, Heartkit, and Leafkit to go talk to him.

"Hi!" she mewed.

He squeaked, jumping about a foot in the air. "Oh... uh, hi..." he said, embarrassed that he'd been scared.

"I'm Starkit! I like your pelt! It's very pretty!" she mewed cheerfully.

"Thanks... Why aren't you getting to know... my litter-mates?"

"Well, you looked lonesome over here all by yourself! I thought maybe I'd come over and talk to you! Anyway, you smell like a nice person to get to know!" she smiled.

"Thanks... Were you named Starkit for your pelt?" he mumbled, a little confused as to how to strike up a conversation.

"Yep! My mom wanted Starkit, because she was named for her pelt, and it became the name of the night-sky. I think she wanted my to become Starpelt or Star-sky. Hollykit, my baby sister, wants me to become Starstar, a Clan leader, but I don't think I'll ever make it that big!" she told him.

"I think you'd make a great leader... You're friendly and always count everyone in." he murmured.

"Oh, come on! You've met me for thirty seconds and you're giving me flattery! You try to be the under-dog, don't you? The way you're so embarrassed just talking to me! You're a really sweet kit!" she mewed, licking his ear.

As they continued over the days, they accumulated more and more kits. Their group was large, and it was hard to move through Two-leg places. Luckily, they had picked up two former Kitty-pets, Dream and Faith. They helped them through the places.

One day, Blizzardkit and Oakheart, the advance team, came running- well, came back as fast as they could. "We just found a place inside a fence that's perfect to settle down in! There're no Two-legs or nuthin', just open woods and bushes, and it's chock-full of prey!" Blizzardkit squealed.

"What? Really? Show us?" she mewed, darting forth.

At that moment, Oakheart collapsed. Everyone was startled. Cometkit and Silverpelt moved quickly forth. Cometkit sniffed the old wound, and his tail and ears drooped. "I'm sorry, but the wound must've gotten infected some time back... There's nothing we can do." he said softly, tears in his eyes.

"'S 'kay... You got me this far..." Oakheart gasped, his eyes dimming as the life faded out of him.

Everyone was silent. Then she stepped forth. "Tonight, we'll sit vigil for Oakheart. He was a good and brave warrior, and may StarClan receive his valiant spirit." she mewed clearly.

Everyone nodded. Silverpelt and Jasmine-claw carried the dead warrior to the fenced-in forest Blizzardkit led them to. There was a dried-up lake with caves in the sides that they decided to use as their camp. At the end of the lake-bed was soft, clay-like soil. They decided to bury the warrior there after vigil.

That night it was cold, but the sky was clear and the stars shone brightly. Starkit sat and stared up at them. She wondered if there was a new star up there. A star called Oakheart, ex-WindClan warrior.

The morning dawned slowly. She, her litter-mates, mother, Jasmine-claw and Phoenixkit carried the large warrior's cold body to the end of the lake and buried him.

"Now then, we need to set the Clan up. Name, explore the territory, divide us up into the different sections of Clans." Jasmine-claw mewed.

"You should be the leader, Jasmine!" she mewed. "You'd make a great leader! And the name sounds so elegant! Jasminestar!"

"You know who'd make a great leader? You, Starkit." Phoenixkit said softly.

"He's right, actually." Silverpelt told her.

"No! Me!" Velvetkit growled, puffing his chest out.

"You just want the power. Starkit is the obvious choice." Blazekit said, trying to scent her brother out.

"Try not to start a spat." Maplekit warned.

"Starkit is now going to be the leader. That is final." Silverpelt hissed at Velvetkit. He flinched, crouching in submission.

"What! I don't get any say in it?" she cried.

"That's generally how it works." Leafkit nodded.

"Hmm... Fine... First we'll need someplace to contact StarClan..."

"There's a cave full of stones that glow in the dark." Blizzardkit offered.

"Take me to it." she sighed.

They climbed out of the lake-bed. Starkit then followed Blizzardkit to the cave he'd told her about. "I cannot eat before I speak with them. I mustn't speak of the experience with anyone. I think after you show me there, you should go back and get Cometkit." she rambled.

"Calm down! It's not like you're becoming leader of the world! Just your Clan of friends!" Blizzardkit told her, giving her a friendly lick.

"Friends. Yeah." she nodded.

She sat outside the cave and waited for Blizzardkit to return with her brother. She sighed, starting to wash herself, when she caught the scent of a fox.

Her head whipped up. Her indigo eyes scanned the area, and her claws slid out. The bushes rustled, and an elderly fox crept out. He looked curiously at her, then moved to sit about two tail-lengths away from her. "You're very young. And on your own. Where'd your friend go?"

"Y-you speak cat?" she yelped.

"Yes. I was raised by an old she-cat. I'm not going to attack you. My name is Storm." the fox sighed, laying down.

"I'm Starkit, soon to be Starstar." she said.

"Ah, a Clan cat. I used to live in the territory of a Clan... SkyClan, I think?" the fox murmured, rolling around. "so, where is your Clan? You seem awful young to become a leader."

"We're... All kits and two warriors. I was elected to be the leader."

"Starkit! A fox!"

"I know, Cometkit. This is Storm." she said, turning to look at her brother. "Can we just wait until night and get this thing over with?"

"It's only noon!"

"I can stay and talk with you. Cometkit, huh? Your medicine cat?"

"He speaks cat!"

"I know. He says he was raised by a she-cat. I somehow doubt that he'll attack us if that's true."

"I won't. Do you know how safe this forest is? Perfect for your Clan. Twolegs never come here. I understand a bit of Twoleg, so I know that this forest we're in will never be touched by them. And if they do, they're going against their own codes." Storm told them. "Prey always runs good and fat, no matter the season, even in leaf-bare! There are a few large animals with trees on their heads called deer living here as well, but they only eat grass." Storm was rolling around contently, his face full of bliss.

They chatted until sunset. Then Cometkit led her into the cave.