Rockpetal's 100 Oneshots Challenge (#6, Names, Done)

The day darkened and the kits scurried reluctantly towards the nursery.

“Come on in for the night, okay?” Streambloom purred, nudging her kits into the curve of her stomach.

“Streambloom?” A voice from outside the den made Streambloom’s heart leap.

“Hawkfire!” Streambloom softly purred. Hawkfire was the father of her kits and always came to see them. “What are you doing here, now? It’s almost night!”

“I just wanted to see my mate and kits again before I fell asleep.” Hawkfire smiled. “Speaking of kits, Tallkit, Riverkit, listen to your mother and go to sleep when she tells you to.”

“Aw, but Daddy!” the kits protested. “We want to stay awake!”

“No ‘but’s. Good night.” Hawkfire nudged the kits for a final time before walking out of the den towards the warriors’ den, leaving his family to fall asleep.

“Run,” Streambloom ran unknowingly into the darkness of her dream, trying to encourage herself. “Run. He’ll get you. You may be RiverClan, but you have the speed of a WindClan cat.”
She looked behind her. There was a faint outline of a black cat, but with awkward eyes. They were a color, but not.
“That’s right,” the black cat’s creepy, creaky voice stung her ears. “Run. You’ll tire eventually, and when you do…”
The ground seemed to drop beneath Streambloom. She felt like she was falling into nothing. She screamed. She screamed a bloodcurdling yowl.
“Mommy, Mommy!” Riverkit shook Streambloom while Tallkit trembled in the corner. Streambloom opened her eyes. The whole Clan had surrounded the nursery, even the elders. The other queens and kits had evacuated the nursery and let Hawkfire in.
“What’s wrong? What happened, Streambloom?” he asked, concern filling his eyes. “You sounded like you were being murdered!”

Streambloom shivered. “Where is Reedpool?” She stood up and pushed past her mate, walking towards the medicine cat. “I must talk to you.”

Reedpool nodded. “Come to my den,” he led the way towards the medicine cats’ den. “Wetpaw, stay outside please.” He pushed the apprentice outside of the den and led Streambloom to the very back of it. “Now,” he mewed, trying very hard to keep a steady voice. “Tell me about it.”

Streambloom gulped. “Well,” she started. “It was dark, almost pitch black and there was nothing there. As I started to wander, I heard pawsteps quickly running towards me. I ran. I ran and I ran, but he kept getting closer. When I felt like I was about to drop, I glanced at him, but he laughed and said in a creaky, eerie, creepy voice, ‘That’s right. Run. You’ll tire eventually, and when you do…’ Then, I was falling. Nothing was beneath my feet, nothing. I didn’t know where I was going to land or if I would die. I didn’t even know that it was a dream. It seemed so real, and… And…”

“What did the cat look like?” Reedpool was trembling. He wasn’t even trying to hide it.

“He… He was as black as my surroundings,” Streambloom felt cold. “And his eyes… They… They were a color… But not a color. I thought that he’d catch me for sure, and… And I didn’t know what would happen.”

“I’ll report this to Mudstar, and he’ll report is at the gathering tomorrow,” Reedpool stood up, looking like his fur would fall off. “Hopefully it won’t happen again. Just go back to sleep.” He led Streambloom back to the nursery, and then went off to speak to the leader.

”Free… Finally free from the nightmare,” Streambloom purred, fishing in a river with her mate. Suddenly, as she hooked an awkward black trout, blackness surrounded the dream. “No!” She panicked, watching Hawkfire evaporate into darkness and the trout dissolve into the strange black cat. “Not again!” She broke into another run, not looking behind her. Footsteps grew faster, and closer as she ran faster. “No!”
“Run all you want… I’ll catch you. I always catch my cat,” the high-pitched, creaky, voice felt like it would make her deaf at any moment. “I’m getting closer, meaning that you’re getting closer to your doom.”
“No!” Streambloom felt her legs start to wobble. “I won’t listen!” She glanced back when she felt breathing near her tail. Chasing her was the black cat outline with the colorful eyes without color, but this time she could see his razor teeth. Streambloom yowled. The yowl was worse than the first one, louder and more bloodcurdling than any other yowl.

“Streambloom!” Reedpool was shaking her, while Riverkit and Tallkit ran to the warriors’ den where Hawkfire stood outside of it. “I told Mudstar, but this is ridiculous.”

“His teeth were like razors, and his voice was worse and… He was breathing on my tail!” Streambloom tried to stand, but collapsed. Her legs ached. They felt exactly like they felt in the dream. “And my legs hurt! I can’t stand! My legs are too wobbly! Why me?”

Streambloom started crying, tears streaming down her face. “Reedpool, help me!” she mewed. “Take me to see StarClan! I know that I’m no medicine cat, but I must try!”

Reedpool nodded and ran to get Mudstar. When he came back, they lifted Streambloom up and carried her away towards the Moonpool. At sun-high the next day, they reached the Moonpool. “Just lay your nose on the surface of the water,” Reedpool instructed as Streambloom was laid on the edge of the Moonpool. She did as instructed and soon drifted into sleep.
“Streambloom!” a short, fluffy silver tabby ran up to Streambloom. “Quickly, you must join us in the ranks of StarClan before-” The silver tabby was cut off as the dream got darker.
“Mom?” Streambloom called. “Silverlight? Don’t leave me! He’ll catch me!” The dream got darker and footsteps got closer and louder. Streambloom ran. “Help!” she yowled, hoping that someone awake would hear her. “Help!”
“No one can help you now,” the screeching voice sounded like it was right next to her ear. “Everyone knows that the third sleep is the last…”
Streambloom collapsed and felt a sudden weight on top of her.
“You did this to me,” he hissed. “Remember?”
The dream flashed to a large cavern.
“Remember when we were Ancient Cats?” the cat mewed. “Remember when Jay’s Wing was born? Remember your name? Stream’s Blooming?” Streambloom nodded. “And remember me? Your brother, Night’s Darkness?” Streambloom nodded.
“But I don’t understand! How do I know this? How am I there?” she stared at a small, fluffy silver she-cat with bright blue eyes.
“Remember?” he growled. “We went into the tunnels to become Sharpclaws, and you did this? You made us go the wrong way and murdered my eyes? Then, when we reached the exit the next morning, the sun made my eyes into colorful, colorless eyes? Hmm? Remember?”
“Yes… I, I’m sorry. I was jealous and-” Streambloom mewed, but Night’s Darkness slashed at her eyes.
The dream flashed to the Moonpool. “I went through 89,000 other cats to find you, and now… My revenge,” Night’s Darkness growled. The fluffy silver body of Streambloom dissolved, leaving Reedpool and Mudstar confused. “Now, you’ll suffer. We’ll see once and for all, who’s the cat with the strange eyes.”

Streambloom awoke behind a bush, a certain distance away from the Moonpool. “What the-” She looked down at her paws. They were black. “Reedpool, Mudstar! Help!” She ran out of the bush and stared at the RiverClan leader and medicine cat. Mudstar unsheathed his claws and Reedpool’s pelt rose as he arched his back.

“Get away, Monster!” Reedpool hissed as Mudstar stepped forward.

“Monster?” Streambloom was completely confused. “It’s me! It’s Streambloom!”

“You made Streambloom die! Her body was right here, you Monster!” Mudstar stepped closer.

“What? No! I’m Streambloom! I’m not dead! I just probably stepped in some blackberries on the way here. That must be why my paws are black, right?”

“Laugh, laugh. Giggle, giggle. Very funny Monster! You fit the exact description from Streambloom,” Reedpool spat.

“Huh?” Streambloom mewed, then realized. She was in Night’s Darkness’s body. “No… No! My body! My fur! Night’s Darkness made my spirit look like his then placed my spirit on the ground!”

“Yeah, right,” Reedpool growled. “Mudstar… Go ahead.”

“No!” Streambloom yowled as the RiverClan leader leaped at her and started to shred her fur and rip her skin.

“Any last words?” Mudstar hissed when he knew that Streambloom would die at any moment.

“Tell the Clan that… I caused the cat with the strange eyes…” She paused, taking a few deep breaths. “My long lost brother from the times of the Ancients… Night’s Darkness… Tell Hawkfire that I love him…” Streambloom gulped for a final time. “And tell Riverkit and Tallkit that Mommy is okay. Tell them that I’ll see them one day, hopefully, in StarClan…”

“Streambloom, it really is you…” Mudstar mumbled as Reedpool walked up beside him. “I’m sorry…”

Tears started to stream down Reedpool and Mudstar’s faces as Streambloom’s body turned back to normal with all of the scars and blood staining her fur. The life seeped away from the body as Reedpool and Mudstar carried the body back to RiverClan where their clanmates could see the silver she-cat’s body for a final time.

Smalloak walked along the ShadowClan/ThunderClan border, doing the normal border patrol. His tabby brown pelt ruffled by the wind. A bush behind his shook.

“Who’s there?” he snarled, turning. His patrol had gone ahead of him, like always, so he was the only cat there. Or was he? “Show yourself!” he hissed before leaping at the bush. He and another cat tumbled through the bush. “Who are you and state your business!” He looked at the mystery cat. She was about his size, small, and fluffy. Her pelt was white and she had the kindest crystal blue eyes.

“Please don’t hurt me Mr. Wildcat!” she pleaded. “I just wanted to explore, maybe join you! I’m Pearl, and my housefolk were about to give me away. I couldn’t go to other housefolk, so I came out here to become wild.”

“Kittypet,” Smalloak hissed. “I really wouldn’t suggest that. You’re too soft… Though, you might make a good medicine cat.” His voice trailed off as he looked at her again. “I’ll train you when you’re accepted,” he decided and trotted towards the camp signaling for Pearl to follow.
…
“Smalloak, where have you been? The border patrol has been back for a while now!” a tall, black she-cat ran up to Smalloak.

“Darkstar, I’m fine! Just listen,” Smalloak pushed pass the leader and leaped onto the Tall Rocks. “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather under the Tall Rocks for a Clan meeting!”

All of ShadowClan flooded from their dens, confused when they saw Smalloak on top of the Tall Rocks. Darkstar was furious.

“I have come to a conclusion that we will bring a newcomer into ShadowClan. Please welcome, Pearl!” Smalloak stared at the camp entrance as the beautiful she-cat walked towards the Tall Rocks, leaping on top of them when she got there. “Pearl, you have told me that you wish to join us is the ways of our Clan, and you will now be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Snowpaw. Your mentor will be me, and I will pass on all I know to you. I will-”

“Smalloak!” Darkstar hissed, cutting the warrior off. “I have heard enough! Get that Kittypet out of here, and since you want an apprentice so bad, you can be an apprentice, Smallpaw. Lionflame, when Smallpaw lets the Kittypet go back to her twolegs, go take your apprentice and fetch new moss for the elders. When you’re done, let Smallpaw go fetch some mouse bile so that he can search the elders for ticks. This treatment will last for 3 moons before you get your warrior name back.”

“Yes… Darkstar,” Smalloak growled and leaped off of the Tall Rocks, leading Pearl out of cam and towards the ThunderClan/ShadowClan border. “I’m still a warrior. I won’t do anything that they tell me to do,” he muttered along the way.

“Um, Smalloak?” Pearl mewed. “I have a confession to make.”

“What is it?” Smalloak lowered his head in shame.

“I know that we don’t know each other very well, but I think… Well, maybe… I guess…” Pearl searched for a way to say what she was going to say.

“Just say it,” Smalloak hissed.

“Well, I think I love you…” Pearl clawed at the grass below her.

Smalloak was stunned, but he shook the feeling away. “I… I love you, too, but what about ShadowClan? They’ll never accept you now.”

“We can start our own clan,” Pearl suggested. “I overheard some cats yesterday over there,” She pointed to the ThunderClan side of the border. “And they said something about an abandoned tunnel system that runs into all ‘territories,’ and I was wondering… Well, what if I explored those tunnels, but I didn’t dare.”

“Yes… You are a genius. Do you know where the ShadowClan tunnel is?” Smalloak grinned, his heart leaping in joy.

“Yeah, I was looking around ShadowClan camp and I found one!” Pearl purred.

“Good, come to ShadowClan camp tonight and I’ll sneak out, and follow you into the tunnels.” Smalloak left Pearl at the ShadowClan/ThunderClan border before heading back to camp.

“Okay!” Pearl called as he trotted away.
…
“You were once the most loyal warrior in ShadowClan, but now you are a stubborn apprentice,” Darkstar hissed. “I can’t believe you. I would expect more from my own son. You are a disappointment. I thought for what you lacked in size, you would gain in loyalty, but I was wrong.”

“Yes, yes Darkstar,” Smalloak hissed. “Here, let me finish for you,” He made his voice sound like his mother’s, “I just can’t believe you would go off and be the most stubborn cat in the Clan. Now, goodnight!” His voice went back to normal. “There, happy now?”

“Smallpaw, I just… Never mind,” Darkstar stomped out of the apprentices’ den and went towards her den.

As soon as he was sure that everyone was asleep, Smalloak sneaked out of his den, and waited for the guards to look the other way before scampering pass them, as silent as a rock. He ran towards where he saw the faint outline of Pearl and followed her into the tunnel. It eventually opened up to a huge cavern with a small stream running through it.

“Ha! I am Smallstar, leader of UnderClan!” Smalloak’s mew echoed on the cavern walls. “And my deputy is Snowblossom, the beautiful.”

Pearl giggled, “Yeah! I’m Snowblossom, and I’m not afraid to fight!” Pearl then started to pounced around, doing random things with her claws unsheathed.

“Hey Snowblossom,” Smalloak purred. “Do this!” He unsheathed his claws and crouched down, keeping his swipes low and close. He then ran towards one corner and pounced off of it, keeping his head low so that it wouldn’t bump the ceiling.

“Did you just come up with that?” Pearl asked.

“Yeah,” Smalloak landed on his paws and shook the dust from his fur.

“Neat!” Pearl purred. “But now I’m tired.”

“Let’s rest,” Smalloak curled up next to the stream, only to feel Pearl curl up beside him. Soon, they both drifted into sleep.

“We’ll be together forever,” Pearl purred.
“Promise?” Smalloak asked.
“Promise,” Pearl nodded. “But if fate wishes it, then we’ll have to part ways.”
“Let’s play!” Smalloak grinned, but as they started to chase a dragonfly, there was a mighty shake. The ground started to crack and split.
“Pearl!” Smalloak called as the ground between them cracked and they were split apart. The land between them became a huge gaping hole, and Pearl’s piece of land got further away.
“Smalloak!” Smalloak heard Pearl’s faint yowl. “I think this is fate saying that we don’t belong together! I… I’m sorry! I have to go. I shouldn’t have done this!” Pearl’s yowls soon became just faint echoes as her outline disappeared, as if she had run away.
“Pearl, no!” Smalloak yowled, waiting for a response that would never come.

Smalloak jolted awake. “Just a nightmare…” he mewed to himself. “I had better get back to the Clan,” he meowed, nudging Pearl. He trotted down the tunnel that led to ShadowClan territory and slipped out. The bright sunlight hurt his eyes, but he blinked a few times so his eyes could adjust. He trotted into camp, only to get assigned to work.
…
“Smalloak, you are allowed into the warriors’ den again, and you are allowed to be a warrior, too,” Darkstar mewed, as the sun was falling. Three moons since Smalloak was first assigned the apprentice duties. Three moons since he first met Pearl.

“I expect better behavior this time,” Darkstar mewed before trotting off towards her den.

Smalloak walked into the warriors’ den and curled up in his nest. As soon as everyone was asleep, he trotted outside and dashed pass the Clan guards towards the tunnels.

“Why don’t we stay above ground tonight?” Pearl suggested.

“Sure,” Smalloak mewed, forgetting the dream he had, three moons ago.

“Let’s go down to the lake… Or WindClan territory! They have lots of room there!” Without waiting, Pearl dashed towards WindClan territory, Smalloak trailing behind.

As soon as they reached WindClan territory, Pearl slowed down. “I must tell you something,” Pearl purred. “Or, show.”

“What?” Smalloak mewed, following the fluffy she-cat to an abandoned fox den.

“Meet Snowkit and Smallkit, your kits,” Pearl nudged the small kits, which had opened their eyes.

“Is this Daddy?” Smallkit mewed.

“Yes. This is Daddy,” Pearl responded.

“I look just like him!” Smallkit mewed. “But my eyes are blue, not green.”

“Yeah, my eyes are green,” Snowkit purred, proud of her bright green eyes.

“How long have you been hiding it?” Smalloak asked.

“About a moon,” Pearl mewed. “I wanted their eyes open first.”

“Amazing,” Smalloak nodded.

“We’ll be together forever,” Pearl purred.

“Promise?” Smalloak asked.

“Promise,” Pearl nodded. “But if fate wishes it, then we will have to part ways.”

“Let’s play!” Smalloak grinned, but as they started to chase a dragonfly, there was a mighty shake. The ground started to crack and split.
“Pearl!” Smalloak called as the ground between them cracked and they were split apart. The land between them became a huge gaping hole, and Pearl’s piece of land got further away.
“Smalloak!” Smalloak heard Pearl’s faint yowl. “I think this is fate saying that we don’t belong together! I… I’m sorry! I have to go. I shouldn’t have done this! Take the kits to ShadowClan and teach them well!” Pearl’s yowls soon became just faint echoes as her outline disappeared, as if she had run away.
“Pearl, no!” Smalloak yowled, waiting for a response that would never come.

Smalloak turned towards the abandoned den and grabbed the kits before dashing back to ShadowClan territory. When he got there, he explained everything.

“And I was just following my heart,” he finished.

“I understand,” Darkstar mewed. “I once loved a RiverClan tom, but I got over it. Any kits of yours are welcome in ShadowClan. Welcome Snowkit and Smallkit!”

“Actually, I’ve decided for Snowkit to be Pearlkit,” Smalloak mewed, nudging the two kits to the nursery where the queen in there would give them a warm welcome.

“Pearlkit and Smallkit!” the whole of ShadowClan chanted the two kits’ names proudly, knowing that they were the kits of a strong and loyal warrior. A warrior loyal to his heart.

“Lostspirit! Come on you mousebrain! Keep up!” the tall, silver tabby ahead hissed.

“Coming, Silverlight!” Lostspirit mewed, her fluffy light gray pelt ruffled by the wind.

“Stop dreaming off into nothing!” Silverlight glanced back, her bright yellow eyes mad.

“I’m coming!” Lostspirit trotted faster to catch up with Silverlight.

“Loners, careless…” Silverlight muttered as she walked along.

Lostspirit and Silverlight caught up to Ashfire and Cinderflame.

“What took you so long, Sister?” they asked Lostspirit. “Daydreaming again? Or are you trying to look for answers?”

“Well, at least I look! You two don’t even wonder about your past,” Lostspirit retorted. “I’d rather be a medicine cat now, but ThunderClan just needed more warriors.”

“At least we aren’t lazy!” Ashfire hissed, leaping at Lostspirit.

Tears streamed down Lostspirit’s face. “Why am I different from you?” she dodged her brother’s leap.

“Because, you are nothing!” Cinderflame growled, pinning her smaller sister down.

“Cinderflame, Ashfire, and Lostspirit, get back to camp!” Silverlight hissed.

“But-” Ashfire started, but was cut off by Silverlight.

“Now!” the silver deputy hissed, hurrying the three siblings along.
…
“That’s right, Stormstar,” Silverlight mewed. “They got in a fight.”

“Lostspirit, Ashfire, and Cinderflame! Here, now!” Stormstar called and the three cats scrambled towards the ThunderClan leader. “What happened?”

“Lostspirit was daydreaming again!” Cinderflame and Ashfire mewed.

“I was searching for a clue!” Lostspirit snorted.

“Cinderflame, Ashfire, Stormstar, Lostspirit, and Silverlight, stop!” A dark gray tom that looked just like Stormstar, but had green eyes instead of blue eyes dashed over.

“What is it, Brother?” Stormstar asked.

“First, please call me Rainpelt, and second, I wish to train Lostspirit. She could be a huge help in the medicine den,” the leader’s brother mewed.

“Fine,” Stormstar mewed. “But be warned. She’s easily distracted.”

“That might be what I need,” Rainpelt mewed before leading Lostspirit to the medicine cats’ den.
…
“Tonight we go to the Moonpool,” Rainpelt mewed. “Are the traveling herbs ready?”

“Ready Rainpelt,” Lostspirit mewed. She had memorized every herb used by every medicine cat.

“Okay, come on,” Rainpelt led the way out of camp as soon as they ate their traveling herbs and ran along the path to the Moonpool.

“Hi Lostspirit!” the WindClan medicine cat apprentice mewed.

“Hi Harespring!” Lostspirit mewed, watching as the other medicine cats and their apprentices joined the group.

“Welcome all medicine cats to the Moonpool tonight,” Rainpelt mewed. “Hawkflight and Silverpaw from RiverClan, Smallfoot and Blackpool from ShadowClan, Lostspirit and me from ThunderClan, and Grassbreeze and Harespring from WindClan. Tonight, I would like to say, May StarClan be in your Dreams.”

Lostspirit laid her muzzle on the surface of the water after laying on the pool’s edge.

“Lostspirit, welcome,” a tall, starry golden tabby she-cat walked towards the ThunderClan cat.
“Can you show me my past now?” Lostspirit asked, desperate.
“Not yet,” the StarClan cat mewed. “But it will be really soon, okay?”
“Okay, Littlefoot…” Lostspirit mewed, disappointed.
“I can tell you when, if you want,” Littlefoot offered.
“Yes, please!” Lostspirit mewed, excited.
“Next half moon,” Littlefoot mewed. “Also, I have something very important to tell you.”
“What is it?” Lostspirit sat down.
“Cinders and Ashes from fire and flame will rise and burn the Lost soul,” Littlefoot mewed as the StarClan surroundings started to fade and Lostspirit woke up.

Lostspirit blinked open her eyes and stretched. The other medicine cats were stretching before walking back towards their territories.
…
The rock below her paws made Lostspirit’s paws ache. Rainpelt had sent her alone, due to an extremely ill cat in the Clan. She nodded in greeting to the other medicine cats as they joined the group. When they reached the pool, everyone laid down on the edge of the pool, but none touched their noses to the water. Instead, they stared at her.

“Well?” Grassbreeze mewed.

“What?” Lostspirit asked, and then realized what she was supposed to say the ‘intro.’ “Um, welcome all medicine cats to the Moonpool tonight. Hawkflight and Silverpaw from RiverClan, Smallfoot and Blackpool from ShadowClan, me from ThunderClan, and Grassbreeze and Harespring from WindClan. Tonight, I would like to say, May StarClan be in your Dreams.”

They all rested their muzzle on the surface of the water and soon drifted to sleep.

“It’s time,” Littlefoot walked up to Lostspirit. “Tonight, we restore your forgotten memories.”
Lostspirit nodded and Littlefoot touched her muzzle to Lostspirit’s forehead. The world spun and the dream went black, only to be lit by a sunrise. They were outside of a barn, where they could hear faint mews in it.
“Are you sure that they’ll be safe here, Silver?” a voice that sounded like Stormstar’s asked.
“Yes, Storm. They’ll be fine,” a voice that sounded like Silverlight’s responded. “Go back to your Clan, Storm. Be Stormclaw, deputy of ThunderClan. They need someone to assign patrols, now go! The kits will be fine.”
“Okay,” Stormclaw mewed before dashing out of the barn.
Lostspirit was shocked. “Stormstar? He’s mates with a loner?” Lostspirit’s jaw dropped. “We must be in the wrong barn…” She started to turn around, but Littlefoot yanked her back.
“Look,” Littlefoot pushed the medicine cat into the barn.
‘Silver’ was a tall, silver tabby with bright yellow eyes.
“Silverlight?” Lostspirit’s jaw dropped lower. “How?”
“Look closer,” Littlefoot instructed.
In the nest were three kits. All of them were gray, but one was a lighter gray than the others. The light gray one was fluffy, just like Lostspirit.
“Silverlight and Stormstar are my parents?” Lostspirit asked.
“Ye-” Littlefoot started, but Lostspirit jolted awake, startled by a noise in the living world.

“Attack!” a voice yowled, awaking all medicine cats fully. Ashfire and Cinderflame dashed out of the bushes, followed by a group of rogues.

“Nighty, start the fire!” Ashfire yowled and a black cat grabbed two sticks and started rubbing them together.

“Everyone else, fight the medicine cats and defend Nighty!” Cinderflame barked the order before following Ashfire to pin Lostspirit down, which they successfully did.

“Nice try, Sister, but you are useless to ThunderClan,” Ashfire hissed, Cinderflame agreeing.

“I was so close to finding out our history!” Lostspirit mewed. “Where are Silverlight and Stormstar?”

“Let’s see,” Cinderflame started. “We killed Silverlight and Stormstar was on his last life, so we killed him too. We knew that they couldn’t see your uselessness.”

“Ashfire, Cinderflame, don’t do this! I know who our parents are!” Lostspirit pleaded.

“One, I am Ashstar,” Ashfire mewed. “Leader of ThunderClan with my deputy Cinderflame. Two, you really are a mousebrain to think that you know who our parents are.”

“Ashstar, Nighty’s dead! He was attacked!” a white rogue reported.

“No!” Ashstar mewed. “Fine. Snowflake, hold Lostspirit down and break her legs.”

“Yes sir,” Snowflake mewed, bit down on Lostspirit’s legs, hard, breaking them, and traded places with Cinderflame so that Lostspirit’s siblings could start the fire.

Lostspirit watched as her siblings rubbed the sticks together, making sparks and eventually a fire.

“Retreat! Retreat!” Ashstar yowled, running away from the fire, everyone following him, even the medicine cats.

Lostspirit couldn’t move. The fire soon engulfed her and burned her fur, then skin, then insides, and then her bones. Stormstar and Silverlight came down to help Lostspirit to StarClan, and the memories of Lostspirit’s past would be lost, forgotten forever.

“Holypaw, go get your sister. She’s being an oaf again,” Runningfire, the tall, handsome ginger tom-cat, mewed.

“Yes, Runningfire,” Holypaw, a fluffy white she-cat with gold bits in her fur and golden eyes, mewed and bounded back to where her sister sat, pawing at a dragonfly. “Quickpaw, let’s go!” Holypaw pushed her sister, eventually catching up with Runningfire.

“She shouldn’t be a warrior apprentice,” Runningfire snorted, helping Holypaw push Quickpaw through the moorlands, marking the WindClan/ThunderClan border while at it.
…
Holypaw began to notice the days growing darker, so she went straight to the medicine cat. “Tallwhisker!” she called when she was in the medicine cats’ den.

“What?” a tall, skinny brown tom with dull green eyes and knotty fur stuck his head up. He was in his nest, like usual.

“The sky is getting darker! I think that the sun is burning out!” Holypaw reported.

“Nonsense!” Tallwhisker snorted. “The sun can’t burn out! It’s just getting closer to leaf-bare!”

“I know what I’m seeing! I know that the day is shorter, but the sun seems duller!” Holypaw calmly mewed before turning and stomping out of the medicine cats’ den, seeing the sun start to fall.

Outside, the leader’s yowl was heard, summoning the whole Clan. “Holypaw and Quickpaw please step forward,” he paused to let us step forward. “Runningfire, do you believe that your apprentice, Holypaw, is ready to become a warrior?”

“Yes,” Runningfire mewed.

“And do you, Grasswind, believe that your apprentice, Quickpaw, is ready to become a warrior?” the light gray leader looked at a brown tabby with bright green eyes.

“Yes,” Grasswind mewed, looking like he doubted himself.

“I, Swiftstar, leader of WindClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn,” he paused for a moment before continuing. “Holypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?”

“I do,” Holypaw mewed, keeping her legs from trembling.

“And do you, Quickpaw, promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?” Swiftstar turned to Holypaw’s sister

“Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Holypaw, from this moment you will be known as Holylight. StarClan honors you Honesty and Kindness, and we welcome you as a full warrior of WindClan,” Swiftstar put his muzzle on Holylight’s head and allowed her to like his shoulder in return. “And Quickpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Quickwonder. StarClan honors your Energy and Enthusiasm, and we welcome you as a full warrior of WindClan.” Swiftstar did the same thing with Quickwonder that he did to Holylight before the Clan started to chant the names of the two new warriors, Holylight partially blushing when she saw Runningfire in the crowd chanting her name.

Holylight and Quickwonder walked to the center of the clearing while everyone else started to go to their dens after congratulating the new warriors. As soon as the clearing was empty, they started their silent vigil. Holylight watched as the moon moved through the sky with Silverpelt. Maybe, just maybe, Mom is watching us from up there, she thought. Mom… The mention of her mother brought back the horrible memory.

“Lightsky, run!” Swiftstar, known as Swiftbreeze at the time, mewed.
“But Swiftbreeze-” A tall, beautiful, golden she-cat started to reject.
“Now!” Swiftbreeze hissed, battling a pure black tom and a few rogues. “Take the kits and run!”
Lightsky looked at Swiftbreeze, a regretful look in her eyes as she scooped up the kits. “I love you,” she mewed as she ran, carrying the kits. One small, light gray one fell, bumping her head as Lightsky ran along. She set down the small, fluffy white one with gold pieces in her fur on the ground and ran back to get the gray one. “Quickkit, don’t worry. Mommy is here,” she mewed, picking up the gray kit and running back to the white kit. She picked up the white one and started running to a nearby abandoned fox den. “Now stay here with Holykit, okay Quickkit? And no noises. Also, whatever you do, don’t peek out of the den. Mommy has to go fight Uncle Blacksky, okay? I have to protect you two, because... I love you.” With that said, Lightsky had then run out of the den, unknowing that she’d soon die.
It wasn’t long before a faint yowl was heard; sounding like it came from WindClan camp. It sounded somewhat familiar.
“Mommy!” Holykit yowled and ran from the den, Quickkit following her. They ran to the WindClan camp, legs tired by the time they got there. Even though that everyone was fighting rogues, Holykit could see her mother’s body in the center of the clearing. “Mommy!” she yowled, as loud as she could, stopping all fighting. She ran to the body and collapsed, sobbing and weeping. “Mommy! Wake up! Mommy! You’re supposed to be with me forever! I’m just a kit!” she cried. “Who did this?” She stood up and turned to the giant rogues. Everyone made a path for the pure black tom.
“Blacksky, how could you?” she hissed.
“She attacked me,” the black tom walked up to the little white kit.
“You betrayed our Clan!” Holykit growled.
“The Clan betrayed me! I was a loyal warrior, until they accused me of murder!” Blacksky growled back. “I thought that I’d prove them right, since they were so intent on banishing me.”
“Then die!” Holykit leaped onto the murderer and sunk her teeth into his skin, swiping at him with her claws and shaking the skin that she had grabbed. Swiftbreeze pulled Holykit off of Blacksky, swiped at the murderer with his long, black claws, and made him bleed before letting Holykit make the final blow.
“Aim at his stomach,” he whispered, and Holykit did just that.
Holykit had scooted under Blacksky and raked her tiny claws across his belly, finally killing him.

Holylight watched as the sun finally rose and the first warriors came out to release her and Quickwonder from vigil.
…
The days grew darker until the final day. Holylight awoke from her sleep, still dark outside. She could see nothing as she walked out.

“Wake up!” she dashed to where she thought was the center of camp and yowled as loud as she could. “The sun has burned out!”

Cats flooded from their dens and mutters flooded the camp.

“Where are Swiftstar and Tallwhisker?” Quickwonder mewed, accidentally bumping into Holylight.

“Everyone, calm down!” a voice that sounded like Tallwhisker’s mewed. “Remember the battle when Lightsky died? When Blacksky betrayed his Clan?” He paused, listening as the cats murmured in agreement. “I think that was an omen. Blacksky killed Lightsky, but Holykit, at the time, killed Blacksky. Also, I remember that Holykit was taken to a newly found Sunstone because she quickly died after birth. Luckily, the mighty powers of the Sunstone brought her back to life. Holylight, you must defeat the Darkness, otherwise we will be stuck forever with no light!”

Holylight was shocked. “Me?” she mewed, confused. “How?”

Swiftstar’s voice trembled as he mewed, “Give… Give your life to the Sunstone. Follow your paws. They’ll lead you.”

Holylight paused for a moment before agreeing. “Okay,” she mewed. “I’ll do my best Father. I love you, and you too Quickwonder. Whenever you see the sun, remember that that is me, watching over you all… Also, Runningfire, I was kind of starting to like you, too.” She then ran out of camp, letting her paws guide her to the Sunstone. As they slowed, she knew that she was nearing it. Eventually they stopped and she was nose-to-rock with the Sunstone.

“Please work,” she muttered as she closed her eyes and touched her nose to the Sunstone.

“She’s dead!” a tall golden she-cat snapped. “How can a piece of stone bring her back to life?”
“Just trust me Lightsky,” a brown tom with green eyes mewed.
“Fine,” Lightsky mewed as they neared the stone. It was Sunhigh and the sun shone directly on the large piece of stone. “But if something goes wrong, I blame you, Tallwhisker.”
“Lay her nose-to stone with the Sunstone,” Tallwhisker mewed, looking at the fluffy white kitten, worry in his green eyes.
Lightsky did as she was told and put the kit next to the Sunstone, nudging her closer until she was toughing the stone. “Please work,” Lightsky murmured just before a golden light shone from the Sunstone, causing her and the medicine cat to step back.
After the light had dimmed down, there was a spirit standing next to the white kit. It was golden, and it was indeed a cat.
It bent down and licked the kit’s forehead before turning to Lightsky and mewing, “She will awaken at any moment now. Even though she was saved by the Sunstone, and me, the SunCat, she is a holy kit. You will name her Holykit. She will go from Holykit, to Holypaw, to Holylight, and she will be a mighty warrior with a mighty destiny. She’ll return here one day and become the sun itself. She and I will be one, but she will have the most control over me, but I will still control the sun. She’ll be the representation of us when she’s seen, she’ll control what she says, and she’ll control our personality. She won’t change, just me. She will always be Holylight.”
Lightsky looked at the SunCat, “She’ll become the sun itself? What does that mean?”
“It means exactly what you think it means,” the SunCat mewed before disappearing.
The fluffy little kitten had opened her eyes just then, and turned to look at her mother. Her perfectly white fur then had little bits of gold in it, and her eyes were pure gold, just like the sun.
“Welcome to the world Holykit,” Lightsky mewed as she picked up the small kit and carried her back to the WindClan camp, happy that her little kit was alive.

The vision went black, but a small light far away got closer and closer until she had to force her eyes to stay open.
“Welcome, Holylight,” a golden spirit cat walked up to Holylight, the light now surrounding them and blocking out the blackness. “You learned your destiny from the vision, correct?”
“Correct,” Holylight responded, finally figuring out that this was the SunCat.
“Then come,” the SunCat mewed. “Join you place in the sun and save all creatures everywhere. I know that you were starting to like Runningfire, but maybe you’ll see each other soon, someday.”
Holylight nodded and followed the SunCat to the darkened sun, unknowing that on the planet, her body was slowly disappearing. Finally, when they got to the sun, it brightened on the planet.
Holylight smiled as she watched from the sky, WindClan celebrating the return of the sun, but also grieving the loss of a mighty warrior.

Ghostkit blinked her eyes open, coldness crawling through her skin. She looked at the other nests in the nursery. “Empty,” she muttered. “Why did Mommy leave me in here, alone?” She wandered out of the nursery, all the snow from the previous day gone. The only white in the clearing was Ghostkit’s white fur. She looked at the sky with her silver eyes. “Clear,” she murmured.

Ghostkit walked up to the leader’s den. “Hello?” she mewed. “Daddy, are you in here?” Ghostkit pushed her full way in. “Daddy,” she called once more before turning away from the empty leader’s den. She walked back down to the warriors’ den. “Goldenbreeze,” she called her aunt’s name. “Littlelight, Silverfire, are you in here?” She pushed her way into the den, “Other warriors, where are you?”

She trotted towards the apprentices’ den. “Songpaw, Ratpaw, Leafpaw, where are you?” Ghostkit stuck her head in, no one. She walked back to the nursery. “Where could everyone go?” she murmured. “I was supposed to become an apprentice today with Sootkit… Maybe…” She leaped up onto the RedRock.

“All cats old enough to make their fur red, gather around the RedRock for a Clan meeting,” Ghostkit called, trying to sound like her father, Redstar, who started RedClan while imagining the whole Clan gathering below her.

Redstar had gathered a bunch of rogues and had helped make them into what they wanted to be, warriors. He had spied on the Clans for many moons, watching everything that they did.

“Ghostkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your leader name soon, you will be known as Ghostpaw,” Ghostkit continued, pretending that she was Redstar. She imagined the Clan cheering her name, “Ghostpaw, Ghostpaw, Ghostpaw!”
…
Ghostpaw smiled, before going out to walk to the MoonPool. It had been six moons since she made herself into an apprentice and she had taught herself many things that she had never seen Songpaw, Leafpaw, or Ratpaw do. She also had time to explore the route to the MoonPool, so she knew the way. When she got there, she curled up in an almost ball near the pool and lapped at the water, soon drifting into sleep.

“Hello?” Ghostpaw mewed as she entered sleep. “Is StarClan here?”
“Hello, Ghostpaw,” a tall, silver tabby she-cat walked out of a dark and misty forest on her right. On Ghostpaw’s left there was a never ending green forest, full of life. “I am Silverdeath, a ‘loyal StarClan’ warrior,” the silver tabby mewed, her red eyes squinting against the harsh sunlight in the green forest.
“Don’t listen to her!” an identical silver tabby with emerald green eyes walked from the lush, green forest. “That’s my younger sister, a no good, evil Dark Forest cat! I am Silversea, a StarClan warrior.”
Ghostpaw looked at the two sisters. “Um, sorry Silversea,” she finally decided. “But maybe you’re the Dark Forest warrior, trying to trick me with the thick green forest!” Ghostpaw followed Silverdeath into the thick misty forest, frowning as she thought of Silverdeath’s twin sister, tricking her with the lush forest. “Are we there yet?” Ghostpaw asked.
“Yes,” Silverdeath stopped in a clearing where eight other cats stood. Silverdeath walked over beside them. “Allow me to introduce ourselves. The she-cat with no fur and silver eyes is Pinkfury. The brown tabby with the red eyes is my younger brother, Bloodoak. The golden she-cat with the silver eyes is Sunskull. The fluffy white she-cat is your grandmother, Stain. The tom with black fur and red eyes is Demonpaw. The black she-cat with dark blue eyes is Nightpaw. The calico she-cat over there is your great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother, Brokenfoot. Finally, the fluffy white tom-cat with the silver eyes is your older twin brother, Vanishflame. Now, we move to the life giving!”

As each cat touched Ghostpaw’s forehead, each gave her a life,
“With this life I give you revenge. Use it well to avenge your clanmates.” –Silverdeath
“With this life I give you strength. Use it well to protect yourself.” –Pinkfury
“With this life I give you furiousness. Use it well in battle.” –Bloodoak
“With this life I give you bravery. Use it well to stand up for yourself.” –Sunskull
“With this life I give you wisdom. Use it well in learning/teaching.” –Stain
“With this life I give you stealth. Use it well to sneak up on all your enemies.” –Demonpaw
“With this life I give you power. Use it well in leading your territory/followers.” –Nightpaw
“With this life I give you loyalty. Use it well in following your ancestors.” –Brokenfoot
“With this life I give you blood, teeth, and claws. Use them well for shredding and killing every enemy you see.” –Vanishflame

After all the lives were given, Silverdeath walked up to Ghostpaw and mewed, “I hail you by your new name, Ghostdeath. Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and the Dark Forest grants you the guardianship of RedClan. Defend it well; defeat every enemy that threatens you; let no one control you but us and follow the traditions of keeping this a secret; live each life with power and revenge.”

Ghostdeath was startled when she heard, ‘Dark Forest,’ but soon decided that StarClan wouldn’t let her be a leader with nine lives.

Ghostdeath blinked open her eyes, stretched, and yawned. She looked up, noticing that it was nighttime and went to camp.
…
“A gathering must be tonight,” she thought, seeing the full moon. It had been a whole moon since she had received her nine lives. “I had better get to the island.”

She trekked through the moors of WindClan and a territory of RiverClan until she reached the island. “RedClan is here,” she mewed, but only saw four cats there, about her size.

“Welcome Mrs. RedClan leader, I am Breezestar, WindClan leader,” a tall, light gray tom mewed. He stood on a branch with a ginger tabby she-cat. On another branch were a black tom and a fluffy blue she-cat.

Breezestar then introduced the other cats,
Flamestar – Ginger tabby she-cat; ThunderClan leader
Blackstar – Black tom; ShadowClan leader
Streamstar – Fluffy blue she-cat; RiverClan leader

“Now, you are?” Breezestar mewed.

“I am Ghostdea-” She stopped midsentence. “Err, Ghoststar, RedClan leader.”

“Good, now let us begin the gathering,” Breezestar mewed and allowed Ghostdeath to leap onto a low branch. “WindClan has deserted the moors, leaving only me and my sister who shortly died of an illness. That is all WindClan has to report.”

“ThunderClan has also deserted me,” Flamestar mewed. “But they left me and my mother, Silentflower, who soon died of starvation because even though she was a queen, she had broken her hind legs a few days ago. That is all ThunderClan has to report.”

“ShadowClan has fled their territory, leaving my two siblings and me,” Blackstar mewed. “My siblings were weak, scrawny, and died of starvation, as much as I tried to hunt. That is all ShadowClan has to report.”

“RiverClan has disappeared as well, leaving my father and me,” Streamstar mewed. “My father, Wavefur, soon died of a poisoned fish that I had caught. That is all RiverClan has to report.”

Ghostdeath gulped as it came to her turn, “Um, RedClan has vanished, leaving only me. All the snow mysteriously disappeared from yesterday, not even leaving any water and I have gone to get my nine lives. That is all RedClan has to report.”

As everyone left, Ghostdeath wondered how everything would turn out in the next moon.
…
“Where is WindClan?” Every leader was on the island except for Breezestar.

“We have to go searching,” Streamstar suggested and leaped from her branch.

“Agreed,” everyone nodded and ran to the WindClan moor.

Ghostdeath ran with the group, searching all night through WindClan territory without a trace from Breezestar.

“He’s gone,” they finally decided, before speaking their ‘Clans’’ business and going home.
…
A few more moons passed and eventually, it came to the 3rd full moon since Breezestar had disappeared and one cat vanished at a time. Ghostdeath walked to the island, “Streamstar, are you here?” No answer. “Streamstar,” Ghostdeath called again, but there was still no answer. “No… No!” she yowled, raking the ground. “I’m… Alone,” Ghostdeath muttered and turned around to leave.
…
Ghostdeath lived for two whole seasons alone, not even being visited by a Dark Forest cat, making her doubt her dark ancestors. She hadn’t had any company, not even a loner or a Kittypet, until one day when she was hunting, a bush beside her then shook. Cautiously, she turned to face the bush. Since she had moons of practice, she stalked towards the bush, keeping her footsteps light. “Who’s there?” she growled, keeping her voice low. “Show yourself!”

Something leaped out of the bush, but Ghostdeath was knocked out too fast. Everything went black.
…
Ghostdeath shook her head and blinked. She had an awful headache, almost like she had been hit on the head with 50 rocks.

“What do we do with the white one?” a voice growled.

“C’mon Fury, do you think that they’ll actually be any use to us?” another voice responded.

“But, Scar,” the cat called Fury mewed. “What is she’s hiding it? We were sworn to keeping it a secret.”

“Maybe, but we can’t take any chances,” ‘Scar’ mewed just as Ghostdeath let out a moan.

“Shut up, she’s awake!” Fury hissed to Scar before quieting down.

Ghostdeath walked up to the gate, looking at her surroundings. It was a big metal room (human prison cell) and she had chains wrapped around her ankles. “Sworn to keep what a secret? The Dark Forest? And where are we? What is this place?”

Fang and Scar looked at her. “Are you in the Dark Forest? What’s your name, Madam Leader of RedClan, because we heard you say that you were ‘Ghoststar,’” Scar hissed, her black fur looking a bit gray and her blue eyes looking a bit dull.

“My name is Ghostdeath. I was once a follower of StarClan, but if I had gone to them, they wouldn’t have given me the power that I had over my territory. And if I hadn’t gone to them, I wouldn’t have met my brother, Vanishflame.”

“Who is Silversea?” Fury asked, his ginger pelt starting to fade and his amber eyes looking very dull.

“She is a goody, goody StarClan cat that tried to get me to follow her, but instead I followed Silverdeath and gained my nine lives,” Ghostdeath mewed, making herself bristle at the mention of ‘StarClan.’

“Okay,” Scar said doubtfully. “We’ll take you to Kirsti. She’s our deputy. Oh, and if you want to say hello to your family, they’re in the RedClan cell. We couldn’t fit you in there, though, so we had to move you over here.”

Ghostdeath ran over to the RedClan cell. “Redstar!” she leaped in delight as she saw her family. “Sootkit, Turtleblossom! Over here!” Her family looked up and hissed at her. “No, it’s me, Ghostkit!” she mewed when they started to come closer with unsheathed claws.

“Ghostkit!” Turtleblossom smiled and ran up to nudge her kit, but Ghostdeath stepped away.
“I’m not Ghostkit anymore. I’m Ghostdeath… I’m sorry,” Ghostdeath mewed, tears starting to make her vision blurry. “I followed Silverdeath instead of Silversea! It was a mistake! I thought Silversea was going to trick me and… And…” She started to wail, begging StarClan for forgiveness. She was soon being dragged away. Fury and Scar had heard everything. “No!” she struggled. “I have to be with my family! Let me go!”

Fury snorted, “Wimp, you don’t deserve to be our leader, Ghostkit.” The name ‘Ghostkit’ made Ghostdeath know that Fury was taking her leader name away, but she wasn’t afraid of him.

“Yeah,” Scar hissed. “You’re no better than ‘Sootkit.’”

Ghostdeath was thrown into the very last cell where the walls were made of concrete and when the door closed, no one could hear her loudest yowl. She stayed in that cell for the remainder of her life, slowly going crazy. She scratched at the walls and ran into the door. She prayed StarClan for forgiveness and someone to talk to every now and then, but nothing worked. And even when she died, she stayed in the cell. Neither StarClan, nor the Dark Forest would take her, so her spirit always lingered on Earth, awaiting a friend in her lonely cell, but every cat that came quickly died from the negative energy in the air and a crazy laughter and the small voice that’s often heard saying, “Will you be my friend?” or “StarClan, please forgive me,” or, in a very creepy small voice, “Save me,” that could still be heard by any cat in that cell.

Speckpaw frowned as he missed another mouse. “Foxdung!” he hissed, the wind ruffling his black fur and anger flared in his dark blue eyes.

“Speckpaw, how are you ever going to earn some respect if you can’t even catch a single mouse?” a tall, muscular brown tom with bright green eyes padded from the bushes and looked down on the apprentice. “If you keep going like this, ShadowClan will starve!”

“I know Earthfire, but I try my best! Honest!” Speckpaw looked at the ground. “But my stupid height always gets in the way!”

“Let’s go back to camp,” Earthfire mewed, already starting to trot back to the camp. “And try to keep up,” he added.
…
“Hey Runt!” a white she-cat mewed. “How’d bug hunting go? Did you not catch even a single bug?”

“Stop that!” Speckpaw squealed. “Stop being mean!”

“Who’s going to make me, you?” The white she-cat laughed before softening her voice, “Speckpaw, dear brother, I have something very important to tell you…”

“Important?” Speckpaw mewed. “What’s important enough to tell me?”

“Dear brother,” Speckpaw’s sister mewed, keeping her voice the same level. “You shouldn’t even exist,” she snorted, making her voice normal again. “You can’t help the Clan in any way, Tiny!”

Speckpaw always fell for that trick, and it always sent his temper flaring. “I’ll show you, Snowpaw! I’ll show you! Just because I’m no bigger than a newborn kit doesn’t mean that I can’t be a warrior!”

“Yeah, right!” a tall dark gray tom butted into the conversation. “You’re just a no good squirt, who’s as useless as an elder!”

“Ratpaw, you are so-” Speckpaw was cut off by Snowpaw.

“So smart and handsome!” she purred, sending a warning glance Speckpaw’s way.

Speckpaw just sighed and ran to the nursery where his mother was expecting his younger siblings. “Birdsong,” he called, pushing his way into the nursery. “Snowpaw and her crush are picking on me!”

The brown tabby queen stood up and walked out of the nursery, marching towards the apprentices’ den after Speckpaw. Her belly was full of kits, so it almost dragged along the ground. “Snowpaw and Ratpaw,” Birdsong hissed. “Why’d you tease Speckpaw?

“You named him! You should know!” Ratpaw hissed.

“Plus, he’s useless!” Snowpaw rolled her eyes.

“Ratpaw, go get your parents. Snowpaw, please get your father. Both of you meet me at the nursery with them.” Speckpaw helped his mother walk back to the nursery and allowed her to lie in her nest.

When the two apprentices got back with their parents, the nursery was cramped. “Lionstar and Fallenpine, parents of Ratpaw and Needlefoot and I, parents of Snowpaw and Speckpaw, welcome. Ratpaw and Snowpaw are causing trouble for Speckpaw. We need a solution.”

Fallenpine, a dark brown tabby she-cat snorted, “Kill the tiny tom. It’s not like you can’t replace him!”

“Fallenpine, I will not kill my son. He is as important as anyone else!” Birdsong hissed.

“I’m sorry,” Needlefoot, a muddy brown tom with dark green eyes mewed. “Birdsong, but I have to agree with Fallenpine. Speckpaw is useless. He’s as small as a newborn kit! Why do you think that he is Speck?”

Lionstar, a golden tom, stepped in, “Every cat in ShadowClan is important, no matter how small.”

“Lionstar, why don’t you be Birdsong’s mate if you don’t agree with me? It seems that we disagree on everything now because you always agree with Birdsong!” Fallenpine hissed.

“Maybe that’d be best for us, too, Birdsong,” Needlefoot mewed, walking over to stand beside Fallenpine.

“Maybe it is, but I say that we have Ratpaw and Snowpaw hunt bugs and do all the chores,” Lionstar and Birdsong agreed.

“Fine,” Fallenpine and Needlefoot mewed before stomping out of the den. Speckpaw, who was sitting quietly beside his mother the whole time, looked down. “Stupid height of mine,” he muttered, knowing that he had never grown since birth.
…
“Speckflame! Speckflame! Show us some battle moves!” a golden tom mewed.

“Yeah, show us!” a taller, fluffier brown tabby she-cat mewed.

“Calm down you two. Goldkit, you go over there. Treekit, stay here and watch,” Speckflame mewed. He was only a bit taller than his younger siblings. The second litter of Birdsong’s died quickly after birth, but six moons later, she and Lionstar’s kits were born and Speckpaw was made a warrior, Speckflame. Ratpaw had become Rattooth, Snowpaw had become Snowpine, and Rattooth and Snowpine had become mates. Since then, it had been two harsh moons of teasing from many cats in the Clan, and Snowpine lay in the nursery. Her kits would be due next moon, but that didn’t stop her from teasing Speckflame.

Speckflame leaped at Goldkit with little effort, claws sheathed, and at the last moment when he neared the ground, he bounced up and over Goldkit, landing behind him and swiping at the golden tom-kit from behind. When the golden kit collapsed, Speckflame helped him up.

“See? It’s called, skill,” Speckflame nudged Goldkit towards the nursery and allowed Treekit to follow. “Maybe later, okay Treekit?”

“Okay Speckflame…” Treekit mewed before following her brother into the nursery.

Snowpine, who was lying in the sun outside, laughed, “Yeah, you’d better follow them in, Speckkit! Mommy might put you in time out for being too small!”

Speckflame let out a hiss of irritation, “You are a mousebrain, Snowpine! You think that you can break me just by calling me names. Well you can’t!”

“Oh yeah, Ladybug?” Snowpine grinned. “What’re you going to do to me, fly under my feet?”

“Stop it!” Speckflame growled. “You can’t break me! As much as I hate you, you can’t break me!”

“You are just a crumb,” Snowpine continued, “waiting to be buried into the ground.”

“Stop right now!” Speckflame started to bristle. “I’m plenty big, and strong, too!”

“Ha-ha! Tiny!” Snowpine now circled Speckflame. “You can’t even catch a dead bug!”

“Stop it!” Speckflame was crying now as he yowled and leaped onto his sister, claws unsheathed. He ripped at her skin and bit her neck.

“Stop it, both of you!” Lionstar walked up and pulled Speckflame off of the white queen.

“She started it!” Speckflame growled as the medicine cat came to help the queen to the medicine den where she’d be cleaned and patched up. “She called me Tiny, and a crumb, and Ladybug, and Speckkit!”

Lionstar sat Speckflame on the ground. “You’re small, and I know that, but you can’t attack a queen like that, even if she’s teasing you.”

“Okay…” Speckflame mewed, his fur starting to lie flat again.
…
“Hey look! It’s Ladybug!” a tall, dark gray kit teased.

“No, it’s a crumb!” a taller, fluffier white kit teased.

Snowpine walked up beside her kits and mewed, “Whitekit and Stormkit listen. I was wrong.” Snowpine’s soft voice turned into her teasing tone. “That is Speckkit, aka, Tiny.”

“Stop it!” Speckflame growled.

“Yeah, stop teasing our brother!” Goldpaw and Treepaw walked up to beside Speckflame, looking down at him, and then looking at Snowpine and her kits.

“Why?” Snowpine purred. “It’s less fun then. Isn’t that right, Ladybug Crumb Speck?”

“Stop that!” Speckflame glanced at his step-siblings, telling them to go away. They obeyed. “Do we have to do this again?” Speckflame growled. “How many times have I attacked you now?”

“Oh, I don’t know. It must be a small amount, otherwise your tiny, tiny brain will be unable to handle it,” Snowpine challenged her brother within her message, and made Sparkflame accept the challenge.

“Die!” Speckflame yowled for once before leaping at his nephew, slashing his throat and biting his back in two. The Clan started to gather around the fighting cats as Speckflame then scraped his claws down his niece’s belly and sinking his teeth in her neck. Blood stained his fur, teeth, and claws as he turned to face his sister.

“I’ll show you who’s weak!” he growled, seeing the look of fear in Snowpine’s eyes. His dark blue eyes were full of crazy with a pinch of psycho in them. He had finally broken. Rattooth stepped in to save his mate. Rattooth, being one of the strongest warriors in the Clan could be a pain to beat, but Speckflame had psycho on his side.

Speckflame leaped at Rattooth, ripping at his flesh and scraping at his stomach. Rattooth ended up only leaving a small scratch and taking off an ear from Speckflame. Needlefoot and Fallenpine then stepped in, ready to protect the white queen at any cost. Speckflame leaped at Fallenpine, knowing that Needlefoot would get in the way to protect her. Speckflame bowled into Needlefoot, Speckflame’s front claws sinking into his father’s head. He used his hind claws to scrape Needlefoot’s eyes, blinding him. Speckflame moved to Needlefoot’s back, sinking his teeth in and eventually breaking bone.

Speckflame then moved on to his step-mother, who only took a swipe at him before her stomach gushed with blood and she collapsed. Finally, Snowpine leaped at Speckflame, who ducked and bit into her tail and swung her around until he released and she went crashing into a tree, busting her head. The clearing turned red as blood from all of the dead cats stained the ground. Speckflame’s eyes released all the crazy and psycho and turned back to normal. He looked at the blood that stained his pelt and saw his reflection in the red puddles. What did I do? he thought, staring at the bodies of his family. I’m… A monster. Tears streamed down his face as he glanced behind him.

Suddenly, something bowled him over and slashed his belly. “I’m so sorry,” he saw his mother’s face, her eyes full of mixed emotions. “I love you.”

Speckflame finally bled out, his pelt was soaked, his body became still and cold, and his eyes were lifeless. He had died.