Ashheart's Rage

Prologue

A Russian Blue she-cat looked down at her three new kits and let out a purr. They were all asleep and she was able to get a moment of rest. Leafwind had been right. Kits really do wear you out. Ashkit, Flamekit, and Leafkit had taken all of her time, but she loved all of them to pieces.

Leafwind, the other queen, was asleep with her own kits, Fernkit, Dapplekit, Shrewkit, and Cinderkit. The gentle rise and fall of their chests could tell Raincloud that they were sound asleep.

Raincloud was about to do the same herself when she heard pawsteps approaching her. Turning around, she saw her mate Russetpelt pad into the den. "Russetpelt...?" She murmured. "What are you doing here?"

"Sorry for barging in," he whispered. "But... I had a dream."

"What kind of dream?" She asked in a hushed tone. The russet-colored tom glanced at Leafwind and her kits and then back at Raincloud. "Ashkit was in it, except she was a grown warrior. There was a fire, and a storm was raging on above."

Raincloud was silent. She looked down at Ashkit, who was sleeping next to her brothers Flamekit and Dustkit. She seemed so innocent. "What do you think it means?" She meowed at last.

Russetpelt bowed his head. "I don't know. Should I tell Mistfog?" Raincloud shook her head. She didn't know what a medicine cat could do about a simple dream. The moment had already passed.

"Besides, it was probably just a dream. Now, go back to sleep." She meowed quietly. Her mate stood there a moment and after a few heartbeats, padded away. After he left, she gave Ashkit a lick on the head. "Oh, my little warrior, what are we going to do with you?" She murmured.

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Ashkit let out a mew, hearing her mother's voice. *Is she talking to me?* She wondered. *Did I do something bad?* She squirmed, trying to find comfort between her two brothers.

*It's too squished,* she thought angrily. *I don't like it.* She squirmed some more, pushing her two brothers aside. They let out small cries and she heard the soothing voice of her mother calming them.

Begrudgingly, she let both of them curl up next to her again, no matter how much she hated it. Eventually though, sleep found its way to her, wrapping itself around her like a warm blanket. Ashkit yawned and curled up against her mother, knowing she would wake when the sun returned.

Chapter 1

Ashkit tackled the moss ball and tore it apart with her claws in a frenzy. She didn't realize the two cats behind her.

"Ashkit, you ruined the game!" Flamekit whined.

"Yeah! Now we need a *new* moss ball!" Leafkit agreed, his tail lashing. Ashkit lowered her head and flattened her ears.

"Sorry," she mewed.

Flamekit rolled his eyes. "Whatever. You're no fun to play with anymore, all you do is use your claws and stuff!"

"I just really want to be a warrior!" Ashkit cried. "It's not my fault you guys don't like *real* warrior games."

Flamekits' eyes widened and he leapt at Ashkit, causing her to cry out as he tackled her to the ground. "We *do* play warriors games!" He snarled.

Leafkit ran into the nursery. "Raincloud, Ashkit and Flamekit are fighting!" He yowled. His mother lifted her head and stood up, padding outside.

"Flamekit, get off your sister!" She told them sternly. Flamekit hopped off, giving Ashkit one last hiss.

"She started it..." he mumbled.

"Did not!" She hissed. Flamekit shoved.

"Hey! No fighting, or I'll tell Smokestar to delay your apprentice ceremonies," Raincloud snapped at them, her tail lashing. "Now both of you come back inside, it's time for your nap."

"But I don't wanna sleep!" Flamekit whined, pawing at the ground. "Can we please play some more?" He pleaded, rounding his eyes and begged. He was bouncing up and down, his tail waving wildly. "Just a little longer!"

"Yeah! Please?" Ashkit begged with her brother. Her mother shook her head.

"No. You both need rest. Now, come on." She swept her tail around them, pulling them to the nursery. They reluctantly gave up and dragged their paws to the nest they shared and waited for Raincloud to lie down. When she did, the kits curled up and snuggled next to their mother and slowly fell asleep. Well, almost all of them did.

Ashkit was still up. She shifted her position over and over but could never find a comfortable spot to fall asleep in. Then an idea popped into the wild mind. *I'll sneak out and explore!* She thought eagerly and carefully stood up and slowly crept out of her nest and then picked up the pace, traveling hastily to the exit of the den.

Soon, her tiny little kit legs had successfully gotten her outside and her escape was complete. *Where should I go first?* She wondered. *The warriors den would be perfect!* She bounded over towards the den and the snuck around to the back. She had heard from Shrewkit that there was a secret entrance in the back.

Her mind took her back to the memory.

Shrewkits amber eyes glowed with excitement and he bounced up and down on his paws. "So, I ran away from Pepperpaw and then I hid! She never found me so I got bored and went to the warriors den! But, Rosewind was blocking the entrance so I went towards the back!"

Ashhearts eyes grew wide with disbelief. "Really?" She breathed in.

Flamekit rolled his eyes. "Yeah right," he snorted. "He's probably making this all up."

"Oh, be quiet you stupid fur ball!" Ashkit retorted. Flamekit hissed and then ran over to Dapplekit and Leafkit.

Shrewkit looked hurt at Flamekit's comment.

"Don't mind him, he's a grumpy mouse-brain!" Ashkit chirped. Shrewkit's smile returned and he resumed his story.

"So then, I found a secret entrance and snuck in!" He finished triumphantly.

"Wow, that's so cool Shrewkit!" She mewed. The small black kit looked away shyly.

The memory ended and she found herself behind the den and as promised, there was a hidden entrance. She grinned and crouched down, crawling through it and wriggling through, coming out on the other side successfully. There were a few warriors in the den and she was careful not to make any sound. But, scent was another issue.

"Shrewkit, if that's you again-" Mistshadow, a senior warrior turned around and stopped when he saw Ashkit. "Oh. Someone new this time. What are you doing here Ashkit?" He meowed.

"Shrewkit told me about the other way to get in! I was exploring!" She explained, hoping that she would not get in trouble. Mistshadow raised an eyebrow.

"Exploring, huh? Well, I better tell Russetpelt how adventurous you are," he purred. Ashkit's eyes widened.

"No! Then he'll tell Raincloud and she'll know I wasn't asleep like I was suppose to be!" She squeaked.

Mistshadow put on a sly smile. "So you aren't suppose to be here, eh?" Ashkit shook her head.

He knelt down closer to Ashkit and smirked. "Well, even if I don't tell, they'll smell your scent here."

The small gray tabby she-kit's tail drooped. She hadn't thought about that. "Now I'll get in trouble," she whined, flattening her ears. "And I don't wanna get in trouble!" Mistshadow smiled.