The Haunted Warrior

## Blurb

*From birth, he has heard the voices haunt his mind. Is there a reason he can't be a normal cat? So many have been lost to him, and a few have returned. His life has been both great and horrible. He is strange, yet wonderful. No cat can deny he is the smartest one to ever walk through the woods. He is.....*

*Runningstrike*

## Chapter one

"I'm not going ot forgive you, Waterkit. Not after what you did too me! You left me, to suffer to *die* and I nearly did. I was almost just a body, with no personality. Just a..thing....the outline of nothing, with the old Runningkit at the time inside me. That would have happened if not for Creekfrost, and you worked with the cat *who killed him'* I wanted to impress you my whole life, but Creekfrost saved me, and you worked with the cat who killed him, I would rather die then have you be proud of me. Now go, before someone kills you, you *coward* unable to stay in the Clan and unable to think of others before yourself. You wanted to be braver then me? Well you failed you couldn't exapt your destiny, what being brave really is." I growled.

"I am no coward you mangy rat!" Waterkit yowled. "And Waterkit is not my name, my name *Redwater* and you know that!"

"YesI seem to remember that. That is what you said, *Right before you let Talonfang try to kill my mate* I chose my warrior name after you, and I don't know why. If I live through this battle, my name wil be changed."

Like rocks my eyes shot open, I remembered that day all to well, I missed her. I wanted her back. Every and every night I dream that dream. I can't get it out of my mind. Waterdrop is dead. And in a way, it's my fault. So now you know, all the mistakes I made, and all the ones she did. But too it simple, you don't. My name is *Runningstrike* I am a RockClan cat. I know that so many of my family anf friends have died, but I know it's not my fault. Yet I somehow always thought it was, I learned to live with myself. The leader Wolfstar made my bro Stormriver deputy, he's the  best bro ever. When I was born, I never thought my life would come to this.

I am a RockClan warrior, with more then my share of adventure. My sisters Dazzlekit and Waterdrop are dead, both of them are both dead, I have mate and kits, my brother is the deputy. Wolfstar is my leader. My Mother Whispheart is dead, my Father Falconcry is sick with greencough. Most of the Clan hates me. But my life, other then that, is perfect.

Just now, the deputy my brother comes in with tears in his eyes. "Dad is sick, real sick, really sick, I don't think he will make it, and Dewbramble doesn't think he will make it. He wants to see you Runningstrike, he wants to say goodbye."

"I am coming!" I say. And I go to the medicine cat's den. Dewbramble is there, he has a sad look in is eyes, Dewbramble knows the truth, my Father won't make it. Dad is there too, he is so sick.

"Runningstrike, come here." He says. I start to walk over. "Wait, I don't want to give you greeencough your sister Dazzlekit died from it." He says.

"I am not scared of illness, I am not scared of anything." I say, and I walk over.

"Runningstrike my son, there is one morem thing I want from you, young appprentice...no young *warrior*....I want to here your story." He says.

"Are you sure you want my mistakes to be the last thing you ever here?" I ask, bluntly.

"My son, your mistakes re part of you, and I *love* you. I want *you* to be the last thing I ever here." He says.

"Oh papa, I love you." I say. It is true! I love him most of all.

"Then tell me your story." He says.

"But why do you want me story?" I ask.

"Why not? My son. You will take my role please, you will be top warrior." He says.

"Is it not the rule that the eldest takes your role?" I ask.

"Maybe. My littermates wouldn't want that though. They are runaways, al younger then me. The cats were done with being bossed around, they made me promise, to let my youngest kit become top warrior." He says.

"But Dazzlekit was your youngest kit! You said so yourself...right?" I ask.

"No. You are the youngest Runningstrike. Dazzlekit was just the smallest. Whispheart would have loved to have more kits, but she never did." Falconcry meowes,.

"I sort of wish she did." I say.

"Tell me your story Runningstrike." He says.

"Very well." I say, and I remember the horrars of my life.......

{\*Insert dramatic music} PLEASE NOT THIS WILL BE WRITTEN IN PAST TENCE OR WHATEVER IT IS CALLED.

"I rememeber being a newborn kit in the nursery with my siblings...

'Runningkit? Where did you go?' I remmeber Stormkit saying."

All of a sudden, a flashback hits me.

"You weren't brave you were never brave. You were  coward, you were to scared to fight Talonfang, you blindly followed her,  walked after her every move, you wanted to *be* her, only since she was powerful." Said the me in the flashback.

"Waterdrop I'm sorry." I say.

"Runningstrike, Waterdrop is dead, she's not here." Stormriver tells me. I know that, but I *miss* her.

## Chater two: The voices

"The kits are coming!" Whispheart yowled, Songwillow ran in, with Falconcry.

"You will be okay, bite into this." Songwillow handed Whispheart a log.

Falconcry shoved his kit, who was a few moons older then this coming litter, away. He watched Songwillow pick up the first kit, she tossed it to Falconcry. "Lick it!" She yowled. Falconcry did as he was told, te kit started to breath, it's fur was smooth and it was sitting and purring. "A tom." Songwillow said, the kit was gray and white with ice blue eyes.

The next kit was born, Songwillow placed a another kit in front of Falconcry, soon it started to breath. "This one is a she-kit." Songwillow said, it was silver and white, with green eyes. The last kit was born, it started to breath, it was orange with gray blue spots and yellow eyes. "A tom." Said Songwillow.

Whispheart looked at the kits. "The first kit, the oldest tom, can be Stormkit. And the second kit, the only she-kit, can be Dazzlekit. For the youngest, who is also youngest tom,  can be Runningkit."

"Come *on* Runningkit! How dumb can you be?" Waterkit asked, rolling her eyes .Runningkit feared she would say.  Instead, she purred. "Good job, Runningkit. You are getting better!" Waterkit mewed. Waterkit was Runningkit's older sister from an earlier litter. Runnngkit always wannted to impress her, but she thought of him as stuped.

"I'm not dumb!" Runningkit hissed.

"I know." Waterkit mewed.

Everything in the nursery seemed to freeze.

"Hello, little kit." A voice said.  Runningkit looked around.

"W-who's talking?" He asked. He looked around. A blue-gray cat walked forward. It was Waterkit! But she looked-different-much older then she was. And Runningkit could almost see through her. "Are you the Waterkit from the future?" He asked.

The voice shook her head. "How could that be? I am not really here!" She explianed.

"Of couse you are! I can see you." Runningkit hissed. What was up with this cat?

"I'm not really here. I'm not your future sister, and I am not the ghost of your sister. As I know you were about to ask." The voice said.

Runningkit was confused. What was going on? "How did you know I was about to ask that? Can you read my mind?" He asked, he tried to only think things that were kind to the voice.

"I can't read minds. Since you can't." The voice hinted.

"I know that, but are you me? You can't be, I am talking too you! And I can *see* you!" Runningkit pointed out.

"I am not quite you. And I can only read *your* mind, since I can here everything you think." The voice said, as if that made everything clear.

Runningkit was starting to get annoyed. "How can you here everything I think?" He growled.

"Since I am there! I am in your head. Only in your head." The voice said, looking scary.

Runningkit took a step back. "Am I going insane?" He asked himself, but he knew the voice could here him.

"That is up to you, and *only* you, not even the voices in your head." The voice mewed.

Runningkit thought about the voice's words."Voices? You mean there are more?"

The voice nooded. "Of course!" He-She?-it said, looking as if Runningkit should have known that.

Runningkit thought it might be wise to change the subject. "Can others see me? And if others cats can, what is seen by them?" He asked.

The voice sniffed. "Of course other cats can see you! But do you mean now? If you do, then no. If others were too see this, all that would apper to them would be you, sitting there. Not me, and you wouldn't be talking. After all, this is only in your head." The voice said.

Runningkit shook. He was scared. "Why can't other cats see me?" He aksed. "Am I awake?" He asked.

The voice looked-felt?-annoyed."Of course you are awake, you ask such stuped questions. So are the others. What do you see?" She asked. Then she looked like Runningkit might be to stuped to understand what she meant. "Like, what are the cats you can see? What do the other cats look like that isn't normal? Aside from me, of course."

Runningkit looked at them. "There frozen, why is that?" He asked.

"The others aren't frozen. Time is, in a way." She said.

"Time is frozen? Then why aren't I frozen?" Runningkit asked.

"Time isn't quite frozen, but no time has passed. You have no idea how fats you can do these things." The voice said.

"Of course time has passed! How long has it been? Hours?" Runnkit asked.

The voice shook her head. Looking annoyed. "No. Time. What. So. Ever. Has passed. You think too quickly, Runningkit. Your thinking too quickly, not a moment has passed." The voice said.

"Does everyone has these voices?" Runningkit asked.

"Just you. And only you." The voice said.

"Why only me?" Runningkit asked.

The voice didn't respond. It's eyes glowed. It pounced Runningkit. "Help! Help get *off* of me! What's going on?" He yowled.

"You're scared! I am only a voice in your head. I do, what you think. I am the body of your feelings. You were calm before, so I was kind. You're scared now, so I attacked you." The voice said.

"Please, help me. Please leave me alone." Runningkit screamed.

"I can't." The voice said, bluntly.

"You *will* I will fight my way out! And I will *win* you have no control over me! I am *free.* And you better bewhere, since I am starting to get angry. *Very* angry!" Runningkit yowled.

"Stop! Runningkit you aren't helping yourself. Getting angry only makes it worse. You cant win this fight by getting angry. You can't defreat something that's in your head. I am the body of your feelings. If you get angry, I will get angry. If you start to fight, I will start to fight. You have to calm yourself, it's the only way you won't be destroyed." The voice said.

"You're just a voice in my head! You can't hurt me!" Runningkit hissed.

"I *can* hurt you. Voices in your head are more powerful then you might think. This body of your feelings can't harm you, at least it can't give you wounds. But you could lose your mind. Your feelings have there *own* feelings. But there feelings don't have body fourms.  If I get angry, I will want to *hurt* you. I can't give you wounds, but I can make you go insane. You will lose yourself that way. You won't be the same!" The voice warned.

Runningkit paused. What the voice said made sense. What could hurt him more then if he lost himself? Other then losing his family. He had to calm himself. What calmed him? "How can I calm myself?" He moaned.

"Thoughts can fight thoughts Runningkit! Think of something that calms you!" The voice said.

"I can't!" Runningkit yowled.

"You *have* too! And you have to soon. Your about to go insane." The voice yowled back.

Runningkit has a sharp wound in his neck. That surely meant he was about to lose himself. What calmed him? He thought about his siblings. His family. He thought deeply about it. Sitting in the nursery with them, eating warm fresh-kill. The gentle leaf-fall breeze blowing in his fur. Cats talking and purring, sharing the news of the day. And he, warm and safe with fresh-kill and milk, his family close. *That* calmed him.

The voice looked thrilled. "You're doing it!" It yowled.

Sure enough, the wound on his neck was healing. Yes...fresh-kill....warm fresh-kill. He looked down, the wound was gone. "Did I do it?" He asked.

"You did it! And I must go now. If you can stay calm when this happens, you'll be fine. Always." The voice told him.

"I feel trapped. How can I get out of here?" Runningkit asked.

"Fear might be your enemy to stay sane, but to get out of your thoughs you need fear too. That is all I can say. I must go now." The voice said.

And vanished.

"Wait! Stop! You have to stay! You have to help me!" Running screamed. He started to freak out. *I have to stay calm. I have to stay calm.* Runningkit thought, but then he remembered what the voice had told him. He didn't need to be calm, he needed to be scared. He thought of what scared him, he thought about going insane. He thought about it harder and harder, the walls around him shattered.

The cats unfroze. Waterkit jumped on him.

"You are not dumb, and you know it! Calm on, let's go play-fight with Stormkit and Dazzlekit!" Said Waterkit. Stormkit and Dazzlekit were Runningkit's older brother and sister.

"Coming?" She asked, he was confused and scared. He remembered what the voice told him. No time had passed, it felt like it had been hours, but he had thought to quickly.

"But wait, what did it feel like?" Runnngkit asked.

"What do you mean?" Waterkit asked.

"You were frozen." Runningkit pointed out.

Waterkit blinked, shook her head,. "Maybe you should see SOngwillow." She mewed.. 14:34, December 20, 2015 (UTC)

## Chapter Three: Dewpaw

Runningkit stood still. Frozen. Everything was frozen, he was thinking, he thought to quickly.

"This is driving me insane......." He whispered. He was never alone. He was always trapped. He felt as if he were about to lose his mind.

The world unfroze, he creeped around. And saw Dewpaw. Dewpaw was the eldest apprnetice, he was older then the leader and should have been a warrior a long itme ago, but he had trained as a medicne cat apprentice for a long time, he had missed a lot of training. Maybe Dewpaw would know what was going on. "Hey Dewpaw, I think I'm losing my mind." Runningkit said.

"Lucky you." Dewpaw said, smugly. Runningkit rolled his eyes.

"You're kind of a medicine cat, what do you think is wrong?"

"I *was* a medicine cat. Now I am a warrior, and I know nothing about your problem. And if I did, I wouldn't say so." Dewpaw said, and walked off.

Everything froze. "That must have hurt, unable to seek help, from the only one who can help you." A voice said.

Runningkit turned to see a misty sort of shape that looked a bit like a cat. "Who Re you, and why are you in my head?" He thought it was a good question.

"A voice. I am a voice. A voice in your head. The newest, and second voice to join the ranks of your head." The voice said.

"Well, you can leave if you want, since I don't really want you here." Runningkit sniffed.

The voice shook it's head. "No can do. Or at least, I won't do it. And don't think I am going be all kind and cheerful like that last voice was. My job is drive you insane, and I plan on doing so." The voice muttered.

"Wait, let me get this right. You are a voice in my head, but you want to drive *me* insane?" Runningkit asked, did this guy have any brain in his head! Then Runningkit realized that he just made fun of himself.

"Yes, my drop is drive you insane. Did that misty cat who looked like your sister tell you nothing? If you are driven insane, we can take over you. It is better for us if you are insane. It is my job to do so, and so I will." The voice whispered.

"You can't do that! No one takes over me, I rule myself and only myself. Don't try to take me over." Runningkit hissed, backing up.

The voice stepped in from the light. A brown and black misty cat was standing there. "Good luck with that in a few years when your warrior."

"You look just like Dewpaw! Why? You don't act like him, that's for sure." Runningkit mewed, he backed up a few steps.

"Please kit, don't ask me. I am only a voice in your head, you made me up, you created me. Whatever fourm I apper like....well....that's up for you." The voice said.

Runningkit rolled his eyes. This voice was getting on his nerves. "Look, I am sorry to get you sad, but I don't remember being like, 'Oh how about I make the voice in my head that is trying to drive me insane look like Dewpaw'" Runningkit said, sarcasticly.

"Of course. It wasn't a choice like that. You made the choice, that's true, but in the bst words I can come up with, you didn't really mean to do it. It seems as if you think Dewpaw is the most quick....the most wiling....to bother you, too make fun of you, anything that gets on your nerves, he is the first to test it. I am the voice that bothers you more then the other voices, so I look like Dewpaw." The voice explained, as if it made perfect sense.

"Well,, thanks get out of  my head now, please." Runningkit mewed. The voice stayed still. "As I said, go now. You are being kicked out."

The voice didn't budge. "You know well, that is no way to get rid of a voice in your head. Did that other voice tell you about that?" The voice asked.

Runningkit was starting to get scared. "Well, yes. But everything she told me won't work now. I don't know why."

"So, I guess she didn't tell you, every voice has a different way of leaving a cats head, even if only for a little while. If you head a brain, that would help. Well, it seems like you do have a brain. I live in there...it's a cold and emty place...." The voice.

Runningkit did a second take. "Your telling me, I need to find a new way to get you out of my head?" Runninkit yelped.

"Of course." The voice said, licking it's paw.

"Well, what is it?" Runningkit asked. He knew it was a long-shot, but he had no choice.

"There is no way I will tell you. The more you get out of here, the lower the chances of you losing your mind." The voice purred.

"Get. Out. Of. My. Head!" Runningstrike yowled, in a burst of enegry, the voice left. The world was normal.

"Hey Runningkit! Wanna leave camp?" Came a voice, Runningkit turned to see his older sister Dazzlekit. Waterkit was with her.

"Yeah! Is Stormkit coming?" Runnigkit asked, hopefully.

Waterkit sniffed. "He would never come, that guy. Always bound to the rules. But we are free to do whatever we want! Come on!"

Runningkit followed his sisters. He turned back to camp. The voice had said he would never be free, but he would show that voice, he was free.  He was always free.

He padded out of camp, and scanned his memory. He was sure he knew the way, he just had to remember it. He gave himself a second, or less. There was something he wanted to show his sisters. "Come on, I have something cool to shpw you, I know the way." Runningkit mewed.

Dazzzlekit seemed impressed. "That is cool! Have you ever been out of camp?" She asked.

"He has never been out of camp, and he doesn't know the way. Runningkit, how are you supposed to kow the way there?" She asked.

Runningkit purred. "Maybe I never left camp, but I spent a little bit of time looking into the forest. I guess I remembered which way to go. It's pretty far away, if we want to be back by dark, we better go."

Waterkit glared at the kit. "Your eyes can't see that far." She said, without question.

"Maybe that is true, but my mind does, even the areas my eyes are unable to see, are scanned over by my mind and stored in my memeory. I can see the whole world, without even leaving camp. " Runningkit bragged.

"Wait, let me get this right." Waterkit mewed. "We are depending our trip out of camp, by what some cat saw in his mind? And my younger brother too..."

"Oh comeon! I say we give it a try!" Dazzlekit mewed.

Without waiting for a reply, Runningkit ran. He scanned his mind-map. Could there be a short-cut? Racing quickly, he scanned his quicker moving mind. He zipped acrooss the forest in the new found short-cut. He found what he was looking for.

"Come on!" He mewed. The older kits stopped next to him. "Look, is that cool or what?" Runningkit asked.

"It is cool, what is it?" Waterkit asked.

"It's some strange meaning of something! It must be importent..." Dazzlekit mewed.

What the group was looking at was a book, one left on the side on the side of the road. Which was a cool thing for wild cats to see. Runningit glanced at the book, trying to make sense of the words.

"What are you doing?" Waterkit asked.

"Trying to read thoese lines and dots on the book, I know I can." Runningkit mewed.

His mind felt like mush, his eyes felt like stones, it was getting dark, he was getting hungry. The dots and lines made no sense. His sisters were ready to go back. But Runningkit wanted to stay. All of a sudden, something clicked in his brain."That's it!" He yowled.

"What?" Waterkit asked.

"The words! I can understand them! This is amazing, it works like magic! Do you think StarClan sent of down this book?" Runningkit asked.

"Runningkit, it looks cool, but it is just a book." Waterkit said.

"Just a book? It's an amazing work of art. And I can read it. Stormkit has to see it. He should each grab part and bring it home!" Runningkit said.

When the group got home, Whispheart was angry, so was Stormkit and Falconcry. Wolfstar was pretending to be angry, but Runningkit could tell she was impressed. Stoatkit, the younger sister of Dewpaw, saw Runningkit get home. And saw that book. "Hey Runningkit! Glad your back." she mewed, Runningkit purred. He dragged the book into his den. The days that followed were harder.

None of the cats understood Runningkit. "Hey, would you like to Battle-train?" Wolftail, one of the Clans young warriors aked. "If you want, I could also teach you how to hunt, but we can't leave camp."

"Yeah!" Waterkit mewed, she lept into the air, with her claws seathed, she slashed Wolftai'sl leg.

"Me too please!" Dazzlekit mewed,with a leap in the air.

"Remember, we can' leave camp." Stormkit mewed, joining his sisters.

"Wha about you  Runningkit?" The warrior asked.

Runningkit shook his head. "No thanks, but thanks for the offer. I am reading this book."

Wolftail blinked, as if he were surprised. "It is better for you to come and work on your skills. This will help you be a  better warriors, the images in that book are nice...but I have no idea how cats are trapped and suspended like that....but you will be better of training." Wolftail mewed.

"The cats are not suspended, these are just drawings, that's it. Stuff that imade to look like the cats, I have no idea how to do it, but that is it. And it is more then drawings, it's more then a story, it is like a whole new world. One all to whoever reads the book, it is like a sneak-peek to something one would never know about otherwise." Runningkit mewed.

The cats whispered to each other, and left. Once the group were out of ear-shot, Runningkit mind-scanned the cats. "Can he realy read that?" Stormkit mewed.

"No way, but he likes looking at the drawings." Waterkit respnded.

"If he likes to do it, we should let him." Dazzlekit defended.

"It is not normal for a kit to be instrested in twoleg things, I am scared tere might be something wrong with him. Songwillow should take a look at him, he really thinks he can understand that stuff in the book, but there is no way he can. He likes being alone, and he likes that book thing, cats are not meant to be like that." Wolftail mewed, sounding scared.

Runningkit stopped with the mind-scan. It was to painful. The cats thought he was crazy? But he knew he was reading the words right. Why could cats not respect that, and leave him be?

He could sort of read, he was no master at it, but he could read some words.

## Chapter four: Greencough

Falconcry came back coughing and choking. Runningstrike opened his eyes, and took his head out of the book. He felt himself shoved to the side, a tumbled backwords into the wall of the nurserey. He lept to his feet. "Watch where you're going!"Runningkit mewed. He shook himself off and padded over to see Songwillow talking to his dad.

"Well, how do you feel?" She asked.

"Fine. My thorat feels good, and that kind of thing. But I am unable to stop coughing." Falconcry mewed. Songwillow grabbed the warrior, and dragged him to the den. Runningkit was still trying to see what was happeing, when he felt himself pulled away from the grass into the nursery. He was dropped onto the ground by Whispheart, his mother.

"What was that for? I was just watching!" Runningkit mewed.

"But you could get whatever dad has!" Waterkit reminded her younger brother. Runningkit nodded, but went to sleep. The next day, he padded away from the den. He saw his dad and Songwllow talking.

"You havw green-cough, a deadly sickness. It spreads easily, stay away from the rest of the Clan the others aviod getting it. But the kits are the easiest to get it. So stay away from the Clans kits, got it?" Songwillow asked.

Falconcry nodded. "It will be hard to ignore my kits, but anything for my family." Runningkit purred. He heard the oange tom, who was Wolftail, pad behind him.

"It's nice to see you with you head out of the book." The ginger tom purred, touching noses with Runningkit.

The younger tom, who was Runningkit, nodded. "The book got a bit too hard, I could only read some parts. And anyway, this stuff is more importent." Runningkit mewed.

Wolftail still seemed to like RUnningkit a lot. "Agreed. You look just like him, you know." Wolftail mewed. Runningkit glanced at his father, it was kind of true. The two looked alike. Falconcry really just looked like an older Runningkit, but Runningkit looked nothing like his mother. No cat would guess the two were releted.

Over the weeks, Falconcry only got worse. Songwillow did everything she could, but the warrior just got sicker. Runningkit could barely read, and with others bothering him all the time, it was impossible. Another thing Runningkit noiticed, was the Falconcry went to see his kits from time to time. Waterkit and Stromkti left, but Runningkit and Dazzlekit stayed, and it was no surprise that Runningkit woke up one morning coughing, and was woken up by Dazzlekit's coughs.

The two kits were put in the medicine cat's den, getting sicker by the second. Runningkit got so sick, it was a surprise everytime Songwillow saw him breath. Falconcry got healthier, until he just had mild whitecough, then he was better, and went to be a warrior. Runningkit opened his eyes one morning, to the sobbing sounds of his mother. "Did you here that?" He asked Dazzlekit.

"I did. What's up?" Dazzlekit wondered aloud. Next time the gentled and sad, yet ununderstadning voices of Warerkit and Stormkit.

"'I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do. Dazzlekit and Runningkit will not make it as far as I know, a miracle would have to come. The kits are so weak and small, and sick." SOngwillow mewed, she sounded miserble.

Runningkit's shocked eyes opened wide, had he understood right? Of course not as Waterkit and Stormkit could not understand that and were older, that was what Runningkit told himself, but he had always seemed more grown-up then his siblings.

In the days that followed, Falconcry seemed like a different cat, always guilty. And Runningkit's eyes got foggy. "Just a thing from the greencough, when you recover ti will go back." Songwillow promised, it would have made Runningkit feel better, but he knew SOngwillow thought he was not going to live.

One day he woke up, so blind only a lair of fog could be seen over his eyes. He was blind. But he would be able to see when he got better. He was not worried about his sight, but about how he felt. Different. He did not feel sick, he felt different. His heart and mind felt strange. Like something was missing from the earth, but what? How did he feel? When was the last time he felt this way? He scanned his memorey, he rememebred the old leader, for some reason. The leader had been kind, and close to Runningkit. But he died when Runningkit was a week old. Why was Runningkit thinking of him now?

Then Runningkit remembered how he felt when he found out the leader died, it was a terrible feeling. One Runningkit never forgot, but one he had not felt since that day, but it felt like he could rememeber it better now, then something clicked in his head. He felt like some had just died! But who? He dug into his head, maybe he could see the dead cat in his head. And image of Dazzlekit appered in his mind. "NO!" He yelped. "Medcine cat!" He was able to gasp.

He reached his short front legs around the den, he needed to find Dazzleki!

The Medicine cat, along his mother and siblings ran in. His eyes foggy and bleary, he could slightly make out a still shape. Could it be? He shook it, it stayed still. He remembered her, and the times the two had had. But that was over now, Dazzlekit was his beloved sister, but now she was dead what would Runningkit to now? All at once, blackness covered his eyesight. What was happening? He gasped for air, but nothing filled his lungs. He heard Stormkit's voice. "Runningkit! No!" He called.

Runningkit felt Waterkit's sharp paws shake him, he coughed. He felt the medicine cat push of his chest, so hard hs ribs hurt.  He heard his mothr's voice "Runningkit! I lost Dazzlekit, there is no way I can lost another kit!" *Is this it?* Runningkit feared in his head. His brain hurt, he was choking and no water filled his lungs, his mind worked, and he could here his siblings, so he was alive, but for how long? A misty kti with a wise look came over to him.

"Runningkit, my brother." She said, he looked and everything else seemd frozen, he was still blind, and the noises kept going on. If nothing was frozen, this being was far from a voice to haunt him, but it looked like Dazzlkit, he had died right? "It was my time to leave" Dazzlekit mewed, "But you have your life ahead of you, you here the others, and you can think, you are awake, but the others think you are not yet and you will live. I can bring you back." Dazzlekit said.

"Please, come with me." Runningkit mewed.

"Sorry" Mewed Dazzlekit she touched noses with Runningkit, and left. Runningkit had been coughing the whole time, the people seemed louder now, and his thought clearer. His foggy sight cleared.

"He is bak?" Waterkit asked, was that dissappointment in her voice? Of course she loved hm and would think otherwise. Sweet soft air filled his lungs, something he thought he would never breath again. He felt better, and he was better. It was the first time he ever got more talked about then his older sister Waterkit, he was a miricle to live. But day and night he thought about Dazzlekit, and how much he missed her.

## Chapter five: Running*kit*s first gatering.

"Come on, being late for the Clan will do us no good, now come on." Wofstar mewed, she spoke with a commanding tone, but Runningkit could make out the slight shake of her voice, "Why is she so scared of it?" Runningkit asked himself.

Thankfully for him, Stoatkit happened to pad over, "This is her first gathering as a leader." Stoatkit mewed.

Runningkit spotted the cats leaving. "We should come." Runningkit mewed, to Waterkit Stoatkit and Stormkit.

Waterkit looked thrilled, Stoatkit seemed to be thinking about it, Stormkit looked horrified. "But it breaks the code! And the ryles! First of all, it is out of camp, and you have to be an apprentice or over to leave camp, unless you are changing territory, next kits are forbidden to come to the gathering, unless you are changing territory, and next, you have to be invited to thegathering to go, which we were not at all." Stormkit mewed.

Waterkit purred. "Any questions?" Stromkit shot her a look, but he seemed slightly pleased about the fact that some listened to his speech.

"Ah.....yeah. How do you know all this?" Runningkit asked.

"The elders know everything!" Stormkit purred, Runningkit knew that his older brother liked to spend time in the elder's den, the elder's had great stories, but who wants to spend all there time learning how rules were founded?

"Wait, wait wait. Let me get this right, everytime you go into the elder's den, you try to find out how rules were founded?" Stoatkit asked, as if she had read Runningkit's mind. Runningkit felt sort of bad, but he had to agree with Stoatkit, his brother could be over the top about the rules sometimes.

"Well, yeah." Stormkti mewed, then he looked cheerful. "The story is wonderful! You see it all started when....." Stormkit begian, Runningkit forgot that Stormkit had a problem answering yes or no questions with one word. This was going to take a while. After a while,  with an overly-dramatic eye-roll, Waterkit sort of stormed off, a little while later, Stoatkit inched away, Runnngkit forced himself not to move, but he was ready to leave. After a while, he was unable to take it any more.

"Alright alright! I get the idea, but I don't want to be late to the gathering, are you coming?" He asked, Stormkti shook his head, "Okay, catch you later!" Runningkit mewed, and ran off before Stormkit could tell him more about the rules.

"So how do we gt there?" Stoatkit asked.

"It wil be easy, of course." Runningkit sniffed, he scanned his mind for answers. "Cut down the fores turn slightly to the left, as if you were turning to the right, cut down past the three tree corners going at......half a mile per hour, if running at full-speed, running any faster would take your breath down about....a millienth of a second faster then needed....move slightly to the side at about a 40 degree angle, a bit less then half of what your head can turn, by then you should be able to see an opening in the forest, the simple mind would be drawn to it and I know we have a lot of thoese here, so keep going through the way the forest is dark, for about half mile, turn into ShadeClan camp, step quietly and make as little noise as possible, cats can sense you watching them so don't look that them, if you keep your head a 20 degree angle the whole time, that will not be a promlem, cut through the forest at your slowest running speed, about a fifth of mile per hour, look through the 20th or 100 holes in that area...the one right in the middle, there is a rock below it to stand on....sight the RockClan cats, dig at the highest speed you can do without making noise, should be about 15 minutes a foot, the three of together should be able to do it in five, dig to feet down and dig across, dig up every few minutes to see where you are, only one of us and only for a second so no one really sees us, anyone who does willl think they saw wrong, from the whole Wolfstar should be about ten feet, digging accross is easier thn digging down, it will take about ten minutes to do it at your highest quiet speed, we should be able to do it in two minutes, it is ten feet across, it will take 20 minutes to get there, and another  five minutes to get back up, we will be right near a rock with a hole big enough for each of us to barely fit in, and wide enough for all of us to stay insade at once, we will be able to see and here the gathering, but the gathering will not be able to see and here us, after which we can just follow everyone back. I can tell by your confused looks that you are wondering how long it will take to get there, coutning for all problems we could run into on the way, it will take an hour to get there if we leave anytime in the next 20 minutes.  And there is about a.....20% chance.....that we get there, be there, and get back with no one noticing, are you with me?" Runningstrike blurted out in about 46 seconds, without even really thinking too hard.

Stormkit backed away without another wod, Stoatkit looked imprssed/.

"Just bloody follow me." Runningkit mewed, running off. Waterkit and Stoatkit followed.

After what felt like ages, the trio of rule-breakers got to the gathering, and hid inside the rock, Stoatkit and Waterkit seemed happy, but the gathering seemed to go on forever, and Runningkit was getting lost in his mind, and everyone knew at to well that his mind was a scary place. The three started to talk on there own, Stoatkit and Waterkit got along great, but Runningkit seemed...different....then the other two, he was much smarter and had different opinions about things, he acted different, soon he just sort of backed out of the rock, being in the middle of the gathering was a bad place to be as a kit.

Runningkit went down into the tunnel, and walked through it, he could go faster on his own, soon he found a wall, was this the end of the tunnel? Runningkit looked up, the ground was normal there, rather then dug. Runningkit guessed that he had walked down the wrong tunnel, there could be a hole that ended there that he was in, digging up was hard when he could just dig the rest of the way, but after only a few strokes he could see that rest of the tunnel, so this *was* his tunnel, but if there was a small walll on it, then there must have been a flood. Runningkit was thinking about this, when the flood came.

He heard the water and felt it, and ran. *I am so glad Stoatkit and Waterkit stayed behind, if thoese two were here I would be so worried!* Runningkit thought in less then a second, he raced around until he got to the end of the tunnel, he jumped out the hole and panted, that was a close one! After the small adventure, he was ready to go back, but the tunnel was flooded, he could dig another but might got caught, and it was toor risky for the water, which seemd to make the tunnel wet and caouse it to cave-in, hence the mini-wall that was there. Now what?

Runningkit tried to think of another way, but his mind-map showed ways that were far too long only, other then the tunnels and walking right through the gathering. If he walked right through the gathering and passed a lot of cats, he would likely get caught and be in trouble, so would Stoatkit and Waterkit. So he might as well explore. He padded around and heard the noise of a huge animal, he followed the noise to find a huge brown and black furry thing. Huge things were on each side of its head, and Runningkit thought it reminded him of a deer, he had heard about thoese animals and seen a few. But deer were a lighter shade of brown and had no black and had white tails, and well as antlers that looked like sticks, rather then the flat antler like things this animal had. So what was it?

This animal was also much bigger then a deer, wahtever it was it was related to deer. An elk maybe? Unlikely as elk looked more like deer, but who knows? Runningkit looked at the animal was at leat 100 times his size, and looked at it with a longing feelings, it would be so much fun to ride on the animal's antlers, and the animal was asleep, so why not so it? When the animal woke up and left the area, Runningkit would be there. Runningkit climbed up the animal ans pulled himself onto the antler, after a while the animal woke up and lifted its head, Runningkit slide accroess the antler, and grabbed hold of it just in time, he was hanging on for dear life! No pun intended. The animal climbed to its feets, Runningkit lost his grip, he grabbed the antler with his mouth just in time.

The animal took a step, Runningkit lost his grip again, and fell. He was able to grabbed onto the animals  ear, which annoyed it, or liekly he as it had antlers and only male animals had antlers, it shook its head around and Runningkit tumbled all over the place, it looked at Runningkit, what would it do? He sniffed Runningkit and licked him, Runningkit liked the animal, the animal stopped moving and Runningkit grabbed onto the antler with his mouth and then paws, and climbed on. He dug his short claws into the animal's antler, and purred as the animal walked, "Can I ride you?" He asked, the animal said nothing but seemed okay with it, this was going to be fun! Runningkit purred, as the animal walked around.

The sights from the anler of the creature were wonderful, Stormkit would have loved it! *What are you doing? You are going to be in somuch trouble* A voice scolded him. "Stromy?" he asked, he knew his brother's voice, but it was no where to be heard. *Get off, this is a horrible plan!* came the noise. I was Stomy's voice.....but only in Runningstrike's head. A voice padded over to him, it looked just like his brother. Runningkit glanced around, the world seemed to have froze.

"You are making a big mistake, get off the moose, and go back home. Get Waterkit and Stoatkit too, that way none of you will be in trouble, and you will be home and safe." Said the Stormkit voice. Runningkit glanced at the voice, this was the first voice he had not feared, the first voice who had seemed like his friend. But Runningkit forced himself to be angry, this voice had the job of the other voices, to make him lose his mind.

"Nothing can make me stop this, I am going to keep doing this, nothing can stop me!" Runningkit hissed, he glanced around the world was still frozen, the voice was still here. "I want a life outside the boundary of camp, five or six, or whatever number of moons it is, is far too long to be trapped in the camp, this is my new life!" Runningkit mewed. "I get to be free!"

"Freedom may be tempting, the thought of it is wonderful, but freedom is your enemy, Runningkit. I am your friend, I am going to stop you from this, before it is too late, you want freedom but it is only there to hurt you, too give you danger and too give you challages, stay in camp, it is safe there. I am trying to help you, if I can deal with you, ou will be a changed cat, you will be like me." The voice said, Runningkit glared at it. "What? Stop glaring, I just want you to be safe! I am your brother, I am Stormy, all I want it too change..." Runnignkit cut off the voice.

"That is just it! You want to change me, sorry if you missed the memo, but I like myself the way I am, I do not want to change! Freedom is scary, and it does bring danger, and so be it!  I want a life of danger, I would prefer a life of danger to no life at all! At least that way my life will mean something,  rather then just aa soul taking up space! I am going to break these useless policies weather you like it or

not you can spend your whole life working, but I am going to be free,  and I am going to do what I want, when I want, how I want, in the exact way I wanr! And no one will change me! And you are not my brother, because despite are differences, *Stormy loves me for I am, he would never ''***WANT TO CHANGE ME!!!!!***" Runningkit yowled. The voice vanished, the world was normal, and unfrozen.* I will show him, I will never let anyone hold me back, ever! And I will always be free, no matter what anyone says *Runningkit thought, the animal padded along, with Runningkit on his back.*

Runningstrike rode the moose, he glanced at his sister.

"Hey sis!" Runningstrike purred.

"Are you okay up there?" Waterkit asked. Runningkit purred and nodded, his sister and Stoatkit climbed the moose. RUnningkit butted his head into Waterkit.

"Sorry that I snapped at you about the book, I was in a bad mood that day." Waterkit mewed.

"It's okay." Runningkit mewed, purring.

"Runningkit, Waterkit get down now!" Whispheart yowled.

"But it was so much fun!" Runningkit protested.

"Runningkit and Waterkit, come down!" Whispheart yowled.

"Runnigkit, mom is right. Come on, you too Stoatkit." Waterkit mewed, sliding down. Runningkit followed alongside Stoatkit.

"Stoatkit, do you have someone who watches you?" Whispheart asked, speaking more gently to her then she had too Waterkit or Runningkit.  Stoatkit shook her head, but then nodded.

"Just Dewbramble, but he is my brother from a different litter." Stoatkit seemed a bit sad to be explaining. Runningkit stiffened at the mention of the cat's name.

"As for you Waterkit, I am letting you off easy. Never leave camp like this again, and next time your little brother wants to do somthing like this, get him down and tell a warrior. His life could depened on it." Whispheart warned, Waterkit nodded and went to walk with Stoatkit.

Runningkit knew what was coming, he backed up and dug his claws into the ground. "Runningkit, what I am going to do with you? For now stay in the den for a moon, one footstep out of the nursery and the clock resets to another moon, do you here me? You might get in trouble in otherways too, as soon I have time too...."

"Don't punish him!" Came a voice, "He was just playing!"  Runningkit turned to see a she-cat, she was maybe six moons? Apprentice age, surely. She had fur that made Runningkit think one word, *Blaze* it was black like ashes and and orange like a raging fire, she smelled like a kittypet.

"Who might you be? A DawnClan apprentice?" Whispheart asked.

"My name is Silvia, I live with housefolk." The cat mewed.

"You're a kittypet?" Runnignkit mewed, he tried to make his voice full with distaste but it seemed more like he was impressed.

"Yes, but I want to join the wildcats!" Silvia mewed, she sounded exited.

"Well then come on!" Runningkit mewed, "I will show you my Clan which is called RockClan!" He took a step forward, but was pulled back by WHispheart.

"Runningkit, come on. You have to go home." Whsipehart mewed. "Thank you for trying to help Runningkit, I will let you off the hook for now."

Runningkit hung his head. "Okay mom, thanks Silvia!" Silvia nodded, Runningkit slunk away.

## Chapter six:Silvia

Runningkit flipped through the pages of his book, after he stopped reading for so long after Dazzlekit died he feared he had lost the power. "Runningkit, come on!" Came a voice. Runningkit lept to his feet and started trying to locate where the voice was coming from.

"Whoa!" He yowled, as he was pulled into a bush. He turned to see the blazey fur of Silvia. "What are you doing here?"

"Come with me! I will show the world!" Silvia invited. Without thinking, Runningkit jumped to his feet.

"Where are we going?" Runningkit asked, Silvia smirked.

"A new world! By the way, I heard you talking to voices in your head and tell you what, if you don't kill anyone by the time you are two years old, I will owe you a favor." Silvia mewed.

Runningkit hissed, slightly. "I will never kill anyone!" he mewed.

Silvia nodded. "Okay then....." she said, showing that she didn't think it was true.

Runningkit rolled his eyes, but nodded. "My dad and mon would kill me if they knew I was here, like away from camp......with a non-Clan cat."

"Same with my parents!  My whole life I have heard *The outside is a place for wild cats, you are a house cat* I will decide what I can be."  Silvia said, with a wisful look in her eyes.

Runningkit grinned, someone who understood him! "Wolftail, one of the warriors here, is like that. He keeps trying to get me to battle train, and hunt from inside camp but....I don't know if I even want to be a warrior."

Silvia laughed. "Most kittypets and Clan cats are enemies, but maybe I am not a kittypet, and you are not a Clan cat! AT heart, anyway."

"Yeah!" Runningkit said. "Or we are not most kittypets and Clan cats, at least."

"You're clever Runningkit! Or so I have heard, but see that cat over there? Do you know anything about him?" Silvia asked, wanting to see what he could do.

Runningkit smiled, he was good at this! "That is....a loner.......of sorts. Never met him, never talked to him. But look, he is clrearly a formar Clan cat, being comfertable around the Clan that, and also to the point where he may even come in. But his fur is ruffled, and he looks like he hasn't eaten in a while, which shows he is a loner, hunting for himself. He's not an enemy to the Clans, or he wouldn't be to comfertable there, showing he left of his own free will...some one could have been bothering him.....maybe. He has never had a mate of sorts, as he is stnding by the bordors alone. If he had a mate, he would bring her with him. The look in his eye, he doesn't like trusting others but he trusts the Clan cats. He doesn't want a mate, see the way his fur is on end all the time? Others annoy him, the blank look he has in his eyes with no sign of him going through something terrible, makes it clear he hates showing emotion. He does have a sense of justice though, just not to anyone. His side of justice is shown during battle, you can tell by the fact he is completly alone, but he has returned to the Clan on and off, and by many other things that would take forever to explain. The cat is very smart, he is not the smartest cat to roam the forest, but he is smart. He is more clever then smart, though. He is tricky and he is always to do things. But he has made some bad choices in his life, and he is trying to get away from a bad crowd he has chosen. But he can't do it. He is not going to expect help from anyone, he wants to keep it a secret. So he is going to try and get away on his own. He has a few plans, but course not very good ones. He can tell how bad these plans are and is not sure he wants to put them in action. But he needs to do something, or who knows what will happen to those he loves? But there is the thing, he isn't doing it for himself. He is doing it for the one soul in the whole worlds, he cares about. The someone is family, rather then a friend. He wouldn't be doing this for a friend, maybe the average cat would but not him, he would never seek out a friend. This is someone he was forced to know, and he loved, a family. A sibling, a littermate. It is a brother or sister of course. And that brother or sister, he worries about. The only one who he cares for, and who he cares about a lot. His thing is he doesn't show emotion of any kind, but he cares about this cat withhis heart. He will do anything for him or her, he got into a fight her the cat. Likely about the bad crowd he started ot hang out with, and now he wants to tell him or her that he was wrong, and he or she was right. But he doesn't want that bad crowd he hangs out with to know about the one soul he cares about. So he has to get away from them if he wants to do that. But the question is how." Runningkit said in roughly 10 seconds, but he  was positive about all of this, he had never met the cat, just heard his name. This was Flash, but before he knews Flash was a loner, the sound of his name had made him guess that. Flash's name and that he was a loner was the only things about him Runningkit had been told, the rest he could figure out just by looking.

"That was amazing." Silvia said, clearly impressed. "What have you heard about this cat, and what did you figure out?" she asked.

"All I have heard about him was that his name is Flash, and that he is a loner. I came up with the rest. But really, I am not making this up. I bet you all the mice in the world this is true!" Runningkit promised.

Silvia shook her head. "I am sure it is! You are really smart, Runningkit. You talk fast though....but I can understand what you are saying...."

Runningkit looked at the ground. "You are the only one."

"What do you mean?" Silvia asked.

Runningkit shrugged. "What I said, I think I am clever. I can tell someone's whole just by looking but.....whenever I try to tell someone I-I don't know. No one really thinks it is that useful." With a glance to the sky, Runningkit wondered; would he ever get to use his--his---whatever it was? He didn't think so. "Anyway, they are likely write. What good is it other then a really good way to spy on cats I don't know at all?"

Silvia grinned. "Well, I have no idea. But I know it is helpful for something." At this point, Runningkit thought Silvia looked pretty exited. This made him wonder what he had gotten himself into. "You could tell who was an enemy, and who was a friend. You could know someones reasons for being the way they are, if they are evil. You could know about---about---about everyone!"

Runningkit felt a bit more powerful; but he still wasn't quite sure. "Maybe....." he said.

Silvia waved her paw in the air, like a twoleg would, Runningkit thought that there was a goodc chance that she had learned that from her twolegs. "Of course it is useful! Hey, come on, if I am going to join RockClan I better learn how to hunt."

"Your mentor will teach you that." Runningkit explained. "I don't know how to hunt yet, and I was born to RockClan."

SIlvia kept sniffing around, as if she was not listening to anything the kit said. "Yeah, but wouldn't it be great to know how to hunt a little bit before becoming apprentices? Whoever our mentors are will be really impressed." Silvia pointed out.

Runningkit thought about it, and grinned. "Yeah!" He mewed."This cat named Wolftail taught me how to jump on things, I can teach you how."

Runningkit and Silvia liked hunting together, Silvia caught a mouse, but Runnningkit caught nothing. Then the kits started to get boared of waiting around. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Silvia asked. "I have an older sister, the only kit from a litter before me. And I think I might have a few other older siblings from earlier litters, I have three younger brothers and three younger sisters, just from my litter! Plus countless younger siblings from later litters." While explaining this, Silvia was in a position to jump on something. Runningkit did the same position.

"I was from my parents fisrt litter." He explained. "But they have not have any litters since me. I don't think they plan on it. I have three olders siblings. A blue-gray she-cat named Waterkit, she is so bossy. A gray-and-white tom named Stormkit, he follows every single annoying rule. And a pale tortoiseshell she-cat  named Dazzlekit." All of a sudden, his face dropped. "She died when I was really little, of greencough."

"Oh, Runningkit! I am so sorry...." Silvia said.

Runningkit tried to change the subject, the one thing worse then thinking about Dazzlekit was talking about her. And he didn't think he could stand it with a cat he didn't know. "Hey, a rabbit!" he said, catching it. Suddenly, a burst of anger came over him. Why did Dazzlekit have to die? Why couldn't she have lived? Had StarClan made that happen? He wanted to rip something to peices, nothing that was alive, but something that was dead or that had never been alive. He spotted the rabbit, he ripped and teared it with his teeth and claws, anger blazing through him as he pulled the rabbit apart. He was angry, this was one way to get it out.

When he looked up, he saw Silvia's surpirsed face. Runningkit felt calmer now, what could Silvia be thinking of? Then he saw the rabbit, or what used to be the rabbit, he had teared to peices. "Runningkit," Silvia said. "What was that?"

"Ummmm...." Runningkit said. "I am not sure I understand the question." he mewed, honeslty.

Silvia turned to leave, Runningkit didn't know what she said, but he heard the word 'insane' a few times.

"Silvia, wait..." Runningkit said.

"No," Silvia said. "After I saw the rabbit, Runningkit, I don't know how I am supposed to stay." she mewed.

"It was dead!" Runningkit protested. "It wasn't alive anymore."

Silvia had a look like it didn't matter. "It could have just as easily been alive." she said. "It could just as easily be me."

Runningkit was close to sure that there was nothing he could do to convince Silvia to stay. "But....this could have been great! You could have helped me."

"I want to help you." Sivia admitted. "I really do. But I have to help myself first." And with that, she raced off. Runningkit supppose it was back to her kittypet home.

"Silvia....." Runningkit mewed. "*Silvia....*"

## Chapter Seven: Changed

When Runningkit padded home, he didn't feel like talking. He found out he wasn't as far from home as he thought, he found this out when he heard Waterkit and Stoatkit talking about something. "What are *you* two doing here?" He asked.

Before Stoatkit could speak, Waterkit cut her off. "This is RockClan camp." She mewed.

"Oh." Runningkit mewed.  "Indeed, it is."

Swiftkit, who was Stoatkit's age, walked over to him. "How could you not know where your camp is?" she asked.

"I had to get ried of something!" Runningkit mewed. "And make room for importent stuff."

"I think the location of your camp is pretty importent." Swiftkit mewed. She wasn't doing this meanly; Runningkit thought, she was really wondering.

"Maybe." Runningkit mewed. He started to think, and pretty much acted like no one was there. Thoughts raced into his head at lightning speed. He glanced around, so this was RockClan camp. It looked pretty frozen, with his mind moving so quickly.

The views were nice, he didn't like  climbing, but he loved running. So the grassy area was nice--really nice--.  There were rocks, but nothing special. He frowned. Why was this place called RockClan? He wondered. He didn't think it had many rocks, but that was okay. He  licked the name.

He wondered who RockClan's first leader was, though. Rock? Rockstar? Who knows? Whoever the leader was, he or she wasn't too clever with names. Why had Wolftail taught him how too jump on rabbits, and fight enemies, and about the other Clans, but never about RockClan? Heck, Wolftail had even taught him the warrior code, the very useless warrior code.

He was getting boared, there were plenty of things to do, but all of them were easy. He wanted to use his brain, work with it, give it promblems to slove. He looked at Wolfstar, this could be intresting. He looked into her eyes, they looked,....strong......ferice even. Ready for anything, ready for adventure. That was what anyone would see, but Runningkit saw more. The strong, ferice look went away every few minutes, just a little. was it fored? Yes. If Wolfstar was as ready for anything as it seemed, she wouldn't need to look that way. She didn't think she was, did she? She wasn't confident in her abilities to lead.

Something passed that, her nose was high, she was tying to look proud to be leader. But trying, yes of course, the distence it was held up, she wasn't really proud, she wanted something else with her life. He looked into her face, deep into it, he was wildness. So that was what she wanted to be, wild. But why then? Why was she RockClan's leader?

He legs were stiff, he claws were flaxed, just a very very little bit. She was on her guard! Ready for anyone to attack, she had been a stray for a while. But why? He looked closer, Gray fur. Pretty common, this shade of gray too. It was neat, no tangles or anything. And it was well-groomed, the least messy coat he had ever seen.

She cared about keeping her pelt neat, it was darker in some areas then others, and thicker. A maybe...with flakes? So it wasn't fur in those areas it was.....dirt. Trying to keep her pelt dirty, but why? It also smelled like, crowfood. She had rolled in some.  But why? Why would her pelt small like crowfood and be covered in mud, but also be so neat. Unless.....of course! To hide her scent and fur color.

Of course, but why would she do that? Her parents were....horrible? Yes, maybe. Hated by all the Clans, perhaps evil, she didn't want any of the Clan cats knowing about her parents. But she somehow didn't seem embarrassed by anything, or trying to keep a secret, so maybe it was something.....oh. Runningkit understood now. Her parents were great to many, RockClan leaders. But to her, they were horrble. She didn't care if anyone knew who her parents were, she just wanted keep from thinking about them.

She didn't like to be reminded that they were her parents, the shade of her pelt and the scent would remind of that, so she hid it. He had almost the whole thing, her whole story. If she cared that much about forgetting them, it must be bad. She was a stray, but he scent of RockClan went so deep, to her birth. Yes, yes......of course. RockClan born, fight with her parents, ran away! Scar marks........on her head and legs. Why would she show those areas to an attcker? Wait....somone knew her. They knew how to get to turn to those areas facing their claws.

A fight, with her parents. It had turned into a battle! Of course!  Runningkit took a closer look at her face, she didn't quite want to be leader for her own sake, but she seemd proud about some other part of it. She had otherthrown her parents! They must have been leaders. Of course! But still, why had she hated her parents? She had scar marks, but they were hard to get there. She knew the cat who scarred her, but that didn't matter. Runningkit already knew it was her parents.

But the scar marks were even more hard to get there, put there by a full-grown cat based of the size, she had fought to keep them away. So she was already full-grown, since she had all the training. So her parents hadn't hurt her, difference of opinion, of course. She cared about something, she had strong opinions. Runningkit thought about it, what could it be? She was a female leader, and sadly that was rare. And she was proud to be leader, maybe for another reason....

*Runningkit!* a voice said, it wasn't a voice in his mind. It was Waterdrop's voice. Her real voice. It sound quiet, and really far away, but it was enough to zap him away from his thoughts.

"What?" He yelled, surprised.

"You have been staring off into space." Waterkit explained, calmly.

"I was thinking!" he said. "I almost had it...." he whispered, thinking it was too quiet for Waterdrop to hear.

"Almost had what?" She asked.

"The thing I was thinking about, Wolfstar's whole backstroy!" He said.

Waterkit, Stoatkit, and Swiftkit seemed to be waiting for the first one to say what was on all of their minds. "You could ask her; she would be happy to tell." Swiftkit said, kindly.

Runningkit shook his head. "I like finding out on my own, it puts my mind to work. Otherwise, I get so boared....." he explained.

"Can't you just go back to thinking?" Stoatkit suggested.

Again, the flame-and-water-colored-tom shook his head. "It takes a long time to get the point where my mind is at its best point. I have to work with it, with easier things, beforehand." He said.

By this point, everyone looked confused. Runningkit decided to stalk off. It was not really fair, no one understood him. He was stuped, insane, weird, ureasonable, whiny......everything. Or at least, every *bad* thing. He could tell most of the cats thought he was stuped, or at least that his siblings were smarter.

He knew for a fact that Talonfang seemed to think he was stuped, Silvia thought he was insane, Wolftail thoight he was werid, Whispheart seemed to think he was unreasonable even though she loved him, and Dewbramble always seemed to think he was whiny. He wasn't any of those things, he turned to the side, what looked like Dewbramble was standing next to him. He gasped and jumped back.

It was not Dewbramble, it was the Dewbramble voice, which might have been worse. "What's wrong with you?" It asked. "Well, there are a million things wrong with you. I mean right now, you seem......tense."

"Why do you care?" Runningkit asked, this voice had caused him trouble, and he frankly wasn't in the mood.

"I really don't care." The voice addmitted. "But, I am in your mind. You brought me here, and it was for a reason.  After all, I am only in your head, I am not real. But whatever, being tense will help you be insane. I would like that, I would *love* that. But, I have to warn you about that."

"Sorry." Runningkit said. "But I am really not in the mood for this, I was trying to find out more about Wolfstar."

The voice grinned. "One step closer to being insane!" he mewed. "Fine by me. I would like it very much. Anyway. how about we keep talking?"

Runningkit turned away. He would do almost anything to get rid of the voice, even something dangerous and ilegal. Well, he would actully prefer doing something like that. "You win." He said. "How can I get less tense?"

"Run," the voice suggesed. "A good long, run." Runningkit glared at the voice, there was something wrong with this. The voice wanted to make him insane, why would it be helping him prevent being insane? At this moment, more then he wanted not to be insane, he wanted to find out the voices plans. He did as he was told.

"That's good." The voice said. "Very good, indeed. Run right off the bordor......."

"Stop!" Something appared in front of him, Runningkit hissed. Was this going to happen a lot? He wasn't sure he liked it. He hissed.

His *second* least favorite voice, it looked like Stormkit, sounded like Stormkit, genrally had the same personality as Stormkit. But, it wanted to change him--something Stormkit would never want. "I was  trying to get out of camp!" Runningkit protested.

The voice shook its head. "Get back in, you are too young. Go back, and you will be safe. It is fun in there, you can eat fresh-kill and play with your siblings." Runningkit closed his eyes, then opened them.

He had a new leasr favorite voice. "At least Dewbramblevoice was blunt about his plans." he said.

Stormkitvoice shrugged. "I am not hiding anything, I just want to help you."

His voice, so gentle.....it made Runningkit want listen. "No, Runningkit." Dewbramblevoice said. "Follow your heart."

Runningkit took a step forward. "No!" Stormkitvoice said. "It is dangerous, and you know better. You could hurt! It would be a danger, everything you do would be reckless, risking your life and everything you have. You would be in extrame danger.....birds of prey that would catch you, foxes that would eat you, badgers that would wound you, rats that would trap you, dogs that would shred you, wolves that would break you, monsters that would crush you! Think about it, danger sall around you, snapping at yo,u hissing at you, growling at you, attacking you. and you would be all alone only your wits coud pretact you!" Runningkit grinned.

"I can so the glow in your eyes." Dewbramblevoice said. "Follow your heart...."

"Go back!"

"Go there!

'"Go back!"

"Go back!"

"Go there!

'"Go back!"

"Go there!'

"Go back!"

"Go there!

'"Go back!"

"Go back!"

"Go there!

'"Go back!"

"Go back!"

"Go there!

'"Go back!"

"Go there!'

"Go back!"

"Go there!

'"Go back!"

"Everybody stop!" Runningkit hissed. His mind seemed to be overflowing with thoughts. He turned to the Stormkitvoice. "Quit telling me what to do! I will do what I want,  at the exact moment I want!  I am done with being trapped in this horrible camp! I want freedom! Nothing you say will stop me from do that. I could live in a bubble, I would never be in danger I would always be safe. But that is nothing I would never want. Maybe it is dangerous, but I want to be free, I want to fight the rules I want to be who I am. And I am is not a cat who wants to be safe all every moment."

With that, Runningkit crossed the bordor. But the murmuring of the voices arguing continued. Whispers, bothering him and nearly making him turn around. But with a deep groan, and flame-colored tom kept walking.

"Go home, now." The Stormkitvoice told him.

Runningkit stiffened. "No," he said. "I'm not going home."

"But that's what I am telling you to do," The Stormkitvoice mewed. "And I know you, and you do whatever we tell you, kit."

"You know what?" Runningkit glared at the voice, only he could see it, but that changed nothing. "No. I am not going home. I am not doing what you tell me! I am not doing what anyone is telling me! My life is my own, and that's that I am *free.* Free to do what I want. Free to live my own life. Free to make my own choices. Nothing that you, or anyone else, real or fake, tells me will have any effect! You just wait."

"We will wait," the Stormkitvoice mewed, unphased. "Wait, and watch you decay."

"I won't decay!" Runningkit shot back. "You watch, one day  I will the greatest warrior RockClan has ever known, and no one *no one* will ever, ever, ever gets to tell me what to do again!"

"Have fun explaining that to the leader, deputy, and your mother," the Dewbramblevoice mewed, suddenly apparing.

Runningkit just shook his head, ignoring the voice, and then went to take another step. *What am I doing?* he thoight. *Waterkit and Stormy will want to come* he turned around and approached the territory line.

## Chapter Eight: Free

Runningkit raced back the nursery, where Waterkit and Stormkit were talking about something that, for once, Runningkit didn't care about. "Oh, hey Runningkit." Stormkit mewed, "Where were you?"

"That doesn't matter," Runningkit said. "The point is, I am leaving camp, I am going to try to find the CaveClan bordor, and see if anything is going on, Would you to like to come?"

"Of course!" Waterkit mewed. "We just have to make sure our mother doesn't find us, Runningkit, she will be furious."

"That shouldn't be a problem, " Runningkit said. "She is on patrol until tonight, right? We just have to be back by then."

"Runningkit, Waterkit what are you two thinking?" Stormkit asked. "This is crazy! We'll get caught, and into trouble. Mom definitly will put us in troube, so will Wolfstar, maybe Wolftail,I mean come on! It breaks the Warrior code."

"Who care about the warrior code, Stormy?" Runningkit asked. "This is the chance of a lifetime!"

"Well---I'm not coming," Stormkit said, looking uncomfertable. "And I can't let you two get away with this,"

"You would tell on us!" Runningkit said, growing angry. "We are a team, Stormy."

"Of course he wouldn't," Waterkit said, and then gave Stormkit a stern look. "*Right?*"

"No, I guess I wouldn't." Stormkit said. "But I really don't think it's a good idea,"

"It's a fine idea, bro." Runningkit said. "You have nothing to fear about it, what could go wrong?"

"Assume the CaveClan cats find you on their bordor?" Stormkit suggested. "And you accicently have corssed the territory line,"

"That would be a dumb mistake," Runningkit said. "But Waterkit and I are too clever for it--and so are you."

Stormkit looked irritated. "Runningkit, grown warriors make that mistake, you two are kits!"

"But that doesn't make us less intelligent," Runningkit pointed out. "Now, come on---we have to be home by dark."

"What if you get lost?" Stormkit said. "And one of the other Clans---maybe ShadeClan---finds you? Then you would be killed."

"For such a strict follower of the warror code," Waterkit said, "You really have a small understanding of it. Their is a rule that states kits can't be killed, or something to that effect. Runningkit? Let's go."

"Okay," Runningkit mewed, then he turned to his brother. "See you when we get back, bro! And next time, you really should come, it would be so much more awesome with you there."

"Next time?" Stormkit asked. "You are doing this often?"

"Why not?" Runningkit asked. "Look around, Stormy, the world is *free* for us! We have the ability to do whatever we want, so why are we staying back?"

"But--Runningkit, it breaks the rules!" Stormkit said. "You can't leave camp until you are made an apprentice, and even then with a full-grown warrior."

"Oh, who cares about the rules, Stormkit?" Waterkit asked. "Runningkit's right, we can do whatever we want."

"Not if you want to be mde an apprentice!" Stormkit said. "Even if Wolfclaw *would* let you too become apprentices despite breaking the warrior code, you would be dead."

"Really, Stromy, " Runningkit said, "What could possibly go wrong?"

Pretty much everything," Stormkit responded tensely. "You could get attacked by foxes, badgers, wolves, dogs, enemy cats......you could get lost and starve to death, you could end up in Twolegsplace and ket kiddnapped, you could attacked by loners and rouges who don't even have the courtesy to take you prisonor. You could get cuaght in a fox trap.....millions of other things."

"But here is the thing, I have never been far out of camp Stormy," Runningkit said, "but I know all of those things you named will still be a danger when I am an apprentice and a warrior, and apprentices and warriors leave camp all the time, so how dangerous could it really be?"

"A warror would have had training and stuff," Stormkit said. "So would an apprentice. As for a newly-made apprentice, they have warriors there to call for more hlep, or too step in and help. You two are planning on going alone."

"We have each other, Stormkit," Runningkit said, using his brother's real name. "We don't need anybody else."

"I can't just stay here and let you too risk your lives out there," Stormkit said, thoughtfully.

"You are still invited to come," Waterkit pointed out.

"No," Stromkit said. "I can't. Just please stay out of trouble, and if you do this again, I will have to...tell."

Runningkit and Waterkit exited camp. "Do you even know where the CaveClan bordor is?" Waterkit asked.

"No...." Runningkit said, after a pause. "But I bet I could find it."

"What? Runningkit!" Waterkit said. "Don't you think that if you are planning on sneaking somewhere, you should know where it is before you leave?"

"I know, but Wolftail told us the Clans mark there bordor so everyone knows it's theres, so finding CaveClan shouldn't be too hard." Runningkit sniffed the air, who couldn't get a scent of anyone beyond the trees.

"Why do you want to do this all of a sudden?" Waterkit asked. "You never had a thing about leaving camp before."

"I just realized how trapped is was in there," Runningkit said. "I don't want to be trapped, I want to be free. I don't like it when people try to pull be back, I like going forward. I like showing everyone that I can do whatever I want, including leaving camp."

Waterkit sniffed the air. "I think I found it," she said. "It didn't smell like here at all. What do you think?"

"You have a better sense of smell then I do," Runningkit, hating to admit it. "All I smell is like trees and stuff."

"Well, then follow me." Waterkit padded off in one direction and Runningkit followed.  "What do you plan on doing when we get there?"

"We could go behind whatever there Highstone is and listen to the leaders conversations," Runningkit suggested. "That way, if they are planning to attack RockClan, we'll know."

"That's a terrible idea, Runningkit." Waterkit said. If we get caught we'll be in even more trouble then if we just hung out on the bordor."

"But that won't be a problem," Runningkit said. "if we don't get caught."

"But it will be a problem if we do get caught!" Waterkit said. "Full-grown warriors have gotten caught doing this,"

"Scrap full-grown warriors," Runningkit said, "We are smaller and quicker. Plus, no one noitices kits are home, why should they care  here?"

"I guess you have a point, Waterkit sighed, "But we will need a plan, it could be risky."

"We can come up with a plan but it's not risky," Runningkit said. "It will be the easiest thing in the world."