Cora's Story

*A blood curdling screech split the air. M*ultiple cats groaned in annoyance as they awoke from the terrible noise. " No, no, no! I don't want to see Brokenstar again!" The kit wailed as she was dragged away from the nursery towards Brokenstar's den. Two apprentices, Nightpaw and Lightningpaw struggled to control the shockingly fierce kit, Batkit. Bonetail, Shadowclan's deputy stood at the entrance of the leaders den, awaiting the arrival of the small silver dappled ebony panther shekit.

The deputy nodded at the two apprentices to leave, then gripped the tiny scrap's scruff roughly and padded into their leader's den. Spitting in annoyance, Brokenstar appeared at his den's entrance. " Hush!" He hissed irritably at the shekit, and on his command her terrible wailing silenced. " We are almost finished with her training." Bonetail responded eagerly. " She will be all yours to play with soon." Brokenstar replied. Bonetail followed Brokenstar into the depths of his den, carrying Batkit in his jaws. The two apprentices watched carefully from the entrance of the den. " What do you think they have been doing to that poor scrap?" Lightningpaw whispered to Nightpaw. "Nothing good." Nightpaw responded to his brother shortly.

*Just before dawn, Batkit stumbled out of Brokenstar's den and hustled to the medicine cats' den. Bonetail padded up to the guard for that night, and questioned him.* Frostwind welcomed the small kit into the medicine den, this had became a routine for them. The medicine cat quickly treated Batkit's wounds without exchanging a word with the kit. She then returned to the nursery, her long tassel dragging on the ground. Darkheart waited at the entrance for Batkit's return. " You know, you can tell me what they do to you. You can tell me anything. I am your mother." Darkheart meowed quietly to her kit. Batkit quickly shook her crainium. " I can't tell anyone what they do. Brokenstar said so." She responded. Darkheart cast a nervous glance at her daughter as she followed her into the nursery.

*One moon later...*

" Every cat that is old enough to kill, gather here beneath the High Ridge!" Brokenstar yowled. Darkheart quickly gave Batkit a nervous lick between her zeniths as she pulled away from her mother. Batkit then followed her mother to the high ridge obediently. " Today a new apprentice will be named." Brokenstar called down to the cats below him. *Gasps and murmurs broke out between the clan.* " No kits are nearly old enough to be apprenticed!" Coldsun questioned Brokenstar. The leader snarled at the russet tom, denying his statement. Despite the agonized protests from his clan, Brokenstar continued. " Batkit step forward..."

*Two moons after the apprentice ceremony...*

Batpaw trudged after Bonetail, her mentor, her long tassel dragging through the muddy Earth as it trailed behind her. The young apprentice had nearly doubled in size since she was a kit. Still only six moons old now, Batpaw had plenty to learn. In the bleak moonlight, Bonetail wound his own path around the dense forest, leading up to his private training place with Batpaw. *Except Bonetail was never training Bonepaw to become a warrior... But something else. Their secret night " training " sessions had been going on ever since Batpaw had become apprenticed.*

*A few moons later...*

 " THE BATTLE HAS COME, EVERY WARRIOR AND APPRENTICE GATHER BENEATH THE HIGH RIDGE. IT IS TIME TO TEACH THOSE FISH-EATERS A LESSON!!!" Brokenstar yowled ominously. The quick thumping of feet was all of the noise the clan made as they assembled. " WE WILL TAKE VICTORY, AND ONLY VICTORY! " Brokenstar snarled deviously. Batpaw had hung at the back of the gathering, waiting nervously. Coldson appeared by her side, " Remember the plan? " The bright ginger tom whispered into her zenith. The massive shecat nodded, her broken mind beyond repair. The waning moonlight casted eerie shadows as the ShadowClan cats left.

*At the battle...*

 The eight moon old massive panther shecat bounded wildly through the woods, her breath ringing franticly in her zeniths. She had snuck off from the battle with the help of Coldson and Stormpaw. *They had know what was happening to her all along.* Batpaw ran through her mental list of herbs that she would need to survive, graciously taught to her by Palesky. She would never come back to ShadowClan. Batpaw, spitting in fury, " I will never be Batpaw again, for as long as I live this dreadful and messed up life. I am Cora. I have done the impossible, and escaped Bonetail. I will never love or be loved again, I will remain on my own. Forever."

*Or so she thought... Until she met the Blood Rogues, and found what she had sworn she would never have again...*