Outcast

## Chapter 1

Dark grey clouds drifted across the sky, and heavy rain splashed against the treetops and the tips of the grass. A yowl sounded from the Loners & Rogues camp, and a silver tabby she-cat flipped over onto her belly. "Give in!" Sparks yowled, shoving her onto the ground and pinning her with a smirk.

"Never!" Sapphire chanted, throwing her brother off and puffing out her chest fur proudly. She leaped onto her brother, curling her claws across his shoulderblades. A dark red tom padded forward, his lips curled.

"Knock it off," He spat, his fur on end. "You two act like a bunch of annoying kits." Sapphire and Sparks frowned, and both exchanged a curious, flat gaze.

"But we *are*kits," Sapphire cooed, falling onto her paws chuckling moments later. Sparks gazed over at his sister, and began to laugh as well.

"Enough!" The tom scowled, his tail-tip lashing with fury and annoyance. "I won't tolerate your two's smart attitudes. If you'd rather play and have no care in the world, be my guest. See how you like it - see how long you can survive out here on your own." The two kits exchanged confused glances, shocked by their father's response.

Pyre snorted and sprung to his paws, and raced out of the Loners & Rogues camp without a word. "Dad.....?" Sapphire squeaked, her gaze now flooded with concern. "Sparks, where's daddy going?" She complained, her ears flattened against her skull. Sparks narrowed his eyes sharply, not bothering to share a glance with his sister.

"..I don't think he likes us anymore," Sparks sighed, a cold shiver running down his spine. "I think that he hates us, and wishes that we were never born.." Sapphire's eyes went round, but her ears still seemed to stay perked.

"Well, aren't you *positive*?" She meowed sarcastically, beginning to groom her sleek, matted gray fur. "Maybe he just needs some time to himself to think."

"Maybe..." Sparks mewed softly, looking away. Sapphire nudged him and rolled over onto her side, unoticingly getting her pelt dirty.

"C'mon, don't worry! I'm sure that dad will be back soon! In the meantime, let's play some..-" She paused for a moment, and watched her mother scamper out of camp with a depressed look. *What's up with our parents?*

Sparks gaze followed his sisters, and he closed his eyes thoughtfully. *Please let my sister be okay... that's all I want. That's all I wish for.*Sapphire flicked an ear and rose to her paws, racing over to her brother and tumbling overtop of him.

"Ooof," Her brother mumbled, being pinned to the ground. Sapphire's eyes gleamed with pleasure, and she slowly batted at him with her paws.

"Hah, got you!"

"Not for long!" Sparks commented, throwing his sister off and racing to the edge of camp. "Bet you can't catch me!" Sparks yowled back, his eyes gleaming with a challenge.

"Oh yeah? Try me!" Sapphire sped after her brother, and skidded to a hault moments later. She found herself covered in a patch of dust as she tumbled forward, and let out a mumble. "...Sparks?" She murmered, shaking the dirt off of her and backing away slowly. "Hello???"

A large, massive figure appeared behind her, and she felt herself clamped beneath the bristles of the bushes. A thorn poked at her fur, and she let out a squeak and fell back. "Hah!" A voice scowled, ringing through her ears. Sparks came speeding forward, and pinned his sister to the ground. "Who's the one pinned to the ground now?" Sapphire rolled her eyes, feeling the sharp point of the thorn poke at her side. Ignoring the pain, she wriggled out of her brother's grasp, and slammed her paws against his shoulders.

"You."

Sparks sighed and rolled over, shooting a friendly smirk back at his sister. "Ok, ok, you win," He complained, slowly rising to his paws. "But I *let*you win."

"Yeah right!" Sapphire hissed, her tail waving. "I beat you fair and square, no doubt about it!"