Thornstar's Rise

This is a fanfiction by FlightRewritten. It features the life of an ancient ShadowClan leader, Thornstar.

**Little Note:**

***Please do not edit this if you are not being careful with the grammatical, spelling, or other "errors" you are correcting.***

## Prologue

The camp was eerily quiet. No cats stirred; they were all huddled in their dens, trying to keep warm and out of the chilling wind ripping through their camp. The leaf-bare freeze passing through the pine forests and marshes had brought a bout of greencough along with it, and all of ShadowClan was suffering. Many cats had already succumbed to the sickness. It seemed there was no stopping it.

\* \* \*

A yowl of agony sounded from a the far corners of the camp. Owlpaw jabbed his mentor in the side, hissing at him with a hint of urgency in his voice. His mentor twitched twice, letting out a long groan. Owlpaw inhaled the sharp scent of the medicine's cat den. If there was any cat who could cure Dustleap, it was him. Owlpaw padded into the corner of the den, and pulled a few pieces of catmint out of a deep hole in the ground. He made it back to his mentor's side in only a few leaps, then nudged the herb toward the ailing cat.

"Dustleap, wake up," he urged, nudging the old cat gently with his paws. "You'll make it through this, I know it. Just eat the catmint and you'll be perfectly fine."

Dustleap's amber eyes flashed open. They were no longer fiery with the tireless energy of the medicine cat before he had caught the sickness - they were now dull and glazed, barely able to focus on the apprentice.

"Let me be, Owlpaw. There are greater challenges to face - Thornstar is terribly ill. She's clinging onto her final life. Forget about me, my apprentice. I have taught you all that I know. Now go help your leader. You can do no more for me." the old tom rasped. He gently set his head back down. His breathing grew shallower and shallower, until at last he was still. Owlpaw let out a moan of grief and nestled his face into his mentor's fur. But he could not grieve now. Owlpaw leaped onto his paws and ran back to where the catmint was stored. He grabbed as much as he could in his mouth and ran in the direction of the leader's den.

"So you came." Amber eyes stared at Owlpaw as he carried the catmint into Thornstar's den. He carefully sat them down and nudged them toward the sickly she-cat.

"Eat these, Thornstar. There's no need to be worried about losing your final life. I'll make sure you live through this leaf-bare." Owlpaw meowed encouragingly, nudging the catmint closer to his leader. "You'll survive, Thornstar! You'll lead ShadowClan to victory many more times! You have more moons left in you than you think, I know it."

Owlpaw's only response was a hacking cough from Thornstar. She shivered, paws and tails twitching. Her voice was hoarse when she spoke.

"StarClan is calling to me, Owlpaw. You cannot reverse this. They are ready to take me into their ranks. I have served my Clan through many seasons, long and short alike. Stormfoot will be a good leader to you. I trust him. I trust *you*. The Clan will be safe with you, Owlpaw. May StarClan light your path." she tried to stand up, though her attempt was feeble and she collapsed onto the ground, another spasm shaking her as she let out another fit of coughing.

"No, Thornstar! You'll live! I promise I'll help you. The Clan hasn't seen the last of you. You'll carry on through this leaf-bare. I know-" Owlpaw paused as he looked at his leader. She was lying still, her breathing getting shallower and shallower. She coughed a few times more, shivering, and then she lay still.

"NO!" Owlpaw shook his leader, looking for any signs of life. But Thornstar's breathing had ceased. She had gone to join StarClan. Owlpaw looked at his paws, guilt stabbing at his heart like the sharpest thorns or the jagged peaks of Highstones. It was over. Thornstar was dead.

## Chapter 1

A shriek of agony sounded from inside of the nursery. Foxstrike lay on her side, flanks heaving, eyes glazed and wide with terror. Her ginger pelt was now dull and messy, and her green eyes were dull. Goosepelt sat by her side, fur fluffed up in fear for his mate.

"Dustleap! They're coming!" he yowled. Foxstrike growled at him, eyes narrowing. She sheathed and unsheathed her claws frantically, looking around wildly for a stick to bite on. Another spasm shook her, and she shrieked again.

"I don't need any cat yowling for the medicine cat's help! I'll manage fine!" she snapped once she recovered her breath. But she had to admit that Dustleap would help her. Foxstrike pricked her ears at the sound of pawsteps. Dustleap's scent washed over her, along with the sour tang of the medicine cat's den.

"Here. Bite down on it when you feel pain. It should ease it." Dustleap shoved a stick toward her. It was thick and sturdy. There were no branches sticking out of it. It certainly didn't look easy to break. Foxstrike nodded with satisfaction, but she hardly had any time before the next spasm shook her. She screeched and bit down on the stick as a small, wet bundle of fur slid out onto the ground next to her.

"A large, strong, handsome tom!" Dustleap announced, warmth sparking in his eyes as he looked down at the kit at Foxstrike's side. It was ginger, just like his mother. Foxstrike was licking frantically, trying to break up the kitting sac. She let out a squeak of worry when she saw the kit not breathing, but soon the kitting sac fell away and air started filling his tiny lungs. Foxstrike unsheathed her claws. Her eyes glazed over as she dug her claws hard into the soil. She shrieked and bit down onto the stick once more. A smaller clump of fur was soon at her side, joining its brother.

"A she-kit." Dustleap whispered. He helped Foxstrike lick her daughter, but she lashed out at him, her claw connecting with his nose, drawing blood. Dustleap flinched, a hurt look in his eyes. "I was only trying to help," he mewed softly. The two kits were now squirming at their mother's side. Foxstrike's eyes gleamed happily as she licked her kits. They were so small, so helpless.

*I will keep you safe. I will never let you be harmed.*

 "What shall we name them?" Goosepelt queried, eying the two kits. "They look so small and weak. How about Tinykit and Littlekit?" he suggested. The ginger tomkit wailed his disagreement. The she-kit whimpered and edged away from her littermate.

"What about Sunkit for the tom?" Foxstrike meowed, licking the ginger kit. "His fur is as bright as the sun, and he already has the strength and ferocity of a warrior." she curled her tail around the two kits, who let out squeals of protest as their mother licked them.

"And the she-kit?" Goosepelt hissed.

"Thornkit." Foxstrike mewed back, referring to the kit's thick, spiky fur, which stuck out like countless tiny, harmless thorns. The she-kit let out a soft mew as she nestled farther into her mother's fur.

"They're beautiful, Foxstrike." Goosepelt whispered, his eyes gleaming with a father's pride. He ran his tongue over the tomkit's fur, and in response, he squealed in protest and batted at his father with tiny, sheathed paws. "He's a little warrior already." Goosepelt purred.

"Yes, he is. And he and his sister will be the best warriors ShadowClan has seen." Foxstrike added.

\* \* \*

"Can't catch me!" Sunkit squealed happily as he bolted around the camp, small paws thrumming against the ground so quickly it was almost as if they never touched it at all. Wind whipped against his face, and he nearly crashed into two warriors sharing a frog near the fresh-kill pile. Thornkit hissed and padded farther back into the nursery, fur bristling.

"For the last time, Sunkit, I'm not going to play with you. I'm not a mouse-brain like you. I'd rather observe stuff around me. It'll do me more good later in life than chasing some lame kits around the camp," she growled, eyes narrowing to glowing amber slits.

Sunkit flinched, a hurt look sparking in his eyes. "I'm not mouse-brained! I'm just having fun!" he protested. "You should learn to have fun, too! Don't grow up so fast. Take some time to be a kit." Sunkit padded away toward the fresh-kill pile. He nudged a mouse and, after sniffing it, took a bite. He quickly spit it out, hissing with disgust.

"Ugh! What is that? It tastes as foul as it smells! How do older cats eat this? I'll stick to milk, thank you very much," Sunkit turned around, his cheerful mood soured, and walked back into the nursery, tail trailing behind him.

"Mouse-brain," Thornkit snickered, padding not far behind him. She stepped over her mother's tail and curled up beside her belly. She let Sunkit's squeals of joy fade away as the sweet scents of milk and the nursery swirled around her, calming her and sending her into a dark, soothing blackness.

Thornkit opened her eyes to see a thick, musty darkness swallowing up the land around her. She felt like she was about to choke on the thick fog rising up from StarClan knows where. She could hardly see where she was putting her own paws. Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain course through her right leg. Had she tripped? Lifting the stinging paw, Thornkit saw it was a gnarled stump embedded in the loose soil below. Tall trees stretched up several fox-lengths high, their branches entwining to create a sort of roof to block out the sky.

"W-Where am I?" Thornkit whimpered, fur fluffed up with fear and her eyes as wide as the moon. She backed up until she felt herself bump something- something with fur. An angry hiss sounded from a thick-furred, battle scarred tom with narrowed blue eyes. His black fur was bristling, and was stained with something sticky. Thornkit yelped and took a step back when she realized what it was. Blood.

"Welcome, Thornkit. I see you've discovered the hidden side of StarClan, where we train cats for battle. We teach more complex moves, and we aren't like your soft, kittypet-like mentors," he hissed smugly, eyes flashing with an emotion Thornkit could not decipher. She instinctively unsheathed her claws and snarled.

"Fierce, just as any true warrior should be. I'm Darkpelt, a former deputy of ShadowClan. Follow me, and I'll take you to where we train our apprentices." he started padding down a narrow path littered with brambles and thistles. Thornkit whimpered and followed him.

\* \* \*

Shrieks of battling cats split the air. Tufts of fur clung to the bare branches of trees, and blood stained the ground, which was void of any growth besides a few scraggly bushes. A large tabby tom who looked nine moons old lumbered past, shooting a glare at Thornkit as he crossed her path. A white tom was pinning down a small cream-colored she-cat, and a gray-and-white she-cat had fastened her teeth into her apprentice's throat. Thornkit whimpered, her fur bristling with fear. "This is StarClan?" she squeaked.

"Shut up, mange-pelt." Darkpelt snapped, baring his teeth at the terrified kit as he led the way into the clearing where the cats were fighting. "Tornclaw, Cinderwhisker, Mousepaw, and what's left of Amberpaw. I would like you to meet Thornkit, my new apprentice," he introduced.

"Hmm... a puny kit, eh?" Cinderwhisker sneered. "So you're taking *her* in, and while we've got these strong apprentices, you're going to be stuck with that mange-pelted filth?" The cats around her hissed threateningly, and took a step closer to the trembling kit.

"I am not a mange-pelt or a puny kit. I am stronger than I look. And I will show you just how capable I am of harming you, even though I'm a 'puny kwit'." Thornkit growled, baring her teeth. Her amber eyes flashed menacingly, despite the darkness. She lunged for the gray-and-white she-cat, hooking her burr-sharp claws into her back. Cinderwhisker barely reacted, sinking her teeth into Thornkit's scruff, then tearing her off of her back and shaking her. She flung the kit into a tree.

"There. She's finished. Amberpaw, make sure she doesn't get up." Cinderwhisker beckoned with her tail to her apprentice, a dark ginger she-cat, who's eyes were narrowed and fixed on the broken body of Thornkit.

"With pleasure," she replied. Amberpaw sprang and landed squarely on Thornkit, who had flipped over, holding her paws up to defend herself. She swiped her claws across Amberpaw's face, who hissed and pressed her claws against Thornkit's throat. Thornkit's eyes widened.

*I'm going to die. I'm going to die! She's going to tear my throat out and I'm going to lie here with the life bleeding out of me!*

 Suddenly, Thornkit raked her claws down Amberpaw's soft underbelly. The move put Thornkit into control. Amberpaw squirmed furiously and lifted her paw, prepared to rake them down Thornkit's belly just as she had done. Thornkit barely dodged the attack, with Amberpaw's claws slicing through air about a hairlength away. Thornkit turned, bared her teeth, and leaped, but a cat snapped its jaws around her tail, and dragged her away.

"You show great potential that will help you excel in battle." Cinderwhisker meowed, disappointment flickering in her gaze as she looked at her defeated apprentice, who was now standing up and glaring at the light brown kit beside her mentor. "We'll invite you every night to train here, where you'll slowly but surely become great with your battle moves. Believe me, this is an offer you don't want to turn down."

Thornkit's amber gaze was locked on the battle-scarred she-cat. "I accept. I like this place, and you'll be sure to see me every night."

"Then it is settled." Cinderwhisker hissed. "You will train here until you become a warrior."

\* \* \*

Thornkit awoke, blinking the tiredness away. She rose from her spot beside her mother and stepped over her tail, careful not to wake her or any other queen as she tiptoed out of the nursery. The air was crisp and cool. A glow was tainting the horizon a soft golden color as the sun rose into the sky. Thornkit padded into the elders' den. The cats were fast asleep, a couple of them snoring lightly and getting jabbed in the ribs when their denmates kicked in their sleep.

"Thornkit? What are you doing awake?" Thornkit turned to see Specklepaw sitting just outside of the elders' den, her tail curled around her paws. "Not trying to trick the elders, are you?"

"What? No. I just couldn't sleep, so I took a walk around the camp," Thornkit replied. "It's so quiet before dawn," she observed, eyes flickering over the elders' den and the apprentice in front of her.

"Well, okay then." Specklepaw shrugged, got up, and padded away, her tortoiseshell-and-white pelt fluffed up against the morning chill. She settled down beside the fresh-kill pile, where she carefully plucked a mouse from the top and started devouring it in large, hasty bites. Thornkit padded out after her, but instead of heading for the fresh-kill pile, she headed back toward the nursery. When she entered, Thornkit was relieved to see no one had awoken to see she was missing. She settled down beside her mother when she heard a whisper from her brother.

"Where did you go?" he whispered, careful to not to wake his mother. "Did you sneak out of camp? Try to eat from the fresh-kill pile? You smell like mouse," he exclaimed, edging away from his sister.

"Well, I woke up early and I sneaked into the elders' den, the reason for why I did that, I don't know. But then Specklepaw caught me and so I followed her out to the fresh-kill pile for a while. Then I came back in and that's when you started questioning me." Thornkit hissed. "Now shut up and go to sleep, mouse-brain."

Sunkit was about to set his head down, but he suddenly pricked his ears. Fur bristling along his spine, he cautiously stepped over his mother's tail and out of the nursery. He saw what he thought were amber eyes flash in the undergrowth. Panting and with eyes as wide as little moons, Sunkit turned tail and ran back into the nursery. He opened his jaws to yowl a warning. As if on cue, a shriek cut through the still morning air. Thornkit's heart sank.

*ThunderClan cats, and they're attacking the camp!*

## Chapter 2

Foxstrike screeched, wide-eyed with fear.

"Kits, get behind me!" she yowled. Thornkit scurried up to her mother, pressing herself against her mother's warm fur. She could smell fear hanging in the nursery air. Outside, shrieks and hissing split the air, the tang of blood growing heavier with each passing second. Suddenly, a ThunderClan cat stepped into the nursery, growling, his eyes narrowed to slits and his teeth snapping at the queens. Thornkit watched in horror as Sunkit threw himself onto the warrior.

"Sunkit, NO!" Foxstrike screeched. She tried to snatch her son by the tail, but he was already a flurry of claws and teeth on the warrior's back. Suddenly, the warrior shook him off forcefully and threw his paws down on the stunned kit. Foxstrike watched as the warrior attacked her son, her paws frozen to the ground with fear. The warrior was nose-to-nose with Sunkit, his teeth bared.

"You mange-pelts have stolen enough prey from our territory. Now you will suffer, and I don't care how much the warrior disapproves of the decision I will make right now. I am going to kill you, and then maybe you and your other lice-ridden excuses for cats will learn your lesson," he hissed quietly, anger and insanity flashing in his eyes. Battle had clearly driven this cat crazy- if he would kill a kit, what would he do to a grown warrior?

Sunkit suddenly felt the weight of the tom lifted from him. His mother was pinning him down, her ginger fur smeared with the ThunderClan warrior's blood. She bit down hard into his neck, then jerked her head around, snapping it. She nodded with a satisfied look, then gathered her kits and retreated to the dark corners of the nursery. A shriek sounded from outside. A tang of blood and fear, mingled with the leader's scent.

"Adderstar," Foxstrike breathed, eyes wide. "You kits stay here with Willowear. She'll keep you safe until the battle is over. Won't you, Willowear?" Foxstrike turned to look at a dappled gray she-cat with bright blue eyes. Willowear nodded.

"They will be safe with me, Foxstrike," she whispered, gathering the kits with her tail and keeping them close to her thick, soft fur. "You'll be okay, little ones. Don't fret, your mother will be back shortly," Willowear reassured them. "She is a true warrior, brave, strong, and loyal. ShadowClan honors her courage to leap into the heat of the battle and fight for her kits."

\* \* \*

Foxstrike stood on three paws. She looked up at the brown tabby tom, satisfaction gleaming in his fiery amber eyes. She was covered in numerous scratches, and she had injured one of her hind legs badly. Yet she would not back down. Foxstrike let out a low growl, then flung herself at the tom with all the strength she had left. She sank her claws into his back, then when he tried to roll over, she leaped off and, when he stood up again, poised for the next attack, she raked her claws down his face. Foxstrike felt a searing pain in her hind leg. She was distracted by the pain, allowing the tom to barrel into her and pin her down. He sank his claws into her throat, drawing blood. Foxstrike feebly tried to claw at his belly, but he was barely affected and he bit down onto her neck. Foxstrike twitched once, then was still.

The sounds of battle started to die down. From the looks of it, ShadowClan was clawing their way to victory. Clumps of fur lay littered over the ground, which was stained with the blood of fallen cats. The cats to escape their enemies' grasps fled into the undergrowth.

"Retreat, ThunderClan, retreat!" Thornkit could barely blink before the remaining ThunderClan cats fled the ShadowClan camp with their leader.

"Cowardly mousefodder," she growled, flicking her tail. "They should learn to toughen up, or they'll never be able to win a battle in their Clan's history." Thornkit watched the nursery entrance intently, waiting for her mother to rush in and cover her kits with comforting licks. But no cat came.

"Hey, Sunkit?" Thornkit called. Her brother padded over at her command. He tipped his head to the side in confusion.

"What is it?" he queried. "Wait. . . where's Foxstrike? We need to go out there and find her! What if she's injured? Let's go check the medicine cat's den and see if she's recovering from any wounds!" he suggested, racing out of the nursery before he even finished speaking. Thornkit hesitated, then followed her brother more slowly.

"Oh no. . . Thornkit. . . look. . ." Sunkit was looking down at the body of a ginger she-cat. She was covered in numerous clawmarks, and blood flowed from a wound in her neck. She was breathing, but her breath was coming in shallow gasps. "Foxstrike!" Sunkit whimpered, burying himself into her fur. "We need to get you to the medicine cat's den."

Thornkit, however, showed no sympathy for her brother, and she hardly looked at her mother.

"What happened to the warrior code?" she hissed, eying her mother and her grieving brother with a cold expression. "It says you don't need to kill to win a battle. I see plenty of dead cats in this clearing. Has ThunderClan lost their minds?" Thornkit dug her claws into the cool, moist soil. "I'll teach them," she muttered under her breath.

"Thornkit!" Sunkit wailed, looking down at his mother with a grief-stricken expression. He was trembling, looking only like a fraction of the proud, headstrong, arrogant kit he was the day before. "Foxstrike... Foxstrike's dead! She just stopped breathing! It's all our fault! We didn't go out and help her fight, like we should've! We're only two moons old... and we haven't got a mother!" he whimpered.

"But we've still got Goosepelt. Our kin isn't entirely wiped out. And Willowear will care for us. Her kits are only half a moon older than us- they aren't eating prey yet, is what I mean. She seems nice, so I know we'll be in good paws. And Goosepelt will treat us as he always has- he'll just ignore us." Thornkit padded over to her brother and bit down hard on his tail, dragging him toward the nursery.

"Ow!" he yowled, clawing frantically at the ground to stop him from moving. He bit down on Thornkit's muzzle and she recoiled, hissing angrily.

"What was that for?" Thornkit gave her brother a strong cuff to the ear. "Watch what you're biting!" She charged into the nursery, agitated and wishing she was back in her nest, curled up with her mother and sleeping soundly. Like she should've been doing.

\* \* \*

"Kits, get back inside the nursery! The early frosts of leaf-fall will freeze every hair on your pelt, all the way down to the tips of your tails!" Willowear called, her bright blue eyes wide with worry. She flicked her tail impatiently as she looked on at the kits, chasing each others' tails and yowling indistinct commands to each other. Thornkit padded over to her foster mother obediently.

"Hi, Willowear," she muttered, looking down at her paws as she entered the nursery. It had been a moon since her mother's death, and though she tried not to show her grief on the outside, she grieved every day on the inside, and sometimes the emotions cracked outside of her and a bright, beautiful day could turn sour in an instant. Thornkit settled down in her nest. She listened to the gentle wind blow outside and let it lull her to sleep.

\* \* \*

"What are you, a snail? You need to strike faster, Amberpaw, or your enemy will easily be able to dodge the attack!" Cinderwhisker snarled, raking her claws hard down Amberpaw's face. Amberpaw winced at the pain, but kept her gaze locked on her mentor and snarled back.

"Like this?" Amberpaw held still for a while. Cinderwhisker watched her apprentice intently, tail flicking with impatience. When Cinderwhisker looked distracted, Amberpaw pounced and barreled into her mentor, pinning her down. She rolled over, claws hooked into Cinderwhisker's forearms, until Cinderwhisker was on top. She raked her mentor's belly and then lashed out with her legs, kicking the pale gray-and-white she-cat to the other side of the clearing.

"Well done," Cinderwhisker hissed, her blue eyes gleaming with pride in her apprentice. "Now, since you're improving so much, how about you fight Thornkit? Win back your loss."

Amberpaw's eyes gleamed menacingly. She bared her teeth at Thornkit. But Thornkit did not cower- she did not back down. She instead took a step toward the power-driven apprentice, who was standing still, hesitating before she launched her attack.

*I know this move! I saw Amberpaw use it on her mentor. . .*

 Just as Amberpaw leaped for Thornkit, claws unsheathed, Thornkit rolled to the side, causing the ginger apprentice to crash into the damp, blood-stained ground. She got up, shaking her fur and sending clumps of mud flying in all directions. She took a threatening step toward Thornkit, her breath smelling of squirrels as she spoke.

"You will not take my victory from me, you fox-hearted, snake-tongued, mange-pelted DUNGFACE!" Amberpaw shrieked. She suddenly leaped for the kit, sinking her claws into her soft, light brown fur. Thornkit let out a squeal of terror.

"Oh, what? You can't defend yourself? Let's see how you deal with *this!"* Amberpaw sank her claws deep into Thornkit's throat. Thornkit tried to cry out for help, but the only sound that came out was the gurgle of blood. Pain swept over her like a wave. Amberpaw's claws disappeared abruptly as Thornkit was swept away into a dizzying blackness.

\* \* \*

"Thornkit!" Sunkit wailed. He stood by his sister's side. She was breathing quickly, eyes wide with horror. "Thornkit! Are you alright?" her brother thrust himself into Thornkit's fur. Dustleap padded forward, paws covered in cobwebs and mouth full of marigold poultice.

"She'll live, but how in the name of StarClan did she end up with a wound in her throat?" Dustleap queried as he stuck the cobwebs onto Thornkit's neck. Thornkit whimpered and shut her eyes tightly. Her tail-tip twitched once.

"I was in StarClan, training, and-" she began hoarsely, but was cut off by a furious comment from the medicine cat. Dustleap's eyes were narrowed and burning like fire, and his tail was lashing furiously.

"You weren't in StarClan, you mouse-brain!" he snapped, glowering at the kit. "You were in the Dark Forest! Cats who cause great pain during their lives go there when they die, and then they lure in young kits and apprentices to train them there, hoping that they follow in their pawsteps!" he snarled. "Never go there again!"

"It's too late." Thornkit muttered. "I already promised the StarClan- I mean Dark Forest cats that I'd visit them every night! And there's a nice cat named Cinderwhisker- I haven't seen her be as mean to me as the others have been. And Darkpelt is like Goosepelt. He just ignores me and snaps at me from time to time." she blurted out quickly, leaping to her paws.

"You did *WHAT?"* Dustleap was furious. "ShadowClan cats will have nothing to do with the Dark Forest! I heard you yelling out *'blood'* and *'fight'* while you were unconscious! The cats in the Dark Forest will corrupt you, Thornkit! Don't meet with them, just go on with normal dreams, like Sunkit!"

"Actually, I don't dream." Sunkit exclaimed randomly, shuffling his paws around the cool, damp marsh ground, unearthing small clumps of mud and a few pebbles that had been deeply submerged in the soil before he had uprooted them. His gaze flicked up to Dustleap, who was still seething with anger.

"Hey, mouse-brain, we didn't need to know that! We've got a real problem. I don't give a mouse's tail for what happens when you sleep. So be quiet, will you? This is serious, unlike you." Thornkit meowed brusquely, lashing her tail in her brother's face. Sunkit hissed and leaped away. Thornkit flashed one glare at Dustleap and then followed her brother.

\* \* \*

Lightning flashed and thunder crackled throughout the sky. Rain pounded down on the camp. Cats quietly mewed inside their dens, not daring to venture out into the storm. Thornkit stared intently at the nursery exit, as if someone was coming to meet her. She moved not one muscle in her body. She didn't even blink.

Sunkit leaped back into the nursery, his thick golden fur plastering onto his wiry frame. Despite how strong he looked, Sunkit was slenderly built, not a good sign for battle. Thornkit muffled a laugh. Her brother looked so pathetic, with his sopping wet fur making him look half his size.

"Hello, Sunkit!" Thornkit greeted. "How was jumping into the river today?" she teased. Sunkit hissed.

"I did not jump into the river! A RiverClan patrol would've caught me! And plus, we're not allowed to leave the camp. We're not even apprentices yet." he protested, ears laid flat against his head. He fluffed up his fur, causing droplets to scatter, flying to different corners of the nursery.

"Sure..." Thornkit meowed smugly. "We're five moons old now. We're almost apprentices. It doesn't matter if we go out now. We're strong enough to survive out on our own. I can catch prey, too! Yesterday there was a frog flopping around our camp, and I killed it with one swift pounce! What did you catch?"

Sunkit growled in response. "Are you sure you didn't catch yourself? Arrogant frog, that's what you are, just like the lazy old piece of crowfood you caught." he flicked his tail casually, though his expression showed he was very angry with his sister, who was sitting wide-eyes, licking her paw innocently. When she heard Sunkit's gibe, she looked up from her grooming abruptly and let out a low-pitched hiss, but before she could start hurling insults at her brother left and right, Willowear interrupted them.

"Kits, please. Don't fight. It's starting to get dark. Even I can notice the sun setting behind the clouds. Come and sleep. You'll need the rest, dear kits. Tomorrow will be bright and sunny, and you'll be able to play all day, but you won't be able to if you don't settle down and rest." she meowed gently, her voice toned down to a whisper.

Sunkit's jaws were parted in a yawn. He padded over to his foster mother and curled up beside her, nestling into her warm, soft fur. Thornkit followed close behind.

"Tomorrow is a new day," she whispered, barely able to keep her eyelids from drooping.

"Yes. Yes it is, Thornkit."

## Chapter 3

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Longbranch for a Clan meeting!" Adderstar's loud mew rang through the hushed camp. It was still early morning, with the sun trying its bright rays in between the tall pine barriers. The apprentices ran out of their den, tumbling over each other, when they heard their leader's call. Not far behind, three warriors picked a nice, plump blackbird from the fresh-kill pile, then settled down behind the apprentices, picking out the dark feathers before eating the rest of the bird. Thornkit and Sunkit raced each other until they got to where the leader was addressing them.

"What do you think is happening?" Sunkit whispered to his sister, gazing up at the leader as he stood tall on the fallen branch. It had once been part of a tree long ago, but it fell during a storm, and now it lay near the leader's den. The leader usually called a Clan meeting by the Longbranch.

*Soon, I'll be standing up there,* Thornkit thought.

"Well?" Sunkit jabbed his sister in the side. Thornkit turned and jabbed him back.

"One of the apprentices is probably becoming a warrior. Specklepaw looks ready enough, don't you think?" she responded. Specklepaw shot her a look of pride. Her fur wasn't groomed that nicely, hinting this ceremony wasn't for her, but for another apprentice, or. . . kit.

Once all the cats had gathered around the Longbranch, Adderstar cleared his throat and started speaking.

"Thornkit, Sunkit, step forward," he beckoned, flicking his tail and gazing down at the two kits with a stern look on his face. He had performed these ceremonies for moons. It was obvious he had lost any joy in doing them.

Thornkit stepped forward shakily. Her heart was beating wildly. She felt as if it would break through her chest, she was so excited and nervous. She glanced at Sunkit, who shared her expression. At least she wasn't the only one who was nervous. She leaped up onto the branch, landing on three paws, the last brushing against the side of the branch and causing her to wobble unsteadily. Sunkit followed her.

"Thornkit," the leader began, "from this day until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Thornpaw. Poppynose," he turned to a sleek-furred she-cat with fur as black as the night and eyes blazing like fire, "you have shown exceptional skill in hunting and your loyalty has never wavered. I hope you will pass on the skills you have learned to your new apprentice." Poppynose stepped up to her apprentice, gratitude and fear washing over her. She touched her nose to Thornpaw's.

"Sunkit," Adderstar fixed his gaze on the shaking ginger kit, his chest puffed out proudly and his fur smooth and sleek. His bright, forest-green eyes gleamed with pride, and his tail held high. "From this day until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Sunpaw. Splashberry, you will mentor this apprentice. You have proven useful in battle, and your ambition will push this cat to be as great as you, I know it. Pass your skills onto Sunpaw." A tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with dull green eyes padded up. Her muzzle was raked with scars. She had clearly been in many battles.

*Good, I get the experienced one,* Sunpaw thought smugly. *She'll definitely be more useful than Poppynose.*

Splashberry hissed lightly and touched her nose to her apprentice's, and then her gaze softened a bit. She flicked her tail, then padded to stand proudly beside her apprentice. Thornpaw watched with narrowed eyes, jealously bubbling up inside of her. She didn't understand why Sunpaw had gotten the better mentor. She looked at her own mentor, fur slightly fluffed, and nervousness clear in her expression.

*I'm obviously her first apprentice,* Thornpaw thought, frustration and anger rising up in her chest until it felt like a raging fire fiercely burning her pelt, the searing heat shooting through her swifter than a rabbit being pursued by a WindClan hunting patrol. *She looks more nervous than a border patrol crossing into another Clan's territory!*

"Sunpaw! Thornpaw! Sunpaw! Thornpaw!" Thornpaw looked on proudly as her Clanmates chanted her apprentice name to the sky. Willowear yowled louder than everyone else, genuine pride sparking in her eyes. Sunpaw eyed her happily. Thornpaw, however, felt like Willowear didn't really care much about this ceremony, only seeming proud of their accomplishments to act like a mother to her adopted kits.

"All right, mouse-brain. Let's head on over to the ThunderClan border so I can teach you the smell of enemies," Splashberry hissed to her apprentice. Sunpaw looked up at her, barely able to bottle up the excitement welling up in him. He nodded and followed his mentor, her tortoiseshell pelt already disappearing into the underbrush.

"Oh! Um... so... Thornpaw, is it?" Poppynose mumbled stupidly. "Er... the elders' den is in need of cleaning. Would you be kind enough to go fetch them some new bedding?"

Thornpaw stared at her mentor with annoyance evident in her expression. "I was hoping for training. Hunting, at the least. My brother is going to be chasing some ThunderClan fox-hearts off our territory while I clean the moss out of Burrtuft's den and listen to the rest of the elders ramble on about how they chased off an old, yapping Twoleg dog covered in fleas!" she hissed, lashing her tail.

"Fine, if you're so desperate to train, follow me. I know a secluded part of the forest where nothing stirs- the perfect place for training," Poppynose growled in response, flicking her pitch black tail as she turned in the direction of the camp exit, bounding far ahead of her apprentice.

"Wait!" Thornpaw barely managed to keep up. Before long, her mentor had reached a large, silent clearing, the sun penetrating through the surrounding pines, thus allowing light to wash into the stretch of grass and the low-lying shrubs and ferns. Poppynose finally slowed in the middle of the clearing turning back to face her apprentice. She no longer looked nervous, but stood tall, her tail flicking from side to side.

*Of course!* Thornpaw thought. *It was all just a cover! Poppynose wanted me to think she was new at this, but I'm probably her third or fourth apprentice...*

"Now," Poppynose hissed. "Let's see what you already know. I will then train you based on your skills, and what you have to learn. Come at me." She crouched low, eyes narrowed, gaze unwavering. Thornpaw just stood there.

"Well?" Poppynose growled. "Don't stand there all day, mouse-brain. We've got training to do. You can't look around at the sky, chasing butterflies like a kit. You're an apprentice!" Her claws slid out. "If you don't come at me, I'll come at you. Then, I'll see how you defend yourself."

Thornpaw suddenly burst up from the ground, claws unsheathed and glinting in the sunlight. With a furious hiss, she tackled her mentor, rolling her onto her side. As Poppynose lifted her paw to slash at her apprentice's soft underbelly, Thornpaw stood still. Her mentor performed the attack and soon had the young light-brown tabby pinned to the ground. Out of nowhere, Thornpaw kicked with her hind legs and sent the Poppynose flying.

"Nice," the black-furred she-cat praised, nodding at her satisfied apprentice, who was now puffing out her chest. "Where did you learn that move? I've only seen full-grown warriors perform that, and usually only during battles where we were severely outnumbered!"

Thornkit hesitated before giving her answer. She couldn't tell Poppynose about her training in the Dark Forest. She might overreact just as Dustleap had.

"Oh, I learned it from Goosepelt. He led me out of the camp secretly once so he could teach me some complex battle moves. I practiced a whole bunch, and once, a trespassing ThunderClan apprentice named Amberpaw walked onto our territory, and I-" Thornkit's lie was cut short by a low snarl from Poppynose. Her fur spiked up in the back.

"Amberpaw," she hissed so quietly that it was almost inaudible, "is an apprentice who trains in the Dark Forest. When did you have this training session with your father?"

Thornpaw wondered how her mentor had found out such information. Amberpaw wouldn't dare tell other apprentices, accidentally letting the full-grown warriors overhear the conversation, would she? She took a deep breath as she prepared to explain.

"About a moon ago, when greenleaf was just creeping upon us. Right after the dawn patrol left," she meowed.

"A moon ago, when greenleaf was starting. Right after a dawn patrol, eh? Well, you snake-tongued fox-heart, Goosepelt went on most dawn patrols in between late newleaf and the beginning of greenleaf. I remember- you were sleeping in the nursery and he was up and ready to mark the borders." Poppynose fixed her burning gaze onto her now-trembling apprentice. Thornpaw could sense that her mentor caught the lie.

"You train in the Dark Forest, don't you?"

\* \* \*

"Thornpaw," Sunpaw nudged his sister gently as she snored away in the apprentices' den.

"It's time for the Gathering. We were selected to go, remember?" He batted Thornpaw playfully. She sat up abruptly, then tackled her brother to the ground.

"Don't do that again," Thornpaw threatened. She moved her paws so as to let Sunpaw scramble out of the den. Her paws dragged her more slowly behind. It had been a while since the last Gathering. The moon dividing this Gathering and the last felt like several seasons. Thornpaw hadn't been chosen for the previous Gathering- she was considered too young. Specklepaw, however, who became Speckleface during the last two moons, was allowed to go. Thornpaw let out an exasperated huff.

As the Clan set off for Fourtrees, Thornpaw caught a bit of a conversation between three senior warriors. What she heard unsettled her, the fur pricking along her neck.

"The way Adderstar runs this Clan is mouse-brained!" hissed one warrior, his pitch black fur blending him into the night.

"Newly-made apprentices should always go to Gatherings the first moon. It isn't fair to Sunpaw," a smoky gray she-cat snapped. "He should've been at last moon's Gathering. Instead, he was cleaning out the nursery!" At that, Thornpaw let out a low, angry hiss.

*Sunpaw, Sunpaw, Sunpaw. I'm his sister! Can't they acknowledge me as well?*

Thornpaw immediately pushed the selfish thoughts out of her mind. Her leader's life was at stake, and possibly the survival of the Clan as well. Her amber eyes flickered back to the trio of senior warriors, but they had continued plodding along silently. Thornpaw growled with frustration.

*Adderstar will never believe me.*

"Adderstar won't believe you about what?" A voice mewed behind her. Thornstar rolled her eyes at the sight of her brother. Had she thought out loud? This wasn't for Sunpaw to know about.

"About. . . about a prey shortage. I didn't spot any mice, or frogs, or lizards, or any of the good stuff. Just a few lame birds in the branches. Oh, how I hate plucking out all those feathers before I can reach the flesh. And the fresh-kill pile has been small lately."

"Well, duh, it's leaf-fall," Sunpaw retorted, swishing his long, fluffy tail in the fallen leaves. Shrugging, he turned away from his sister and took his place behind a lean, gray tabby tom. Thornpaw scowled. That had been close. Too close. Thornpaw continued padding along with her Clan. Eventually, Fourtrees came into view. The moonlight shining down onto the clearing transformed cats' pelts into an ocean of different silvers. Sunpaw immediately tried to dash off, but his long strides were cut short when Goosepelt snapped his jaws around the young apprentice's tail.

"You can't go blundering off like that! Stick with your Clan!" The old warrior barked once Sunpaw had retreated behind him. Slowly, ShadowClan made its way down to meet the other two Clans that were there. Thornpaw couldn't help but gag as her Clan took their place beside RiverClan.

*They smell like* fish*. Blech.*

Thornpaw averted her gaze. There was a RiverClan apprentice staring right at her. His pelt was sleek and gray. He looked well-fed, at least, plumper than apprentices from the other Clans. Thornpaw snarled, still not looking him in the eye, and he turned away. ThunderClan cats finally streamed into the clearing. Their leader leaped onto the Great Rock.

"Let the Clans gather!" The RiverClan leader yowled before launching into a long report on her Clan's prey situation, which seemed like the most perfect definition of greenleaf in ShadowClan territory to Thornpaw. ThunderClan's leader mentioned two apprentices who became warriors during the past moon, which resulted in a great roar of congratulation from ThunderClan. WindClan reported a shortage of rabbits.

"Fish-brained rabbit-chasers, aren't they?" The RiverClan apprentice was speaking to Thornpaw. She growled at first, but then decided to answer for the fun of it.

"Yea, but not as fish-brained as RiverClan cats! Think about it! Catching slimy, scaly stuff from the river and then *eating* it, bones and all!" She mewed. The RiverClan apprentice snarled and turned away, but not before he breathed into her face. Thornpaw almost choked on the rancid smell of half-eaten fish. She was snapped back into reality by a great cheer from her Clan.

*Oh, StarClan, they announced that Sunpaw and I became apprentices.*

The RiverClan apprentice muttered something under his breath, that sounded a bit like, "congratulations, Thornheart". Thornpaw rolled her eyes.

*RiverClan cats! I mean,* honestly*!*