Heart's Trials(Book)

♥Heart's

Trials♥

By Gigglekit

Westy

Marigold

Jess

Luck

Chelsea

Cedar(Grandkit of Vole)

Apple II(Grandkit of Vole)

Violet

Mist

Oak

Josef

Miki

Dawn

Will

Belle & Bella

Kylie

Lyla

## Prolouge

Princess Lily Rose,Heir of Whisper felt pain ripple through her pelt.“Get Willow."she said through gritted teeth.Apple nodded and rushed out the door.

Running down the streets,Apple pounded on Willow's door.But Willow didn't answer.He knocked harder.

Marigold opened the door,surprise on her face.“Where's Willow?"Apple asked,panting.

“Ma hasn't been well."Marigold paused.“It's the princess,isn't it?"Apple nodded.

Rushing inside,Marigold came back with a cloak.“If Ma can't come,I'm better than nothin'."

Lily groaned as another wave of pain hit her.Just then the door flew open.“Willow..."

“Ma ain't well."Marigold said as she threw down her cloak.Lily groaned again as the pain seemed to double.She was relieved when it was over.

She looked at two tiny tomsThey both had her pale grey fur and gold eyes.The larger tom had Apple's long legs.

Looking up at Apple,Lily asked“Can we name one Ripple?"

“We'll name them whatever you like."Apple whispered,looking at his kits.Ripple had been Lily's brother's name.She had never known him,or her sister,Diamond.But if felt right to name her kit after one if them.

The small tom curled his long tail over his nose.“What will we call him?"Apple asked.

“We will call him Pebble."She decided,her eyes glowing as she watched the kits.

## Chapter 1

“BOYS!"Lily screamed,running down the hall.Ripple laughed,racing around the bend.Pebble jumped on a table and leaped to a bookshelf,literally bouncing off the walls.“Get back here this instant!"

“Come on Pebble!Hurry up!"Ripple threw over his shoulder as he ducked down a hallway.

Bunching his muscles under him,Pebble leaped over a desk,landing on the other side,then took off after his brother.Lily sighed with frustration as the kits bounded around the Tower.

Pebble chased Ripple,then the taller kit came to a stop.“I think we lost her."he panted.

“I saw Ma stop."Pebble agreed.“But she's sure to tell Father."Ripple shrugged.

“So?Father can't punish us if he can't find us!"Ripple laughed.

Pebble had a confused look on his face.“But Father knows everywhere to hide in Silver Tower!"

“He doesn't know about the Burrows."His brother reminded him.

## Chapter 2

Ripple and Pebble pulled hard on the frame of the painting.The gold seperated from the wall,revealing a hole.

Ripple smiled,and got down on all four.As he crawled inside,Pebble followed.

The kits went around a bend and then the floor sloped down.Into the darkness,they heard pawsteps overhead.

“They keep running around,causing trouble!"the princes recognized Emerald's voice.

“But Mom,They're only kits!"Lily exclaimed.

“Grandma and Ma are talking about us."Pebble whispered.

Ripple didn't seem to hear him.“Lily,they are out of control."

Vole spoke up.“I seem to remember times when Lily was causing trouble,herself."

“Dad!"

“I remember the time when she broke your best necklace?"Vole said,humor in his voice.

Emerald huffed.“But-"

“Hmm?"Lily said.

“Ripple and Pebble have done more than break a measly necklace.

Lily sighed.“Let them have fun.They'll enjoy it,and when they get older its not going to be possible.They are royalty!"Lily paused.“I remember you telling me that being heir to the throne is different than being royal,isn't that right,Mom?"

Emerald sighed.“Keep those kits out of trouble,Lil."

“Does Grandma really think we're trouble?"Pebble asked.

Ripple didn't answer.He kept crawling through the tunnel.The ground fell away more steeply now.

After going for several meters,Ripple stopped.“They'll never find us here!"

Pebble pressed his paws against the walls.Suddenly there was a crackling noise.“What's that?"

“Probably nothing."

Pebble narrowed his eyes and pressed harder.Soil splattered over his paws and he back away,leaning on the other wall.

Ripple turned to look back at him,but it was too dark to see anything.“What are you doing?"

“Nothing."

“Ok."

They sat in silence,till they began getting hungry.“Let's find our way back,now."Ripple suggested.Turning down a side tunnel,the kits walked on.

They turned down another tunnel,and another,till Pebble felt like he was all turned around.“Ripple,are we lost?"

“No."the bigger kit replied.“I know these Burrows like the back of my paw.

Pebble hoped he was right.

## Chapter 3

To Pebble it felt like they were in the Burrows for ages,but Ripple was confident that they'd find a way out.

“Not far now!"he exclaimed every time they went down a side tunnel.

Crackling sounded behind Them.Pebble tried to ignore it.Then he could feel the roof on his spine and the crackling increased.

“Ripple,I think we should turn back!"he yelled over the noise.

Ripple snorted.“Why should we?Besides,the tunnel is too narrow.Only way out is to keep moving."he paused.“You aren't scared of a little noise,are you?"

Pebble followed Ripple into the tunnel,the roof coming closer to his back in every pawstep.He nearly ran into his brother when the bigger kit stopped.

“What is it?"

“Tunnel ends here."Ripple whispered,barely loud enough to be heard over the growing sound.

Soil crunched against Pebble's back.“Ripple-"his words were lost in endless noise as soil fell around them,blocking the tunnel.

Lily paced the dinning room floor.“Apple,I've searched the whole castle,I can't find them!"

“Lily,they have to be hiding somewhere."Apple said,standing from his chair.

Lily shook her head,tears welling in her eyes.“They *never*stay hiding after supper.I know something happened to them,I just know it!"

Apple looked at her.“The boys will be fine.Don't worry,Lily.I'll find them."

Ripple pushed his forepaws against the roof,trying to stop the falling soil.The crackling noise began to fade,but the tunnel was blocked.

“Pebble,what will we do?"he whimpered.

Pebble glared at him.“I told you we were lost.I TOLD you we should go back!"

They sat in silence,looking around the tunnel.Pebble looked up,where the soil was loosest.

“Don't move."he whispered.“Don't scream."

“How will anyone find us if we don't call for help?"

Pebble glanced at the roof,the dirt was shifting.“If we are too loud of move to much,that soil will fall on our heads."he replied.His ears itches and he longed to scratch it but if he moved they'd be buried alive in the Burrows.

“We should never have come down here."Ripple said,not even caring that his voice had traces of a whimper in it.Not caring that a tear fell onto the ground.“It's my fault we hid down here and now no cat will every find us."

“Father will find us!And Ma and Grandfather!"Pebble told him,hoping he could believe it.

## Chapter 4

Ripple shoved his paw against the soil blocking the tunnel.Using his other paw to hold it steady,he pushed.Pebble stepped back as more earth fell.

“Nice job,genius,we're farther from getting out than we were before!"Pebble groaned,punching Ripple.

“At least I *tried*to get us out!"

Pebble glared at him.“You're also the one who got us in here!"

Lily ran down the hall.“Boys?BOYS!"she yowled.Apple sped around the corner.“Find them?"

Apple shook his head.“No."

“I told you something happened!"Lily looked around the hall,trying to find a door she may have skipped.

Apple held her paw.“We'll find them.I promise."

Pebble carefully ran his paw along the soil.Feeling it move,he pushed slightly harder to hold the dirt down.A loud noise began,then faded.Dust floated into the air and the wall of dirt slid.

“We're free!"Ripple cried.

Preparing to dive through the hole,he slid onto his stomach and crawled through.Then Pebble could hear rock against rock and wood against wood.The hole narrowed as rocks tumbled — no,it was brick?

## Chapter 5

Ripple struggled,kicking his hind legs.“I can't move!"

“Now what will we do?"Pebble moaned.

Ripple snarled.“Dig me out!"

Lily Rose sat on the couch,tears in her eyes.“Oh Apple,what if we never find them?"she gasped.“We have to go to the Moon Fortress to promise Ripple and Dawn!What will Feather and Alexandra think when we don't show up?"

“Calm down,Lily.We'll find them."Apple said,just as he tilted over.Stumbling on his paws,he grabbed a chair to steady himself.

“What was that?"Lily asked,standing.

Apple ran for the door.“Sounded like the whole tower is coming down!"

## Chapter 6(is long overdue)

Pebble carefully used his paws to get the dirt from around his brother's waist.

“Pebble,"whined Ripple,“Father hasn't found us."

“He will."

Pebble could hear his brother crying.Ripple *never*cried.Not even when they were really little.He dug faster,his pads stinging as he pulled the dirt away.

Ripple struggled free,bricks clattering and spreading dust.Pebble sneezed.“Pebble,"Ripple said with horror,“I can't move the bricks.You're trapped."

Pebble gasped and shoved the bricks with all his strength.But they  wouldn't move.

“I'm getting Father."Ripple said,and Pebble heard his pawsteps echo down the tunnel.

Apple ran to the basement.What could have happened?If the Tower collapsed...he didn't want to think about that.“Boys?"He called.

Ripple ducked down a side tunnel.He sniffed the air as best he could with all the soil and turned again.

Pebble shoved and pulled but the bricks wouldn't move.*I hope Ripple and Father Can get me out.*

Apple heard coughing behind him.“Father!"he heard Ripple's voice.

“Ripple!"Apple racing out of the basement.“Where have you Boys-"He stopped.Ripple stood alone,covered in dust and soil.His blue shirt was caked with mud.And Pebble was no where to be seen.

“Father,Pebble is trapped in the Burrows and needs help!"Ripple whispered.

## Chapter 7

Lily watched Apple slither down the hole.She held Ripple tighter.She didn't even complain about his stained shirt or that there was mud in his fur.*I just hope Pebble's all right.*

Pebble heard noise from the other side of the wall.“*Pebble!"*He gasped.

“Father!"he yelled.“Father,I'm over here!"

Lily waited for what seemed like ages.Ripple wasn't playing.He was too worried about his brother.Everyone was.Lily's thoughts were as far from the meeting at the Moon Fortress as possible.Every inch of her mind was spent wishing her son to be ok.

Apple groaned with the effort of pulling the bricks free.He looked up into the darkness,but couldn't see the ceiling.He pulled his son forward.“*Never*sneak off like that again!"he said,though his tone gave away his relief.

Lily felt her eyes well with tears as Apple and Pebble walked into the room.The prince's shirt was torn and covered in dirt,and his pants were wrinkled.His fur was matted and dirty.Yet it was the most perfect sight she had ever seen.

“Why did you run off like that!"she exclaimed,pulling the kits to her.She choked on sobs,trying to stay calm.But that was impossible.Tears fell on her dress and blurred her vision.

“I'm sorry Ma."Pebble said,tears running down his face also.“I'm real sorry."

“Me too."Ripple said nodding.

Emerald came into the room.“The carriage is here to take you to the Moon Fortress,Lily.If you're planning to go you need to leave now."

The princess nodded.“Boys,head to your rooms and put on fresh clothes."She looked at Apple.His white fur was dusty with patches of brown dirt and his clothes were just as messy and Ripple's.“You better change too."she laughed.

Within a few minutes everyone was ready to go.Emerald and Coal waved goodbye as the carriage drove off.

“Oh Lily Rose!"Alexandra exclaimed.“How you've grown!"

Lily smiled.“You can just call me Lily."She corrected.

“Nonsense." Huffed the Queen.“I will call you buy your official name and nothing less."

“Well,"Apple put in with a laugh,“Her official name is Her Royal Majesty Princess Lily Rose,the Heir of Whisper."

Lily glared at him as Alexandra nodded.“Very true."the queen agreed.

Lily quickly said “Umm,"trying to change the subject.“Where are Princesses Dawn and Emma?"

Alexandra quickly called them and two young she-cats ran down the stairs.One was a tall tortoiseshell.She had her mother's green eyes and was wearing a lacey gold dress.Her necklace was gold to match it,but Lily couldn't see the pendant.

The second she-cat was a dappled brown with white paws,like her mother.Her dress was a silky pink with blue flowers along the hem.Her eyes were glittering silver.

“Good Morning,Emma.Good Morning,Dawn."Lily said politely.

The tortoiseshell did a courtesy,then nudged her sister with her elbow when the dappled brown cat did not do the same.“Good Morning,ma'am."

“Morning ma'am."the dappled brown mumbled,then set her gaze on Pebble,who shied away uncomfortably.

“So,"Lily began.“Emma,you look to be a girl of 17.Who are you promised to marry?"

The tortoiseshell smiled.“Prince Cobra."

“Prince Cobra."Apple smirked.“He's a total idi- ow!"the last part was aimed at Lily,who hit him in the ribs with her elbow.

“You will not embarrass us!"she hissed under her breath.Apple nodded.

Emma looked at her sister.“Although,Dawn is quite lucky.Prince Ripple is truly handsome."Ripple Blushed,but Lily just nodded.

Dawn still hadn't taken her gaze off of Pebble.“Dawn,"he said,obviously embarrassed,“Do you want to come play a game with Ripple and me?"The princess's eyes shone,but Alexandra interrupted.

“My daughter has better things to do than roll around in mud."

Dawn's eyes lit up.“Pebble,do you want to see the fish pond?"

Ripple looked at his brother,and at once the twins broke out in smiles.“We'd love too."

“Be in by supper!"Apple called as the kits headed out of the palace.

## Chapter 8

Alexandra watched the kits go with a grim expression.“Dawn is always trying to act so...so *unlady-like.*"she sighed.

Lily shrugged and replied“She is just a kit,Alexandra."

“A royal kit."

“A kit who needs to have fun."

“A kit who needs to grow up!"

“You know,"Apple interrupted.“I have not had the privilege of meeting the king yet."

Alexandra nodded.“FEATHER!"She yelled loudly.“Come meet our guests!"she pulled fur out of her face.“He's always late."she said,rolling her eyes.

A timid old tom crept down the stairs.His suit was wrinkled and his eyes dark grey.“Yes,Alexie,dear?"

“Meet Prince Apple and Princess Lily Rose."

Feather bowed.“It is my pleasure,Princess.It is my pleasure,sir.I do not think we have met before."

“No,sir,we haven't."Apple extended his paw and Feather shook it before he sat down.

“Dawn is such a pleasant girl."Lily commented.

Feather nodded.“Such a sweet little thing,like her mother.She'd never hurt a fly,the dear girl."

“Stupid mosquitoes!"Dawn groaned.She swatted at them with her paw.

Ripple cocked his head.“What game do you want to play?"

“I'll show you my fox!"Dawn decided.

Pebble's jaw dropped.“You have your own fox?Ma won't get me one till I turn thirteen!"

Dawn smiled.She had obviously come prepared,for she wore a simple brown shirt and knee length skirt under her pink gown.She stuffed the gown behind a rock,and pulled out riding boots.After kicking off her high heels,she leaned back on her paws.

“Come meet Dashing!"she called as she walked into a dark stable.

Lily felt like ripping out her fur.After half an hour with Alexandra and Feather,she just wanted to leave.Emma was quiet as her parents bickered and snorted.

“Emma,"Lily finally asked,“That's such a pretty necklace.Can I have a closer look at the pendant?"The young princess nodded.She pulled the golden chain off her neck and handed it to Lily.Glancing at the pendant,Lily's face was full of horror.

“Lil?"Apple asked her slowly,“Lily,are you ok?"

The pendant was a snake made of gold,with a cat's paw in it's mouth.Lily felt like she would choke.A thought hit her.*Prince Cobra.He's the youngest son of...no...they have an alliance with-*

“King Viper and the cats of Boa?"

Emma nodded.“Yes.I am to be married to Prince Cobra,so I wear their chain."

Apple looked at the necklace.“This isn't their chain.This is the traitor's chain,created by their first king.It's only worn today by..."Apple looked at Emma.“You murderer!"

## Chapter 9

Alexandra gasped.Feather yelled.Lily dropped the necklace to the ground.No cat said a word.Emma's eyes were wide and Apple had a steely glare in his eyes.

“Oh Emmy!Tell me it's not true!"Alexandra moaned.

Emma's eyes welled with tears.“Cobra told me- he...he told me to wear the chain,and he would give me a present.And he told me that if I ever took off the chain I would never see Dawn again!"the princess wailed.

“Cobra is a lying jerk!"Apple muttered,and Lily didn't try to stop him.

“My poor princess."Alexandra whispered.

Emma looked at the necklace on the floor.“Get that-that *thing*away from me!"she ordered Belle,that maid who had come to serve them.

Lily looked at Alexandra.“Is your alliance with them official?"

Feather put his head in his paws.“The promising hasn't been sealed,but we agreed not to ever fight against them.We signed the treaty and everything."

Emma let the tears fall.“My lovely Cobra is a liar!"she cried.“The jerk,the-the idiot!"Apple mumbled his agreement.

“Oh Emma,I'm so sorry.I hate that Prince,and I wish we hadn't signed the treaty,put we can't back out of it now and I'm so sorry for you!"Alexandra yelled.

“Apple,"Lily whispered“What does the symbol on the chain mean?"

Apple whispered back“The snake symbolizes the fourth kingdom,the cats of Boa.The cat's paw is their enemies,who will be devoured like prey.And-and the red ruby is the blood of a traitor in the service of Princess Python,who makes all her slaves seal to serve her with blood."Lily shivered and looked at the necklace again.Just as Apple had said,a ruby was embedded on the Snake's tail.The cat's Paw in it's mouth curled around something she couldn't see.

“Have you met Princess Python?"Apple demanded.

Emma nodded.“Did she tell you to cut your paw on a knife?"Another nod.Apple shivered and put his paw to his forehead.

“That's bad,isn't it?"Emma asked in a hoarse whisper.

Apple scrunched up his nose.“It's worse than bad."he shivered and paused.“You're the slave of a murderer."

Dawn smiled as the kits entered the stable.Several well-groomed red Fox lived in the stalls.“Well,"she said,“Meet Dashing,my race-fox."She stopped in front of a fox with grey stripes down one foreleg and a silver chain on it's neck.She grabbed a scale off the wall and entered the stall.The Fox didn't move.

“Wow!"Ripple exclaimed.“I've never seen a fox that tame before!"

“Dashing is a professional.She's used to big crowds,so three people wouldn't scare her."Dawn explained as she settled the saddle over the fox's back.She pulled tightly on the strap and attacked a lead.“Come on,girl.Good girl,Dashing!"The princess crooner as she led the Fox outside.

## Chapter 10

*Oh No*,Lily thought as they argued back and forth.“You'll have to break the treaty!"Apple was explaining for the thirteenth time.

“We have too much honor for that!"Feather complained.

Alexandra sighed.“We are here for Dawn and Ripple,not Emma and Cobra,right Lily Rose?"Lily nodded.“Good,"Alexandra said approvingly.“Now,we will discuss this later,Feather."

At the end of the day,Ripple and Pebble and Dawn came inside with huge grins on their faces.Pebble winced as Lily grabbed his arm,and all three were covered in mud.Dawn was not wearing her gown anymore,but a tee shirt and knee length brown skirt.

“Pebble,what in the world happened to you?"Lily said with concern as Pebble pulled away his arm with obvious pain.

“Mom,I'm fine!Honest!"Lily grabbed his arm again and gently felt up and down the bone.

She patted his elbow and Pebble flinched.“How did you manage to break it?"

“And Dawn,I told you not to waste your time playing games!"Alexandra called.

Dawn shrugged.“We didn't!We rode Dashing!"

“Dashing?"Apple asked,looking at the queen.

Alexandra sighed.“Her race-fox.Spends too much time on the pampered little thing."

“Fox?"Lily exclaimed.“Boys,I told you no foxes till you're thirteen!"

“Sorry" both boys mumbled at once.

Apple came over to her as the boys scrambled off with dawn.“Kits are too much trouble."He laughed.

Lily nodded.“If every litter is like them,we'll have trouble."she looked at him with a grin.

“Oh Lily,more kits?"he said with mock disappointment.

## Epilogue

The sandy tom paced the floor.“When?"He asked.

A thick furred brown dappled tom grinned.“Whenever His Majesty is ready."

“I'm the Prince,and I say *now!"*the sand colored tom snarled.

“Prince Cobra,please relax.We will attack soon enough."The brown tom soothed.“Hare will crumple right beneath our paws."

Cobra nodded.He swiftly knocked on the door.“Python,dear sister,have you seen Pa?"

A tall brown tabby came out of the room.Her dress was silky and brown with snake skin patterns on the waist.“Pa is in the garden,Cobra.More plans?"she said with a smile.

“Yes.It won't be long now,dear sister."Cobra nodded.

Python smiled at him.“Good.When I rule our kingdom,I want my brother beside me."

“I'd be honored to serve with you."Cobra agreed.“Now,if you'll excuse me,I must see Pa."the Prince hurried down the hall,and turned a corner.Then he was gone.