Darkness for eight

Prologue
Doveheart was dozing in the nursery with her newborn kits, Honeykit and Coldkit, when Silvermist came in with four tiny mewling kits.”What’s the matter?”She asked.”I was hunting along the border when I saw a dying Bloodclan queen. She  had been left behind, and she died soon after naming them, and begged me to raise them. So, since you’re the only queen in our clan, I brought them to you. Their eyes aren’t even open.” Silvermist explained.”Of course I’ll raise them, but what are their names?” Doveheart asked curiously.”This is Vixen, Dawn, Petal, and Smoke” Silvermist mewed.

 ”Welcome to Charmclan, Vixenkit, Dawnkit, Petalkit,and Smokekit”The queen murmured after tucking them alongside her own kits. Silvermist, after watching this, slipped quietly out of the nursery while Doveheart gently washed the young kits as they suckled, their tiny paws pressing against her belly.

CHAPTER 1
”Doveheart! Coldkit won't let me play with him!”wailed tiny <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Dawnkit as she scabbled on the ground near Coldkit. Vixenkit was playing hunt the mouse with Honeykit, while Smokekit was coaxing Petalkit,the weakest kit, to come out of the <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">nest and play. Coldkit was watching the paws outside train, seemingly oblivious to Dawnkit’s mewls. Doveheart sighed, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">as she shooed the tumbling kits out of the nest to get a rest.’Only if they knew <span style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 함초롬바탕;">… <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">’thought the queen as she remembered  <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">four of these kits were not even hers, but she decided to <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">keep it a secret.’It’s for the kits own sake’she firmly <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">convinced herself. It was tiring for her to take care of six  <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">kits at once, so the warriors would often try to find <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">strengthening herbs for her.

<p class="0" style="text-align: left; word-break: keep-all; mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">    She pushed these thoughts a <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">way as she purred at Vixenkit, who was attempting a <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">pounce on Honeykit, missed and tumbled head over tails <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">next to Coldkit, bumping into him.”Watch it!”Coldkit snarled, and the slash-shaped mark on his face seemed to get darker momentarily. Sometimes, she thought that Coldkit didn’t use to look quite like that way, but somehow could never <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">remember clearly. Coldkit seemed to act coldly to nearly <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">everyone, true to his name, and would often say tactless <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">comments. He seemed to be more interested in learning the paws’ battle moves and hunting crouch, than playing with <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">his littermates.

<p class="0" style="text-align: left; word-break: keep-all; mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">    Doveheart shook her head as she thought <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">’Well, he might be unfriendly at some times, but he’ll make a great warrior one day’ Just then, Petalkit, whom Smokekit finally succeeded in coaxing out, wobbled over to Doveheart with Smokekit following behind, trying to teach her to leap and jump, and Petalkit suddenly pounced on him, knocking him off his paws, and they began to playfight, Smokekit and Petalkit purring. Most of the kits had always understood <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Petalkit’s delicacy, so they often played with her and were <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">considerate of her.

<span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">CHAPTER 2
<p class="0" style="text-align: left; word-break: keep-all; mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">   ”Honeypaw! Coldpaw! Vixenpaw! Dawnpaw! Petalpaw! <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Smokepaw!" The surrounding cats of Charmclan cheered as <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Doveheart’s six kits were made apprentices. The new five <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">paws yowled Petalpaw’s name the loudest. Their mentors <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">were sitting beside them, Trickspell, Reedtail, Charmstar, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Silvermist, Cloudwing, Morningsky. Since the Battle of Blood, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">warriors had died, which made it that every cat in the clan, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">except Doveheart, since queens can’t mentor their own kits, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">had paws. Honeypaw and Dawnpaw were busy mewing their enviness to Vixenpaw that she had the leader for her mentor, and Petalpaw was prancing happily by her mentor, Cloudwing, who looked pleased and a bit dizzy. Smokepaw was already going out on his first training session while Coldpaw was <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">mewing to his mentor that he wanted to learn battle moves.”Alright, any Vixenpaws and Honeypaws and her mentor <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">want to get started on a training session?”Charmstar mewed teasingly.”Yes!” yowled Vixenpaw and Honeypaw.

<p class="0" style="text-align: left; word-break: keep-all; mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"> ”What <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">about me? Can’t I go with them?” Dawnpaw mewed to <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Silvermist.’I’m afraid not, Dawnpaw. You can’t do <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">everything with your littermates. I’m going to teach you some battle moves.’Silvermist said. Dawnpaw immediately cheered up.”Just wait, Vixenpaw, Honeypaw! I’ll flatten you when <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">you come back!”Dawnpaw yowled. Vixenpaw just waved her tail, and Honeypaw yowled back that she could try.

<p class="0" style="text-align: left; word-break: keep-all; mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 함초롬바탕;">    <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixenpaw padded happily alongside her mentor, Charmstar, lost in thought.’My mentor’s the leader of the clan herself! But I should never brag’She promised herself. Her eyes shot open wide as her paws were lightly knocked out beneath her.”Now will you pay attention?”Charmstar was sitting in front of her, eyes both stern and warm, with Honeypaw crowing ”I told you she wasn’t paying attention.” Embarrassed, <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Vixenpaw lowered her eyes to the ground.”Now, watch whatI show you and copy carefully.”Charmstar mewed and turned to face Trickspell. She steadied her tail, and narrowed her eyes before leaping at Trickspell, who ducked down to slash at her belly, claws sheathed. Charmstar twisted and landed <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">on her back, Trickspell rolled to get Charmstar off. <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Charmstar jumped and landed gracefully down in front of the awestruck paws, and mewed ”Now, we’ve just shown you basic battle moves and defensive moves. Follow me.”The <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">two mentors said, and the paws jumped and clawed.

<p class="0" style="text-align: left; word-break: keep-all; mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 함초롬바탕;">   <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">’Boooooring’thought Coldpaw as his mentor showed him <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">how to collect moss.’As if a cat dies because of unproperly collected moss’ His mentor, Reedtail was saying ”I know you wanted to learn battle moves, but this is just as important. Besides, learning how to gather moss and carry them will <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">help your clawing and carrying prey.” Reedtail mewed a bit  <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">sympathetically. Muttering under his breath, Coldpaw <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">accordingly flexed his claws and slowly tore a strip of moss from the tree.” Right. Now shake it like this to get the <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">moisture out, or the seniors might have your pelt for a nest. They’re cranky like elders.” purred Reedtail. Coldpaw sighed and shook the moss so the droplets of water came out.

<p class="0" style="text-align: left; word-break: keep-all; mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 함초롬바탕;">   <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">Smokepaw was thinking about himself catching enough prey for the whole clan to eat,and thought ’I’m going to be the <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">best warrior the clans will ever see.’ He was startled as a <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">cat pounced on him, and nipped his neck.” <span style="letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 함초롬바탕;">… <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">and that’s how <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">you catch prey, although I think the prey won’t be staring <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">far off into space.”Morningky, his mentor, mewed to Petalpaw, who had pounced on him.”Now pay attention, Smokepaw. I <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">was explaining how to catch mouse. Move your paws lightly and smoothly over the grass and undergrowth, because mice can hear or feel your pawsteps. On catching birds, you need to leap high and move quickly, but you need to remember <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">that birds can alert other prey that might be out, so catch the prey as quickly as possible. Cloudwing here will demonstrate”

<p class="0" style="text-align: left; word-break: keep-all; mso-pagination: none; mso-padding-alt: 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt 0.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;"> Cloudwing crouched low, and stilled her tail before sliding <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">forward, smooth as a snake. Then, she crouched again, and moved forward a few steps before leaping low, her paws <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">stretching up as if to catch an imaginary bird. Smokepaw and Petalpaw immediately crouched, and pounced, Smokepaw <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">focusing on the move for mouse while Petalpaw pretended to catch a bird. Accidentally, they ended up pouncing at each <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">other, and they were both knocked down. Staring at his paws, Smokepaw could hear their mentors purring ”When we told <span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: 0pt; font-family: 함초롬바탕; mso-font-width: 100%; mso-text-raise: 0.0pt;">you to practice, we didn’t mean for you to catch each other. I mean, cats aren’t exactly called prey, are they?”