Mirror Image

Reflections

They are the mirror image

Of the outside shell

But

The mirror image

Will never show

The inside of the shell

Prologue
Two toms stood in the rain, flashes of lightning lit the sky in a white light, the both of their eyes flashed in hatred and betrayel.

The big, black, amber eyed tom yowled "How could you?! This is our clan?! How dare you kill them?!" his eyes flashed in anger.

The cruel, young, dark brown tom, whose eyes were as cold as ice, and claws as sharp as thorns, smirked, and mewed, "Why not? They were weak, and they're still weak in Starclan also, this clan doesn't need weaklings, Shadowclan is supposed to be powerful."

The black tom snarled "They were your family! The only family you had!" his tail flicked irritably, and his claws sheathed and unsheathed in anticipation for the battle that was obviously brewing.

"Hah! I don't need family, I didn't need them, again, they were weaklings who had it coming to them!" the brown tom laughed, his tail twitching. "You're getting a soft heart, not fit for a Shadowclan leader!"

"This isn't me being soft! This is you killing family to feed your own ambitious plans!" the black tom yelled at him, "Are you that blind?"

"Heh, no, I'm not blind, and my plans are for the good of the clan. Unlike your thoughts and plans, which will only make the clan crumble into a ruin. A shadow of it's former self." the brown tom growled, his eyes starting to narrow dangerously.

"You don't understand! If you try and make your ambitious plans come true, the clan will crumble!" the black tom yowled in exasperation.

The brown tom twitched his whiskers, "The clan won't crumble, it will thrive on the fear that I will bring to the clans, all clans will bow down to us!" he mewed "We will rightfully rule the lake!"

"You can't, cats have tried that before and have had horrible, horrible, deaths! You will end up taking the same path as them, only to fall." the black tom growled.

"Unlike them, though, I'm going to be smart, not be hot-headed, and plan ahead. I'll know where cats will be before even they do." he sniffed.

"But-" but the black tom was silenced, the brown tom had finally pinned him, and he snarled.

"Good-bye, brother."

Chapter 1
A small, young, kit squeaked as a pure white tom leaped on her, his playful blue eyes shining in delight.

"Heronkit! Come on! I want to play!" the white tom laughed, jumping off her, and procceded to poke her with his paw, "It's no fun sleeping all day! Everyone knows that!"

Heronkit stretched, and yawned, looking at her friend, "You were always the morning cat, Whitekit, sadly, I'm not one of those cats." she mewed calmly.

Whitekit swished his tail, "Aw, but it's so easy to be a morning cat! It's a whole new adventure when you wake up, to see the whole wide world!" he mewed.

Heronkits mother, Rainpetal, purred from where she was resting, "Whitekit, no cat can see the whole wide world in one day, especially a kit."

Whitekit puffed out his chest in a typical tom fashion, "Well, maybe not today, but someday!" he mewed.

His sister, Heatherkit, who was older then them, was washing herself, and she sighed, "Whitekit, you're not even an apprentice yet, but you can always explore the camp."

Whitekit looked at Heronkit with wide blue eyes "Want to go explore the camp?" he asked, bouncing up to her.

Heronkit, suddenly feeling hopeful, nodded "Yeah! I call going inside the medicine cats den first!" she yelled, pushing Whitekit, and running out of the nursery.

"Hey! No fair!" Whitekit laughed, chasing after her,pouncing on her, then jumping off, hurrying to the medicine den.

She laughed as she stood up to catch up, but she stopped, looking around in shock, everything had changed.

The world seemed to distort, everything was mixed images, cats were fighting, or talking, but it seemed to mesh together, and blood was on the ground, like it was recently fought on.

Heronkit looked around, and thought W-What's going on?! she backed up in alarm, looking around as her world seemed to distort even more, focusing on cats fighting, and blood being spilt over territory.

''I-I don't want this! What's happening?!'' she thought in alarm as she heard "Don't trust the reflection."

She heard Whitekit yell "Hey! Heronkit! Heronkit, you're not even listening to me!"

Heronkit blinked, and the weird vision was over, and soon it was peaceful again, and Whitekit was standing in front of her with confused eyes "Are you alright?"

"Uh.. Yeah!" she laughed "Just got a head rush, that's all, got up to quickly!" she twitched her tail, looking at Whitekit "Really, I'm fine."

Whitekit just twitched his whiskers "All right, let's go then!" he mewed, continuing his adventure to the medicine cat den.

Heronkit followed slowly, dismissing the weird vision as her imagination, or a day-dream, nothing to worry about, it was just a dream.

The medicine cat den was probably the brighter part of the camp, with moss on the sides of the den, a small pool of water, with a tiny sprinkle feeding into the pool, which was surrounded by rocks, and the den floor was strangly soft to the paws, and there was a small crevice, where they kept the medicine.

As they peeked their heads in, they saw Sunfur sorting herbs, and her apprentice, Yellowpaw, tending to one of the elders.

"How is Windears pad? This is the season for cracked pads, especially among the elders." Sunfur mewed.

Yellowpaw mewed "Looking good, you can go now Windear." she nodded to the old elder.

Windear grumbled "I can't wait for the season to be over, I prefer not going to sleep with sore pads." she muttered, flicking her tail irritably as she started to walk out.

Sunfur called "If they start bugging you again, just come here! We'll give it more herbs," she sighed "They get even more crankier every year."

Yellowpaw looked at the two kits "Looks like we have visitors, Sunfur." she mewed.

Whitekit and Heronkit tipped their heads.

Sunfur looked at them "Huh, curious kittens putting their noses in dangerous places?" she asked, then purred "Look around, but whatever you do, don't eat anything, don't want you getting sick from herbs." she then turned to another cat, who was sleeping, but was also in pain.

"Tsk, I don't know how she keeps on pulling through, she's strong, but sicknesses keep bombarding her left and right." Sunfur muttered.

Heronkit asked "Will she be alright?"

"Of course she will be." Yellowpaw muttered, mixing a poultice, eyes narrowed in concentration.

Whitekit, who had padded past Sunfur, nosed a white looking flower, then asked "Sunfur, what's this?"

"That's yarrow, I don't advise eating it, unless you want to lose your prey." Sunfur mewed, then looked at Yellowpaw "I'm going to collect some borage, do we have any dock?"

"Yes, I collected some just the other day." Yellowpaw mewed, flicking her tail.

Whitekit grimaced at the yarrow, and asked "Why would you want that plant?"

Sunfur answered before leaving the den "For extracting poisons, or healing cracked pads, maybe you'll need it someday Whitekit," she twitched her whiskers "Hopefully not though."

Whitekit grimaced again, then looked at Heronkit "Let's go explore somewhere else." he mewed, pushing Heronkit out of the den.

Heronkit mewed "Huh, I never knew herbs were so important on saving a cats life."

Whitekit shrugged "Well, leave that for the medicine cats." he mewed, looking around "So where should we go first? The prey pile? Maybe we ould hide in it and scare some warriors."

Heronkit shook her head "I'm not sure that's a good idea, we'd get in so much trouble." she mewed.

Whitekit sighed "Yeah.. I guess you're right.." he faltered when he saw Clawstar walk out, growling at a cat, who was whimpering in fear.

"Hey! Isn't that Fernpelt?" Whitekit asked, watching with interest, and a tiny bit of fear.

Heronkit didn't answer, she realised Fernpelt was bleeding. What did Clawstar do to him? Heronkit wondered, suddenly worried for the small tom.

Clawstar growled one more thing, and Fernpelt just whimpered, and backed away, running into the warriors den.

Whitekit tipped his head and mewed "That was pleasent."

Clawstar realised the kits were watching, and his whiskers twitched in twisted amusement, and he jumped toward them.

"Hello you two, I see you've witnessed my scolding of Fernpelt." he mewed, twitching his tail.

Heronkit thought I'd hardly call that scolding.

Whitekit asked "Why? What did he do?"

Clawstar looked at Whitekit, eyes narrowing, and looking at him closely. Then mewed "Ah, yes, well, let's just say he wasn't being a true Shadowclan warrior, he was acting weak-minded, and I had to give him a scolding, so he doesn't mess up again."

Heronkit willed Whitekit to stay silent, which he did, and Heronkit was a bit worried when Clawstar kept looking at him closely, like to see if he was real.

Heronkit laughed nervously, and pushed Whitekit away from Clawstar, while mewing "It was nice talking to you Clawstar, but, uh, we have important stuff to do!"

As she pushed her friend away, he heard him mew "Remember, a Shadowclan warrior should never be weak, and showing compassion is a sign of weakness."

Heronkit shivered, and her fur bristled in alarm as Whitekit growled at her to stop shoving him, and when she did, he glared at her "What was that for?"

Heronkit didn't answer, only watched as Clawstar strutted back into his den, her tail flicked, and mewed "Maybe we should go to the elders den."

"And listen to stories? Alright! Maybe I'll ask about our old leader!" Whitekit had suddenly got his good mood back, and bounced to the elders den.

The elders den was covered in moss, the floor a bit muddy, but covered with lichen nests, and the elder tree, where some of the older elders nest.

Heronkit rolled her eyes, and followed him, tail twitching when he jumped on Fogtail, who expressed his anger by pushing Whitekit off him.

Heronkit bowed "Hello Fogtail, we're here to listen to some stories." she mewed politely.

Fogtail looked at her "Well, I was just woken up, and probably won't be able to get back to sleep, I guess so." he muttered, sitting down.

Whitekit mewed "I want to hear about our old leader, Nightstar!" his eyes widening in excitement at the prospect of the story.

Fogtail raised an eye-brow, and mewed "That isn't exactly a tale for kits."

Whitekit widened his eyes more "Aw! Come on! Please?" he asked.

Fogpelt sighed "No, maybe when you're apprentices, then you'll be ready to hear it." he mewed.

"Why do we have to wait until we are apprentices to hear it?" Heronkit asked, raising an eye-brow questioningly.

"As I said, this isn't a tale for kits." he mewed, then flicked his tail, and added "Now leave me to rest, my bones are growing old."

Whitekit had walked out, mewing "Well, that was a waste of time."

"Well, I'm sure there's a reason for it, maybe it's too scary for kits," Heronkit mewed, her tail flicking, and she added "I don't want to hear about something that might terrify me."

Whitekit mewed "Well, that's you. I always love to hear stories, especially terrifying ones." he flicked his tail, and asked "Where should we explore next?"

Heronkit asked "How about the apprentices den?"

Whitekit looked closely at the den that the apprentices slept in. He then mewed "Alright, we're going to be in there soon anyways."

Heronkit agreed, it was going to be quite soon, as they were going to be six moons in a couple days.

As they padded up to the apprentices den, the mouth of the den wide, yet draped with lichen, they heard arguing inside.

"No, Mudpaw, I am not, I repeat, not searching the elders for ticks again, it's your turn!" a she-cats voice hissed.

Another voice, a tom, whined "Oh come on, Firepaw!"

As they peeked in, they saw two apprentices glaring at eachother, fur bristling.

There was another tom in the back, but he looked like he was sleeping through the arguing. Not that the other two paid him any mind.

The ginger she-cat spat "No! I've done it so many times already! It's your turn!" she flicked her tail.

Mudpaw just rolled his eyes "Fine!" he stomped out of the den, paying no attention to the two kits watching with amusement and shock.

Firepaw sighed, then looked at the kits "Why are you two here?" she asked curiously.

"We are exploring!" Whitekit exclaimed.

Heronkit looked around the den, the mossy walls giving the young cats shelter from the wind and rain, the soft floor covered in mossy nests, and the roof of the deen housed hanging lichen, giving the den a creepy, but secure atmosphere.

Firepaw mewed "Sorry you had to see that, but Clawstar doesn't like apprentices shirking their duties, which Mudpaw was doing," she added with a glance at Marshpaw "And don't mind him, he's only scary when he's awake."

The two kits looked at Marshpaw, and understood why, he looked way too big to be an apprentice, his fur seemed to be bristling, even in his sleep, he looked like a menacing cat.

"He's not that scary though... He's just misunderstood." Firepaw mewed when she saw the expressions on their faces.

Whitekit asked "Why would he be?"

"Well, because he looks more lion and cat, does he not?" Firepaw mewed, phrasing it as a question, but knowing the answer.

Heronkit just nodded, silently agreeing with the fiery she-cat.

Firepaw then tipped her head, then ushered them out "Now, how about you two leave us in peace? Us apprentices have alot of work to do!" she mewed.

As they watched the den, they turned to look at Clawstar, who was sitting in the tree, where he called clan meetings.

He yowled "Let all cats join beneath the tree for a clan meeting!"

They turned to him, their eyes widening in surprise as he called "We have an apprentice to make!"

Whitekit and Heronkit looked at each-other, they turned when they saw Heatherkit pad past them, and Whitekit whispered "This must be her apprentice ceremony."

Heronkit nodded, Heatherkit sat down, and licked her paws seriously.

"We gather under the tree today to welcome a new apprentice in our mist," Clawstar mewed.

When the clan was silent, he continued "Heatherkit, from this moment on, you'll be known as Heatherpaw, your mentor will be Briarmoon."

Whitekit and Heronkit turned to look at Briarmoon, the tabby she-cat held herself with pride, and she looked strict.

"I feel bad for Heatherpaw, she looks mean." Whitekit whispered in Heronkits ear.

"Nah, they'll fit each-other perfectly." Heronkit snickered.

Whitekit twitched his whiskers, and flicked his tail "I'm hoping I don't get a strict mentor, I wouldn't be able to stand still and follow what he or she says." he mewed.

Heronkit mewed "I just want a mentor."

~*~*~*~

A moon later, Heronkit was lying on her back, staring up into the blue sky, which was full of poofy clouds, and the sun.

Whitekit had walked in, eye-brow raised, and he mewed "You do realise that our apprentice ceremony is soon."

Heronkit mewed "I know, just relaxing before finding out who our rough mentor is." her eyes wandering to her friend.

Whitekit twitched his tail, and mewed "Huh, not all mentors are going to be rough," he stopped, then added "Hopefully."

Heronkit sighed, rolling her eyes, then stood up, shaking her fur "Well, we better get ready," she glanced at Whitekit, and asked "Did you get stuck in the thorn bush again?"

Whitekit twitched his whiskers, and shook his head "Nope, I'm thorn free." he mewed.

Heronkit also twitched her whiskers, silently glad that all was peaceful No crazy visions. she thought happily.

As Clawstar called for the meeting, Heronkit nodded to Whitekit, and padded out.

Not much had changed in the past moon, except a few border fights between Shadowclan and Thunderclan, but that was nothing new.

He mewed "Heronkit and Whitekit, from this day on, until you recieve your warrior names, you will be known as Heronpaw and Whitepaw."

Clawstar turned to Whitepaw "Whitepaw, your mentor will be Willowwater." he looked at the blue-gray she-cat, who nodded.

Heronpaw looked at Clawstar, and he mewed "Heronpaw, your mentor will be Flaresky." he nodded to the light ginger tom, who's blue eyes widened in surprise.

As the meeting ended, Heronpaw padded up to Flaresky, and asked "Well, what are we going to do first?"

Flaresky eyed her, then his whiskers twitched "How about I introduce you to the territory?" he asked, looking outside of the camp.

Heronkit just nodded, unsure of why Clawstar paired her with such a hyper warrior.

Flaresky mewed "Great! Follow me!" he ran out, not waiting for Heronpaw, who scrambled to catch up.

Flaresky sat down on a rock, on a hill, overlooking all of the pine forest, Heronpaw thought Is this the only place that's not covered in pine trees?

Heronkit looked around, suddenly getting an awestruck look on her face.

"What do you think? Best place in the territory, huh?" he laughed at her expression, then flicked his tail to where the pine trees seemed to falter into leafy trees. "That's Thunderclan territory, I'll show you the borders over there." he then looked at the lake "That island over there is where we hold the gatherings."

Heronpaw asked "How are we supposed to get to there?"

"Crossing the tree." Flaresky mewed, then nodded to the other side of the border, where there was a triangular island, with willows surrounding it.

"That's Riverclan territory, I'll also show you the border over there, and what not to do on a patrol." he added.

Flaresky bounded off the rock, then led her to the leafy forest, stopping suddenly, and sniffed the air.

"This is the Thunderclan border, you can't forget that scent, it smells of owls and badgers." Flaresky mewed in disdain, then looked at the clearing, which was a little bit farther down.

"That's also Thunderclan territory, it used to be ours, but we lost it a long time ago," Flaresky mewed, then shook his head "It was a waste anyways, no prey ventured there."

Heronpaw saw him head to a dead holly tree, and she asked "What's this?"

"A marker, to show which side of the border is which." Flaresky answered.

Heronpaw nodded, but heard a sharp growl "Who goes there?!"

Both Flaresky and Heronpaw turned around sharply, only to see a very huge, mean looking tom, who repeated what he said.

"I'm going to ask you again, who are you!?" he hissed, claws ready to fight.

Chapter 2
Heronpaw hid behind her mentor, scared of the built Thunderlan cat, his pelt rippling with muscle, his claws glinted in the sunlight, and he smelled of owl and other forest creatures.

Flaresky, though, looked at him calmly when he mewed "Oh, just showing my apprentice the borders, Branchclaw, nothing suspicious about that right? I'm sure you took your apprentice out to explore the boundries." he twitched his whiskers in amusement.

Branchclaw scowled, looking at Heronpaw carefully "I never knew Shadowclan cats made kits apprentices early," he then sneered "Are you guys scared?"

Heronpaw narrowed eyes, and she growled "I'm six moons, I'm at apprentice age!" she puffed out her chest, staring the warrior in the eye, trying not to flinch.

"Six moons? You don't look it." he grunted, pushing her away from the borders edge.

Heronpaw grunted when he pushed her, she bared her tiny fangs, but Branchclaw just laughed "You don't scare me little apprentice."

There was a tiny silence, with Branchclaw and Heronpaw glaring claws at each-other. Flaresky broke the silence with a cough "Well, we better get going, got alot of training to do, stuff to see," he mewed, lightly pushing Heronpaw away from Branchclaw "See you at the gathering, Branchclaw." he mewed calmly, yet there was a hidden anger in his voice.

Branchclaw echoed his anger "See you at the gathering."

As Flaresky and Branchclaw huffed away from each-other, Heronpaw followed in confusion, unsure why they acted that way toward each-other, ''I know Shadowclan and Thunderclan don't have good history with each-other, but private battles? That's new to me. ''she thought, as she walked beside Flaresky.

"Why is he so huffy?" Heronpaw asked her mentor, flicking her tail in nervousness.

Flaresky seemed to frown "He's always been huffy, that's just him I guess." he mewed in annoyance.

Heronpaw frowned also, and thought I don't think Flaresky is being entirely truthful about Branchclaw. she flicked her tail, dismissing his annoyance with Branchclaw as just normal Thunderclan and Shadowclan relations, the clans were never good friends anyways.

Flaresky led her beside a lake, it's small waves lapping the shore, as they walked, they saw a couple birds fly away.

They stopped at the edge of a group of willow trees. And Flaresky asked "What do you smell." he flicked his tail, and looked around.

Heronpaw sniffed the air, smelling all sorts of things; Fish, willow, and wet cat.

"All I smell is fish and water." she grunted, trying to hold back a sneeze.

"Yep, that's Riverclan scent, there must have been a patrol not to long ago, they're usually peaceful, thinking they're safe on that little island of theirs," Flaresky mewed, and turning back to their own territory "I'd show you Windclan, but that'd have to be us intruding on Thunderclan territory." he laughed, and ran back into the deep, foggy, Shadowclan territory.

Heronpaw started to follow, but was stopped dead-cold by another weird day dream, but it was just voices, no images.

''We can't survive, it's too late now! ''A deep voice, a male, cried in despair, obviously frightened.

''Wha-What do you mean? ''A softer voice murmured, sounding female.

''I mean what I mean! Starclan... ''The voice snapped, but faltered, as if he hadn't meant to snap.

''They did this, or was it really him? ''The softer voice asked, with sadness in her voice, as if accepting that this was the way it had to be.

''That fire nearly wiped us all out.. We can't stop him.. ''The vision slowly fading, along with the voices of the two cats.

The vision ended, and Heronpaw widened her eyes, and she called "Flaresky?"

Flaresky had already disappeared into the fog, not waiting for his apprentice, and Heronpaw then continued on her way.

''What fire? And who's him? ''she pondered as she returned to camp, trying to figure out the weird day-dream.

As she returned to camp, she ran into Whitepaw, who was holding a robin, his eyes shining "I caught it! I caught it on my first try!"

Heronpaw didn't show any emotion though, she hurried past him. And her she felt a pang inside her at Whitepaws expression when she pushed past him. It was sad, almost left out.

I'm sorry... she thought to herself, but she knew Whitepaw wouldn't hear her, he could not read her thoughts, and he also didn't have emotionally shaking visions.

She hurried to the back of the apprentices den, and closed her eyes, facing the wall. She hoped that Whitepaw wouldn't question her, which he always did. But she hoped... Just for once, he minded his own business. For his own good.

Heronpaw shook her head, shaking her tail back and forth. Marshpaw was the only one in the den, but he was sleeping peacefully.

She stared at him with jealousy, wondering how he could sleep so easily.