It All Begins

It All Begins
Author: Silversong
Status: In the making
Series: A Daughter's Revenge
Allegiances: A Daughter's Revenge Series Alliances
Preceding: None
Succeeding: Unknown
Spellcheckers: Nighteh and Milleh
....

Prolouge

A</big"> brown tom slithered through the undergrowth as he lead his patrol to the battle field. He flicked his tail, telling his battle patrol to keep low and quite. The warriors did as was told and flattened themselves to the ground. Their dark pelts were perfect camouflage. The tom narrowed his eyes as he saw a flicker of movement across the old Thunderpath and flexed his claws,

sinking them into the soft soil.

"I will not let you threaten my Clan or my kit," he vowed. His Clanmates didn't seem to hear him. Please, don't let them get to camp! he pleaded to StarClan. The dark sky was dotted with stars and filled the scene with some substance of light.

"Attack!" he yowled and hurtled himself across the clearing. Yowls of rage and pain split the air like a thorn in a pad. Cats flung themselves at their enemies, and pelted over to help their companions. The tom clawed an enemy warrior's muzzle then nipped his hind legs. The cat yowled in pain and bounded away from the brown tom.

The tom's amber eyes glinted in the faint moonlight and his fur was spattered with the blood of his enemies. A white she-cat appeared next to him.

"Snowpetal," he breathed as he took in his mate's scent. "We have to defeat these fox-hearted ShadowClan warriors and apprentices. For the sake of the Clan and Hazelkit." he turned and began to rip tufts of fur from a tortoiseshell apprentice.

Suddenly, he was caught off guard and fell with a thump as two large tabbies unbalanced him.

"Snowpetal!" he cried as he frantically tried to push off the stronger cats. But Snowpetal sat in the sidelines. Her green eyes glinted with happiness and she showed no intention of moving and rescuing her mate from the bloodthirsty ShadowClan warriors.

"Snowpe-" his cry for help was cut off as one of the tabbies lunged at his throat and bit down hard. Blood roared in his ears as he felt the sticky trickle of blood oozing out of the large gash in his throat. The other tabby began to claw his belly. Snowpetal kept on sitting and watching, as if watching a kit stalk and pounce on a leaf. Her green eyes were shining with amusement.

Why isn't she helping me? he asked himself. His energy began to fade as he lost more and more blood. His belly was fully open and his throat was gushing out blood like a waterfall.

"Oh Talonclaw," began Snowpetal. "To think I liked you when I was young."

Talonclaw knew his life was slipping away. The two ShadowClan tabbies' teeth glistened in the moonlight. They were sharp and specked with blood.

A pool of blood began to form along Talonclaw's body and he felt his life ebbing away.

Talonclaw, called a smooth, soft voice.

Petalwhisker? he asked. His mate Petalwhisker had died of greencough four moons ago.

Talonclaw, let go of your life. It is time for you to join me in StarClan.

No! Hazelkit still needs me! And my Clan.

Hazelkit is our kit, no? She is strong and good willed. She will cope as long as you believe that and let go of your life.

Fine. Talonclaw agreed with his former mate, mother of his kit, and closed his eyes, awaiting eternal sleep.

Talonclaw looked over at the cat he loved, the same one that betrayed him. The yowls and spitting of fury were fading away.

"Snowpetal, you will pay for this," he breathed.

Snowpetal's whiskers twiched in amuesment. "Oh, Talonclaw, you wish. ThunderClan will cope well without you. Bye-bye." With one last gasp of air, Talonclaw closed his eyes and followed Petalwhisker upwards towards Silverpelt, where one more star would join the sky.

Chapter I

Hazelkit flicked the moss ball over to Bramblekit. The dark tabby kit threw himself up into the air and landed softly on the moss ball.

"Nice catch!" yowled Hazelkit as she padded next to her foster brother.

"Thanks." purred Bramblekit. The kit rubbed his cheek against Hazelkit's flank. He was too small to reach her face. Littlekit came trotting out of the nursery.

"Can I play too?" inquired the small golden she-cat. Hazlekit nodded. Small mewling erupted from the nursery.

Snowpetal's kits! she told herself. Snowpetal was her father's new mate, but he died four moons ago and Snowpetal had taken on a new mate, Redheart, to cover up her pain.

Now, her newest kits were squirming inside the nursery. Snowpetal had just given birth but Hazelkit was too bored to watch her go into labor.

"Here." Hazelkit snatched the ball from Bramblekit and flung it at Littlekit. "You two can play, I want to look at Snowpetal's kits!" with that, Hazelkit pelted into the nursery. The air smelled musky and was mixed with milk scent.

"Are they here?" she asked. Her glossy dark tabby pelt shone softly in the sun's rays that enterd through small gaps in the wall.

"Yes." answered Leafwhisker, her Clan's medicine cat. His apprentice, Whitepaw, was licking a small kit next to Snowpetal's belly.

"Can I see?" she asked, hoping the answer would be yes.

"Ok, but be very gentle." mewed Whitepaw as she stepped aside from the kit she was licking. Hazelkit's paws were trembling as she approached her new denmates. Snowpetal's flanks rose and fell as she slept. There were two small kits huddled next to her. One was a large black and white tom, and the other was a black spiky-furred she-cat.

"They're so cute!" she whispered loudly.

"Shh!" hissed White paw. "Snowpetal's sleeping!"

Well obviously!

"What are there names?" asked Hazelkit while sniffing the small bundles of fur.

"Snowpetal fell asleep as soon as she was finished pushing out the last one." Leafwhisker flicked his tail at the black she-cat.

Hazelkit poked the smallest kit, who began to squeak loudly.

"Don't poke her! You are much bigger than her and that must hurt her frail bones!" scolded a voice from behind Hazelkit.

Hazelkit turned to see Flowerpetal standing behind her. The tortoiseshell queen's blue eyes flared with anger. They suddenly turned soft.

"Sorry, didn't mean to be harsh." she mewed. Flowerpetal nudged Hazelkit away from Snowpetal, the kits, and the medicine cats.

"Off you go! Bramblekit and Littlekit want to play a game with you!"

Flowerpetal was Hazelkit's foster mother, who toke Hazelkit in when her mother died of greencough. Flowerpetal was expecting Bramblekit and Littlekit when that happened.

Hazelkit ran and skidded to a halt next to Littlekit, who was being demonstrated the hunter's crouch by Dawnpaw.

"Good, but you can't be swishing your tail like that. You have to keep it still and sticking out behind you so it won't rustle any ferns or plants." instructed Dawnpaw.

"I want to learn a battle move!" squeaked Bramblekit. Littlekit's golden pelt looked like fire in the afternoon sun. Her blue eyes determined on getting the crouch right.

"I want to learn a battle move!" repeated Bramblekit. His tabby pelt bristled when Dawnpaw ignored him.

"I'll teach you a battle move!" offered Hazelkit. Bramblekit's pelt lay flat as he turned to look into Hazelkit's green eyes. His green ones shone with excitment.

"Let's do it!"

Bramblekit threw himself into the air and in mid-air, spun around, landing perfectly on all fours.

"That was amazing!" exclaimed Hazelkit. She never thought Bramblekit could master such a hard battle move. She had to spend almost two moons practicing the move, and Bramblekit had perfected it in one day!

Bramblekit's eyes shone with pride as he padded next to Hazelkit. When they arrived, Snowpetal was sunning herself outside and her kits were suckling.

"Hi Snowpetal!" she greeted her father's last mate. Snowpetal lifted her head. Her eyes were dull as she looked at Hazelkit.

"Hello, Hazelkit." she mewed weakly.

Chapter II

Hazelkit's tail dropped as she sensed hatred and disgust coming from Snowpetal like a wave. Redheart stood behind her. His eyes were narrowed and were staring right at Hazelkit.

Do they hate me? she asked herself. Her dark tabby pelt bristled. No, Snowpetal likes me.

"Come on, Hazelkit! Littlekit is over at the elders' den! Cloudnose is about to tell us about to tell us a story!" cried Bramblekit. Before Hazelkit could say anything, Bramblekit pelted towards a fallen tree that was the elders' den.

Hazelkit ran to catch up to her friend. His muscles rippled as he ran through the clearing.

When Hazlekit finally caught up, Bramblekit was patiently sitting just outside the entrance. "I wouldn't enter untill you arrived, Hazelkit." purred Bramblekit. His eyes shone with affection.

As the two kits padded side by side into the elders' den, Littlekit was already sitting beside Cloudnose.

"Come, come, young ones, your sister has been waiting for some time." mewed Cloudnose. His sightless eyes stared ahead. He had a sharp nose and good hearing abilities.

Bramblekit squealed with joy as he sat down. Hazelkit sat with her tail neatly over her paws.

"Hello, kits!" cried a soft voice from behind Hazelkit. Hazelkit turned and saw Mingleberry staring down at her.

"Hi, Mingleberry!" cried Hazelkit as she leaped up. Mingleberry crouched down and gave Hazlekit a slobbery lick on the cheek. She did the same to Bramblekit.

"Yuck!" squeaked Brmablekit. He tried to push away from Mingleberry's slobbery tounge.

The ginger elder chuckled with delight.

"Who's here?" croaked a voice from beside Cloudnose. Fernheart appeared. The stiff elder slowly lay down next to Cloudnose.

"Hi, Fernheart!" greeted Littlekit who began to purr loudly.

"I shall begin." started Cloudnose as he cleared throat and began his story. "A long time ago, there were three powerful Clans of cats. LionClan, TigerClan, and LeopardClan. LionClan was the most powerful Clan..."

Hazelkit wasn't paying attention. She noticed Snowpetal stand and stretch from her place in the sun. Her snowy tail was tempting to pounce on. Hazelkit got into the hunter's crouch and began to creep forward toward Snowpetal's tail. When she was close enough, Hazelkit launched herself into the air and landed on Snowpetal's tail.

Snowpetal screeched as Hazelkit bit down.

"You fur-ball!" she cried and whipped around, glaring furiously at Hazelkit. "Get off!" she hissed angrily."

Shocked with the amount of anger Snowpetal was feeling, Hazelkit jumped off. Snowpetal's white tail was covered in dust and a trickle of blood came from a small bite mark. Hazelkit widened her eyes in shock. She didn't mean to hurt Snowpetal at all.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"You don't mean anything, don't you Hazelkit?" with a snort of anger, Snowpetal left and entered the gorse tunnel, leading out of camp.

I was only playing, Hazelkit told herself, I didn't mean to.

Hazelkit then began to wonder why Snowpetal had left. Her two kits were mewling loudly, calling for their mother.

Why did she leave?

The dark tabby kit looked around to see if anyone was watching. Poppywhisker and Brightsoul were sharing tounges at the foot of the warriors' den. Leafwhisker and Whitepaw were placing herbs out to dry in the sun. Dustpaw and Dawnpaw were practicing battle training together. No one was paying attention.

Hazelkit dashed to the gorse tunnel. Snowpetal's scent was fresh. I'll follow her like that. the kit told herself. Hazelkit began to sniff around, suprised her nose was very sharp. Snowpetal's scent was getting stronger as she neared the Thunderpath. Why would she come here? She could be ran over! images of Snowpetal being run over and her kits having to cope without their mother filled Hazelkit's mind.

The oily and sticky scent of the Thunderpath made Hazelkit's eyes water. Suddenly, Hazelkit spotted Snowpetal. She was sitting on the side of the Thunderpath. Her tail was wrapped neatly around her paws.

Hazelkit was just about to jump up and call Snowpetal over, when two tabbies appeared from the other side of the Thunderpath. A moster whisked by but Snowpetal and the two tabbies didn't flinch.

Hazelkit grew scared and hid behind a dense bramble thicket. She crouched low, hoping Snowpetal and the tabbies, who smelled awfully disgusting, wouldn't see her.

"Snowpetal," began a ginger tabby. "why did you call us here?" he asked.

Snowpetal called them here?

"I just wanted to know if anyone caught me watching him die."

Who died?

"Like we said at the Gathering," started the gray tabby sitting next to the ginger one. "nobody knows. ShadowClan doesn't believe anybody killed Talonclaw on purpose. They think he was just cut by a bramble, or was accidently scratched ferociously."

Talonclaw died in battle four moons ago! What are they talking about?

"Ugh, whatever." Snowpetal began to lick her paw.

"Don't you miss him?" asked the gray tabby.

Snowpetal stopped licking and glanced up at the ShadowClan warrior.

"Please, Feralfang, who would miss him? He was nothing but a slave. I used him."

What? But you loved him!

"I hated that stupid piece of dung." growled Snowpetal.

You... you killed him. it all made sense now. Hazelkit's eyes widened until the whites began to show. She couldn't believe she had just heard that. Snowpetal killed her father. Hazelkit had been told he died in battle, but she never expected Snowpetal to cause his death.

"You betrayed him." Hazelkit growled to herself. "He loved you and you betrayed him."

A feeling of anger and hatred and the urge to kill anything that had to do with Snowpetal welled up inside her.

Revenge. Snowpetal, you will feel my wrath and you will pay. Hazelkit flexed her tiny claws and clawed the soil beneathe her pads. Hazelkit looked up at the darkening sky. Stars were begining to speck the sky. Hazelkit wondered which one of those many stars was her father. The cat she loved and the same one she vowed would never die. She already lost her mother, Petalwhisker. Now her father.

Don't worry, Talonclaw, Snowpetal will pay for what she did to us. Seperate us. She will die.

Chapter III

Hazelkit growled loudly, but not enough for Snowpetal and the two ShadowClan warriors to hear.

"I have to go, I have to newborn kits two care for." with that, Snowpetal trotted off back to camp. Hazelkit watched her go and followed her back.

In camp, Snowpetal was already settled inside the nursery with the two kits.

Hazelkit snuck back in closely behind Snowpetal. The dark tabby kit tried vainly to not let her hate and anger show.

Snowpetal went inside the bramble nursery. Hazelkit scampered over when Bramblekit appeared.

"Hey, Hazelkit!" he cried as he bounded over and skidded to a halt next to Hazelkit. "Lilystar has been looking all over for you. She's going to announce your apprentice ceremony!"

Hazelkit widened her eyes. She hadn't realized she was half as big as Dawnpaw and Dustpaw, the two apprentices.

Lilystar appeared beside Bramblekit. Her bright green eys were filled with delight.

"Oh, I was getting worried something happened to you!" the ThunderClan leader exclaimed.

Amberfang, the deputy, padded over. "Thanks StarClan your not harmed!" she exlaimed while licking the kit.

"Talonclaw would have been proud of you."

Amberfang was Talonclaw's sister, making her Hazelkit's kin. Lilystar was Talonclaw's and Amberfang's mother. That made her kin too.

"Let's go, all the cats are waiting for you." mewed Lilystar as she led Hazelkit to the edge of Highrock.

"Now that we have foound Hazelkit," began Lilystar when she jumped on Highrock. "we can continue with the ceremony."

"Until she has recieved her warrior name, this apprentice will be called Hazelpaw. Poppywhisker,"

The tortoiseshell warrior looked up when her name was called. Her blue eyes shone proudly as she walked up to Hazelpaw.

"you have proved to be an important warrior and I'm sure you'll tech Hazelpaw to follow in your paw steps."

Poppywhisker and Hazelpaw touched noses. Hazelpaw felt a flicker of excitment. I'm an apprentice! The anger she had felt only a few moments ago suddenly seemed to ebb away, replaced with excitment.

"Do you want to get started?" asked Poppywhisker. Hazelpaw shook her head.

"I want to see Flowerpetal first." Poppywhisker dipped her head and Hazelpaw sprinted towards the nursery.

"Congratulations, Hazelkit--I mean, Hazelpaw." Flowerpetal congratulated her foster daughter.

"Wow! Wow!" squeaked Littlekit as she danced around Hazelpaw.

"Will you tech me all the new battle moves?" quired Bramblekit. The dark tabby tom jumped around Hazelpaw.

"No way! She's going to teach me hunting tequniques!"

"No way!"

"Way!"

Bramblekit lunged at Littlekit and the two siblings began to play fight. Hazelkit chuckled with amusment. Then, I feeling of sadness struck her like lightning. She was going to miss the nursery and its milky scents. But there was one thing she wouldn't miss. Snowpetal. Hazelpaw saw the snowy-white queen licking her two kits' heads inside the nursery. Redheart was sleeping next to his mate. Just then, Sunfur, Flowerpetal's mate, appeared.

"Hi, Sunfur!" greeted Hazelpaw. Flowerpetal nodded her greeting and Bramblekit and Littlekit jumped up and done around their father.

"Congratulations, Hazelpaw." he mewed. His green eyes shone with sypmathy. "I remember when you were only just a wriggling kit cuddled next to Flowerpetal's belly."

"I know." breathed Hazelpaw as the memories of being taken cared by Flowerpetal flooded into her mind.

"At least you'll be on patrols with me." he mewed. Hazelpaw twiched her whiskers in amusement.

"Yeah!"

"Can we come too?" asked Littlekit. Her golden pelt turned to fire in the dimming sunlight. "I can help with hunting."

"And I can help with border skirmishes!" squeaked Bramblekit.

Sunfur's whiskers twiched with amusement. "Not until your apprentices."

"But that's three moons away!" grumbled Bramblekit.

"I can wait." mewed Littlekit while she curled up next to Flowerpetal.

"Hazelpaw!"

Hazelpaw looked over her shoulder and noticed Poppywhisker waiting near the gorse tunnel. "We have the evening hunting patrol!"

Hazelpaw's paws twiched with excitment. She was finally going to hunt her own prey!

"Coming!" Hazelpaw happily hopped over to Poppywhisker.

This doesn't mean I won't forget to get my revenge, Hazelpaw told herself, I'll kill you Snowpetal, now that I'm an apprentice. I'll learn about things that can take a cat's life. Things I can use against you.

Chapter IV