ThornClaw's Destiny

Chapter 2

The next morning was the morning after the gathering. Thornkit ran up to Frostfur with his littermates and squealed: "What happened at the gathering?" Frostfur licked the top of his head and answered "Nothing, little Thornkit" "But-" "Nothing." Scowling, he trudged back to the nursery, followed by his littermates. Poppydawn dozed in one of the nests and Brindleface looked up as he entered and blinked fondly at him. He settled down in his nest and Brightkit immediately flopped on top of him. He sighed and drifted into sleep.

Thornclaw woke up in the late afternoon. Brindleface and Poppydawn had left the nursery. He wandered out and claws snagged his tail, pulling him into the bush. Thornkit almost yowled with fright, but the stranger hissed "Don't move." Thornkit lay frightened until the stranger said "We're hiding from the rest of the clan. My name is Clawface." "Are we playing hide and seek?" mewed Thornkit. "We are going on an adventure" responded Clawface. "Are my littermates coming too? Are you from Thunderclan? Are you a leader?" "Hush. Or do you want the whole clan to know we are here? I want you to go and grab your littermates. Bring them here and then we can go on an adventure." Thornkit was trembling with excitement. A real warrior's adventure! He couldn't wait to tell his littermates. Thornkit ambled into the clearing and went to wake his brother and sisters.

All his littermates were piled on top of each other. Thornkit poked and prodded them until all of them were awake. He whispered in breathless excitement about how a warrior had come to take them on an adventure. Together they snuck out and Thornkit led them to the bush where Clawface was waiting. "Now listen carefully" Clawface mewed. "We are on a stealth mission to leave the camp and get to the border. If we get caught, we lose. I will go first to scout. Stay where you are, understand?" Thornkit nodded enthusiastically. Clawface slipped off whilst his littermates waited with bated breath. They heard a yowl of fury and pain, and then all was silent. "Was that-" began Brackenkit. "Spottedleaf!" Thornkit mewed. They raced around the corner to find Clawface standing over the medicine cat's lifeless body. "She's sleeping" growled Clawface. "I told her we were playing a game and she said that she wouldn't tell anyone where we've gone." Cinderkit trotted up to Spottedleaf. "Is she ok?" "She's fine," Clawface responded. "Quick, we need to leave before Thunderclan sees her sleeping." "Ok," Thornkit mewed. "Sleep well, Spottedleaf."

Suddenly, they heard the screeches and hisses of a battle. "What's happening?" mewed Cinderkit, looking at Thornkit with round, scared eyes. Thornkit's paws seemed rooted to the ground below. "Come on!" hissed Clawface. "Otherwise, we will lose the game! Head to the border, quick!" Thornkit turned and bolted into the undergrowth, his littermates, and Clawface close behind. A squeak of alarm sounded and Thornkit whipped around to see Brightkit crouched on the forest floor, whimpering. "Oh, for Starclan's sake" Clawface muttered, before turning back and picking up the little she-cat by her scruff. "You'll be fine, stop your whining." Brightkit immediately stopped whimpering. They traveled in silence for a while, until Clawface said "I'm going to put you down. I'm going to go and find some of my friends to meet you. Just stay here." "Did we win?" mewed Brackenkit, stumbling on his paws. "Oh yes," replied Clawface. "You definitely did." Clawface disappeared through the undergrowth. Thornkit and his littermates waited. He returned soon after with a few other cats. "Kits, this is Brokenstar, Flintfang, and Scorchwind. Brokenstar, these are Frostfur's kits." "From Thunderclan?" Brokenstar growled. "Yes." "Good job Clawface." Brokenstar grinned, showing all his teeth. "Soon we can have our revenge." His littermates bristled, recognizing a threat. Thornkit raised his hackles and looked directly at Clawface. "I want to go home," Thornkit growled. Brokenstar laughed. "You won't be going home, little kit. You will be going to Shadowclan." With that, he picked up Brightkit and carried her into the forest. Brightkit wailed and struggled, but within moments, she was out of sight. Thornkit raced after her, but teeth gently gripped his scruff and the warrior carrying him took him into the forest. Behind him, he saw Cinderkit and Brackenkit getting picked up by Clawface and the other cat. Then branches enfolded themselves around him and Cinderkit and Brackenkit were out of sight.

The cat carrying him was strong and fast. Thornkit swung from his jaws, wishing he were home. He ran and ran and ran. Thornkit was getting rather tired and was about to fall asleep when the cat raced into the clearing and neatly set Thornkit down. Thornkit stumbled over to Brightkit, who was lying on her side. "My scruff hurts" she whimpered. The bush swished and Clawface trotted in, carrying Cinderkit. The other cat followed, carrying Brackenkit. Clawface placed Cinderkit down, and she tripped over to Thornkit and Brightkit. Thornkit moved aside, and Cinderkit started to groom Brightkit. Thornkit was furious. And...really, tired. Brokenstar stalked over and looked the kits up and down. He smirked. "Rowanberry!" he called. A dappled she-cat poked her head out of the nursery. "Yes?" "Take Flintfang and Scorchwind and drop these kits in the nastiest hole you can find." Rowanberry looked momentarily startled, then recovered and briskly snatched Thornkit up by the scruff. Thornkit yowled, struggling, and clawing but it was no use. Rowanberry reached a fresh hole, with a few leaves at the bottom and gently dropped Thornkit inside. It was deep. Thornkit tried running up to the top of the hole but the walls were too high. He looked up, just to see Brightkit land next to him. Then Cinderkit, and finally... "Brackenkit!" exclaimed Cinderkit. "You're hurt!" "That mean cat scratched me! On the ear!" wailed Brackenkit. Cinderkit moved around until she was next to Brackenkit. With brisk strokes of her tongue, the wound gradually became cleaner. Brackenkit relaxed and closed his eyes. Thornkit realized that the day's adventure had taken its toll. He lay down, and sleep claimed him.