A Curse's Start: A Warriors Fanfiction, Book One of Element Clans

Chapter One

Sunkit's ears strained as she heard a yell. It was coming from her brother, Newtkit. 

"Open your eyes, flea-brain!" snarled Newtkit. He nudged her with his paw. 

"Newtkit!" scolded Hazelmoon, "she'll open her eyes when it's her time."

"But Hazelmoon," mewed Puddlekit. "We have all opened our eyes except Sunkit, and we all want to play together!"

But I don't want to open my eyes, thought Sunkit. If that's how they're going to treat me. 

Hazelmoon sighed. She turned her head to Puddlekit. "Puddlekit, dear, why don't you play with Newtkit and Cloverkit? Sunkit can join you when she's ready."

Cloverkit frowned. "I don't want to play."

"Why not?" asked Newtkit, who was already at the entrance of the nursery. 

"I want to hear a story!" Cloverkit explained. 

"Stories are boring," Newtkit retorted. "We can't become warriors if we listen to the boring old elders instead of playing. We could play a game, and I'm going to be the leader, Newtstar!" 

"Kits, enough!" Sunkit could tell Hazelmoon was not happy. "If you keep arguing, you're not going anywhere." 

Sunkit wished her siblings would stop. If they keep fighting, I'm not going to open my eyes in a while. 

Then Sunkit scented something she never had before. Yet it smelled like her. Must be a warrior. 

"Hazelmoon!" said Nettlefire. "How are you? How are the kits? Do you need anything? Water? Fresh-kill? New bed-"

"I'm fine, Nettlefire," said Hazelmoon. 

Sunkit wondered who that "Nettlefire" was. 

"Nettlefire is your father, my little ones," said Hazelmoon. Sunkit swore to StarClan that she must be reading her mind. 

Nettlefire stared at Sunkit. "Why hasn't she opened her eyes yet?" he asked Hazelmoon. "The other kits' eyes are open already."

"Give her time. She'll open them eventually," Hazelmoon promised. 

Nettlefire nodded. "Okay." 

Sunkit's eyes felt like they were exploding, and there they were. Her family. She had opened her eyes. 

"She opened her eyes!" exclaimed Puddlekit.

"Finally!" added Newtkit.

Cloverkit happily mewed, "Sunkit!"

"Cloverkit! I know what you look like now. You're really pretty, and so is Puddlekit." Sunkit purred. "And Newtkit is very handsome," she added when Newtkit scowled. 

Hazelmoon beckoned Sunkit over to her. "You've opened your eyes, sweetheart!" her mother mewed. "What eye color do you think you'll have?" 

"I want green eyes!" Puddlekit bounced on her paws.

"Ooh, me too, me too!" Cloverkit squeaked, running in a circle. Sunkit nodded, her fur fluffing up excitedly.

"I want yellow eyes, like Nettlefire," Newtkit mewed proudly, then puffed out his chest. 

"A true young deputy of FireClan, little tom," Nettlefire mewed. 

"You're the deputy?" asked Puddlekit.

"Yes, it's quite an honor. I think you would all make great deputies one day." 

Sunkit looked at her paws. Nobody's going to want the kit who took the longest to open their eyes as deputy, will they....? 

"Hey, are you alright?" whispered Cloverkit. 

"I'm fine," Sunkit mewed quickly. No, not really. I'm going to be a horrible warrior... 

"Well, I better get back to my duties," meowed Nettlefire. "I have to go hunting. I love Newleaf, when the prey starts coming back. Well, I'll come a visit later." Nettlefire waved his tail, then bounded away. 

* * * 

It was starting to get dark. Nettlefire came in to give Hazelmoon a mouse, and gave her and each kit a lick. Then he went into the warriors den. 

Sunkit and Cloverkit were already in their nests. Puddlekit and Newtkit, however, they were fighting with their claws sheathed.

"Settle down," said Hazelmoon. "Get in your nests," she added to Puddlekit and Newtkit. "It's time for bed." 

Sunkit yawned. Then she closed her eyes and drifted of to sleep. 

She then woke up. But I'm tired... Sunkit didn't see Hazelmoon or her siblings. Where am I? 

"Welcome, Sunkit." Sunkit jumped at the booming voice. 

"Where...where am I?" 

"Well, my dear." The cat came into view. "You are in StarClan, of course." 

"Who are you?" Sunkit asked the cat. 

"My name is Stormcloud. I was once a warrior in FireClan, just like y-"

"I'm only a kit. I'm going to be a horrible warrior, let's face it." Sunkit sighed. 

"Horrible, you say?" meowed Stormcloud, surprised. "Well, come with me, and I'll help you solve that problem."