Part One: ThunderClan

Thornkit snuggled close to his sisters, his ginger fur ruffled from the wind. Mapleshade was curled around her kits, her long, tortoiseshell body wrapped around them. His body was cold from the recent leaf-bare, and he was also cold from shock. The shock of his mother having a RiverClan mate, and the fact that the trial was today. He remembered the day before, when he had followed his mother out of camp.

Thornkit ducked under the briar bush, the thorns scraping his small body. He struggled after Mapleshade, who was heading deeper and deeper into the woods. She kept glancing warily around her, as if not wanting any cat to see her. Suddenly a whiff of fish caught his nose. He sneezed, and Mapleshade whirled around with a loud cry of shock.

"Thornkit!" she gasped, then her eyes narrowed. "What are you doing here?" Thornkit backed away when suddenly a gray tabby stepped out of the bushes. "Don't yell at our son." he growled to Mapleshade. Mapleshade stiffened. 

"Our son?" Mapleshade whirled around as a brown tabby stalked out of the trees. "Sparrowwish!" Thornkit yelped. His father had come to save him from the tom! He darted to his father, but Sparrowwish shoved him away with a disgusted look. "You mean Turtlekit and Pebblekit are his?!" Mapleshade hissed slowly, her eyes flickering from one tom to the other. 

"Yes." she mewed softly. "Yes. Sparrowwish, you are not their father."  

Sparrowwish blinked. "Fine then."  He butted her harshly with his head. "I need to report this." Mapleshade stumbled and shot a pleading look at the gray tom. He didn't move. Thornkit felt terror rising in him. What now?

                                                                                         ****

"Wake up, sleepy head." Pebblekit nudged him, her eyes dark. "Mossstar has called a meeting." said Turtlekit, her tortioshell fur ruffled. Thornkit gulped nervously, rising to his paws. He knew what 'the meeting'' was. Mapleshade was already outside of the den, her tail-tip flicking as her gaze darted around. She flinched as a warrior hissed at her, fury in his eyes. Sparrowwish's brother, Thornkit reflected.

"We are gathered here today to reconize a tratior." growled Mossstar. Thornkit, trembling, ducked out  of the nursery. "And three mistakes." Thornkit winced as cats echoed their leader. "Tratior! Tratior!" Is that really what they think of my mother? wondered Thornkit. And me? "Now," continued Mossstar, "Come forward."

 Thornkit fought to control himself. His paws felt like stones. Mapleshade scooped him up in her jaws and scrambled after Turtlekit and Pebblekit. He squealed as he was brought closer to his fate. "Now Sparrowwish," Mossstar adressed to young tabby. "What do you think would be a fair punishment for her?"Sparrowwish stepped forward. His eyes blazed. Then he turned to Mapleshade.

"Listen," he growled. "I helped you raise your kits through leaf-bare, and then you do this to me? I thought for once I had a mate." his amber eyes glowed. "However, I am to let you off easy." Thornkit sighed in relief. "Kill the kits, then drive you out." 

Thornkit gasped in horror. "No!" he yelped, but all cats ignored him. Mapleshade spat furiously. "Good, good." hissed Mossstar. "Who will kill them?" a cat called from the crowd.Mossstar turned to Sparrowwish. "It is your choice." she purred. Sparrowwish growled. "I shall." He meowed loudly. Mapleshade turned on him hissing. "You were their father! Now you want to kill them?" Sparrowwish didn't flinch but glared at her. Mapleshade turned to her kits, her eyes filled with pain. "When I say  run, go. I'll come after you."

Thornkit was petrified. He was going to run away! Turtlekit mewed softly, her eyes paniced. "Mapleshade, stop whispering." Mossstar grumbled. "You stay out of my fur!" spat Mapleshade, flinging herself at the leader. Thornkit breathed in sharply. Mossstar drew back, but a gray tabby tom leaped and barreled Mapleshade over. He clawed at Thornkit's mother's fur, tearing a deep gash. Mapleshade howled in agony and pushed him off. As she did, five more cats jumped at her. Before she dissapeared, Thornkit heard her screech, "GO!"