Warriors : The Rise of Shadowstar

Chapter One

"Shadow!" A voice hissed, causing the young grey and ginger she-kit to whip around from where she was digging.

She stared up at the larger cat in front of her; a white and black she-cat, her blue eyes glittering with frustration.

"Hey, mom!" Shadow chirped, ignoring the irritated look her mother gave her.

"I told you not to be digging in the mud," Her mother sighed. "You'll get your pelt dirty, and i've just groomed your fur."

"I know," Shadow meowed. "But Sparky told me that there are rabbit tunnels everywhere! I've always wanted to taste rabbit, and there would be enough to feed all three of us!"

Before her mother could respond, a voice called from a bit farther off.

"Paint!" Another kit came bounding forward from some nearby ferns. "I think I found a rabbit tunnel! Can we go and explore it?"

"Sparky!" Their mother growled. "Both of you are such a paw full. There aren't many rabbits around here. The moor is where you would find rabbits, but that retched WindClan won't allow any cat on the moor."

"But I found a tunnel, I swear!" Sparky insisted, his golden fur rippling in the warm breeze.

Paint, their mother, shook her head. "Even if you did, there's no reason to explore it. Once a rabbit has gone down its burrow, there's no catching it."

"But i'm small enough!" Shadow meowed, leaping into the air excitedly. "I can crawl down there and find it!"

"That's not the issue," Paint growled, beginning to get agitated. "A rabbit's tunnel is dangerous, because the walls could collapse, or you could run in to something dangerous, like a snake, or young fox."

"I could fight a fox," Sparky puffed out his chest. "No cat, fox, or snake would dare mess with me!"

"Yeah right," Shadow sneered. "You're so small a mouse could pick you up and carry you off!"

"You're not much bigger!" Sparky hissed, his fur puffing up all over his body.

"That's enough, both of you." Paint put her paw between the two quarreling kits. "We need to find shelter before nightfall, and be away from any of the clan territories."

"It's only sunhigh," Shadow pointed out, looking up at her mother. "We've plenty of time! Besides, I bet the clan cats aren't that tough!"

"Clan cats could eat you up in one gulp." Sparky meowed, before his mother could say anything.

"Don't speak that way." Paint glared at her son. "The clans may not be pleasant, but your father was a clan cat. One of the best ones I knew."

"What clan did he belong to?" Shadow stared wide-eyed at her mother. She had heard stories of the clans around the nearby lake. From what she knew, they were terrifying groups of cats who fought over everything.

"It doesn't matter now. He chose clan life over us, and I want nothing more to do with him. But that doesn't mean I wish any bad upon him, and neither should you." Paint sighed, waving her tail. "Now, come. We need to travel past WindClan territory at least by nightfall, and find shelter somewhere that way."

Shadow shrugged, casting a glance at her brother before she trotted quickly after her mother, Sparky following close behind.

***

By the sun had started to set, Shadow, Paint, and Sparky had far passed the moorlands, and now they were covered by the looming trees, which were in the process of turning green once again with leaves.

Sparky and Shadow had been born many moons ago; they had a littermate, Petal, who had died shortly after they were born, due to lack of food.

Now, Seven moons old, Shadow and her brother were old enough to look after themselves a bit better. Shadow could hunt, and usually never came back empty-pawed. Sparky was just as good, but he tended to be the more easily distracted.