Moonstar's Rise

Chapter 4

A moon had passed since Moonkit's lashout at Silverwhisker. From that moment on, her mother had completely ignored her. Moonkit knew she deserved it though. Her actions though were beginning to hurt Moonkit.

Moonkit was no longer allowed to sleep in her mother's nest, only Owlkit. Silverwhisker would praise Owlkit for every small action he did, even breathing, while Moonkit was like a shadow that could not be seen.

Thankfully though, Honeyfall had moved into the nursery expecting Foxeye's kits, and she gladly let Moonkit share her nest.

"Good job, Owlkit!" Silverwhisker exclaimed, praising her son once again.

Moonkit growled, unsheathing her claws. She watched as Owlkit smiled and Silverwhisker purred, "My brave little warrior!"

Suddenly, Moonkit lost all control of her anger. "STOP! JUST STOP!" she yowled. Silverwhisker turned, staring at her daughter in shock. "What's your problem, Silverwhisker?! All you do is praise Owlkit! You care about me less now that I told you my feelings! You call yourself a mother?! What did Reedfur even see in you?! Would he approve of this!"

Silverwhisker stood up, hissing at her daughter. "You're not my kit, you piece of fox dung!"

Moonkit turned, seeing Honeyfall standing up. The ginger she-cat growled at Silverwhisker. "Silverwhisker, this is going way too far! This is your kit, and you leave her here all alone!"

Silverwhisker growled, padding out of the den. Moonkit watched as her mother walked into the warriors' den. What was she doing?

Angry, Moonkit fled through the camp, rushing into the forest. Leaf-fall was fully upon the clan now, and as she walked, even the falling leaves could not comfort her. No, this had to end!

Suddenly, a bush rattled. Thinking it was Chase, Moonkit acted calm.

"Chase?" she asked.

Suddenly, a young brown tabby tom around her age padded out of the bush. He had striking green eyes, and his claws were long and sharp.

"Who are you?" Moonkit asked. She unsheathed her claws, not afraid of the tom.

The tom looked surprised to see her claws unsheathed. "I'm Fang, and you are?"

"Moonkit," she growled. She expected the tom to leave, but he stayed put.

"What's a kit like you doing out in the woods?" he asked.

"I was looking for my friend..." Her voice trailed off. No, she couldn't tell this cat about Chase. Suddenly, Moonkit realized he had called her a mere kit. "Wait, I'm not a kit!" she spat. "I'm almost an apprentice!"

The tom laughed. "My, you're a feisty kit. I'm a rogue. I travel here from time to time. Don't take what I said too seriously. I have never seen any cat out here willing to talk to me. Why do you seem so angry, Moonkit?" he asked, sitting down to listen.

For some reason, Moonkit trusted Fang, and all her life began to spill out. "It's my mother! All she does is ignore me and treasure my brother. And it's all because I told her she was too protective," Moonkit sighed.

Fang tilted his head. "Your father?"

"Missing. His name is Reedfur," Moonkit sighed.

Fang's ears popped up. "I've heard that name before," he said, leaping up. He slowly paced back and forth. "Aha!" he said at last. "I saw that cat in ForestClan territory! He seemed pretty upset."

"When did you see him?" Moonkit asked, suddenly interested about her father.

Fang thought for a moment. "Well, about maybe four moons ago. He was mumbling on about missing his mate and kits, but it seemed like ForestClan needed his help."

"That liar!" Moonkit hissed. "Silverwhisker lied! She said he just went missing!" Angry, Moonkit unsheathed her claws and dug them into the ground.

Fang turned, smiling maliciously at Moonkit. "Look, Moonkit. You are the first cat that's talked to me, so perhaps I should return the end of the bargain. Perhaps I can help you."

Moonkit's ears pricked up. "What do you mean?"

Fang continued to smile. "This mother of yours. I might be able to help you get rid of her, by killing means of course."

Moonkit didn't even flinch at the words. "Fang, if you could do that, I'd be so relieved."

Fang looked at her in surprise. "Here's what we'll do then," he said. "You'll run off into the woods, and she'll chase after you. Meet me at the stream, and be fast! When you get to the stream, leap into the bushes. I'll take it from there. Once she is killed, we'll leave her in the stream."

Moonkit thought Fang's plan was pretty good, but something told her it wouldn't work. "They'll know a brown cat killed her," she said.

Fang shook his head. "We'll put fox fur on her. I found some by the bushes."

It had to be Chase's fur. Where was Chase anyway? Moonkit smiled at Fang. "Thank you," she purred.

Moonkit noticed her mother in the camp. When she caught Silverwhisker's eye, she yowled, "I'LL JUST QUIT FOXCLAN!"

Silverwhisker's ears pricked up. "NO, YOU WON'T!" she yowled.           

Quickly, Moonkit raced into the woods, passing trees and bushes. As she came across the stream, she leapt into the bushes, trying to be as quiet and still as possible.

Moonkit peaked through some leaves, seeing Silverwhisker pause by the stream. "Moonkit?" she asked.

Fang stepped out, his claws unsheathed. "Hello," he purred. He lunged at Silverwhisker unexpectedly, and she was thrown to the ground.

Moonkit turned her gaze away, not daring to look. She winced as yowls of pain came from her mother, when suddenly, there was a silence.

Moonkit peeked, seeing her mother's limp body near the stream. Blood was splattered all across her body. Slowly, Moonkit came out of the bushes, staring at her mother. Her mother's beautiful eyes were unseeing.

Moonkit almost felt a bit of sympathy, but then the anger kicked in. She yowled, striking her mother's dead body. More blood poured out, and Moonkit felt something she had never felt before. Freedom, rage, power, all in the same time.

She watched as Fang slowly put the fox fur on her mother's body.

"Now, you must tell the cats she was killed by a fox," Fang instructed.

Moonkit nodded, beginning to run back to camp. As she ran, however, she was stopped in her footsteps by Chase.

Chase seemed happy to see her, but at the sight of Moonkit's bloody paws, her smile faded.

"Sorry, Chase, I've got to go," Moonkit told her.

The fox kit refused to move. "Moonkit, don't tell me it was you."

"What are you talking about?" Moonkit asked.

Chase narrowed her eyes. "It was you," she growled. "I had high hopes in you, Moonkit. All this time I was trying to stop foxes from battling cats, but I really should've been doing was stopping you from creating war."

"Move out of the way," Moonkit hissed.

"I'm ashamed to know you," Chase sighed, leaping back into the bushes.

Moonkit felt as if her heart had broke. She had just lost her best friend. But it didn't matter anymore. Freedom came with sacrifice.

Moonkit quickly stopped at a pond, washing the blood off her paws. She then raced into camp, screaming, "SILVERWHISKER IS DEAD! SHE WAS KILLED BY A FOX!"

Sunstar pricked her ears, and soon, all the cats followed Moonkit to the forest where Silverwhisker lay. Suddenly, Owlkit burst into tears. Moonkit tried to ignore his cries, but they were too much. She felt a bit of sympathy towards her brother.

"Take her body back to camp," Sunstar instructed. "We will sit vigil for her."