Warriors: Starfaith's Fate (SOB short story) (COMPLETE)

Chapter 1

The sky was darkening above the moor. Most cats were beginning to go to their nests, while the WindClan deputy, Monarchwing, was speaking with the cats who had just returned from patrol. Everyone was settling down for the night.

A kit sat in the entrance of the nursery, her eyes fixed on the sky. Silverpelt will appear soon! She thought excitedly. Being a young kit, she didn't get to be out at night often. The nursery was one of the only dens in the camp with a roof. WindClan cats enjoyed being out in the open, but she couldn't help but feel that she longed for it more than the rest of her clanmates. At least, that was the idea she got from her siblings in the nursery. 

"What are you doing, Starkit?" Blazingkit asked behind her.

Starkit didn't look away from the sky. "Waiting for silverpelt to appear."

She heard her brother purr in amusement, and a moment later, Petalkit spoke. "But why? They're just stars."

She turned to her siblings, feeling a bit hurt. "That's not true," She meowed. "Silverberry says they're the warriors of StarClan watching over us. Don't you feel how amazing that is?"

The other kits were quiet for a moment, exchanging a glance. "I guess so," Blazingkit mewed.

"Hey, come play with us!" Petalkit urged, her little yellow and white tail high in the air. "You never do."

Starkit sighed and returned her gaze to the dusk sky. They'll never understand. She was aware that she wasn't like other kits. Most enjoyed play fighting, tossing a ball of moss back and forth, or exploring the camp. But she was different. She was quiet and reserved, spending most of her time thinking about StarClan and trying to understand their ways. She didn't like rough play or silly games. Some cats look at me strangely. They don't understand me. But I don't care. StarClan understands me.

"Kits, it's getting dark out," Featherblaze called softly from the back of the den. "Time to go to sleep."

Petalkit's tail drooped. "Aww! But we were having fun! We're not even tired." Beside her, Blazingkit let out a yawn, and his sister shot him a disappointed look. "Blazingkit!" She whispered in dismay.

Featherblaze purred in amusement. "You can play again tomorrow." The kits reluctantly turned and crawled into the nest against the queen, who looked at them fondly before raising her gaze. "That means you too, Starkit."

She looked over her shoulder in dismay. "But I want to see silverpelt. Can't I please stay awake a little longer?" She asked hopefully.

The queen shook her head, her amber eyes warm. "You've seen silverpelt many times. Come, you need to get a good night's sleep."

With a last longing look at the sky, she reluctantly turned and headed back toward their nest. I don't want StarClan to think I don't appreciate them...! She curled up in the moss close to her siblings, and the queen licked her head.

Featherblaze wasn't their real mother. Several moons ago, a horrible group of rogues led by a cat named Bone Shred had terrorized the clans. Starkit and her siblings had been very young when the rogues attacked the WindClan camp. One of them had broken into the nursery and killed their mother, Dreamwhisper, as she fought to defend them. It was one of Starkit's only memories of the terrible time, though she wished she could forget it.

She and her siblings had been taken care of by Dreamwhisper's sister, Featherblaze, along with their father, Weaselnose, who often came to visit. However in a battle against Bone Shred's rogues at a gathering, their father had been killed. 

It wasn't easy carrying on without a mother and father. Every couple in the clan looked forward to seeing their kits become warriors, but neither parent would be there for Starkit and her siblings. They wouldn't even see them become apprentices. For a while, this reality had made her feel alone and afraid.