The Rogue Traitor #1 - Beginning of the Curse

Chapter One

Hi there readers! SkyandStarlight here! Thanks for visiting this book, trust me, there are great adventures.

- SkyandStarlight

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Butterflies flew around inside Birdkit's tiny white belly as she groomed her brown and black patchy pelt until it was smooth and shining in the sun-high light that was weaving its way through the ivy hanging limply at nursery entry.

"I have to look my best," the kit told herself, spitting out the annoying furs that clung to her small, pink tongue, "this is my big day. I will never be able to have it again, so I must go out into that and look the best I possibly can." The she-kit kept telling herself that she would go fine in her apprentice ceremony, but a little voice in the back of her head made her think about all the things that could go wrong. She had been trying to shake off the annoying voice all day, but it was like a stubborn burr in her pelt, not wanting to go away.

"Everything will be okay," she told herself, taking a deep breath. She shook her patchy coloured head in an attempt to clear the worrying thoughts, but it just gave her a small headache.

"How are you going?" asked a voice and Birdkit looked up from her grooming to see a cream tabby tom walk into the nursery. His fur was short and pale, and it shined in the sunlight, causing him look like a cat from StarClan. His eyes were a pale green, like the colour of grass, and they sparkled with kindness and a slight bit of humour.

"I am just a little nervous," sighed Birdkit, looking down at her black paws and shuffling them on the sandy ground, butterflies still flying hectic loops in her stomach. She was embarrassed at telling another cat about how she felt, and even though she had known this tom ever since she opened her eyes, she was soon going to be a warrior cat apprentice. She was sure that other apprentices didn't show their emotions and constantly spill out how they felt to other cats.

"Don't be," smiled the tom, walking and sitting down next to her, his cream tail flicking over the dusty ground, stirring up dead leaves and scraggly moss, "you don't have to do much at all, just listen to what the leader says and say you want to be an apprentice."

"I know!" cried the young kit, "but it is so simple that I am sure I am going to mess it up!" She looked at the tom with desperation in her pale blue eyes. She desperately wanted to be well respected by her Clan and not be laughed at because she was hopeless, just like a mouse under a cat's claws.

"You will not mess it up," promised the tom, talking to her in a soothing voice with his tail running over her back. He was so kind and sympathetic; most cats could not be bothered to comfort a distressed kit.

"Oh Dewpaw," sighed Birdkit, looking away and down at the ground "I just want to be the best warrior I can be. I don't want to make a fool of myself in front of the whole clan. I want them to see that I am a good hunter, that I can defend my clan, that I am responsible, that-"

"Birdkit," the tom interrupted, talking to her in a stern voice, causing the kit to look up at him, "you will be all of those things, you just need to believe in yourself and not worry so much about what might go wrong."

He looked her directly in her blue eyes and for those few moments, she swore she could see something else glimmering in his kind green eyes, but he pulled away before she could ponder about it anymore. He gave her a nod and walked towards the den entry, looking over his cream shoulder once before walking out of the den.

"You just need to believe in yourself," Dewpaw's voice echoed inside her head, and she breathed in a deep breath. He was right, she needed to stop doubting herself or she was certain to fail, and that was definitely something she didn't want. She began grooming again but was quickly interrupted as a brown tabby tom walked into the nursery.

"Are you ready?" he asked, walking over to her, "your littermates are waiting for you and Maplestar is ready to start the ceremony." The tom flicked his tail impatiently as he stood waiting, a few fox lengths from where the tortoiseshell and white she-kit sat. He looked like he was trying to control his impatience, but was failing, his scent and body language a clear give away.

"Oh!" cried Birdkit, jumping up in surprise, "Sorry Stagleap, I didn't even realize!" She wished that Dewpaw or someone had told her that the leader and whole clan were waiting.

"Great way to make a fool of yourself already!" she thought, picking out one final leaf in her pelt before she followed her father towards the exit of the den. The kit shook her head, trying to clear away the negative thoughts as she walked out of the nursery and into the bright sunlight.   

Edited: 30th of October 2021