"Willow, what's that noise?" a brown tabby kit squeaked. His silverish mother smiled slightly.

"It's coming from a badger dear," she mewed, licking her kit's fur gently.

"What's a badger?" he asked in a muffled voice.

"A badger," Willow began to explain, "is a very small creature that only annoys cats. It has a black and white face and is totally harmless."

"Then why can't you go out and fight it?" the kit asked, having no idea that Willow was lying.

"It's not bothering us," she purred. "So we don't bother it."

The young kit heard another growl. This time it was bigger and more angry. "Willow...?" he whimpered.

"I'll check it out," Willow mewed comfortingly. "Don't be afraid. I will be back sooner than you think."

"Okay..." his voice trailed off as Willow padded out of the den.

Putting his small brown paws in front of him, the young kit began to sleep.

~~~~

A screech and a growl woke the kit up. "Willow?" he mewed, looking out of the den for his mother. "Willow!" he yowled.

There was another growl, and in a flash, a massive striped face loomed in front of him.

"Help!" the kit cried. He finally realised that a badger is dangerous and Willow was lying.

"Get away from my kit!" his mother yowled, jumping in between the badger and him.

The badger swatted her aside like prey and the kit froze in terror. Willow got back up although she was injured and she bravely lunged at the badger.

It roared and slammed its large paw onto Willow. There was a sickening crush of bones and the brave mother lay still.

"Willow!" the kit yowled, ignoring the fact that the badger is going to kill him as well.

Luckily, another cat pounced onto the badger with a few others following. The badger let out a frustrated growl when it knew it was overpowered by cats.

It stomped off, leaving the young kit with his rescuers.

"You are welcome, kit," one of them mewed.

The kit nodded blankly.

The biggest cat stepped forward and mewed in a gentle voice, "Is this your mother?"

Glancing at Willow's unmoving body, he nodded, closing his eyes.

"I know who killed her," the cat's voice was as smooth as honey.

"Isn't it the badger?" the kit squeaked.

"No, it was the Clan cats. They chased the badger out of their territory, straight into your den," the tom replied.

"Clan cats?" the kit echoed.

"Yes, Clan cats," the cat curled his lip into a snarl. "If it wasn't for them, your mother would be alive. You can help us get the revenge you need."

"How?" the kit asked.

"You join us in our mission to destroy the Clans forever," the cat growled.