Ashkit sat dumbfounded in front of the crowding cats. He cowered back as a large ginger tom stepped up to gaze down upon him.
The sun blazed through the dead tree branches, only blocked slightly by the ginger tom's head.
The cat smiled, "Well, look what we have here,"
As quick as a snake a he grabbed Ashkit's scruff and and threw him out to the center of the cats.

Ashkit thudded on his side, knocking the wind out of him. His fur bristled as he lay panting on the ground. Who are these cats? He thought.
He stood up looking around for SwiftClaw his mother.
"Who's kit is this?" The ginger tom yelled. But there was no response anger engulfed his smile, "Oh, I guess the queens couldn't hear me. I said, who's kit is this?

Again there was no response. Cats began to murmur in the crowds.
"He doesn't look like any of the queens I know of," Ashkit heard a black tom say.

A dark grey tom stepped forward, "MountainStar?"
"What?" he snapped.
"This Kit's so, small. Are we sure he is from VolcanoClan?" Murmurs of agreement spread throughout the crowd.

Ashkit stood up and shook out his fur, anger flaring in his chest. How dare these fools question my place in this clan! He thought though to afraid to move.

"Very true, in fact he doesn't look like a clan cat either," MountainStar crouched to get a good look at Ashkit. Ashkit unsheathed his claws trying to warn him to stay away but he crept closer, "He's so small, and pathetic. Even our omegas were larger than this."

Cats around snickered at their leader's joke. Ashkit payed no attention to them. He tried focusing all his attention on MountainStar. Mustering every last bit of bravery out he lifted his paw and slashed at the ginger tom's nose.
The laughter stopped and MountainStar sat up quickly in shock.

Two beads of blood dripped from the tiny wound. MountainStar watched the blood drop onto the ground. He lashed around holding his tail erect, "If no tom and queen claim this stupid, fuzz brained, diminutive fur ball than I will force him into the apprentice's pit!"

"You can't do that he's just a kit!"
"But throwing a kit into a pit of lava is barbaric!"
"We aren't with Scourge anymore! These aren't the ways of clan cats!"
Cats began to revoke at MountainStar's decision while all he did was smile, "Silence! If that means no one then my mind has been made. Glarepaw, you will be given the task of.."

"Wait!" a she-cat wailed from the crowd. She jumped forward fell to ground, "He's mine! He's my kit! Ashkit!"

Ashkit jumped up from where he sat, "SwiftClaw!" He bounded forward and hid behind her, "Mom he tried to kill me."
"Shhh," SwiftClaw silenced him.

MountainStar looked at two in frustration, "Why didn't I think to ask the stupid kit? Now, whose the father?"

SwiftClaw started at him angrily but let none of it show in her voice, "By the Warrior Code I do not have to tell you who the father of my kit is," she simply stated.

"You do when it takes threatening the kits life to own up to being his mother! Kit, who's your father?"

Fear swelled in Ashkit, why must I answer to him? He tried to kill me after all, "I'm not tell you!"

MountainStar rolled his eyes, "Forgive me kit for not explaining. I'm MountainStar leader of VolcanoClan. Which means my word is law, so you must answer me!

Ashkit buried his head deeper into SwiftClaw's fur, he could feel MountainStar's warm breath. Then he looked at his leader's nose and saw the scar he had left. I'm brave. I gave my leader a marking her won't soon forget. Something other probably wouldn't dare to do, Ashkit thought thinking of how very few cats spoke their feelings on the situations and the amount that smelled of fear, "RunningMouse,"

"An omega?" A dark grey tom snarled, "That's against the rules!" As he said RunningMouse was thrust into the clearing. Cats looked around at one another sharing thoughts of dismay.

MountainStar smiles devilishly and he said it so quietly that only Ashkit and SwiftClaw could head it, "Well I guess I get to have a little fun after all,"

MountStar circled the small, dusky brown tom, his sleek ginger fur shining like the beating sun. Anticipation grew in the anxious crowd of VolcanoClan cats.
Ashkit pressed closer to SwiftClaw who shook with terror.
"RunningMouse," MountainStar finally spoke, "Of all cats here to break my rules it's you, well I'm very disappointed in your behavior,"

He's speaking down to my father like he's an apprentice! Ashkit thought.

"Though, I guess it makes sense, "MountainStar continued, "A low rank little kitty like you must've thought what he did means so little that he can just break the rules whenever he wants,"

Little bits of muffled laughter could be heard from the cats but nothing more. RunningMouse sank back trying to avoid MountainStar's harsh brown stare, "That's not why,"
"Oh, let me guess, because you love her?" MountainStar said mockingly, "Because love is a force stronger than all."
A couple cats burst into marrows laughter but they were immediately silenced by the dark grey tom. Ashkit wanted to attack MountainStar but he didn't know how. RunningMouse didn't bother to say anything more.
"Well Runningpaw your really nothing more than an apprentice who can't pass their warrior test so that is how you will be treated. Lucky for you, instead of giving you the punishment, we'll take it away," MountainStar smiled devilishly, "SootTail, HawkStrike, please take care of the problem.

The dark grey tom and a new brown and white one walked carelessly toward SwiftClaw. SootTail snatched Ashkit by the scruff. Ashkit kicked and twisted as he dangled from SootTail's jaws. He set him down next to RunningMouse.

MountainStar put each of his forepaws on Ashkit and RunningMouse's bodies, "This is what happens to cats who break the rules."

HawkStrike approached SwiftClaw who was standing defensively now. She hissed as he tried slashing at her ears. SwiftClaw lunges for HawkStrike's throat, but he dodged and she went flying forward. When SwiftClaw landed HawkStrike bit into her neck and threw her body into the air.
Ashkit tried to run but MountainStar's paw was placed firmly on his side, "No! Stop!" he squealed helplessly as SwiftClaw thudded on her side.
SwiftClaw let out a yowl in agony, but HawkStrike's face showed no emotion, and simply continued with the torture. She scrabbled at the dirt trying to get up but HawkStike dug his claws into her fur.
Ashkit yowled with fury, then looked at what RunningMouse thought of it. But he simply watched silently, sadness gleaming in his eyes. Does he not care my mother is being killed? Why won't he do anything to stop it!
Ashkit shrieked when she was tossed into the air again.

SwiftClaw wiggled awkwardly in the air and howled in terror and suffering. HawkStrike waited for her landing but instead of racking and clawing her like before, he grabbed he scruff and pulled her closer to RunningMouse and Ashkit until SwiftClaw was starting into their eyes.
"I...I..lov," she studdered between gasps of breath. Her blood began to seep in to the two tom's coats.
"Don't leave," Ashkit begged.
SwiftClaw tried again, "I lov..." But she was cut of by HawkStrike. The brown tom walked over her back to the crowd but snapped her spine by stepping on her neck, "oops," he didn't even look back as he said it, just continued to walk.
"SwiftClaw," Ashkit whispered, her eyes were different. They stared not into his eyes, but into nothingness like she were somewhere else. Her breath stopped and her nose became cold.
Before Ashkit could tell what had happened, RunningMouse said the first thing he had since his humiliation, "No—o! SwiftClaw! SwiftClaw come back, he licked her nose but there was no response.
The crowd of cats backed up in horror at the murder they'd just witnessed.
MountainStar leaned close to the two, "This is all your fault! You could have stopped this. Remember that as you grow old in the apprentice den without your lovely mate!"
MountainStar got off of them, "Because of RunningMouse's dire choices Ashkit will grow to be nothing more than an omega. He will train as an apprentice like all other cats but will not take his warrior test" MountainStar called then walked to his den, leaving the gathering of horrified cats.
Ashkit still touched noses with his mother, I promise I'll make you proud. In anyway, no matter what it takes. I will prove our strength. Ashkit thought then was ushered away to the nursery by RunningMouse.