Brokenkit

"This Clan meeting is dismissed!"

Brokenkit was truly happy for her old denmates but she still felt the disappointment of staying behind while they moved on to the apprentices' den.

As she trotted over to congratulate them, she noticed the two new warriors - Snowflight and Blackscar - positioning themselves near the entrance to the camp as the sun began to sink.

I'll ask later, she decided as she came to Splashpaw, Thornpaw, and Squirrelpaw.

"Congratulations!" Brokenkit meowed as cheerfully as she could, her ears twitching in a fake attempt to make them believe she was happy.

"Thanks Brokenkit," Splashpaw mewed, looking into her eyes, "Hey, don't be upset. You'll be an apprentice sooner or later."

More like later, Brokenkit looked away to avoid eye contact as she shrank away from him.

"Don't let the others know, please..." Brokenkit whispered into Splashpaw's ear.

Splashpaw nodded and turned to acknowledge his mentor, Heathergaze.

The small kit left him to his apprentice duties as she went to Squirrelpaw to give him a halfhearted congratulations.

"Thanks!" Squirrelpaw meowed cheerfully after Brokenkit had congratulated him.

"No problem," she mewed quietly. Slunking away in search for Thornpaw, Brokenkit passed Falconblaze, who was heading to the medicine den.

"Congratulations Thornpaw!" Brokenkit meowed when she finally got his attention.

"Oh, thank you, Brokenkit." Thornpaw meowed politely, an unknown emotion glittering in his dark eyes.

Brokenkit inclined her head respectfully, earning a surprised mew from Thornpaw before she turned away and began stalking towards the nursery. Where she would be greeted by only her mother; no cheerful Squirrelpaw, no funny Splashpaw, no confusing Thornpaw, and no comforting Ivyheart. Only Stonepelt and Brokenkit.

When she entered she found it empty, not even Stonepelt was there. Heaving a loud sigh, Brokenkit curled up in her nest - alone.

What did I do wrong?

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Halfpaw

Halfpaw turned to see her mentor, Adderstrike, approaching with Thornstep and his new apprentice, Squirrelpaw.

"A late hunting patrol?" Halfpaw asked as she stood up, "Or border patrol for Squirrelpaw?"

"Border patrol," Adderstrike mumured as he passed her and went out the entrance to the camp.

"What bit his tail?" Halfpaw meowed jokingly to Thornstep and Squirrelpaw as she followed them.

"I think it's because of the RiverClan cats staying here. Prey is going scarce again as leaf-fall gets closer." Thornstep meowed helpfully.

Halfpaw nodded, falling back slightly to match Squirrelpaw's pace, she muttered in his ear, "Nervous? Don't be; this will be fun!"

Squirrelpaw shot a friendly glance at the half-pelted apprentice.

"Yeah, heh, heh..." He mewed, chuckling awkwardly as they passed out of the entrance and were now trotting through the forest and toward the lake. "Heh..."

Halfpaw rolled her eyes, perking her ears as she heard the scuttling of a mouse in a nearby bush. Dropping to a quiet hunter's crouch, she stalked forward and killed the mouse with a swift blow to the neck.

Squirrelpaw stared at her in awe as she scraped dirt over the fresh-kill for later.

"You'll be learning that soon," Halfpaw purred before moving off to catch up with their mentors. Squirrelpaw was on her heels after a few heartbeats.

"What do you-" Squirrelpaw panted but was cut off by Adderstrike as he yowled loudly.

"Thornstep!!"

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Shadepaw

Shadepaw extended his paws over the squirming form under him, pinning the poor creature. After it stopped struggling Shadepaw leaned forward to whisper.

"I told you that you gotta have balance if you want to get better." He meowed, climbing off the younger white tom.

Lightkit rolled his eyes and suddenly leaped at Shadepaw, but he had expected it and moved aside to let the black eared kit sail past. He landed with a thump a few mousetails away.

"Almost!" Lightkit mewed goodheartedly as he scrambled to his paws.

"I got chu!" A familiar yowl filled the air as a black cat hurled itself at Lightkit, forcing him down with it's momentum.

Lightkit squirmed but wasn't able to free himself as he stared up into his sister's matching green eyes. The black she-cat mrrowed with laughter before slipping aside to let him up.

"I got chu! Next time, chu gotta be quicker so that chu can beat me!" Nightkit advised before she scrambled off to tackle their brother, Crowkit.

Lightkit sat up and watched Crowkit fall to Nightkit in surprise, his black and white pelt bristling in surprise. Purring, he turned back to Shadepaw, who was staring at the kits warmly.

"Do you think your going to the gathering tomorrow?" Lightkit asked suddenly, his big green eyes bright with curiosity.

"Maybe," Shadepaw meowed, "It all depends on what Swiftstar wants." He pointed at her den with his tail, they strained their ears to catch familiar voices before Shadepaw turned to watch Stormkit and Snowkit pad from the nursery side-by-side, as sisters should.

"When do you think we'll be apprenticed?" Lightkit asked as he too watched his sisters.

"I don't know, but the sun is setting, it's time for rest."

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Mudstar

Mudstar watched as the sun sank behind the horizon, the old story about how Bramblestar had onced ventured to where the sun-drown place when he was only Brambleclaw back then flashed back through his head.

As he thought about the tale, a feeling washed over him, a feeling that had not bothered him since he had became leader. The feeling of an incoming hero and a new danger.

Only light will come from the broken.

The prophecy seemed to come from the very winds and the stars that began to twinkle in the darkened sky.

"Brokenkit..."