I'M. ACTUALLY. DOING IT. (look at the picture above). It won't be out anytime soon because I just started this book after all, but I'M 75% SURE I AM WRITING Dewstar's Darkness!

Dewkit's flank heaved as he settled down into his nest, his belly full from prey he had just eaten. It was dark, almost time to sleep, and Silverleaf had just told the kits to settle down with her in the nursery. Ravenkit tried to insist that she was energetic and didn't want to go to the nest already, but after Icestar reminded her that she was on the verge of having her future apprentice ceremony revoked from all the troublemaking she'd caused, she had instantly sprung along with Silverleaf.

Silverleaf pulled Dewkit in close as the two settled in. He hated to admit it, but nothing felt better than the comfort of his mother's warm fur. Ravenkit would tease me if she ever found out! he thought, burying his nose into her silver pelt, already embarrassed by just the thought. Ravenkit slumped down on his tail, clearly not ready to sleep yet.

"Have you got any stories?" muttered Ravenkit. "I'm not sleepy yet."

"I'd tell you one, but Shadekit hates being disturbed from his sleep," whispered Silverleaf with a humorous purr.

Ravenkit puffed. "Oh, he's just sleeping! Come on, tell us!"

"Would you like to hear one, Dewkit?" Silverleaf asked.

He thought for a moment. "I guess so."

"Then, this is a story about Icestar and Dewstar," she told them, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's no elder's tail, you see. It's a true story."

"You mean Icestar's brother?" Dewkit murmured, knowing that Dewstar is where he got his name from. I've never heard too much about him, thought the kit, But I've been told that I looked like him once before. He gulped. And that he was evil.

Silverleaf gave a small nod. "Yes, Dewstar is your kin. He died the day you were born, too, during the Dark War." Her voice got lower as she spoke. "This is a story that's important to remember, despite the bloodshed, despite the wars . . ."

"Wars?" whispered Ravenkit, eyes sparkling.

Their mother shook her head. "War is no exciting event. It is brutal. Many lives were lost among the Clans from the wars, and it is something we all want to never face again." She looked down to the two of them. "That is why I think it's important to tell you, so that every future warrior will know the importance of avoiding it. After all, no cat is born with a bad heart."

"But Dewstar was," murmured Dewkit, remembering once the taunts he received from Bloodpaw and Shadekit.

I'm not only kin to a murderer, but I share his name!

"Dewstar was a good cat," Silverleaf said. "But he let himself be misled."

"So what is this story?" Ravenkit asked, turning onto her back so that her belly faced the den's ceiling. "A story about good and bad, Icestar and Dewstar! I can't wait to hear it." Her black kit-fur was not as neatly groomed as Dewkit's. After all, she could never hold still when it was her turn to be groomed, and so she always managed to escape Silverleaf's nightly grooming.

She tucked both kits closer to her belly and Dewkit accepted the warmth of his mother and sister. "When Dewstar was young he was just like Icestar. But soon, both of them came across a situation where he had to make the decision of being good or bad."

"Obviously Dewstar chose to be bad," snorted Ravenkit.

"Oh, he did, but he was left with not much of a choice," Silverleaf said firmly. "And Icestar was at a loss himself. They let themselves be led by their dreams and eventually started to be driven by fate. It's something no cat has to do—we all should choose for ourselves of how our lives will be on our own accord."

"But why? If StarClan tells us to do something, shouldn't we do it?" Ravenkit asked.

"Yes, but . . . it's also a choice we make for ourselves," she tried to advise. "We don't listen to StarClan on a natural instinct. We do it because we want to."

Dewkit stared at the twinkling night sky from his nest, eyes getting droopy. His father and his Clan had suffered so much before he was born. He had only seen a glimpse of the hard life when there was still snow, but he was very little then and had little to no memories of it all. His earliest memory by sight is of Icestar standing over him, bloodied and scratched from battle. It was a hazy image, unlike the flashbacks of the Clan running low on food and herbs. But now, since the warm weather was changing conditions rapidly, Dewkit wanted to forget such suffering.

Silverleaf continued telling Dewkit and Ravenkit her tale of Icestar's battle with Dewstar, and eventually, Dewkit fell asleep.

When he woke again, he was surprised to find that he wasn't in the nursery, cuddling by his mother's warm fur. In fact, he want in MoonClan at all! Alarmed, he looked around quickly, his surroundings unrecognizable.

All around him stood tall oak trees, some unnaturally tall. They formed a canopy of leaves on long branches, dappling the sunlight on the ground. His surroundings were blanketed in coats of white, and nearby a small stream ran, noticeable by the loud water.

Are the white coats over the forest ground snow? I thought snow was supposed to be cold. His paws tread over the slushing white.

"Where am I?" he murmured out loud to himself.

Of course, there was no response. He was hoping for one, however. With no clue on what to do, he proceeded forward, wondering how he got here. The last thing he remembered was listening to Silverleaf's story as slowly drifted off . . . Could he possibly be sleeping?

The air tasted unusually good, making him feel as if he could run countless laps around MoonClan's camp. He felt as if he could beat Ravenkit in a fight, or even fly up in the trees like a bird. Dewkit kicked off the ground and ran through the snow, his heart beating. What a lovely dream! He raced along the forest, elated to be someplace where he was the strongest cat in the Clans, instead of the weakest.

He felt as strong as Icestar had been, in the Battle of Darkness.

As he dashed through the forest, he stopped short when he spotted a piece of prey up in the trees. What was it, a vole? As he got closer, he could distinctly se its bushy and long tail merging colors with the gray-and-brown tree. Perhaps it's a squirrel. They have tails like this, right?

He wriggled his haunches, and leaped at it, opening his paws completely as if he'd catch it like that. But before he even had the chance to land on it, the squirrel dashed up the tree and disappeared into the thick bundle of leaves.

Well, maybe he wasn't as strong as Icestar or his sister.

"What are you doing, kit?" said a voice so suddenly that Dewkit leaped with surprise. He thought he'd been alone in his dream world! Whirling around, he saw a cat he'd never seen before standing over him, with cool dark blue eyes and short white fur, matching the snow around them.

"I was hunting," Dewkit said, tilting his head. "And who are you?"

"Just a loner," he responded, flicking his tail. "You don't think you're going to ever catch prey like that, do you?"

Dewkit shrugged his shoulders, feeling hot with embarrassment. So this stranger had seen him after all. "I dunno," he mumbled, hoping he wouldn't be made fun of. At least it wasn't the other kits who'd seen him—they wouldn't miss a heartbeat to tease his poor skills in hunting, excluding Shadekit, who hardly cared about what he did.

"You're Icestar's son, right?" the stranger asked, keeping his unfaltering blue eyes on him.

With a jump, Dewkit nodded. "How'd you know?"

"Because you remind me of him," the stranger responded. He padded closer, and Dewkit didn't bother moving, his eyes round with curiosity to this loner who'd wandered into his dream. "Want me to teach you a real hunter's crouch?"

Dewkit thought about it, imagining showing it off to his sister, but ended up shaking his head. "No, I'm more curious to how you know Icestar."

The stranger's ears slightly pushed back, his gaze clearly solemn. "I see."

He's weird! Dewkit thought, tilting his head again. Not only was this stranger mysterious, but he said things that Dewkit hardly understood!

"See what? I asked a question, but that's barely a response at all!" the kit said, taking a step closer as his mind wondered.

The white cat looked slightly amused. "It's alright, I'll answer any question you have some other time, Dewkit."

The kit jumped with surprise. "How do you know my—"

"All in due time," the stranger said, padding past him this time, taking long and graceful strides. "This won't be the last you'll see of me. But be conscience that I only show up during the darkness."

And with that, the stranger faded into the trees.

Dewkit stared at him as he disappeared, completely shocked and confused at his random dream encounter. He looked up to the sky and squinted his eyes against the bright light. But it's not dark at all! What in StarClan's name did he mean? And how did he know me and Icestar?

He shook his head.

"It was nothing," he mumbled. "Just a cat in a dream, that's all. He wasn't real."

I'm just being silly! Dewkit thought, continuing along in his dream.

* * *

When Dewkit woke up again, he wasn't surprised to find out that the sun had already risen above the trees. With a warm pelt and a growling belly, he stretched as he left the nursery. The only cats that were in there were Swiftbreeze and Smokekit, who were still sleeping. Silverleaf and Ravenkit were gone, their spots cold as if they'd been awake since dawn, and so were the other kits. He wondered what they were up to.

As he padded out into camp, Dewkit saw Sharpfang padding around the warriors den like he usually does on mornings. However, something felt different today. Cats were hastily walking to and fro the camp as if in a rush. Dewkit watched as Rainwhisker and Fireshade had their ears alert, as if listening to the forest for quiet sounds. Nightrose, Shadowheart and Petalwing were watching the rogue closely, their pelts bristled with obvious discomfort.

A few moments later, Volefur and Dawnstripe burst into the camp. "We can't find them!" exclaimed the light orange she-cat, her eyes wide. "We searched everywhere!"

"Find who?" Dewkit wondered out loud, looking around. Nobody seemed to be missing . . . right? He tried to stop Squirreltail to ask him what was going on, but the young warrior shooed the kit off his paws and padded quickly to Sharpfang as if he had important business.

A bit frustrated, all the more curious, Dewkit turned his head, wondering who was able to talk to him.

Bloodpaw was bringing Skypelt wet moss while Shadekit and Berrykit lingered around the medicine den, listening to Sweetheart speak. Dewkit decided to listen in, and slowly trailed behind the apprentice, straining his ears to listen to the conversation.

"—you don't think they just went off for a late night hunt, do you?" Berrykit was saying as the medicine cat worked her paws over Skypelt's broken leg.

"No, mousebrain, they got kidnapped!" spat Shadekit.

Annoyed, Sweetheart drew her ears back. "That's very unlikely, Shadekit. The camp is set up the way it is to prevent outsiders from coming in—and even in some cat happened to wander in and take Icestar and Flameheart, they would have alerted the Clan or fought back!"

Dewkit stopped dead in his tracks. Flameheart and my father are missing? With stiff legs, he leaned in closer.

"I told you so, they're just out hunting!" Berrykit went on.

"That's unlikely too," Sweetheart said, making room for Bloodpaw. The apprentice entered the den and set his piece of wet moss beside his former mentor. Skypelt, whose expression was contorted in pain, leaned up and put his mouth onto the moss, sucking out its water. "That's it, Skypelt, drink slowly," she said soothingly, before returning her gaze to the kits. "Whenever Icestar went out for his midnight hunts back in his warrior days—and trust me when I say he did a lot—he usually let someone know, and would return long before dawn. Knowing him, he's gone out to do something dangerous."

"And why would he do that?" questioned Shadekit, throwing an accusing glare at Sweetheart. "What leader abandons his Clanmates to do something dangerous?"

By this point, Dewkit could hold his position no longer. With his heart pounding nervously, he stormed up to the bigger and older kits. "My father would never abandon his Clanmates!"

Surprised, Sweetheart gave him an acknowledging look. "Oh, you're up."

"Yes," Dewkit said with a nod. "How long have they been missing?"

"No one knows, because they didn't tell anyone where they were going," snarled Shadekit with annoyance. "And who are you to talk to be like that? Do you think that just because you're the leader's kit that makes you special?"

Dewkit's eyes widened. He didn't expect an angry response from his denmate. "I wasn't—"

"You should respect me," Shadekit went on, narrowing his eyes. "I'm older and stronger than you."

Bloodpaw was watching the two, interest sparking in his eyes. Conflict had always interested the apprentice, especially when it involved Dewkit. For some reason, the two of them never liked him.

Dewkit threw the medicine cat a nervous glance, but she wasn't paying attention by this point. Her attention had returned back to Skypelt, who needed more attention for his leg.

When he returned his gaze to Shadekit, he gulped. "Being older and stronger doesn't make you any better than me," he forced himself to say. Though he was a weak kit, he didn't want his pride to be destroyed.

Shadekit stepped closer, his eyes dark and annoyed. "Why don't I show you who's the better one here?" he growled, raising his paw. Shadekit's long, sharp claws unsheathed, and Dewkit shrunk back with fear. Would his denmate really hurt him?

"You're nothing like Dewstar," Bloodpaw said after a few heartbeats of silence. "You're a weakling. And a coward."

"Am not!" Dewkit shouted back, upset. Why must they always compare him to his dead kin? It's not like he'd ever met Dewstar! And besides, just because they shared the same name, that didn't make it plausible for them to assume that Dewkit was just as evil as his uncle! 

Berrykit stood up, her ears pulled back slightly. "All right, you're going too far. Let him be, Shadekit."

"And why should I?" Shadekit asked.

A bundle of black rushed past Dewkit. In an instant, his sister was in front of him, her soft kit-like fur bristled and her tail erect. "You should or else I'll make you!" Ravenkit spat.

Shadekit stared at her for a heartbeat. Then, amusement filtered into his eyes. "Is Dewkit so weak that he needs his sister to stand up for him?"

Bloodpaw's whiskers twitched, and Dewkit shrunk down with utter embarrassment. How could Ravenkit do this to him? He didn't ask for her help! Though he was scared stiff, he would have handled them somehow. Under his fur, Dewkit felt hot and wanted to sink to the cool, secluded underground, and stay there forever, away from these staring eyes.

Dewkit waited for Ravenkit to taunt him back, but she did something that shocked him. She swiped up her paw, and scratched Shadekit's ear, hissing with anger. In an instant, a small scratch appeared, a trickle of blood following after.

A brief moment of pain entered into Shadekit's expression, but he was quick to recover. "How dare you?" he growled, and leaped from his spot, tackling Ravenkit to the ground.

"Stop it!" Berrykit yowled.

Oh no! Dewkit thought, frozen in his place. What have I done?

"Kits, stop this instant!" Sweetheart snapped, her shadow looming over the pair of tackling kits. "Why in StarClan's name are you fighting in such a time? No, the bigger question is, why would you fight in front of the medicine cat's den? There's someone hurt here and he needs peace!"

Shadekit, who had Ravenkit pinned under his big paws, let her go reluctantly, not one trace of shame filtering into his cold eyes. Ravenkit, however, quickly recovered to her paws, bowing her head in shame.

"I'm sorry, Sweetheart," she mumbled. "But Shadekit started it. He was making fun of—"

Sweetheart was quick to cut her off. "It doesn't matter who starts it. A good warrior never fights with his or her Clanmates, no matter what. Now you all ought to get off my tail and do something better than fighting, or I'll have both of your parents hear of it!"

Dewkit looked to his paws guiltily. Sweetheart was right. Dewstar turned on his Clanmates, and the last thing Dewkit ever wanted to do was follow in his footsteps. Next time, he would try to handle the situation better. He was determined to make his parents proud of him one day, and he especially wanted to prove to everyone that he was not in any way like Dewstar.

"Come on, Bloodpaw, Berrykit. Let's do some apprentice stuff," Shadekit said smugly, holding his chin up high as he whirled around and padded to the opposite direction of camp.

Ravenkit scoffed and muttered under her breath, "What's up with him today?"

"Kits," laughed Skypelt softly, his voice weak from pain in the medicine den. "I'll never forget what it's like to be one."

"Skypelt, you're awake!" Ravenkit said happily, her head snapping in his direction.

"Of course I am," he purred. His leg still looked as awkward as the day it had been crushed, but Skypelt seemed to have gotten use to the pain. His eyes shone with delight as he looked at the kits. "Now why don't you two stay with Sweetheart and I for the time being? It'll be best if you stay out of everyone's tail. And besides, I miss the youthful energy."

Happily, as if she had already forgotten about her heated anger, Ravenkit trotted inside the medicine den, sitting down a few claws away from Skypelt. She looked at Dewkit expectantly. "Are you coming or what?" she asked.

"Y-yeah," Dewkit mumbled, casting a swift glance backward to the camp. Shadekit, Berrykit and Bloodpaw were on the far side of the camp, practicing battle moves on each other. He wished he were big and strong like them, with the bravery and wits of a warrior. However, Dewkit feared he'd be like this forever: a weak and timid kit who'd always have to rely on his sister for help.

As he followed Sweetheart into the medicine den, his thoughts wandered to his dream, which he had forgotten about up until now. This won't be the last you'll see of me, the white loner had told him.

Even though it had only been a dream, Dewkit couldn't help but remember the cat's rippling muscles under his fur—the way he carried himself so gracefully—and even the offer he gave Dewkit: "Want me to teach you a real hunter's crouch?"

Perhaps if Dewkit were to really see this cat again . . . this would be his means of getting stronger.