A shrill wail escaped tiny, parted jaws. A gray and white queen quickly wrapped her tail around the little kit in an attempt to soothe her.

"Hush, Smokekit," she purred, "Bonestar will bring us some prey soon."

"But I'm hungry now!" Smokekit groaned as she pressed her belly against the ground. It did little to ease her pain.

Outside the nursery, ShadowClan has been busy at work since dawn. Now that the sun had crested the middle of the sky and reached back down to the horizon, the Clan would settle down for the evening.

And every evening, Bonestar brings us fresh kill, Smokekit thought angrily. He should have been here by now.

Starlingsong ran her tail along Smokekit's pelt while she kept her watchful gaze on the den entrance. "I'm sure he will be here shortly," she assured her.

And sure enough, the flash of Bonestar's white pelt shined outside the branches of the nursery. He meowed a small greeting as he stuck his head and shoulders through the entrance.

Smokekit erupted into a loud mrrow of excitement as she threw herself at her father. He dropped the furry fresh kill he had clamped in his mouth, and purred as he wrapped his paw around Smokekit's small body.

"I hope you haven't been waiting for me," he remarked as he looked up into the eyes of Starlingsong.

"Yes! I've been waiting all evening!" Smokekit exclaimed as she wriggled loose from Bonestar's grasp.

The irresistible scent of the fresh kill wafted over her senses. Her belly growled as she eagerly sunk her fangs into its tender flesh.

"She gets hungrier and hungrier every passing day. I never imagined she would grow so quickly," Starlingsong marveled as she watched Smokekit tear into the fuzzy body of the squirrel Bonestar had brought.

"That just means she will grow into a strong warrior," Bonestar purred happily, "hopefully that means her powers will be equally as strong."

Smokekit's ears perked at her father's words. She stood up and bounced around, fresh blood still spattered across her muzzle. "When am I able to practice my powers?" she asked curiously.

Her parents exchanged a passive glance before Starlingsong replied, "most kits wait until they're made apprentices. It will be your mentor's job to train you in the ways of the shadows."

ShadowClan warriors were adept in the skill of shadow manipulation. With this power, they can confuse and disorient their foes. Smokekit had witnessed her father use his ability before, but he wasn't exactly like the rest of the warriors.

She could remember he had told her; as leader, he had additional powers that his Clanmates did not possess. When he was given his nine lives, StarClan had given him eight special skills that would give them an edge in battle.

It was like this for all the leaders of the lake-side Clans. Bonestar had once told her the story of their battle with ThunderClan. Their leader, Sprucestar, had summoned wild jolts of electricity from his paws.

Jagged scars still laced across Bonestar's legs from that ordeal. He had told her how it had felt like scalding grasses had whipped across his forelegs. She tried to imagine what that would have felt like, but it was impossible.

"Can't you teach me?" Smokekit asked innocently as she turned her attention to her father.

Starlingsong opened her mouth to object, but Bonestar was quick to reply, "I'm sure I could take you out a couple times to practice," he conceded.

Starlingsong sighed but did not voice her concerns. Smokekit squealed in delight and jumped up a short distance into the air. Bonestar chuckled as he reached out his paw to touch Smokekit's shoulder.

"But for now I want you to finish your prey," Bonestar ordered. Smokekit opened her mouth to object, but decided she might as well obey. I've already got what I wanted, she thought happily.

As she tucked back into her meal, excitement fizzed through her fur. She knew her lesson with her father would be special. But I'm special, she thought to herself. After all, that is what Bonestar told her.

As she polished off the rest of the meat from the tiny bones, Bonestar's white tail thumped against the ground beside her. "We can go out into the camp clearing and practice," he informed her.

The large tom stood to leave, his hind paws kicked up a bit of dirt as he exited the den. Smokekit tried to contain herself, so to not rush passed him out of the cramped den entrance. But after a few moments, she trotted out into the open while Bonestar waited a few pawsteps away.

"Alright, first I must teach you the importance of concentration," Bonestar explained as he sat and turned his leaf green eyes to his daughter. The clearing was deserted, all the warriors must have returned to their dens for the night.

But the Sky was still streaked with dim rays of light. The camp was striped with long, black shadows. "I want you to pick a shadow, and concentrate very hard. I want you to imagine that it's moving across the ground, towards me," he instructed.

Smokekit blinked and turned her attention to the edge of the camp wall. The ferns and ivy shivered as a stray breeze tumbled by. She focused hard, on a tiny shadow that sprouted beneath a wildflower bush.

She closed her eyes, and imagined that the tiny shadow grew and began to inch across the grass towards her paws. She dared to crack open her one eye, and was thrilled to see that the shadow had indeed moved across the camp floor.

"Excellent," Bonestar purred as he came closer to her side. He towered beside her as he looked down at the shadow next to her forepaws.

"It takes most apprentices a few days before they learn to do that," Bonestar smirked. Smokekit felt her fur fluff with happiness at the hidden praise he had given her.

While she was distracted, the shade had receded back towards the base of the bush. Bonestar had watched it go, his eyes narrowed. "Now let me show you something cool," he breathed.

Smokekit watched as Bonestar closed his eyes. The shadow she had chosen for her practice started to vibrate, its edges blurred and contorted. Smokekit gasped as the shadow seemed to leap off of the ground, and took off in flight in the treetops above them.

She threw back her head to watch, her tail waved in wonder. The shape had sprouted wings, and a sharp, narrow beak. Shadowy feathers floated to the ground in its wake.

Bonestar had reopened his eyes, a thin smile across his muzzle. His white tail curled to wrap around Smokekit's torso as she marveled at the shadow creature. To her amazement, the shape finally landed and started to pluck at the grass with its tapered beak.

Smokekit dated to extend her front paw. Her claws unsheathed to just barely graze it's murky black feathers. But at her touch, the creature disintegrated, and pooled into a puddle of shadow at her feet.

"Wow," Smokekit breathed, her eyes wide in admiration, "I wish I could do that."

Bonestar chuckled softly. "Maybe one day, my dear. But you still have a lot of growing up to do," he assured her, "you should return to Starlingsong in the nursery. It's time you got some rest."

Smokekit shuffled her paws, not yet ready to end their lesson. "But I'm not tired," she lied, just as a massive yawn escaped her jaws.

"Yeah, ok," Bonestar scoffed. With a gentle nudge, he guided her back to the safety of the nursery.

"Maybe we can practice some more tomorrow?" Smokekit asked, her voice shook with the force of another yawn.

"Maybe," Bonestar replied. Starlingsong must have watched their demonstration from just inside the entrance. As soon as Smokekit padded inside, Starlingsong grabbed her scruff between her teeth.

Smokekit let out a tiny wail of protest but didn't budge as Starlingsong swung her around and plopped her into their nest. "She did well," Bonestar commented from his place just inside the entrance.

"I saw," Starlingsong remarked. Smokekit's pelt prickled at her indifferent tone. Isn't she proud of me, she thought in dismay.

"Well, goodnight my loves," Bonestar purred after a couple moments of silence. He leaned in to nuzzle Starlingsong's cheek, and then bent down to touch his nose to Smokekit's forehead.

"May you both have sweet dreams," he whispered as he turned and exited the cramped space. Starlingsong didn't say anything more as she started to tuck into the nest alongside Smokekit. The soft sounds of the forest slowly lulled her to sleep.