Blossomfur's POV:

Spiderkit pounced on her, catching the cream she cat by surprise. "Gotcha!" The dark furred kit squeaked in glory.

Blossomfur let out a breathy laugh, nudging the kit off her. "You're getting too big for the nursery." She mused, glancing at Flowerstream to see the grey she cat nodding in agreement.

"It won't be long before I get to be an apprentice!" Spiderkit rolled over to Flowerstream. "Right, Mumma?"

Flowerstream's lips formed a bright smile. "I think I recall Tyler coming in here to tell you your ceremony will be soon..."

"Really?!" Spiderkit screeched in excitement, bouncing on her paws happily. "Oh, I can't wait to go into the forest and meet all the warriors!"

Blossomfur chuckled, sharing the kit's dreams. She wanted to go out into the forest with Shadeheart again, being cooped up in the nursery wasn't fun at all. At least she was allowed out, unlike the other two queens and their kits.

Redleaf yawned and stretched in her nest, sighing to herself. "And my kits are nearly three moons old." She looked down at the three sleeping bundles. "Starclan keep them safe from NoName." She murmured.

The way that the two other queens spoke of Starclan made Blossomfur's pelt prickle. Starclan was an enemy to the Dark Forest, they wouldn't help anyone in this clan, prisoner or not.

Blossomfur looked up when the sound of pawsteps echoed from the tunnel. Strike padded in, his red eyes burning into the three queens. "NoName is here to inspect Redleaf's kits." The dark furred tom meowed, stepping back to allow his smaller sister to stroll in.

Blossomfur noticed an immediate change in the air once NoName appeared. Flowerstream tucked Spiderkit closer to her, staring at the red she cat fearfully. Spiderkit peered at NoName's shadows curiously but didn't dare reach out for them.

Blossomfur followed Spiderkit's gaze, suddenly remembering her talk with Spectrum. She had to think of a way to get the shadows from Shadeheart. How could she persuade NoName to give them to her instead?

Shaking away her thoughts, Blossomfur looked up at NoName as the red she cat peered down at the three napping she kits. "Wake them up." She ordered, her white gaze turning to Redleaf.

The Smallclan she cat gently nudged her kits awake, murmuring hushed reassurance as the kits squeaked their annoyance. "NoName just wants to say hi to you three."

"But I'm tired!" Cherrykit whined, opening her big round eyes to glare up at NoName. "You're mean!"

NoName's ears flattened and Blossomfur felt her heart skip a beat. She wouldn't really kill Cherrykit just for that right? She looked behind the red she cat at Strike; the winged tom watched with a mild grin.

After taking a deep breath, NoName muttered. "I'm going to ask you three some questions. Answer truthfully." Once the kits were all staring up at her curiously, she started her first question. "Do you like it here?"

The three of them nodded immediately. Of course they did, all they knew was the warm and cozy nursery.

"Do you want to grow up to be strong Dark Forest warriors, serving under me?" The second question took some thought, and Cherrykit looked ready to decline. Luckily the rebellious she kit nodded with her sisters. NoName had her gaze glued to Cherrykit as she asked the final question. "What is Starclan?"

The whole den held its breath as Flamekit immediately spoke first. "Starclan is where the stupid and weak cats go when they die."

Snowkit was quick to follow her sister's lead. "Yes, and the cats there are mean. They don't use their Starclan powers to help anybody in the living world."

Smart. Blossomfur reflected. They know not to give Starclan a good image under NoName's watchful eyes.

She watched NoName intently. The Dark Forest leader seemed content with Flamekit and Snowkit. Now all that was left was troublesome Cherrykit.

"Starclan is..." Cherrykit started uncertainly. "Starclan is the opposite to the Dark Forest. They're kind to others, unlike you!" She stuck her tongue out at NoName, her eyes narrowed and burning angrily.

NoName nodded her head, her clenching jaw the only sign of annoyance. The small she cat turned and padded up to Strike, whispering something in his ear before leaving the den with a lash of her tail. Strike rose to his paws and stepped casually toward the kits. "Flamekit and Snowkit have passed the test and will continue on to be apprentices in three moons time. Cherrykit will not." Then, with a single flick of his paw, Strike slashed open Cherrykit's throat and left her to bleed to death in her mother's hold.

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Shadeheart's POV:

There was a sudden, terrible screech that rang from NoName's den. Shadeheart immediately snapped to his paws, his heart in his throat. Was NoName being attacked? He darted away from his spot by the fresh-kill pile, racing into her den to see his mother crouched over what seemed to be a dead bunny.

The red she cat stared at the bunny, her white eyes wide in horror. Dime hovered behind her, a wide smirk on his lips. When he saw Shadeheart, he beckoned his son closer with his tail. "Your mother asked for something to eat, I thought she'd like this."

NoName turned on Dime with a shriek of anger. "You fox-heart! I'm going to kill you! That bunny was innocent, how could you kill such a precious being?!"

"It's only revenge for you throwing me into that bramble bush yesterday." Dime shrugged, gasping as NoName suddenly leapt for him. The two mates writhed around the ground, grabbing at each other with mews and hisses. Shadeheart watched with a roll of his eyes. Why did NoName have to obsess over bunnies like this? They were prey.

Sighing, Shadeheart left his parents as they continued to argue in the den.

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