Darkfinch's Story - Chapter 2

Darkpaw sat and watched as his sister caught voles. She quickly became a very good hunter. Her mentor took her a side to teach her more advanced moves, and hunting techniques more and more often. Soon Hollypaw was leaping into the air and snatching birds from the sky. After a little more training, Hollypaw could leap from tree to tree to catch a run away squirrel or she could plunge a paw into a lake and could grab a slippery, floppy, silver fish from the water. Soon Hollypaw only rivaled her mentor in hunting ability. Darkpaw watched with wicked envy. He started feeding off of jealousy and hatred. He took his training even more seriously. He started copying his sister, in time his hunting improved. He fought with wicked envy and rage, battling until he couldn't feel his paws. Darkenberry pushed him to his limits. Then one night a strange cat came to him. The cat seemed to be made of shadows. The cat brought him deep within shadows. The cat tought him everything it knew, or at least that was what Darkfinch though. The cat drilled Darkpaw each night, while Darkenberry mentored him  during the day. With Darkenberry he raced through the trees trying to catch his mentor, while at night the cat helped him swim. Darkpaw scrambled up a tree, while his mentor ran off into the tree tops. Darkpaw listened for any indication of his mentor. Suddenly he heard the crack of a twig and raced off in that direction. Suddenly he looked down. Hollypaw and his nighttime mentor were talking. Hollypaw was talking to softly for him to hear. Apparently Hollypaw was being trained in hunting techniques during the day and fighting techniques during the night. Darkpaw turned away and raced after the sound, searching for his mentor. Darkpaw listened again heard another snap, turned and scrambled higher up the tree and continued searching. Pushing Hollypaw to the back of his mind, Darkpaw ran through the trees in search of his mentor. Suddenly he saw the waving black tail, and raced on. He found his mentor sitting in a tree waiting for him. After the long exercise the two cats headed back to camp. During the night, Darkpaw dreamed. He was suddenly falling through the branches of a tree. He caught his footing and leapt down. His shadow mentor was waiting, she directed him to jump in the water. She padded towards him, trying to stay on the beach. She directed him to try to keep her away from the rock behind him any way possible. She tried to swat him away but he stayed in position. After 5 drills of this. She had him swim up and down the river a few times. When he was done, she pushed him off balance making him fall beneath the surface of the water. She seized her opportunity and jumped on top of him. Darkpaw gasped at the sudden weight and fought to return the surface. 

Darkfinch's Story - Chapter 1

"Darkkit you will be known from this day forth as Darkpaw. Darkenberry you will be his mentor, teach him all you know." announced the leader Cinderstar. Darkpaw padded after Darkenberry out into the forest. Darkenberry was known for his courageous and brave fighting skills, while his sister Hollypaw was given the extremely good hunter Mistlight as a mentor. Darkenberry didn't speak much just showed him the boundaries, from a holly bush to an old stump, a dead tree to a stream, a lining of birch trees, and the old, abounded human home to a rotting brick wall. Soon they ran into the Hollypaw. "Isn't our territory great?" she exclaimed. "Darkpaw was about to reply when Darkenberry beckoned with his tail to leave. Darkpaw quickly nodded and raced after his mentor. "Don't speak to the other cats?" spat Darkenberry. "Why not, they are my clan mates?" questioned Darkpaw.  "You never know when they might turn on you. You might make one wrong step and they all would turn their backs on you." said Darkenberry. Darkpaw nodded, he was on his way to being a warrior at last. Darkpaw woke early the next morning, and raced out of the den for training.  Darkenberry was waiting by the edge of the clearing. "We are going to be practicing hunting with Hollypaw and Mistlight today." Darkpaw nodded and followed the two warriors out of the clearing. Hollypaw turned and said something to Darkpaw but remembering Darkenberry's message he turned away from Hollypaw. Hollypaw let out a snort and turned away from Darkpaw. They reached a small grassy clearing scattered with leaves from the trees. "Watch Mistlight carefully now, she is one of the best hunters in the clan. She how she steps lightly, so the prey wouldn't be able to hear her footsteps. Also if you step lightly it is harder for your prey to feel the ground vibrations. Lift your tail so it doesn't drag on the ground. Keep your body close to the ground, and try to blend in. Stalk forward until you think you would be able to catch it. Lean your weight onto your hind legs, aim your pounce, steady your balance, and jump. If you land squarely on it kill it quickly before it gets away, and if you miss try to run after it." said Darkenberry. Darkpaw watched Mistlight catch a mouse and give thanks to the mouse, for letting her have it's life to feed her clan. Then he watched Hollypaw enviously as she catch 3 small voles. 

Book 7 - Chapter 5

"What exactly are you doing?" asked Cloud anxiously. The kittens shared a guilty look. "We are joining Darkfinch!" squealed Silver excitedly. "Why?" asked Mossfur who was leading the patrol. "You are to young to make this decision. You are going to come right back to the camp with me right now." stormed Cloud. "No," we like it here." "You like being a part of a group of cats, that murders. A group of cats that attacks an innocent group of cats that did nothing to them in the first place?" "Darkfinch's cats don't murder and they don't attack innocent cats." said Sun boldly. "Don't they? Don't you wonder how my friend Holly was killed? Darkfinch killed her. He killed his own sister because she refused to kill. Also, he doesn't attack innocent cats does he? Do you remember how I got this scar?" she showed them the long healed scars on the side of her back. "Hawkpelt, he attacked me, he nearly killed me. If it wasn't for his cats Mouse, your aunt and your mother would still be alive. We were both attacked. A little after you were born, her wounds reopened and she died. If it weren't for them things would have been different. You would have still had part of your family." snarled Cloud. The kittens looked startled. "Is this true." "In a way it is true. I didn't kill my sister because she refused to kill. "Then why?" "Only my side knows classified information." Birchtail growled. "What should we do?" asked Mossfur. "Bring them home," spat Cloud. "I am not so sure. True in a clan we support each other, but we also support those whom we think has the right decision. I believe the kits should be able to make the final say about where they would like to stay. I mean it will impact their further much more than it will impact ours." Mossfur was nodding along, with Birchtail's words. "That is true, Birchtail, but Cloud has a point. She is their mother, and legal guardian technically until they are old enough to make their own decisions and choices, which in a clan is when they become a warrior. Also though we have to look at the point of view of both sides. Let us start. Cloud why do you want the kits to come back to the clan?" 

Book 7 - Chapter 4

"Answer me," hissed the cat. "My name is Sun and these are my litter mates Moon, Night, and Star. Also these are my cousins Silver, Blue, Grey, Black and White." "What are you doing here?" The cat asked. "We were looking for someone." "Who?" "We don't know his name but we think that he is our father." said Moon. "What color is his fur?" asked the cat. "Brown," "Brown? Sounds like…." "It sounds like who?" asked Night. "Never mind. This way please. Come see our leader, Darkfinch. I am his deputy. Liontail. Then Hawkpelt's is the senior warrior." The kittens nodded and padded after Liontail. "Darkfinch? You have some visitors. 9 kittens came to the camp looking for a brown tom that they though was their father, and uncle." Darkfinch looked at them curiously. "Can you get my senior warrior then meet me in the clearing outside the camp?" Liontail nodded. "So you are looking to find your father and your uncle here?" The kittens nodded. "So this cat is a brown cat?" The kittens nodded ok. "Dark brown or light brown?" The kittens looked at each other before Sun spoke up, "he was a light brown cat with a darker tail and paws."  "Light brown with a darker tail. Oh, it was Hawkpelt, me senior warrior. Would you like to come and meet him?" The kittens exchanged another glance before nodding and padding after Darkfinch. Darkfinch padded through the brush until he reached a clearing. He flicked his ears and Liontail who sped away to get Hawkpelt. Darkfinch was looking intently at the cats and offered them a spot in his group. The kittens happily agreed only after making sure that Darkfinch would let them keep their names, when they heard a noise in the brush. It was a long white tail, it was sniffing the ground calling the names of the kits. It was Cloud looking for her kits. The kittens looked at each other. Cloud and her patrol burst into the little area and stared as they realized that the kittens were sitting unharmed in a clearing with Darkfinch. 

Book 7 - Chapter 3

"Blossomfur would like it if Cloud and her kits stayed with us?" Blossomfur nodded. "Oh so you are Blossomfur now? You are a warrior?" asked Cloud. Blossomfur nodded. "come Cloud, Silverfrost should have room for you and your kits." Cloud followed. "Your kits will fit in just fine, their names will be Sunkit, Starkit, Nightkit, Moonkit, Silverkit, Bluekit, Greykit, Blackkit and Whitekit." said Sagewind. Cloud nodded. Blossomfur made her way over to the queens. The 3 cats were interrupted by a loud hiss. Serafina had appeared in the edge of the clearing. "Darkfinch." "Holly!" "What are you doing here now?" asked Serafina with an edge to her voice. "Why I could ask you the same thing." Serafina growled. "I gave my life to keep my clan safe. It worked. You never knew what had happened." Darkfinch returned her hiss. "Leave Fishclan alone." Serafina hissed. Darkfinch looked at Hawkpelt and nodded, he then flicked his tail and walked away his cats following. Later that night. The kits were talking. "Moon!" "What is it Sun," asked Moon sleepily. "Did you recognize one of his cats?" "Who?" "On the opposing side. I thought I recognized a cat." "I think I did too," said Moon. "Who the cat? I thought I saw a cat that I remembered from before. I can't remember from where though." Chirped Star. "I think he is our father. I mean I remember him from when we were living in the barn." said Night. "What are we going to do?" asked Sun. "What are we going to do about what?" said Moon. "Don't you want to go meet your father?" she asked Star, Moon and Night. Then she turned to Blue, Grey, Silver, White and Black "don't you want to go and meet your uncle?" The kittens were nodding in agreement to Sun's words. "I think Sun is right. Besides I don't like the name Starkit." Said Star. All the kittens slunk past Cloud, and the other queens. They raced out into the night following the cat's scent trail. They had reached the clearing where the cats had been sheltering, and were about to call out to the cat. Suddenly they heard a shriek from the direction they had just come from. It was Cloud. "My kits, all my kits are gone!" Her cries woke up all the cats, and a cat came to see when they found the cats. "Who are you?" he asked in a growl. 

Book 7 - Chapter 2

"Why can we not leave?" asked Troutstar. "Please forgive me for interrupting Troutstar," said Birchtail, "It is just Appledawn's kits are coming," said Pinkpaw. Cedarstar looked at the little cat. "Of course, we must wait." Birchtail nodded and padded back to the queen. Appledawn sat in a nest of moss, looking out. Pinkpaw had padded back to the queen. Later that day, Appledawn had 4 healthy kits. She had named them Fishkit, Applekit, Cloverkit, and Silverkit. As soon as the kits were old enough to walk the clan began to move again. One day a small tabby queen stumbled into the cats. "Who are you" asked Cedarstar. "Cloud, my name is Cloud. These are my kits Sun, Star, Night and Moon." Troutstar noticed long scars along Cloud's sides. Suddenly there was a mew behind Cloud. She turned and spotted the other kits. "Oh, this is Silver, Blue, Grey, Black, and White. They were my sister's kits." "Were?" asked Sparrowstar. "My sister Mouse died after she had her kits." "Mouse? Cloud?" called Blossomfur coming forward. "Blossom!" called Cloud. Troutstar looked on. "How do you know this cat Blossom?" asked Troutstar curiously. "They were my sisters. How is Holly?" said Blossom. "Holly? She, she died. She gave her life for me. She helped me escape." "What do you know about Holly?" asked Blossom. "Well Holly of course was Darkfinch's sister and she was also his best friend. She returned to her warrior ways after you fled. She doubted him and he fed her a death berry. When she raced to the stars she changed her name again." "She changed it to Serafina, didn't she?" interrupted Blossom. "That was her name when she was born, she and Darkfinch used to live with humans. They left their home and changed their names to fit the wild." "She lives among the stars. Why?" "Fishclan has met her before." Blossom said. "Indeed you have met me before." said Serafina. "Yes, I am or was Holly." Troutstar looked on. "I have seen, and met most of you all before." said a cold, hard voice. Every cat turned to look it was Darkfinch. "I remember you, Hawkpelt told me he shredded a white cat in a barn." He sniffed the healed scars along Cloud's side and she flinched. "Troutstar are you going to keep these cats are send them on their way?" 

Book 7 - Chapter 1

"I am honored," said Cloudsplash. Troutstar nodded. "I promise to serve Fishclan with the best of my ability," Cloudsplash said. While all the leaders were happy with the senior warrior many cats though that it should have been Birchtail. Birchtail was older the Cloudsplash, and more experienced. Birchtail had also been Cloudsplash's mentor. The clan began to wonder if Troutstar, Cedarstar, and Sparrowstar should have chosen a more proper and experienced warrior to be the senior warrior. Birchtail didn't seem to mind padding around doing his duty, and congratulating his former apprentice. Troutstar, later conferred with his leaders after speaking to his senior warrior. "The clan isn't happy with the choice of senior warrior, even though it is not their choice to make we need to have their full support and loyalty during a battle. If another group of cats comes along, and the leader says I make decisions with the help of the whole clan, probably most of the can will go. We need to decide what to do." "Cloudsplash is a young warrior. He will do well as senior warrior, but of course the whole clan needs to be considered. Soon if the whole clan starts to doubt our choices we could be driven from the clan and Whiteclaw will be left as leader of Fishclan." "We can deal with that later, we need to make some more apprentices." said Troutstar. The others nodded. "Fishclan, today we need to make some warriors. Skypaw, Breezepaw, Fernpaw, and Mousepaw come forward. Mentors," Cedstar said nodding to Nightblazem Dragonwhisker, Birchtail and Mintlcaw, "Are these apprentices ready to become apprentices?" The mentors nodded. "Then with my authority as clan leader and with the approval of my ancestors I give you your warrior names. Skypaw you will now be known as Skyleap, Fishclan honors your courage and bravery, Breezepaw, you are now Breezebolt, Fishclan welcomes your speed and agility, Fernpaw, you are now known as Fernflash, Fishclan accepts you wonderful hunting skills and Mousepaw, I look forward to patrolling  along side you, Fishclan honors you sense of hearing and smell Mousetail." said Sparrowstar. "Also we must make some new apprentices. Foxkit, Blackkit and Mintkit are now old enough to star their training to become a warrior. Seedwhisker you will mentor Foxkit, I know you will pass on your hunting skills to Foxpaw. Flowerfur, I know I can trust you to pass on all you know to Blackpaw. Mousetail you are a new warrior just out of training, but that will make it easier for you to train Mintpaw. I know I can trust all 3 of you with your new apprentices." said Cedarstar. "Now we have to leave, said Troutstar. "We  can't though," it was Birchtail.