A/N: Yoohoo, hi family! Welcome to Black on Red. If you plan to stay a while, you should know right up front that this idea was adopted from KatieK101. So if you need a break from reading this, you should go check out her stories. You won't be disappointed. :)

This story has been updated and revised, so it's as consistent as I can manage all the way throughout. It's good and long, so I hope you plan to stay a while. :) Go on, make yourself comfortable, perhaps grab a cup of something quenching. With no further ado, I give you Black on Red!

PROLOGUE

Stars glittered in the moonless midnight sky, reflecting off the silver ribbon of a creek down below. The long grass waved in the whispering night breeze, sparkling with tiny drops of dew. The brisk night air ruffled the trees and pushed wispy cobweb clouds across the sky, blocking out the shining white stars. A storm was quickly brewing, and it was not long now that the grasses would be whipped flat in the howling wind.

A battle-scarred ginger she-cat paced up and down the shore of the creek. Cool air misted over her fur and formed droplets on the tips, chilling her down to her very bones. She took no notice as she paced, picking her feet up high like a cat who held authority, and the way she held her head demanded respect. Her green eyes were fixed on the ground in front of her paws as she paced, and her lips were half-pulled back in a snarl, showing yellowed teeth cracked with age.

"…almost out of time… the unrest in the Clans… death and disaster…" the she-cat muttered. The wind carried away most of her words, but the night-black tom watching the ordeal nearby didn't miss them.

"Would you stop squirming?" he finally spoke up. His voice was quiet but full of authority, and his words were mild despite the reprimand.

The ginger she-cat spun immediately, moonlight flashing off her claws. "Nightstar!" she spat, ripping out a large tuft of grass as she turned. "Don't sneak up on me! You know I hate that."

"It's not called sneaking when you're making enough racket to deafen every rabbit from here to the old forest," Nightstar replied, with lightning wit. His amber eyes darkened with seriousness as he continued, "Now, what in the name of StarClan are you doing out here alone, Russetfur?"

The reddish she-cat lashed her tail. "I have to go back – soon!"

"Not yet," Nightstar meowed.

"Why not?" Russetfur demanded.

"It's not time yet," the night-black leader responded wisely. "We have to wait for Blackstar. You know that, as well as any StarClan cat."

Russetfur scraped agitatedly at the ground with her claws. "This is dragging out much too long," she growled. "Bad things are coming to the Clans – bad cats. I have to be there to fight this darkness! You have to send me back now!"

"Blackstar is on his way. When he arrives, that is when you may go," Nightstar told her.

The she-cat's ears pricked up at this. "He's taking too long. We have to take action, Nightstar. You know the danger that's approaching the Clans – and it could rip them apart from the inside out! All four of them could be wiped out."

"Don't exaggerate; I know the prophecy," Nightstar growled. "I'm the one that received it, if you could remember. We must be patient, Russetfur. We can't rush fate."

"I know," Russetfur sighed, padding to the creek's edge. She glared down at her reflection, green eyes smoldering. "But by the time we arrive, the Clans may be out of time."

The old leader took a pace forward to join her at the water's edge. "Russetfur, you do know that even when he does get here, we must wait longer – we must wait for the right time."

Russetfur whirled, baring her teeth in a snarl. "I just told you how important it is that we take action immediately! Do you want the Clans to die?" she demanded, unsheathing her claws.

"I think you and I both know the answer to that question," Nightstar replied mildly. "Put your claws away, Russetfur. You must be ready at any time. Blackstar's time is coming soon, and when it does, then I will know you are both ready."

Rowanstar leaped down from the Great Tree, sweeping his plumed tail gracefully. Toadfoot, his deputy, joined him, mewing goodbyes to the other deputies as they faced their Clan.

"Home, ShadowClan," Rowanstar meowed. Toadfoot and Tawnypelt were shoulder-to-shoulder with him as they charged toward the tree bridge. Rowanstar bunched his muscles and sprang onto it, taking the tree in three great bounds before landing lightly on the other side. The ShadowClan warriors followed close behind, their dark pelts blending with the shadows. Only their glittering eyes and soft breathing revealed that there were cats behind him.

"I can't wait to get back home to Snowbird," Tawnypelt puffed out between breaths. "Her kitting must be over soon."

Rowanstar mewed agreement. Mudfoot, the new medicine cat, had stayed home to help Snowbird with the kitting. He was probably more nervous than she was – Littlecloud had just passed within the past moon, and this would be his first kitting without his old mentor. "I probably should have let you stay home," he meowed. "Mudfoot would probably have felt a lot better." He silently cursed himself. He had been trying to get the whole "leader" thing right, asking himself what Blackstar would do. It seemed like every single time, he always left a detail out and therefore created a loose end.

"It'll be fine," Tawnypelt assured him over the sound of their paws skimming over the pebbles. "Mudfoot needs the experience, and Snowbird has kitted before. She'll know what to do."

A cool breeze was rolling off the lake, but Rowanstar was running so close to Tawnypelt their fur brushed, and her warmth kept him comfortably warm. When they were nearing the ShadowClan border, Rowanstar heard a sharp exclamation of, "Hey! What's that?"

Rowanstar swung his head around to see Toadfoot lengthen his stride. As his paws thudded past the halfbridge – the ShadowClan-RiverClan border – Rowanstar heard a piteous cry of help.

"It's a kit!" he replied, and sped ahead to follow his deputy. The rest of his Clan pricked up their ears to listen, and their bright-eyed gazes followed as he took a pace forward to inspect it. The kit was obviously a newborn, but Rowanstar could tell it would be a big cat someday by his big black paws. Strangely enough, the rest of it was pure-white.

Rowanstar's blood turned to ice. Just like… just… like… Blackstar.

"Poor little scrap," Tawnypelt murmured, nudging the bundle of fur. "Should we take him in?"

Rowanstar opened his mouth, not quite sure of what he would say yet, but Toadfoot spoke over his thoughts. "Are you kidding? We're not ThunderClan. We don't take in kittypets and loner kits!" he looked to Rowanstar to make sure his leader agreed with him. "Right, Rowanstar?"

Don't they see his black paws? Don't they see he looks like Blackstar? Rowanstar wondered. "I-I…" He cleared his throat. "Of course we're taking him in. The warrior code says we should help him. ShadowClan cats are dangerous, not heartless. Tawnypelt, will you carry him? I'll name him Blackkit."

Tawnypelt nudged his shoulder with hers, and when he met her bright green gaze, she gave a tiny nod, as if she agreed with his decision to help Blackkit. Then she bent her head and picked up the tiny bundle.

Behind them, Toadfoot was wearing a look of slightly disdainful surprise.

"Don't gawk, Toadfoot," Rowanstar purred, circling around his deputy once before bounding off after Tawnypelt, "Or I might have to call you Flycatcher instead."

"Rowanstar!"

As soon as Rowanstar ducked under the overhanging branches of the yew bush, he was met face-to-face with the wide gold eyes of Mudfoot. The apprentice-sized medicine cat's face was full of excitement. "I did it!" he meowed triumphantly. "Snowbird's kit is alive and healthy!"

"Congratulations, Mudfoot," Rowanstar meowed warmly. "And see, you were worried that you couldn't do it."

Mudfoot's whiskers drooped with weariness. He looked completely drained. "I was, and I still am. I don't know why I ever chose to be a medicine cat. Hopefully Snowbird's kit will want to be medicine cat?" he asked hopefully.

"I don't know about that, Mudfoot," Rowanstar replied gravely. "We found another kit on the way back from the Gathering. Do you think Snowbird would take it?"

The young medicine cat shrugged. "Most likely, knowing Snowbird."

Rowanstar rested his tail on the young cat's shoulder. "Go get yourself any piece of prey on the fresh-kill pile, and get some sleep. You deserve it."

"Thank you, Rowanstar," Mudfoot replied, before walking off, shoulders hunched and tail drooping with exhaustion.

Rowanstar caught Tawnypelt heading toward the nursery and followed her in. Snowbird pricked up her ears when they entered. A tiny ginger kit was suckling at her belly.

Narrowing his eyes, Rowanstar remembered that the father of Snowbird's kits was Redwillow. Blackstar's killer. He totally and fully blamed Redwillow for Blackstar's death and had sentenced the ginger warrior to death soon after he received his nine lives. Would his kit inherit his aggression, confidence, and skill?

"Another kit?" Snowbird asked. "Whose is it?"

"We don't know," Rowanstar replied. "We found him on the ShadowClan border on the way back from the Gathering. He's a spitting image of Blackstar, so we named him Blackkit. Will you take him?"

Snowbird gazed at the kit, hanging limply from Tawnypelt's jaws. Only by the shallow rise and fall of his flank did Rowanstar know he was alive. "I suppose Redkit could use a friend."

"Redkit?" Rowanstar's tail bristled.

"Yes, I named her after her father," Snowbird replied, meeting his gaze evenly. "Is there a problem with that, Rowanstar?"

Rowanstar's eyes smoldered for a moment longer before he wrenched his gaze from hers. "No."

"Good," Snowbird replied, flicking her tail toward the kit. "Bring him here."

Blackkit nestled in with Redkit almost as soon as Tawnypelt put him down. Redkit squealed in protest at first from having to share her mother with someone else and battered him with her paws. He turned away from her and eventually she stopped fighting him.

No cat in the world could have foreseen the long and rocky path these two kits would someday walk together.

ALLEGIANCES
SHADOWCLAN

LEADER: ROWANSTAR – ginger tom

DEPUTY: TOADFOOT – dark brown tom
APPRENTICE, PUDDLEPAW

MEDICINE CAT: MUDFOOT – brown-and-white tom with yellow eyes

WARRIORS: (toms and she-cats without kits)

SMOKEFOOT – black tom

APPLEFUR – mottled brown she-cat

CROWFROST – black-and-white tom
APPRENTICE, FROGPAW

RATSCAR – brown tom with a long scar across his back

TAWNYPELT – tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

OLIVENOSE – tortoiseshell she-cat

OWLCLAW – light brown tabby tom
APPRENTICE, GREENPAW

SHREWFOOT – gray she-cat with black feet

SCORCHFUR – dark gray tom

TIGERHEART – dark brown tabby tom

DAWNPELT – cream-furred she-cat
APPRENTICE, MOTHPAW

PINENOSE – black she-cat

FERRETCLAW – cream-and-gray tom

STARLINGWING – ginger tom

APPRENTICES: (six moons or older, in training to become warriors)

PUDDLEPAW – brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

FROGPAW – light brown tabby tom

GREENPAW – pretty gray-and-white she-cat

MOTHPAW – mottled brown tom

QUEENS: (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

SNOWBIRD – pure-white she-cat, mother of Redwillow's kit, Redkit - foster mother to Blackkit

IVYTAIL – black, white, and tortoiseshell she-cat, mother of Ratscar's kits, Oakkit and Pricklekit

ELDERS: (former warriors and queens, now retired)

SNAKETAIL – light brown tabby tom with a long tail

OAKFUR – small brown tom

KINKFUR – tabby she-cat with fur that sticks out at all angles

THUNDERCLAN

LEADER: BRAMBLESTAR – dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

DEPUTY: SQUIRRELFLIGHT – dark ginger she-cat with green eyes
APPRENTICE, DEWPAW (gray tabby tom with green eyes)

MEDICINE CAT: JAYFEATHER – gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes
APPRENTICE, BRIARLIGHT (dark brown she-cat

WARRIORS: (toms and she-cats without kits)

LEAFPOOL – light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes, former medicine cat
APPRENTICE, SEEDPAW (pale ginger she-cat

SPIDERLEG – long-limbed black tom with a brown underbelly and amber eyes

BIRCHFALL – light brown tabby tom

BERRYNOSE – cream-colored tom

HAZELTAIL – small gray-and-white she-cat

MOUSEWHISKER – gray-and-white tom
APPRENTICE, LILYPAW (dark tabby she-cat with white patches)

POPPYFROST – tortoiseshell she-cat

LIONBLAZE – golden tabby tom with amber eyes

FOXLEAP – russet brown tom

ICECLOUD – white she-cat
APPRENTICE, SNOWPAW (white tom with green eyes)

TOADSTEP – black-and-white tom

ROSEPETAL – dark cream she-cat

BUMBLESTRIPE – very pale gray tabby tom with black stripes

IVYPOOL – silver-and-white she-cat with green eyes
APPRENTICE, AMBERPAW (ginger she-cat with blue eyes)

CHERRYSTORM – ginger she-cat

MOLECLAW – cream-and-gray tom

QUEENS: (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

WHITEWING – white she-cat with green eyes, expecting Birchfall's kits

CINDERHEART – gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes, mother of Lionblaze's kits, Flamekit and Hollykit

DOVEWING – gray tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes, expecting kits

BLOSSOMFALL – tortoiseshell she-cat, mother of Mousewhisker's kits, Cloudkit, Nettlekit and Darkkit

ELDERS: (former warriors and queens, now retired)

SANDSTORM – pale ginger she-cat

GRAYSTRIPE – long-furred gray tom

BRIGHTHEART – white she-cat with ginger splotches

MILLIE – striped gray tabby she-cat

THORNCLAW – golden brown tabby tom

SORRELTAIL – tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes

WINDCLAN

LEADER: ASHSTAR – elderly gray she-cat

DEPUTY: GORSETAIL – very pale gray-and-white tom with blue eyes
APPRENTICE, RABBITPAW (gray tabby she-cat with white paws)

MEDICINE CAT: KESTRELFLIGHT – mottled gray tom

WARRIORS: (toms and she-cats without kits)

WEASELFUR – ginger tom with white paws

HARESPRING – brown-and-white tom
APPRENTICE, PLOVERPAW (cream-furred tom)

LEAFTAIL – dark tabby tom with amber eyes

EMBERFOOT – gray tom with two dark paws

HEATHERTAIL – light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

SWALLOWTAIL – dark gray she-cat
APPRENTICE, BUZZARDPAW (dark brown tom with yellow eyes)

SUNSTRIKE – tortoiseshell she-cat with a large white mark on her forehead

WHISKERNOSE – light brown tom

FURZETAIL – gray-and-white she-cat

BOULDERFUR – large pale gray tom

QUEENS: (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

SEDGEWHISKER – light brown tabby she-cat, mother of Harespring's kits, Stormkit, Creekkit, and Yellowkit

ELDERS: (former warriors and queens, now retired)

OWLWHISKER – light brown tabby tom

WHITETAIL – small white queen

RIVERCLAN

LEADER: REEDSTAR – black tom with amber eyes

DEPUTY: RUSHTAIL – light brown tabby she-cat

MEDICINE CAT: WILLOWSHINE – gray tabby she-cat

WARRIORS: (toms and she-cats without kits)

MINTFUR – light gray tabby tom

ICEWING – white she-cat with blue eyes
APPRENTICE, STREAMPAW (siler tabby she-cat)

MINNOWTAIL – dark gray she-cat

PEBBLEFOOT – mottled gray tom

MALLOWNOSE – light brown tabby she-cat

ROBINWING – tortoiseshell-and-white tom

BEETLEWHISKER – brown-and-white tabby tom
APPRENTICE, STONEPAW (gray tabby tom)

PETALFUR – gray-and-white she-cat

GRASSPELT – light brown tom

HOLLOWBELLY – dark brown tabby tom
APPRENTICE, SKYPAW (gray-and-white she-cat)

TROUTCLAW – pale gray tabby she-cat

MOSSYCLAW – brown-and-white she-cat

QUEENS: (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

GRAYMIST – pale gray tabby she-cat, expecting Reedstar's kits

ELDERS: (former warriors and queens, now retired)

MISTYFOOT – gray she-cat with blue eyes, deaf in one ear

BLOODCLAN

LEADER: BLOOD – white-and-ginger she-cat

SECOND-IN-LINE: SIN – huge dark gray tom with amber eyes

WRATH – black she-cat with green eyes

ENVY – black-and-white she-cat

ANGUISH – dark brown tabby tom

STITCH – gray tabby tom

FLESH – dark ginger tom

DARK – tortoiseshell she-cat with strange blue eyes

MARROW – white she-cat with green eyes

BLADE – black-and-silver tom

SWORDPOINT – silver tabby tom

BAT – young smoky gray tom with green eyes

SCYTHE – beautiful dark tortoiseshell she-cat

WHISPER – dark gray tabby she-cat with white paws

HURRICANE – dark brown-and-white tom

MAROON – gray-and-white tom

ABYSS – skinny black tom with amber eyes

SHATTER – blue-gray tabby tom

DUSK – dark ginger she-cat

SABER – dark gray she-cat with stormy blue eyes

LASH – dark brown tabby she-cat

OBSIDIAN – black tom with white paws

SKULL – dark orange tom

BRIGHT – silver-and-white tabby she-cat

CRUSHER – dark brown tabby tom

TORN – skinny gray she-cat with green eyes

CATS OUTSIDE CLANS

BUDDY – gray tabby tom who lives at the horseplace, Smoky and Floss's son

LILLY – gray-and-white she-cat who lives at the horseplace with Buddy, Smoky and Floss's daughter

JACQUES – huge black-and-white kittypet who lives in a Twoleg den near ShadowClan territory with Susan

SUSAN – light brown tabby she-cat who lives in a Twoleg den near ShadowClan territory with Jacques

COOKIE – light brown she-cat who lives near ShadowClan territory

JOEY/BONE – skinny white tom with amber eyes

CRASH – ginger-and-white spotted tom

GLIMMER – black she-cat, mother of Ice and Scarlet

MISTLE – silver-and-white tabby she-cat

ASHER – long-haired dark gray tom

VICK – ginger tabby tom with a white chest

JAY – flint-gray she-cat with dark blue eyes

HERMES – light gray tabby tom

QUEEN – ginger-and-white she-cat

SEARCHLIGHT – black-and-white she-cat

LEO – ginger tabby tom with green eyes

GRAYSON – gray-and-white tom with green eyes

SCREE – spotted ginger tabby she-cat

NYX – black she-cat with ice-blue eyes

MADDOX – dark brown tabby tom

YARROW – pale brown tom with nervous green eyes

TILLY – gray tabby she-cat with a white chest and paws

SPIRO – dark gray tabby tom

MARS – dark ginger tabby tom

A/N: Like I said, I've edited and revised this story as much as I can, but if you do find a typo that I may have missed, please tell me so I can fix it. I hate typos. HATE 'em. Again, I hope you enjoy this kitty story enough to leave me a review or two on the way; I certainly enjoy writing it. Enough of my jabbering, go read! :)