Covering the forest in an veil of the deepest ebony, the chill night masked the small black kitten snuffling around in the undergrowth. Never before had he felt so free, away from the cruel taunts and jabs of his spiteful siblings. With the evening breeze blowing through his soft fur, the young tom bounded over stumps and roots.
Smaller than most, the kit was able to nimbly navigate the ensnaring brambles of the forest where a larger creature would find itself trapped. Ruffling slightly, the tom's black coat enabled to blend in perfectly with the cloak of darkness that had been cast over the his eyes gave him away. Reflecting the cold, icy glow of the moonlight, the kits eyes shone an equally icy blue.
Had he known just how far he had traveled or if he had known who's domain he had entered and was subsequently trespassing in, it is entirely possible that the kit would have turned and fled back to the warm, milk scented fur of his mother. But he didn't know. For better or worse, the events caused by his intrepidation and desire to explore on this particular evening would change the tom's life and the fate of everyone he would to come to know.
The first he knew of their presence was a viscous snarl in front of him, causing the kit to halt and gaze upward. Stood imposingly before him, three figures barred his way. Memories of tales of the forest cats flashed through the kit's mind, of feral cats who fought badgers and who ravenously devoured the cracked bones of their victims. Shaking he started to back away only for the forest cats to pad menacingly towards him.
"What are you doing here?" Growled the largest, a grey furred tom with an evil look in his cold eyes. " This is ThunderClan territory!"
" Thistleclaw, he is only a kit." Mewed a second, this time a grey blue furred she cat with deep blue eye. "Let him go. He doesn't mean any harm."
" Shut it Bluefur," snapped the first again, who the small black kit understood to be Thistleclaw, "You're only saying that because he is a kittypet. You've always been too soft on them." He then turned to the third cat, a young but powerful brown tabby, "What do you think Tigerpaw, my apprentice?"
" An intruder is an intruder, " Spat Tigerpaw as he unsheathed his claws. "I say we teach him a lesson. One he shall never forget!"
" So be it," smirked Thistleclaw darkly, "Take him!"
" Now just wait just a min..." Was all that the blue furred she cat managed to say before the tabby launched himself at the kit.
Hitting him with a force akin to a small thunderbolt, the tabby sent the kit flying across the clearing. There was a slight jingle as the bell on the kittypet's collar came loose and rolled away. But to the surprise of Tigerpaw, instead of fleeing, the black kit regained a footing and staggered towards him, battered but defiant.
" Brave but foolish," snarled Tigerpaw lunging at the kit before he could fully recover and pinning him to the ground. Mewing pathetically, the kit began to bat at his attacker's underbelly with unsheathed claws. But it was no use. Slashing through his flesh, the tabby's knife like claws dyed the kit's ebony pelt crimson with his own blood. What chance did a kit, innocent and unexperienced in the ways of the world stand against a seasoned apprentice trained in the way of the warrior clans? Growing weaker, the kit closed his eyes and awaited the final killing blow.
But it never came.
A loud, sharp yowl of pain split the skies, forcing the kit to open his eyes. Standing defensively over his body, the blue grey she cat hissed and spat at the tabby. Blood flowing from a scratch across his muzzle, Tigerpaw backed away.
"What are you doing Bluefur?" snarled Thistleclaw, "Get out of the way!"
"No," snapped Bluefur, fur bristling as she guarded the kit's body, "If I had let you continue, Tigerpaw would have killed this kit!"
"I was only doing my duty," growled Tigerpaw stepping forth, claws still unsheathed.
"It is your duty to defend your Clan, not to beat up helpless kits. Sunstar will hear about this."
Softly Bluefur turned to the kit and licked him gingerly , washing off the blood from his body. Somewhat comforted by the she cat's presence, the kit tried to mew his thanks only to collapse in agony. As he lay there unmoving, he felt a set of jaws close gently around his scruff and lit him daintily from the cold, unfeeling earth.
" Bluefur," he faintly heard Thistleclaw snarl, "Put down that Kittypet and stand down."
Bluefur's reply was muffled through a mouth of fur but the message was clear. "This kit needs help. I won't leave him to die!"
Without waiting for the reply of her peers, the she cat stalked off through the undergrowth. Dangling limply from her jaws, the kit weakly raised his head.
"Thank you," he said, to weak to be able to speak in anything loudly than a weak mew.
" Rest now young one," smiled Bluefur, "I'll look after you." Comforted by her words and exhausted from his struggle, the kit closed his eyes and fell asleep as he listened to the she cat's gentle heartbeat