OK, this is my first story. I'm really nervous about putting this up, because though I like to write stories, I hate to let people read them. I get so embarrassed; it's like someone reading my diary or seeing my dreams. But my friends told me I should share my writings, so here it goes: Hope you enjoy it!

Thunder pressed close against his mother's golden fur. "Wing? When will we be there?"

His mother sighed loudly. Then she looked startled, and her eyes then darted back and forth, like she was afraid someone had heard the small sound. She meowed in a hushed voice.

"Shush! In a little bit! The place should be around here somewhere, but if we are loud, bad cats will come. If they catch us, they will eat us!" She flicked little Thunder's back with her tail to show that she was joking. He shivered anyway.

He remembered how his father had died; trying to protect his mate and kits from an angry, crazy rouge. It had only been two moons ago. Frost, his father, hadn't completely succeeded, and Thunder's third sister, Light, had been carried away by the rouge as payback. His father had driven the rouge out of his den, a very large one. Frost had asked if come in, since his mate was about to have kits. The rouge had snarled and attacked them, but Frost had beaten him. Thunder gulped now, remembering the glazed, crazy, hungry look in the rouge's eyes. He also remembered his father's amber eyes glazing over as Wing had tried to hide his mauled, bloody body from her kits. Thunder remembered his sister, Light. He didn't know if Light was still alive, but he missed her. He tried to cleanse these memories from him. No more sadness, he told himself.

He continued to follow his mother and his sisters, Speckle and Leaf, through the dense forest that was his home. They came across a sandy clearing, and his mother stopped short. They ducked down and sat at the edge of the clearing.

"She'll be here soon, she promised, though a long time ago," whispered Wing. They stayed still for a while. Then, "Can you hear that noise?" The kits tilted their heads, then nodded. Just then, two small shapes broke free from the undergrowth, tussling. Wing jumped up and hissed, claws sliding out.

"Relax!" called a voice. A white she-cat followed the two kits out into the center of the sand pit. "It's just me, and my kits."

Wing's gaze softened immediately. She sheathed her claws and scurried over to touch noses with the other cat.

"Oh, Kite! I missed you so much! It's been such a long time. You have kits now? So do I!" Her voice was just barely a than scale louder than usual, but the other cat spoke loudly, with no fear of being caught. Wing winced and ducked lower to the sandy ground.

"Wing, I have so much to tell you! But first, these two little fur-balls are Snow, and Rain." She pushed her two kits toward Thunder, Speckle, and Leaf. "Go on now, don't be shy. Stay right where we can see you! Wing and I want to talk for a little."

The kits approached each other shyly. Snow was a pure white kit, and her brother Rain was gray and fluffy. They looked to be about seven moons, just a little older than than Thunder and his sisters. The kits looked at each other with curiosity.

Snow suddenly broke out.

"Have you heard the news? There are more and more cats moving into the forest! Our mother just came back from a long journey. She was trying to find a new home, but the land on the other side of the Thunderpath is all swampy, or rocky. We were born far over there. Our mother and your mother were best friends a long time ago. Why is your mother so quiet?" she stopped suddenly and gasped for breath. All the kits stared at her, except for Rain, who was busy shredding a leaf. He hadn't even noticed anything. Thunder wondered why. "Oh, by the way, this is Rain, and he doesn't talk much, so I just talk for him," Snow continued.

Speckle brightened and started chatting; Thunder could see that the two cats would be a good match. Speckle also loved to talk. Leaf was quieter, like Wing, and was always lost in her thoughts. She had been very close to both Frost and Light, and had been affected badly when they both were lost. Wing had always been sort of quiet, but now lived with a constant fear of attacks.

Speckle and Snow were still talking, so Thunder decided to join their conversation. It was about hunting.

"I love hunting!' he burst out. He actually hadn't hunted before, but it sounded great.

"I bet you don't even know how," Snow mewed, then leaped on top of him and wrestled him to the ground.

"Our mother is teaching us how to hunt," Speckle mewed proudly.

"We already know some stuff, because there wasn't much food along the Thunderpath. Kite had to teach us early so we wouldn't starve," Snow meowed.

Leaf whispered, "Can you catch something?"

Snow thought about this, then puffed up. "I've caught two mice, a squirrel, and a vole." Thunder was impressed, but tried not to show it. "Oh yes, and I just caught a little orange cat by the name of Thunder." Her eyes twinkled, and Thunder ducked his head.

"What about Rain?" Speckle asked.

Snow glanced at Rain uncertainly; he was busy watching a butterfly with serious concentration, and wasn't listening.

"Well… he hasn't caught anything… yet. But I bet he will soon!" She tried to look hopeful. "He's my brother, you know."

Thunder looked at Rain. What was he thinking? Hmmm…Well, I know what I'm thinking; I want to learn how to hunt!" He gazed at Snow and asked, "Can you show us how to catch something?"

Snow mewed, "Sure!" but Leaf looked worried.

"But our mothers said to stay in sight!" Wing and Kite were absorbed deeply in their conversation, except for one of Wing's ears, which twitched every so often. She was listening out for danger, like usual. But she wasn't listening to her kits.

"It'll be fine," meowed Thunder, "Do you want to learn how to hunt or not?"

"I do!"

"Then follow Snow, mousebrain!" Thunder was very excited. He was going on his first hunt! Wing had shown him some stuff, but they weren't ready yet. Snow sneaked through the forest until they smelled a mouse. It was sitting next to a tree stump, nibbling some grass. Thunder trembled with excitement. Snow crouched low, trying to step lightly. The mouse looked up, and it's whiskers trembled. Thunder forced himself not to breathe, so as to not make any noise. Snow suddenly pounced, and at once had the squirming mouse in her paws. She was having trouble holding on tight enough to get her claws free to kill it, so Speckle raced in and smacked the mouse for her.

"Thanks," Snow breathed out, "Now we can bring it back to Wing, Kite, and Rain!"

They started back. I could do that, thought Thunder, I know I could! He lifted his head and tried to scent something, anything. He caught a whiff of a rabbit, and broke off from their little group. There, in front of him, lay a mother rabbit, with five little bunnies. I can do this; just have to be quiet, because of those big ears she has. I'm sure I can get a baby one! Thunder started to stalk up quietly, and he found himself falling into a natural rhythm. He was silent and quick, and even though he had never hunted before, it seemed he knew what he was doing. He felt confident, and decided he would just get the mother first. He waited, amazed at himself. None of the rabbits had noticed him yet! He wobbled, and then leaped, straight over the bunnies, and landed right on top of the mother, who was as large as him. He quickly bit the back of her neck, and it was all done with.

Thunder felt so proud that he ignored his mother's voice warning him in his mind, about not making noise. He called the others back to him, "Speckle, Leaf, Snow! Come look at this!" The five baby bunnies were shocked still, bug-eyed in the grass. Thunder dealt each one a blow to the head, feeling only a little remorse. He set them out in a circle in front of him. Wait until they see this! They won't believe their eyes! Where are they, anyway?

Thunder waited and waited. He wanted to go get his family, but he couldn't leave his massive catch. Finally, he heard something coming towards him.

"Finally! I thought you were never coming!"

Two shining, yellow eyes stared at him through the dark undergrowth. Thunder stared back, and did a quick check. Leaf, Wing, and Snow had green eyes. Speckle and Rain had blue, and Kite did too. He himself had amber eyes, like his father had. This cat was unknown.

"Nice hunting, little kit, thank you." The cat stepped out. It was a dark red rouge with a happy look on her face. Her large, unsheathed claws clicked on the stones. Then her happy look the changed to murderous. "I'm very hungry, so I think I'll just take these rabbits."

"Wh-y-y we-e don't-t ju-st sha-re them-m?" Thunder managed to stammer out. He felt like the baby bunnies now; he couldn't twitch a whisker.

"I don't think that will work, you little fur-ball," she replied as she stalked towards him. If they catch us, they will eat us! His mother's voice sang in his head. Thunder tried to back away, but tripped over his clumsy white paws. I'm going to die, he thought. He closed his eyes very tightly and yowled as loud as he could.

"WING! HELP ME!"

I really hoped you liked that. Please review!