Chapter One

Lionkit's P.O.V.:

"I'm Firestar, the leader of all leaders!" announced Hollykit, pouncing onto a rock. "I will be leading the world's best patrol to fight ShadowClan!"

I purred and butted her with my head. She lost her balance and fell of the small stone. "You can't be Firestar!" I exclaimed. "He's a tom! You're a she-kit! You can be Sandstorm or Brightheart."

Hollykit hissed in annoyance and batted me on the ear. "That was for knocking me over," she explained. "And this," she hit me again, "is for telling me I can't be leader!" I tackled her to the ground, both of us growling playfully as we tumbled across the clearing.

"Hey, mousebrains!" cried Jaykit from the edge of the nursery. "Get over here! I have a better game!" We immediately separated from each other and dashed over to our brother.

"What game is it?" I demanded in excitement.

"We're going to lead our own patrol," he announced.

Hollykit gasped. "We can't. We're just kits!"

"Not a real patrol, furball," retorted the blind kit. "I can smell Brambleclaw's scent from here." He pointed his tail toward our father. "He's a ShadowClan invader now. We have to stop him from getting to the elder's den."

Hollykit looked worried. "Brambleclaw would never do such a thing! He's a loyal deputy!"

Jaykit rolled his eyes. "That's why it's a game, Hollykit!"

"I guess you're right," she admitted, sounding embarrassed. "What's the plan?"

"We'll sneak in the ferns behind the nursery and spread out. Then, when I give the signal, we'll all jump on him from where he is sitting- next to the fresh-kill pile," I suggested. Jaykit and Hollykit nodded. "Let's go," I meowed.

We crept into the bushes as quietly as we could. A twig snapped. I hissed in annoyance, as did Jaykit. "Sorry," muttered Hollykit. A few tail lengths ahead, Hollykit stopped. A few tail lengths more, Jaykit halted into position. I walked on a short distance before doing the same. I watched Brambleclaw in between the leaves of the bushes. His back was turned to us, and he was only a tail's length away.

"Now!" I roared, pouncing square on our father's back. Brambleclaw yowled in surprise. Jaykit and Hollykit sprang out from their hiding places and began springing on the deputy's tail and shoulders.

Brambleclaw fell dramatically to the ground. "Umph! You've got me!" he moaned.

"We win!" Jaykit proclaimed triumphantly. Hollykit purred and I slid off Brambleclaw's shoulders.

"No ShadowClan warrior will ever invade our camp ever again!" I meowed in satisfaction, lashing my tail.

Brambleclaw purred, sitting up. "I don't doubt it," he meowed, "as long as ThunderClan has you three." His whiskers twitched and amusement lit his eyes.

"Do you want to play with us, Brambleclaw?" Hollykit begged.

"I wish I could," meowed the deputy, looking down at his daughter gently, "but it's well into the afternoon. I have to assign more patrols, and you three need to take naps."

Jaykit gagged. "Naps?" he demanded incredulously. "Only weak cats take naps. We're warriors!"

"Your father is quite right," said Squirrelflight, padding up to her mate. "It's high time for you to return to the nursery."

"But we're not tired-" we objected in unison.

"No 'buts'," interjected our mother. "You've been playing since dawn! And yes, Jaykit, even warriors need naps sometimes." Jaykit lashed his tail and muttered under his breath as Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw led us to the nursery.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of movement. I turned my head to see an unfamiliar cat standing before me. She was a slender mousy brown she-cat with glowing amber eyes. She gazed at me with a curious stare from the shadows of an oak tree. She looked like a warrior, with her shiny black claws, but she didn't smell like one. Maybe she was a real intruder! "Brambleclaw!" I exclaimed in alarm. "It's an invader!"

Brambleclaw sighed. "This is no time for games, Lionkit."

"It's not a game," I insisted. "Look!" I pointed my tail towards the beautiful she-cat. "Is it a ShadowClan warrior? Are they trying to attack our camp?" The deputy looked at where I was pointing. His eyes scanned the bushes, going straight past the stranger.

"There's nothing there, Lionkit," he meowed.

"There is, too! There's a she-cat! ShadowClan is invading the camp right now, and you don't even care!" I wailed.

My father brushed his tail gently on my shoulders. "No, Lionkit. There is no one there. If there really was a cat here from any other Clan, I'd know by their scent. There is no other scent here but that of ThunderClan," he assured me patiently. "Don't you trust me?"

"Yes," I nodded vigorously. "There is no cat here from any other Clan."

"Good," he purred. "You're eyes are just playing tricks on you because you're tired." He continued to lead me towards the nursery.

"But, I'm not sleepy," I yawned.

Brambleclaw quietly purred. "Just try to sleep, little one. Just try." I nodded sleepily. Before entering the nursery, though, I turned my head back towards the bushes. The she-cat was gone. I settled down in my nest thinking, Brambleclaw is right. There was no cat. I'm just tired. I fell asleep before I could see the pair of strange amber eyes reappear among the brambles.

This story is inspired by a request from IHaveMadNinjaSkills. She asked me if I could write a story about a cat named Willow and Lionkit. I gladly agreed. But even though this was inspired from her request, there are going to be some twists and turns I doubt even she will see coming. :)