Firewolf

2

( The kitten on top is Shadekit/Firekit)

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The sound of thunder sounded in my ears as my paws thudded the ground, my tiny body picking up the pace. Seemingly out of nowhere I started shaking, but I knew it was not from fear, for I was running with my clan. The black silhouette's of Shadowclan cats raced on both sides of my flank, running with me. Then memories started to poor into my dream, and the cats, my clanmates, we're no longer running with me. No, they we're chasing me through the forest, out of Shadowclan territory. Just as many times before, though I fought to survive and showed good strength, my clan was planning once more to finish me off, to destroy me, just because I'm not pure Shadowclan born. Here, all I can see is the dark shadow's of large, fierce cats, who are intent on killing me off.

Up ahead, beyond the boundaries of Shadowclan territory, thunderous clouds swirled the sky, a bolt of lighting here and there raining down on the ground, showing no mercy. The sky around the cloud was clear, exempt for the faint stars of Silverpelt, the symbol of Starclan. Could this be a message from them? I can't be sure. I race out of the shadows and strait into the heart of Thunderclan, and I'm greeted with friendly mews and gentle head butts. The sun now shines warmly on my fur, the soft wind ruffling the tuffs on my neck. Here I know I'm safe. . .

I'm startled awake from the dream, panting and shaking wildly. I take long, deep breaths to calm myself down, as not to wake the other kits and their queens. I don't have one, as she is not part of this clan, but the other queens treat me fair enough, so long as I don't bother them. I watch them from a distance, since they refuse to sleep anywhere near a half-clan can like me, and should I move closer I will surely be killed, just like my brother and sisters had been. I did not want to share my sibling's horrible fate. Shadowclan does not like half-clan cats, so they killed my brother and two sisters. They had left me alone, expecting me to die off immediately because I'm the runt, the smallest and weakest of my once litter. I didn't, and they have been tormenting me ever since.

Now I lay, watching my clanmates slow, steady breathing as I try to erase the images of the dream from my head. I'm a Shadowclan warrior, this is where I belong. I tried to reassure myself this, but my breathing did not turn to normal, the memories of the dream still reeling in my head. . .the dream had seemed so real, almost as if a message of some sort. . .

Suddenly, my head jerked up as my father crept into the nursery. He signaled me with the flick of his ear to follow him, then backed out. I rose to my paws reluctantly and trotted after him. As soon as I was out of the den, my father grabbed me harshly by my scruff, silencing my cry with a swipe at my muzzle. He trotted out of the Shadowclan camp and into the dark woods, and I hung loosely in his jaw a moment. I close my eye's, recalling the dream, but I see nothing.

Darkness. That's all I can see, though the smells of the forest continue to surround me. I can hear the padding of my fathers paws as they strike the ground, and I peel my young eye's open to see the floor of the forest zoom by. I tremble a little, not yet half a moon old, and completely exposed to the harsh cold of winter. The overly large tom cat above me shakes out his fur, sending a spay of snow everywhere and jostling me in his mouth. His claws clamp down on my neck fur, his teeth piercing the skin as he's not even trying to be careful. I mew in protest, bringing out my claws and gripping for solid ground, but my paws only lightly touch the snow because of my father's height. " Shadekit!" Growls my father, Brinksire, in warning. I can feel his warm breath on my neck as he springs out of Shadowclan territory, my home clan, and into new, strangely scented territory.

Then, suddenly, I'm thrown into freezing water. I yowl and tread the water as my head dips under the surface, the icy cold water filling my lungs. I bob back up a moment later, gasping and choking for fresh air, clawing at a chunk of ice. The ice tips over, burying me once more under the freezing cold water and pushing me underneath it, blocking any chance of escape. I claw my way under water, the sides of my vision slowly turning black and dull as time continues on and I'm trapped underneath this block of ice. Suddenly, in my hazy mind, I get a plan of escape. I turn myself onto my back and scratch at the ice with my claws. Sure enough, my sharp claws latch onto the ice and I heave myself up with all my strength, pulling myself out the freezing water.

As I prop myself unsteadily on the piece of ice, I think hear multiple gasps, seemingly made by surprised older cats. I look around, but my father is no where to be seen, and the scenery is different. I realize I must have been floating downstream, and I'm in fact still doing so, moving slowly along with the clear water. I lift my my head into the air, trying to calm my freezing and shaking body, and open my my mouth to taste the air. The wave of new and unfamiliar scents knock me off balance, and I nearly topple off the chunk of ice, only stopping myself by digging my claws in as hard as I can. I think I hear a purr of amusement, and I lift my muzzle to the air again. This time, I recognize the scents that waft into my mouth, and I started to shiver harder, not from the cold, but from fear. I was in enemy territory.