Kitten of the Dark Forest

Ch. 8: Tinykit's Past part 1

Mapleshade was curled around Tinykit, cleaning him. Though the two had only gotton home to their moss bed besides their large, gray tree, the news of Tinykit's near-death had spread to every cat in the Dark Forest. After they heard of it, every cat wanted to know if Tinykit was alright. They couldn't lose their new leader, he had been chosen by Tigerstar himself. Tinykit growled softly.  He didn't want to be protected by every cat in the Dark Forest. Mapleshade was like a mother to him, so she was an exception, but every other cat? He would not allow it. He must have been chosen by Tigerstar for a reason, and that reason was not to be fussed over like a helpless kit.  "Are you alright?" Mapleshade asked with a worried expression on her face. Tinykit sighed. "It's alright," he replied. "I just don't like being treated like a helpless kit. Tigerstar didn't chose me to be his successor so I could live a soft, kittypet life." Tinykit spat out the word kittypet, and Mapleshade chuckled. "Don't worry, you'll never become a worthless kittypet," she said. But then her tone turned quizzical. "But there is something else than the concept of you becoming a kittypet that I am more concerned about," she said. "I was wondering, how, and why, exactly, did Tigerstar chose you to be his successor?" Tinykit sighed again, and looked up at Mapleshade with a somewhat resigned look in his eyes. "Well, to tell you that, I'd have to tell you my whole past to make it make sense, but I think you have more than a right to know that after all that's happened." Tinykit called Thistleclaw, Darkstripe, and Clawface and told them to come to the other side of the tree, then he told them to sit and make themselves comfortable. Finally, he said, "Guys, I think it's time I told you about my past and why I ended up here in the Dark Forest." Then Tinykit took a deep breath, and began to tell the cats of the Dark Forest about his past.

Tinykit sat, waiting eagerly for his dark tiger tabby tom friend. Before, it was just darkness, until his friend came and brought him to a misty field and said that he was dreaming. But Tinykit didn't care if he was dreaming or not. The dark was boring, and his friend always had something new to tell, show, or teach him.  Tinykit saw the dark tiger tabby tom appear out of the mist, and he ran up to him, purring and winding through his front legs. "You're finally here!" he said. "I've been waiting for ages! What are we doing today? I want to learn some of those cool battle moves!" Tinykit lashed out his paw a few times in mock fighting, and the dark tabby tom chuckled. "You're going to be a great fighter one day," he observed. "But I will teach you more moves another time. You're already as skilled in battle as an apprentice halfway ready to become a warrior,  so I think it's time I told you about your siblings." Tinykit sat and sulked, and with a whine in his voice said, "But I want to battle! Anything else is so boring." Tinykit looked at the ground, and the dark tiger tabby tom lifted his face up with a paw. "Now, listen Tinykit. Everything I tell you is important, as it will give you more power than your siblings," he said. "Why would I need to gain more power over my own siblings, you might ask, and I will tell you. You see, Tinykit, I already know of your destiny, and the choices that must be made to make it that way. However, if the wrong choices are made..." the dark tabby tom trailed off. "...well, your siblings have destinies ahead of them too. And if some get a certain destiny, you won't get yours.  And you must strive to be better than your siblings, you must know more, you must be able to fight better, and do you know why, Tinykit? Your name, Tinykit, will be given to you by your mother for a reason. You're the runt of the litter." Tinykit gasped, shock filling him. The words stung, and he could hardly reply. "How can this be?" he said, his mouth hanging open. "If I'm really the runt, why did you pick me?" The dark tiger tabby tom smiled. "I understand your shock. But I picked you because I knew you would be the best cat to have your destiny. Not even your oldest sibling could carry out your destiny. And speaking of which," he flicked his tail and an image of a tabby tom with silver-gray fur, dark grey stripes, and bright blue eyes appeared. "this is your brother, your oldest sibling, and your future tormenter," he continued. "He will pick on you, but wont particularly threaten your destiny. So I wouldn't worry about him too much." The dark tiger tabby tom flicked his tail again, causing the silver-gray tabby to disappear, and three new cats took it's place. There was a black she-kit with bright green eyes, a white tom with black spots and one blue eye and one yellow eye, and a fluffy white she-kit with amber eyes. "These are three of your other siblings," he said. "They are in the middle, not the oldest or the youngest, and you shouldn't worry about them too much. They won't harm your destiny. However, this kit," the dark tiger tabby tom pointed to the black she-kit with bright green eyes with his tail, "has a destiny that is the closest to yours. I'd get to know her, become buddies, protect her and stay close to her, because you will soon play a major role in her destiny." Tinykit couldn't contain his questions. "How will I change her destiny?" Tinykit interrupted. The dark tiger tabby tom silenced him with a stern look. "I am not one to tell you," he answered. "Now please do not interrupt!" He waved his tail again, and the three cats disappeared. "This final sibling is the second youngest," he said as his tail waved and an image of a black tom with blue eyes and a splash of white on his chest appeared, "and will be your worst enemy." Tinykit was about to ask the dark tiger tabby tom why the final kit would be his worst enemy when the dark tiger tabby tom gave him a stern glance and Tinykit closed his mouth. "He will be your enemy because if he gets a certain destiny, you won't. He must die at your paws. And while he lives, he will be worse than even your eldest sibling. You shouldn't get to attached to him." The dark tiger tabby tom cleared his throat. "And that is all I have to say to you today. I will answer all your questions another time." And before Tinyklit could even say a word, the dark tiger tabby tom bounded away into the mist.

Tinykit bounded after the cat. He was in a dank, dark, and rotting forest, but he didn't care. All that mattered was catching the cat that was bounding away in front of him, his prey. He wanted to catch it, to feel the warm blood on his paws as he ripped his prey apart. He was so close to it now. Just a few more bounds, and he could catch it. He could kill it. He knew he could catch it now. He leapt..."Agh! Tinykit! Get off me!" Tinykit blinked. The vision was gone. He was back in the ThunderClan nursery, pinning his sister Fallenkit to the ground. He looked down at her, her bright green eyes looking at him expectantly and her black ears twitching, and his ears flushed. He got off of her and said, "Sorry Fallenkit! I guess I got a little carried away." He chuckled nervously. Fallenkit giggled. "It's okay! Just remember that were playing catch the moss ball, and not catch the ShadowClan cat!" Before Tinykit could reply, he was boulder over, and he looked up to see Juniperkit smirking. Tinykit snarled at his older brother and said, "Get off me you big lug!" The cat on top of him laughed, his ice blue eyes gleaming as he smirked and said, "But I thought you wanted to play catch the ShadowClan cat!" Juniper kit laughed and puffed out his chest, the white splotch of fur on it contrasting all the black fur. "Juniperkit, get off him!" Fallenkit said, glaring at Juniperkit. Juniperkit sighed and said, "Fine, I'll get off him. But it's not my fault that he's too weak to care for himself." Juniperkit got off of Tinykit and walked away, his tail waving in Tinykit's face for a few moments annoyingly. Tinykit grit his teeth and growled, hating his older brother with every fiber in his body. Fallenkit looked at her steaming younger brother reassuringly. "Don't let grumpy old Juniperkit bother you," she said. "You'll grow up to be a fierce warrior one day!" Fallenkit nuzzled her brother, and as soon as she pulled away, Tinylit heard the dark tiger tabby tom in his mind. Ever since he had been born, his first friend had communicated to him through his mind and sometimes through his dreams.  "Tinykit, I need to speak with you," he said. Tinykirt looked around and saw Snowkit and Spottedkit play fighting while his mother, Silverpelt, was bathing a struggling Ripplekit. He walked over to her. "Hey mom," he asked. "Can I go outside for a few moments?" Silverpelt looked at her youngest son and nodded. "You can, but don't go out for too long!" she answered. Tinykit bounded out of the nursery, giving a brief nod to his father, Scarheart, who was entering the nursery, and found a quiet corner in the camp. "Yes, what is it?" he asked the dark tiger tabby tom in his mind. His friend chuckled. "Ah, you're so young, but you've already had your first vision of killing a cat, and you already hate your older brother Juniperkit deathlessly. I think your ready to stage you first attack on ThunderClan."