Chapter I
"Dawnkit. Dawnkit."A gentle shake woke the little white she-kit.
Dawnkit opened her pale blue eyes sleepily to see her parents, Lakestar and Shadepelt looking down at her. She looked at them with questioning eyes and yawned, baring rows of small, sharp teeth.
"It's time to wake up,"Shadepelt purred cheerfully. He gave Dawnkit a nudge in the other kits' direction. "Why don't you play with them?"
Dawnkit's father had said "them", meaning Duskkit, Aspenkit, Amberkit, Darkkit and Hollykit. As at the moment, Hollykit and Darkkit weren't among the huddle of kits.
"I don't want to," Dawnkit mouthed, sinking back into her nest to hide herself from the other kits' view.
Her father and mother had been trying to get Dawnkit to play with the other kits for moons. Ever since she and her elder sister, Duskkit, had learned how to walk, Duskkit had immediately proved to be a social butterfly, playing and gossiping with the other kits. She was outgoing, bubbly, enthusiastic, and a great hit with the older kits. And as for Dawnkit, she was Duskkit's complete opposite. She was shy, insecure, and quiet, and the worst thing was... Dawnkit was mute.
Everyone had had high expectations of the two sisters even before they were born. Their parents were legends, after all. Lakestar was the honorable, strong leader of ShadowClan, and Shadepelt was a highly respected senior warrior. Duskkit had, of course, met their expectations, blossoming out to be a sweet, well-liked she-kit. The perfect daughter. And Dawnkit, even now at three moons of age, was still scared to venture out and play with the older kits.
Lakestar used her tail to sweep Dawnkit to her side. She gave Dawnkit a little, insistent nudge. "Go on. The other kits don't bite. You'll love playing with them, you'll see."
Dawnkit gave her mother a pleading look, but her mother nodded encouragingly.
Giving an inward groan, Dawnkit padded to the back of the nursery, her gaze locked on the ground beneath her paws.
Duskkit looked up as she neared. "Hi, Dawnkit!" she mewed cheerfully. "We're thinking of what to play. Want to join us?"
Duskkit was Dawnkit's older sister. Skyblossom, the sleek, black-furred medicine cat had told her Lakestar's birth had lasted the whole evening till sunrise on the next day. Lakestar had birthed Duskkit at dusk, and Dawnkit at dawn in the morning after.
Duskkit had soft, fluffy golden fur and wide blue eyes. Their true color was starting to come in – the light blue was darkening slightly. She had darker brown tabby stripes along her flanks, and a lighter colored chest and forepaws. She was slightly larger than Dawnkit. In fact, all the kits were larger than Dawnkit, Aspenkit and Amberkit included.
Aspenkit was a tom with dark gray fur - so dark it was black - with bright green eyes. His eyes were sharp and intelligent, and Dawnkit was extremely intimidated him, him being two moons older than her and her sister. He had a white tail-tip, forepaws and eartips.
Amberkit was Aspenkit's sister, and she had the same sharp eyes as her brother, and the only difference was that her eyes were amber in colour. Her pelt was gray as well, but dove-gray and a shade lighter than Aspenkit's.
Amberkit seemed to look down on Dawnkit to no end. And being taller than Dawnkit by a head, it was easy for her to do so. Her pink nose tilted upwards and her amber eyes flashed with disdain whenever Dawnkit neared, but she seemed to be becoming fast friends with Duskkit.
Dawnkit had seen Duskkit play with the two of them before, as well as two other kits who had been in the nursery longest – Darkkit, a jet black tom with amber eyes and Hollykit, who also had a black pelt and green eyes.
It was no secret Amberkit hated Dawnkit because she was mute. She had made it blatantly clear she thought a mute could never be a warrior, and that Dawnkit would best be suited to the nursery. That she had stated on multiple occasions.
At Duskkit's invitation, Dawnkit's own pale blue eyes brightened and she nodded vigorously.
"Great!" Duskkit meowed happily. "What do you suggest we play?"
At this, Amberkit let out a haughty sniff. "Ugh. Are you seriously going to let her play with us?"
Dawnkit copied her sniff, sticking her nose into the air. Have you got a cold, Amberkit? her mind retorted. Sadly, she couldn't speak the words out loud.
Amberkit rolled her eyes. "You shouldn't even be here. Just stick to your darling mommy and go sleep some more."
Dawnkit bristled furiously, unsheathing her claws and letting her haunches rise. Duskkit quickly intervened.
"Maybe... we should just play ThunderClan attack?" Duskkit suggested nervously. "There's no need for an argument."
Meanwhile, Aspenkit locked gazes with his sister, intense green meeting intense amber. They seemed to be having a silent argument, but in the end, Amberkit broke off the staring contest.
"Fine," Amberkit growled. "But she better not cause any trouble."
Duskkit looked relieved. "Let's split into two sides!"she chirped. "Who wants to be ShadowClan?"
"Me," Amberkit pushed herself forward, her nose in the air. "And Aspenkit. You and Dawnkit can be ThunderClan."
"But that's unfair!" protested Duskkit. "You and Aspenkit are both a moon older than us."
"Right." Amberkit seemed to have just realized this. She shrugged and sidled up to Duskkit. "Never mind. I'll be ShadowClan with you. Your sister can go with my brother."
Dawnkit seethed, annoyed at being ordered around, but Amberkit and Duskkit were already padding off to prepare for the attack.
Aspenkit had padded a little ways ahead too, and he turned around to look at Dawnkit with an irritated expression. "Are you going to stand there all day?"
Dawnkit hurried to catch up. She pointed her tail in the direction of the apprentices' den, then looked at Aspenkit with questioning eyes.
Aspenkit snorted. "Hide in the apprentices' den and get trampled by someone? No, thank you. I was thinking we should hide in the corner behind the nursery. It can easily hide both of us."
Dawnkit nodded and padded behind the nursery, slotting her small frame into the gap easily. Aspenkit followed her example, squeezing into a slightly larger alcove next to hers.
They waited.
It was an awkward wait. Dawnkit barely knew Aspenkit, and he barely knew her. They didn't speak a single word during the time spent in wait.
Soon, Dawnkit and Aspenkit spotted Duskkit's sandy brown form crawling towards their hiding place. Dawnkit waited until Duskkit came closer. Closer to the nursery... closer, even closer...
Dawnkit let out a silent battle call and sprang on top of Duskkit, knocking her to the ground. The two sisters tussled fiercely, rolling over and over, each trying to pin the other down. Dawnkit managed to land a blow on Duskkit's muzzle, and Duskkit battered at Dawnkit's belly in return.
"Warning! Alert! ThunderClan is attacking!" yowled Duskkit. She threw Dawnkit off with ease, and she went flying through the air; Dawnkit scrambled to her paws and charged Duskkit again. She flailed at Duskkit with her paws, her blows landing on Duskkit's flanks and sides. She gritted her teeth and pushed at Duskkit with at her might, so much she was nearing exhaustion. Her sister's eyes gleamed with mischief; and it struck Dawnkit this was merely a game to Duskkit, and she wasn't tiring at all.
Then why was she tiring so quickly?
Then Aspenkit leapt onto Duskkit, swiping her away from Dawnkit and she stepped back, panting from the sudden wave of tiredness that seemed to overtake her.
A heavy weight suddenly thumped down on Dawnkit's back, sending her crashing into the mud.
Amberkit's eyes glowed in triumph as she shoved Dawnkit's muzzle into the earth. "Ha! Take that, ThunderClan scum!"
Dawnkit spluttered and gasped for air, but she couldn't take in any oxygen. Mud choked her when she inhaled, and she started coughing. She opened her jaws and attempted to yowl for help. Of all the times she needed her voice... this was the most urgent time.
Amberkit sneered down at Dawnkit. "What's the matter, Dawnkit?"she mocked. "Something got your tongue? Why don't you yell to your friends for help? Oh wait – you don't have any!"
Amberkit pressed harder, filling Dawnkit with dread that she really would die, when the weight was suddenly lifted off her.
Dawnkit rolled over, coughing and spluttering weakly.
Amberkit stood over her, paw raised to let Dawnkit stand up.
"Stay away from me and my friends," Amberkit snarled. "Don't come near us ever again. Or you will regret it."
Amberkit stalked away, a smug look on her face, her amber eyes gleaming with satisfaction. Across the clearing, nobody had noticed anything at all – Aspenkit and Duskkit were still tussling, and all the warriors in the clearing were watching them fondly.
Dawnkit retched, almost sickened by the older kit's hatred her.
Why does she hate me so much?
She recalled the vicious glare Amberkit had given her, and a rush of bitterness surged through her.
Because you're mute, Dawnkit. That's why.
Not for the first time, Dawnkit suddenly wished to have a voice. She wished to be able to talk and laugh like all the other kits. She wished to be like Duskkit.
And most of all, she wished to be normal.
A/N: Sky here! I'm really excited about this story, I've got so many plans for it :) Hope you liked the first chapter!