The Shadow Clan kits all lived in the Mothers’ Den, where they were nursed. They were smaller than Lightning kit, which was pretty small.
The mother wolves nursed the Shadow Clan kits, which appeared to be actually a lot more work.
The kits stayed in the nursery that evening and the others went down for a meeting. Starkit was curious, and since the guards were at the meeting, she crept off to look at what they were saying.
“Shadow Clan may attack anytime now,” WolfClaw announced, “So we need to make sure we’re prepared for this attack. They will soon find out their kits are gone, and for all we know, they might just steal our jewel back.”
Everyone nodded and muttered in agreement.
“Sir, if we hide the jewel, won’t we have bad luck since it is not in the chair?” Bloodclaws asked.
“No, Bloodclaws, it’s still in our camp, so we will still have good luck in battle. And we cannot hide it in the nursery; kit-nappers are sure to come too.” WolfClaw answered.
“Should we have a plan?” WaterClaw questioned.
“I am sure if we just attack them and try to get them to flee, we’ll be safe.”
“WolfClaw, when will the kits become apprentices?” RainWolf asked.
“When they are six moons old, RainWolf, six moons. Right now, the ones who got kit-napped, except Foxkit, are all only two moons old. Foxkit is three moons. But he will become an apprentice the same time as the other kits, to keep it fair.”
Starkit soon got bored, and padded off to the Mothers’ Den.
“These Shadow Clan kits nurse more than the Thunder kits...” Foxkit’s mother sighed, nursing the kit Foxkit stole, and the one Starkit took. She and Lightning kit’s mother were the only ones there; the others were at the meeting.
“Excuse me, Foxkit’s mothew,” Starkit said to her, “I named the kit I took Blackkit.”
“Blackkit?” The mother echoed. “Very well. That is a nice name, Starkit.”
Starkit nodded in agreement, and she trotted over to the nursery where other kits were asleep. Starkit padded in circles for a while, then lay down and fell asleep.
***
It was the next day when Starkit woke up. Sunlight beamed down in the nursery. The others woke up as well. RainWolf was in her position.
With nothing to do, Starkit padded over to the food, and had her breakfast. With no enemies invading, all she could do was eat and sleep, as usual on a normal day.
She ate a rabbit, since she was not too hungry to eat a fox or an elk. But she was hungry enough that she wouldn’t eat just a small mouse.
Darkmoon came in, bringing news. He whispered something to RainWolf, but the other kits couldn’t hear. Starkit strained her ears forward, but still could not hear.
“WHAT?” RainWolf shouted after he was done, making everyone flinch. “Moonlight Clan is invading? And why do they want that ONE SPECIFIC kit?”
“Which kit?” Thunder kit asked, worried.
“It’s best that you kits do not know.” Darkmoon sighed.
“We need to prepare! Owls can be smarter than dragons, and that’s VERY smart.” RainWolf suggested.
Darkmoon nodded in agreement.
Which kit is it? Thought Starkit.
Chapter Six: Leaving Camp
The kits all crouched in fear, exchanging worried glances, all with one thought on their minds: Who was the owl after?
From RainWolf’s point of view, owls seemed pretty scary. Starkit figured it couldn’t be her- she was not popular. But the owls, she knew, were dangerous. If the owl couldn’t get the one kit it wanted, it may come after another, and there was a chance it could be her- Starkit.
RainWolf had been right about the full moon earlier. Shadow Clan invading, dragons, owls...what was next?
Starkit remembered that the out-clanner was from Swift Clan. Since the other clan members could smell things and know which clan it was from, she guessed that Swift Clan could smell the other clanners, too. Starkit sniffed the air, attempting to smell like the others. All she could smell was the roaring fire. Her nose did not work like the older warriors’. She guessed that maybe, when she was older, perhaps the apprentice age, she would be able to smell like others could.
Starkit could see RainWolf and Darkmoon were talking in the corner, so she could sneak out and see what the Swift-Clanner was up to. Starkit crept out of the nursery room and to the room next to hers, which was very small. There were mats and a window. Nothing else.
The Swift Clanner did not see Starkit, so she stood next to the entrance. She looked at the staircase and saw the top of WolfClaw’s head coming up. She hid in the pot of food, which was packed with rabbits and few mice. WolfClaw was followed by Deathwolf, and they walked into the room. Starkit remained in the pot, listening to every word WolfClaw was saying.
“Now, out-clanner...” WolfClaw began. “What is your name?”
“My name is WindyWolf. My rank is a warrior. I was harmed very badly by a Shadow Clanner, so the deputy, the meanest wolf in our land name FlameFang, yelled at me for being defeated and said, ‘Young warrior, you dare be defeated by a Shadow Clanner? Not to mention that clanner is an apprentice! Being beaten by a Shadow Clanner is VERY shameful. A weak warrior like you shouldn’t be in our clan! With our leader’s permission, I say you are banished from Swift Clan, never to return!’
“So now, Thunder Wolf, I had to live out in the wilderness. FlameFang, as deputy, has permission to ban people as our leader Rockeye does. I had no choice but to leave. I did not know how to hunt well and I can’t run as fast as other great warriors can. I only ate a rabbit, that’s all I could catch.” WindyWolf told the leader.
“WindyWolf, how did you get that blood mark right underneath your eye?” Deathwolf asked.
“This? Oh! Another Shadow Clanner was out in the same forest as I was, and they said this was Shadow Clan’s backup camp. The wolf told me to leave the territory, and, as I was taught by my mentor, I said no. My mentor, named Fieryface, had always said, ‘If someone tells you to leave an area, chances are they are just trying to intimidate you and aren’t really going to fight. So I told the Shadow Clanner I was not leaving. The clanner attacked. He clawed under my eye, but I pounced on his back digging my claws in. He left, I left.” WindyWolf answered Deathwolf.
“Ok, WindyWolf,” WolfClaw muttered, “We are still keeping yo here and are not letting you go. We may ask more questions about your Swift Clan.”
Starkit peeked inside, and saw WindyWolf sit up a little higher. She stared ahead before the wolves saw her.
“What?” WindyWolf growled. “I am LOYAL to my clan, I am not going to give out answers! I may be asked back when the warriors run out, and they’ll kick me out AGAIN when they find out I spilled the clan’s secrets!”
“If you do not spill anything-”
“Deathwolf,” WolfClaw turned to him, “Do not threaten this out-clanner. He is new, once he warms up, we’ll get something.”
Starkit saw the two wolves leave the room and ran down the staircase. Starkit ran back into the nursery, where RainWolf and Darkmoon were still discussing, and the kits looking scared, as she left everyone.
Starkit heard a screech, and so did everyone else, as they looked wildly around.
“That’s the owls!” RainWolf announced, making everyone in the room gasp. “Darkmoon, guard the outside! I’ll guard in here.”
“Yes ma’am!” Darkmoon nodded, and ran outside of the room. RainWolf sat at the entrance with her sword in the mouth, key on the strap.
“RainWolf! What’s going to happen?” Galaxykit asked.
“I do not know, but these owls are more deadly than dragons and kit-nappers.” RainWolf replied.
All the kits hopped into the plant pots, replying to what RainWolf said. RainWolf sighed, holding her sword to the door.
About 5 minutes after hiding, the door busted open with great white light. RainWolf fell back, sword falling out of her mouth. RainWolf jumped in mi
d-air and caught it. Starkit’s mouth dropped open to how great RainWolf jumped, and kept watching.
Two brown owls flew out from the white light, and the white light disappeared, showing Darkmoon’s body on the floor. RainWolf’s eyes grew big in respond to seeing the body. But she did not drop her sword.
The two owls criss-crossed each other, flying, and flew around the room, searching. RainWolf hopped up and slashed her sword at one of the owl’s tails, but missed. Only one feather flew down.
Another owl flew in, and it was huge. It has a 6-foot wingspan and its body was only a foot long, measuring by width. It spread its great majestic wings. RainWolf’s mouth opened and she dropped her sword. She tried to pick it up, but the bigger owl (The Eagle Owl was it’s type of owl) picked it up first. It was one of the fastest animals Starkit had ever seen. It threw RainWolf outside of the room, her body landing next to Darkmoon’s. The throw was so hard it knocked her out.
The kits all crouched down, mouths open in fear. They could not have no help. From the sounds downstairs, it seemed as though everyone was busy battling.
“I am looking for the one called Starkit...” The Eagle Owl announced. His voice was loud and deep.
Starkit opened her mouth bigger than the others’. She could not believe that he wanted her, Starkit - why?
Foxkit hopped out of the plants. “Why do you want Starkit?”
“I ask for Starkit. That is final! You kits do not need to know why.” The Eagle Owl shouted back.
“You are not getting her.” Thunder kit hopped out of the plants.
“Where is she?” The Eagle Owl demanded.
Lynxkit hopped out of the plant pot. “I...I am Starkit..” Lynxkit lied.
The Eagle Owl smiled. “You are nice for trying to fake your friend, wanting to pretend to be her. But I know what Starkit looks like. Do not try to fool ME.” He suddenly frowned, his eyes looked evil, and he unleashed a white, hard crescent shape item from his wings, and it hit the wall. The kits outside all slowly backed up in fear. “Where is she?”
Starkit, hesitating, almost crept out, but flinched. Then she finally walked out of the pot. “I am Starkit...”
“Of course. You are coming with me!” The Eagle Owl bellowed, flying for Starkit. Starkit jumped out of the way, and the Eagle Owl smashed into the wall.
Starkit ran for the entrance but it was blocked by the two other owls. Starkit ran into them, making them fall back. She ran into the main room, where many Moonlight Owls were battling other warriors. The only warrior who wasn’t occupied by an enemy was EternalStar. WolfClaw was not in the room, so Starkit figured he was outside.
EternalStar was talking to one of the Med Wolves, the one named SandLeaf. SandLeaf was a pure tan wolf.
“EtewnalStar!” Starkit called out, running for him.
“Not now, Starkit.” EternalStar turned to her.
“Owls awe chasing aftew me! They wanna kit-nap me!” Starkit explained. “What do I do? Help!”
“Calm down.” SandLeaf whispered. “EternalStar, Deathwolf (if he is not busy), or WolfClaw will defend y-”
The two owls came down from the staircase, looking everywhere wildly.
EternalStar put Starkit behind his back. SandLeaf stood next to EternalStar to help hide Starkit.
“WARRIORS OF OUR CLAN, AND OF THE ENEMY! DRAW YOUR ATTENTION HERE!” One of the owls shouted, and everyone stopped fighting and drew their attention to the owls. “Starkit is the new target! Has any Thunder Clanner spotted her? If you do not tell, your leader is attacked by all the owls!”
None of the warriors responded. EternalStar tried to hide his guilt, and SandLeaf tried to say nothing. “So now one has seen her, eh? I can’t know if you are really, truly telling the truth that she is not here, or if she is actually here. But we’ll attack your leader anyway.”
The owls tried to go to the entrance, but the WaterClaw and Lighteye blocked it. WaterClaw used his sword and he jumped up, cutting an owl’s wing. It fell to the ground, and two other owls picked it up and darted out, taking him back to their camp.
The other owls darted into the wolves, forcing them to fall back. WaterClaw slowly got up. Lighteye took a while but rose up. Starkit could hear shouting, growling, snarling and the sound of injuries being made. RainWolf and Darkmoon ran down from upstairs.
“EternalStar!” RainWolf called out. “Where are the owls?”
“Attacking the leader! But we need to hide these-these herbs behind my back!” EternalStar replied, trying to make sure Starkit was not heard of.
Finally, the Eagle Owl came down from upstairs. RainWolf and Darkmoon held their swords up, preparing for a fight.
“Where are my warriors?” The Eagle Owl asked, more concerned about them than Starkit.
“Th-They fled.” Darkmoon lied, still holding his sword in his mouth.
“FLED?” The Eagle Owl bellowed. “That should not be true!”
EternalStar looked at the Eagle Owl and gasped, then growled. “Hey! You are SkyWing, the leader!”
“Indeed.” The Eagle Owl nodded. He spread his majestic wings once again. “And I ask of all of you, where is Starkit? Tell me or we fight.”
“We do not know!” RainWolf replied. “But if we did, we would not tell!”
SkyWing stood there, looking from Darkmoon to RainWolf, then to EternalStar and to SandLeaf. EternalStar was sweating, trying to make sure SkyWing could not see Starkit.
“I wish to search outside!” SkyWing announced, and he quickly flew out.
RainWolf and Darkmoon ran over. EternalStar and SandLeaf moved aside, revealing Starkit.
“Starkit, you were hiding there?” RainWolf said.
Starkit nodded, too scared to say anything.
“She needs to leave the camp for a while,” Darkmoon suggested, “With another warrior. She can hide until Moonlight Clan gives up, then she can come back in peace.”
RainWolf nodded, agreeing, then looked to EternalStar and SandLeaf. They nodded as well.
“EternalStar will go with Starkit.” RainWolf announced, and EternalStar did not argue back, although he wished to stay at the camp. “EternalStar and Starkit, leave now, we will make sure SkyWing does not spot you.”
EternalStar and Starkit nodded. Starkit was scared; she never left camp before on a problem similar to this.
They both ran outside. Starkit saw WolfClaw defending himself against several owls. She wanted to help; but the next target would be her.
One owl spotted Starkit and tried to fly over to her, but EternalStar grabbed a sword laying on the ground, and cut the owl. It fell the floor, dead.
EternalStar did not hesitate. He picked up the owl for food along the way, and the two wolves ran away from the camp range.
Chapter Seven: An Ancient Warrior
In no time, it seemed, Starkit and EternalStar were in the forest where Starkit and the other kits had stopped in on their way away from Shadow Clan’s territory. It might have been in no time at all that a Shadow Clanner could come by and attack them both. EternalStar kept his guard up, and Starkit looked around wildly. No dangers so far.
“Starkit,” EternalStar finally whispered to her for the first time out of camp boundaries, “I know a place in our land where we can hide, yet it will seem like we’ve hidden for around a month here, but we can stay one day in that area.”
Starkit looked confused.
“See, for example, if we were to hide there for one day, to the wolves here, it’d seem like we’ve hidden for a month. Understand now?”
Starkit nodded, now understanding.
“Ok, Starkit, let’s go.”
At first, they broke into a run, EternalStar still holding the dead owl. But after a long time, they came to a walk, and stopped to get a drink by a river, which on the other side was where Shadow Clan lurked. Starkit did not dare to put a single paw over on the other side.
It took hours and hours, but they came across a dry land. It almost seemed like a de
sert; but there were rain puddles, as though there had just been a storm. Plants were growing. It seemed like half desert, half rain forest.
Once they walked around the corner, Starkit looked into the sky. It was sunset. Red was everywhere in the sky. It seemed like blood. Orange and yellow were in the sky as well, with the clouds purple. It was the most beautiful sunset Starkit had ever seen.
But EternalStar was not paying attention to the sky. “Starkit, over there! A cave where we can stay in for a day.”
EternalStar was right. Up ahead was a cave, which had lots of moss on the top. Rain drops were falling from the top of the entrance, and if you looked inside, there was darkness. Starkit hung back as EternalStar stepped forward. She was not sure if the cave was as safe as EternalStar guessed it’d be. EternalStar was at the entrance, then turned around. “Well, Starkit? Come on.”
Starkit padded forward and they both entered the cave. Inside you could hear the dripping of water. Starkit was very spooked, but EternalStar showed no weakness, looking brave. How can I show I am not scawed? Starkit thought.
EternalStar slowly walked forward. He sniffed the air, hoping to sense any signs of life. “Can’t smell anything.” He reported. “Just dampness.”
Starkit nodded, hoping that was all there was. She just wanted water in this cave; that was all. No animals.
Starkit padded in circles for a while, then she lie down. EternalStar did the same.
After about 5 minutes of trying to doze off, there was a voice.
“Who is there?” It asked. It’s voice was very strong.
Starkit flinched when she heard it. EternalStar grabbed his sword and held it, thinking it could attack any moment. “We are wolves.” He growled.
“Wolves?” Echoed the voice.
“Yes.” EternalStar nodded.
“Ever heard of the legend of the dreadful monster who lives out in a desert-jungle?” The voice asked.
EternalStar was shocked; Starkit did not know why he was. But EternalStar opened his mouth, dropping his sword, and did not even pick it up.
“Starkit,” EternalStar whispered. “This cave, by legend, belongs to a monster...” He looked as though he was just haunted by a ghost at the word, “monster,” and the crouched down.