Warriors: The Torn Soul

~ Prologue ~

Cold.
Bitter cold.
The tiny kit squealed out into the howling wind; a helpless, desperate cry for refuge from the unforgiving cold. As he stumbled though the snow, which was as deep as his waist, icy claws tore at his paws and flanks. Would he ever escape?
As he came to a snow bank that was taller than he, a small avalanche of snow came pouring down on him, trapping him under it. Frantically, he tried to break free. His tiny claws worked furiously to free him, until a ray of cold, white light broke the snow, and the little silver tom squirmed out.
To his dismay, the blizzard was still raging like a fire, and when the flecks of white buffeted him, a whole new coat of numbness enveloped his body.
"M-Mommy!" he cried, teeth chattering. "M-Mommy.. please help me! Somebody!"
The wailing was futile; and the kit knew it. What was the point, though? He was going to die.
Going to die. Going to die. The thought drifted ominously through his mind like a spirit, taunting him constantly. You're going to die.
"Moooommy!" he wimpered over and over again. "
Suddenly, a shadowed figure appeared, standing against the blinding whiteness. The little cat's heart did a jump and a twist in his chest, and he ran towards it. "Mommy!" he exclaimed. "You came to--"
At that very moment, a long muzzle sliced through the blizzard, and emerging out after it, was the massive body of a fox; the kit having no clue what it was.


At this point, the kit had spun around and began to run, wearing a look of pure horror and. The wind seemed to howl and thrash more wildly, and the kit felt the hot breath of the big creature lace through his fur. His own breath came in short wheezes, the little puffs trailing behind him along with his fear scent. The gigantic thing still chased him, StarClan knows how he even managed to outrun it for this long.
But as the end seemed to draw near, and the fox's huge canines were drawing nearer to the kit's neck, some invisible force sent the fox sprawling left, and crashing with an enormous thud into a frosty rock. It twitched madly, then went still.
But the kit was still running. What if it was just dazed? What if it woke up and chased him again? He'd have no energy to run!


The sun was setting in the sky, and the blizzard was still raging. It had been hours since the fox had chased the gray tabby kit, who, on the other hand, was wobbling through the ever-higher snow slowly. The fox was not going to come back, was it? It's been so long...
The kit tripped on a tree root and nearly fell to the snow, only to fall into a hard surface.
Struggling to stand, the kit noticed it was a tree stump. And in the side was a large hole, big enough for a kit.
What was in it? Nothing but old moss.
So the kit dragged himself inside, and collapsed onto the moss. It was warmer in here; no wind, no snow. But as the kit's eyes began to close, and his vision began to dim, another shadow appeared. It grabbed his scruff, and the kit felt himself be swept away into darkness.

~ Chapter 1 ~

"Can I go now?" came the whine.
Silverkit sniffled, then a sneeze exploded into the air. He gazed up at the ThunderClan medicine cat, Brightfire. She shook her head. "I'm sorry," Brighfire soothed. "But you need to rest. You were out in quite the storm." With that, Brightfire spoke a brief word with Shiningpride, Silverkit's mother, and then squeezed out of the nursery.
Silverkit huffed, and watched an orange-and-white she-kit play with a pretty silver one. They scrambled around, both trying to capture a moss ball. "Got it!" the orange one squealed. The other she-kit huffed. "You took it from me!" For a moment, they glared at each other, then began to play-fight. A dark body suddenly slipped past Silverkit, and gently picked the silver she-kit off of the orange one. The dark queen set her daughter down in front of her. "Now, Featherkit," the she-cat began. "No more fighting."
Featherkit pouted. "But, Darkshadow, I was just playing with Sunkit!" Darkshadow purred in amusement, and lifted Featherkit up, who was squirming, and back into the nursery they went. The orange kit, Sunkit, padded up to Silverkit, white chest puffed out. "I so won that fight," she mewed pridefully.
Silverkit rolled his dark blue eyes at his slightly older littermate. "I dunno... Featherkit was pinning you down when Darkshadow came!" Sunkit growled playfully, and pushed past him to go sleep. Silverkit sighed, and let out a small sneeze. Being a kit is boring, he thought, watching an apprentice place a fresh squirrel on the fresh-kill pile. Why do I have to wait six whole moons until I can train to be a warrior?
A loud call interrupted Silverkit's thoughts. It was Goldenstar, yowling for the Clan to gather. Silverkit sat up, ears pricked, and watched ThunderClan's warriors and apprentices gather beneath the Highrock wordlessly. He strained to listen as the golden leader spoke.
"Cats of ThunderClan," she began. "I am sure it is sad to think that one of our brave warriors, Aurastorm, has died, along with one kit, Briarkit. He died fighting a badger off while his mate, Darkshadow, was kitting, and for that, we honor him. May StarClan accept his spirit willfully, as well as Briarkit's."
The Clan bowed their heads, and Silverkit spotted Darkshadow begin to shake in grief. Is that what it's like to lose someone close to you? Awful!


A day after Aurastorm and Briarkit had been buried, Silverkit's cold had gotten better, and Brightfire had said he could go out of the nursery now. At the moment, he was playing Battle, with Snowkit, Featherkit's sister, Featherkit, and Sunkit. He yowled out into the air, "Sunningrocks belongs to ThunderClan! You'd better give up, mangy fish-breaths!"
Standing next to him, attempting to growl, was Snowkit. In the game, Snowkit was ThunderClan's deputy, Snowfire, and Silverkit played as ThunderClan's leader. Sunkit was acting as RiverClan leader, and Featherkit as the deputy, Featherfur.
"We will never give up!" Sunkit spat back, and then all the kits yelled: "CHARGE!"
Within seconds, ThunderClan's camp became a battle ground. Silverkit knocked straight into his sister, and tried to pin her down. But she was tricky. She slipped out from underneath him, and battered him with her kit-soft paws. Silverkit kicked her away, and swiped a paw at her head. Then, Sunkit fell over, and went limp. Oh no... Silverkit scampered up to Sunkit, and nudged her. "Sunkit.. I've killed you!" he wailed. But just as he began to mourn, Sunkit exploded upward and sent her brother sprawling into the fresh-kill pile, prey flying everywhere.
"What's going on here?" someone growled. All four kits froze, and turned slowly. Towering over them with a cross expression, was ThunderClan's deputy, Leopardheart.


Silverkit's ears flattened in shame. "L-Leopardheart, we're s-sorry..." The other kits nodded quickly.
The spotted she-cat sighed gruffly. "I know you are. But you need to watch out where you play. This cannot go unpunished." She turned in the direction of the nursery, and slipped inside.
Silverkit exchanged a glance with Sunkit. "We're dead," she muttered to Silverkit, and gazed at her paws.
Featherkit and Snowkit sat next to each other, trembling. "Look what we did!" Snowkit squeaked sadly. "We soiled the prey." Featherkit frowned as her sister continued. "Leopardheart will feed us to a fox litter!"
Silverkit, Sunkit and Featherkit stared at Snowkit. "I'm sure she's not that cruel," said Featherkit.
Before Snowkit could wail, Leopardheart reappeared, with Shiningpride and Darkshadow following, and neither of them looked happy.
Silverkit shrank to the ground as Shiningpride stood over him and Sunkit. "Silverkit, Sunkit," she began dryly. "What did I tell you about these kinds of games?" She narrowed her eyes and her tail twitched irritably.
Sunkit scuffled next to Silverkit. "You told us to be careful where we fight, so we don't wreck anything.." She trailed off, looking to guilty to speak.
Shiningpride cast a look at Darkshadow, and they nodded. "Kits, you're punishment is to clean up the fresh-kill pile all by yourselves," Leopardheart murmured, and then dismissed Darkshadow and Shiningpride.
Silverkit turned around and gazed at the mess the kits had made, and sighed. "Let's clean up."

Silverkit awoke to a pale ray of moonlight shining directly in his face. The ThunderClan camp was quiet, with only the sound of swaying trees and a single bird singing. He sat up, careful not to disturb Sunkit and Shiningpride, and exited the nursery.
Sounds of breathing drifted through the air. He glanced into the apprentices' den, and saw Firepaw, an orange she-cat two moons older than him, fidgeting in her sleep. He swung his head over up to the stars, and gazed in awe at their shine. Silverpelt is so beautiful... Is that where father is?
Silverkit and Sunkit's father, Blackeyes, had died moons before they'd been born. Shiningpride had told her kits that he lived on in the stars.
Silverkit shook his head, and padded cautiously toward the camp entrance. Smells of all kinds came from outside, like prey, many types of leaves, and even the distant scent of other Clans. Curious, Silverkit took a quick glance around to see if anyone was following him, and then scurried out the entrance.
He felt so free! No one to boss me around... He bounded through the dark forest confidently, and then stopped to sniff an odd smelling lump.
It's a squirrel! No, a whole bunch of squirrels! Great StarClan! The brown bodies were still, and Silverkit swelled with an idea. If I tell Goldenstar about this, she'll make me an apprentice early for sure!


Silverkit turned from the pile, and began to skip happily back to camp, one small squirrel dangling from his mouth. As he went along, a rustle in the bushes stopped him. What was that?
Silverkit stood completely still, ears pricked and swiveling around for the slightest sound. His heart thumped loud in his chest, and his jaw stiffened around the squirrel. There it is again, he thought as another rustle sounded.
Trying not to shake, Silverkit slowly turned around, and came face-to-face with his worst nightmare all over again.
There, looming over him, snarling, was a gigantic, black-and-white creature. It had a big, black nose, and white strpes going down it's gray-black back. It's rancid breath billowed in a cloud around Silverkit. Then, with a flash of movement, Silverkit went flying into a tree.
It's a badger! His mother had told him about badgers. They could kill a full-grown warrior in one swipe. As the badger reared up on it's hind legs, Silverkit scrambled out of the way, and began to dash, leaving the squirrel. Loud thumps followed Silverkit, and he screamed out in fear.
Dim memories of the fox in the blizzard flashed in his mind. Pain was searing on the right side of Silverkit's face, and he felt hot liquid spray past him as he ran. It was blood, his blood. The badger had scored three gashes in the kit's face. But that was not important. Escape was important.
Silverkit bolted over a fallen tree, and the badger did too. He dodged a snow bank, and so did the badger. His run was useless; the badger was too close.
A huge paw knocked into Silverkit, and he bashed into a tuft of snow. The badger halted and drooled over Silverkit. It was going to eat him!
Silverkit squeezed his eyes shut, preparing to die, when several snarls were heard. Silverkit opened his eyes, and saw three cats clashing with the badger.
It was Leopardheart, Firelight, and Graystream.
Leopardheart clawed her way up to the badger's head, and slashed at it's eyes. The thing screeched, and shook the three warriors off. Knowing it was outnumbered, the badger backed away and disappeared into the bushes.
Pain radiating all over his body, Silverkit fainted.


"He'll be okay," said a voice. Another voice responded, "He has to be! He's my beautiful son!"
Silverkit's eyes snapped open, to see Shiningpride, Brightfire, and Lilypaw leaning over him.
"See?" meowed Brightfire. "He's going to be fine. Look, he's woken up already." The medicine cat moved away and let her apprentice finish the job.
Silverkit groaned, and felt a numbing feeling in the right side of his face. "Wh... What happened? Am I dead?" Shiningpride shook her head and laid her tail on Silverkit's back, stroking his spine comfortingly. "You're not dead.." She trailed off and looked away. Brightfire stared speechlessly at Silverkit for a moment, and then said. "Silverkit... While you were unconscious, you were renamed."
Silverkit frowned. "What do you mean?"
The medicine cat sighed, her eyes full of hurt. "We didn't know if you were going to live or not. You were unconscious for two days. Your mother thought she would change you're name, because you were so close to dying.. So she had Goldenstar change it to Deadkit."
The gray kit's eyes suddenly widened.
For a moment, there was no noise.
Then, the newly named Deadkit hissed. "Deadkit? You called me Deadkit? But that's the worst name ever!" he spat, and rose to shaky paws, glaring at his mother. "I can't believe you'd call me Deadkit!"
When he wobbled and fell back into the nest, Shiningpride backed out of the den and murmured, "I'm sorry." And she left.

"I trust you will teach Featherpaw all you know."
The Clan began cheering for the newly named Sunpaw and Featherpaw, Deadkit a tone quieter. It had been his sister's and Featherpaw's apprentice ceremony, but not his. His face wound had held him back.
As the Clan began to break apart, Sunpaw padded up to Deadkit. "You'll be an apprentice before you know it!" she comforted, and patted him on the back with her tail. Deadkit sighed and turned back to the nursery, tail trailing behind him. He popped back inside and sat on his nest. Shiningpride's rasping tongue began to run over him, and he squirmed away. "Why does it matter if I'm clean or not?" Deadkit growled. "I'm not getting an apprentice ceremony."
Shiningpride sighed. "Deadkit, you can't start training until you're healed. You know that; I've said it before." Just as Shiningpride finished licking him, Lightningkit and Angelkit, two new kits, came charging past him. They were chasing a big brown feather around.
Shiningpride nudged her son. "Go play with them, it looks like fun."
Deadkit frowned. "No. I'm six moons old already; I don't wanna play kit games any more." With that, Deadkit lay down and went to sleep, drowning out the excited squeals of the kits.


The next day, Deadkit awoke nose-to-nose with Snowkit. "Deadkit!" she whispered, seeming urgent
Deadkit blinked sleepily and turned away. Snowkit prodded him. "Come on!" Snowkit persuaded. "Get up!"
For a few moments of begging and poking, Deadkit finally arose to his paws. "What is it?" he mumbled. Snowkit hopped outside, and motioned to where nearly the whole Clan was gathered. They were looking at something.
Deadkit and Snowkit began to squeeze through the forest of legs, to get a better look. As soon as they got through, Deadkit's heart skipped a beat.
Brightfire was lying, still, on the ground. Blood coated her fur, and she had several claw and bite marks on her. Deadkit looked, wide-eyed, at Moosepelt, who was the closest warrior. "What happened to her?" he asked in almost a squeak. Moosepelt sighed. "It looks like she's been murdered."
Deadkit exchanged a glance with Snowkit and they both looked horrified. Murdered? But who would murder Brightfire? She's a medicine cat!
The kits turned away and walked silently back to the nursery. Deadkit scrambled up to his mother when he got back to his nest. "Brightfire was murdered!" he exclaimed. Shiningpride's expression twisted into a mixture of grief and fury. "Not Brightfire!" She stepped over her son and out of the den, to go visit her fallen Clanmate. Snowkit approached Deadkit and sat down. "My mother said the cat who killed Brightfire doesn't deserve to go to StarClan when they die," she mewed in her high-pitched kit voice. Deadkit shuddered, and agreed with a tiny nod. "I'll miss Brightfire."


Another day passed, when Shiningpride returned to the nursery from Brighfire's vigil. Her eyes were dull with sorrow, and her fur was matted from lying next to the deceased medicine cat all night. Deadkit gazed at his mother as she lie down in their nest.
"What was that like?" he asked.
Shiningpride's eyes were closed. "Awful, Deadkit," she replied quietly. "Vigils are not meant to be fun. They are for remembering a dead cat, who has served their Clan." Deadkit stared at the sky outside.
"Did you do that with father?" At this question, Shiningpride shifted, as if uncomfortable with the memory. "No, dear. We never found his body. Just a pool of blood and a trace of his scent."
The little gray kit studied his paws as his mother fell asleep. What about when you die, mother? The thought was horrifying. His mother covered in blood, cold like a rock...
I can't think like that. She won't die for a long time... Will she?

Deadkit bit into the squirrel, cross. Today, he'd tried to watch Sunpaw training with her mentor, but Shiningpride had dragged him back to the nursery, saying: "Now, Deadkit. Your time is coming, be patient."
And Deadkit had responded, "But it's no fair! I'm the same age as her!"
Then, Deadkit had stormed back to the nursery, and began eating a squirrel that a warrior had dropped there for the kits.
The silver kit frowned at Lightningkit and Angelkit, who were trying their first prey. "It's so yummy!" Lightningkit squealed. Angelkit was making delighted faces and spluttering around her food, "Sooooo good..."
Deadkit snorted. "It's not that good you know." Angelkit looked hurt, and Deadkit sighed. "Sorry," he muttered, but was interrupted by a call.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" It was Goldenstar.
What, are Sunpaw and Featherpaw being made warriors already? Deadkit thought bitterly, and dragged himself out of the den. Snowkit came up from behind him, followed by Darkshadow and Shiningpride. As Deadkit sat down, he noticed a flash of pride flicker in his mother's eyes. Turning his head, he whispered to Snowkit, "I wonder what's going on?" She shrugged, and Goldenstar continued to speak.
"Cats of ThunderClan," the golden-furred she-cat began. "Today, we make a new apprentice. Deadkit, please step forward."


Deadkit's eyes stretched wide. My apprentice ceremony.. I can't believe it's finally happening!
Excitement and curiosity flooded his body. Who would mentor him? When would he start his training? His ears twitched, and he watched Goldenstar.
"Deadkit, your training was held back because of your injury. But, you endured the wait of your recovery, and your new name." Deadkit swallowed hard. He still wasn't content with the name Deadkit. Goldenstar went on, "We respect you for that. From this moment on, you shall be called Deadpaw."
Deadpaw shivered with joy. I'm a 'paw now! He held his breath as Goldenstar paused, her emerald eyes scanning her Clan. "Moosepelt, you will mentor Deadpaw. May you pass your courage and wisdom onto him."
The tan-coloured warrior pushed through the crowd, and pressed his nose to Deadpaw. His eyes brimmed with confidence. "I will try my best to teach you well, Deadpaw." Deadpaw could only blink, and Moosepelt stepped backward.
The Clan erupted in giddy cheers, chanting into the air. "Deadpaw! Deadpaw! Deadpaw!" Deadpaw squiggled when Shiningpride gave him a joyous lick on the head. "Congratulations, my precious son. Your father would be proud." The newly-named silver apprentice stood up, and sorted out the crowd, picking out Sunpaw. She was next to Blazepaw, and older apprentice, and Featherpaw, but she shot to her paws at the sight of her brother.
"Your finally an apprentice!" she exclaimed. "Now we can train together!"
As the excitement broke apart and nighttime fell, Deadpaw found himself staring at the stars. "Wherever you are, father," he whispered, "I hope you can see me."

:laa: :saysplz: Will be continued. Thank you for reading!