Dead of night || prologue || novel

Instructions

One cold morning, in leaf-bare, a gray tabby queen stalked out of the nursery. Her eyes shining with fear. She sprinted across the clearing, towards the leaders den. “Scarletstar! Scarletstar!” She cried. “What is it, Moonheart?” Asked Scarletstar. “My kit! She’s been stolen! All the others are safe in their nest, winterclaw is watching them,” exclaimed Moonheart, the tabby queen. “Are there any scent’s in the nursery?” Asked Scarletstar, trying to hide her panic, she was the leader! She couldn’t let any cat know that she’s panicked. “Yes, i could smell a faint smell of RushClan. They must’ve rolled in some fox-dung to hide there sent before entering the nursery,” answered Moonheart, clearly panicking. “Come, we will talk to Foxtail, the deputy, and prepare a search party. Go back to the nursery and look around for any clues as to who might’ve done this.” Moonheart gave a quick nod and ran back across the clearing. A few minutes later the search party left, in search of the missing kit. They started heading towards RushClan, and soon caught a sent. “Foxtail! I smell something!” Called one of the warriors in the search party. Foxtail opened his mouth slightly, and sniffed the air. “It’s RushClan alright.” Answered Foxtail after a few seconds. They kept on the trail, and soon enough they reached RushClan territory. “We’re here, get ready for battle everyone.” Called Foxtail. As every warrior tensed, waiting for Foxtail to signal the attack, a RushClan cat suddenly became visible from the bushes, he moved fast, and ran towards RushClan camp. Foxtail gave a flick of his tail and they all charged off after the thief. Foxtail sprang on top of him, with a mighty growl. “Give us that kit, and we’ll let you live.” The thief squirmed under Foxtails weight. “No, please don’t hurt me, i have a mate i have to take care of,” cried the thief. “Then why did you steal our kit’s?” Asked Foxtail in a low growl. “Because she can’t have any!” Cried the thief. “She got in an accident, and now she can’t have kit’s! She wants one so bad, that i stole her one!” Foxtail was confused, that cat sounded familiar…and it finally snapped, Foxtail had met her at a gathering! A few months after her accident! She had told him about it! “Lotusflower?” Asked Foxtail. “Yes! How’d you know?” Answered the thief. “Met her at a gathering…” said Foxtail. “I understand her pain, but she can’t just steal a kit from another clan! Listen, i’ll talk to Scarletstar, and see if any queen would be willing to give up a kit…but-“ Foxtail was interrupted by the thief. “Oh thank you! Please, uh, let me catch you some pray for your thanks!” Exclaimed the thief. “No, no, it’s fine. We’ll be back. Limptail, fangheart! Stay here to keep watch on him.” Said Foxtail. Once the search party returned with the kit back to camp, Foxtail immediately went to Scarletstar, wasting no time. “Scarletstar!” He called. She ran out of her den, and saw Foxtail. “Yes?” She asked. And Foxtail explained the whole thing. “Well, i guess i could ask, but this IS against the warrior code, Foxtail,” said Scarletstar. “I know, but, imagine being a she-cat warrior and not getting to have kit’s! I know what it feels like because i never got kit’s! Because my mate fell down the Rushing River! And i never got over it!” Cried Foxtail. Scarletstar sighed. “Fine, let me go ask.” Scarletstar had asked around the nursery, and there was one queen, who have ELEVEN kit’s in her litter and had said she could bear without one. Scarletstar was surprised, and she thanked her. “Foxtail, i got one!” She said. And they brought it to RushClan.