::t.w.i.s.t.e.d::destiny;

[dream.]

The night stars twinkled overhead, dappling the allready moonlit grass. A slicing late leaf-fall breeze whilstled and whirled around a solitary shape. A single autumn tinted red leaf floated silently, and gracefully to the ground. Soon snow would be falling, and leaf-bare would arrive, bringing chilling sickness and lack of prey to the forest cats.

Pale green eyes surveyed the sky, glowing like stars as moonlight was reflected in them. The small kitten smiled, though her pale ginger splotched fur was ruffled by the cool breezes. Her small tail was held high, showing the world how optomistic she was about the coming season. This would be her first leaf-bare, and she had heard much about all the troubles that it brought. She had even heard about her brother, from the litter before her, catching blackcough and passing away. There was nothing the medicine cat could do about it.

Pushing the dark thoughts out of her mind, Minnowkit surveyed the camp around her. Stiffling a gasp of awe, she tried to lap up every aspect of it, to keep it with her forever. Padding a few steps to the right, then a few to the left, the young kit began feeling light headed. This was her first time out of the nursery.
So this is what it's like to be an apprentice...
She thought. Closing her eyes, and letting the sweet smells of camp soak through her fur.
All this wide open space, different dens, it's huge!
Minnowkit didn't think that she would be able to make it through the next three moons before she was apprenticed. Oh, the suspence! This place was more wonderful then she could have ever imagined. And she couldn't wait to explore some more...

[M A t t.]

Blazekit coughed as he pattered silently out of the nursery. It was so stuffy in there! No cat would make him go back inside. Taking a few deep breaths, he noticed his younger, smaller sister sitting outside.
Minnowkit!
But as much as he wanted to yell, he didn't want to surprise her...yet. Dropping into the hunters crouch as he had seen many warriors do before, Blazekit crept over, behind his sister. Wriggling his rump, he sprang ontop of her and yowled defeat while pinning her to the ground.

[dream.]

Minnowkit yowled squeakily as a heavy weight landed on her back. Gasping for breath, the Blotchy Ginger and White kitten recognized the scent.
"Blazey!"
She yowled in surprise and delight. Minnowkit knew that her brother wouldn't get her into trouble for being out of the nursery. Breathing a sigh of relief, Minnowkit pulled herself to her paws, and her jaws stretched into a wide yawn. But she wasn't ready to go back to bed yet...

Tipping her head back to survey the stars once more, Minnowkit's head swam with stories, memories, and facts. Was Starclan just an elders tale, made up to force the clan cats into obedience?
"Blazey, Do you believe in Starclan?"
She asked her older brother. Turning to stare into his pale green eyes, Minnowkit looked for any signs of non-belief. Did her brother know something she didn't? Was she being fooled all this time?
Or would it always remain a secret?

[M A t t.]

Blazekit heaved a heavy sigh, wondering how he would be able to break the news gently to his sister.
"No, Minnow. No. I don't believe in Starclan. I believe that something, somewhere up there, is watching over us, molding our destinies, piece by piece. But no. I don't believe in Starclan."
He sat back, wondering what his sisters reaction would be to this. He wondered if she believed in something as foolish as "warrior anscestors" watching over them.
"Minnow, do you believe in Starclan?"

[dream.]

Minnowkit gasped in surprise. How could Blazey not believe in Starclan? How could he be that...foolish? She hesitated. Was there proof that Starclan did, or didn't exist?
"Blazey, why don't you believe in Starclan? Didn't you listen to all the Elder's tales, about how Starclan always saves us? How our warrior anscestors are always beside us in battle, a few pawsteps away? Oh, Blazey, what made you change your mind about them?"
Minnowkit asked, wondering again, why Her big brother no longer believed in Starclan.

But was Blazekit right? Was there no such thing as Starclan? Were they all doomed?

[M A t t.]

Blazekit felt uneasy being bombed with questions like this. But he knew that he had to answer...
"Minnowkit, another cat told me. Another cat told me that there's no such thing as Starclan."
He wondered what his sister would think of this. Blazekit thought back to the day when he had met the feline...
Dark tabby fur. Cold eyes. Long hooked claws.
The meer thought of Shade sent chills up Blazekits spine, making his fur stick up. But Shade must have been right about starclan....he had to be! How could such a powerful, mighty feline ever be wrong?!
Then a thought crossed Blazekit's mind. He would take his sister to meet Shade.

[dream.]

Minnowkit's eyes grew wide. Thoughts raced through her mind wildly.
"You heard from another cat? Really? Was he an evil Shadowclan warrior?"
She asked quickly, mind spinning. What had her brother been up to lately?

[untilthis.echo]

It was far too cold in the nursery and the soft, urgent murmurs of her denmantes stirred Nettlekit once again from another good sleep. Wearily, she opened her dark orbs and peered out at the mouth of the nursery. When she spotted the pale form of Minnowkit and the other form of her brother Blazekit, curiosity peeked at her dark shekit and she rose gently to her paws. Glancing at her foster mother who had taken her in after she lost her real mother, Nettlekit licked the old she-cat's cheek before stepping to the mouth of the nursery. Stepping out into the cold, Nettlekit's fur raised instantly as she tentatively mewed out, "What are you two doing out here? It's night time and you should be sleeping."

Fully striding out of the nursery, Nettlekit's dark pelt looked almost black in the night and she was thankful for the shadows and her thick fur that hid and warmed her to the bone. Her eyes were hidden underneath her dark fur and she shuffled her snowy white paws nervously, her figure and paws the only indication that she was there.

[dream.]

Minnowkit turned her head to examine the feline that stood before her. Unable to recognise the pale silouhetted kit in the thick shadows, Minnowkit picked out her identity by scent.
"Nettlekit?"
Minnowkit asked, unsure that she was right. She padded up to the kit, and gave a long loud sniff.
"Yep. That's Nettlekit."
She confirmed to her brother. But what was her foster-sister doing outside the nursery tonight?
"Nettley...do you believe in Starclan?"

[untilthis.echo]

"Do I believe in what?! Starclan? Why would you ask that all of a sudden? And yes. I mean, Starclan does hold our warrior ancestors. And they watch over us too. W-Why?" she mewed, alarmed and curious as to why her foster-sister had asked her such a question. Shifting her white paws, the tiny kit glanced over at Blazekit, wondering if he thought the same thing. She turned back to Minnowkit and once again swallowed, "Why?"

[dream.]

Minnowkit scuffed her paws against the grass, her tail settling softly on Blazekit's shoulder.
"Blazey doesn't believe in Starclan. He says that some other cat told him starclan wasn't real..."
Minnowkit answered unsurely. What would Nettlekit think?

[grayfur]

"What's this about StarClan?" Ashpaw asked as he entered the nursery. "Minnowkit, you look beautiful today," he mewed. He glared at needlekit. "Get out of my way, sharpy!" he hissed.

[grayfur]

ooc: Get it, needlekit, sharpy? haha!

[M A t t.]

Blazekit glanced anxiouisly around himself. He wasn't this outgoing. Bowing his head, he proposed his idea.
"Lets all go somewhere. I have something to show all of you..."

[grayfur]

OK! Ashkit followed blazekit. Where are we going? he asked.