Bloodkit woke up to the thundering pacing of many cats and the shouting commands of Wolfstar to her warriors. The den was empty, except for her sleeping half-brothers. Even Cheetahpelt seemed to have been out for some time.

"We strike at dawn." Her mother bellowed from outside.

Instantly, Irislight appeared out of thin air in front of Bloodkit.

"What's happened?" Whispered Bloodkit.

"Wolfstar is leading a battle to attack Thunderclan." Replied the apparition.

Bloodkit's exitment rose. "A real battle? That sound amazing! "

"Battles are not really fun." Irislight said with a frown. "I'n fact, not at all. Cats are wounded, and I have work unnecessarily harder in order to patch them up. And some die, and It's disgusting and we have to take all that effort to bury them." Irislight took some seconds to consider. "Although I guess I'm dead myself, so I don't have to deal with that any longer."

Bloodkit stared with horror and disgust. She felt her pelt tingle with ickyness at the thought of blood, and she shivered.

Irislight looked outside distractibly. "Poor Vividsight, she won't have me to assist her."

Bloodkit ears pricked up in surprise. "You were Vividsight's Apprentice?"

"Humm, duh?!" Irislight replied scornfully, although she seemed taken aback by the question. "What, did you think I was older than that pile of bones?" Her tone now seemed almost defensive.

"I just..."

It's weird that you died before her, She thought.

Bloodkit didn't like where this conversation was going. Despite all the trust she felt towards Irislight, it still felt wrong to inquire about her death.

"I don't know what I thought," She finished.

Irislight snorted, any semblance of disturbance gone. "You are such a silly kit!"

Besides her, Slenderkit and Pantherkit stirred.

"What is going on?" Murmured Pantherkit sleepily.

Cheetahpelt entered the nursery with two mice on her Jaws. She left them in front of them and started turning to leave again. "You'll get to eat inside this morning. I don't want any warrior to step on you; it's total chaos right now."

Bloodkit peered at the entrance tunnel. She caught a glimpse of bright red fur passing by.

"Vividsong! Prepare the herbs for my marriors." Wolfstar seemed to be going toward the medicine den.

Bloodkit turned towards Cheetahpelt. "I'm going to Vividsong's den. I think my nest had a thorn; my paw really hurts."

"Sure, off you go."

Irislight gave her a skeptic look. "A thorn, eh?"

Bloodkit ignored her as she tried to spot the red fur that was so similar to her's.

She entered the dark mouth of the medicine den. Inside, Vividsong seemed to be franticly scraping for herbs while Wolfstar loomed over her.

She saw something peculiar, an opening at the base of the branble wall, big enough for a hare to get trough...

***

As her siblings slept around her, she silently silped out and ran to the hole she'd found earlier that afternoon.

The bare trees casted monstrous shadows that lined the path. They reach for her like claws of the cats in the dark forest. Bloodkit suddenly regreted not telling any living cat where she'd gone.

The shadows parted slightly for a faint glow sliping through the forest. Its made no noice, and it left no pawprint. Bloodkit tryed following it with her gaze, but too late, it passed and was gone.

This was a mistake.

Bloodkit's pants turned to fog and dissipated into frost.

She turned around, and found herself face to face with Smokeyfeather. Half her face was covered in blood from a gash going from her eye whiskers to her snout.

Her breathing was agitated and her eyes unfocused. "They were too many. I.. I wasn't ready!" Her voice rose to a desperate high pitch. "It shouldn't have been me, she used me, and she betrayed me!"

Bloodkit noticed the dim gleam coming from her bright eyes, and seemingly from her very essence. With it, she notice the blood staining her pelt. She had the sudden realization that Smokeyfeather was dead.

"What do you want from me?" Bloodkit backed away slowly.

"I thought she was great. She lyed."