After 20 minutes of hiding, hearing swords, fire, shouting, panic and screams of pain, Starkit closed her eyes. But just then, the door slammed open. The kits all peeked out of the plants.
Two wolves, one blue and white with black lightning marks, a blue tie and a blue & gray cape. The other was red, with a red tie and a red & gray cape. As soon as they stepped in, Bloodclaws attacked.
“WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON?!” Bloodclaws shouted, sword up to the blue one’s neck.
“In that mad wolf, Shadowruler’s clan? Ha. Shadow Clan is nothing but a bunch of maniacs running around for something to do.” The red one laughed, and grabbed the handle of the sword, took it, and pushed Bloodclaws down. Bloodclaws slowly moved back, scared.
“I used to be in Shadow Clan,” The red wolf mumbled with the sword in his mouth, “But I quit. I now steal kits as I please.” The red tried to stab Bloodclaws but RainWolf grabbed her sword, stole the sword in the red’s hand, and cut the red wolf’s tie with her blue sword.
The blue wolf howled, which put RainWolf, Darkmoon and Bloodclaws to sleep. This didn’t work on kits. The red wolf, for some reason, didn’t fall to sleep.
“Now where are you, kits?” The red wolf asked, looking around, since all the kits were in the plant pots.
“If you don’t come out, we kill your leader and parents.” The blue wolf threatened them, which made all the kits crawl out of the plants.
“Nice hiding spot,” The red wolf said sarcastically. “I would have hidden there myself. Fortunately, I am not a kit, OR on your side.” He opened his mouth and showed his teeth. They stepped over Bloodclaws and RainWolf, heading for the kits. The kits backed up in fear.
The blue wolf grabbed Lightning kit and stuffed him in a sack under his cape, knowing Lightning kit was so small that he wouldn’t fight.
Lightning kit’s sister, Thunder kit (who was yellow with many lightning marks and is bigger), growled and pounced on the blue wolf. The red wolf sacked her in a sack under his cape, and the blue wolf hopped up.
Quickly, the red wolf grabbed Moonkit and sacked her. The other kits ran around, trying to keep away. They couldn’t fight well, and if they hid, the leader and their parents would get killed.
The blue wolf grabbed Lynxkit and Foxkit. Starkit watched in horror. The blue wolf reached for her, but she bit him. The blue wolf let out a scream of pain.
“Go in the sack, or I bite you.” The red wolf threatened Starkit. Starkit crawled into the sack with Lightning kit, Lynxkit and Fox kit.
“We’we doomed...” Lightning kit cried. Moonkit cried with him. Lynxkit, Foxkit and Starkit, however, only let out one tear, scared. These nappews may never wetuwn us, thought Starkit. They act sewious and say they will huwt us.
***
After about 30 minutes of being scared, Starkit found herself in a deserted house, and pushed into a large cage. The other kits that were kit-napped were thrown into the cage as well, and they were locked in.
“Let us leave!” Foxkit demanded.
“No. We need you guys for a special friend of ours...” The red wolf smiled evilly.
“Who is this ‘fwined,’ of youws?” Thunder kit asked.
“Yeah, you got no fwiends!” Starkit shouted, trying to fight with words.
“No, I think we should sell them. Much better.” The blue wolf suggested to the red.
“Yes, much better. That ‘friend,’ probably won’t come anyways.” The red wolf agreed.
“I got pawents!” Thunder kit cried.
“Get some more kits, will you?” The red whispered to the blue.
“Very well.” The blue nodded, and he ran off. The red stood guard.
“Let us leave! We got pawents of ouw own, and we do not want someone othew than them!” Lightning kit sobbed.
“The world isn’t fair. Accept your new owner and cooperate with them. No use in trying to escape, scrawny little kits.” The red hissed.
But Starkit had an idea. She knew the kits were built to jump high and run fast, as her mom told her. She jumped over the cage bars.
“Back in.” The red wolf ordered, as other kits jumped out as well. Lightning kit, however, couldn’t jump over the bars because he was much smaller.
“Why should we?” Starkit asked.
The red wolf walked over to a lever.
“Or I pull this lever and every kit dies.” The red wolf smiled evilly. “See, nothing you can do.” He locked the door, knowing the kits were thinking to make a run for it.
The kits sighed, some cried, as they hopped back into their cage.
“What do we do?” Foxkit asked the others, scared.
“I don’t know, we’ll twy to escape when we’we sold.” Lynxkit suggested.
“HEY!” The red wolf shouted, startling all the kits. “I heard that. Now I will tell the buyer to be EXTRA careful and make sure you all don’t run off.”
The kits sighed, but Lightning kit cried, scared he’d never see his mother ever again.
“And quit crying, too!” The red wolf added. Then, something scratched at the door. The red wolf opened it to find his companion, the blue wolf, with a sack.
“Got some more.” The blue wolf smiled with success, and he dumped the kits in the cage. A pure purple kit, green kit with white lightning marks, and an orange kit with stripes, fell onto the floor.
“Not too much more, but it will do.” The red wolf stared at the new kits cowering in fear. Then he turned to his companion. “I am going to go into the populated areas and ask who wanted to buy a kit from MadWolf’s.”
The purple kit, Foxkit and Lynxkit started biting the bars, trying to escape.
“Oh yeah, the bars are indestructible, you scrawny kits.” The blue wolf told them, then watched the red wolf run out.
“Who awe you kits?” Lightning kit asked the purple, green and orange kit.
“I am Galaxykit.” The purple kit said.
“I am Grasskit.” Said the green.
“And I am Fallkit, as in the season ‘fall.’” Explained the orange. “Evewyone thinks that my fiwst pawt of my name means fall as in fall down.”
“Cool names.” Lynxkit smiled.
“What do we do?” Fallkit asked.
“I don’t know, these meanies will do something bad if we escape...” Starkit mumbled, head hanging low.
There was a scratch at the door, and the red wolf was there with a black wolf that had blue evil eyes. The wolf had gray stars all over him, like Starkit, and also had a black & red helmet with black leg armor.
“They are in here.” The red wolf smiled evilly. The black wolf walked up to the kits.
“So, these kits are an enemy of Shadow Clan, in MadWolf’s house...” The wolf mumbled, looking at Lightning kit. Lightning kit shivered, and backed up, putting his head against Thunder kit.
“Yes, sir.” The blue wolf stared at the kits. The kits all crept into the corner in fear.
“That black wolf looks awfully weird...” Foxkit whispered.
“I will take them all.” The black wolf said, handing each wolf a gem.
“Thank you, kind sir.” The blue wolf smirked, then he and his companion left.
Chapter Three: Shadow Clan’s Castle
Back in the camp, RainWolf, Darkmoon and Bloodclaws just awoken from the kit-napper’s spell. They looked around to find the kit den empty, not remembering that they were kit-napped.
“Where are the kits? We must have fallen asleep on the job...” Darkmoon mumbled.
“Yeah...” RainWolf agreed.
“Shadow Clan and the dragons are both attacking, though! We need to find them quick before they are kit-napped, eaten or worse!” Bloodclaws gasped, and they ran out of the den.
They did not realize it was too late.
***
The kits were forced to the mysterious wolf’s castle. They were thrown into a dark room only lit by torches.
“You stay here.” He growled, “not like you’re going anywhere.” He slammed
the door shut.
“Who is he?” Grasskit whispered.
“Some enemy I think.” Foxkit said to Grasskit.
“I wanna go home!” Lightning kit cried. Thunder kit put her tail around Lightning kit’s shoulder.
“We’ll escape somehow.” Thunder kit whispered, trying to comfort her brother.
“Wait hewe.” Starkit growled, then busted the door open, and ran up the stairs. She saw the black wolf with a brown & gray wolf.
“Who awe you?” Starkit asked.
“Me?” The black wolf laughed evilly. “You’ll find out soon enough. Get into that dungeon. Now.” Starkit ran back into the dungeon and joined the other kits.
“What did you do?” Fallkit asked.
“I asked who he was.” Starkit told Fallkit.
“Well?” Foxkit asked.
“He said, ‘You’ll find out soon enough.’”
“He must be fwom Shadow Clan!” Galaxykit gasped. The other kits gasped, too, realizing Galaxykit must be right.
The dungeon door swung open, and the black wolf came in with that other wolf Starkit saw.
“These are MadWolf’s kits?” The other wolf asked.
“Yes, DarkStar.” The black wolf nodded.
“Who awe you?” Fallkit asked DarkStar.
“Shadow Clan deputy.” DarkStar growled.
“Take them for free, master.” The black wolf nodded to DarkStar.
“M-mastew?” Lightning kit’s voice shook.
“How is he mastew to the black wolf?” Moonkit asked aloud.
“I am just became a warrior and kind of a low ranked-one in Shadow Clan for now,” the black wolf informed them, “Deputy of Shadow Clan is master of all the low ranked warriors, but the leader is an even higher rank. To get higher, you need to kit-nap kits and hand them to Shadow Clan. And that’s the new clan you’re joining.”
“Yep, so come with me, kits of MadWolf.” DarkStar growled at the kits, and the trailed behind DarkStar as he led them to Shadow clan territory.
“You killed my pawents! You mean, little wolves!” Starkit shouted.
“That’s how war and clan works, little kit.” Darkstar said to Starkit. They came to a larger castle than the black wolf’s, and inside were tons of warriors. Over 400. Some were from Thunder Clan. Starkit spotted WolfClaw’s deputy, Deathwolf. Deathwolf looked awfully sad. He was pure black wolf with one sword on his back, and a steel foot. He had a few skull marks.
“They forced me to join...” Deathwolf whispered to the kits. Then, the warriors stopped talking at the sight of the kits.
“Get into the dungeon.” DarkStar growled at them, and the kits were pushed downstairs.
“Weave us awone!” Lightning kit shouted at Darkstar.
“So, spill it- what does Thunder Clan usually do?” DarkStar asked. Since DarkStar was weaponless, Starkit ran out of the dungeon. DarkStar, for some reason, didn’t bother coming after her.
Shadow Clan all looked at Starkit as she ran into the main room.
“Stop.” Growled a brown wolf, as 5 wolves stood at the door.
“Leave her alone.” Growled Deathwolf.
“Sir, there’s nothing you can-”
“LEAVE HER BE!” Deathwolf shouted, and he grabbed a sword in the corner.
“Deathwolf, you’re no longer in Thunder Clan, so stay back! You’re out-numbered anyway, and it’s time you learn the Shadow Clan ways!” A gray wolf shouted to Deathwolf.
“I do not wish to be in this clan. I want to be in MadWolf’s, where war is right now, and I wish to defend my own clan, not a clan I am forced to be in!” Deathwolf argued.
“Well, you stay, Deathwolf. You were wolf-napped and forced to join. So-”
“I DO NOT HAVE TO STAY!!” Deathwolf hollered.
Shadow Clan remained speechless.
“Deathwolf, kit-nappews awe invading a lot lately! We need to go fwom this place!” Starkit informed Deathwolf.
“I know, Starkit, I know...” Deathwolf shook his head.
“How do you know my name?” Starkit asked.
“Deputies are to know every warrior in the clan. We also need to know the young.” Deathwolf told Starkit.
“You leave, Deathwolf, we tell the leader.” A Shadow Clanner growled.
“Yeah, and the leader is the most deadliest evil wolf of all.” Another told Deathwolf.
“We tell Shadowruler to have no mercy on your Thunder Clan.” The gray wolf went down low as if he would pounce. “And we throw this kit of yours in the place where all traitors and wolves from other clans are kept.”
Starkit was very angry now. Those clannews have killed my pawents, kit-napped othew kits, but they’we going too faw, wanting to kill me and keep Deathwolf!! Starkit thought, and she jumped at the Shadow Clanner and bit him.
“Nice try,” The clanner smirked evilly clearly not hurt at all.
“Get off him!” A gray wolf with black, evil eyes growled at Starkit. Then he grabbed a sword. “Or I kill you!”
Starkit let go of the Shadow Clanner.
“That was a powerful bite.” Said another clanner sarcastically, running over to his fellow Shadow Clanner.
“Take him to a place where he can recover.” Ordered another clanner, and Starkit’s victim was taken away.
“But this kit, and the deputy,” The gray wolf turned to them, “Will be thrown into the dungeon where our deputy is at the moment.”
So with that, Starkit and Deathwolf found themselves pushed into the dungeon.
“Did you guys spill it yet?” Deathwolf asked.
“No, these pests HAVE NOT!!” Darkstar growled. “THEY ARE BEING STUBBORN AND WILL NOT GIVE THE INFORMATION I NEED!!!”
“WUN!!!” Galaxykit suddenly shouted, and all the kits ran out of the dungeon.
“GET BACK HERE OR YOU GET KILLED! BY ALL MY WARRIORS!” DarkStar shouted, but all the kits were already out and scattering all around the castle. They hid in small areas where DarkStar could never find them.
“I just want to go home...” Starkit whispered to Foxkit.
Chapter Four: The Hunt
The kits were all hiding in Shadow Clan’s castle still, in the smallest places, so that Darkstar couldn’t reach them, and it had been 15 minutes already.
“What do we do now?” Starkit whispered to Foxkit. Starkit was in a small plant pot, and Foxkit was in a small bucket of helmets. Foxkit hid under the pile so that when Shadow Clan got a helmet they wouldn’t find Foxkit.
“I don’t know!” Foxkit whispered back.
“We need to go back to Thundew Clan!!”
“I know, Starkit.”
“We need to somehow get the othews and quickly go back home!”
“We need a plan!”
The two kits kept talking, trying to think of a good plan.
“We need to find another medal! Surely they have one around here!” Foxkit whisper-yelled to Starkit after a while of brainstorming. He hopped out of the bucket, and the helmets banged around a bit. No one came up to see what the noise was, though.
“Ok, but how do we go without being seen and find othew kits?” Starkit whispered.
“Just hide once you see something you can hide in so we do not risk any chances of being spotted!” Foxkit answered, and they slowly ran off.
***
After a while, the two kits were still searching for a medal.
“Whewe do you suppose they keep a medal?!” Starkit asked Foxkit, frustrated.
“I do not know, we need to keep searching!” Foxkit told Starkit.
“I think we’we lost!!” Starkit looked all around.
They were- the castle had a bunch of twists and turns and was like a maze.
“How do we find our way out?” Foxkit complained.
“We need to twace ouw steps!” Starkit said to Foxkit.
They looked all around to try and remember where the last place they came out of was. There were three passageways in front of them, and a torch by each passage.
“I think we came out of the one on the right!” Foxkit remembered, and they went that way. The passage made a turn and then there was a staircase with a door at the top, and there was also a door at the bottom.
“We came from the staiwcase doow!” Starkit remembered, and they went that way through the door.
The door led up another staircase, which turned around a corner. That led to a turn. Starkit peered around the corner and spotted at Shadow Clanner. Foxkit and Starkit each dove into two pots by the wall, and watched the Shadow Clanner talk to two others.
“The kits escaped!” The biggest shouted.
“So we need to track them down, right?” Suggested the smallest.
“Of course, young warrior, do not be stupid.” The biggest growled and bit the warrior. Starkit looked at the biggest as he gave the warriors instructions to find the missing kits, and she realized it was DarkStar who was the biggest.
“Now, we really need to make sure these little Thunder kits do not take back their leader’s jewel. That jewel keeps the clan who owns it good luck, and we need it. Thunder Clan should be in distress if they do not keep it, and that is what we want.” DarkStar finished, looking at the medium-sized wolf.
“Yes sir, DarkStar!” Both warriors nodded.
“Good. Do not be stupid and fail. Find those kits, or I tell Shadowruler about your failure.” Darkstar said in a deep low growl. The two warriors exchanged nervous looks, then ran in different directions. DarkStar walked down the path in which Starkit and Foxkit had came from.
Once the two kits knew that the Shadow Clanners were far away, they started talking to each other.
“We need to find that jewel and fast. Our clan does not last a single war until it is found.” Foxkit whispered.
“You mean waw is not hewe yet?” Starkit whispered to Foxkit, shocked.
“My mother has said war is much bigger than what we are at right now. War may be coming, so that jewel needs to be found before any medal.” Foxkit nodded to Starkit, and Starkit nodded back. They quickly crawled out of the pots.
As Starkit heaved herself up, she fell and felt something sharp.
“Ow!” She said in pain.
“What is it?” Foxkit asked.
Starkit didn’t say anything, but looked in the pot, using her teeth to pull out the object, and it was the blue jewel. The same as what their clan had before Shadow Clan invaded.
“That was easy!” Starkit exclaimed.
Thunder Clan #1: Story of Starkit Page 2