Moonheart here! I'll be doing cat portraits throughout the book. I cat them Kit Pics, even though not all of them are kits. Here's the first one. Stormstone (I designed all of the cats online at ggg.com the game is called Kitten Maker) With each pic comes a little info about the cat.

Stormstone almost drowned as a kit in the river by Earthclan's camp, but he managed to swim to shore. No one even knew what had happened until he told them.

Stormstone woke up sleeping on hard rock. As usual. He didn't have anything against hard rock. It was good for sharpening your claws. But this rock meant that his nest had blown away again.

He stood up and stretched, then glanced around the warrior den. It was a cave in the side of a cliff. At the bottom of the cliff was a river, but luckily most cats didn't drown in it. Most cat deaths were from falling out of the caves and to the hard ground far below. Apparently cats don't always land on their feet.

Most of the Warriors were still sleeping. The only ones out and about were the ones who had gone on dawn patrol. The sun was already up, but the sky was gray. It was going to rain today.

Stormstone walked down the narrow path that led from the Warriors Den to the river far below. It hadn't rained for a while, so the river wasn't flowing as fast as it could have been. Stormstone crouched down and began to drink from the river.

"Hey Stormstone!" A cheerful voice called. Stormstone rolled his eyes. It was Fleetfoot. Only the most annoying cat in the whole clan.

"You're up bright and early! Wanting to get some hunting in I bet. I was out on the dawn patrol. Morningstar chose the patrol since you were still asleep. No sign of trouble, but I bet it's going to rain today. What do you think?" Fleetfoot asked. Stormstone finally sat up and looked at her. Fleetfoot had sandy fur and a white chest, but her face had darker fur. Her green eyes blinked, probably hoping that today was the day that Stormstone said he loved her. Nope.

"I think you're right. How about you help make sure that Featherfur and Amberkit are ok." Stormstone said. Fleetfoot's face fell, but she didn't miss a beat.

"Ok dep. Afterwards do you want to go hunting or something together? I bet that the rain will have all sorts of creatures out and about."

"No, I need to check in with Twistedfoot. He might need to do all of his herb gathering now, before the storm hits."

"Isn't Herbpaw the cutest? I'm sure she'll be able to help Twistedfoot plenty."

"I'm still going to check up on them."

"Ok dep."

"Stop calling me that."

"Ok deputy Storm."

"Just. Call. Me. Stormstone." Stormstone growled.

"Got it Stormy. See you later!" Fleetfoot called, bouncing away. Stormstone huffed, then went back to drinking water. A moment later he heard someone pad up behind him.

"Fleetfoot, did you check up on the nursery like I asked?" Stormstone growled, turning around. He instantly regretted what he had said. A she-cat stood there silently. She had tan fur and blue eyes, and darker fur along her back and down her nose.

"Sorry Morningstar! I thought you were Fleetfoot." Stormstone said. Morningstar padded forward to sit next to him, gazing into the river.

"She really is a nice girl Stormstone. You should give her a chance." Morningstar meowed. Stormstone sighed.

"But mother..." He started. Yes, you heard right. The deputy's mother is the leader. Usually cats would say that the mother was biased. But not in this case. Stormstone was he best hunter and fighter in the whole clan.

"You should choose a mate soon. You won't be young forever you know. And Fleetfoot is trying so hard to please you."

"But she's an annoying fur ball. I'll know the right cat when I see her."

"Just... don't look at the stars so long that you forget the beauty all around you." Morningstar finally meowed. She stood up and padded back towards the caves. Stormstone sighed and looked at the river. Then he turned and started passing towards the medicine den. When he was inside, he saw Herbpaw sorting leaves. He looked up when Stormstone entered.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Could you go get Twistedfoot for me please?" Stormstone asked. Herbpaw nodded and retreated deeper into the cave. Stormstone waited, but Herbpaw didn't return. Growing bored, he padded towards the herbs Herbpaw had been sorting. One caught his eye. A flower, with bright pink petals and purple speckles. He bent down and sniffed it. It smelled like dirt and rain and something sweet. Then darkness filled Stormstone's vision.

When he could see again, the medicine den was still empty. The herbs were all gone, and outside stars glittered. Everything was silent.

"Stormstone, I have a warning for you." A male voice said. Stormstone spun around to see a gray cat. His pelt glittered with stars, and his eyes shone with light.

"Farstar?" Stormstone asked. He had heard the stories of the great Earthclan leader. Farstar nodded his head.

"A cat draws near. Her destiny is great. She must not die. You are her chosen protector, though she will save you. A dark heart searches for her. You must put her before your clan, or the clans will all fall. Her kits will save the clans. Watch them. Watch her." Farstar warned. Then he vanished, and mist began to fill the cave.

Stormstone could see images in the mist. A black cat with greed in his eyes. A beautiful she-cat with white fur. A cave by the roaring river. A kit drowning. The black cat and the white cat standing in the woods. The black cat pulling a kit out of the bushes. The white cat begged him to stop, but the black cat clawed at the kit. Stormstone closed his eyes as the sounds pressed into his ears.

"Stormstone!" A female cat yowled.

"Silvermoon!" Stormstone heard his voice yowl back. Then the world melted into darkness and silence once again.