Imperfect

ALLEGIANCES

FrostClan

Leader: Brackenstar - large, intimidating brown tom with a white belly and glaring amber eyes
Deputy: Petalheart - pale cream freckled she-cat with pale green eyes
Medicine Cat: Puddleheart - light grey she-cat with small ears and amber eyes
Medicine Cat Apprentice: Wishpaw 

Warriors: Dusktail - Elegant speckled grey tom with unique blue eyes
Birchwood - Dark tabby tom with amber eyes 
Stormcloud - Dark grey tom with amber eyes
Sunglow - beautiful wispy golden she-cat with luminescent blue eyes
Cherrysplash - Ginger she-cat with white paws and chest, and blue eyes 
Fernfeather - pale brown she-cat with mossy green eyes

PROLOGUE

Moonlight shone down on two cats sitting on an old birch log, one whose golden fur shone in the silvery light that washed over the forest, and one whose dark grey fur blended in with the surroundings. 

''Oh, Stormcloud dear, have you ever thought about Silverkit or Streamkit for a she-kit's name? Maybe Willowkit...'' The golden fur'd she-cat purred, leaning on her mate's scruffy pelt. 

''I think you should do the name choosing, love.'' Stormcloud meowed back softly, smiling. 

Suddenly the she-cat winced. ''Stormcloud! I think I'm kitting! Get Puddleheart!'' Gasping, Stormcloud raced off threw the undergrowth, eyes wide. 

Time Skip

''Sunglow, they're gorgeous!'' Purred Stormcloud as he gazed down lovingly at his two daughters. Sunglow smiled weakly. She purred as she nuzzled her oldest daughter, a silvery she-kit with sapphire blue eyes. Suddenly she gasped, her gaze resting on her other kit, who was dappled brown and white. Disgust lit her gaze as she stared resentfully at her youngest child. ''Oh, Stormcloud! She's-She's.... She's Imperfect! Oh, what have I done? This kit is a mistake! A horrible mistake!''




CHAPTER ONE

Stormcloud's P.O.V. 

Stormcloud followed his golden mate back to the FrostClan camp. In his jaws he carried the dappled brown and white she-kit. He had to groom her, but no matter how hard he tried he just couldn't get the tangles out. 

Sunglow refused to name her, so it was up to him. Burrkit? Brownkit? Then it came to him. Tanglekit. Yes, Tanglekit, that would be her name. Willowkit and Tanglekit. My daughters. 




CHAPTER TWO


Tanglekit's P.O.V.

Tanglekit and Willowkit were sitting at the entrance of the den. Sunglow sat behind them. ''I want you to look perfect when you meet Brackenstar, darling.'' She meowed.

 Tanglekit noticed that she was only speaking to Willowkit. She guessed it was because Tanglekit's fur was constantly messy. ''Mother, can you groom me one more time?'' Tanglekit squeaked. ''Groom yourself!'' Hissed Sunglow in return. This didn't bother Tanglekit, for she was used to outbursts like this, Sunglow did it when she was stressed.

 Tanglekit shook it off and sat up so strait she felt like she was going to topple backwards. Suddenly the Entrance Tunnel quivered, and out came a ginger she-cat with white paws, muzzle and ears. Whose that?  ''Mama, whose that?'' She meowed to the golden queen.

''That's Cherrysplash, Darling.'' Said Sunglow, not looking up from grooming Willowkit. Tanglekit perked up her ears, Sunglow never called her Darling! 

''You called me Darling!'' She squeaked. ''No, I called Willowkit Darling.'' Sunglow corrected her. 

Tanglekit flattened her ears, ''No, I asked who that she-cat was, and you said 'That's Cherrysplash, Darling.'

''Oh, excuse me, I thought Willowkit asked it.'' 

Tanglekit frowned, and continued to stare at the Entrance Tunnel. After Cherrysplash came a dark grey tom, and Tanglekit recognized him as Dusktail, Sunnykit's and Mothkit's father, he sometimes came to the nursery to visit them and his mate, Petalheart. 

Dusktail was carrying a plump squirrel. 

After him came a large brown tom with a white underbelly and amber eyes. ''It's Brackenstar! Sit up strait and don't speak unless you're spoken to!'' Hissed Sunglow.

Brackenstar looked around the clearing until his calm gaze rested on Tanglekit and Willowkit. 

''These are your kits, Sunglow?'' He asked. ''Yes, Brackenstar, they are.'' She meowed in return. 

Brackenstar eyed Tanglekit, his unwavering gaze making her feel uncomfortable. 

''And this is the rotton piece of fox-dung that cats are gossiping about? Word has it that she was a mistake made by StarClan, and that she'l be so lazy when she becomes a warrior that she'l have to go strait to the elder's den.'' 

Tanglekit wavered, her heart seemed to be cracking into pieces, and she felt tears on the brink of running down her cheeks. Was that really how her clanmates saw her? 

When she could bare it no longer, she let the tears slide down and 'plop' onto the earth in front of her. 

''Aww, look! The little Cry-baby is afraid! I bet she can't even make dirt without her mommy! She's an embarrasment to FrostClan!'' Jeered Mothkit, who was eating a mouse in the clearing. 

''Ha! She's a pathetic excuse for a cat! She'l never be a warrior!''

''Her messy vomit-coloured fur will win us battles!'' 

But Sunglow simply answered, ''Yes, That's Tanglekit.''




CHAPTER THREE

Tanglekit's P.O.V.

Tanglekit lay in her and Willowkit's nest, tears staining her cheeks. She had cried for what seemed like moons after the meeting with Brackenstar.

 Finally she decided to get some fresh-kill. As she padded across the clearing, cats jeered at her. When she reached the prey-pile and leaned over to get a mouse, Mothkit shoved her out of the way. ''Hey! That's mine, Fishface!'' He hissed at her. 

  mrrows of laughter errupted from the clearing, and cats started chanting, ''Fishface, Fishface, Tanglekit's a Fishface!''

Tears trickled from Tanglekit's eyes as she padded miserably back to the Nursery. ''Ha! Look! Fishface is afraid of a little taunt!'' He sneered. ''Hey Fraidy-Cat, eat this!''

 He laughed as he kicked a mouse towards the she-kit. Tanglekit stumbled and tripped as the mouse hit her on the back, and she landed face-first into the dirt, witch clung to her wet, tearful face.

 As she got up, Tanglekit noticed Brackenstar smirking from StoneLedge. She focused her attention back on Mothkit, and he meowed, ''You mad, Fishface? Come and get me!''

 Rage filled Tanglekit's heart as Mothkit raced away through the barrier. Hissing with rage, she pelted after him, blindly following his scent trail.

 She could hear warriors following the two kits. For what seemed like forever, Mothkit lead Tanglekit through the forest, until finally he stopped at the riverbank.

 FlatStones lay beyond the bank, and Mothkit leaped on them jeering and tauning Tanglekit. Fury lighting her gaze, Tanglekit pounced at him, but he dodged easily and she slammed her head against the stones, faintly aware of FrostClan warriors laughing at her at the bank. 

Until it all went black. 




CHAPTER  FOUR

Puddleheart's P.O.V. 

Puddleheart followed Mothkit as the kit lead him toward FlatStones. When they arrived Puddleheart cringed at seeing Tanglekit, Twisted and Bloodied, lying in an awkward posision on the rocks.

 Sunglow, Willowkit and Stormcloud sat beside her. Willowkit was crying at the sight of her sister like this, Sunglow had no excpression at all, and Stormcloud's eyes were clouded by grief.

 Puddleheart hobbled forward, checking the stupid kit's heartbeat. ''I tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen! I told her it was a bad idea!'' Wailed Mothkit. He was hushed by his mother, Bluestorm. ''I'm sure you did,'' She meowed. ''The stupid kit is brain-damaged!'' 

Puddleheart turned to Sunglow, ''I'm sorry, but she'l be scared for life, She'l survive, but she'l have to stay in the medicine den with me. If that's okay with you.'' She meowed to the golden queen.

 Sunglow flattened her ears and snarled, ''I'll be glad to be rid of that Imperfect Rat!'' 

Puddleheart nodded and called Dusktail and Birchwood to help her carry Tanglekit to the Medicine Den

Time Skip

Inside the den, Wishpaw was sorting herbs while Puddleheart made sure that Tanglekit would be comfortable wehn she woke up. ''Poor kit.'' Murmered Wishpaw. 




CHAPTER FIVE

Tanglekit's P.O.V.

Tanglekit blinked open her eyes, and suddenly her senses were flooded with the strong tang of herbs.  Her head throbbed painfully, and every muscle in her body ached. She was lying in a moss nest, surrounded by flowers, roots and plants.

I must be in the Medicine Den! She thought, suddenly excited. She'd never been in here before. She tried to scramble to her paws, but the searing pain in her head engulfed her whole body and she had to lay down again.

 ''Oh, Tanglekit! You're awake!'' Exclaimed Wishpaw, who was running leaves under a trickle of water to clean them. ''Who... Who are you?'' Groaned Tanglekit. ''I'm Wishpaw, Puddleheart's apprentice, I don't think we've met.'' 

Despite the pain, Tanglekit forced herself to sit up. Her head felt odd, like it was cut in half. ''How long have a been asleep?'' She meowed. Wishpaw paused to think, ''Three days, I think.'' She said finally. Tanglekit sighed, allowing herself to lay back down. ''How is my family?''She asked after a long pause.

 ''Your father has been checking in on you every day since the accident, Sunglow hasn't spoken much, and Willowkit has been begging her to visit you,'' After a pause she added, ''your sister cares very much about you.'' 

Tanglekit looked down, hearing about how much Willowkit loved her woudn't help her get better. 

She closed her eyes, trying to recall the accident. 

Suddenly she gasped, remembering. Mothkit!


CHAPTER SIX

Sunglow's P.O.V.

Sunglow lay in the nursery, while Willowkit played with Mothkit and Sunnykit. The pretty silver she-kit was all Sunglow ever wanted, but their was something missing in her oldest daughter. Willowkit was dainty and clean and kind, but she never got dirty playing, and never even tried to go out into the forest. I wish she would be more like Tanglekit. Then she caught herself, what? No! Tanglekit is imperfect, I would never wish Willowkit was imperfect! Not my precious willow! 


CHAPTER SEVEN

Mothkit's P.O.V. 

Mothkit was curled up in the nursery with his mother, Bluestorm and his little sister, Sunnykit. Ha! How he'd made a mess of that brat Tanglekit! She wouldn't be out of the Medicine Den for moons, and Willowkit's attention would be focused on him. Oh, how he loved the beautiful silver she-kit, they would make a perfect couple one day, and with Tanglekit out of the way, no one could stop Willowkit and Mothkit from becoming mates! He hoped he didn't have to do any more dangerous stuff, risking going into the forest had been enough, and he was lucky that Brackenstar hadn't punished him. Suddenly, an idea popped into his head. He grinned, looking out at the dewy FrostClan camp. The sun had just risen above the distant mountains. 


CHAPTER EIGHT

Tanglekit's P.O.V. 

Tanglekit lay in her makeshift nest in the Medicine Den, unable to sleep. It was completely dark outside the Den, and the she-kit could hear crickets hopping about outside Camp. 

Puddleheart and Wishpaw were fast asleep, but Tanglekit couldn't bring herself to rest because of two things buzzing in her mind. 

One; Mothkit had wanted her to hurt herself, but why? 
Two; She and Willowkit were six moons in two days.

Would she be able to become an apprentice with her sister? Would she have to wait another moon? 

Tanglekit lay there under the stars, unaware of the troubles to come.


CHAPTER NINE

Willowkit's P.O.V.

Willowkit followed Mothkit through the forest, constantly snapping twigs and tripping on stones, while the older kit moved silently through the undergrowth, weaving like a squirrel over the roots and fallen logs. 

Silently the silvery she-kit compared her brown companion to her brindle sister, whom she thought would be very much like Mothkit in the forest. 

Willowkit paused and looked back towards Camp, Oh, Tanglekit, do you know our Apprentice Ceremony is tomorrow? She hoped her wounded sister would be able to take part in the Ceremony. 

''Willowkit. Look, we're here.'' Meowed Mothkit.

Willowkit looked up to see Mothkit looking down a dip in the ground, which she would hve overlooked if Mothkit hadn't pointed it out to her. 

The dip was pretty deep, and a faint stench wafted out from it. ''What's that smell?'' She asked. 

''That's fox scent,'' meowed Mothkit, grinning wickedly. ''this is a fox burrow.''

Willowkit widened her eyes. A fox! ''Why are we here?'' she said uncertainly. 

''There's something you should see up there.'' meowed Mothkit, gesturing to a cracked branch on the ground.