Whispering Shadows

Prologue
An eery mist cloaked the DarkClan camp, a shriek echoing out of camp. The dilute calico queen huddled her newborn litter in closer, their hungry mews being muffled by her paws. Her eyes were wide, but she did her best to soothe her newborns. A dark, giant figure loomed in the nursery entrance, making the Queen shiver with fear, flattening herself against the ground. The figure drew in closer, blood smothering it's jet black pelt.

"...Is our litter ok?" The tom's voice was utterly deep and dark, yet his tone was sweet. But this didn't stop the queen's heart from pounding loudly in her chest. Grunting as he didn't get a response, he leaned over to see his three healthy, perfect newborns. The queen pushed him back with a small, delicate paw, her eyes still round with fear.

"D-Don't touch them! You're covered in blood." The queen whimpered, shrinking back once more and quivering with fear and she wrapped her tail around her kits. The massive black tom blinked simply in response, his ears flattening as he turned away.

"Fine. I'll be back after I finish that miserable scrap outside, don't have all the fun without me, Viper." Muttered the black tom, his studdied collar gleaming in the faint moonlight, glossy with his victim's blood. When the tom left, Viper gazed down at her kits with a softening gaze, her breathing slowing once more.

"...It's alright my dears, daddy doesn't mean you any harm..." She cooed, gazing up once more and watching the black tom sink his claws into the white tom's throat. "...He's just taking care of some business...Spade has always done his job, hasn't he?" She murmured quietly, placing her head on her paws as her kits' squirming calmed. She then watched Spade motion for a Spike to carry off the body, and then made his way to his den. Viper flattened her ears and let out a sad, fearful sigh, closing her pale eyes.

Chapter 1
"But why not?" Complained Bethany, her head tossed back into a wail. Amber slumped beside her sister, towering over her as well as her brother, who happened to be growing as well.

"Because daddy's...Working." Viper meowed, pulling her kits back inside as she caught a glimpse of Spade dragging a cat by his tail.

"Fool! I told you to go hunting, and what do you bring back?! Nothing!!" He roared, causing Viper to shrink back, her kits gazing around in confusion. Amber stood bravely in front of her littermates, as if she was going to protect them.

"Momma? Why is daddy mad?" She asked, her blue-green eyes round in confusion. Viper flattened her ears, pulling Amber back into the nest.

"...He's...Complicated." The dilute calico queen sighed, shaking her pale head slowly.