Chapter 1

"White?"

"No. To... Common."

"Dusk?"

"Does he look like a girl to you?"

"Black?"

"That was not funny."

I layed in my mothers bed and listened to the voices. My ears are open, but my eyes arn't! I realized.

"Tawny, why don't you just pick a regular name?"

"What fun is regular?"

"None, but it gets the job done."

What was happening? I struggled to blink open my sealed eyes.

"He's waking up! Go!"

I heard shuffling as a person walked out of the den. For another minute,
I struggled. Finally, my eyes opened. I saw a blurry orangish red shape in front of me. Soon, my vision cleared. I saw my mother. She was a woman with green eyes. "You are awake." she meowed kindly.

I nodded.

"Black!" she called.

A large white haired man stalked into the den. "Yes?" he growled. I pricked my ears. That was the voice! That was who she had been talking to. "We need a name." she glared at him firmly. "Now."

Black shook his head. He stated at the my smokey gray hair with dark flecks of brown. "What about Fleck?" he asked. The woman nodded and turned to me. "How do you like your name?" She asked. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

"Speak up!" Black growled. I bowed my head helplessly. I looked into his eyes. I saw regret, sorrow, and most of all, hate. He hated me. Why? I had just opened my eyes, and he hated me.

The womam saw that as well. "Black!" she said. "He will be a strong warrior, don't doubt!" Black sneered. "Tawny, I know that!"

I glanced at Tawny. What was going on? She hissed at Black. "Go!"

Black snorted and stalked out of the den.

What in Startribe's dirt is going on? I wondered. Tawny turned to me. "How about we go and explore outside?"

I nodded enthusiastically.

"Great! Let's go!" she started leading the way out of the den.

I followed. As we pushed through the exit of the nursery, an avalanche of new sounds, scents and sights crashed over me.

Wow, I mouthed. It was huge. The world.

Tawny tapped my shoulder.

"Why don't you go play with the kids over there?" She pointed at kids, at least three years old, playing at the edge of the clearing.

I nodded and ran over. I nodded a greeting.

I saw a large ginger, almost brown haired boy. "Heya shortie!" he greeted me. I nodded back.

He stated at me with a weird face. "Is that all you do? Nod?"
I cocked my head. What did he mean?

They laughed.

All of the other kids

Except one, a little ginger, almost pink in the sunlight girl. She must be the sister of Sharp, I realized. Her sunset amber eyes fell on me, but I turned away.