the old book I abandoned

Chapter 1 The beginning “Sibling! Sibling!” Aspen called, chanting on for Starz to open their eyes for the first time. Starz tried and finally, their eyes opened wide. “Woah!” They squealed. The world was huge! They purred, nuzzling Aspen, who was a beautiful russet color. “I see where you get your name!” They meowed. Aspen flicked her tail in thanks, and padded to their mother, Flame. Starz followed. Flame was an orange queen with green eyes. Starz admired her beautiful face and squealed. “You’re so pretty!” They gasped. “Thank you, little one. So are you.” She murmured, tucking both her kittens in. Starz let out a soft purr as they drifted off to sleep. Moonlight filtered through the den as Starz woke. They got up and stretched, tail quivering. Looking over their shoulder to see if the others were awake, they padded out of the den. Their eyes stretched wide as they took the golden walls of the palace, now covered in nights shadowy grasp, in. “It’s bigger than the nursery!” They whisper in awe. They padded around the kingdom, not exactly knowing where they’re going. They followed their paws toward a room that said, ‘Powerful beings only.’ They nervously shifted into their human form by accident. They shifted back into cat form. Cracking the door open, they slipped through. They gasped. The room had lots of sharp and shiny things. “What are these?” They asked themself. There was a creak behind them and they jumped. They turned around to see a golden and pale golden cat who looked like the sun himself. He was muscular, his tail flicking with a ring around it and a sun shape at the end. He also had a crown on his head with sun rays and more. “Who’s there?” He demanded. Starz squeaked in terror. Who is this cat? Will he hurt them? He obviously heard the squeak because his ears flicked toward them. Their tail bushed out. He padded forward and his amber eyes spotted Starz, who’s fur was bristling in terror. “Oh. It’s just a kitten.” He sighed. Just a kitten? Starz huffed, offended. “I’m not just a kitten! I’m a scary, strong warrior!” They mewed, voice high pitched. The male chuckled. “Of course.” He licked Starz on the head. “You’re Flame’s kitten- I mean warrior- right?” He asked. Starz nodded vigorously. “What’s your name?” He padded around them, sniffing curiously. “Starz! Yours?” They asked, feeling as if the stars were spinning around them. “I am the Light King, but you can call me Sun.” He introduced himself. “So, what is this O so brave ‘warrior’ doing in the power weapons room?” He growled softly but not in a mean way. Starz just shrugged, dazed. The Light King! They thought excitedly. Suddenly, a yowl teared through the quiet kingdom. Starz jumped. Flame! They raced out of the room and tried their best to find the way back to the nursery. “My kitten! Where is Starz?!” She yowled, terrified. Starz followed her voice to the nursery. Finally, they made it, and the den was practically torn up. It must have been Flame looking for me. They thought. They soon spotted Flame in the hallway with Aspen, who was bawling. “I’m here!” They cried. Flame let out a deep sigh of relief when she saw Starz. “Where were you?” She nuzzled Starz, fear scent on her breath. “I got to see the power weapons!” They squeaked excitedly. Flame blinked in alarm. “W-what? That’s dangerous!” She stammered. Starz rolled their eyes and explained what had happened. “Well, don’t sneak out again!” Flame scolded them. “Not my fault! The palace is just too pretty!” “It doesn’t matter! What if you got hurt?” The last few words ended with a wail from Flame. An image popped up into Starz’s mind or them being a bloody mess on the weapons room, and the horror on their mom’s and sister’s face when Sun showed them their body. The thought sent shivers down their spine. “I promise it won’t happen again!” They cried, terrified. By now, the sun was starting to rise, casting golden streaks on the walls of the nursery. Earlier, Sun padded up to them after Starz, apologizing to Flame. “You should’ve closed the door!” She hissed at him. “I did, I swear!” He backed up, astonished by their mother’s fury. “Then how did they-” “I did it by myself, mom!” They inturrupted. Flame turned to them, surprised. “Really?” She had asked. “Yes! Please don’t be mad at Sun! He’s super nice. It was my fault.” They said shamefully. That moment still makes Starz feel ashamed. They curled up tighter by Flame. Starz was dreaming. They sniffed around the golden Light Kingdom. They curled their lips back in a snarl when they smelled this acrid smell. It smelled like shadows, death, and mold. They heard low breathing and at first they thought it was just in their dream, but when they woke, it was still there. So was the scent. They leaped up. “Mom.” Flame grunted. “Mom!” They whispered. Flame’s eyes cracked open. “Hmm?” She murmured. “Wake up. There’s a stranger, I can smell it. And hear it!” They yelled in a whisper. Flame’s eyes shot open and she jumped up. She sniffed around the nursery, ears pricking up when she smelled something. They could hear the breathing again, and it was louder, more panicked. Starz followed the sound and saw a dark pelt through the curtains. They padded closer and the acrid tang of darkness hit them once more. They growled and reached through the curtains, hooking their claws into a soft pelt. It felt sleek and wet, like the bottom of a river. A voice squeaked as they did so. Then they sighed as if they were releived it was only a kitten trying to pull them out. Starz hauled them out of the corner of the curtains. It was a tom and he was as black as the night. Starz wrinkled their nose at his stink of black and death. “What are you doing here?” Starz hissed, back arched, trying to look threatning. Flame padded up, fur bristling. She glared at the stranger. “Explain yourself!” She growled, claws unsheathing. “I-I am here to... not spy on you?” He said nervously. Starz could see sweat trickling down his forehead. “Wow. Good choice of wording,” Flame meowed sarcastically. Starz heard rustling in the background and turned around. “Flame?” Aspen stirred. “What’s happening?” She whispered sleepily. Starz raced up to Aspen and explained what was going on. Aspen gasped. “What?” She whispered. Starz padded back toward the stranger and flicked their tail for her to follow. “Who are you?” Flame hissed at him, eyes hostile. “M-my name’s Mi-Midnight! Please don’t hurt me. My boss made me not spy on you and if I didn’t do the job, he’d kill me!” He tried explaining. “Hmm... Is your boss maybe the Dark King?” Flame circled him angrily. Midnight hesitated before giving a tiny nod. Flame flicked her tail in satisfaction when Midnight explained everything. “So,” She meowed. “You’re a spy but against your will.” “Yeah, pretty much. ‘If you don’t come back with useful information, I will kill you myself.’ Is what he said.” “I already thought that he was evil but wow. I never knew he could snoop so low.” She growled, her tail lashing. Midnight gave a soft, disconcerted laugh. He shook his head. “Then you thought differently. He is a good leader, but everyone in the Light Kingdom thinks he’s soooo evil!” He said, growing irritated. Flame stared at him in anger and flicked her tail for him to follow her. Aspen and Starz followed them, whispering to each other. “So, you're telling me you found him because you smelled him in a dream?” She whispered to Starz as they neared the Light Kings room. Starz nodded proudly. “Wow.” She said in amazement. “Mhmm.” Starz agreed. Midnight started looking around, his tail twitching. He was obviously growing more confident and less nervous. He paused for a moment to sniff a statue, and Flame shoved him forward. Such a little criminal. Starz thought irritably. They finally made it to his room and Flame rang the bell attatched to the wall. “Come on in!” A voice called from inside. They all entered the room and saw sun sitting in his nest, his fur half groomed. He looked at Midnight and tilted his head. “Who’s this? He smells like- No! He didn’t! Did he?” Sun jumped up and stared at Flame. She nodded solemnly. Sun hissed at Midnight and scratched his muzzle. He flinched back. “Take him to the prison!” Sun demanded, furious. Flame nodded and shoved Midnight back out. He tried defying her and hissed, lashing out at her. She dodged and nipped his leg. He spat at her but moved forward, muttering under his breath. They finally reached the basement, which held the creepy prison. Flame grabbed the keys and opened the door to the stairs that led down to the prison. She padded to a cell, unlocking it unlocking it; she shoved Midnight in it. Flame locked the cell and walked away grumpily. Midnight and the other prisoners begged to be let out as they walked away. I wonder why they’re here...Starz wondered while following their sister and mother. Glancing back, they saw Midnight staring at them pleadingly. They couldn’t help but feel a stab of sympathy. “Sorry...” They whispered before sprinting up the stairs and out of the basement. “Cruel little...” Flame hissed under her breath, not meaning for her kittens to hear; but Starz caught it anyway. Starz padded into the nursery, carrying a prestegious bowl with a fat mouse in it. “Look!” They said, setting the bowl down on the marble floor. “Nice.” Flame meowed, beckoning Starz over with a flick of her tail. “I caught it myself!” “Really now?” “Yeah!” Starz gave an exited bounce. It had been exactly a week since they caught Midnight, and tomorrow they would release him. Sun said that he would have a ‘chat’ with the Dark King, Moon. Starz padded to flame and snuggled against her in a hug. “Do you want the mouse?” Starz offered. Flame shook her head and rested her head on her paws. Starz stood up and walked back over to their mouse. They carried it to the nest with Flame and shared it with Aspen, who was sitting in the sun, bathing in its warmth. Purring, Starz layed down in the sunlight with Aspen when they finished the mouse. They let out a satisfied sigh while drifting off. Starz woke to moonlight trickling into the den like a stream. Their gaze flitted around the room, adjusting to the darkness. Beside them, Apsen was stirring. “It’s a dark morning...” Aspen whispered, not realizing that its midnight and not the morning quite yet. Starz nudged her teasingly. “It’s not morning, silly kitten!” “Oh.” She slapped her forehead with a paw. “Do you want to explore?” Starz asked her. “Didn’t you already explore?” “Yeah, but not the whole palace!” Starz said wonderingly. Aspen just nodded and followed Starz out of the nursery. They kept walking down the serene halls of the golden palace, passing statues, rooms, plants, windows, and more. “pretty” Aspen whispered behind them. Starz nodded in agreement and followed the never-ending hallways to the power weapons room. They reached the room and Starz asked, “Do you want to go further or explore the room that I already explored?” Aspen paused, thinking. “Lets continue walking. You can tell me about the power weapons room.” She concluded and started walking again. Starz followed. They haven’t explored this part yet. Moonlight bathed the golden halls, turning them silver. I seriously never thought the palace would be this beautiful. They thought, taking the scenery in. They paused. “Starz?” Aspen asked They stared at a room that has purple curtains, swishing this way and that. They padded into the room, curtains swishing to and fro as Aspen followed “What is this place?” Aspen asked. “I dont know.” “Whats that?” She pointed with her tail to a white object that looks like paper. “Some kind of paper.” They asnwered. They sniffed a big thing that looked like white unclear glass like a bowl. It had water and a hole in the middle of the weird bowl. “It’s like some kind of human thing.” Starz said, sniffing the ground around it. “It sure stinks!” Aspen wrinkled her nose. Starz nodded then sniffed a smaller bowl. This one had a shiny metal thing at the top, leaning over the bowl. And there was two other little metal things facing oposite of eachother. Starz gagged at the smell and backed out of the room. Dawn was coming, casting pink streaks across the sky. “Dawn’s coming! Hurry,” They whispered to Aspen and she clambered out of the room. “Lets go.” She growled. They walked along in silence; the walls turning more and more bright golden by the minute. They passed a painting with a cat sitting on a weird stool. After passing through many halways, they reached the nursery again. Starz walked in first. They saw that Flame was still asleep and sighed with relief. She snored softly as Aspen crept in behind Starz. Starz padded softly around the dark forest, sniffing for prey. They spotted a mouse a couple feet away. They padded foreword, keeping their paws light as they slowly touched the ground. They heard a crunch behind them. The mouse lifted its head. Starz stiffened. The mouse sniffed the air and ran away right before a shadow flashed in front of them. “Darn it!” The voice exclaimed. The cat turned toward them as the bush rustled. “Who’s there?” The stranger demanded. The cat lifted a branch and spotted Starz. “Hello there.” The cat said and pulled them out by the scruff with their teeth. “What’s a little kitten like you doing here on the Dark territory?” They hissed, voice muffled by Starz’s scruff. They wriggled around. The cat held them stiff as they clawed at their chin. “Who are you?! Put me down!” They squealed. The cat lifted them and padded deeper into the Dark territory. They finally set them down and answered Starz’s question. “My name is Gayle, the fastest cat on the planet!” The cat said. A voice sounded from the shadows. “Gayle?” They padded out of some ferns. “Whozzat?” Starz tilted their head. “That’s Tempest. She shouldn’t be out here. She’s too young.” Gayle growled at Tempest. She scowled and padded around Starz. They could hear their blood pounding in their ears. I started chapter 2 b4 chapter one bc i WAS gonna do chapter 2 as chapter one so im not done w chapt 1 Chapter 2 The Lost sister Starz sniffed at the bush they last saw Aspen. Aspen said she was going to hunt, but she disappeared a couple days ago. Sadly, Starz could not smell her and continued following the footprints left in the mud. Continuing on, Starz wasn’t paying attention and stepped in a rabbit hole, spraining their ankle. “Shoot.” They hissed under their breath. They limped on. Sprains can wait- they had to find Aspen. They sniffed at every bush, and every tree, hoping to find her but as the sun goes down, they lose more and more hope. Eventually, the sun vanished beyond the horizon, and they reached the border between Light and Dark. Starz sighed and was about to turn back, but then they smelled a whiff of Aspen. “Aspen?” They called out, hoping she was near. When no one answered, they followed her scent trail. Back-cover summary; Starz was born beneath a sky full of promise — and destined to carry its scars. From the moment they search for their missing sister and find only loss, their life becomes a journey shaped by grief, power, and transformation. As a being who can shift between cat and human, and other creatures, Starz walks two worlds, never fully belonging to either. Battles carve new wounds. Friendships bloom, break, and sometimes shatter beyond repair. A bond with their genderfluid mate, Void, becomes a rare source of warmth in a life marked by conflict. Yet even love cannot shield Starz from the shadows of their past — or the trauma that pushes them to lash out at the very friends they still care for. Through shifting forms, shifting loyalties, and shifting hearts, Starz fights to hold onto the light inside them. But every choice leaves a mark, and every loss deepens the sky of scars they carry. This is the story of a soul who loved fiercely, hurt deeply, and lived a life as bright and broken as the stars themselves.