Prologue
A grey tabby tom walked along the Swiftclan border with the twolegs. He looked around until his eyes rested on luscious green plants, safely tucked between the roots of a tree. He glanced up at the moonlight sky, silently thanking Starclan for sending him here.
He bounded over to them, but stopped, suddenly. He glanced apprehensively at a hole in the twoleg fence. "What if a strong kittypet lives there?" He shook his head swiftly. "No, no. I can't think like that." He walked carefully over to the herbs.
He jumped when he heard movement coming from the other side of the twoleg fence. Frightened, he ran into the bushes near the tree. Gathering up his courage, he managed to say, "W-who's there?!"
Snickering. That's all he heard. Then, a slight mewl of a kit could be heard. Hushed whispers.
He stepped out of his shelter in the bushes. "Hello? Do you need help? Are you injured?" Then, all of a sudden, a bright silver tabby she-cat stepped out of the gap in the fence, a kit in her jaws. She placed the kit on the ground, as it let out a pitiful mewl. She looked up at him. He gasped. Her face was gaunt, her eyes looking like that of a ghost. She had the most dazzling, cyan eyes he had ever seen.
She stepped forward. "Hello, d-do you live in the clans?" She looked so scared, like she was about to get run over by a monster.
"Y-yes, I do!" He stuttered. He felt heat rush up his face, and burn his eartips. 'Why am I acting like this..?!' The she-cat smiled. "Oh, thank goodness!" She paused, and looked around, her terrified expression back. "I… I have a kit… You can tell how skinny I am. Could you take him to live in your clan?" She asked.
He took a startled step backward. "..W-what makes you think I'll say yes?!" "Please! If he doesn't get food soon, he'll die!" She pleaded. He stood there, frozen to the spot. Looking down at the kit, he realized it was on its deathbed. He flattened his ears. Oh, how he wanted to help. But… He can't just bring a kit into the clan. Nobody would approve, and this cat would be cast aside, thrown into the shadows.
He felt torn like he was getting torn in two. It's his job to help cats in need, but his clanmates won't want a cat like this in the clan.. Gathering up courage, he took a deep breath, and looked the loner in the eye. "...Very well. I'll take your kit." He reached out with a paw to scoop him away, but he stopped. Looking back up at her, he saw a lifetime's worth of sadness reflecting in her eyes. He was taking her kit away from her. She was never going to see her kit grow up. Gulping, he stuttered, "U-um, w-wanna come live in the clan as well?" He knew he shouldn't feel like this, but he was hoping, praying, that she would say yes.
She looked shocked for a moment, then realization dawned in her eyes. Smiling sadly, she shook her head. "No… I'm sorry. But I have other things to attend to." Sadness dropped like a stone in his belly. "Oh…" Gah, he was so stupid! Why did he think she would say yes!? Looking back at the kit, he scooped him up with his paw, however much the kit protested.
As he was about to pick up the kit in his jaws, he saw her starting to turn around. "W-wait!" He called, a little too loudly. She stopped, and he saw an emotion he'd never seen any cat look at him with in her eyes. "..What is it?" She asked, looking embarrassed. He straightened up. "...Will I ever see you again?" He asked hopefully.
"Oh? Is that all you stopped me for?" She teased. He felt a smile tugging at his lips. "...But that's not for us to decide." Horror seized him, making him freeze. "I'm sorry… But we can always hope our paths will cross one day." She turned back to the hole, but this time, stopped herself. "...I never did get your name." He turned his head away, hoping she wouldn't see the overwhelming sadness in his eyes. "...Smokecloud." She turned her head away as well. "...My name's Cloud… Goodbye, Smokecloud." And with that, she squeezed through the hole.
He narrowed his eyes, and looked back at the hole. He wanted to see her run back through, apologize for leaving, and return to the clan with him and her kit. He wanted her to raise a family in the clan, make the clan stronger. He picked up the kit, these thoughts still racing through his head, and started padding back to camp.
He thought over their meeting once more, and narrowed his eyes, however, he felt happiness course through him. He thought about the emotion in her eyes, that prior to this, couldn't pinpoint. He assumed it was love. He shook his head slightly, trying not to disturb the kit in his jaws. He couldn't afford to think about that, or her in general. He can't have those thoughts dragging him down.
He stopped as soon as he realized he was standing outside of camp. Fearing the worst, he padded in. The sun was going to rise soon, so the dawn patrol was just waking up. Smokecloud looked around the camp apprehensively. Only one cat was outside, and they were yelling into the warriors den. Smokecloud quickly made his way to the leaders den.
Stepping inside, he saw a sleeping figure. "...Hawkstar. Wake up. It's important." Smokecloud heard a grunt, and then saw Hawkstar's amber eyes flash in the darkness. "Smokecloud. What is it?" Smokecloud stepped forward, and put the kit on the ground. Hawkstar eyed it warily, until stepping up out of the dark corner of his den. He padded up to the kit, and started sniffing it. "...It still has a milky scent to it." Hawkstar raised his head. "You didn't kitnap this, did you?"
"Starclan, no!" Smokecloud exclaimed, clearly shocked that his leader would accuse him of such a thing. "I was gathering herbs, and a loner came up and asked if I could take her kit. She looked pretty… skinny." Smokecloud managed to finish.
Hawkstar looked at the kit one last time. Turning, he mewed, "Take it to one of the queens." Smokecloud narrowed his eyes. "That it is a he!" He hissed. Picking the kit back up, he left the den, as well as a bewildered Hawkstar, behind.