A Wilting Lily
This is a one-shot I have wanted to write for awhile.
I remember the day I died like it was yesterday, It was the coldest leaf-bare Thunderclan had ever experienced but there was no shortage of prey, I could have lived to be something great but my mother's refusal to care for me stopped me from fulfilling my destiny, My name is Lillykit and I was born half-blind.
My mother was a beautiful Gray and white she-cat, Her name was Petalfur, The identity of my father was unknown. My mother did not like cats that are imperfect so the fact that she had kitted a half-blind kit made her furious and she took it out on me.
" Get up you weak excuse for a kit" I woke to my mother's usual morning cursing and wondered not for the first time, what I had done to deserve my mother's rage, I stood wincing as my tiny muscles protested and faced my mother keeping my head down, Mother hated seeing my mismatched eyes one green, one white.
" go out to the fresh-kill pile and get me a squirrel, And if you take so much as one bite I'll dump you in the river!" I shivered the river would be freezing, I headed outside the snow was up to my neck but of course mother made no move to help me.
I leaped out of the snow and grabbed a snow encrusted squirrel I struggled to carry the squirrel through the high snow, I paused to take a few wheezy breaths and saw Fernstar watching me her blue eyes dark with sorrow and her white coat blowing in the wind.
I staggered into the nursery, It was strange for Fernstar to be looking at me most of the clan just ignored me, what use was an underfed half-blind kit? The kindest thing in their eyes was to allow me to die; At least in Starclan I would have a place.
Mother cuffed me around the ears for getting more snow on the squirrel and making it soggy, I huddled in a shivering ball my tail and paws slowly going numb, I drifted off to sleep my dreams were filled with cold.
I woke in the night shivering so hard I could barely stand; I could see my short gray pelt in the moonlight my ribs sticking out. All I wanted was to be warm the only cat who would not send me back to face my mother was Fernstar so I crept off to her den.
I poked my head through the lichen covering the entrance to her den, I could see Fernstar laying stretched out in the corner, I crept over to Fernstar and snuggled into her thick fur I was just drifting off when Fernstar stirred.
"Lillykit? What are you doing here?" I cowered terrified she'd tell my mother and I'd be dumped in the river,
" don't worry little kit you can stay the night with me" I sighed and relaxed, Fernstar groomed my fur, The steady rasping rhythm soothed me and I drifted off to sleep.
I woke on soft green grass, Birds chirped and the night sky was clear, I felt a thrill of fear had mother abandoned me while I slept? I heard a noise behind me and spun around.
A kit about my age walked out of the forest he was a skinny black tom with his ribs poking out and stars in his fur, His blue eyes glittered with wisdom far beyond his age.
" my name is Whisperkit When I was alive I was mute, I died when I was three moons old, My mother Gemcloud refused to care for me and I died at the start of leaf-bare from starvation and greencough" I took a wheezy breath and glanced over my shoulder there were stars in my fur too.
" Lillykit I'm sorry you died in your sleep, you need to be healed come with me" Whisperkit turned and stalked into the forest, He led me to a clearing with a pool of crystal clear water lay as well as a pure white she-cat who sat waiting paitently.
" this is my adoptive mother, Mintleaf she was a medicine cat and can restore your sight, your ribs will always stick out and you'll always be sick and weak because that's how you were when you died"
Mintleaf touched my head with her nose and for the first time in my life I could see out of both my eyes! Mintleaf looked at me her eyes were dark with greif.
" Fernstar is my sister, I will be your mother too now as I will be to all kits who are treated badly because they are different" her voice was a bit raspy and I noticed a scar that ran across her throat.
Mintleaf turned to Whisperkit " I want her to see how the clan reacts to her death" Whisperkit nodded, He reached forward into the pool and pressed his nose to it, Instantly an image of Thunderclan camp appeared.
I saw Fernstar walk onto the High-rock and call a clan meeting I was startled to see my tiny body was laid at her feet.
"Cats of Thunderclan, Last night Lillykit lost her life, we will honour her" Petalfur snorted and turned away, Fernstars sharp blue eyes followed her,
" you do not have to mourn her" she told the clan
" but I will" Fernstar jumped down from the High-rock gently picked my body up in her jaws and carried it to the center of the clearing, she laid my body down gently and turned to the warriors who watched her in awe.
" we will sit vigil for the clans youngest member tonight" her eyes narrowed at her warriors daring them to object without another word she turned and sat beginning the night long vigil.
Whisperkit reached forward and touched the pool again the image disappeared, " come on Lillykit I want to introduce you to the other Starclan kits" the image of Petalfur walking away was burned into my mind, And as I turned to follow Whisperkit i hoped I'd never see her again.
When Petalfur died she was judged before all the kits of Starclan including Whisperkit and Lillykit she was sent to the dark forest.