"Kit, I thought I told you to look out for your sister!" Amberpelt hissed.
"But, I-I thought," Kit began.
"You saw the brambles. You could have helped her!" Amberpelt interrupted.
Kit felt a surge of anger. It wasn't her fault Twilightkit was so weird! Glaring at Amberpelt, she ran over to the fresh-kill pile, where her sister Twilightkit was waiting for her. Looking at Twilightkit, Kit sighed. Twilightkit was weird. She had one blue eye and one blind, milky white eye. She was very small, and her grey and black pelt was very thin and did not cover every part of her body, leaving her patches of bare skin all over her body. Kit sighed and turned away, walking towards her father, Thrushtalon.
"Hey, Kit! I thought of a good name for you. How would you like to be called Morningkit? I bet Amberpelt would agree to that!" he meowed. Amberpelt had told Kit that when she was about to give birth, she agreed that she would name the first kit she had, and Thrushtalon would name the second one. Amberpelt named the first kit Twilightkit, but when Kit was born, Thrushtalon wanted to name her Orangekit, after her orange and white pelt. Amberpelt had refused, saying the name was "too plain", and the two cats had been arguing over Kit's name ever since. It was kind of funny, Kit thought, and that is what she told to anyone that would listen. Meanwhile, Thrushtalon, spotting Deerdapple, had gone over to talk to her. Thrushtalon's affection for Deerdapple was known by everyone in ThunderClan, specifically Amberpelt.
Feeling bored, Kit dashed to where Twilightkit was sitting, under a huge maple tree.
"Kit! Do you want to climb the tree? I found some ivy we can use to climb the trunk!" she exclaimed. Kit nodded, and the sisters climbed up the ivy into the maple tree. Kit looked down upon the camp, shocked at how small everything seemed. But Twilightkit was not impressed.
"Let's climb higher for a better view!" she mewed, already slowly dragging herself up the highest branch. She carried on for a few moments, gaining more confidence every second. And then Kit saw her wobble. Kit dashed up the branch, but she was too late, and Twilightkit was falling through the air. She landed on the sharp point of another branch with a sickening crunch. Kit heard a hideous wail, and it took her a moment to realize it came from her own mouth. Twilightkit was deathly silent.
….
Kit watched Amberpelt as she touched Twilightkit's body for the last time, as the elders dragged the body off to bury.
"Now do you see why you need to name your kits sooner? What if it was Kit that… Plus, names don't matter that much." Thrushtalon murmured.
"Oh yes they do! I named Twilightkit the way I did because we met at twilight. I was hoping you would realize I meant more to you than Deerdapple!" snarled Amberpelt. Shocked, Thrushtalon ran out of the camp.
"Maybe you should name the kit Twilightkit." Rabbitfur suggested.
"No. Her name will be Maplekit." Amberpelt hissed. Rabbitfur's eyes widened. What is wrong with naming me Maplekit? Maplekit wondered. Then she remembered that Twilightkit died in a maple tree.
….
"It was her fault Twilightkit died. She could have saved her!" Amberpelt yowled, waking up Maplekit, along with everyone else in the camp.
"If that is how you feel, then you were never the cat I thought you were! I will love Maplekit like the two parents she should have had!" Thrushtalon cried.
And then there was silence.
….
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock!" Amberpelt yowled. Maplepaw's stomach tightened in dread as she realized that her mother, who had just been appointed deputy after Mistshine had died of greencough, would be giving her a warrior name, in place of Finchstar, who was too sick. Even though many moons had passed since Twilightkit's death, Amberpelt still blamed Maplepaw for it.
"I, Amberpelt of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice." Amberpelt cringed as if the words hurt her.
"She has trained hard to understand your noble code, and I…commend her…as a…warrior in your turn. Maplepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do." Maplepaw replied.
"Then, by the powers of StarClan, from this day forth, you will be known as Maplebranch. Now get out of my sight." Amberpelt snarled. The clearing was silent.
"I do not take this warrior name. I will always be known as Maplepaw, if Maplebranch is the only alternative!" Maplepaw hissed. Suddenly, Finchstar raced out of her den, her flanks heaving.
"Maplepaw is right. But I will not let her be Maplepaw forever. From this day on she will be known as Mapleshade." She rasped. Mapleshade lifted her head proudly as Amberpelt raced into the trees. Mapleshde hoped she would never return.
"It wasn't your fault."
Mapleshade spun around. Had she just heard Twilightkit's voice?
"Yes, it is me. I-I just wanted to see what your warrior name was. I think Mapleshade is a great name for you. You are not Maplebranch. Remember that."
Mapleshade purred. You are right, sister. I am not Maplebranch. I am Mapleshade, and my name is something to be proud of.