Missing
Challenge for Bright Lights
Snowblossom knew something was wrong the minute her sister called her name; the barely disguised fear in her mew was a clear indicator.
"Snowblossom! You have to help me, I can't find them anywhere!" Thistlebloom wailed, tears sparkling in her amber eyes.
"Slow down, what is it? Who's missing?" Snowblossom asked, resting her fluffy tail on her sister's back.
"The kits, mother's new litter has gone missing. I was supposed to be watching them, I just turned my back for a heartbeat and when I looked back they'd disappeared. What am I going to do?" Thistlebloom asked, her amber eyes begging for answers.
"First you're going to calm down, then we'll go look for them." Snowblossom purred gently, licking her sister's ears to comfort her.
"That's a good plan, thanks sis, I don't know what I'd do without you." Thistlebloom sighed, rubbing her nose against Snowblossom's cheek.
"You'd probably be a sobbing wreck but that's beside the point, we have some kits to find!" The white she cat purred affectionately, flicking her tail as she lead the way out of camp.
"So, where do you think they'd go?" Thistlebloom asked as they made their way across the moor, the white she cat cast a worried glance towards the Thunderclan border.
"They would never go there, they've been told thousands of times not to." Snowblossom said, catching her sister's look.
"I know, but what if they did?" Thistlebloom worried.
"Then we'd fight like all of Lionclan to get them back. Don't worry it'll be fine." Snowblossom said softly.
The white she cat opened her mouth, scenting the air for any trace of the kits' scent. For a second it seemed futile, then the familiar scent reached her. Breathing a sigh of relief Snowblossom padded off in the direction of scent trail.
"Did you find their scent?" Thistlebloom asked, running to keep up with her sister.
"Yes, what do you think I'm following?" Snowblossom teased.
"Sorry, I'm just worried, what if they're hurt what if..." The gray and white warrior was cut off by her sister before she could continue.
"I think we have other things to worry about, their scent leads right to the border." Snowblossom said grimly, regarding the forest with wary eyes.
"Does it cross into Thunderclan?" Thistlebloom asked, bouncing slightly with nervous energy.
"No, there's the scent of a patrol in the spot where their scent disappears. They must have met the kits at the border and taken them." Snowblossom softly, fear showing in her eyes.
"Oh Starclan, no, they couldn't have taken them!" Thistlebloom wailed.
"Thistlebloom, it's okay, we'll get them back." Snowblossom comforted, keeping one nervous eye on the trees beyond the border.
"No we won't! You know that when Thunderclan takes a kit they never give it back!" The gray and white she cat moaned, her wails rising in pitch and volume.
"Shhh, Thistle, you've got to quiet down or someone will hear you." Snowblossom hissed, slapping her tail over the other she cat's mouth the quiet her.
"Too late, someone already has. Oh, I'm so sorry Snowblossom!" Thistlebloom apologized tearfully.
Sure enough a tortoiseshell she cat was standing at the edge of the tree line, she padded toward the border with graceful steps. Both Windclan she cats tensed, ready to run at the slightest sign of aggression.
"Wait!" The tortoiseshell she cat called, "I don't mean any harm, please just listen to me."
Snowblossom padded up until she was nose to nose with the Thunderclan cat, searching her pretty face for any sign of falsehood. After several heartbeats she turned back to Thistlebloom and nodded before sitting down at the border.
"Well, what do you want?" The white she cat asked, Thistlebloom made to speak but a flick of Snowblossom's ears silenced her.
"I want to help you." The other she cats exchanged skeptical looks and the Thunderclan cat hurried on. "My name is Dappledshade, you're here about Breezekit and Featherkit, right?"
"Yes." Snowblossom said; her tone guarded.
"I want to help you get them back, I think it's horrible, stealing kits I mean. No family should ever have to go through that." Dappledshade explained quickly.
"Why, why would you betray your clan to help two strangers?" Snowblossom asked, still suspicious of the mottled she cat.
"I'm not a Thunderclan cat by birth, I was born in Shadowclan. Thunderclan stole me during a raid, so I know how it feels to be taken from your home and family." Dappledshade said, looking hopefully at Snowblossom.
"Alright, I believe you. What's the plan?" Snowblossom asked, having at last decided that she ginger and black she cat was being honest.
Thistlebloom couldn't hold her silence any longer "Oh thank you so much! You have no idea how worried I was!"
Stifling a purr of amusement at the outburst Dappledshade turned to Snowblossom, her tone serious she began to explain her idea. "In Thunderclan the warriors each take turns guarding the stolen kits, now some warriors like the job ore than others."
"How does this help us save Breezekit and Featherkit?" Snowblossom interrupted impatiently.
"I'm getting to that, just be patient." Dappledshade said; her tone held a scolding note. "I know for a fact that Sunleap is on guard duty today, he hates guard duty. I think I can convince him to let me take over for a bit." She looked questioningly at Snowblossom, waiting for approval.
Snowblossom motioned for her to continue.
"One I'm in charge of the kits I'll be able to sneak them out of camp by a back entrance I know of. Then I'll bring them here and you two can take them home." She finished, searching the Windclan she cats' faces for some clue as to their opinions.
"I have a question, what will you do after? They'll know it was you and you can't go back without being punished, right?" Thistlebloom asked, concerned for the tortoiseshell she cat's welfare.
"I think that I'll try to find my real family, go to Shadowclan and see if they'll take me back." Dappledshade answered, her tone hopeful.
"If they don't you could ask Rabbitstar to let you join Windclan, Snowblossom and I will put in a good word for you." Thistlebloom offered tentatively, Snowblossom shot her an angry look.
"Thanks, that's very sweet of you..." Dappledshade purred, trailing off when she realized she didn't know their names.
"Oh, sorry we didn't introduce ourselves properly! I'm Thistlebloom and this is my sister, Snowblossom." The fluffy she cat purred.
"Right, we should get moving. We'll be waiting for you here, okay?" Snowblossom broke in abruptly.
"Oh right, I'll see you two soon then!" Dappledshade said, rising to her paws and padding towards her camp.
As soon as Dappledshade was out of earshot Snowblossom rounded on Thistlebloom with a face like thunder.
"What were you thinking? You can't just invite strangers into our clan! Honestly." The white she cat growled, glaring at her cowering sibling.
"I'm sorry, I just felt like I should do something nice for her in return, she is helping us get the kits back." Thistlebloom apologized, her amber eyes fixed firmly on her paws.
"I'm sorry, I know. I'm just worried about them, I shouldn't have lashed out at you." Snowblossom said, slumping down on the grassy hillside.
"I know, I'm worried too." Thistlebloom purred, sitting down beside her sister. "But you know what? It's going to turn out alright, you've got to believe that, don't give up."
The two sisters sat together under the darkening sky, watching the stars come out.
By moonhigh both she cats had fallen asleep, curled up together in a tangle of paws and tails.
They were woken by the soft mewling of two kits, blinking sleepily Thistlebloom stare uncomprehendingly at the two kits for a heartbeat. Suddenly realization dawned on her face and she leaped to her paws, prodding Snowblossom.
In the cover of the trees Dappledshade watched the joyful reunion, purring softly at the relief on the sisters' faces. As the two prepared to leave with the kits Thistlebloom looked back, searching the trees.
Dappledshade met her gaze, green on amber. It held for a second then the Thunderclan warrior dipped her head, turning and bounding off into the forest.