Nutnose grinned, allowing her elderly instincts to wash away at the sight of the kits tumbling into the elder's den. She sighed, the chestnut-brown elder's piercing hazel gaze softened.

"It's nice to see you three. It's incredibly lonely here," Nutnose crooned, she glanced around the empty den. She had become the only elder left after her mate, Swiftclaw had been murdered. Nutnose sniffed, "So I assume you wish to hear a story?"

The three kits nodded. The smallest of the few was a tiny ginger she-kit with beautiful white markings. She pushed a mouse towards Nutnose and scrambled back to her friends. Nutnose chuckled.

"Move over Tinykit!" The ruddish-brown kit groaned, a large fang poking up from his bottom gum.

"Leave her alone, Snagglekit," Cobrakit hissed, his unusual contracted pupils seeming to cut the other tom's aggression in half.

Nutnose huffed, "Do you want to hear the story or not?" All the kits nodded and settled into place. Nutnose grumbled to herself about which story to start, and she grinned.

It started looonnnggg ago. Me and Swiftclaw were just kits!

The reign of Thistletooth over the area was anything but good...

Thistletooth was a mean cat, but a smart one. He was a rogue from a far off land...

Thrash hissed, slamming his paws down in front of the Cracked Stone.

"But I am the cat who will save the forest! I know it!" He spun around, chortling to the rest of the Gathering.

But Proudstar shook her head, "StarClan has warned us about you. Now I, and the other leaders, see that it's true."

Tigerstar nodded, "ShadowClan shall take care of him," she whispered to the other leaders, her thick claws sliding out of their sheaths and clacked against the cracked stone.

Lightningstar huffed, letting his voice be loud enough for the whole forest to here, "Just banish him here."

Tigerstar glared down at Thistletooth, "I'm sorry Thistletooth," She spoke slowly to the dark brown tabby, "We have to make you leave."

"COWARDS!" He yowled, "IF YOU WANT ME TO LEAVE THEN FIGHT ME!" The Gathering went silent, and Thistletooth ran out into the forest. Never to be heard from aga-

Nutnose cut herself off, glancing down at the three kits. They were jostling about. She sighed, "What now?"

"We have to ppeeeeee," Tinykit whined.

Nutnose chuckled, "Alright... I'll tell you the story some other time. As the kits scurried off, Nutnose sighed, sniffing hard so she swore could smell Swiftclaw. She sighed, then purred, "I wish we had had kits, Swiftclaw, they would have been as handsome as you." She closed her eyes, and fell asleep.

Maybe this time she could slip out of the real world... And visit who she wanted to be with...