"Rainshade! You're here!"
Rainshade purred to herself as she saw the four kits bursting up the ravine towards her. She padded up to greet them and gave Amberkit a friendly lick on the forehead.
"Did you bring anything for the fresh-kill pile?" Goldenkit asked. She licked her chops hungrily.
"No," Rainshade said. She couldn't help but smile at darling Goldenkit. "There weren't many birds out this morning. Trying to escape the cold, I suppose."
"Does that mean we'll starve, Rainshade?" Cloverkit's eyes were wide with fear.
"No, no," Rainshade said again, putting her paw protectively around Cloverkit. "I won't let you starve. I'll hunt my paws off if it means you'll be fed."
Cloverkit contemplated this for a moment, then nodded.
"I'll help you catch prey if you want me to," Rowankit offered. "I'm already four moons old. I bet Mommy would let me help."
Rainshade's heard seemed to swell with pride, and warm little bubbles were forming in her chest. These kits were her sister, Lightningfoot's, and in Rainshade's mind they were the most precious things in the world. She didn't know what she'd do without Amberkit, Goldenkit, Rowankit, and Cloverkit.
"You don't have to hunt yet, Rowankit," Rainshade said. "That's the warrior's jobs."
"Okay," Rowankit said, smiling proudly. "But just tell me if you want any help."
"I'll be sure to," Rainshade said, glancing towards ThunderClan camp. "We'd better head back, kits. Rookstar will be mad if he knows you're out of camp."
Rookstar frankly wouldn't care, as he was pretty laid-back about the code and the four kits were only a few paces from the camp entrance, but Rainshade didn't like the thought of such fragile little kits being allowed any distance from camp, and she wanted an excuse to get them back to the safety of the Clan. Amberkit frowned up at her, her tail starting to lash in that angry way it often did when she got frustrated with Rainshade. The warrior gave her another friendly lick and nudged her towards the entrance.
The first cat Rainshade saw was Lightingfoot, racing frantically across the camp. When she Rainshade and the kits, her tense shoulders relaxed, and she gave her bristled fur a few licks.
"Kits out of camp again?" Lightningfoot said casually.
Rainshade withheld a purr. "I found them waiting for me by the birch tree."
"You'd think I'd be able to keep an eye on them," Lightingfoot said, her usual playful nature back. "But it feels like whenever I turn around, they're halfway to SkyClan."
"Well, kits will be kits," Rainshade said, smiling down at the four of them.
"Caught anything?" came a cold voice.
Rainshade turned around, trying to keep the fur on the back of her neck from rising.
"No," she said, trying to sound calm and in control.
"Why not?" The voice belonged to Rookstar, and it was dripping with menace. Rookstar didn't care much about the warrior code, but he did care about prey, and he was always on Rainshade about much fresh-kill she brought back. He was always telling her that the leader's word was law, which was funny coming from a cat who blatantly disregarded the rest of the code.
"For your information," Rainshade said through gritted teeth, "it doesn't really matter anyways. Badgerstripe's hunting patrol stocked the fresh-kill pile."
"Still," Rookstar said, "I don't keep cats in the Clan that don't provide."
"What about the kits? The elders?" Rainshade hissed.
Cloverkit looked at her questioningly. "You're a lot different around Rookstar than you are around us, Auntie."
"The elders have served ThunderClan for their entire lives, and the kits will," Rookstar said. "You have done nothing."
"I've fought and hunted and patrolled for my Clan," Rainshade said with cold fury.
"Not well enough," Rookstar observed. "You can't even catch a mouse-tail, Rainshade. I should banish you."
"No!" Amberkit said, suddenly alarmed. "Rainshade can't be banished!"
"Rookstar, you're being unfair," Lightingfoot said. "Give Rainshade some time to think about what she's done and what she's said. I'm sure in the morning she'll apologize and bring you some fresh-kill."
Rainshade gave a loud snuff.
"I suppose you're right, Lightingfoot," Rookstar said coolly. "I'd hate to take away the kit's favorite Auntie."
Rainshade didn't like the way he was looking at the four kits, the way his claws unsheathed and curled out angrily, the way his eyes were blazing. She quickly spoke up.
"I'm sorry, O Great and Powerful Rookstar," Rainshade said. "I'll try harder tomorrow, okay?"
Rookstar stared at Rainshade. Finally, he gave a small nod and turned back to his den.
Rainshade let out a gusty sigh. If there was one cat who made her blood boil, it was Rookstar. So smug and full of himself... She clawed a bush on the ground angrily. It made her feel just a smudge better, but not as much as she hoped.
But the leader's word is the warrior code, Rainshade reminded herself, and you have to follow the warrior code if you want to go to StarClan. She'd heard the rumors of the Dark Forest. But that was not her, ever; she was going to StRClan with Lightningfoot and the kits no matter what.
Rainshade stalked back to the warrior's den. The only other cat in there was Spottedtail, and when he saw her stomping into the den, he jumped and scrambled out. Rainshade settled down and huffed angrily. At least she had the whole den to herself, so she could stew about Rookstar.
And what was it that Lightningfoot had said? "Give Rainshade some time to think about what she's done and what she's said. I'm sure in the morning she'll apologize and bring you some fresh-kill." Why did Lightningfoot have any right to speak for her? Rainshade grinded her teeth.
"Auntie," piped up a small voice, "why are you so mad at Rookstar?"
Rowankit padded into the den. Her bright red fur almost glowed in the darkness.
"I'm not mad at him," Rainshade said. "He's just a little frustrated that I haven't brought back any fresh-kill. We both... said some things we shouldn't have."
"I'm sorry, O Great and Powerful Rookstar. I'll try harder tomorrow, okay?" Rainshade winced as she remembered what she had snarled at Rookstar earlier. But Rookstar had deserved it. It was fair of her, Rainshade decided, to be that sarcastic with him, when he was that cruel with her.
Rowankit curled up next to Rainshade. "Okay. I hope you have better luck tomorrow!"
"Me, too," Rainshade said with a sigh.
Rowankit gave Rainshade a friendly nuzzle and then padded back out of the den. Rainshade couldn't help but smile at the small kit. She was so sweet, always wanting to do the right thing. Rainshade was a little afraid that would come off as Goody-Two-Pawsish in the future, but at least for now it was adorable. Rowankit could always lift Rainshade's bad mood.
Sometimes I wish I had kits of my own, Rainshade thought. But Lightningfoot was always the nursery queen. Rainshade couldn't see herself having kits. And besides, she was perfectly happy with Amberkit, Goldenkit, Rowankit, and Cloverkit.
Rainshade remembered the the way Rookstar had freaked out at her for not bringing back prey, and the way Rowankit had apologetically offered to help her hunt. And she fell asleep comparing spiteful Rookstar to Lightningfoot's kind, beautiful kits.