"Scrap you're lagging behind!"
Dana snarled. The four moon old she-kit blinked up at her mother. She said she wasn't her mom, she said picked her up in the woods after some Queen had abandoned her but….. Scrap always thought she looked like her. Sure she knew her pelt and eyes were different from her mother and her brothers Spike, Viper, and Hare. But they had the same form!
"Yeah Scrap! Stop being so useless!"
Her brother Hare taunted. Scrap nodded and scurried over to them.
"Sorry! I thought I saw a mouse!"
She puffed out her breath which was visible in the cold winter air.
"Yeah as if! You're stench would probably scare it away."
Spike meowed curling his tail at his own joke. Her mother heard the teasing and only gave a slight dismiss of an ear flick.
"Where are we going?"
Hare asked, more like complained.
"It's cold!"
Viper shivered.
"Are we going to see our father?"
Scrap asked her mother excitedly. Dana stopped and turned on Scrap with a snarl in place.
"How many times must I tell you you're not my daughter?!"
She spat. Viper lashed his tail
"She's probably so mouse-brain she keeps forgetting were not related."
Hare gives Scrap a mock pity look.
"So are we going to see our father?"
Spike asked.
"No."
Dana purred turning her attention away from Scrap.
"But he will come. Soon!"
She promised. Scrap twitched her ear at that. They have never meet their father but her mom kept promising he would come. Scrap was beginning to think maybe they didn't have a dad, maybe their mom made it up? Scrap dismissed the thought as soon as it appeared in her mind.
"Were going to some place with better food."
Their mom purred. Scraps belly growled at the thought of food, she barely got to eat anything! Dana looked at her with a glare
"Always thinking of food"
She mumbled to herself.
"Stuffing her face like a fat old kitty-pet barely leaving any for my boys."
She cast a worried look over to her sons. In truth she always made sure Viper, Spike, and Hare ate first. Scrap just ate scraps. They began moving forward once more. Their paws crunched in the fresh layer of snow as they began padding through two-leg places.
"I heard from a passing she-cat that there is this thing called a clan."
Dana was speaking to her boys of course but Scrap listened in. She loved a good story. Her favorites were about the clans. Spike's eyes widen
"We're gonna live with Clan cats?"
He asked horrified. Dana purred
"Don't fret my brave little kit. This she-cat I heard it from had a mate in the clan! She told me all about this one. It's a nice kind clan that has rules. We can stay there"
She flashed a look to Scrap.
"IF you can follow the rules."
Viper sat down.
"Oh please can we stop and listen to the rules?"
He begs. Dana purred and nodded letting Viper, Spike, and Hare curl up beside her. Scrap stayed as close as she dared without getting clawed.
"The Clan calls them codes."
Dana explains.
"They're called the Warrior Code!"
Viper oohed at that.
"The first one is about loyal to the clan. We can't meet with other cats from other clans, or get too friendly with them."
Dana meows curling her tail around her kits while Scrap stood a ways away shivering.
"We can't cross on another Clan's territory unless you're a medicine cat or it's important."
Scrap was about to open her mouth to ask what a medicine cat is but shut it close after a second.
"Best of all they feed the elders and kits before anyone else!"
She meowed joyfully.
"We'll eat like fat kitty-pets."
Spike snickered at that.
"All prey is killed to be eaten."
Scrap nodded. That's a good rule.
"You all can become an apprentice at six moons."
Hare frowned.
"What's that."
Dana sighed.
"It's where they teach you how to hunt and fight."
Spike eyes light up at the thought of fighting.
"Cool."
Viper whispers.
"When you become a Warrior you have to sit outside all night watching over the clan without a peep!"
Scrap grimaced, but it's so cold out!
"If you wish to be deputy you must have had at least one apprentice."
Spike opened his mouth ready to zig out a question but this time Dana ignored him. She must be getting tired.
"The deputy will be made leader after the leader dies."
Dana yawned her eyes closing shut for half a second.
"A new deputy must be appointed before moonhigh."
Dana laid her head down and Viper, Spike, and Hare did too.
"Borders must be checked every day, the word of a clan leader is the warrior code, don't kill cats if you don't have to, and last but not least a Clan cat rejects the soft life of a kitty-pet."
Her mother mumbled the last bit and soon her chest was falling and rising as she slumbers. Scrap looked around until she found a nice little tree that kept her a little warm. She closed her eyes and soon fell asleep.
"She forgot one."
A beautiful voice whispered in her ear.