Ch. 1
A wail rung out through the forest. It was the weakest of sounds that came from a helpless kit that roused Silverstar. A cool ocean breeze blew through her sand den and she slipped out of the camp to find the source of the noise.
It came from about the northern border of the camp, she thought. She padded toward the north border where the kit wailed again.
She sniffed the air, taking in the salty tang of the ocean and the fear scent of an abandoned kit. Mingled with that scent was the unmistakable scent of FireClan.
"FireClan have crossed these borders too many times," she muttered. She pushed through the fern where the scent was strongest. Before her eyes, was a silver-grey kit covered in FireClan scent.
Mousebrains. Who leaves a newborn kit in the forest at night? I'd better take this kit back to camp. We could use the extra warriors, she thought. She grabbed the little scrap of fur between her teeth and raced off to get the new kit to one of the OceanClan queens.
The kit mewed hungrily in her jaws, which motivated her to run faster to feed the little kit.
When she arrived at camp, she strode over to the nursery to one of the queens.
"Leopardheart, I need you to wake up," she whispered. In the dark of the den, two amber eyes blinked open.
"Yes, Silverstar. What is it?"
"Do you have room for one more kit?"
"No," she snapped. "None of us do. Besides, it has that horrible FireClan stench about it." She hissed. "If you need someone to take care of it, do it yourself."
Silverstar picked up the little kit and took it to her den, holding the small bundle of fur in her jaws.
"I shouldn't have asked Leopardheart. One little thing can spark her temper. I know! I'll see Scarletleaf for borage to be able to feed the kit."
She trotted over to a large clump of reeds where the medicine cat had her den. Scarletleaf was curled up in the corner with her tail over her nose, the silver moonlight shining down on her reddish tortoiseshell pelt.
"Scarletleaf, wake up."
Her head popped up within a heartbeat.
"Yes, Silverstar. What is it?" She mewed sleepily.
"I need some borage."
"For what, Silverstar? You don't have any kits."
"I found this kit on our territory."
"B-but Silverstar," she stuttered. "This is a FireClan kit."
"It may be a FireClan kit, but we found it on our territory. So, it's ours now," Silverstar mewed. "Besides, it must have been left there on purpose, because this kit can't walk."
"Alright, I'll be back." Scarletleaf's tail disappeared into the shadows of a sand den behind the reed covering and she reappeared chewing borage in her mouth.
She spat it onto a leaf and pushed it toward Silverstar.
"Here's the borage and a few poppy seeds to relax you."
"Thank you, but can you carry the kit to my den?"
"Sure, Silverstar." Scarletleaf mewed, her tail flicking back and forth.
The two headed toward the leader's den in the light of the moon.