Author's Note: If some of the wording seems familiar, that's because most of this chapter was a part from Yellowfang's Secret that I changed to be from Brokenkit's point of view. I do not claim to own that part of the story.

Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors or its characters.

Please read, review and enjoy! :)

Chapter 2: A New Friend

Brokenkit blinked open his eyes to the dazzling sunlight that streamed through the intertwining branches of the nursery. From outside he could hear the scuffling and mews of laughter of the other kits as they played a game. It only took a quick glance around for the young tom to see that he was the last one up; the rest of the den was empty. I wonder what game they're playing today, Brokenkit thought curiously. He scrambled to his paws and shook bits of moss out of his dark tabby fur, before bounding out of the nursery to join his adopted littermates.

As his eyes quickly adjusted to the brightness of the day, Brokenkit looked around the camp. A few warriors were sharing fresh-kill and discussing Clan politics and a hunting patrol was preparing to head out. Brokenkit saw his foster mother sharing tongues with Nettlespot and Ashheart across the clearing. The kit and queen did not acknowledge each other- Brokenkit knew that Lizardstripe did not like him and had no interest in attempting to change her mind.

As he swiveled his ears to listen, Brokenkit realized that the sound of his littermates' game was coming from behind the medicine den. Let's see if I can sneak up on them!He prowled across the clearing as he imagined the warrior's would. Stealthy as a shadow, the kit crept toward the boulders that made up the medicine den. He paused behind one of the rocks, a position from which he could clearly see Tanglekit's tail sticking out behind her. Perfect!

Brokenkit waggled his haunches and pounced, landing squarely on his target.

Tanglekit let out a yowl of surprise and tried to leap away, only to crash to the ground because her tail was pinned. Runningkit and Deerkit both looked shocked for a moment before they let out mrrows of laughter. "Nice fall, Tanglekit!" crowed Deerkit.

Brokenkit felt a flash of pride as he released Tanglekit's tail. Tanglekit whisked her tail around in front of her and gave it a few protective licks, flattening her ears against her littermates' taunts. "Like you weren't scared," she muttered.

Runningkit shrugged as if he wasn't sure. Deerkit, however, lashed his tail and meowed defiantly, "Of course not! Warriors aren't scared by anything!"

"So, what are you playing?" asked Brokenkit eagerly. He seemed to have gotten their approval for now- maybe they would let him join in.

"Hunting assessment!" announced Runningkit. "I'm the rabbit, Tanglekit's the apprentice- well, Tanglepaw- and Deerkit's the mentor. His warrior name is Deerleg. I wanted to name him Deerfang, but nobody else liked that name." He shrugged.

"Can I play?" Brokenkit asked, tail rising hopefully.

His heart sank as the other kits exchanged glances and Deerkit and Tanglekit moved to surround him, fur fluffing up. "Only real Clan cats can play," meowed Deerkit loftily.

Brokenkit bristled aggressively. "What did you say?" he snarled. How dare they say I'm not a real Clan cat! he thought angrily. I'll be a better warrior than they could ever dream to be!

"You heard me," Deerkit meowed, noticing Brokenkit's reaction to his gibe. "We don't want to play with you." Screwing up his nose, he added, "You smell funny."

"Yeah," Tanglekit chimed in. "Every cat says you're a kittypet, like your father."

This was too much for Brokenkit. "My father is not a kittypet!" he yowled in outrage, lashing out viciously at Tanglekit, who leaped back neatly to avoid the blow. Clearly intimidated, Runningkit and Deerkit shrank back, much to Brokenkit's savage triumph. They should be afraid of me!

"My father is the Clan deputy," he continued. "He's the best warrior in ShadowClan!"

"But who's your mother?" Runningkit asked, and Brokenkit felt the words like a blow to his heart. "Even you don't know!"

No, I don't, Brokenkit thought furiously. But it doesn't matter!She's no mother of mine, whoever she is!I reject her!I have no kin in ShadowClan.

Clearly mistaking his silent fury for defeat, Deerkit joined in again. "Yeah, she could be anyone," he mewed meanly. "A rouge, a kittypet, a badger!" He gave a mrrow of laughter as if he found this newest insult the best joke yet. "Badger-stinky! Badger-stinky!"

The other two kits joined the chant. "Badger-stinky!" Tanglekit stifled a mew of laughter and Runningkit's eyes danced with amusement. Brokenkit had interrupted their old game; taunting him was simply a new one Deerkit had started up.

Feeling shame and fury sear his pelt, Brokenkit bunched his muscles to pounce on his tormentors and shred them with his claws.

However, before he could spring, a stern and angry voice interrupted. "Enough!"

Brokenkit spun to see Yellowfang, the ShadowClan medicine cat, glaring at his adopted littermates. He blinked in surprise. Why was she interfering with their fights? She wasn't a warrior. How could she know anything about battles?

"Deerkit, Tanglekit, Runningkit, you ought to be ashamed of yourselves!" Yellowfang exclaimed. "How dare you treat your Clanmate like this?" Brokenkit felt mingled horror and satisfaction as he saw that Runningkit looked ashamed and the other two merely defiant. What is she doing!? Yellowfang turned to Brokenkit and added, "Brokenkit, come with me." Before he could protest that now the other kits would think he was a coward, the medicine cat swept him away with her tail.

Brokenkit stomped his paws in frustration. "Now they'll think I'm scared of them!" he complained crossly. "I could have beaten them if you hadn't turned up! They're so weak, I don't care if there's three of them and only one of me."

Brokenkit sensed Yellowfang's surprise and felt a stab of annoyance. Doesn't she get that I have to fight my own battles?"Well, fighting isn't the answer to everything," Yellowfang meowed gently. "Your littermates need to learn how to behave. I'll tell Lizardstripe and she'll punish them."

Brokenkit's anger was swept away by a fresh wave of horror. He ran in front of Yellowfang and fixed his wide, pleading eyes on her. "Please don't do that," he begged anxiously. "Lizardstripe will only blame me! She doesn't like me; she thinks I'm stealing milk from her kits."

"Of course she doesn't think that!" exclaimed Yellowfang, visibly shocked.

"Yes, she does!" Brokenkit insisted. It was true; he had overheard his foster mother saying those very words to Amberleaf, another warrior she-cat in ShadowClan. He added this out loud to Yellowfang, who looked at him with sympathy. "Nobody likes me," he finished sadly.

"I like you," she meowed in reply. "And so will your Clanmates, once they get to know you. Now, why don't you help me collect all these herbs and feathers and carry them into my den? You're so strong, you probably don't need me to help you!"

Brokenkit felt a sudden wave of affection for the medicine cat, as well as a surge of triumph. At last, someone noticed how strong he was! He puffed out his chest proudly, collected as many feathers and leaves as he could carry—which was a lot—, and bounded enthusiastically into the medicine den. The older medicine cat of ShadowClan, Sagewhisker, was curled up in her nest. Brokenkit sensed her surprise but ignored it and instead paid attention to Yellowfang as the younger medicine cat showed him where to put down all the leaves and feathers he was holding.

"Shouldn't he be playing with his littermates?" Brokenkit vaguely heard Sagewhisker ask her apprentice. Yellowfang made no reply, so Brokenkit answered for her.

"My littermates are stupid," he explained scornfully. "Yellowfang's my friend now."

He didn't notice or care about Sagewhisker's response. "Brokenkit, would you like to help me fetch some clean moss?" Yellowfang asked him.

Brokenkit nodded eagerly. "I can carry more moss than any cat!" he meowed proudly.

Yellowfang and Brokenkit crossed the camp to a place behind the elder's den where moss was growing. They ignored the startled glances of their Clanmates. Yellowfang doesn't care what they all think about her being my friend, he thought happily. She likes me anyway!

Yellowfang scraped a piece of bark off one of the trees and swept it towards Brokenkit with her tail. "Now you hold the bark so I can peel the moss from underneath," she explained.

"Like this?" he mewed, balancing it on his head.

Yellowfang let out a mrrow of laughter. "Not quite," she meowed, eyes glowing warmly with amusement. "A squirrel might think that you're a tree and try to climb up you."

Brokenkit let out a squeal of laughter. "I'm a tree! I'm a tree!" he mewed excitedly, jumping up and down with the bark on his head until it fell off. He was pleased when Yellowfang made another sound of amusement.

Yellowfang helped Brokenkit gather the moss. Then the two of them bundled it together and carried it across the camp to the medicine den.

At last I've found a friend in ShadowClan! Brokenkit thought happily. Someone besides kin who's proud of me and sees me for who I really am!Maybe I'll find acceptance here after all!