Chapter 1: Judgment

Sunkit slowly arose from his nest, careful not to wake Ravenkit or Icekit. He had only been here for about a day now. Lillyfur had run away as an apprentice after Birchstar, the former clan leader had refused to let her even try to train to be a warrior because of her size. After about a day of running, Lillyfur had run into a rundown farm and had Sunkit, Ravenkit, and Icekit. Then she came back to the clans and left her kits in the care of Whitney, a farm cat while she was gone killing Birchstar. However, Lillyfur had good reason for killing him. Birchstar had killed over half of ForestClan saying the cats didn't meet his standards for warriors. Then Lillyfur had come back to fetch Sunkit and his sisters after learning that Birchstar had killed her mate, Sunmask. Whitney agreed to come with them and help out until the Clan regained their strength. Sunkit's amber gaze slowly moved towards Frostheart and her one surviving kit: Eggkit. Eggkit's two brothers, Nightkit and Beekit had both died the day they where kitted, so Frostheart was super protective of her. Sunkit didn't get it, the other cats in the clan would just glare at Eggkit, act like she did something terrible. When she did nothing that Sunkit knew of. I'll have to play with her later. Sunkit vowed. After all, his sisters thought she was scary so they refused to play with her. Sunkit didn't understand. He never understood fear, as he had never experienced it for himself. Icekit's blue eyes slowly flickered open, staring at Ravenkit. "She's not awake yet." Sunkit mewed. Icekit's sighed in disappointment before curling back up and drifting into sleep. Sunkit rolled his eyes, his sisters never wanted to play with him anymore. Back in the chicken coop they had played hide and go seek together, and who can hide the mouse the best. Stuff like that. It seemed that Ravenkit and Icekit didn't like that he was playing with Eggkit. Sunkit just shrugged it off and padded into the clearing. He let out a small squeal of excitement: the hunting patrol had come back. Sunkit bounced over to Rainpelt, a storm gray tom that Sunkit thought of as his father. Rainpelt was the only cat Sunkit wanted as his mentor. "Hey Sunkit, are you brave enough to take this big huge thrush to Lillyfur and Frostheart?" Rainpelt meowed, dropping a thrush at Sunkit's paws. Sunkit's eyes grew huge. "This is HUGE!" Sunkit yowled in astonishment. Sunkit narrowed his eyes in determination as he gripped the bird in his tiny jaws and slowly began to drag it back to the nursery.

Lillyfur's eyes widened. "You carried this all the way from the clearing?" Lillyfur meowed in surprise. Sunkit gave a satisfied yowl and nodded. "Yep, Rainpelt gave it to me." Sunkit mewed, puffing out his tiny chest in pride. Sunkit's tail drooped as he watched Eggkit sulk out of her nest and slither out into the clearing, her ears flat and her tail sweeping across the floor as if she was expecting an awful day. "Eggkit! Eggkit wanna play?" Sunkit mewed playfully, bounding in front of the she-cat. Before Eggkit could reply, Oakclaw snarled at them. "Playing won't do nothing for you! If my brother was still leader both of you two would be part of the fresh kill pile!" Oakclaw snarled. Sunkit flinched and looked away. Eggkit glared back at her uncle, you're just mad because you're not deputy anymore!" Eggkit snarled, flattening her ears and peeling back her lips into a fierce snarl. Oakclaw snapped at her ear, but Eggkit still didn't flinch. "You don't scare me, or Sunkit! He's just pretending so you'll leave us alone!" Eggkit hissed. Sunkit rose back up and stared at Oakclaw. "It's true," Sunkit lied. Oakclaw gave one last snarl before stalking off. "Thanks." Sunkit mewed. "Icekit and Ravenkit wouldn't have done that for me." Sunkit mewed thankfully. Eggkit shrugged. "It's true though, Oakclaw's just mad that YOUR mother killed his only shot at leading a clan." Eggkit meowed before leaving Sunkit behind. "Wait! Don't you want to play?" Sunkit whispered. Eggkit whipped around and glared at Sunkit. "No." Eggkit hissed before stalking into what had once been the elders' den. "Sunkit, you know Eggkit's just like her father. Why should you even bother?" Tansyfur, a pretty yellow she-cat meowed to Sunkit. Sunkit puffed up his fur in defense of Eggkit. "No she's not! Everyone just gives her a hard time for being Birchstar's kit!" Sunkit growled before following Eggkit into the old elders' den.

Eggkit turned around and growled. "What do you want from me? I'll just wreck your perfect status for being the perfect warrior's kit!" Eggkit snapped. Sunkit flinched before replying. "Eggkit, I don't care if my reputation isn't perfect. ForestClan isn't even giving you a chance! Besides, you're way better at play hunting than Ravenkit and Icekit." Sunkit mewed. Eggkit flattened her ears and wrapped her tail tighter around herself and hung her head low. "Sunkit... I'm not worth your time. Just... Just go!" Eggkit hissed softly. Sunkit flattened his ears in disappointment. "Eggkit please come out." Sunkit pleaded. "Fine!" Eggkit hissed, slowly stalking out of the former elders' den. "Come on, I know this really cool place behind the nursery that we can play in." Sunkit meowed, eyes glowing in excitement. Eggkit sighed and followed Sunkit.

"See? Isn't it super cool back here?" Sunkit yowled, jumping onto a fern's leaf. Eggkit shrugged and stared blankly at Sunkit. Sunkit's smile vanished, the happy glow in his eyes faded away. "Why aren't you ever happy?" Sunkit asked, tail drooping. Eggkit shrugged. "I'm judged for my father's actions. Everyone says I'm going to turn into him, take over the clan like he did." Eggkit mewed simply, flexing her claws. Sunkit trotted over to Eggkit. "Eggkit- Wait? Hey Frostheart and Lillyfur are talking! Let's listen." Sunkit whispered, pressing his ear against the nursery wall. Eggkit followed Sunkit's lead, looking semi-interested. "Lillyfur, I believe I owe you an apology. When we where kits I was so mean to you. You deserved a better life than this." Frostheart apologized. "Frostheart, I couldn't have a better life than this. Icekit, Ravenkit, and Sunkit are all great. The only thing that could make life better is if Sunmask wasn't killed." Lillyfur murmured softly. "I loved him too." Frostheart choked. "I never loved Birchstar. I was forced to be his mate otherwise I would've been killed along with our parents and everyone else." Frostheart wailed softly. Eggkit quickly pulled away from the wall, her gaze grief-stricken. Sunkit turned his attention to Eggkit. "What's wrong?" Sunkit asked. "Don't you see?" Eggkit wailed. "My mother never wanted me!" Eggkit choked. "She wished she had a different kit! I bet she wishes that she had you and your sisters!" Eggkit snapped, glaring at Sunkit. "Thanks for cheering me up." Eggkit snarled, running back into the Elders' den. "Eggkit wait!" Sunkit willed. "Come... back."