Chapter Two:
"Willownose, Whitestar? Are you awake?"
"We are, Echopaw. Is there something you need?"
"No, but Duskberry told me to bring you the biggest piece of prey I could find in the forest!" with a loud thud, something hit the floor of the nursery.
A purr rose in Willownose's throat. "Well, that's certainly the biggest piece of prey I've seen in a long time. How about you, Whitestar?"
"I haven't seen a sparrow this feathery since newleaf." Whitestar commented with a flick of her tail in the moss nest she happened to be laying in. "Thank you, Echopaw. You may leave now."
Snowkit opened her eyes just in time to see Echopaw's gray-and-black patched tail disappear out of the entrance. She stared with a wide gaze at that gray creature that laid limply two tail lengths away. It's feathery wing was stretched out towards her, and she reached out to bat it with her paw.
"Snowkit, what in StarClan are you doing?"
Snowkit looked up into the harsh dark blue gaze of Whitestar. The white HailClan leader was staring at her with a fierceness in her eyes, one to match her words. "You don't play with food. That's rude and disrespectful."
Snowkit blinked for a moment and then hung her head in shame. "I know, Mama... I'm sorry. It won't happen again, I promise."
"You promised me the last time you did it." Whitestar said and pawed the sparrow closer to her, sinking her teeth into the mass of feathers. She raised her head, blood and feathers attached to her muzzle and in between her claws and pushed it over to Willownose. "Here, Willownose. You must be starving."
Snowkit watched with wide eyes as the two queens passed the bird back and forth, exchanging conversation as they did so.
"Mama," mewed Snowkit sheepishly, "Where's Coalkit and Ferretkit?"
Her mother sent her a stern look, as if to say 'Never interrupt me when I'm talking to some cat other than you.' She then sighed and turned her attention to Snowkit. "They're outside with Rosekit and Echopaw."
"It's Rosepaw now, Whitestar," purred Willownose with a prideful gleam in her eyes. "Have you already forgotten of the ceremony just a few heartbeats ago?"
"Silverfang was the one to preform it," Whitestar corrected hastily. "I was watching my two adorable kittens play and making sure this one was still asleep," she gestured to Snowkit with her tail, a snarl lacing with the words 'this one'.
"Can I go outside?" Snowkit asked, her ears pricking as she heard Coalkit yowl something about some sort of weird smelling herb and then the harsh new of Oakfrost as she sent the adventurous kit out of her den.
Whitestar let out an exasperated sigh. "Snowkit, what have I told you about interrupting me when I'm talking to a warrior? What if it was something important and I was interrupted by you?"
"But Willownose isn't a warrior," Snowkit pointed out. "She's a queen..."
Whitestar growled low in her throat and turned her fierce gaze on her kit. "Don't talk back to me!" She closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before opening them again. "Go outside and make yourself useful. Help Oakfrost or something..."
Snowkit let out a purr of delight and rose to her paws, clambering over the side of the nest with a grunt of effort. She skidded down the side of the nest and onto the ground, staring at her mother with thankful eyes. She bounded out into the clearing, her tail streaming behind her.
Out in the clearing, the sun shone brightly, dappling the trees and casting shadows on the ground. Two warriors were sharing prey over beside the warriors den, chatting amongst themselves as they passed a squirrel back and forth; two apprentices -recently appointed by Silverfang- were chattering like birds across the clearing; it was so loud that Snowkit could hear it all the way by the nursery. The two warriors suddenly rose to their paws, beckoning the two apprentice with their tails and left the camp swiftly, Snowkit watching as they passed by her like blurs. Soft snores could be heard from the warriors' den, indicating that they had all finished with patrols and were getting some rest.
"Well, well, well... If it isn't Pathetickit."
Snowkit whipped around, fear cascading up her spine at the sight of Ferretkit and Coalkit standing before her with smirks on their faces; yet the same age as Snowkit, the two kittens loomed over her like crows.
"How do you like being cooped up in the nursery all day, Pathetickit?" Ferretkit asked, her tail-tip waving back and forth.
"I'm sure you just love it in there under Mama's watch all day." Coalkit added with a snort of amusement.
"It's a good thing we're out here to watch you," Ferretkit said, sitting down and wrapping her tail around her paws. "Who knows what would happen if you were let out all by yourself?"
"The Clan would be in chaos, that's what!" joked Coalkit, nudging Ferretkit playfully with her muzzle.
Snowkit let out a growl and narrowed her eyes upon her siblings. Coalkit and Ferretkit stared at her for a moment before bursting into laughter.
"Look, Coalkit!" Ferretkit mewed through bouts of laughter. "Pathetickit's getting mad!"
"Oh, no!" Coalkit fretted, her voice laced with fake fear. "She's going to claw our throats out!" The black kitten suddenly got a bright look in her eyes and the smirk on her muzzle widened.
Snowkit was suddenly shoved off of her paws and onto Coalkit, who was laying on her back. Snowkit's tail was being held down by one Ferretkit's paws while her neck was being forced on top of Coalkit's, tilted slightly so it seemed as thought Snowkit were hurting her black sister. Her muzzle was just inches from Coalkit's neck, and she winced as Ferretkit's claws dug into her tail, holding her in place.
"Mama!" cried Coalkit with a pained look in her eyes. "Snowkit's hurting me!"
Whitestar rushed out of the den, her dark blue eyes alert and wide in alarm. She gasped in horror as her eyes landed on Coalkit, and then narrowed to slits as she noticed Snowkit on top of her. "Get away from Coalkit!" she snarled, grasping Snowkit's scruff roughly in her jaws and practically throwing her away from the nursery, making the snowy-white kit land in a thorn bush.
With a grunt of effort and pain, Snowkit dislodged herself out of the bush and blinked away the water known as tears from her eyes. She watched as Coalkit -who had obviously put her claws to her neck and clawed lightly, making it seem as though Snowkit had bitten her- was nudged to her paws by Ferretkit, and then led to the medicine den.
A white flash edged Snowkit's vision, and the white she-kit was suddenly on her back with Whitestar's muzzle inches from her throat.
"What do you think you're trying to do, kit?" snarled Whitestar, saliva dripping from her jaws and her eyes wild. "Stop trying to win this... This con to try and win my affection! It isn't going to work. You're nothing but some imbusle who I just happen to call my kitten. These games you're playing, these cons you're planning... They aren't going to work no matter how hard you try."
"StarClan," Snowkit whispered meekly, hoping her mother couldn't hear her. "Help me!"
"StarClan?" Whitestar let out a cackle at Snowkit's plea. "Ha! You honestly think our ancestors are going to dote on a kit like you? They don't dote on the weak, kit. They dote on the strong, the prideful, and the ambitious. They'll dote on your sisters; they'll kill you with their kindness. I should know: they've already murdered me."