"The Willow, Part 1: WindClan"
Rated M
Chapter 3: An Unwarm Welcome
– *Near the WindClan Camp; WindClan Territory*
"Rabbitclaw!" Sunstar exclaimed. "And the rest of you!"
Rabbitclaw, the WindClan deputy, had with him three warriors, two apprentices, and a tiny quarter-moon-old kit, who was quivering in fear behind him: Barkscratch, Redlily, Nightfur, Shortpaw, Beepaw, and Willow.
Sunstar, their leader, had with him his apprentice Branchpaw, Roughedge, Spikedclaw and his apprentice Nimblepaw, and Blizzardpelt.
Rabbitclaw slightly turned his head and wrapped his tail around Willow and stroked her pelt with the tip, trying to calm her down.
"Ssh," he muttered. "There aren't any foxes; it's just our leader and Clanmates."
"Where have you been?" Sunstar demanded. "The whole Clan has been looking for you lot for ages! The other warriors said that you went out on border patrol," he added. "But they told me that was hours ago." He gasped when he saw their blood-covered pelts. "What happened to you? Were you in a fight?"
Rabbitclaw took a pace forward and dipped his head respectfully. "Sunstar," he began, scrambling for the right words. StarClan give me strength! "We were on a border patrol, like the other warriors said, when we heard yowling and screeches and barking coming from Twolegplace."
"A fox was attacking a family of kittypets!" Beepaw interrupted. "That's why we're all bloody, but it's mostly the fox's."
"Right!" joined in Shortpaw. "A kit was in danger, too!"
Rabbitclaw cast a stern glance at the apprentices before they could continue. With the 'paws subdued, the deputy went on. "Yes, Beepaw and Shortpaw are right. The kit's parents were slaughtered before her very eyes, and their dying wish was for us to take her in. If we hadn't beaten the fox, it would have killed the kit as well," he finished.
While Rabbitclaw was speaking, Sunstar's fur fluffed up and bristled at the mention of the kittypets, but once he got to the part about Willow and her parents, his fur lie flat and his gaze softened. "Poor little scrap," he murmured. "And where is this rescued kit?"
Rabbitclaw stepped away to reveal the trembling black and white shape behind him.
Sunstar loomed over her and mewed gently, "What is your name, kit?"
Willow stopped trembling and raised her head bravely. When she spoke, her meow was strong and clear. "My name's Willow."
Sunstar nodded. "And how old are you, dear?"
"I'm almost a quarter-moon-old, sir."
Sunstar nodded again and blinked thoughtfully. Suddenly, Rabbitclaw couldn't keep silent anymore. "Please let her stay!" he burst out. His leader gave him a look of bewilderment as he continued. "Flowertail can give her milk; she's been refusing to take the parsley to dry it up. She will act as her mother, and I her father. I promise that I'll- no, we will take care of her."
Sunstar blinked thoughtfully. He looked around at his Clanmates; the cats who were on Rabbitclaw's patrol nodded eagerly, and the cats who were with Sunstar just shrugged.
"Fine," he mewed at last. "We will go back home and consult with the Clan first, though. I refuse to make any decision without their input."
Rabbitclaw nodded; that sounded fair. I just hope they'll accept her, he thought to himself.
"If our Clan agrees," Sunstar went on. "She will join the Clan with a new name. I will decide what name only after I have consulted my entire Clan."
– *WindClan Camp*
"What do you mean she's a kittypet?" some cat from the back of the crowd called out.
Rabbitclaw had just finished telling the story – with help from his patrol – and turned to glare at into the crowd of cats. He saw that it had been Raggedeye, one of the Clan elders.
"Yes," agreed another elder, Petalstride. "We aren't ThunderClan, whose kin are kittypets. Involving ourselves with kittypets is also against the Code."
Rabbitclaw snarled. "I am a descendant of Crowfeather, who mated with a kit of Firestar the kittypet-turned-apprentice who became leader, who had kits, and so on. Are you telling me that just because my kin used to be kittypets, that I'm not fit to be your Clanmate, let alone your deputy?"
Petalstride and Raggedeye murmured something he didn't catch before going silent.
He then felt a tail tip on his shoulder.
"Easy," Sunstar murmured. "No cat is doubting your loyalty."
"Yes, that's true," meowed a black and grey she-cat with blue eyes. "But this kit came directly from Twolegplace, and you're Clanborn, Rabbitclaw."
Sunstar nodded. "That's very good input, Swiftear."
Willow came from Twolegplace, just like Firestar, hare-brains, thought Rabbitclaw resentfully.
"I agree with Raggedeye," Rosethorn meowed defiantly. She was a pink-ish she-cat with a temper and an attitude. Raggedeye and Petalstride were her parents. "We're not ThunderClan, a Clan of kittypets."
"Well, I agree with Rabbitclaw," another elder, Badgerleap, meowed, glaring at the younger cat. He was a white tom with one long black stripe and grey eyes. He was also Rabbitclaw's father.
Rosethorn muttered something mutinous before looking away and going quiet.
Rabbitclaw found himself snarling again. "If we hadn't rescued this kit," he snapped. "She would've been shredded along with her mother and father. Did I mention she watched her only family die before her eyes? She was hiding, but also watching."
That stunned the Clan into silence. His patrol glanced around with shining eyes.
"Sunstar, may I speak?" meowed a new voice.
Rabbitclaw and the rest of the Clan turned to see a black fluffy she-cat with green eyes padding up.
The WindClan leader dipped his head to his medicine cat. "Of course, Leafstem."
Yes! thought Rabbitclaw excitedly. Leafstem is my friend. Surely she understands?
"First of all," she began. "I'd like to point out the obvious fact that none of us are getting any younger." Some cats giggled at that. "The idea of new kits is always good," she pressed on. "New kits mean young blood and new warriors, which makes a stronger WindClan." Almost all of the cats in the camp seemed to start to be convinced by their medicine cat. "Also, Flowertail and Rabbitclaw recently lost their son, Seerkit."
Rabbitclaw and the Clan respectfully bowed their heads briefly.
"Flowertail has already prepared herself to take care of this little she-cat, along with Rabbitclaw. They have agreed to act as her parents. If you ask me, we'd be rabbit-brained not to let her stay."
Leafstem finished with a closing snap of her jaws. The whole Clan yowled in agreement, evem the cats who were reluctant before.
"We must let her stay!"
"Who doesn't love cute little kits?"
"And it'll make WindClan stronger!"
Rabbitclaw felt like he was bursting with joy when Sunstar waved his tail for silence.
"Then it's settled," he mewed. He leapt down from the Clanrock he had perched on after soothing Rabbitclaw and beckoned the black and white kit forward with his tail.
The tiny she-cat had been listening to everything with a scared expression. However, once she heard the Clan agree, she puffed out a sigh of relief.
Now that the Clan leader had summoned her forward, she padded up to him on trembling legs.
"This kit's before she came to us was Willow," Sunstar meowed.
Rabbitclaw heard a stifled gasp from somewhere in the clearing. He turned and saw Leafstem, her eyes huge as moons and her jaw hanging open. What's her problem? he thought. Is she having second thoughts?
Although he had questions, no other cat seemed to have noticed her tiny outburst; they were all focused on Sunstar and Willow. Maybe you should do the same, a tiny conscience-like voice whispered in his mind.
"And now," the WindClan leader continued. "This kit will be known as Willowkit."
"Willowkit! Willowkit! Willowkit!"
Rabbitclaw, Barkscratch, Redlily, Nightfur, Beepaw, and Shortpaw were the first to start the cheers.
The newly named Willowkit looked embarrassed as the rest of her new Clan joined in the cheering. She licked her chest fur, and, when she could make herself heard, meowed, "Thank you, all of you." Rabbitclaw could almost feel the shock in the air at the courage and wisdom in the tiny kit's voice.
"I am honored and proud to be accepted into WindClan." She turned and dipped her head to Sunstar. "Thank you for keeping the first part of my name the name my parents gave to me, sir. I'm sure they're proud and happy for me in StarClan."
Rabbitclaw blinked. He hadn't exactly expected her to remember that. Shocked murmurs ran throughout the Clan at the mention of StarClan while Sunstar reminded Willow that she didn't have to call him or any other cat 'sir' or 'ma'am' in the Clans.
But the deed was done, and Willowkit was padding over to him.
"Are you hungry, dear?" he asked.
"Yes!" she squeaked, sounding more like a quarter-moon-old kit again. "I want milk, please!"
Many of the cats who overheard purred in amusement. Rabbitclaw herded Willowkit towards the nursery with his tail.
"Here she is," he mewed to Flowertail when they arrived.
"Oh, she's perfect!" his mate exclaimed. "Here, Willowkit." She pushed the small kit towards her belly with a paw. "You must be hungry and exhausted after that long walk from Twolegplace."
Rabbitclaw purred and nuzzled his mate. "StarClan has blessed us with another kit," he murmured.
"Yes," agreed Flowertail. "I'm so happy I get to be a mother after all. And you a father," she added.
The proud new parents purred together as they watched their new kit suckle.
– *Outside the Medicine Den; WindClan Camp*
"Isn't it great, Leafstem?" Wingedpaw chattered excitedly. "Willowkit gets to stay with us!"
"Yes," Leafstem murmured back, eyes still huge as moons.
Wingedpaw continued to chatter, but her voice sounded echo-like and far away to the medicine cat's ears.
The Willow… The Willow… The Willow… kept ringing in Leafstem's head.
Yes. Thank you, StarClan, for the sign, she thought. The Willow has come…
End.