Ah hahaha, sorry people. Due to a combination of homework, birthdays, distractions, procrastanation, tests and plays have I been unable to finish this stupid chapter. I really sort of hate it know, but deep down I'm happy with it. It was actually going have more in it, but then I spent more time then I inteded to in the nursery, so I had to cut it off.
If you need a recap or something, Luna and Day were brought to the UnderClan nursery to rest and get away from everything they'd gone through that day while their sister, still close to death, sleeps in the medicine den. Meanwhile, Tigerpaw wants nothing more to just be alone and grieve, but also for Day to pull through a live as he did.
UnderClan was my idea and all the characters are orginal and created by me. The Warriors idea and origins are all Erin Hunter. Thank you!
Reviews, rates, questions, comments and suggestions are AWESOME. Anyone who posts reviews, ratings, questions, comments and suggestions are AWESOME!
:.:LUNA:.:
I woke up from my nap claws unsheathed and ears perked up, twitching from side to side. Glancing to my left, Reed lazily waved his paw at my face. It seemed like he hadn't really been able to get comfortable and sleep either. Who could, after your mother leaves you, you come across a bleeding dead cat and your sister's sickness is heavy on your mind?
The older queen named Mags was still sound asleep, letting out little snores now and then. Her pale tabby fur looked strange against mine, and I couldn't help but wonder if she had grown up in this place, this camp. I'd noticed that Leopardpelt had had a distinct resemblence to some of the other cat's whoed been staring at us when we'd arrived here. But Mags' face looked a little more flat, her fur was more thick and sat in tuffs. Maybe she wasn't from here after all; maybe they actually had something in common.
"Luna." Reed's voice made me look back at him, and it looked like he'd shaken himself a bit more awake. "Don't you think we should check on--"
"They're awake, they're awake!" A loud mew made me flinch and I turned just in time to see a brown tabby tom kit bound toward us, his green eyes huge with excitement that seem to spread across his face. Two other kits joined him, a golden tabby tom and a white she-kit. They both stared at us, faces enthusastic. "I thought they'd never open their eyes! Where do you think they came from?" The white kit hissed to her brothers, tail flicking back and forth.
Reed, looking cross, let out a small snarl. The kits simply stared at him, mouths ajar, until movement came from behind them. A lithe gray she-cat shook her pelt, eyes still sleepy. "What is it that makes you three so noisy? Can't you see the newcomers want to be left alone?"
I recognized her as the queen who'd been asleep when we'd first come to the nursery. She must have been told by then, otherwise she wouldn't have known about us. I didn't remember her having three kits; but I did remember spotting a small gray tom with her. Plus, Mags had said that the other queen had kits who were only three moons old. I suddenly felt a great deal larger, and in that case, more bold. I then noticed he was there by her side, amber eyes peering calmly between Reed and I. There was something different about him, he looked more serene and mature than any of the others. I blinked as his gaze met mine, and I quickly looked away.
"But Mossgarden! They aren't from UnderClan!" The golden tom pouted, nuzzling his mother's leg.
"Can't we play with them?"
"I bet they have lots of stories to tell us! Did you fight badgers to get here?"
"That's quite enough." Mossgarden tucked the tom under her paw and motioned for the others to join her. I felt a pang of sadness hit me like a flaming arrow. Seeing the kits with their mother made me only think more of my own family, broken apart and in jeopardy.
"Hmm? What's all the fuss?" Mags heaved herself up, eyes half opened and glancing at Mossgarden. A thin smile spread across her face. "Ah, of course."
"My apoligies, Mags. My kits are awfully curious about . . . . them." The queen tipped her head to the side as if she couldn't think up the proper words to say. A prick of irritation ran through my fur. We're kits, not undersized rogues! Why are we so bad?
"Well I'm sure an introduction wouldn't hurt anyone." Mags mewed, her gaze now cool and collected. "Luna, Reed, did you want to introduce yourselves to Runningkit, Rushkit, Growlkit and Stonekit?"
"What's there to introduce?" Reed's mew surprised even me, it was bleakly curt and unfriendly. He wasn't usually like this; but he was probably taking it as hard as I was, if not worse. I came to wonder if he was still upset with me for giving up on Mother. But I pushed forward.
"I'm Luna, and this is my brother Reed. We just came to the forest--um--we have another sister too, her name is Day. You have a very nice . . . nursery." I mewed, embarssement suddenly creeping into my fur.
"Woooow." The brown tabby tom's eyes seemed to grow even bigger "Why'd you come to the forest?"
"Um, our Mother brought us here."
"What's her name? She has a name, right?"
"Evie," I felt like I'd been wacked in the face. "But we always just called her Mother."
I felt a gentle tail around my shoulder as Mags pulled me back. "Well now, I think those were plenty questions. But if you don't mind, I'd was wondering if you got enough sleep. It's a little different than sleeping out under the stars, isn't it?"
Yes it was different. It was no longer the same. Nothing was the same anymore, no matter how much I wished things would just go back in time. I was about to answer, but the bushes overhanging the entrance to the nursery were pushed open as the gray tabby tom, the same one Reed had jumped on in the Waterfall cave appeared.
"Um, Autumnstar wanted to see them. She said. . . she said it was important that they come as soon as possible." The tom stammered, not looking at me or my brother.
"Hey wait just a minute, what about our sister?" Reed demanded, fur standing on edge. "Is she okay? Is she alright?"
"Uh, um, I think so--" Tigerpaw stammered out nervously.
"But you don't know so! Why should we listen to anything you say if--"
"Reed! Quit it!" I gave my brother a rough, rough enough to get him to shut up for a moment, jab in the side. "If Day wasn't fine, I'm sure they would tell us!" I mewed, and then cleared my thoat before turning to Tigerpaw "Sorry about my brother, he just . . . slept on the wrong side of the nest." I said apolegetically. Reed let out a annoyed" Hey!"
Tigerpaw didn't say anything, but stood and looked embarrsed. Mossgarden was snuggling her kits close to her, looking appaled.
Mags blinked "Well--Tigerpaw, why don't you escort them there now?" Her eyes flickered to us quickly "You two will be fine. Then again, if your not comfertable leaving yet, no cat is forcing you."
I half expected Reed to begin mewing with protest, but he simply kept his eyes to the ground. Apparently this was my decision.
"Okay." I answered, voice as calm as I could get it to be as I looked at the gray tom "Lead the way."
He nodded vigerously, still not looking at us. Mags smiled and leaned down so that her head rested in between Reed and I.
"Autumnstar may be intimidating, but don't let her scare you. I wish the both of you and your sister the best of luck."
She moved her head away as I got to my paws, taking one last look at the cats behind me. Runningkit, Growkit and Rushkit waved at us as Mossgarden cuddled her other kit and Mags looked on with a sad, understanding look.
"Visit again soon! You'll have to tell me more stories next time!" Rushkit called as we left the nursery behind.
My eyes darted around; unlike Reed, who seemed to be focused on only up ahead. Few cats were in camp, but the ones who were eyes took notice of nothing but us. Some whispered to one another, while others seemed more awestruck. I made eye contact with a green eyed black tom, and quickly looked away, staring at my paws.
"So what does your leader want to talk to us about?" Reed spoke, tail flicking and swatting at the air.
"Um." Tigerpaw glanced over his shoulder "She didn't say."
After letting out a uncontent snort, Reed was silent. We continued to walk.
Once Tigerpaw came to a stop, I looked up to see an old looking tree over my head. Taking a second closer look, I realized it was hollow and scented of an UnderClan cat. "In here." The gray tom motioned with his paw for us to go ahead. Reed and I glanced at each other, locking eyes. His golden eyes suddenly teasing, Reed stepped back "Ladies first." He said smugly, ears flicking forward. I rolled my eyes and entered.
Light filtered through the holes in the tree and the enterence. I guess this was Autumnstar's den; otherwise why would we be brought here? I sudden felt nervous about meeting the leader of this clan. She was in charge of all these cats and what they did and how they survived. She must be somewhat of a bold cat. And intimidating, just like Mags said.
I felt Reed's fur brush mine as he made his way into the tree, and then Tigerpaw following him. Lifting my head, I saw what must be Autumnstar. She sat poised in the middle of the den, next to a bed of moss and the cat called Codwhisker. She looked certainly strong; and her long furred tortoiseshell pelt seemed to overtake her deputy's dark brown one. Her hazel eyes fell upon me and I suddenly felt like I was being analyzed, and felt even more nervous then I was before.
"So these are the two kits?" I heard her murmer to Codwhisker and he quickly gave a bobb of his head. She crossed her paws and returned to look at Reed and I, who had come to stand by my right.
"Luna . . . and Reed." Autumnstar adressed us by our names, perhaps to make us feel as equals. But there was something in her voice that clearly told us that she was the superior one. "You two have awfully experienced a lot for kits so young as yourselves. Exactly how old are you, by the way?"
"Five moons." I replied, holding her gaze with difficulty.
She nodded. "You'll be pleased to hear that your sister regained conciousness last night, and Whitecloud has been doing her best to keep her that way. I would have sent you there right away; but that isn't why I wanted to talk to you."
I almost didn't hear the rest of her words because inside I was exploding with joy. Day was going to be okay! The image of my little sister, up on her paws with her blue eyes playful and face bright again made me feel so much better. I wanted to rush to see her now, not wait to hear the rest of Autumnstar's questions, or whatever it was she wanted to talk to us about.
"Codwhisker told me about what happened. He told me that your mother abandoned you in our territory."
"That's not exactly what happened." Reed sprang to our mother's defense even quicker than I did.
"Oh?" Autumnstar's cool voice seemed to turn everything quiet. Her eyes studied Reed before blinking and returning to the present.
"Anyways; I would like a propsition to make. UnderClan is a clan made up of warriors who fight and defend it with their lives. But it is also made up of--you might have seen already--queens, elders, apprentices and kits . . . like yourself."
I didn't understand. The she-cat was clearly hinting at something, but narrowing my eyes I couldn't come to exactly pint point what.
"Since it seems you have no where else to go, UnderClan would like to offer you a home. You'd be accepted into the clan as kits, receiving your own warrior names if you'd like, and then when the time came, you'd be made apprentices, and then warriors. It's up to you."
A home. A place to stay, a place to live. The more I thought about it, I realized I'd never really had a home.
"If you make the choice that you don't think the clan life is for you, I understand. Some cats aren't the kind to commit themselves to this kind of a life. If you choose to leave, then, when your sister is well again, my warriors will escort you to the Twoleg place on the edge of our border, but you'll have to be on your own from there on."
Thoughts tumbling in my head, I exchanged glances with Reed. Slowly, as if he understood me, he nodded, and faced Autumnstar.
"We'd like to talk about it together before we make any choices. Alone."
"Of course. You two may take as long as you need." Autumnstar uncrossed her paws and her face looked what you might call satisfied.
"No. Not the two of us." Reed mewed, facing the UnderClan leader. "The three of us."
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I wanted to fit even more in there, but it was getting long x) Chapter Nine will be fine :D