Leafkit awoke from her solitary spot beside Sandstorm's flank. She silently waited for her mother to wake up; Sandstorm always wished to know where she was now and slipping away would cause her panic, as she had learned the first time she visited Cinderpelt after her sister's death.
She had been visiting Cinderpelt more and more recently, the pungent herbs with their many names calming her, giving her a focus. Besides, everyone said that the medicine den was the closest place to StarClan, and she wanted to talk to her sister. Over those three moons, she had learned a lot, helping Cinderpelt at every available opportunity. When Cinderpelt offered to make her the medicine cat apprentice in a moon, Leafkit didn't think twice about accepting.
Finally, Sandstorm opened one green eye, looking at her kit in adoration. "Good morning, Leafkit."
"Morning, Mom! I'm going to Cinderpelt's den."
Sandstorm chuckled. "Again? I'm surprised Cinderpelt hasn't just marched up to Firestar and told him to make you an apprentice now!"
"I can't wait for the ceremony! Do you think Squirrelkit would be happy?"
A mist appeared over Sandstorm's eyes before she replied. "Yes." She said, in a choked-up voice. "Your sister would be very happy."
"Alright! I'm going!" Leafkit said, in an attempt to break the tension.
"Grab some prey before you go there. Even almighty medicine cats need food." Sandstorm told her.
Leafkit walked out of the den, heading to the fresh-kill pile. While there, she picked up a mouse, quickly scarfing it down and rushing to the Medicine den. Cinderpelt purred in welcome as she settled down near her.
"Hi, Leafkit. I'm going to check on Speckletail – she's been complaining of aching bones recently. Can you sort these herbs I've just gathered? They're all relatively common."
"Of course, Cinderpelt!" she mewed, fixing her eyes on the herbs. Her unofficial mentor took a small bundle from one of the meticulously sorted piles, limping out of the den.
Leafkit began to sort the herbs, separating the dock and the marigold. She placed the stems into two piles and began to strip the flowers and leaves from the plants. Once done, she discarded the stems outside and sat in the rocky den, intently listening for any whispers of Squirrelkit, silently asking her sister to talk to her and assure her that she was fine in StarClan. There was only silence, maybe a tail brushing against her, but that could have as easily been the wind.
Cinderpelt came back in. "Her moss was damp and Thornclaw told me that Shrewpaw was on moss duty before storming off. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to be him right now."
Leafkit emphatically agreed, trying to forget the ghostly tail and the bare silence of the den.
"You're a good cat to help me out here, Leafkit. Most kits would've been running for moss balls instead of coming to help the medicine cat."
"I like it here. It's peaceful. Besides, Hollykit, Larchkit and Birchkit are too young to play yet."
"Okay, then." Cinderpelt chuckled. "Let's make travelling bundles; it's almost Whitepaw's turn to see the Moonstone."
Slash woke with her back to the brick. Ice lay dismissively on what she'd learned was the dumpster. He shot her a look and she scurried away from the alley to scavenge Ice's meal. While the job was boring, it was her favourite part of the day – at least she didn't have to inflict punishments like later on. She remembered the first time she'd done it, reluctantly – she had killed the cat. That next morning Ice had allowed her to hunt only for herself, but she couldn't eat.
She came back with a full bucket of chicken from the Twolegs' spot to eat. She grinned. Some Twolegs had spoilt kits who demanded something then didn't eat it. It would fill both of them. On the last turn away from the alley, she saw a skeletal blue-gray tabby grooming her two kits. On her passage, she curled them into herself.
"Don't w-worry, Slash. We weren't going to scavenge near the Twoleg's dining spot. W-we know the rules."
Slash stared at the emaciated cats. She didn't need the food as much as they did. Ice's fat stomach could handle a day with less as well.
"From the looks of it, you haven't been scavenging anywhere. Take this – you need it more than I do. I heard there was a large Twolegs' refuse pile near the yellow stone building – maybe you should try looking there."
"Thank you." The queen replied, gingerly taking the bucket from her jaws. She paused to make sure that this wasn't a test, then started to scarf down the chicken.
She probably hasn't eaten for days.
Slash padded off, tail held high. There was another Twoleg place that produced a lot, but the fish wasted from there was slimy.
But it was food, and food was desperately needed around these parts.
She came back to the alley with two haddock dangling from her jaws, as well as assorted fish heads.
"It'll do." Ice sniffed as he took one of the haddock and most of the fish heads.
No quarter-moon passed without punishment, and this was no exception. A golden tabby tom glared defiantly up at Ice, whose eyes were narrowed with hatred.
"So you've been stealing, have you?"
"I've only taken my fair share."
"You see, Bronze, nothing about you is fair. Have you not seen the rest of us? Perhaps you were providing for your kits as well, past the age of leaving?"
"N-no, Ice."
"That is true, you seem to be rather fat. You are a traitor to BloodClan. Because of your selfishness, you have denied other cats food."
"What about you? Don't think I don't see you and your lackeys sitting up there. Didn't you lose your brother because he was too overweight to dodge Rust's throat slit?"
"Never. Talk about my brother. Like that. Again. We are the rulers of BloodClan and have proven that through combat again."
"Sure, but the Clan cats could kick your sorry little tail."
"And you know about that how, sheltered kittypet?"
"Easy. They have rich prey there. Wasn't too hard to sneak over and get some in the greenleafs. Sometimes I even let it rot just to spite you."
"Glutton!" the BloodClan cats hissed, hunger amplifying their hatred.
Slash saw red. How dare he let prey rot when there were cats who starved? How dare he be so sheltered? She leapt at the cat. Before he could respond, she clawed him down the middle, using Scourge's move that Ice had taught her. There was an awful gurgling and then silence.
"Well done, Slash. I wasn't expecting you to have the guts to do it."