Fire and Shadows
Chapter 2
Goldenflower gasped as Fireheart burst through the nursery entrance with Graystripe, Cloudpaw, and Speckletail, the queen who had been guarding the nursery, at his heels.
"I tired to stop them!" Speckletail meowed angrily. "You can't just run in on a queen nursing her kits!" Brindleface, another queen who was in the nursery with her kits, nodded in agreement. "Really, what's gotten into you three?"
Fireheart ignored them. Instead, he hurriedly deposited the little bundle he had been carrying at Goldenflower's side. "Cloudpaw, go get Yellowfang," he ordered. His apprentice turned to obey at once, and dashed out of the nursery as quickly as he had come in. Turning back to the queen in front of him, he meowed urgently, "Goldenflower, can you take one more? We found the kit in the forest alone. He's starving!"
Goldenflower stretched her head to sniff the black kit. Curiosity prompted Speckletail to also came over to inspect the little creature. "Where did it come from? I've never smelled a scent like that on a cat," she meowed doubtfully. "We shouldn't do anything about it until we at least know where it came from!"
Fireheart held his breath. Goldenflower was the only queen still nursing her kits. If she didn't agree, the poor kit was doomed.
The queen looked up at Fireheart. "You're right, he is starving," she meowed. Looking back down at the pathetic little kit, she sighed. "How can I say no? I've still got plenty of milk, and he'll surely die if someone doesn't suckle him soon." With that, she reached over and nudged the kit to her side. The black kit paused, as if unsure of what to do. Then his nose touched a nipple and some milk flowed out. At once, he opened his mouth and started to suck eagerly. Goldenflower cocked her head, watching the kit, and her expression softened. Lowering her head, she started to lick him warmly.
Once again, Cloudpaw burst through the nursery entrance, this time with the medicine cat Yellowfang and her apprentice, Cinderpaw behind him. Speckletail muttered sometime about cats flooding the nursery, but made no move to leave. Apparently, she was more interested about the strange kit than she would let on.
"What's this Cloudpaw tells me about a kit from nowhere?" the old cat meowed. Without waiting for a reply, she came up next the Fireheart and leaned down to inspect the black kit. After a pause, she asked without looking up, "Where'd he get the scratch, do you know?"
Fireheart lowered his head sheepishly. "Let's just say we're lucky I was expecting a big warrior and not a kit," he replied.
Yellowfang snorted. "It's shallow. That's good. It won't cause any problems. But all the same, Cinderpaw, go get some of the herbs to disinfect a wound. And make sure you get the right one, or StarClan knows I skin you myself."
Cinderpaw nodded and hastily made her exit.
"Where'd you say you found him?" Yellowfang asked, turning her attention back to the suckling kit.
"Near the Twoleg boarder," Fireheart replied. "In a patch of shrubbery."
"Hmph. Well, I can't see anything too wrong with him, aside from the fact that he's starving. He should be okay, as long as he's suckled and kept warm. I'll keep an eye on him for a couple of days, in case he catches a cold. Who knows how long he's been alone. He's not nearly old enough to be separated from his mother. I guess the thing we need to do now is find out where he came from."
Cinderpaw returned with the herbs, and deposited them at Yellowfang's paws. The medicine cat glanced down and nodded in approval. "Now apply them. When you're done, go back to what you were doing before, sorting herbs. I'm going to talk to Bluestar. She needs to know about this. You," she looked pointedly at Fireheart. "Come with me." With that she trotted out of the cramped nursery. Fireheart bid a hasty farewell to the queens and the two apprentices, and hurried after the old she-cat. Graystripe followed his example and left with him. "I'll come too," he said when Fireheart looked at him questioningly.
They came to the entrance of the Clan leader's den. Yellowfang called a greeting, and, after Bluestar gave them permission to come in, they entered and settled themselves in the cave. Bluestar was sitting up, watching them expectantly.
"Bluestar," Yellowfang began after a nod of greeting. "Just now, two of our warriors," she nodded towards Fireheart and Graystripe, who were sitting side by side, "Found a strange kit in our territory. They brought it back, and Goldenflower's suckling it. The kit was found alone, and starving. As they say, we have no idea where it came from. The scent upon it is one I've never scented on a cat before."
Bluestar looked a bit surprised – which was to be expected. One does not find an abandoned kit everyday. Rising to her paws, she said, "Well, I must see this little kit before I say anything else." With that, she left. The others had no choice but to follow.
When they re-entered the nursery, Speckletail grumbled, "Great StarClan! Do you have every other cat in the Clan with you this time!"
Bluestar gave an amused purr. "Now Speckletail, I really must see this little kit for myself. We'll leave you in peace after that." Going up to Goldenflower, she bent down to sniff the kit, which had fallen asleep, full, warm, and content. After a few moments, she straightened and turned to Yellowfang. "You're right. It doesn't smell like any cat I've scented." She looked back at the peacefully sleeping kit, curled up against the queen and her own kits. "Goldenflower, will you take care of him?"
"Of course. He is such a sweet little kit," she purred. It seemed the kit had already won her affection.
"Well, then we shall keep him and raise him to be a ThunderClan warrior. We'll worry about his origins if and when the time comes," Bluestar decided. "Have you decided on a name, Goldenflower?"
The pale queen looked up. Carefully, she said, "Before he fell asleep, I teasing asked him what his name was, not expecting an answer. He's much too young to understand, I thought. But he looked up and mumbled one word before curling up falling asleep."
Fireheart's eyes widened in surprise, and Yellowfang meowed in a shocked voice, "Impossible! He's much too young…"
"What did he say? Was it his name?" Bluestar asked.
"Well, that's the thing; I have no idea what it meant. But he is such a sweet kit. I doubt he'll remember anything about his old life when he grows up. Perhaps he's just very intelligent," Goldenflower meowed, her voice getting a bit desperate at the end. She didn't want to give up her newly adopted kit. Fireheart couldn't help feeling troubled. If the kit remembered anything about the past, it could mean divided loyalties when he grew up, and that would not be a good thing. The warrior code clearly said a warrior must be loyal only to his Clan.
"What did he say?" Bluestar repeated her question calmly, every bit the leader the clan needed her to be.
Goldenflower hesitated, obviously unsure of what to do. If her answer was wrong, it could mean the kit being kicked out.
Bluestar saw her hesitation. "Goldenflower, I promise to give this kit a chance. He's young, and you're right; chances are that he'll forget whatever he remembers now when he gets older. But what he said could tell us where he came from."
Goldenflower still looked a bit unsure, but she had no choice but to obey her leader. Bending down, she gave the black kit a lick before locking gazes with Bluestar.
"When I asked him what his name was…he looked at me and replied…" she paused, before forcing herself to complete her sentence.
"…Yami."