Crowkit watched Morningflower with curiosity, walking towards the elders' den, calling thanks to Barkface. It was past sunhigh, and the orange sun was sinking. The scene made him sleepy. With nothing to entertain him, with Whitetail and Onewhisker gone on patrol and Ashfoot gently dozing, he had found entertainment from a passing elder, since he didn't want to go visit Barkface and fill his scent with yucky herbs. Staring, he realized the similarity between the elder and his mother.
Curiously he asked, "Isn't she your sister? If she is, why is she already an elder when you, her sister, is still a warrior? Did she get hurt or something like that?"
"She is," Ashfoot replied. "Retiring is a matter of choice, Crowkit. No cat forces the other to retire. Morningflower felt that she was falling more slow and sick that she decided she would no longer be a great use to her Clan. That was why she retired to the elders. Meanwhile, Onewhisker and I, didn't retire."
"You and Onewhisker are littermates?" Crowkit asked incredulously. "I never thought of that before! Wow. That's strange. Weird. Funny. Wow."
Ashfoot nodded. "Our mother was Wrenflight," she mewed slowly, "and she was the half-sister of our leader, Tallstar."
"So I'm related to him?" Crowkit asked. "Brilliant! But how am I related to Tallstar? And can I brag to the others?"
A smile appeared on his mother's face. "But then again, almost everyone is, I suppose. And for your first question, Crowkit, I have to say I have forgotten, just like you."
"Don't lie!" Crowkit protested, scratching the moss nest in frustration.
"Now, don't scratch the moss!" Ashfoot warned. "Or would you rather have the apprentices fetch moss when it wasn't necessary? Crowkit, if you do that again, I might tell the other kits or Morningflower to scratch their moss needlessly when you're apprenticed!"
Crowkit pouted.
"Well, if I remember correctly what Lilywhisker told me, after Tallstar's father had died, his mother had another litter, that included Wrenflight." Ashfoot purred. "That's my shortest version. Or should I say, my only version!"
"I'll brag about being related to Tallstar by my mother's mother!" Crowkit declared.
"I told you, Crowkit, practically everyone is. Our Clan is basically a big family. We're all related to each other." Ashfoot chided gently.
"Not other Clan cats." Crowkit pointed out.
"No. But half-Clan relationships happen, Crowkit." She frowned. "There was a cat named Windflight of ThunderClan, if I remember correctly what Lilywhisker told me. His father was from WindClan... so if his father was related to Tallstar, Windflight is, and if he had descendants, the whole of ThunderClan is your blood. That is what happens when you break the warrior code. You no longer have different blood. You mix and mix until you become the same."
"I'll always be loyal to my Clan," Crowkit vowed. "Not like that treacherous Windflight's-father-cat and many more! I promise, Ashfoot, I'll make you proud!"
Ashfoot purred. "You always will," she agreed. "But even if you don't, I'll always love you. You have simply made a mistake, if you've done that."
"That's not true. Maybe I have made a mistake, but I've broken the code." Crowkit mumbled. "And you can get exiled if you break the code, can't you?"
Ashfoot narrowed her eyes. "Did Whitetail scare you with those false stories?"
"No, Tornear."
"I'd better have a talk with him," Ashfoot sighed. Her gaze softened as it rested on her son again. "But Crowkit, you don't have to worry. I'll protect you till my very last breath. You can rely on me. I'll protect you... even if I have to die myself."
Shivering, Crowkit mewed, "But you won't need to risk that. I'll always be loyal." His mew became more defiant. "I'll be like Deadfoot." He meowed, pride rising in himself.
Ashfoot nodded. "Thank you." Her voice quivered. "You don't know how much this means to me. But Crowkit... you don't have to try it so much it's a burden to you. I want you to be happy."
"Yes! I'll be loyal and brave, serving my Clan forever." Crowkit chirped.
On a more lighter tone, Ashfoot mewed, "Soon, you'll be apprenticed, and you'll have a chance to show your loyalty and bravery to everyone, Crowkit."
"I'd love to!" Crowkit squealed. "Being an apprentice is going to be awesome! Whitetail always said being an apprentice was great, and that I was never going to be one! Now I soon will be! In one moon and a half, Ashfoot!"
"Apprenticeship is hard, especially looking after elders. They're so grumpy! Well, in my time, they were. But Morningflower's fine, Crowkit. But beware! By the time you're an apprentice, there might be grumpy elders!" She gave a small purr, and closed her eyes.
Sensing she was about to drift off to sleep, he slowly ventured to creep out of the nursery. Maybe! He couldn't go out of camp, but he could go around the camp!
He scrambled out, and skidded to a halt in front of Mudclaw. "Hi!" he squeaked.
Mudclaw regarded him. "Crowkit?" he asked.
"Yes!"
"Go back to the nursery, then. You're not Crowpaw yet, Crowkit, and kits aren't allowed to leave it." Mudclaw warned.
The name tempted Crowkit. "But..." He was about to tell the warrior that kits could roam outside the nursery, just not camp, when Mudclaw rather rudely interrupted him.
"You still have two moons left, don't you?"
"One and a half moons!" Crowkit corrected automatically. "Barkface is leaving for the Moonstone tonight. That's how I can assure you I'm correct!"
Mudclaw nodded. "Exactly. Go on, go to the nursery."
"But I can still go around camp." Crowkit protested quickly, before he could be sent away by the senior warrior and deputy.
Mudclaw shrugged. "It's not my fault if Ashfoot scolds you, Crowkit. After all, she's been fiercely protective of you since your father died." he replied, and stalked away.
Crowkit bristled, and fluffed out his dark-gray fur indignantly.
I don't want to be bossed around by him! But still. He has a point... and I'm sleepy!
When he returned to the nursery, Ashfoot was still sleeping. An angry and bitter thought crossed his mind. No one cares about me. Mudclaw was wrong. Ashfoot wouldn't care if I was gone. Oh, hey! Maybe I could sneak out of camp. But I'm tired. Hmm. Oh, yeah! Dawn. Dawn's when I'll sneak out.
These were one of the mood-changes and tantrums he had. Whitetail and Ashfoot had always tried to calm him down, while Tornear stared at him sternly. Now, without anyone to correct his thoughts, bitter thoughts grew on a whole new plan. Exploring.
Glancing around nervously as if some cat could pry out information for him, he scrambled into sleeping position, as if he had been there all this time.
Awoken by the movement, Ashfoot lifted her head. "Did you sleep too?" she asked sleepily.
See? She doesn't care! She didn't even know I was up! Crowkit thought.
"No." Crowkit moved his head away, closing his eyes wearily. He felt Ashfoot's gaze on him linger for a moment, and then move on. So she's not going to spend her time worrying. It's... it's fine. It's fine. But he couldn't help but feel slightly cross.
