The snow shone a blinding white, and flakes clung to her whiskers. The sun was out, but there was no warmth. Luckily for them, they'd been born with their mother's thick, fluffy pelt, which is all that had prevented them from already turning into icicles.

"H-H-Heatherkit?" Shadekit's teeth were chattering, and his voice was high and scared. "I-I think I want to go home." His green eyes bore into hers.

"No!" Her voice was high-pitched and fearful. "We can't leave Mama, Shadekit! She might be hurt, or scared." Heatherkit's voice broke.

"Heatherkit? Shadekit?" The frantic voice of a black tabby tom echoed through the storm, barely audible over the howling of the wind.

"Dad?" Shadekit called back, and Heatherkit shushed him. He'd take them back to camp, and then Mama would be gone. Another tear froze to her face.

Shadekit shot her a look before yowling loudly. "Shadekit! Stop!" Heatherkit's voice was pleading, but he ignored her. Cloverfang, a mottled brown warrior, spotted them, leaping in and out of the snow. It was several mouse-lengths deep, and submerged his paws completely. The kits were nearly half under.

"Heatherkit. Shadekit." Cloverfang exhaled, his breath visible in the frigid air. Shadekit rushed to him, huddling against the tom's pelt. The brown warrior bent his head down. "You're okay. You're okay."

Heatherkit stood defiant in the snow. She wasn't leaving. "Heatherkit?" he murmured. "Come along. We're going home." He nudged her with the tip of his frostbitten nose. "No. We have to find her, or else she'll be gone." Heatherkit stepped away. "Your mum's a strong cat. She'll be fine. But I can't let you both freeze to death."

"No."

Heatherkit took off as fast as she could, leaving a trail of pawprints behind her. She heard a shout of protest as Cloverfang hoisted Shadekit up in his mouth, carrying him as he ran after her. There was no way she could outrun a full grown tom.

So she hid. The dark grey she-kit stepped into the trail of another cat, likely searching for her or her mother. She followed it a couple fox-lengths before burying herself in the bitterly cold snow. Every heartbeat felt like a season, and an eternity passed before she let herself emerge from the tortuous burrow.

Now stumbling, she continued on. Her steps were imprecise and her pelt was frosty, but she never stopped moving.

A fence bathed in white appeared in front of her, looking worn-out, like it might fall down any moment. She slipped between the boards. The scent was stronger now.

Two cats stood inside a Twoleg building painted red as a sunset. Her heart leaped as she recognized one of them. Mama was here. Another cat was beside her, a raven-furred tom with a white muzzle. Heatherkit frowned. She didn't recognize him.

"Heather-" Cloverfang had followed her. He began to call for her, but cut off as he noticed the clan cat in the barn. She hadn't noticed them yet. Slowly, he trudged through the snow.

"Roseflame?" he asked, voice weak. "What are you doing here?"

Her mouth fell open as she noticed them. "Heatherkit, Shadekit? Cloverfang?" A strange mix of expressions appeared on her face. "I… I'm… Sorry. I really am."

Heatherkit was confused. She sat next to her mother, happy to have warmth again. "Why are you sorry, Roseflame?" Cloverfang asked, a hint of aggression and anger in his voice. She dipped her head in shape. "I had to leave. Soon enough, everyone's going to realize they don't look anything like Wooltail. And if it comes out what I've done, that they're not full clan kits… I don't want them to have to live with my actions hanging over their heads." Roseflame sounded truly miserable. "You were going to leave us?" Shadekit meowed, stricken and betrayed. "So you're staying here, and living as a kittypet." Heatherkit's voice turned cold as the weather. "I…" Roseflame trailed off. The black tom she'd seen before emerged from the shadows behind her mother. "Rose? What's going on?" "Rose?" Cloverfang hissed. "You're giving up on your clan roots, to live like this?"

She bowed her head, a shadow falling on her. "I did. I'm sorry, Cloverfang. But I can't go back. And... I'm sorry kits. I still love you. I love you so, so much." A tear slid down her face, falling to the snow.

"No, you don't." Heatherkit was furious. How could her mother have done this to them? How could she be drop her clan, just like that? Everything she'd ever lived for, everything she'd ever know?

"Heatherkit-"

Anything else she said came too late. Hatred had built up inside of her, and her chest felt tight. Head pounding, the grey kitten ran.

No one followed.


Here's a bit of backstory to several characters. Sorry it's so late and short, I'd written it as an alt. chapter five so decided to put it in here. I've decided not to put out my other story until I have a least two chapters pre-written.

Syrupzap: Aww, thank you so much! Again, that means a lot. I'm really enjoying writing the other one, although I am a bit stuck on how to connect this story since I diverted a bit from my plan with ch. 4. Anyways, yeah, thanks!