"What was that?" Demanded Deadfoot, bursting into Tallstar's den. Tallstar, who was curled up in his nest, sighed.
"Not a word."
"No. No, you know what? We are going to have words " he glanced over his shoulder for any eavesdroppers, before crouching low, so that he was only a mouselength away from Tallstar's face. "I repeat; what" he hissed "was that?"
The leader's eyes narrowed. "I am Clan leader, don't forget, my word is law. And if I want to bring in an outsiders like Heatherstar did, then I can bring in outsiders. You forget yourself, Deadfoot."
"I forget myself?" Deadfoot repeated, incredulous. "You forgot about me. You never even thought to ask anyone before you decided to permanently bring a Kittypet into the Clan. Not even Heatherstar did that."
"And then" he said, cutting off his leader before he could even start speaking "you decided to just drop this on our Clanmates without any warning, scaring the kit-"
"Smokekit."
"- the kit, who now probably thinks we're a group of savages, baying at a helpless kit like that. Why didn't you send Tornear ahead on his own to explain things first? Or wait a couple of days after you made that announcement before bringing him in? Did you think this would be easy? Did you think they would just blindly accept this? Actually, better question" Deadfoot sucked in a huge breath "what, pray tell, the actual dung were you thinking?"
Tallstar didn't look like Deadfoot's mentor any longer, he looked like a kit who had just gotten a tongue lashing from his mother. "Smokekit's father, Jake" he admitted "we, uh, knew eachother back when I had left the Clan, before I became a leader. He approached me, asking me to take his son in. He didn't have anywhere else to go."
The deputy bristled, angry. Didn't have anywhere else to go? He thought. Is that what qualifies for Windclan these days?
"Deadfoot" he raised his head to meet his deputies gaze "Smokekit belongs in Windclan."
Deadfoot froze, staring down at the tom. Surely, he couldn't be suggesting. . ? Except he had already heard from Runningpaw what happened at the border, chattering excitedly about the ginger tom and his kit. A kit who looked nothing like him.
He swallowed " . .oh." This, this actually made a lot of sense, in a weird way. "Does he-uh, know about his parentage?" He asked, awkward.
Tallstar looked contemplative. "I'm not sure" he told him "Jake never told me if he knew who his father was, but I'm not sure how to bring it up" his voice dropped to a whisper "he thinks he abandoned him."
Okay, right.
"In that case, he does have a right to be here" he said faintly, pulling himself to his three good legs. "Do you want me to, uh, tell the Clan?" He asked, tail flicking towards the entrance. It would make things easier for the kit if other cats knew he had a right to be here, and as funny as it would be to see Tallstar tell them exactly who the kits parentage was, he wasn't a complete ass.
"Of course, just" the leader grimaced "just be sure to leave some details out, alright?"
Leaving the den, Deadfoot squinted in the direction of the nursery, looking for the short black and white coat of the kit, and comparing it to Tallstar's short black and white coat.
Tallstar has a son.
Okay.
Ha.
Haha.
Hahahahahahahaha .
Fox-dung.
Smokekit awoke to the feeling of little paws pressing into his sides, kneading his fur. Jerking back, he glared sleepily across at the grey and white kit. The effect was ruined somewhat by how Waspkit's eyes were still sealed shut, but it made him feel better.
"Ah! You're up, good" Ashfoot leaped to her paws, startling her kits. Crouching down to soothe them, she nonetheless addressed Smokekit when she said "we should probably head back out there, shouldn't we?"
Smokekit stared at the entrance way to the nursery, which showed a sliver of camp life. The sun shining through it made it seem warm and welcoming, but it had Smokekit flittering nervously from paw to paw. Sensing this, Ashfoot looked up.
"Well you can't stay here forever" she said, brusquely "it's best if you got to meet your new Clanmates as soon as possible after all."
"Can't I stay here with you guys?" Smokekit whined as he watched the kits flop about.
Morningflower looked sympathetic but Ashfoot just looked stern. "Absolutely not. You can't just avoid the cats you'll be spending the rest of your life with. Now march."
Rest of your life with , Smokekit thought with a shudder as he dutifully plodded outside, blinking in the harsh sunlight of the morning. The weather was far better than it was yesterday, with the clouds and the rain seemingly vanishing overnight. The wind was still deafening, however, howling along to it's own tune, kicking up sand as it did.
The Clan cats- the other cats didn't seem that affected by it, calling out cheerful greetings as they went about their day. A couple had only just entered the camp, and were carrying rabbits in their jaws like kits, placing them down in a pile that other cats chose from.
Smokekit's mouth watered at the smell, warm and moist and unlike the food he usually got at Mama's, with it's dry pellets that made him ache for water.
"Oh, I'm sorry" Ashfoot's voice startled him as she made her way towards him. "I forgot to get you anything last night. When was the last time you ate?"
The fact that Smokekit had to think about it was concerning. He and- and Jake hadn't been able to eat because Jake had wasted time and Bone came out and Jake made them leave-
His claws dug into the soft sand.
"Yesterday morning" he meowed at last, aware that Ashfoot was expecting some sort of answer. The grey she-cat sucked in a breath, and then strode towards the pile of prey, leaving Smokekit to scramble after her. Carefully she scanned the prey, before leaning in and picking up a small bird, placing it at Smokekit's paws.
"There" she said, satisfied "a shrew for you."
Smokekit looked between her and the carcass, but she just gave an encouraging flick of her tail. Leaning in, he carefully took a bite of the shrew's breast, letting out a muffled noise of amazement at the taste, fresh in ways the meat at the Housefolk Place had never been, and singing with flavour.
"What is he doing?"
The young voice had Smokekit swallow nervously, looking around. A white she-cat, almost as small as he was, was looking at him with revulsion in her green eyes, fur spiked along her spine."The Warrior Code says not to waste food!"
Ashfoot narrowed her eyes at the younger cat. "He's eating it, not wasting it."
"He's a Kittypet " she said slowly, like Ashfoot was particularly slow.
Smokekit was lost, and glanced around the Clan anxiously. Most cats were ignoring them, but there were a few that were watching the proceedings, either with approval or distaste. One, a brown tabby, leaped to his paws, expression severe "Whitepaw!" He hissed, displeased. "You do not act like that, especially not in front of senior Warriors!"
He shot an apologetic look at Ashfoot, who just bowed her head. "It's quite all right, Onewhisker" she said stiffly " I'm not the one she needs to apologise to."
Whitepaw jolted when Onewhisker rounded on her once more. "She's right" he said "apologise to Smokekit this instant ."
"But he's"
"He's a Clan cat, and a Clanmate and a kit" Onewhisker snapped "who just so happened to be minding his own business- something I think everyone should learn-" he directed at the spectators, who suddenly found better things to be doing "only to be set upon by a kit."
Whitepaw finally seemed aware of just how much trouble she was in, green eyes round as she twitched on the spot. "Uh" she meowed uncertainly.
"Honestly, it's bad enough Kittypets seem to think we're savage creatures, we don't need to encourage the idea" Onewhisker huffed. "Apologise."
The young she-cat grit her teeth "I'm . . sorry, Smokekit" she said, in the most insinscere tone of voice ever. Smokekit, used to that kind of false apology, just shrugged and accepted it.
Onewhisker, on the other paw, frowned at her "don't you have someplace you need to be?" He asked.
"Oh, yes, of course!" Grateful for the out, Whitepaw scrambled away, though not before shooting Smokekit a baleful look as if this were somehow his fault.
Smokekit looked down at the half-eaten shrew, feeling suddenly unsure. Picking up on this, Onewhisker sat down, nodding towards the prey "go on then, it's yours" he shot a dark look over his shoulder at Whitepaw "I'm so sorry about her, by the way. I wish I could say our other Clanmates will be more mature-"
"But you'd be lying" Ashfoot finished with a sigh. Onewhisker nodded along. "Honestly, I don't know why so many cats are against outsiders joining us" she complained "it's not as if it's against the Warrior Code." Onewhisker's tail flicked in agreement.
Smokekit glanced between the two, but neither elaborated. "What's the Warrior Code?" He questioned, and the two older cats jumped, as if just remembering said outsider was in their vicinity.
"The Warrior Code" Onewhisker began solemnly "is a code that all cats, Warriors or Medicine Cats- those are the healers, like Hawkheart and Barkface-" his tail flicked towards two toms sunbathing on the other side of the hollow "-must follow. Breaking the Code can result in punishment."
"Punishment?" Smokekit echoed as he took another bite of the shrew. "What kind of punishment?"
Ashfoot shrugged "depends" she said thoughtfully "on which part of the Code was broken, the reason for it, and, of course the clan."
"Shadowclan is the worst" Onewhisker confided "which is odd, because they're the ones who break the Code the most often. They're the ones who usually end up exiling or blinding a cat."
"Blinding!?" Smokekit coughed, choking on a piece of shrew. Ashfoot scooched forwards worriedly, but he managed to get himself back under control in time to say "what?!"
Onewhisker met Ashfoot glare sheepishly. "Way to scar him for life" she muttered, then turned back to Smokekit "that usually only happens when a cat has done something awful, like repeatedly breaking the Code."
"Has Windclan ever blinded a cat?" Smokekit asked, afraid of the answer.
In response, the two older cats dropped their gazes, staring at the sand under their paws. Smokekit felt his heart sink. Oh no.
"We're not Thunderclan" Ashfoot meowed at last, lifting her eyes to meet Smokekit's without fear. "We do not give our cats light sentences for doing awful things."
"To answer your question; yes we have done it, but it hasn't happened while I have been alive. I hope it never has to happen while you are."
The mood dampened, and Smokekit's appetite spoiled, he stared down at the bird at his paws, trying to think. The idea that the Clan Cats would do this, would be willing to do this, was unfathomable to him. "Why would you do that?" His voice was as tiny as his old name.
Ashfoot and Onewhisker exchanged looks; clearly they hadn't been expecting to have a discussion about morals with a kit. "Sometimes" Onewhisker spoke slowly, carefully "sometimes there are cats who are dangerous, who kill other cats. And those cats have to go. But those cats may come back and try to hurt us, as revenge. We don't kill Code Breakers, unless they have done something very, very, very bad, so instead we blind them."
"It's for safety" Ashfoot meowed, serious.
Smokekit tried to wrap his head around it, how cats that apparently fought eachother would nonetheless turn on one of their own Clanmates if they found out they had killed someone. That they would blind them.
It was awful .
Yet, he could understand why it needed to be done. Did that make him awful? He didn't think so anyway, but the idea of exiling murderers, that was an idea he liked.
Is that what could be done to Tigerpaw?
Now there was a thought. Quite a nice one actually. He imagined Tigerpaw being cast out, forced to live out his days as a Kittypet, the thing he despises the most. His paws tingled with excitement at the idea.
For all his nightmares about Tigerpaw, he had never once considered that revenge may be an option.
If he became a Warrior, he would have to face Tigerpaw one day. He would be better, be stronger, he would beat his tormentor. Tigerpaw would never forget him.
It was if Smokekit was alone in a clearing, with the only two things in the vicinity Tigerpaw and payback. He felt sharp, clear, like he had been living in an area smelling of smoke and fumes and just breathed in his first breath of fresh air.
Not, he thought, an inaccurate analogy.
He surprised the two warriors by straightening up, and fixating them both with his clear eyes. He had been told before, by his siblings, just how unsettling his ice-blue eyes were, but even with the two older cats shifting uncomfortably beneath them, he could not care less.
"Tell me" he ordered "everything about the Warrior Code."
"He's what?!" Hareflight hissed, eyes round. Doespring, sitting beside him, was much less shocked, and seemed more thoughtful than anything.
"It makes sense" she said earnestly "why else would he allow a strange kit into the clan? Unless he actually belonged in Windclan."
"Belonged?!" Aspenfall rounded on her immediately, claws unsheathed. "He's a Kittypet! Tallstar fell in love with a Kittypet!"
Webpaw, who was lucky enough to be sitting near the group when Deadfoot told them, looked between the warriors, eyes wide. "Is Tallstar going to be punished?" He asked, hesitant. "For breaking the Code?"
There was a pause as all the warriors stopped to think about that. Mudclaw, Webpaw's mentor, shifted awkwardly, obviously uncomfortable with the idea. "I don't . . think so" he said tentatively. "And even if he was supposed to be, who's going to punish him, the Medicine Cats?"
They all glanced at the two toms, lazing about in the sun together. Hawkheart didn't seem aware of the conversation, but Barkface stared at them with such an annoyed expression that they all looked away like guilty kits.
"It's not like having a Kittypet for a mate is against the Warrior Code" Hickorynose pointed out "it says you can't take a mate from other clans. The only thing about Kittypets is that you can't become one."
"Besides" Lilywhisker added as she dragged herself over to the conversation "Tallstar wasn't even a Clan cat when he met that tom. He announced he was leaving Windclan to become a rogue, and may never return. I don't think we can punish him for breaking the Warrior Code when he wasn't a warrior anymore."
Everyone blinked at the reminder of the time their fearless leader hadn't even been a Clan cat.
Webpaw looked across the hollow as Whitepaw strode up, looking embarrassed but angry. "Fluffhead kit thinks he's all that!" She hissed, sliding into place next to her friend. "Look at him, eating our food! He's fed well enough as it is!"
Peeking across at the kit, who was sitting completely straight, hanging onto every word that Onewhisker and Ashfoot were saying, Webpaw could clearly see what she meant. While scrawny, his coat was glossy and scar free. He scoffed "looks like he could stand to lose a few meals" he muttered, eyeing the kit's stomach, much rounder than a Clan cat's, kit or not.
There was a general mummer of agreement, though the elders looked annoyed. "He's not the first outsider the Clan has let in, you know" Lilywhisker commented.
"Those were rogues " Aspenfall said, as if that were explanation enough "they knew how to hunt, and could actually help the Clan. Having an extra mouth to feed does nothing for us!"
"The same could be said for any kit ever born" Hickorynose muttered, tail twitching "it's not until they become apprentices that they will be able to help our Clan. Give him time to learn."
Something in Webpaw flinched at the idea of sharing a den with a Kittypet. Judging by Whitepaw's disgusted expression, she clearly felt the same way.
"Kittypets" he muttered, too low for anyone else to hear, and she flicked her tail in agreement.
"Okay, I understand most of what you're saying here, but why aren't Medicine Cats allowed to have kits?"
Onewhisker paused in his explanation. "I already explained this to you!" He protested "weren't you listening?"
"No, I heard the story; Moth Flight was stressed and one of her kits almost drowned, but how did it go from that to no Medicine Cat is allowed to have kits ever? " Smokekit wasn't sure if he was offending them or not, but he decided to push on anyways "I mean, it was an accident that could have happened to anyone. Why did they go straight to that?"
"I-" Ashfoot started, but Smokekit barrelled on, still thinking.
"And warriors can have kits, but they're the ones fighting in battles and feeding the Clan, and you don't see them favouring their family." He nodded towards the fresh kill pile beside him.
Both Ashfoot and Onewhisker stared at him, eyes flat. "Spoken like a true Kittypet" Ashfoot said at last, an edge to her tone that wasn't there before. Startled, Smokekit blinked up at her. Oh, definitely offended them, then.
Onewhisker sighed, giving her a warning glance before addressing Smokekit "look, it's good that you're interested in the Code and all, but don't say those kinds of things. It's going to be hard enough for others to accept you, and you challenging our laws isn't the way to be welcomed. Got it?"
Awkwardly Smokekit nodded, internally chastising himself. Of course he couldn't just go in here and question this groups way of life.
(Yet a part of him noticed they never answered his question.)
Instead, he swapped to a -hopefully- safer question "if the Code is for Medicine Cats as well as warriors, then why is it called the Warrior Code?"
To his relief, Onewhisker just looked thoughtful. "I don't know" he said "the Code was originally for warriors, but then it expanded to include Medicine Cats as well. It should probably have a different name."
Then he shook out his fur and pushed himself to his paws "well, no use worrying about that now. The Medicine Cats- Starclan bless them, couldn't care less. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got an apprentice to train."
"Starclan?" Smokekit blinked.
"They're former Clan cats who died and now live in the night sky, watching over us all" Onewhisker called over his shoulder as he strode away.
He's insane, Smokekit realised . The last vestiges of his sanity have crumbled and drained away, leaving him with nothing but delusions.
Clearly it was all Whitepaw's fault.
He expected Ashfoot to be shaking her head in response to her obviously less than stable friend, but when he turns back to her, she just watched him for a moment before casually saying "he's not lying, you know. Our ancestors do live in the sky" oh so she's crazy too "they even give our leaders nine lives-they can die nine times."
. . . .
Well then.
What is he supposed to say to that?