Snowfur was curled around her only kit when Bluefur came barging into the nursery. The moon was still high, but the kits had fallen asleep a while ago and Snowfur flicked her tail crossly at the interruption.
"I need to speak with you." Bluefur whispered her blue eyes flashing in the light of the moon. Snowfur licked the top of Whitekit's head, before slowly getting up and following her sister out of the nursery.
The two sat on the edge of the clearing, Snowfur looking at Bluefur expectantly. "I know you've been mad at me since the day we ran into that ShadowClan patrol." Bluefur started, making Snowfur stare at her confused.
"I haven't been mad, Bluefur, I've been busy. Taking care of a kit is full-time work." She patiently explained, not expecting her sister to understand seeing how she had made it clear she was quite against the idea of having kits so young.
Bluefur seemed flustered, as if she wasn't expecting that response. "Well... I'd also like a bigger role in Whitekit's life. I'm his kin and I never spend any time with him."
Snowfur faked a cough to cover up the scoff that tried to escape. And who's fault is that? Bluefur had been avoiding the nursery as if all the queens had come down with greencough. Snowfur wasn't sure why, but she had decided it was none of her business. What her sister did with her spare-time was of no concern of Snowfur's. By the sounds of it, however, Bluefur had been spending the past half a moon moping around. She's been in one of her moods, once again.
"You're welcome to be as involved in his upbringing as you wish, that's completely up to you. I do know he misses you." Both cats turned to face the nursery. Even in the dark, Whitekit's fur could be spotted through the brambles.
Bluefur nodded respectfully, "thank you sister." She murmured brushing her tail down Snowfur's flank. Snowfur nodded back at her, before padding back into the nursery.
"I'm back my sweet kit." She whispered, curling around Whitekit.
"Look what I've learned!" Whitekit was scrambling away from Snowfur, the dawn light filtering in through the branches. He crouched on the den floor, his tail straight and his belly pressed on the soft earth in a perfect hunting crouch.
"That's great," Snowfur purred. "Who taught you that?"
"Lionheart," Whitekit mewed proudly. He blinked at her, and she felt her chest swell with pride as she saw her own blue eyes reflecting back at her. "Will you teach me some battle moves?"
"Maybe your father will."
Spottedkit was struggling out of Swiftbreeze's nest. The white splashes on her tortoiseshell pelt gleamed in the pale dawn. Whitekit scrambled over to her. "Do you want me to show you the hunter's crouch?" he mewed. She nodded and hunkered down while Whitekit steadied her tail. "You have to keep it really still," he muttered through the mouthful of fur.
"I'll always be envious of their endless energy," Snowfur mewed to Robinwing.
The small brown queen lifted her head. Frostkit and Brindlekit stirred against her belly with mews of protest. "I'm not excited for the coming days as these two start exploring more." She purred.
"They grow up so fast." Snowfur said, looking away from Whitekit to watch Frostkit and Brindlekit.
"Attack!" Whitekit gave a warning yowl and launched himself at Snowfur. His tiny claws pricked her pelt as he dangled from her fur. Growling like a badger, she stomped around the den, pretending to try to throw him off while he squealed with delight.
Fur scraped at the entrance.
"Thistleclaw!" Whitekit greeted his father with a happy mew as the tom squeezed into the nursery.
Thistleclaw looked over his son's head and purred a greeting to his mate.
"Young warrior," he said, facing his son, "are you ready to practice those battle moves I showed you?" He pushed his way out after his kit. "You never know when some mangy RiverClan fur ball is going to steal into camp.
Snowfur followed, her whiskers twitching. She wondered if Whitekit was still too young for battle training. "He might get hurt!" she protested.
Thistleclaw rubbed his muzzle against hers, "do you think I'd ever let our son get hurt?" With that, he turned back to Whitekit and urged him to rear up on his stubby hind legs. "Come on, my little warrior. See if you can duck this." He swiped a paw close to Whitekit's ear.
Snowfur purred, settling down in the dirt to watch the two practice. She was proud of her mate and her kit, and besides herself with happiness for her small family.
Snowfur gazed around camp, eyes narrowing as she saw Goosefeather whispering to Bluefur, the two of them looking with horror at Thistleclaw's game with Whitekit. How dare she think the crazy old medicine cat knows better than us. Was Goosefeather warning Bluefur about Thistleclaw? Did they seriously not trust her mate to be with their son?
She looked away, focusing again on Thistleclaw and Whitekit.
He was instructing Whitekit again. "Now when you dive, try twisting at the last moment." Whitekit attempted the move, he didn't quite get it, but even trained apprentices struggled with it. Thistleclaw congratulated him on the attempt and urged him to try again. They continued training until Sunstar walked over.
"Thistleclaw, I want you out hunting with Bluefur." Thistleclaw curled his lip in contempt, and a piece of Snowfur wished she could have the same reaction. Her sister had been acting more like a burden on the Clan than anything else lately, all because she thought Snowfur had been mad at her. It was good to hear though that she was agreeing to participate in Clan life now, after their talk last night.
"Why isn't Tawnyspots managing patrols?" Snowfur spoke up, while Whitekit started sniffing around, looking for something fun to do now that Thistleclaw wasn't training him anymore.
"He's sick, again." Sunstar said shortly, before turning to walk away.
Thistleclaw brushed against Snowfur. "I'll go hunt with Bluefur, keep an eye on our rambunctious little scamp. Him and Tigerkit seem to be quite the pair." Speaking of the two kits, they were wrestling in front of the nursery, little squeaks escaping from both of them. She purred, looking at them lovingly before touching noses with Thistleclaw.
"Have a good hunt, may StarClan light your path." Thistleclaw turned away, meeting Bluefur halfway to the camp entrance and the two uncomfortably walked out.
Snowfur looked back at her kit, trying not to worry about what Thistleclaw or Bluefur could possibly be saying to each other.
"It doesn't look good to be having a deputy get sick this much." Leopardfoot had padded up to Snowfur while she was lost in her thoughts and she mewed hello at the cat she'd grown up with.
"I know, I was just thinking how thin he was getting. This is what, his fourth? Fifth time? falling ill, that poor cat." Snowfur shook her head in sympathy.
"I wonder who Sunstar's going to elect to take his place," Leopardfoot sighed.
"Leopardfoot! You shouldn't say that!" Snowfur was shocked that she would imply that Tawnyspots may be getting closer to death, but a part of her couldn't help but wonder the same thing. Do I have a chance to take Tawnyspots place?