Featherkit followed on behind the WindClan patrol, Darkpaw on her left side and Flamestreak on her right.
She glanced to the side, and she was glad that she was bigger than average as she didn't have to look up at Darkpaw.
"Do you think Morningstar will let me join?" she asked anxiously, and she was so nervous, yet at the same time, she couldn't help but feel a strange excitement coursing through her.
Darkpaw glanced at her, his expression bordering on serious, a frown taking its place on his face. "I actually don't know," he admitted, narrowing those pretty blue eyes of his. "Morningstar isn't exactly known for her generousity to rogue cats from ThunderClan, you know." Here, he glanced discreetly at Flamestreak, mewing, "Why is Flamestreak of all cats here, anyway? I heard that he's one of the fastest and swiftest hunters in ThunderClan."
"Flamestreak's my Father," Featherkit explained shortly, her eyes narrowing at the sight of the ginger-furred warrior. "And to be honest, I don't even know why I asked him to come with me."
"Trust?" her friend suggested. "Love, maybe?"
Featherkit barely refrained from scoffing. "I don't love him," she answered scathingly. "Nor do I trust him."
Unknown to her, Flamestreak was listening to every single word that was exchanged between the pair, but he didn't comment on his daughter's lack of love and trust in him. No, he simply remained silent.
"Is it because of how ThunderClan treated you?" Darkpaw looked sorrowful, and Featherkit hated it.
She hated pity, and she hated how her friend was so sad on her behalf.
"Quit being so sad for me," Featherkit told him softly. "I stopped crying about it moons ago."
"Why shouldn't I be sad on your behalf?" Darkpaw murmured, and she was struck by how intense his eyes were as he gazed at her.
"Because you shouldn't have to be," Featherkit whispered.
"But I can," the grey apprentice retorted.
And that was all there was to it.
Featherkit didn't bother replying, merely following after Sunheart's patrol.
Unknown to her, Flamestreak was watching the entire exchange, a sad, sweet smile on his lips.
. . .
Featherkit was, once again, born witness to the WindClan camp for the second time in her short life.
It hadn't changed at all since the last moon she had been there, either.
But the only places she could recognise was Morningstar's den and the nursery.
She watched in trepidation as Sunheart's patrol dispersed, cats going to unknown places.
Probably to sleep and rest, Featherkit thought.
She felt her heart sink when Sunheart turned to her, and it was then and there that she decided that she really didn't like this particular cat.
He was too unpredictable.
His eyes were hard and firm when they landed on her. "Hurry up," he finally mewed. "Else I'll you'll get left behind."
Featherkit glanced at Darkpaw, and when he only gave her an encouraging grin response, she felt a purr rumble in her throat.
"I'll see you soon?" she mewed, gazing at him with wide amber eyes.
Darkpaw smiled warmly, and he leaned closer, whispering, "Definitely."
Featherkit felt a strange heat engulf her face, and she smiled at him shyly.
"Hurry up!" Sunheart snapped impatiently.
Featherkit sighed, muttering an annoyed, "I'm coming."
From his place beside her, she boticed that her Father was unusually tense, and he looked as if he were about to pounce on a piece of prey with the way he was holding himself.
Strangely, Featherkit found herself mewing reassuringly, "It's going to be fine, Flamestreak. It's not as if we're about to be killed."
Flamestreak sighed. "You're wrong on every aspect, Featherkit," he answered wearily. "I'm not worried about being turned away. In fact, I'm ready for it."
"Than what are you worried about?" she asked curiously.
That was when Flamestreak looked at her.
Like, really looked at her.
His green eyes burned like flames, and Featherkit unconciously shrunk back from their intensity.
"Morningstar," he answered lowly.
Featherkit shot him a confused glance. "You're worried about Morningstar? I admit that Sunheart said that she hates any and all cats from ThunderClan, but it can't be that bad, can it?"
"I'm not obligated to answer that, Featherkit," Flamestreak mewed.
"Why not?" and Featherkit knew that she was whining, but she didn't particularly care at that moment.
"You don't need to know," her Father answered sharply, green eyes flashing.
Featherkit was surprised when she didn't feel the slightest bit of hurt. But it was to be expected, she guessed, since she didn't feel anything tremendous toward her Father. But she was a little miffed when he refused to tell her anything.
Let Flamestreal keep his secrets, then she thought, and she knew that her Father was entitled to him.
She would let this slide, but only because he was the only one in ThunderClan who had a visible effort of defending her from their Clanmates' nsults and ready scorn.
Before Featherkit knew it, they were at the entrance to Morningstar's den, and she swallowed a lump in her throat the she hadn't known was there.
"Morningstar!" Sunheart called, and he turned to glance at them, his amber eyes cold and unfriendly.
There was silence for several, long, tense moments, in which Featherkit felt the nerves bubble in her stomach.
But soon enough, there was a slight noise from inside before Morningstar herself stuck her head outside, her amber eyes narrowing to the point of slits at the two seemingly unfamiliar cats in her Clan.
Then, in a voice colder than ice, she mewed, "Flamestreak."
Featherkit felt a shudder rip through her at the tense, cold atmosphere. Morningstar and Flamestreak were glaring bloody murder at each other, and if looks could kill, then Featherkit was sure that both cats would be dead a hundred times over.
Then, as if Morningstar finally noticed her, she said, "And just what is the same kit from a moon ago doing back in my camp? I agreed to letting you stay here for the night, but I don't what you're doing back."
Swallowing, Featherkit took a step foreward, sick fear and nerves rearing its course on her. "I-I want to join WindClan," she mewed firmly.
Morningstar's eyes widened in surprise, and she leaned foreward, the same vast interest from the moon before showing itself on her face. "Oh? And what can you possibly offer WindClan what it doesn't already have?"
"I'm... I'm a fast runner," Featherkit mewed, bristling when Morningstar gazed at her twisted and smaller than normal paws in disbelief. "Look!" she snapped, amber eyes flashing. "I may not have the strongest body or the most perfect paws, but I promise you, I am fast."
"Tell me how you run on those paws of yours," Morningstar said bluntly.
Not even hesitating, Featherkit mewed, "I lift the twisted one in the air and run on three legs instead of four."
"Do it right now," Morningstar demanded.
Without bothering to reply, Featherkit did as the WindClan leader bid, and she ran to the nursery and back, uncaring to the various curious eyes on her form.
When she returned, she found Morningstar gazing at her in open astonishment.
But it faded away after a few moments, her face smoothing out to its previous cold mask.
"The kit wanting to join the Clan still doesn't explain why you're here!" she snarled, turning to face Flamestreak.
Featherkit noticed that her Father's face was in a similar state: lips curled into a snarl, form ready to pounce, and eyes colder than ice.
"I came with her," Flamestreak replied evenly. "In fact, Featherkit asked me to come."
"Well, you can leave!" Morningstar growled. "Leave and never come back!"
"If I leave," Flamestreak mewed suddenly, "then I'll be taking Featherkit with me. And I know that WindClan desperately needs more warriors. There's only the three apprentices and the two kits in the nursery, isn't that right?"
Morningstar growled low in her throat as Flamestreak added, "Admit it, Morningstar. You need us. And if I were leader, than l would let us join."
Morningstar glared at them, but a moment later, her face miraculously smoothed out.
"Very well," she said tonelessly. "You have a moon to prove your worth to this Clan. If you haven't proved yourself to my satisfaction when the time is up, then you can leave and never come back."