Rain fell hard against the forest floor, the usual cover of leaves almost completely gone in the change of seasons. For a while, the drumming of the downpour and the occasional thunder clap were all that could be heard echoing through the shadowy woods. That was until the sound of mewling split through the air. Through the undergrowth, a lynx point queen stalked. A young kit was dangling from her jaws, fussing from the uncomfortable sensation of rain soaking its downy fur. The lone she-cat had traveled far beyond her territory, on a mission to bring her kitten to a set destination. There was a cat who lived within this forest who would be happy to meet it. Someone who would be better suited to care for this kit than she was.
Warily, the molly traveled through the moistened leaf litter, ears swiveling and alert to every sound. Her instincts were sharp, and her will to flee stronger. But the she-cat had to press on for the safety of this kit. The territory she was on was dangerous, owned by an enemy clan. And though she was exempt from rivalry, a warrior would not hesitate to pounce on her should they catch her prowling around without permission. The molly was well aware of the risk she was taking coming here, especially in the rain. And with a young kit no less. But she had to do this. She couldn't bare to keep this kitten any longer. It was too painful, too much of a reminder of the mistakes she had made.
A scent suddenly stopped the she-cat in her journey. She glanced at a row of blackthorn bushes ahead in the darkness, illuminated by a flash of lightning streaking across the late night sky. The smell was coming from just past them. It was one of familiarity, one the she-cat knew very well. Treeclan. She wondered how she was going to get inside the camp that lay just behind the thorny wall.
Before she could figure out a solution to her problem though, the she-cat first had to hide the kit. The lynx point molly turned around and walked away from the bushes in search of a hiding spot. Nearby, she could see a hollowed out a maple tree, the perfect size to store her precious cargo. Carefully, the molly approched and slipped her kit inside the hole, promising to return soon with a friend. The kit let out a tiny cry, its tiny body trembling. In response the molly purred, licking the kit a few times to help settle it down. Once it was quiet, she hurried to where she came from.
Back by the bushes, the she-cat began to walk around barrier, looking for the camp entrance. She came across an elm tree which reeked of clan scent. This had to be the way in. The tree's low branches made easy access for any skilled climber to come and go. But the she-cat wouldn't dare attempt to go through there. She was a terrible climber. And it wasn't like she could just walts into the heart of Treeclan unannounced. She would have to find another way to reach the cat she'd come to see.
Turning, the she-cat continued along the outside of the blackthorn barrier, thinking of a new solution to her problem. Maybe she could sneak in? Or perhaps it would be easier to find a guard and ask them to bring the cat she was looking for out?
Suddenly, a new smell met her nose a few paces onward, one even more familiar to her. Excitement flooded her senses and she carelessly rushed towards it. On the other side of the thinned out blackthorns she saw a familiar gray pelt. She hesitated a moment before meowing out for him.
"Wolfheart!"
At the sound of his name, the tom's attention turned barrier, eyes flashing green in the darkness. He stared for an extra moment before turning away, only to return a heartbeat later, gracefully leaping from a tree. He stood tall in front of the she-cat, head held high. His usual long flowing coat was soggy from the rain, clinging to his sides revealing him to be thinner than normal. Leaf-fall was coming to a close, giving way to a harsh Leafbare. It was clear to see the tom was already suffering from it.
"What are you doing here?" Wolfheart hissed, his voice harsh and low. The she-cat took a step closer to him. Her eyes were shining with hope.
"I need to show you something. Come with me," the molly insisted.
Wolfheart hesitated a moment as she began to walk off. The molly looked back at him, beckoning him with a wave of her plumed tail. In response, Wolfheart let out a soft sign then padded after her to the hollow tree. The she-cat poked her head back into the tree's trunk, retrieving her kit. Then she turned around and dropped it at Wolfheart's paws as gently as she could. Wolfheart blinked down at the tiny scrap in front of him, clearly confused.
"She's yours," the lynx-point molly told him, her voice monotone. Wolfheart bent down to sniff at the kit. He nudged her gently with his muzzle, causing her to stir. The kitten let out a tiny squeal, attempting to lift her head. She wiggled in Wolfheart's direction, seeking refuge once more from the rain. Sympathetically, he cupped the kit with his paw, guiding her and pressing her against his warm belly.
"Snowfrost, where have you been all this time?" He asked, temporarily ignoring the kit.
Snowfrost growled, averting his steady green gaze. For a moment, she was silent.
"...why do you care?"
"Because I still care about you," he responded, sitting down on the damp, leaf littered ground. "Don't you know about what's been going on for the past moon and a half?"
Snowfrost narrowed her eyes, lashing her tail, but she did not respond.
"I told Blazestar about our affair. I told my whole clan about it. I was made an apprentice again," Wolfheart meowed, his green eyes brimming with sadness.
"You're an apprentice..?" She gasped, her eyes snapping back to look at the tom with astonishment. Wolfheart shook his head.
"I was just made a warrior again yesterday. I went through so much humiliation. But I did it all for you, and our children. After the Warriorpaw ceremony, I left. I went to Grassclan to help you raise our kits. But when I got there, Whitestar told me you had gone. She said you were on a journey to reconnect with Starclan. But I know that had to have been a lie. Where did you go?"
Snowfrost lowered her ears, staring at Wolfheart for a moment before parting her jaws to speak. "I went to Twolegplace. I did what you told me to," she mewed softly. "Our kits are in the care of the Twolegs now. I realized you were right. It's for their own good. Our own good. I left to live in Twolegplace long enough to have the kits. But I couldn't bare to leave all of them." She stepped forward, nudging the kit closer to him.
"She reminded me a lot of you. I wanted her to meet her father." Snowfrost gave the little kit a few licks before stepping away. "Please, Wolfheart. Take her." She stared at the grey and white tom, blue eyes pleading. She didn't want to have to see this kit anymore, to look into her face and see her father. Snowfrost knew the kit would be better off in Treeclan, Starclan only knew how the rest of her litter was going to be treated. Wolfheart stared at Snowfrost only for a moment before glancing down at the kit.
"I'll take her," he finally decided. Snowfrost trilled, bumping her forehead against his in gratitude before stepping back again.
"Thank you. I know this kit will be in good paws," she sighed. "She is all yours now, Wolfheart, I won't interfere in her life. I know where my place is. I'm a medicine cat, not a mother..." Snowfrost glanced away. She wouldn't let Wolfheart see how much this decision upset her, despite how her heart ached.
"Regardless of whether or not you want to be a part of this kit's life, my clan would never allow you to be. And that's because of the mistakes we've made. So, if I can help it, the clan will never know that this kit wasn't Treeclan born at all." As if to prove his vow, Wolfheart bent his head down to groom the kit's fur backwards. In return the kit purred appreciatively, leaning into the warrior's warmth. A loving gaze glowed in the tom's pale green eyes, and Snowfrost looked reassured by the knowledge that Wolfheart would be an excellent father to their kit.
"It's almost morning, the warriors will be rousing soon. They won't take kindly to you wandering onto Treeclan territory," Wolfheart suddenly warned. Snowfrost's ears pricked, head tilting upward to look at the sky. On the horizon the very faintest amount of light began to shine from behind the thick gray storm clouds. Heaving another sigh, it seemed that Snowfrost realized it was time to say goodbye. She stepped up to Wolfheart, touching her nose to his. Wolfheart looked into her eyes as he stood back and picked up the kit. He allowed Snowfrost to come forward again to touch noses with her daughter for the last time. Snowfrost's eyes watered a little at the knowledge that though she may see this little bundle again someday-all grown up-the kit would never know her true origins. But Snowfrost knew it was for the best. She couldn't have this kit around to act as a perfect reminder of failed relationship. Nor did she want her to suffer the same fate her littermates would. Standing tall, Snowfrost turned around, stealing one last glance of two Treeclan cats before running off into the storm.
Holding his newly discovered daughter, Wolfheart jumped down from the Entrance Tree and headed straight for the nursery. He took one look up at the sky, noticing the clouds slowly beginning to dissipate before he started to slip between the parted roots which led to the den. Carefully he ducked his head beneath the low trunk of the tree, padding down the slope into the secluded shelter. Wolfheart paused for a moment to allow his eyes to adjust to the darkness. Then he weaved his way around numerous sleeping bodies, only setting once he came upon the resting form of his maye, Brightsky. He nudged her head with his muzzle, dropping the kit he'd been carrying gently in front of her. The kit let out a surprised squeak as it touched the soft moss, finally rousing the sleeping she-cat. Groggily Brightsky opened her eyes to be greeted with the sight of the strange, soggy, mewling kitten. Her ears perked as she looked down at the fluffy grey and white bundle at her paws.
"A kit...? Where did it come from?" Brightsky mewed quietly, so as not to wake any of the queens or kits who took up residence in the nursery with her.
"I found Snowfrost wandering in the woods. She brought the kit to me and said the others are at Twolegplace now. She wanted at least one of the litter to be clan raised," he responded softly. Brightsky turned her head to look at her mate, blue eyes glowing in the darkness, before turning her muzzle down towards the kitten.
"Such a shame. She's a very beautiful kit. Looks just like you, Wolfheart. Though it wouldn't be traditional, does she have a name?"
"No," the grey and white tom responded, flicking his tail. "I don't think she named any of them. She was probably afraid of growing attached. But, then again, I didn't ask..."
Brightsky let out a small "hmm," in reply. She leaned her head down more to groom the kitten who purred in response to her warm tongue rasping over her fluffy downy pelt. Slowly, the rain was licked off of her, her pelt becoming more fluffy as it dried. A calm silence overcame the nursery, only the sounds of purring and heavy rhythmic breathing could be made out in the inky blackness.
"So..." Wolfheart said, breaking the silence. "Will you raise her?" Brightsky paused grooming the kit to look up at him.
"Of course. I would never turn a kit in need away."
Gently she guided the little kitten over to her belly where she snuggled up between four other tiny bundles. The kit's eyelids bunched, as if trying to open and peer out at the world.
"She looks about ready to open her eyes," Brightsky noted, her tail-tip twitching slowly.
Wolfheart took notice of that too, nodding in agreement. He never asked how long it had been since Snowfrost kitted. But he knew it had to have been a few days ago, in order for her to be fit enough to travel back from Twolegplace.
"Maybe Snowfrost waited a while before deciding to bring her here."
"Maybe." Brightsky hummed, grooming the kit some more, willing her to fall asleep. It was easy to take notice of the size difference between the kittens laying in the nest. Brightsky's litter had only been born hours ago; their fur was still thin and sticky from their journey from the womb. While Snowfrost's kit had to have been born about three or four days before, with her coat already fluffy and her ears perking ever so slightly. Despite this, Wolfheart sighed and purred will relief, nuzzling Brightsky affectionately. He laid down next to his mate, watching his five sleepy kittens cuddle together againt Brightsky's white and black patched belly. Joy and love filled his heart, bringing him big hopes for their future.
"She fits in well. It's as if we never lost Silentkit in the first place," he mewed. Brightsky looked at Wolfheart, seriousness darkening her gaze.
"Though she was stillborn, I love my little Silentkit. This kit will never be able to replace the one we lost. But she does fill the nest quite nicely. I will love her just as I did Silentkit, and as I do my living kits. I will love her because she is yours, and because her mother cannot raise her. I will be her mama, and she will call no other as such." Pain laced the queen's voice as she talked about her dead kit then love replaced it as she turned her gaze down to her new daughter. Wolfheart purred louder, rasping his tongue over his mate's cheek.
"You are so compassionate. This is one of the many reasons why I love you."
"I know, you big fuzzball," Brightsky mewed playfully, nudging him with her chin. "You need to go get ready for the dawn patrol. I'm sure Thornberry is expecting you. Try to get some sleep after you get back." Wolfheart nodded and rose to his paws. He bent down to give each of his kittens a lick, then ran his tongue between Brightsky's ears affectionately. He padded carefully towards the mouth of the den, pausing momentary to watch his mate settle back down and fall asleep, before he slipped out of the nursery and into the new, warm light of dawn.
