Lightkit
Fawntail and Icekit had settled down into the nest with Olivekit and Icekit and fell quickly fell asleep. Soft breathing came from Nightwhisper, so Lightkit crawled out from Fawntail's nest and peered out of the den.
Rain still fell, but it wasn't as heavy as it was before. Anger stirred in his heart when he looked at Fawntail's sleeping form.
I'm checking on Aspenkit, even if you won't. He slid out of the den and padded to the medicine cat den. His nose was met with the sharp scent of herbs when he entered.
He found Aspenkit curled up and was softly breathing. The left side of her face was wrapped with cobwebs, but otherwise she seemed fine. He noticed her paws twitching and he leane down to lick her pelt.
"She'll be better in a half-moon, I suppose. She'll have a little difficulty in walking at first because she'll need to keep the cobwebs on for a bit."
Lightkit jumped. Brownfeather padded out from the shadows of the back of the den. She sat down beside him and flicked her tail.
"I'll help her. I promise." He vowed and looked up at the medicine cat. She nodded.
"I wouldn't doubt your word, Lightkit." She replied. Lightkit stared hard at his sister. You don't have to know about Fawntail.
"Is something bothering you?" Brownfeather asked him softly. Lightkit flicked his ears. If I tell her, then it'll make my mother look bad.
He shook his head no.
"I'm just worried about her." He mewed instead. Brownfeather looked at him as if he didn't believe him, but she then shook it off.
"She'll heal just fine. Now you need to get back to the nursery, your mother will wonder where you are if she wakes up." Brownfeather told him and got up.
She has Icekit now. She won't remember us.
"I don't think so. Is it ok if I stay the night beside Aspenkit?" He asked and looked at the medicine cat hopefully. Brownfeather narrowed her eyes but then sighed.
"All right. As long as you're quiet and let her rest." She meowed in farewell and turned to the back of the den. She flicked her tail at crevice in the wall.
"Here is some moss, you can make a nest." She said and curled up in her own nest. Lightkit quickly shaped the moss into a makeshift nest and lay down.
He didn't sleep at all that night. Instead, he watched his sister's flank rise and fall as she slept. Her face looked so peaceful, making him wonder what would have happened if Icekit never found her. Well, technically Sunpelt found her, but still.
The anger that he held against the new kit faded, but remained at his mother. When the dawn light began to show, Aspenkit stirred. Lightkit's eyes were beginning to droop but they snapped open when he heard her move.
She yawned with a loud mouth and slowly opened her eyes. She smiled when she saw him.
"Lightkit- ow!" She stopped mid-sentence and winced in pain after trying to get up.
"Careful, Aspenkit you'll be sore for a while." Brownfeather's voice sounded from her nest. The medicine cat "Walk slowly so your bandages won't fall off."
"For a few days at least." Brownfeather added when she saw the defiant glint in Aspenkit's eyes. Aspenkit rolled her eyes and slowly got up out of the nest. She took a few shaky pawsteps forward and quickly gained confidence.
"I'm going outside with Lightkit!" Aspenkit mewed, and Lightkit quickly followed her out of the den.
"You really should be careful, Aspenkit, I mean you were in pretty bad shape-" Aspenkit whirled around at him. A pained look shown in her eyes.
"Don't worry about me, I'm fine. Let's go see what Redpaw is up to." She limped off and Lightkit could tell she was faking that she was 'fine'. He shook his head.
"Aspenkit, were you following her? Is that how that happened?" He asked after her. Her tail drooped and she stopped limping.
"You have to let it go. You're not going to get anything out of her because she doesn't know anything. I don't want to lose my sister after useless information." Lightkit mewed despite being terrified of what he was saying. She's gonna hate me.
Aspenkit turned around with determination burning in her eyes. Wait, what?
"No, I'll find something out. Let's go see Fawntail before that then." She mewed and headed towards the nursery. But before they reached it, their mother appeared out of the mouth of the den. Olivekit and Icekit trailed behind her, the sun shining on their pelts.
"There you are, Lightkit! Where were you?" She asked with worry on her face. Lightkit frowned and flicked his tail at Aspenkit.
"I stayed up all night with her, making sure she didn't die." He spat, the anger of his own words surprising him. Even Aspenkit seemed shocked by his outburst.
"Lightkit, apologize to your mother." Kindlestrike was padding towards them. Thankfully there were hardly cats out in the camp to hear them and saved Lightkit from embarrassment.
"I'm sorry, mother." He mewed. Fawntail waved her tail and came up to him and softly licked his forehead.
"I know you were worried. So was I." She meowed and turned to Aspenkit and rasped her tongue over her pelt.
"How are you feeling?" She asked and sniffed at the cobwebs that hung around her face. Aspenkit sighed.
"Sore." She replied and sat down. Fawntail gave her a final lick and glanced at Kindlestrike.
"I was going to teach the kits how to get up and down the camp wall today. They're nearly six moons old. Except you should probably not overdo yourself, Aspenkit. You can watch." Fawntail meowed. Kindlestrike nodded.
"How about Icekit?" Lightkit looked at their adopted sister. She stared back at him with dark eyes that seemed to peer deep in him.
"If she is going to stay here, she may as well learn." Kindlestrike said with a flick of his tail, and he walked away. Lightkit felt a tension in the air, but followed his mother after giving Aspenkit an apologetic look.
Icekit
There was obvious anger behind Lightkit's eyes. Icekit didn't want to be stuck in the place with strangers, but she also didn't know how to get back home.
She missed Robin dearly as she curled up beside Fawntail. The night passed quickly and Icekit woke when Olivekit got out of the nest. Icekit opened her eyes and blinked wearily.
"Olivekit, you should try being more quiet- oh, good morning Icekit. Did you sleep well?" Fawntail asked her when she noticed that she was awake. Icekit nodded in response and jumped out of the nest when Fawntail rose.
"Where's Lightkit?" She mewed with worry in her voice. Icekit flattened her ears; she couldn't care less about the kit that disliked her. Olivekit shrugged.
"I think he left earlier, he's probably with Aspenkit now." Icekit heard the indifference in the pale tan she-cat's voice. She narrowed her eyes and glanced at Fawntail's face.
The queen looked ruffled and left the den without a word. Olivekit huffed and followed her mother into the camp. Icekit trailed after them and saw Lightkit and Aspenkit standing across from her.
"There you are, Lightkit! Where were you?" Fawntail asked as she hurried towards him.
"I stayed up all night with her, making sure she didn't die." He spat, the anger of his words scaring Icekit. Aspenkit flinched beside him.
"Lightkit, apologize to your mother." A large pale red tom that looked like Lightkit appeared out of nowhere and stood next to Fawntail. What's his name…? Strike, right?
"I'm sorry, mother." Lightkit mewed quietly. Fawntail waved her tail dismissively and licked his forehead.
"I know you were worried. So was I." She meowed and turned to Aspenkit and rasped her tongue over her pelt. Homesickness burned in Icekit's throat.
"How are you feeling?" She asked and sniffed at the cobwebs that hung around her face. Aspenkit sighed.
"Sore." She replied and sat down. Fawntail gave her a final lick and glanced at Kindlestrike.
"I was going to teach the kits how to get up and down the camp wall today. They're nearly six moons old. Except you should probably not overdo yourself, Aspenkit. You can watch." Fawntail meowed. Kindlestrike nodded.
"How about Icekit?" Lightkit looked at her. Icekit flinched, worried he was still angry at her, but she stared straight back at him.
"If she is going to stay here, she may as well learn." Kindlestrike said curtly with a flick of his tail, and he walked away. Icekit was aware that he wasn't thrilled with her presence and Aspenkit looked a bit left out as they followed Fawntail.