and here's chapter 3, enjoy~ :3
Chapter 3
"Don't worry, I'll always come back...my little warrior."
With a jerk, Coal's eyes snapped open, her breaths coming in quick gasps and her heart beating wildly as she looked around, trying to figure out where she was.
Everything was unfamiliar. Tangled reeds enclosed the den except for two openings, and from the trickling sound coming from one she guessed it led to a water source of some kind. On the other side of the den, pebbles and hollows dug into the ground separated different kinds of plants and seeds that held no meaning for her. Her gaze roamed over to a nest of interwoven branches and moss. She looked down to realize she was in the same kind of nest. Strange. She didn't remember coming here. And where was here exactly?
A groan nearly caused her to fall out of the nest in surprise as she twisted her head around, startled gaze landing on a familiar pale gray form.
"Winter!"
The tom let out an oomph as Coal suddenly tackled him, relieved purrs shaking her entire body.
"Ow! Hey! What's the rush?" He grumbled, but stopped trying to push her off, and instead slumped over the side of the nest. He looked up then, his eyes narrowing in confusion. "Where are we?"
Coal lifted her head, gazing around once more as if there was something new that might give her a clue. She tried to think back to when they got here, but her memories were a little fuzzy and she frowned. "I'm...not sure."
"Ah, you're awake." A speckled pale gray tom said simply, sticking his head into the den and making Coal and her brother nearly leap out of their pelts.
"Who are you?!" Coal hissed, dark gray fur fluffing out to appear larger. The cat in front of them was thin and gangly, and his blue-gray eyes stared at them, unimpressed by her display.
"You should be a little more grateful. I did save your lives after all." He sniffed, flicking his thin tail in what she guessed was agitation. "Oh well, you are kittypets after all, so it's to be expected."
Coal bristled again, ready to say something to shut him up. To tell him that if kittypets were so bad, why was Tinsel such a strong and wonderful cat.
But then she stopped, horror and dismay flooding through her as memories of red snow and lifeless blue eyes filled her vision.
"My name is Minnowfin, by the way. I'm the medicine cat here in RiverClan." The tom continued, not even noticing her horror stricken form.
It was Winter who first realized something was wrong, his brows furrowing in concern. "Coal? Are you alright?"
She sucked in a sharp breath, then looked up sharply at the speckled tom, her eyes clouded with fear and words tumbled out of her with an intensity that caused the older cat's ears to flick back uneasily. "Tinsel, is she alright? There was a lot of blood, she was injured really badly. It was really cold and she didn't smell right and-"
"What's going on in here?" A new voice interrupted, and a ginger tabby tom with blue eyes pushed past the medicine cat, and peered down at the two kits. "Oh good, you're up."
Coal blinked at the new cat before narrowing her eyes and took a step towards him. "Where's Tin-"
"Questions will be answered later. Come on, Goldenstar wants to see you."
And with a flick of his tail he turned, not waiting to see if they followed as he padded out of the den.
Winter pressed up against her side, giving her a meaningful look as she glowered at the ginger toms back. "We should go." He said softly, nudging her with his nose, and she let out a frustrated sigh before following her litter-mate out of the den, silver eyes glued to the unfamiliar cat's back as if that could force answers out of him.
"So these are the kits, hm?" A feminine voice drawled ahead of them, and Coal lifted her eyes, blinking at the beautiful golden tabby she-cat that lounged in front of them on a nest that look much more comfortable than the one she and Winter had woken up in. Her yellow eyes roamed over them and Coal shuddered under the stare, disliking the she-cat immediately.
"These are the one's Ripplestep and myself picked up from the twolegplace, yes." The ginger tom affirmed, waving his flame colored tail over them.
Coal wanted to yell and hiss and demand where Tinsel and Rowanheart were, and why she and Winter were here instead of at their twoleg nest. But something in the golden she-cats eyes had her rooted to the spot, and she clenched her jaw in irritation.
"And you think we should let a couple of kittypets into the clan?" There was something that sounded so degrading in her voice, that made Coal unsheathe her claws and dig them into the dirt under her paws.
The tom didn't look very offended though, as if he were used to the mocking tone that was casually thrown out of the golden she-cats mouth. He remained silent, as if he already knew that was what she wanted.
"The clan could use a few more kits, I suppose." She said after awhile, gazing down and inspecting her unsheathed claws. "Cinderfrost is the only one with a kit at the moment, and he doesn't seem very promising." Her eyes raked over them and Coal squashed down the urge to press into Winter's side. "These two on the other paw..."
Goldenstar nodded to herself, as if answering her own question before she languidly got to her paws. "Very well, I'll call the clan for a meeting and we'll make them officially into RiverClan kits." She started towards the entrance of the den before pausing and looking back at their baffled faces. "What are your names by the way."
Coal shook herself out of her stupor and growled. "What are you talking about? We want to find Tinsel and Rowanheart and Streak, not join your clan!" With a pang, she only then realized that the small, sickly kit was also missing.
"My name's Winter, and this is Coal." Winter butted in suddenly, as if afraid her outburst would start a storm. Coal sent him a glare. Even if he was only trying to help this crazy she-cat didn't need to know their names.
Though even with his input, Goldenstar's face twisted into an ugly look, causing Coal and Winter to shrink back slightly with wide eyes before the she-cat smoothed it out with a small, tight smile. "There's no need for you to look for them." She stated simply, flicking her tail as if the words that were spilling out of her mouth had no consequence on the kits what-so-ever. "They're dead."
Winter sucked in a sharp gasp beside her, and her own mind seemed to go blank as she stared at the she-cat in front of her. Was...was she telling the truth? Are they really…?
The flame colored tom glanced at them with what could have been sympathy, but she was too busy mulling over the information she was just presented with, silver eyes glassy as she stared at her paws. They couldn't be dead, they just couldn't.
But even as she tried to convince herself, the memory of Tinsel's cold fur and stale scent crept to the front of her mind and a low whine escaped her throat.
Beside her, Winter was stiff and unmoving, his eyes, liker her own, were clouded and unbelieving as he stared sightlessly into the air.
Without her realizing it, they had moved, and were now standing beside the ginger tom outside of the den and the golden she-cat leaped up onto a rock that jutted out over the clearing. Snow was drifting lazy down from thick gray clouds, but the snow didn't have much of a chance to settle in the clearing as the many cats tread over it on their way to do their daily things. "Let all cats old enough to swim gather to hear my words!" She called out, and several cats that had been lounging about the clearing immediately padded towards them, followed by more cats that poked their heads out of the reedy dens. Curious eyes stared at Coal and Winter until she felt like ants were crawling through her fur.
"While some of our warriors were on patrol, they discovered the kits you see before you now."
Several whispers started in the crowd of cats, and Coal eyed them warily, seeing as some of them shot her and Winter dangerous looks. She shivered, and it wasn't just from the cold.
"I have decided to let them join our clan."
At this, several voices rose above the others in dismay. "Why should we let them? They're outsiders, they don't belong here!"
"Quiet!" Goldenstar demanded, and the cats slowly quieted, but their disgruntled and furious looks remained. "As you have noticed, Cinderfrost is the only queen at the moment, and we only have three apprentices. For RiverClan the remain strong in the future, more warriors are necessary."
After that the grumbling lowered a considerable amount, and with a pleased expression she turned to face them. "Now...Coal and Winter, step forward."
Coal glanced at her litter-mate, who still seemed pretty shaken up as he complied wordlessly, padding forward with Coal at his tail as they stopped before the leader.
"Winter, from this moment on, until you receive your apprentice name, you will be known as Winterkit." She turned her golden gaze on Coal and the young she-cat stiffened as she realized what was happening. "And Coal, from this moment on, until you receive your apprentice name, you will be known as Coalk-"
"Wait!" Coal cried out, jumping to her paws. Goldenstar narrowed her eyes as she was interrupted and the other cats started whispering fiercely behind her.
"What is it?" The leader asked, her voice strained and from the twitch of her pelt Coal could tell she was irritated.
"I want to keep my name the way it is." She growled steadily, silver clashing with yellow as the two she-cats stared each other down.
"Very well." Goldenstar finally agreed through clenched teeth.
Coal nodded slowly, sitting back down next to her litter-mate. "What about you?" She hissed under her breath, but he merely shrugged, his icy blue eyes remained downcast.
"I don't mind, it's...it's a new beginning for us." He said softly, and she couldn't help but bristle. These names were given to them by Tinsel! How could he just let these RiverClan cats give him a new one so casually?
She was about to tell him off, when Goldenstar called out to the cats once more. "That is all, everyone go back to your duties."
She jumped off the rock as the cats departed and padded over to them, addressing the ginger tom beside them. "I expect you to take care of the rest, Flamewave." She sent one last scathing look at Coal before turning, and walking gracefully back to her den.
"Come on then," he said with a flick of his tail, "I'll show you to your den."
thanks for reading, see you next chapter~! ^-^