Begin…

Soft waves rolled over the flattened sand, reaching for the ends of the beach yet never quite succeeding. The inky blue depths of the sea became tinged with blood as the sun slowly caressed the sky once more before slipping into the night. The rhythm of the waves, mingled with the sounds of tropical cranes cooning for sleep to come and crickets calling out to the fireflies that lit the breach, lolled through the night. The soft steps of a cat slipping through the music could be heard. Blue eyes gleamed with the shallow light of the fireflies as the lithe calico queen stared out on the darkened beach. Her ears twitched at the sound of another cat- younger, with a pelt that matched the inky darkness- bouncing toward her with wide pumpkin-colored eyes. "Paintedstar! Paintedstar! You won't believe it! I was patrolling the shore like you told me too and then-then there was this thing and-" The little black apprentice looked over his shoulder, lightly panting. The leader of CoastClan narrowed her eyes. "What did you see, Duskpaw? Show me." She stated sternly, with a hint of curiosity. It was normal for odd things to wash up on the shores of their island- Duskpaw was probably just over-reacting. He was an apprentice, of course.

The tomcat bounced forward, not waiting for his leader as he darted off into the darkness. Thank WaveClan Paintedstar could follow his scent or else he'd be in for a stern scolding for running off like that. In a matter of minutes she saw Duskpaw, sitting beside an odd lump of shimmering silver fur their size. Another cat! The leader rushed forward at once, staring down at the doomed shape of a soft-pelted, silver-tinged she-cat, her blue gaze misting over.

"Miss- Miss, please- are you?" Paintedstar's pleas were interrupted when the she-cat intervened. "P…plea…se…take…care…love you…rando…m." She choked out, the water blocking her every sentence as she coughed it up. Paintedstar and Duskpaw watched with wide, stunned, helpless eyes as the silver she-cat slipped off. She was claimed by death. "W-What was she talking about Paintedstar? Paintedstar?" Duskpaw's shaky voice reached the calico she-cat's ears. She continued to stare at the silver she-cat's cold body, shushing Duskpaw with a hiss. Something was mewling. A kit!

Looking around wildly, Paintedstar found herself gently turning the body over, all to reveal a small scrap of grey and black fur, soaked to the bone, poor little thing. "You poor little scarp…" She cooned, her motherly instincts almost immediately kicking in for the orphan kit. Ignoring Duskpaw's questions, the leader scooped up the soggy little runt gently by the scruff, taking one last look at the silver she-cat. Her body would be gone by morning, stolen by the sea.

Paintedstar stepped away, bowing her head, holding the mewling kit in her jaws firmly. "Come, Duskpaw." She stated blankly, a soft sadness seaping into her voice as she turned her back on her apprentice and headed up the beach. Duskpaw looked at the she-cat, then back at his leader, before bounding after her as his usual hyper-active speed, though his tail dragged in mourning.

-xxx-

"I still vote in getting rid of the pathetic thing! He wouldn't survive the night anyways, I reckon!" Rasped the old, golden tom, narrowing his eyes sharply at the other members of the circle.

"Sunpelt! Have a heart!" The CoastClan medicine cat, Winterlight, hissed, looking at him with a disgusted face. "He's just a little one!" She gasped again, shaking her head. Beside her, the warrior known as Wolfpelt, nodding in agreement.

Paintedstar sighed, shaking her head at the bickering counsel. She held the kit between her paws, as it snuggled up to her for warmth. She had chosen her trusted counsel to help her decide the fate of the little washed-up kitten. She had only brought it to camp minutes before when this all broke out. With the rest of the clan sleeping, she was left alone with the wise members. Wolfpelt, Winterlight, Sunpelt, Blackear, Darkstorm and herself held themselves in a loose circle, debating the little tom's fate.

"Who votes he stays?" Paintedstar's firm voice interrupted Sunpelt and Wolfpelt's arguing. Five out of six waved their tails in agreement, including herself. Sunpelt snorted, the only one who didn't vote to keep the kit.

"Then it's final, he stays." Winterlight and Wolfpelt nodded enthusiastically, looking down at the scrap with kindly eyes. Darkstorm glanced at Paintedstar nervously. "But…where will he stay? He's only a kit- barely a moon old by the looks of it! Moontail has three kits to deal with already, I hardly doubt she has any milk to spare…" He stated.

Winterlight frowned lightly, biting her tongue. Wolfpelt was the one who spoke up. "There's always…" He looked at Paintedstar, "Redfeather. If she'd take him." He stated.

Sunpelt snorted once more. "After what happened to Seakit only a few days ago!?" He snapped, rolling his eyes. Blackear shook his head, talking for the first time this night. "What happened to Seakit was a matter you should not bring up again, Sunpelt." He hissed to his Clanmate, narrowing his old eyes. "But what the furball says is right. I don't know if Redfeather would be too keen on the idea of adopting another son."

Paintedstar sighed, looking down at the little kit as he mewed quietly into her chest-fur. She opened her mouth to speak, before someone stole her spotlight. "I'll take him."

From the bushes emerged the graceful shape of a mourning queen, her usually dark green eyes hazed with despair, though when they caught the shape of the kitten, hardened in determination. Her pelt held a calico design, being the sole sister of Paintedstar herself.

"Redfeather, you don't…" Paintedstar's words trailed off as her sister made her way over to Paintedstar. "I want to. He needs a mother." She stated firmly. There was no changing her mind now, the queen's eyes blazed with purpose. Paintedstar's eyes widened for a minute- Redfeather had been so caught up with mourning for Seakit even her other remaining kit, Shellkit, was starting to catch the depression.

"Then it's settled. The kit stays with Redfeather." Wolfpelt mewed officially, looking proudly at his sister-in-law. If only his brother could've stayed on this earth with his mate a little longer…

Redfeather nodded silently to the rest of the counsel before picking up the kit and starting off. "Wait- what's his name?" Winterlight asked abruptly.

"Nullkit." Redfeather stated without even a glance back, before continuing off through the bushes, leaving the counsel in a odd silence. Slowly, they too, broke apart, back into their proper dens for a night's rest.

-xxx-

"Momma, Momma who's 'dat?" Came the squeaky voice of Shellkit, staring curiously at the scarp her mother had just brought into the nursery. She tapped his sleeping silver form, making him twitch in his sleep and paw at the air. She held back a giggle and yelp, jumping back lightly in the soft bedding of feathers, soft sand, moss and heather. "Your new friend. Shellkit, meet Nullkit." Redfeather gave a silent purr, not to wake Moontail who lay in the corner, wrapped around her three-day-old kittens.

"Nullkit?" Shellkit murmured, staring brightly at the sleeping tom as if he'd wake up any second so they could play. "Yes. Now you can meet him properly tomorrow. It's time for bed." Redfeather purred, nuzzling the she-kit gently, before wrapping her body around bother Shellkit and Nullkit, her long, fluffy tail holding them in a nest of warmth.

Shellkit made some protest, but quickly silenced herself, falling into a deep slumber. Redfeather gazed at her new son for a long time, before trailing off into a sweet, dream-filled siesta.

My first fantic so-far. Hope you like it. More to come. Please, R&R. Thanks

-Pridepaws