Challenge: Mine or Yours?
Word Count (min. 500): 973
Rating: K, suitable for all ages
He's Mine!
"Come along now, Ravenkit."
The small black kit staggered after the larger dark grey she-cat. "Coming, mama!"
Cinderstorm glanced back at her Clan territory and the hollowed log she spent the last couple days in. It wouldn't be easy to explain to the Clan where she had been, but it would be even harder to show her son to his father. Especially since his father was from another Clan.
The news of her pregnancy was a bit of a shock to Cinderstorm when her sister, the medicine cat, Darkblossom, had told her. Being a cat of an already large figure, it was easy to hide her barely-bulging stomach and luckily for her, she had StarClan on her side and gave birth while everyone else was at the Gathering. She ran into the forest and decided to look after her son in the hollowed log until he was ready to meet his father and then join the Clan officially.
"What's papa like?" the small kit asked, breaking Cinderstorm out of her train of thought.
"He's a very strong and brave cat," she answered. "Just like you will be one day too."
Ravenkit smiled proudly and continued to follow his mother, swatting at everything that moved with a squeak of delight.
Once they had reached the border, Cinderstorm told Ravenkit to hide behind her, which he did. She glanced at the sky. He was late.
A sandy brown tabby padded quickly up to the border. "I know, I'm late," he panted. "I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it, Sandclaw," she meowed. "I want you to meet someone."
She stood up and moved out of the way, revealing Ravenkit chewing on a blade of grass.
"He's perfect," the tom purred. "But where are your other kits?"
Cinderstorm glanced down at her paws and mumbled, "Ravenkit's sister didn't survive through the birth..."
Sandclaw bowed his head in a short silence, then looked back up to his mate and kit. "So who is going to take Ravenkit?"
Cinderstorm scoffed. "I am obviously. We agreed that I would take the first-born if I had more than one."
"But technically, he is the only-born," Sandclaw argued. "I should take him. He's my son. The queens will look after him and he'll become a great warrior."
"No, Sandclaw," Cinderstorm growled. "Ravenkit is my son. I was the one who gave birth to him, fed him, lived in a log to protect him and named him. I will take him to my Clan."
"How will you explain Ravenkit then," Sandclaw asked smugly.
"Well, I'm obviously not going to tell them that he's mine and my mate is from WindClan," she answered. "I'm not mouse-brained. I'll tell Yellowstar that I found him and that I'll take him in as my own."
"If you're sure..."
"Of course I am!" she snapped. "I just wanted you to meet him. Now, I'll be taking my son to my Clan."
Sandclaw glanced sadly at Cinderstorm and Ravenkit before turning around.
"See you on the battlefield, my son," he mumbled and sprinted off further into his territory.
"Come on," Cinderstorm meowed as she tapped Ravenkit's back with the tip of her tail. "It's time to meet everyone else."
.
"Where have you been?"
Cinderstorm winced as she heard her leader's harsh tone. "I-I—!"
"Ah, Cinderstorm!" she heard her sister cry. "There you are! I was wondering when you were going to get back. Have you got them?"
Cinderstorm blinked. "Got...?"
"The herbs," Darkblossom prompted. "The really rare herbs that I asked you to go get because it was going to take a few days to get there and I couldn't leave. Did you find any?"
"Ohhh," Cinderstorm meowed in realisation. "No, I couldn't find anything there... But I did find this."
She nudged Ravenkit forwards, showing Darkblossom and Yellowstar her son. "I found him and I've grown rather attached to him. I've decided to keep him and raise him as my son."
"Nonsense."
Cinderstorm paused. "Yellowstar...?"
The ginger tom huffed. "This kit is barely a week old. He needs milk. Do you have any milk?"
"Well, actually—!"
"We'll give him to Fawnleaf to nurse and he'll grow into a fine young warrior," Yellowstar decided. "His name shall be Blackkit."
"Wait, but—!"
"But I already have a name!" the tom-kit squeaked.
Yellowstar narrowed his eyes. "You now have a new one. We don't keep our rogue names once we join the Clan, young one. You will be called Blackkit and that is final."
Cinderstorm opened her mouth to argue, but, without giving Cinderstorm a chance, Yellowstar picked the small kit up and marched him over to the nursery. He cleared his throat, and a young brown tabby queen pricked her ears and turned to face Yellowstar and the distraught Cinderstorm. Three small kits played by her side.
"Fawnleaf," he meowed, putting on the ground. "Cinderstorm found this rogue kit and I was hoping that you would nurse him since you are the only queen."
"Of course!" she purred. "What's his name?"
"Rav—!"
"Blackkit," Yellowstar answered briskly.
"His name is Blackkit."
.
"I'm so proud of you Blackstorm!"
The muscular black tom ran up to the brown tabby she-cat and nuzzled her.
"Thanks, mum," he purred.
Cinderstorm watched the two cats from a distance, her eyes beginning to sting.
The black tom was soon joined by three other cats— his "siblings". Roseheart, Brackenflight and Adderfoot nuzzled him, joyous to finally receive their warrior names. Blackstorm caught her eyes and she stared into his dark brown pupils, unflinchingly. She wondered if he remembered her, if he remembered Sandclaw or his early days of being called Ravenkit.
She wondered if he missed her or even remembered her.
I should've given you to Sandclaw when I had the chance, she thought bitterly. At least then, you would still be mine...