Chapter One
Fernkit jumped up, prodding at her mother's stomach. Now two moons old, Fernkit was as bouncy as ever. Dovewillow raised her head sleepily, her milk scent flying into her nose.
"Yes, my darling?" Dovewillow whispered, her eyes still half closed. Fernkit beamed, her heart skipping a beat. Does Dovewillow finally love me now?
"Can I go outside with Skykit? Please?" Fernkit squeaked, her eyes lighting up. Dovewillow's whiskers twitched, but her eyes were still drooped with sleep.
"Go outside with Skykit? I… wha-?" Dovewillow's eyes shot open, and her eyes narrowed as they landed on Fernkit. She snorted, looking away from her daughter. Fernkit's heart sank, and she did her best to hold back her tears. "Trying to pose as your perfect sister, huh? Well, Fernkit. You're not my daughter, so I couldn't care less about what you did." Fernkit said nothing, but simply padded out of the nursery. The sunlight warmed her differently colored eyes, and she bounded over towards where Skykit was playing with Clearshade.
"Skykit! Can we play?" Fernkit mewed, her eyes shining with hope. Skykit turned around, and her eyes immediately brightened.
"Of course, Fernkit!" Skykit purred, and bounced around. "Clearshade is a mean, old badger! Let's take her down!" Skykit leapt at the silver elder, who growled in mock anger, getting up and lumbering around the den. Fernkit shouted with anger, and she jumped up, clinging onto her side.
"I'll eat you up for breakfast!" Clearshade snarled, a purr lodged in her throat. Fernkit batted tiny paws at the elder, her teeth bared.
"Not if we can stop it! Skypelt, quick! Get her legs!" Fernkit yelped, climbing onto the elder's back. Skykit nodded, and leapt at her legs, clawing at them. Clearshade grunted in defeat, and fell down. Fernkit leapt off her, and she purred.
"You RiverClan warriors are too strong for me! I give up!" Clearshade rasped, her whiskers twitching with amusement.
"Yay! Ferntail, we beat the badger!" Skykit purred, her eyes lighting up. Fernkit nodded, her mismatched eyes glistening with liveliness. I'm going to be the best warrior I can be! I'll have the best name too! Fernkit let out a mrow of laughter as she saw a little tuft of fur sticking up from Skykit's head.
"Skykit! Fernkit! I saw you two slay that badger! You'll make great warriors!" Fernkit turned around, leaping forward as she spotted a dark brown tabby. She clung onto his chest fur, her legs kicking around.
"Of course we will, Hawkstripe! We'll be the best!" Skykit chirped, waving her tail happily. Hawkstripe let out a low purr, carefully unhooking the kit from him. Fernkit tumbled to the ground, letting out a squeak of joy as she landed on a fluffy tail.
"Skykit! You're fur! It's not as sleek as it was this morning!" A white she-cat ran over, grooming Skykit with furious licks. "You're beautiful fur!" Skykit ducked out of the way, and the tiny fluff of fur on her head poofed out once more. Dovewillow let out a wail of distress, continuing to groom the white kit.
"Mama! I'm fine! It'll be sleek again by tomorrow," Skykit mewed. Dovewillow frowned, pulling back from her kit, and sighed when the poof came back.
"Dovewillow, kits will be kits. Her fur will be completely fine," Hawkstripe mewed, a tinge of annoyance in his voice. Dovewillow looked at her mate, quickly entwining her tail with his. He pressed her cheek against hers, before licking her ears. "Now, why don't you take Fernkit and Skykit back to the nursery? I bet they'd love to show Foxkit and Brindlekit around the camp. They've just opened their eyes a few sunrises ago, after all." Dovewillow hesitated for a moment, a frown crossing her beautiful face.
"Hawkstripe! I need you to assign some hunting patrols!" Hawkstripe sighed, flicking his tail in acknowledgement to the dark gray leader.
"Now, Fernkit and Skykit. Make sure you show Foxkit and Brindlekit all there is to camp, alright?" Hawkstripe mewed, purring softly. He turned around, leaving the kits and their mother.
Dovewillow wrapped her tail around Skykit, pulling her towards the nursery.
"Fernkit! Hurry up! Foxkit and Brindlekit have been annoying Applesong, and she wants you two to show them around!" Dovewillow snapped, not looking back to her kit. Head down, Fernkit trotted after her mother, her tail dropping on the ground. The strong scent of milk hit her as she entered the nursery.
"Foxkit! Stop gnawing at your sister's tail!" Applesong snapped, hooking Foxkit up from the ground. Foxkit squealed with joy when Applesong flopped him down on the nest, before hastily comforting Brindlekit.
"Applesong! Do you need help taking care of your kits? We can show them around the camp if you'd like!" Fernkit chirped, carefully ignoring her mother's icy stare. Applesong raised her head, her usually bright eyes glowing with exhaustion.
"That would be wonderful, Fernkit. Thank you," Applesong purred. Foxkit and Brindlekit's pelts fluffed out with excitement, and they stumbled forward, their paws still shaky. Brindlekit had adopted her father's pelt, and her fluffy pale brown fur was dappled, her blue eyes glowing with delight. Foxkit, had adapted his mother's fur, having glossy dark red tabby fur with streaks of pale red and dark amber eyes. He was going to grow up to be quite a looker. "Be careful though, and do exactly as Fernkit and Skykit tell you to!"
"What's wrong with your eyes?" Foxkit asked, his whiskers twitching. Fernkit flinched back, feeling uncomfortable. She could hear Dovewillow snorting with amusement, before padded gracefully back to her nest. Brindlekit saved Fernkit from having to reply by cuffing him with soft paws.
"Stupid, fur-ball! Even I know better than to ask someone that! It's probably something to do with her ancestors," Brindlekit snapped, before fixing her eyes on Skykit. Fernkit flicked her ears with gratitude, appreciating the young kit's kindness.
"Right! Now, onto the camp!" Skykit exclaimed, waving her tail with excitement. Foxkit and Brindlekit squeaked their happiness, leaping after the pretty she-kit. Fernkit stifled a purr in her throat, trotting after the younger kits.
Fernkit wrapped her tail around Brindlekit's shoulder, carefully nudging her back to the nursery. Brindlekit yawned, but tried to go back around, towards the fresh-kill pile. "Now now, Brindlekit. I know you're tired, and I think that you should go back to your nest," Fernkit purred, her voice sweet.
"Fernkit! Can you come over here? I need your help real quick!" Fernkit twitched her ears with acknowledgement, and she recognized the voice as Bramblepaw's. She glanced at the squirming kit next to her, sighing.
"It's okay, Fernkit. I'll bring Brindlekit back along with Foxkit. You go have fun with Bramblepaw," Skykit purred, her eyes glinting mischievously. Fernkit flushed bright pink, but she pushed Brindlekit towards her sister, bounding towards the handsome tabby apprentice.
"Did you need something, Bramblepaw?" Fernkit asked, her eyes widening. He looked down at her, nodding.
"Yes, I did. I wanted to know if Dovewillow's been-," Bramblepaw mewed, before being nudged away by a pretty creamy golden she-cat. Honeypaw…
"Come on, Bramblepaw. I want to hunt with you! Goldensnow said I could bring someone else! Let's leave Oddeyes here, before it gets too dark to hunt! She's too ugly to be much of use! Even her mother, her own mother, says so!" Honeypaw purred. Without waiting for a response, she dragged him away, her tail curled around his back. Fernkit stared at Honeypaw, tears almost pouring down her cheeks. Whipping around in frustration, she marched back to the nursery, fuming mad. She padded past Brindlekit, ignoring the kit's mew of happiness.
"Fernkit! Dovewillow's gone to eat with Hawkstripe! Tell me all that happened between you and Bramblepaw!" Skykit mewed, dragging her down into the nest. Fernkit huffed with annoyance, trying to ignore her sister, but she couldn't say no to her sun-bright eyes.
"Nothing really. He was about to ask me something, and then Honeypaw just butted in. If he's got Honeypaw, why bother with me?" Fernkit spat bitterly. Skykit drew a paw over her ears, her eyes glowing in the dim nursery.
"I'll bet he likes you. Oh, just imagine! I hope he asks to be your mate soon!" Skykit exclaimed, her eyes lighting up.
"Whose mate? Oh, my love. Skykit, you could have any tom you want with your lovely personality and your gorgeous pelt!" Dovewillow purred, settling in the nest. Dovewillow curled around Skykit, licking her ears gently. Fernkit sat straight up, hoping to receive the same treatment, but instead, she was greeted with her mother's white back. Fernkit choked down her words, and turned around, tucking herself in.