Walking along the soft moorland, Snakeheart felt at peace. The sun was shining brightly, birds were singing; everything seemed at peace. Snakeheart felt the grass between his claws as he wiggled his toes. The air smelled so fresh. So filled with life. Snakeheart didn't expect death around the next corner.
Back at the WindClan camp, death lingered. Apprentices screeched, warriors bled, queens gathered up their kits in a flurry. One elder lay on the floor, bleeding out from a gash in his side next to a black-and-white she-cat; Hawktalon.
Trampling through the wreckage that was once the WindClan camp, a large white wolf was dragging away a brown warrior's dead body.
Snakeheart made it to the top of a hill overlooking the WindClan camp. His bright, happy expression turned to one of horror and dread; wide-eyed, and jaw gaping. A moment after seeing the wreckage, Snakeheart lunged down the hill.
Reaching the bottom, he found himself standing in the way of the wolf. Snakeheart arched his back and hissed. The wolf took one of its giant front paws and batted Snakeheart away, throwing Snakeheart into a rose bush.
Finally struggling from the bush, Snakeheart found the wolf gone. He looked around for the wolf. The only thing that could have led Snakeheart to the wolf was the giant tracks that were nearly the size of Snakeheart's own head. I wonder where he's going... Snakeheart thought to himself. His head shot upright and ears pricked. I forgot about camp! He dashed off for the WindClan camp
Snakeheart glanced around the camp warily, looking for survivors. He saw Crowstar, a large black tom cat with large, emerald eyes. Crowstar was helping a few apprentices out of one of the underground dens. At that moment, Crowstar spotted Snakeheart. He said something to one of the warriors who was helping him and started walking towards Snakeheart. Snakeheart stiffened as Crowstar approached, fearing to be punished for not being here to help.
"Snakeheart, it is good to see you," Crowstar said calmly. "Where where you?"
"I was in the ThunderClan camp," Snakeheart explained. "I had been bitten by a snake while out hunting near the ThunderClan border... I am sorry." He lowered his head. "I should've been here."
"It is not your fault, Snakeheart," Crowstar said coolly. "None of us thought this would ever have happened. But it has, and now we must deal with it."
"Snakeheart! Snakeheart!" yelled a she-cat as she ran up to Snakeheart and Crowstar. She had beautiful, silky, dark brown fur and black stripes. Her bright gray eyes stood out from her dark pelt. Snakeheart and Crowstar turned to her as she approached them. "Hawktalon is dead," she said sympathetically, bowing her head.
Snakeheart was speechless. This is all my fault! he told himself. He looked down and shook his head disbelievingly. He looked towards Skypelt, imagining Hawktalon running among the StarClan warriors now. "I should've been here!" he yelled desperately.
"You couldn't help it," Crowstar told him calmly.
"If I'd been just a bit sooner..."
"Then you'd be dead as well," the she-cat finished for him. Snakeheart looked at her and looked down.
"Darklily, would you go help the apprentices?" Crowstar asked the dark she-cat. She nodded and padded away to where a group of apprentices were huddled, whispering amongst themselves. Crowstar looked to Snakeheart. "Snakeheart, would you go see if the queens need any help?" Snakeheart nodded his head and Crowstar walked away towards the other warriors, whom were arguing amongst themselves.
Snakeheart looked around the camp for any queens or kits. He saw, sitting on the ground, a small black she-cat. She was mewling innocently. Snakeheart padded over to her. "What's wrong?" he asked.
"I don't know where my mom went!" the kit mewled.
Snakeheart looked around. He didn't see any more kits or any queens. He grumbled impatiently. He turned back to the kit. "I'll be right back. Stay here!" he ordered her. He saw her tiny head nod to let him know she'd heard him. Snakeheart padded away towards the group of apprentices. He saw Darklily trying eagerly to get them to calm down and stop talking, but she was not doing a very good job. "Darklily!" Snakeheart whispered across the huddle of apprentices.
Darklily looked up at Snakeheart. "What do you want?" she demanded furiously. "I've got my own problem here!"
"There's a small black she-kit over there, and I've never seen her before!" Snakeheart said, pointing in the direction of the kit with his tail. Darklily's ears pricked up. Snakeheart shrugged.
Darklily looked over the apprentices. "Alright, look here!" They all looked at her. "You... things, just stay here and talk amongst yourselves. Can you manage that without getting into trouble for a few moments?" she said, emphasizing the word "things". They all nodded their heads. She made her way around the group of apprentices, whom have now gone back to being a huddled mass of fur, and whispering amongst themselves. She said "show me the kit," as she walked up to where Snakeheart stood waiting for her.
Snakeheart padded across the camp clearing, which was now full of debris, until he reached the kit that was still mewling where he'd left her. Darklily knelt down next to the kit.
"I've never seen her before..." Darklily said, trailing off in thought. "Where'd you find her?" She turned back to Snakeheart.
Snakeheart shrugged. "She was just sitting right here when I found her!" he said, utterly confused and panicked. "She said she'd lost her mom."
Darklily looked back to the kit. "What's your name?" she asked her softly.
The kit looked up at Darklily, her eyes looking so big and teary, and said quietly "I'm Kedi."
"Kedi?" Darklily echoed questioningly. She scrunched her forehead in confusion, as did Snakeheart. "Who's your mother?" she asked Kedi.
"My mom's name is Sipsie," Kedi replied. "I dunno where she is."
"How did you get here?" Snakeheart asked Kedi, still standing behind Darklily. Darklily flashed him a warning glance, warning him not to ask any more questions. Snakeheart shut his muzzle and looked at his feet as he started kicking the dirt under his paws.
Darklily looked back to Kedi. "Where do you live?"
"I dunno."
"What do you mean 'I dunno'?" Snakeheart cut in, sounding a bit harsh and impatient. Darklily glanced at him warningly again, and he took his attention back to his paws as they started kicking dirt again.
"Where did you come from?" Darklily interrogated Kedi, becomming a little impatient herself.
"I dunno."
Darklily sighed, now overly frustrated. "How do you not know?" she demanded harshly.
Kedi shied away at Darklily's tone as if she thought Darklily might hit her.
"Nice goin'," Snakeheart whispered in Darklily's ear.
Darklily's gaze softened as she realized what she'd just said and how she had said it. "I'm sorrry," she said to Kedi calmly. "But you must tell us how you got here."
Kedi didn't move or speak, her eyes still wide with fear like a deer with a bright light shining on it.
"What's going on here?" Crowstar asked as he padded up to the three. Kedi glanced at Crowstar, but only for a moment, quickly bringing her bright gaze back to Darklily. "Who's this?" he asked Snakeheart and Darklily.
"I found the kit sitting in the middle of the clearing," Snakeheart told Crowstar. "She said she'd lost her mom, but she won't tell us where she lives. She says her name is Kedi. Neither of us have seen her here before."
Crowstar looked from Snakeheart, to Darklily, to Kedi, and back to Snakeheart. He seemed calm, as usual. Snakeheart didn't think Crowstar would look as calm as he did. "She's obviously is a loner," he finally said after a long pause. Crowstar looked away, lost in thought.
"What should we do with her?" Snakeheart asked Crowstar.
Crowstar's eyes squinted, as if he didn't want to hear that question. "We... we..." he trailed off. His eyes widened with panic as he realized he didn't know what to do. Forcefully calming himself down, Crowstar said calmly "I will send a small patrol out later to see if we can find her mother." He turned and looked at Snakeheart. "Find out as much about her as you possibly can." He nodded to Darklily. "You will continue to help the apprentices."
"But, um... Crowstar," Snakeheart began as Crowstar turned to leave. Crowstar looked back at him. "I'm not so good with kits. Perhaps me and Darklily should trade jobs?"
Crowstar glanced at Kedi, then to Darklily, and finally resting his gaze on Snakeheart. "No. You will talk to Kedi and find out whatever you can about her. My decision is final." Crowstar stalked off towards the senior warriors, who were huddled in a small circle.
Darklily began padding away towards the apprentices. Snakeheart opened his mouth to call her back, when he remembered what Crowstar had said. He quickly shut his mouth and turned back to Kedi and sighed. He was stuck with the most boring job, that would probably get his tempers acting up sooner or later, but these were his orders and he would follow them without any more complaint- which may be more difficult than you think.