Scarletkit bounced along with her mother's steps as she dangled from her jaws. The bitter cold air was not hard to feel through her thin tortoiseshell fur. Her mother, by the name of Icerift, was trotting silently through the winter forest lightly covered in snow. Scarletkit could barely see any grass like when she first opened her eyes a few moons ago in Leaf-fall.
She had to narrow her eyes against the thickening snow fall because of the thinning trees. Icerift stealthily went into the cover of a few gorse bushes as if she did not want to be seen. Gently she was set down on a cleared patch of dirt sheltered by the gorse roots. Scarletkit was utterly confused by her mother; as soon as her sisters, Autumnkit and lightkit, were asleep her mother had taken her out of the nursery and began to carry her at a brisk pace through the forest. Scarletkit knew they were far from home because she didn't know any of the scents that surrounded them. "What are we doing here momma? I'm cold and hungry. Why aren't Autumnkit and Lightkit with us?"
Icerifts deep blue gaze lowered the snow on her black pelt began to melt, "Just think of this as an adventure, your very first one with me."
Scarletkit waved her tail, "Can I have milk on this adventure?!"
Her mother nodded with a slight smile, "Let me make us a place to sleep and go hunting and then you can have milk."
"Okay!" Scarletkit bounced up happily. She found a spot in the gorse roots where it was just enough room for her to curl up to keep warm. She watched her mother go until she couldn't see her anymore then nodded off to sleep
Scarletkit was awaked to the rasping tong of her mother. She must have returned a while ago because she tucked up to her moms soft belly in a small dip. She looked up at her mother's eyes which were starring back. Those eyes, she would never forget. That feeling formed within her. That warm feeling soon gone so soon. "Drink some milk now little one."
Scarletkit did so and savored every last drop. She once again drifted off to sleep quickly after. She opened her eyes to a forest clearing. It was warm but not a pleasant warm more like a muggy and humid warmth. The trees around her were dead and rotten. She started to shake, "Mom?" The air around chilled her bones as if they were breaking. "Mom! Where are you!?" She screamed in terror unable to move.
She felt an unfriendly presence pass over her along with two large shadows. She spun around. A tan tabby she cat stood over her. Behind her stood a dark brown tabby with sharp blue green eyes with a hint of orange. Scarletkit shrunk to the dirt forest floor unable to control her shaking body. The she cats' gentle blue red eyes stared at her with a stupefied look. "How, in the name of all the cats in the clans, did a kit get here!?" her tone was the exact opposite of her eyes, crisp and brutal.
"Yeah, how did you get here?" the tom behind the she cat walked over and nudged Scarletkit rudely to sniff her. "You smell like Thunderclan."
"I… I…" Scarletkit stuttered.
"Spit it out already." His tone was harsh.
The tan tabby gave him a sharp jab in the ribs making him hiss at her, "She is only a kit, Stormpaw, give her a break!"
"She doesn't belong here Ivorypaw so I want to know how she got here!"
"I summoned her, that's why." Scarletkit saw glare of yellow eyes in the shadows.
"She just a kit though, Thistleclaw." Ivorypaw was suddenly defensive.
"Doesn't matter. She is special."
A burst of ice cold wind hit her pelt and Scarletkit opened her eyes. To her relief she saw the branches of the gorse bush instead of dead rotten trees. Then she realized her mother was gone. "Mom?" she stood up and padded to the edge of the bush. The snow fell quick and thick and showed no sign of stopping.
Scarletkit looked at her paws and felt the tears rolling down her cheeks. She knew her mom would never have left her like this without letting her know. She knew her mother wouldn't go out in a snowstorm. Icerifts' scent was stale. Scarletkit raised her head and looked to sky she could no longer see.
Her mother left her. She wasn't ever coming back.