Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors or Hetalia.
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'Fox,' Lionshadow thought as he caught the scent of said canine. He walked towards it cautiously, making sure his hind paws stepped to where his forepaws had to avoid leaves. His whiskers and ears were ready to pick up any sign of the fox coming at him.
However, when he walked through the undergrowth of the forest, he found no growling, russet-colored animal. Instead, he was surprised to see a tiny kit. The poor thing was laying on the cold ground, opening and closing its mouth as if trying to mewl.
"What are yoo doin' out here alone?" Lionshadow asked without expecting an answer. He sniffed the kit, smelling fox, and a bit of blood. Figuring that the kit must have been stolen from some rogue, he picked it up carefully. He then quietly made his way back to camp, forgetting that he was supposed to be hunting as his dark pelt melted into the shadows.
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He slipped into the nursery, rustling the bracken that grew outside the entry-way. The kit's fox-scent partially blocked off the milky scent of the den, and its underlying sourness. He glanced warily at the elderly queen, Sorrelflight, but was relieved to see her sleeping deeply.
A brown and white she-cat popped her head up, looking at him sleepily. At the curve of her plump belly were two small kits, born not even a moon ago. The queen blinked a few times to wake herself up and titled her head curiously at the ball of fur in Lionshadow's jaws.
"Lionshadow? What's that you've got there?" she asked.
Said tom gently set the kit down at the queen's paws.
"A kit. Ah found him near the thicket. He was alone." Lionshadow explained.
The queen sniffed at the kit, and scrunched her nose at the scent, "He smells of fox. Why is that?"
"Mah guess is a fox stole him from a rouge, after probably killin' her. Dropped him, though." Lionshadow replied.
At that, the queen gasped and looked at the kit sympathetically.
"Poor soul, you've been through a lot, haven't you?" she sympathized, giving him a few comforting licks when he mewled.
"Finpool, will yoo take him in?" Lionshadow asked. He was sure of the answer already, but just wanted to make sure.
As he expected, Finpool nodded, "Of course."
She grabbed the kit by his scruff and settled him among her two kits. After seeing that he started to suckle, she looked to Lionshadow with mild worry.
"What if the clan questions how I suddenly have three kits, instead of two?" she asked.
"We won't tell 'em. But Ah do have to tell Copperstar and Pouncewhisker." Lionshadow meowed. With that, he gave her gentle head-butt with a rough-sounding purr, and left the nursery.
The sky was now turning a dull blue as he approached the leader's den. Before even making a sound, a voice came from within.
"Enter, Lionshadow." Snowfeather mewed in her usual stoic tone. The tom didn't think much about how she knew he was there. The white she-cat had always been able to do that. Most cats were surprised when she didn't want to be Pouncewhisker's apprentice, with such skills.
He stepped inside, feeling the crunch of dried leaves beneath his heavy paws. Snowfeather appeared a bit tired, but awake none-the-less. Her mate, however, wasn't. So she woke him with a semi-hard nudge in his ribs.
Copperstar jumped up, and after realizing it had been Snowfeather, mrrow-ed with forgiving laughter. Snowfeather blinked at him slowly, not changing her expression. She then motioned to Lionshadow, who was sitting quietly with his tail around his paws.
"He wishes to speak to you." The white she-cat meowed.
Copperstar turned to Lionshadow, "Yes, yes, what is it, my friend?"
"Ah found a kit in the forest. He was alone, and smelled of fox and blood. Most likely, his mother was killed by the fox that snatched him. I took him to Finpool, and she's nursing him now." Lionshadow mewed.
The leader was quiet for a moment, "And what do you expect to do?"
Lionshadow looked at him and mewed bluntly, "Raise him as mah own with Finpool, and beside our kits. Beside the clan."
"That is a brave request, Lionshadow. I'll happily allow it, but the question is: How will the rest of the clan take it?" Copperstar challenged. He no longer had that silly glint in his eyes, but instead they were sharp and serious.
"Ah wasn't plannin' on tellin' 'em. Only yoo and Pouncewhisker, and Ah guess Snowfeather is now included. Finpool agrees." Lionshadow responded.
The leader thought this over, "I don't know, something like this shouldn't be kept from the clan. Secrets can only end in trouble."
Lionshadow flicked an ear, "Ah suppose that's true. But Ah don't want him to be treated differently than any other cat. It wouldn't be fair."
"Then it will be a test," Snowfeather piped up, "To see if he can handle being in the clan. He will have to prove his worth and loyalty. If he does, he will be fully accepted. If not, he will leave. Why not see what time tells?"
The two toms looked at her for a few heartbeats, then Copperstar nodded.
"That's a good idea, Snowfeather. I'm happy to have such a smart mate." He mewed with smiling eyes.
"Unfortunately, I can't say the same. What do you think, Lionshadow?" Snowfeather asked, ignoring the whine that came from the leader.
Lionshadow bowed his head to her in respect and admiration for the idea, "I agree with Copperstar. That is a good plan."
"Right then. Lionshadow, go on and tell Finpool this. I'll call a meeting once everyone has awoken." Copperstar mewed dismissively.
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"May all cats, old enough to catch their own prey, gather around the White Rock for a clan meeting!"
As Copperstar's call rang throughout the camp, cats exited their dens to sit around a large, rough-surfaced white rock. All except for Finpool and her kits, who remained safely inside the nursery.
"Today, Lionshadow came to me with interesting news," Copperstar began, "He found a kit, less than a moon old, in the thicket. This kit was alone, and it is believed that he is the kit of a rouge. However, because of certain evidence, it is likely that his mother had been killed. He has asked that this kit is raised alongside his own, Finpool has already agreed to this."
The clan cats murmured, some with indifference, some with shock. But none of them called out in anger, much to Lionshadow's relief.
"I am not saying that you must immediately accept him, but I ask that you do not judge him before he has a chance to prove himself. That is all, this meeting is over." Copperstar mewed. He watched as cats dispersed into little groups, before turning and entering his den.
When Lionshadow stood, he heard paw-steps coming towards him. Looking up, he saw Sorrelflight. The elder padded towards him with no aggression, her old limbs moving surprisingly swift.
He bowed his head to her respectfully when she came to a stop.
"Young cat, you are brave and good-hearted to take in a strange kit. I hope you will continue to be this way when trouble comes. That kit of yours already seems so mischievous. He managed to get out of Finpool's nest not too long ago." Sorrelflight rasped with good-nature.
"Ah hope so, too. But no matter what, Ah won't abandon him." Lionshadow meowed.
Sorrelflight purred, "I'm glad to hear that."
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A/N: For anyone who's wondering: The kit that Lionshadow found is actually Oakkit. Sadly, his littermates are not reappearing in this story. They are dead. (Man, I'm blunt)
Anyway, I chose to use the names Creekkit and Mottlekit. Two people chose Creekkit, and one of those two chose Mottlekit. I also like the name Mottlekit.