A/N Disclaimer; I don't own anything except the plot and my OCs.

Dawn carried Storm through the driving snow, depositing her under a fallen tree with her brother, Ice, who was currently huddled in a pile of leaves. Dawn curled herself around them, briefly warming herself and her kits up before running back for her last kit.

She had transported her three kits for quiet a ways this way, but it was taxing on her strength, which she needed to take care of her kits, and she was afraid that her kits wouldn't stand much longer of this.

Dawn grabbed Bird and leaped through the growing snowdrifts back to Storm and Ice. Curling around her faintly mewling kits, she wished for thicker fur. I know my winter coat is helping, but it's barely enough!

A stick snapped in the distance, and Dawn snapped her head up, eyes narrowed. "Who's there?" She meowed, catching a movement out of the corner of her eye.

A dark shape materilized out of the snow. Small... dark... Scourge?!

Dawn hissed, crouching over her kits, fur raised.

"Relax!" A small, grey she-cat walked calmly up to Dawn with no fear in her green eyes. "I can help you."

"Who says I need help?" Dawn said defensively, curling back around her kits.

The grey she-cat purred as if amused. "Obviously you need the help. Stuck in a snowstorm with three new kits? Follow me, I can take you all to a warm, dry place that's safe."

Dawn looked from the cat to her shivering kits. Her milk supply was nearly depleted from lack of proper food, and she couldn't leave her kits alone long enough to hunt.

Sighing, Dawn picked up Ice, letting the grey cat pick up Bird. "What about Storm?" Dawn asked worriedy around a mouthful of kit. "You can carry two if you're careful." The grey cat said, helping Dawn.

The four silently padded back along the trail that the grey cat had made coming.

A huge, dark shape loomed in front of them, but the grey cat headed straight for it. "Wait!" Dawn gasped, putting her kits down on a bare spot protected by a bush. "That's a twoleg house! We can't go in there!"

The she-cat set Bird down with the rest of the kits. "Yes, we can. I used to live in there with the twolegs, but they only come in the summer. And during the winter, they leave the heat on enough to keep their stuff from freezing."

Dawn doubtfullly picked Storm and Ice back up, following the grey cat to the house. A small hole was in the door, blocked by a small black square that smelled a little bit like the monster-path.

The she-cat simply pushed it aside and disappeared. Dawn felt her fur raise, but she didn't hesitate to enter. Her kits were barely moving now.

As soon as Dawn entered, she was hit by a blast of heat.

She set her kits down and licked them vigouresly. They began to squirm and meow, and Dawn placed them on some twoleg pelts with Bird, who was already licked by the grey she-cat.

"I never got your name." Dawn meowed, curling around her kits and allowing them to feed. "I'm Windy. And you?"

"Dawn."

Windy nodded, dragging a mouse over to Dawn. "Here. I keep the den free of these suckers."

Dawn nodded, munching the mouse. Suckers? What a weird name! This Windy cat is certaintly strange, but I think she can be trusted. Dawn mused, finishing the mouse.

Windy curled up in her own nest, thinking her own thoughts. Dawn... that name sounds familiar, somehow. ANd she looks rather familiar too. But I think I would remember her. Oh, well.

The storm raged outside. The snow covered up Dawn and Windy's tracks and scent, efficiently covering it all from the source of the bloody prints in the snow.

-Timeskip: a moon later-

Dawn was roused by a tiny voice squeaking in her ear. "Momma! Momma! MOMMA! Wake up! Ice is gonna go outside!"

THAT roused Dawn in a hurry! She sat up, sending Bird tumbling down into their box. "Oh! Sorry Bird!" Dawn set the kit upright and gave her a lick before bounding for the black-square door.

She slid to a halt and nearly laughed at the sight that greeted her. Ice was struggling to reach the door, just barely reaching it on his hind legs. His blue eyes squinted in concentration, as he strained.

Dawn grinned and crept up behind her son, the only male in the group and the biggest. "Ice."

At his name, the kit jumped, tripping over his legs and sprawling out on the ground. "Hi... I wasn't doing anything!"

Dawn smiled. "What have I told you about going outside?" She meowed, picking up Ice and carrying him back to the nest. "Uh... Don't go out unless Windy or Dawn is with you?"

She set her son down and nodded. "And you better obey the rules or I'll have to punish you." Dawn meowed, her smiling disappearing.

Ice lowered his head. "Yes, mommy."

Bird flounced up to him, waving her tail in the air proudly. "Good thing I obey momma like a good little kitty!"

Ice snarled at her and leaped onto her. Dawn let them fight. Bird should have known better than to taunt Ice like that, especially since he was bigger than her.

Dawn settled down and watched them tussle. Bird was gamely holding her ground against Ice, despite him being much bigger. Ice finally overpowered her with his sheer size and strength, hissing, "Say sorry!"

Bird squirmed under him. "No! You can't make me!"

Dawn grinned. "Bird, push up against his stomach with your hind paws as hard as you can, then shove his front paws aside with your front paws."

Bird looked at her mother curiously, then did as told. Ice flopped onto his side with a yelp, and Bird pounced onto him with a triumphant meow. "I win!" Ice stood, easily brushing her off.

"Mom! Can you teach me some fight moves?!" He begged, bouncing up to her. Bird squeaked and begged the same.

"Of course, my sweets, but I need to tell you a few things first." Dawn meowed, gazing intently at her kits. "Ok!" THey chorused, sitting down.

"First, never, EVER use your fighting skills for bad, ok? Only good! Second, males must respect females. They must." Dawn looked at Ice when she said that, and he nodded firmly. "ANd last but not least, you must respect your authorities!"

Her kits nodded and chorused, "We promise mommy!"

"Good. Now. Here is what you do when fighting a larger cat." Dawn positioned Bird in front of Ice. "Now, Bird, you need to keep light on your paws, so you can dodge easily. Weave back and forth, and remember, you are more agile than the big ones, so use it!"

Bird weaved back and forth, ducking around and under Ice's blows with ease. "Now, Ice, expect the smaller cats to use their agility. Anticipate their moves, and wait for them to make a mistake or tire themselves out."

Ice slowed his wild blows, advancing every-now-and-then towards Bird. Bird finally tripped over her own paws, and Ice pounced. "Now, Bird, bigger cats have the muscle, height, and weight advantage. Use it against them in anyway you can!"

Bird slipped under Ice, catching his tail in her sharp teeth. Ice yowled. He whipped around and swatted Bird away. They battled back and forth, using the info their mother had taught them.

Where is Storm and Windy? Dawn thought worriedly, gazing at the door. They should have been back by now!

As if on cue, the door flapped open, admitting Storm and WIndy, dragging a large body together. "Look momma!" Storm crowed, dropping the thing and bouncing toward Dawn. "We found a dead tall-leg! (Deer) So we ripped a leg off and brought it back!"

Dawn purred. "THat's wonderful!" She helped Windy pull the leg in the rest of the way. "We'll have food for a long time!"

Ice and Bird wandered over, tired from fighting. "Hey Storm! Come, we'll teach you some fighting moves that momma taught us!"

Dawn stopped the trio and told Storm what she had told the other two before. "Now go have fun!"

WIndy turned to Dawn. "Are you sure?" Dawn watched the three go. "I'm sure. If Scourge is somehow alive..."

Windy nodded, knowing her friends past. "We'll be fine. For now, let's stick this somewhere safe."

Storm, Ice, and Bird practiced their fighting, when suddenly Bird stopped. "Guys. Have you ever wondered about our dad?" The other two nodded solemnly. "Yeah."

Bird glanced over her shoulder. "Well, I found out his name. I think. Last night, I heard Windy and Dawn talking. They kept talking about a cat called Scourge."

Ice nodded. "Yeah! And I just heard him mentioned a little bit ago."

Storm pondered it all for a few seconds. "Let's ask momma tonight, ok?"

"Ok." The other two chorused, looking at Dawn and Windy.

A/N:

There! Sorry for any mistakes in any of the chapters! I should be putting out chapters around once a week.

I hope you've enjoyed so far!

;)