Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors or any of the characters in Warriors. All rights go to the Erins!
The journey to the camp was uneventful at best. The older cats trotted back to their home with the same easiness and comfort that Moonkit had seen her own mother display on her trips back to the Twolegs. Neither Sandstorm nor Eaglewing had had any trouble carrying their tiny loads, and Firestar had stopped and checked to ensure everyone was doing well. Moonkit had struggled at first with Eaglewing carrying her. Her mother had been the only cat to ever pick her up, and while it seemed silly even to Moonkit she couldn't help but feel like she had betrayed her mother. Both by agreeing to allow the Clan cats to help them, and for allowing another cat to carry her.
Entering the camp had been a different story all together. Moonkit's only knowledge about Clan life came from the stories her mother had shared with her. Moonkit imagined that her mother told all of her litters the same stories as a way for them to know a little about their father. Moonkit's littermates had always enjoyed the stories far more than she did, but now she wished that she had paid attention. There were no familiar smells, and Moonkit found herself unsure of how to behave around Clan cats.
"Where did you get kits?" a voice called.
Eaglewing set Moonkit on the ground gently, and Sandstorm placed her brother down next to her. Immediately, Moonkit tucked herself against her brother, peering at the growing number of adult cats with distrust.
"We found them near the Twoleg place." Sandstorm replied. "They're orphaned."
"They should have stayed there." Another voice hissed.
Moonkit watched silently as more and more Clan cats gathered around. Moonkit backed up slightly and growled.
"Give them space." Firestar said gently, bending down to touch noses with Echokit. "If there is a queen willing to watch over them, then they will stay in the nursery."
"They don't need milk." Sandstorm mentioned.
"They look to be younger than two moons." A she-cat questioned. "How are they weaned?"
"Their mother started weaning them early, and now they are fully wean. There's no point in going backwards." Sandstorm said softly.
"I'll look over them." The she-cat responded. "I'm already looking after my three kits, so two more shouldn't be too much trouble."
"Thank you Willowpelt." Firestar purred. "They will need your guidance in the upcoming moons."
"Of course." Willowpelt meowed. "I'll take them there now. Despite our history the Clan has never been fond of kits born to kittypets, and I'm sure they've been through enough. Eaglewing, help me take them to the nursery."
The silver she-cat trotted over to Echokit and picked him up. Echokit meowed a soft protest, but didn't offer any more resistance. Moonkit was able to catch the she-cat's gaze, and was stunned to see that the she-cat shared almost the same unusual shade of blue that her mother and brother had. Moonkit was still in shock over Willowpelt's eyes when she felt teeth wrap around her nape. Moonkit turned around with a jolt, but relaxed when she locked eyes with the unimpressed glare of the white tom, Eaglewing.
"I can walk." Moonkit muttered, jumping to her feet and trotting to catch up with the slower moving she-cat that carried her brother.
"They should go visit Cinderpelt first." Firestar called. "Make sure they don't have any illnesses that can pass to the other kits. Leaf bare has already been cold, and kits without mothers are always the most vulnerable."
Willowpelt flicked her tail in acknowledgement. Before Moonkit could follow the she-cat's changed course she felt teeth once again on her nape, but this time they didn't loosen when she tried to twist out of it. Moonkit didn't have to be able to see the cat to know it was Eaglewing. She huffed loudly to express her annoyance with being carried, but the white tom didn't seem to care and continued trotted after the she-cat. After what felt like an eternity of being carried, but had really only been moments, Moonkit was finally placed on the floor beside her brother.
"Oh kits." A she-cat purred softly.
Moonkit eyed the dark gray she-cat carefully. The she-cat moved slowly, and Moonkit realized that the gray cat had an injured leg.
"Hi Cinderpelt. Firestar wants you to make sure they aren't ill. Apparently they found them alone." Willowpelt meowed.
"Okay." Cinderpelt replied. "You can go back to the nursery, and I'll bring them by once I check them over."
"Okay." Willowpelt agreed easily. She glanced at the two kits before trotting off.
Moonkit moved closer to her brother and started nuzzling his thick cream-colored fur. He licked her ear in return, and Moonkit felt comforted by the fact that she still had her brother by her side.
"Can I go as well?" Eaglewing questioned.
Cinderpelt glanced over at the white tom in amusement. "Not too keen on helping the medicine cat today?"
"I've been on kit duty since we found them." Eaglewing muttered.
"You were a kit not long ago." Cinderpelt pointed out.
"I was an apprentice not that long ago, but now I'm a warrior." Eaglewing huffed.
"Off you go then." Cinderpelt said.
Cinderpelt watched with fond exasperation as the white tom bounded off with kit-like glee. Moonkit couldn't help the panic she felt as she watched the white tom leave. Eaglewing had been far from nice, but he was the last familiar face. Now Moonkit and her brother were left alone with the new she-cat, Cinderpelt, and while she had a calming way about her, Moonkit still wished desperately that the three older cats that had found them hadn't abandoned them.
"He just completed his warrior vigil last night." Cinderpelt said with amusement. "I'm guessing his first day as a warrior hasn't been as exciting as he hoped."
"Warrior vigil?" Echokit questioned.
Moonkit glanced sideways at her normally silent brother. He had been far more talkative since Clan cats had found them, and Moonkit wished he wouldn't engage with the Clan cats anymore than they needed to.
"You haven't heard of a warrior vigil before?" Cinderpelt inquired.
Moonkit's hair bristled at the gray she-cat's question. "Well we aren't Clan cats."
Moonkit was surprised to see an amused glint in the older she-cat's eyes. "I can already tell you'll be a handful. Seems to be a common theme in kits brought to this clan." The last sentence was muttered more to herself than to either of the two kits. "A warrior vigil is part of the warrior ceremony. It's the last step before an apprentice becomes a warrior. After an apprentice receives his or her warrior name, they then spend the entire night awake so that they can guard the camp and reflect."
"Our mother told us a bit about Clan life." Echokit responded, grateful for the answer. "But she only got a few stories from our father."
"Oh? So your father is a warrior then?" Cinderpelt questioned.
Moonkit sent her brother a sharp look, but her brother only gave her a dismissive glance before answering. "Yes. Our mother didn't tell us too much about him. Just that he was a warrior for one of the Clans, but if she knew which one she never told us."
"Tell her our entire life story, because that is a great idea." Moonkit muttered darkly.
Moonkit hissed softly when she saw her brother roll his blue eyes, and completely ignored him when he tried to give her an apologetic lick.
"Our mother is already dead, so telling them about her can't do her any harm. And you know as well as I do that there isn't enough information about our father to properly find him." Echokit mewed.
"And I'm hardly a threat." Cinderpelt purred, glancing once again at her injured leg.
Moonkit wondered what had happened to the she-cat. Cinderpelt didn't seem that old, certainly younger than her mother, and it was apparent that the she-cat had not been born with a crippled leg. There was no way any birth defect could leave such ugly scarring.
"Did that happen while you were a warrior?" Moonkit blurted out, her curiosity making her bold.
"It happened while I was still in training. I got hit by a monster, but our old medicine cat was able to save me." Cinderpelt meowed back. "Well, most of me."
"That's why mother wanted us to stay away from Clan cats." Moonkit mumbled, hazel eyes staring intently at the she-cat's leg.
"And if mother were still here we would have." Echokit sighed. "You can't deny that the grounds were getting colder. She warned us away from Twolegs as well, but how much longer would you have been able to hunt? It was only a matter of time before we had to rely on the Twolegs for food."
Moonkit knew in her heart that her brother was right. Despite her best efforts, she wouldn't have been able to make the prey stay, and each day she had been hunting closer and closer to the Twolegs' nest. One way or another they would have had to break at least one of their mother's rules in order to survive. At least this way they would be able to leave the ThunderClan camp, and go back to living the way their mother had so desperately tried to raise them to live. Moonkit still felt like she was betraying her mother, but for now she would have to push that aside.
"From what I can tell you both look healthy." Cinderpelt yawned, standing up and arching her back. "You've both still got a strong spirit, and that will play an important part in your survival. Losing your mother so young is always hard on kits, especially as young as you two, but kits far younger have survived losing their mother. Be grateful that she was able to teach you in the short moons you had with her." Cinderpelt's bright eyes and light attitude darkened for a moment, and it made Moonkit wonder what other kits Cinderpelt was speaking of. Whoever they were, it seemed apparent that the she-cat had once, or perhaps, still did care for them deeply. Moonkit was about to question Cinderpelt, but the she-cat spoke before Moonkit could form the question.
"Come now. I'll bring you to the nursery. A good meal and sleep will do you both well."
Moonkit debated if she should still ask, but her tiredness and hunger won out. Both kits hadn't had a chance to eat since their sister died, and Moonkit was a bit disheartened to know that her mouse was probably frozen and untouched back by their old den. Moonkit and Echokit fell in step behind the she-cat, and Moonkit found herself a bit grateful for the older cat's injured leg that made her move slower. Her pace was easy for their tiny legs to match, and Moonkit knew that neither her nor her brother had the strength to run after a quicker cat.
Moonkit followed Cinderpelt blindly for a few moments before the sight of Firestar caught her eye. The ginger tom was surrounded by what Moonkit assumed were the rest of the ThunderClan cats, excluding Willowpelt, who Moonkit guessed was at the nursery with her kits. Moonkit couldn't hear anything from where she was, but she knew the harsh whispering at something to do with her and her brother.
"Cinderpelt!" a voice hollered, making both of the kits jump in surprise.
Moonkit turned a wary eye to the new she-cat that was approaching. The she-cat was completely white with dark blue eyes.
"Hello." Cinderpelt purred out a warm greeting.
Moonkit watched the two she-cats get immersed in conversation. Moonkit fiddled around a bit to see if either she-cat was paying attention to her, but neither one noticed her movements.
"Don't." Echokit hissed softly.
"Sh." Moonkit hushed gently. "Come on."
Echokit looked conflicted between staying where he was supposed to be, and following his sister, but Moonkit knew she didn't have much time to waste. Moonkit sent her brother a final beckoning glance before slipping away from the two she-cats and bounding carefully over to where the ThunderClan cats were gathered around Firestar. None of the Clan cats noticed her approach, and she was able to get close enough to hear the whispered hisses of the Clan cats.
"Don't you think our Clan has been through enough without having to worry about feeding two more mouths with the worst of leaf bare right around the corner?" a dark brown tabby tom questioned. Moonkit could just barely make out amber eyes staring intently at Firestar, although his eyes don't hold the hostility that Moonkit had heard.
"Our Clan has been through a lot, but that doesn't give us an excuse to leave helpless kits out in the cold." Firestar insisted.
"You said they were found by a Twoleg place?" this time a pale brown tabby tom speaks. The brown tabby had black stripes that covered his body, and his ear had a split in it. The brown tabby had an unusually long tail wrapped around himself. "Would it not have been better to leave the kits in the care of Twolegs? If their mother was comfortable raising her litter around Twolegs, than it's likely she was a kittypet."
"Cloudtail and I have both spent more time with Twolegs than either of those kits. Their mother may or may not have a kittypet, but those kits were born in the forest. They don't trust Twolegs anymore than the rest of us." Firestar answered calmly.
"And their father was a warrior." Cinderpelt piped in.
Moonkit immediately winced when she felt the presence of the she-cat behind her. Moonkit glanced over her shoulder to see Cinderpelt's blue eyes staring at her, but if the she-cat was angry about Moonkit's disappearance, she didn't show it. The only emotion Moonkit could find in the she-cat's calm blue eyes was amusement.
"Firestar, I trust that you will do right by our Clan." The first voice relented.
"As do I." The second voiced sighed.
Firestar dipped his head slightly in silent acknowledgment. The rest of the voices from the Clan cats died down, and within seconds they all dispersed throughout the camp
"And what are those two doing over here?" Firestar meowed.
Moonkit felt uneasy under the ginger tom's unwavering stare. Moonkit quickly peeked around her to see if her brother had joined her, only to find Echokit sitting firmly behind Cinderpelt.
"I was talking to Frostfur, and one of the little buggers slipped away from me." Cinderpelt meowed back.
"Willowpelt and Eaglewing should have been with you." Firestar pointed out.
"I sent Willowpelt back to her kits. And Eaglewing has been eager to be a warrior since he was a kit. It seemed almost cruel to keep him while I checked over our newest arrivals." Cinderpelt stated
"You coddle him too much." Firestar scolded. "He can't hide behind the excuse of being an impulsive kit anymore."
Cinderpelt leveled a cold glare at the bigger tom. "I wasn't coddling him. He's a warrior and his skills were needed elsewhere."
"Don't try and cover up for him." Firestar snarled.
Moonkit expected the blue-eyed she-cat to wince at Firestar's harsh words, but instead Cinderpelt stalked past him. "Come on kits." She chirped over her shoulder.
Moonkit glanced at Firestar, only to find him staring intently at the gray she-cat that purposely marched away. Moonkit slinked past the tom and trotted to catch up to her brother and Cinderpelt.
"Traitor." Moonkit muttered when she caught up to Echokit.
Her brother sent her an annoyed glance. "I didn't say anything. She looked down and notice you were gone."
"You didn't come with me." Moonkit grumbled, flicking her tail in annoyance.
"Well you got Cinderpelt in trouble." Echokit shot back.
"She got herself in trouble." Moonkit snorted.
"What are you two whispering about?" Cinderpelt inquired.
"Nothing." Echokit mumbled.
"Well, here's the nursery. Willowpelt will already be in there with her kits." Cinderpelt purred. She gave each of them a gentle lick as they slipped through the gap of bramble bushes. Moonkit had to blink away the pang of grief that she felt as she remembered when her mother used to give her kits the same gentle licks.
The smell of milk immediately assaulted her sense of smell. Moonkit wrinkled her nose and looked over to see Echokit do the same thing. Once the scent of milk had been welcoming to the two kits, but now it seemed unappetizing. Perhaps it was because the milk smelt slightly off, and Moonkit knew that was because it wasn't from their mother. They had grown up surrounded only by her smell, and the smell of her siblings. There hadn't been any other cats that went near their den, so there was never any mingling of scents. Moonkit missed the smell of their den, and the distinct smell of her mother. Her mother's scent always brought the promise of warmth, love, and food. Moonkit pressed her nose against her brother's flank and took in his familiar and comforting smell.
Echokit turned his head to lick her ear fondly, and Moonkit knew with certainty that her brother was thinking the same thing.
"You're welcomed over here." Willowpelt meowed softly, glancing meaningfully at her three sleeping kits. "Would you like me to go get you some fresh-kill?"
Moonkit blinked at the she-cat, but couldn't bring herself to get any closer to the older cat or her kits. And currently her tiredness was winning out over her hunger. Moonkit pressed herself to the other side of the nursery and curled up.
"No thank you." Echokit meowed back sleepily.
Echokit snuggled up next to her shortly after he replied. Finally, Moonkit could close her eyes and allowed the tiredness of the last day to seep into her body. Beside her Echokit purred loudly, but Moonkit couldn't muster up the strength to even do that. Instead she allowed the darkness of sleep to claim her.
A/N: Hey guys. So I realized Moonkit is pretty hung up on her mother, but keep in mind that she is a kit that should still be learning from her mom. There's a big hole in her heart right now. Hopefully she's not too annoying! Please review! My sister and I love feedback, so if we are doing something wrong let us know!
Also editing sucks, but my sister wrote this like two weeks ago and I wanted to hurry up and get it posted!