"Come on!" Mystie spat at her kits as the three trudged through the black muck. "Where are we going, Ma?" Dew asked. "To the forest cats' territory," Mystie stated. "Stone, hurry up!" Stone waddled after her littermate on a set of twisted paws. "Which"- Mystie spun around; Stone saw a flash of silver before her mother's claws raked over her ear. Blood welled from the wound, and Stone blinked her mismatched green and blue eyes in pain, not daring to protest. She bent her head in shame, so low her muzzle brushed the mud.
Dew hissed. "Ma, that's not fair!" "Quiet," Mystie spat. Her gaze sharpened abruptly, and she launched into the shaded undergrowth, emerging with a dead toad dangling from her jaws. She shoved a leg toward Dew, who chewed it with relish. "Can..." Stone trailed off, melting under Mystie's withering glare. "Sorry, Ma." Mystie licked her lips. "Come on now." They carried on walking. The gray curtain of rain slicked the fur to Stone's bony frame so that she could count each rib. Mystie and her brother will only slightly better off. Each of them reeked of sewer water and dead rats.
"Hey, who's there?!" Three cats sprang from the shadows. In the front was a black she cat. Her flanks were so plump her stomach brushed the ground as she slithered through the marsh grass. Stone gawked, comparing Mystie's gaunt and bony frame to the she-cat's. "Who are you, and what is that?!" The cat's green gaze caught on Stone. Confusion and disgust mingled in their eyes. Mystie bundled her behind her, concealing her from view. "My kit. She's misshapen, I know- juts like her father, who up and left us after I had the kits. Feather and Smoke died. I don't want my last kits to die too. Please, let us join your Clan. Dew will grow to be a good apprentice, and I'll contribute." "And what does your other kit have to offer?" Mystie narrowed her eyes. "Unfortunately, I can't leave her for dogs and crows out here. After all, she is my kit." Cruel amusement danced in her eyes. "She likes water. Send her to that... WaterClan."
Stone squealed in horror as she remembered watching Smoke drown after their father shoved her into the drain. She remembered her pitiful screams as she was swept away. Since then, Stone had avoided all water, even puddles. Dew's eyes scrunched up in fury. "Ma, you can't do this!" "I don't want to," Mystie lied easily, "But I have no choice." She turned to the forest cats, head tilted with mock innocence. "So?" "We'll take you to our leader," a dull gray she-cat barked. "And then we'll figure out what to do with that one. But I must warn you, you'll all need new names. And for that one, I was thinking... Brokenkit."
