Chapter 9 A Unusual Kit
"YOU CAN'T DO THAT SHE'S YOUR KIT!" Lightpaw yowled. Rivershimmer stood up, buried her third kit in moss and sat down looking at Lightpaw with fury.
"You mousebrain I will not have my other two kits know they have a filth for a sister" Rivershimmer hissed. The commotion caused alarm to Brightpaw, Wolfpaw, Shinefur, and Whitestar. Whitestar got up and approached Lightpaw and Rivershimmer.
"What's going on here?" Whitestar asked.
"Father, Rivershimmer is rejecting her kit. She can't do that." Lightpaw explained. Whitestar glanced at Lightpaw then glanced at Rivershimmer.
"Rivershimmer do you have a good reason for this?" Whitestar asked.
"Yes she is a filth and doesn't belong here." Rivershimmer growled.
"Can I see the third kit?" Whitestar asked.
"Of course since you're more reasonable than your son." Rivershimmer agreed. She turned and removed the moss. She picked up kit and turned around. Brightpaw, Wolfpaw, and Shinefur gasped while Lightpaw and Whitestar's eyes wided. The third kit was a dark silver she-cat with light grey stripes. Rivershimmer's gaze turned dark.
"I'm sorry son, but in this case Rivershimmer does have the right to reject her." Whitestar signed. Lightpaw stared in disbelief at his father, but signed in defeat and approached Rivershimmer.
"Fine I will take the kit." Lightpaw growled. Lightpaw snatched the kit in his mouth and left the nursery. Lightpaw saw the warriors waiting outside the nursery until they saw the kit.
"Is that a dark-pelt kit?!" Echoshine yowled.
"What's it doing in the nursery?!" Snaketooth hissed. Lightpaw ignored them and continued to the slaves den. Darkpaw and the other slaves were waiting to come in until they saw Lightpaw and Darkpaw approached him.
"Has Dustfoot and Berryspot given birth to their kits yet?" Lightpaw asked.
"Yeah they have just been born. Nettlespring, Sunpelt, Cloudberry, and Doespring are with them now." Darkpaw answered. Darkpaw noticed the kit Lightpaw was holding.
"Is that a dark-pelt kit?" Darkpaw asked. Lightpaw nodded and gently put the kit down.
"Yes. Darkpaw can you carry the kit please? I need to talk to Dustfoot or Berryspot." Lightpaw asked. Darkpaw nodded and picked up the kit. Lightpaw and Darkpaw entered the slaves den and saw both queens and their kits along with Nettlespring, Sunpelt, Cloudberry, and Doespring standing next to them. Lightpaw approached Dustfoot and saw three she-cats next to their mother's belly. One kit was a black she-cat with ginger paws, another was a dark brown she-cat with black chest,belly,muzzle,paws and tailtip, and the last one was a black she-cat with brown stripes. Dustfoot and Nettlespring looked proudly at their kits until they saw Lightpaw approaching them.
"Hi Dustfoot how are you and your kits?" Lightpaw asked.
"I'm fine thank you. The first kit is Nightkit, the second is Duskkit, and the last is Shadowkit. Dustfoot pointed each kit with her tail.
"I hope this isn't any trouble but do you mind if you took care of one more kit?" Lightpaw asked. Nettlespring and Dustfoot looked confused until they saw the kit Darkpaw was holding.
"Lightpaw where did you find this kit?" Cloudberry asked.
"Its Rivershimmer's. She rejected it after she discovered that it was a dark-pelt." Lightpaw explained. Cloudberry's gaze darkened and the others made low growls.
"I'm not surprised with Rivershimmer's behavior" Doespring hissed. Dustfoot gaze darkened and after a few moments, Dustfoot looked at the kit.
"Of course i'll take care of it. It needs a mother and I have enough milk for all four kits." Dustfoot answered. Lightpaw nodded and motioned Darkpaw with his tail. Darkpaw came forward and gently placed the kit with the other kits.
"So what are going to name the kit?" Nettlespring asked. Everyone thought of a name until Berryspot stood up.
"I know how about Greykit." Berryspot suggested. The others gave a few uncertain looks.
"No besides the kit is silver not grey." Dustfoot meowed.
"Ok well how about Silverkit." Sunpelt suggested. The others gave the same uncertain looks.
"No I think you could only name her that if she was a light-pelt kit." Nettlespring pointed out. The others soon agreed.
"I know how about Mistykit." Lightpaw suggested. Approval looks were soon given.
"I think Mistykit is a wonderful name. Thank you Lightpaw." Dustfoot meowed. Lightpaw nodded and approached Berryspot and her kits. The kits were two toms; one kit was a dark ginger tom with red ears and toes and the second was a dark greyish-red tom with front yellow paws. Sunpelt and Berryspot looked proudly at their kits, but Lightpaw saw a flash of sadness in Sunpelt's eyes like if he had missed someone he cared so deeply and knew it was never coming back. Sunpelt saw Lightpaw looking at him and changed his gaze.
"So what did you name the kits?" Lightpaw asked.
"Well the first one is Gingerkit and the second is Applekit." Berryspot answered. Lightpaw nodded and left the slave den. Lightpaw headed to the apprentice den until Brightpaw approached him.
"Hey Lightpaw did you name the third kit?" Brightpaw asked.
"Yeah her name is Mistykit." Lightpaw answered.
"Thats a pretty name." Brightpaw commented.
"Yeah hey by the way what did Rivershimmer name her other two kits?" Lightpaw asked.
"Well they're both twins but one kit is Glimmerkit and the other is Shimmerkit." Brightpaw answered. Lightpaw nodded and entered the apprentice den for the night.
A few days passed and the kits had grown into playful little kittens. Lightpaw and Darkpaw had returned from a border patrol and decided to bathe in the sunlight for a bit. Lightpaw headed towards the area until he saw Blizzardkit, Stormkit, Glimmerkit and Shimmerkit harassing Duskkit and Mistykit while Nightkit, Shadowkit, Gingerkit and Applekit watched with fear.
"Mistykit you deserve this you dark furred rat!" Glimmerkit purred. She raised her claws and slashed her claws down Mistykit's eye.
"GLIMMERKIT, SHIMMERKIT, STORMKIT, and BLIZZARDKIT" Lightpaw yowled approaching them with Darkpaw right behind him.
"What did I tell you about harassing the dark-pelt kits?!" Lightpaw growled. Stormkit had his head along with his ears while the other kits gave annoyed looks. The dark-pelt kits gave looks of relief and joy.
"You can't boss us around!" Shimmerkit hissed.
"Yeah" Glimmerkit added.
"Since i'm older than you and a apprentice i'm pretty sure I can." Lightpaw retorted. He turned to Darkpaw.
"Darkpaw take Mistykit and Duskkit to Doespring and as for you kits come with me." Lightpaw ordered. Darkpaw nodded and took Mistykit and Duskkit to Doespring's den while Lightpaw led both light-pelt and dark-pelt kit close to a den.
"So where are we going?" Stormkit asked.
"We're going to the elders den" Lightpaw answered.
"The elders den. Is that the best you can do?." Blizzardkit scoffed.
"Don't be so sure about that." Lightpaw smirked. Lightpaw and the kits entered the elders den as all three elders were sharing tongues.
"Hello Lightpaw come in will you. You too kits." Patchtuft greeted. Everyone entered and sat down next to the elders. Darkpaw, Duskkit, and Mistykit soon joined them.
"Alright listen up! In here you kits must respect each other and if you don't you're banned for a moon." Poppycloud meowed. Blizzardkit started to realize why it was a punishment. Lightpaw and Darkpaw chuckled with amusement.
"Lightpaw, Darkpaw can you please come here for a moment?" Cloudberry called out. Lightpaw and Darkpaw left the elders den and approached Cloudberry.
"Alright now as you know leafbare is coming up and greencough can happen in this type of season. I need you to get marigold, colts-foot, juniper berries, and a lot of catmint please." Cloudberry asked. Lightpaw and Darkpaw nodded and left camp.