The brambles that made the ceiling of the nursery rustled with the tough wind of leaf-bare, sending a shiver through Talonkit's thick, brown tabby fur. Even though the body heat of his mother and his sister should have been enough to keep him nice and warm, Talonkit could see the tiny snowflakes landing on the forest floor, right outside the entrance of the nursery. The snowfall accompanied the frigid winds that whipped through the bramble thicket. Talonkit started to get to his paws, eager to explore the snow. He had never seen it before – he had only heard about it from his mother's stories.
"Talonkit!" hissed a small voice from behind him. Talonkit swung his head over his tiny shoulders, spotting the gray-and-white pelt of his sister, Birdkit, who had been curled right next to him. Her green eyes flared with anger as she gazed at her brother. "You're not supposed to get up! It's too early!"
"Father says that it's never too early to serve your Clan," Talonkit told his sister, flicking his striped tail in irritation. Just because Birdkit had been the firstborn didn't mean she had the right to boss him around! Talonkit was bigger and stronger than her – surely he got the final say in things? But from the fierce light in his sister's eyes, Talonkit knew that his size didn't matter – Birdkit was the more outspoken of the two. Talonkit felt his fur fluff out. I need to be more assertive, like my father! He's the best warrior in ShadowClan, and I'm going to be just like him, one day!
Birdkit huffed and turned on her side, settling down into a restful slumber, just moments after chastising her brother. Talonkit watched her sides rise and was just about to place his paws outside the nursery when he heard a quiet rumble. He stopped in his tracks, glancing guilty over his shoulder once more to see the vivid blue eyes of his mother, Thistlesnow, start to open.
"Talonkit?" Thistlesnow asked, her voice still sleepy, and her eyes glazed with exhaustion. "What are you doing over there?"
"Um…" Talonkit glanced back at the exit of the nursery, his paws itching to run out into the camp. How could his sister and mother snooze the day away?
"Come back to sleep." Thistlesnow let out a yawn, gesturing with her white paw to urge Talonkit back towards her nest. "It's too early to be up."
"But I'm not tired," Talonkit protested.
Thistlesnow shrugged, seeming too tired to say anything else. Her pelt was an exact replica of Birdkit's, and so she did the exact same thing his sister had done – went straight back to sleep. Talonkit watched them snore before turning on his heel and marching out of the den. The immediate frigid wind that hit him made him want to run back into the nursery immediately, but he looked up and straightened his shoulders. Warriors didn't run. They faced their problems head on. And they didn't snooze so late in the day.
The Clan was starting to rise, the morning sun setting shafts of pale golden light over the camp and tinging the tips of the dens with a soft glow. Talonkit batted at the snowflakes that hit the ground, squealing as the freezing snow melted into his paw. It's so cold! Was it like this all leaf-bare? How did the warriors survive this cold? He settled his paws under his chest, trying to get warm as he watched the cats slowly start to stream from the warriors' den. Where is my father?
His father, Sparrowflight, was the most distinguished warrior in ShadowClan. He had slain many warriors in battle and had brought fame and glory to the cats who lived in the pines, whispers of him being the best warrior across the lake spreading through the Clans. Even moreso than his fearsome skills in battle, he was known for his strength and honor. Talonkit desired to be just like him one day – where he would be so feared that no cat would dare cross his path, and his honor would be spoken for generations to come.
Other warriors in ShadowClan, such as the strong Icefire and the mighty Fallensnow, were gossiped about in the other Clans. Icefire was a fierce she-cat in battle, while Fallensnow protected the cats around him with his life. Snowsplash was the oldest yet one of the strongest warriors in ShadowClan, while the younger warriors, Copperlight and Hopflight, worked hard to be recognized for their contributions. The ShadowClan leader, Lionstar, packed a massive presence. He had been known as the Lion of ShadowClan ever since he was young, having commanded battles fiercely and achieving ShadowClan the fame and glory it was known for. His deputy, Toadstep, was equally as strong as his leader, and almost as fierce. But there was a reason Toadstep was deputy and Lionstar was leader – Toadstep didn't have the skills Lionstar did. But that doesn't mean he's not a great deputy!
Talonkit's ears perked up when he spotted the dark brown tabby pelt of his father. Ignoring the feeling of the bitter snow underneath his small dark paws, he bounded across the hollow floor, spotting the low-hanging branches that made the warriors' den whipping in the wind. Talonkit stopped a few fox-lengths outside the den, allowing his father to walk out and swing his head around. When Sparrowflight's gaze focused on Talonkit, Talonkit bowed his head. His father walked over to him, his amber eyes narrowed. He sat down, reaching out his tail and brushing it down Talonkit's spine. It was a bare gesture, but Thistlesnow had always told Talonkit to accept whatever gestures of affection that Sparrowflight gave him, for Sparrowflight did not show much, either in his gestures or in his words.
"What are you doing up, and in the snow?" Sparrowflight asked, confusion shadowing his yellow eyes. "Shouldn't you be in the nursery with your mother?"
"Warriors should be up first thing in the morning," Talonkit replied, echoing the words he had heard through camp so many times.
Sparrowflight arched an eye whisker, and for a moment a trace of amusement crossed his face. "You sure do listen to the senior warriors when they talk, don't you."
"I have to!" Talonkit exclaimed. "I'm going to be just as great of a warrior as you, Father. One day!"
"You'll have to train a lot, then," Sparrowflight told him. "Being a good warrior doesn't happen in days, you know. Neither does it happen in moons. It takes years of determination and training."
"Then that's what I'll do," Talonkit vowed. "Lionstar is going to trust me just as much as he trusts you." He gazed at his father, searching for some trace of pride, for hope in them. Sparrowflight nodded slowly in agreement, but Talonkit couldn't read his yellow eyes. They were the same as they always were. They didn't seem to change, no matter what emotion he was portraying on his face.
Sparrowflight flicked his tail on top of Talonkit's head after a few moments. "Good. That's what I like to hear. Lionstar will give you a good mentor, I'm sure." He jerked his head. "I need to go. I'm expected on the first patrol of the morning. I'll see you when I get back."
"Okay, Father." Talonkit felt his excitement deflate a bit – he wanted to spend more time with his father, but he was always so busy with his duties. He watched with his heart sinking just a tad as his father turned on his heel, walking towards the center of camp, settling down and waiting for more cats to gather. Talonkit bounded away, back into the bramble thicket that made the nursery. When he slipped in, he spotted his sister, already up and grooming her fur. Birdkit lifted her head and gazed at him.
"Where'd you go?" Birdkit asked, rubbing her head with her gray-and-white paw.
"I went to see Father," Talonkit meowed, plopping down on the nursery floor. "Did you just wake up?"
"What, have you not stopped about how much you want to be a warrior?" Birdkit rolled her eyes in faint irritation. "Can't you stop that?"
"Don't you want to be a warrior?" Talonkit pressed his sister. "You know it's not all fun and games!"
Birdkit fluffed her fur out. "I'm not sure," she muttered. "I don't know if training 'til my paws fall off and doing nothing but fight is my path."
"What?" Talonkit gaped as he stared at his sister. "You… you don't want to be a warrior?" How could Birdkit even say that? Didn't she know the most honorable thing a ShadowClan cat could do for his Clan was to fight and die for it? Had she not been listening when Sparrowflight had lectured them on the life of a warrior? He felt the back of his fur ruffle, and he tried to think about what to say to Birdkit, to try and change her mind.
"Talonkit!" The fierce voice came from Thistlesnow. Talonkit looked up at his mother, who was walking over to him with a kindle of a fire inside her blue eyes. "Birdkit is right." She nudged Talonkit's head with her nose. "I know that you want to be a strong warrior, but…" Her voice trailed off, thick with pain as Talonkit took in the curves of her white dappled face. "I don't want you to die, Talonkit. You're too young. You have a life to live."
Talonkit stared at his mother, puzzled. Why was she so upset? Why were there tears brimming in her eyes? I don't want to make you upset. He pressed against his mother's soft chest, hearing her purr rumble in her body. "All right, Mom. I'll stop talking about it."
"Thank you," Thistlesnow sighed, bending her head down to touch Talonkit. "I don't want to hear you speak like that again. Your father already loves his Clan more than he loves me." She let out a soft sigh. "I don't want that to happen with you, too."
What? Talonkit was shocked at the pain in Thistlesnow's voice, but it didn't seem like his place to pry. Especially since the shadows in Thistlesnow's eyes was something Talonkit had never seen before, he wasn't quite sure if he wanted to know. He cast a glance at Birdkit, who was staring at their mother with the same surprise Talonkit felt. Her ears twitched, and Talonkit finally pulled himself away from his mother.
"Mm?" There was a mumble from next to Talonkit, and the brown tabby kit turned on his heel and saw his denmates starting to rise, possibly disturbed by the exchange between Talonkit and his mother. Owlkit was the first cat that got to his paws, and Talonkit looked the brown tabby tom up and down. His pelt was similar to Talonkit's, except Owlkit's stripes were nearly pure black, while Talonkit's stripes were just a darker brown than his coat. Owlkit was an only kit, and his mother was rarely seen in the nursery. Owlkit's father had died when the tabby kit was just a couple of days old, and Talonkit had overheard the other queens murmuring about how Blossomflower didn't visit her son because he reminded her too much of her late mate.
"Good morning, Owlkit," Talonkit greeted his friend when he rose to his paws. Owlkit shook out his thick tabby fur and gave Talonkit a brisk nod. The kit's gaze followed Talonkit's, his amber gaze focusing on the snowy landscape in front of him, and he let out a gasp.
"Wow!" Owlkit exclaimed. "It's snowing! I'm going to go check it out!"
Talonkit watched as the dark tabby shot off from the nursery, disappearing into the winter wonderland that bathed the camp. He let out a chuckle of amusement, arching his ears as he heard more kits start to rise. When Talonkit looked over his shoulder, all of his denmates were opening their eyes, blinking sleep out of them. There was Shrewkit, who nudged his brother, Leafkit sharply in the chest. Leafkit growled in irritation, and Shrewkit flattened his ears, feigning innocence. The other kits in the nursery, Hawkkit and Eaglekit, two twins, were climbing over each other, trying to get to the snow. Talonkit could barely tell them apart, their pelts and frame were nearly identical. The only difference between them was that Hawkkit's pelt was a few shades darker than Eaglekit's.
"You all took so long to wake up," Birdkit commented wryly. She was the only she-kit in the nursery, and even though any other tomkit would take the opportunity to bully her, she was so fierce that she scared the kits in the nursery in submission, despite being smaller than them and younger. Shrewkit shook his head, while the twins grunted and followed Owlkit outside to investigate the snow.
"Are you not going to look at the snow?" Talonkit asked when Shrewkit walked over to him, making no move to follow Leafkit as he trailed Eaglekit and Hawkkit. Their mothers watched with soft eyes, and Blossomflower was the only one who scrambled to her paws and followed Owlkit, clearly worried about him.
Shrewkit watched the entrance of the nursery, his amber eyes focused on something Talonkit couldn't quite see. "It's cold."
"It's cold every leaf-bare," Talonkit urged his friend. "Come on! I'll show you."
"You've already been out?" Shrewkit's eye whiskers furrowed.
"Yeah!" Talonkit chirped. "It's really cold, but it's really different!" He tugged Shrewkit along with him. "Come on, follow me!"
Shrewkit shrugged his slight shoulders, amusement glinting in his eyes. "If you say so, Talonkit."
Just as Talonkit dragged Shrewkit to the entrance of the nursery, he looked over his friend's shoulder and called out to Birdkit, "Are you coming?"
"Nope." Birdkit shook her head. "I'd rather say nice and toasty in here."
"All right, then," Talonkit meowed, turning on his heel and dragging Shrewkit out into the open. He wished that Birdkit had come with him – Birdkit never seemed like the warrior type, and he didn't know why. She never expressed interest in fighting or hunting, always hating the idea to die for your Clan. So what was she going to be? If she wasn't going to be a warrior, what did the future have in store for her? Deciding that it was Birdkit's issue to worry about and not his, Talonkit leaped onto the snowy ground, a shudder running through his body as his paws landed on the pure white snow. When he lifted his paws to move, he saw that they had left a perfect paw print of five toes and a pad. Wow. When he looked up, he saw pawprints in the snow all across camp as warriors moved to and fro, the daily activity of camp life just beginning as the morning rays started to warm the snow just a tiny bit.
He looked over his shoulder to see what Shrewkit thought of the snow. The small brown tom's amber eyes were wide as he pressed his paws into the snow repeatedly, seeing his own prints and shaking the snow off his toes as it splattered across the ground. The breath he was letting out was frigid and visible to the naked eye, but he didn't turn and flee from the nursery. Instead, Shrewkit continued to walk across camp, even though his teeth were shaking because of the cold. Talonkit followed him, a sense of responsibility and protection flushing over him as he stuck close to his friend.
His Clanmates cast glances at the kits as they explored the snow in camp, but Talonkit looked up and met their gazes evenly. One day they were going to be warriors, and that entailed serving their Clan in the leaf-bare. It wasn't too early to see what was coming. Talonkit glanced over to see Shrewkit sniffing at a dead frog, and just as Shrewkit had his back towards him, Talonkit sculpted a ball of snow and lunged it at his friend. It hit squarely against Shrewkit's back, splattering into dozens of pieces. Shrewkit gasped and turned on his heel. His eyes blazed, and for a moment, Talonkit wondered if he was genuinely furious. But a mischievous grin crossed Shrewkit's face as he dug a ball in seconds and threw it at Talonkit. The snowball landed against Talonkit's pale chest fur, and the freezing sensation it brought up nearly brought Talonkit to a standstill.
"Hey!" A voice made both the kits cower down, and Talonkit looked up to see Shrewkit's father, Fallensnow, glaring at both of them with narrowed amber eyes. "Don't you have anything better to do than throw snowballs at each other in the middle of camp?" Although he reprimanded them severely, Talonkit didn't miss the soft look in his eyes as he glanced at Shrewkit.
Shrewkit shrugged. "Maybe?" he said, his stubby tail twitching in amusement.
Fallensnow shook his broad head from side to side. "Never mind that. Go, get out of here!" Even though his words were harsh, his voice was soft and his eyes were glowing with love for his son. Shrewkit squealed and dove away as Fallensnow aimed a ball of snow for his son and collided straight into Talonkit.
Talonkit purred with amusement, pushing Shrewkit off him with a pale paw. He wished that his father would play with him like Fallensnow did with Shrewkit, but he was also aware that his father was possibly the most important warrior in ShadowClan, often accompanying Lionstar, even moreso than his deputy, Toadstep. Maybe one day I'll be just as important as he is, Talonkit thought, excitement making him bounce up and down on his paws.
"What're you doing that for?" Shrewkit asked, tilting his head.
"Oh, no reason," Talonkit said, brushing those thoughts aside. He did not want to be a show off to Shrewkit – or any other kit who could hear him. He kicked up another puff of snow before turning to face Shrewkit. "You're lucky your father spends so much time with you."
Shrewkit's whiskers twitched. "Yeah, I guess." He tilted his head. "Why? Do you think Sparrowflight doesn't spend as much time with you?"
Talonkit sighed. "He's just busy a lot," he muttered, looking at his dark brown paws. He didn't want to complain, but sometimes it would be nice to see his father for longer than a heartbeat.
His friend shot Talonkit a look of sympathy. "It's hard when you're Lionstar's right-hand."
The brown tabby kit straightened up, an idea hitting him like a snowball. "I've got it!" he exclaimed.
Shrewkit blinked, taken aback. "What?"
"I'm going to be just like him!" Talonkit meowed, waving his tail in excitement. "I'll make him proud. I'll be just like him. Lionstar is going to trust me one day just as much as he trusts Sparrowflight, and then the leader after him will trust me as much too! I'll be just as honorable and loyal as my father."
Shrewkit blinked twice, and Talonkit was shocked to see that the same sheen of excitement that he was sure was in his own eyes wasn't reflected in Shrewkit's. Shrewkit cleared his throat. "Don't you think it's a little too early to think about that? We're not even apprentices yet."
"We will be," Talonkit argued. "It's never too early to serve your Clan."
Shrewkit let out a purr of amusement. "All right, Talonkit. Maybe go tell your dad that, huh?"
"I will." Talonkit flicked some snow in Shrewkit's eyes and bounded through the camp, nearly falling straight into Icefire's paws. Icefire hissed in irritation, and Talonkit leaped back, mouthing a silent apology. He swerved around Cloudsong, hopped over Redfeather's dark red tail until he approached the bramble thicket that made the leader's den. A large hazel branch overhung the entrance to the den, muffling the voices inside. Talonkit peered closer and perked his ears to try to overhear their conversation.
"…RiverClan scents on the border," meowed a voice. Lionstar. Talonkit had heard Lionstar's deep voice around camp multiple times before, even if he hadn't interacted with the leader directly. "It is as if they've marked every single bush and thicket."
"Are they sending a message?" another cat asked. Talonkit could imagine the warrior furrowing an eye whisker. Toadstep. "We're not afraid of scents now, are we?"
"Afraid of scents or not, they're clearly asserting their dominance over that particular area in general," growled another cat. A wave of relief washed over Talonkit as he recognized it as his father's gruff, gravelly voice. "We cannot stop them from marking their border, but we can stop them from making sure their scents stay at the Thunderpath, and no farther."
"If they go any further, it's a just cause for an attack," Toadstep meowed. "Reedstar should know by now that we do not tolerate any sort of trespassing."
"Right." Lionstar let out a low rumble in his chest. "And what of ThunderClan?"
"It seems as if the stalemate in the last battle has stopped attacks on their side," Sparrowflight was meowing. "Their scents are fresh, of course, indicating they've been active with their border patrols, but other than that, not much activity."
"Hmm." Lionstar was silent for a few moments. "In instances like this, Flintstar is just waiting for the right moment to strike. He wants the land that curves into the stream, I know he does."
"But we beat him in the previous battle, and the battle before that," a new voice, who Talonkit recognized as Featherheart, hissed. "Why is he so insistent on fighting for it?"
"Wouldn't you be?" Lionstar asked. "In a way, I respect his courage to continue to take on an enemy stronger than him for something he desires. However, it is foolhardy of him. If he wants to attack again, then we'll be ready for him. We've beat him before, and we've beat him again. Toadstep, I want you to warn the patrols that head to the ThunderClan border about what we just discussed. Sparrowflight, spread the news around to the rest of the warriors. Featherheart, oversee the training of apprentices and young warriors so they can be prepared if Flintstar does decide to invade… or if we must make the decision to bring the war to him."
"Yes, Lionstar," all three voices said at the same time. Then one of them said something that sent a chill up Talonkit's spine. "You can come in now, Talonkit."
Oh, for StarClan's sake! But it was a direct order from Lionstar, and Talonkit hunched his head down as he padded into the bramble thicket. He looked up, cowering as he saw just how large all three cats were compared to him. Lionstar's thick yellow fur around his neck replicated the mane of the big cat he was named after, while Sparrowflight's tail was twitching in barely veiled anger, Toadstep wore an amused smirk, and Featherheart's face was unreadable.
"Talonkit!" Sparrowflight demanded. "What are you doing? Eavesdropping on a conversation with your Clan leader, deputy, and two senior warriors?"
"Don't be too harsh on him," Lionstar said as Talonkit stepped back, the fury of his father making his fur bristle. "It's good for kits to know Clan politics."
"Even when he's so young?" The anger was still palpable in Sparrowflight's voice, but beneath it, Talonkit could detect a bit of a tremble. Sparrowflight was mad, but he was also worried, Talonkit realized.
"Especially when he's so young." Lionstar nodded. "We all know that this is the bloodiest era of the Clans, and each cat, down to the youngest kit, must know how Clan politics works and how to defend themselves. We live in a different era now, where some cats refuse to stick to the warrior code and will spill blood at the slightest inconvenience. It's our job to keep our cats safe, and that includes keeping them educated."
Featherheart narrowed his eyes. "Regardless, he still shouldn't be here," he growled lowly. Talonkit dared to look up at the massive gray cat, who returned his gaze with narrowed chips of blue ice. Fear rushed through Talonkit's blood, and even though Featherheart was a dedicated senior warrior with many accomplishments to his name, Talonkit had often heard Sparrowflight speaking about how Featherheart cared only for himself and not his Clan. But Talonkit would not dare to bring it up with him.
"Let's let him explain himself, then," Toadstep suggested, swishing his brown-and-white striped tail. "Talonkit, why are you here?"
"I wanted to tell my father something," Talonkit replied honestly.
"Oh?" Featherheart leaned forward, interest gleaming in his blue eyes. "And what would that be?"
Talonkit glanced at Sparrowflight. Sparrowflight arched an eye whisker, and Talonkit wondered if this was best said in private. But with Lionstar, Toadstep, Featherheart, and Sparrowflight – all important warriors of ShadowClan – staring at him, Talonkit decided it was best if all these cats heard the vision he had for his future.
"You and Featherheart are close to Toadstep and Lionstar without being Clan deputy," Talonkit began, choosing his words carefully. "They trust you with your life, right?" He gazed at his father.
Lionstar dipped his head. "Wise words, young kit. That would be correct."
"That's the kind of warrior I want to be one day," Talonkit said. "Of course, I'll always protect my Clan, my Clanmates – to the smallest kit and the oldest elder. But I also want to protect the heart of the Clan, the Clan leader. I want to be a warrior the Clan leader, whether it's you, Lionstar, or somebody else, to trust me with your life, because I'll be just as honorable and faithful as Sparrowflight!"
The cats were shocked into silence, blinking rapidly. Lionstar threw his head back and laughed – albeit there was no sense of any sort of condescending tone in it. "So, you want to be the exact replica of your father, huh? Not just down to the coat and the eyes, but the personality, too? That's a big goal, Talonkit. Let's see if you'll stick to it. Tell you this…" Talonkit forced himself not to flinch back as the massive leader stepped closer and loomed over the brown tabby kit. "I usually have two warriors, other than my deputy at my side at all times. If the day comes when you can prove yourself as loyal to me as your Clan, then you will be among them. Sounds like a deal?"
"Yes!" Talonkit exclaimed loudly. "Yes, of course! I'll train as hard as I can, and I'll be the most loyal warrior in ShadowClan! You won't regret this, Lionstar. I promise."
Toadstep purred. "This should be amusing."
Featherheart scowled and lashed his tail, clearly not sharing Toadstep's feelings in the manner. "Lionstar, he's just a kit."
"So were all of us at one point, if I recall right," Lionstar said, not meeting Featherheart's gaze. He was staring directly at Sparrowflight. When Sparrowflight nodded, Lionstar lifted his head. "It's a deal, then. Talonkit, alongside training to be a warrior when it is your sixth moon, you will also be training to serve at my side as one of my Great Generals."
Great Generals… Talonkit stared at Lionstar in awe. "I won't let you down, Lionstar. I promise."
"I sure hope so." Lionstar waved his tail to Sparrowflight. "See him back to his mother."
Sparrowflight nodded, brushing his tail across Talonkit's dark striped flank as the two cats walked away from the bramble thicket. Talonkit tried to read his father's expression, but there was only silence, and his face was a blank mask. Talonkit blurted out, "Father, what did you think, of what I said in there?"
Sparrowflight turned to face Talonkit. "Do you want the honest truth?" he asked.
Talonkit nodded.
"Then come." Sparrowflight led Talonkit to a silent part of the camp, close to the apprentices' den, where all the apprentices were out training. Talonkit stared at the bramble thicket. In just a few moons, he would be sleeping there.
Sparrowflight cleared his throat before speaking. "I was impressed, I really was, Talonkit. And I'm proud of you for taking the initiative and courage to want to serve as the ShadowClan leader's Great Generals. As a warrior, I encourage that. But as a father… it frightens me."
"Frightens you?" Talonkit's amber eyes widened. "But… I thought you weren't afraid of anything."
The big brown tabby tom leaned in until his nose was a whisker's width away from Talonkit's own nose. "The thing I am frightened the most of," he murmured, "is losing you and your sister. That is what a father fears the most, because before I am a warrior, I am a father. And I fear that I will lose you when it is not your time."
"Father…" Talonkit pressed his small body against his father's side. "You were the one who told me that it's glorious to die for your Clan."
"And that hasn't changed," Sparrowflight meowed, his gaze oddly serious. "Which is why I know I have to let you do this. It is the greatest death to die for your Clan, but Talonkit, there's one promise you must make me."
"Anything," Talonkit said, looking up at his father.
"I don't want you to fight to die." Sparrowflight's amber eyes burned into Talonkit's dark tabby pelt. "I want you to fight so you can come home to live another day."
"What…?" Talonkit's eyes widened.
"My philosophy was to fight to die," Sparrowflight meowed. "I always went to battle, assuming I would die. A warrior who is ready to accept death fears nothing, and that is what makes him powerful in battle. But when your mother had you and Birdkit, everything changed. Now, the reason I go to battle is to protect what I love." The brown tabby tom shook his head sorrowfully. "I know that you're young, and these words may not get through to you. My father told me the same thing. I listened to him, but I did not truly understand until I had a family of my own. Maybe that will be what teaches you."
Talonkit leaned against his father, drinking in every word that he said. But what Sparrowflight was saying was so much different than what he heard every day in ShadowClan's camp. "Die for honor and glory." Who did he listen to? Did he listen to his father, or did he listen to the other ShadowClan cats? What motto would he have to listen to in order to be a successful Great General?