CHAPTER 2

Skykit always knew she didn't belong in MoonClan. It wasn't just her opinion, it was a cold, hard fact. Everyone knew she wasn't a real clan cat, and she accepted it. It wasn't like they treated her badly or anything, so why should she feel bad about it? Skykit did sometimes wish she had a place in the world. But oh, well, she could make do with being a warrior.

Skykit wondered who her real parents were a lot. They certainly weren't Acornfur and Blizzardrush - she couldn't be more different than them and their kits. She preferred the other queen, Shiningpool, and her calm, soft-spoken nature over her own adopted mother's loud, sometimes aggressive ways. Which was also accepted; Acornfur didn't particularly care for Skykit either. She had other kits to deal with anyways. So Skykit usually busied herself fetching feathers for Shingpool's nest or playing gently with Softkit, who was barely a moon old.

One day, when Skykit was feeling particularly curious while play-battling Softkit, she asked, "Silverpool? Do you know who my parents are?"

The graceful young queen looked up from her washing. "When we found you, you were all alone, about to freeze to death in the snow. You looked well fed, but no, your parents weren't anywhere around," Silverpool mewed, her warm body settled comfortingly around Softkit. Skykit nodded.

"Hm. What happened when you found me?" Silverpool gazed at the ceiling, deep in thought.

"Well, Lightningstar had arranged night patrols to check the border with The Saber. Blizzardrush, Brooksong, and I were heading towards the border when we found you, all alone," Silverpool told Skykit.

"But why didn't you take me in instead of Blizzardrush and Acornfur?" Skykit questioned, batting her paw toward Softkit, who returned the swat with glee.

"I didn't have milk to feed you. Softkit wasn't born yet, and I knew I couldn't give you milk. Besides, Acornfur was already an experienced mother," Silverpool explained. "Speaking of…" Skykit turned around just as her adopted mother entered the nursery.

"Skykit! There you are," Acornfur meowed. "Come outside and play with your siblings like a normal kit."

"I don't wanna play…" Skykit complained, yet she complied. With a wave of her tail in goodbye, she followed her mother outside of the nursery.

The MoonClan camp was relatively warm for leaf-fall, but that was because it wasn't set outside. Instead, Skykit's clan made their home in a series of interconnected caves and tunnels embedded into the side of one of the many mountains dotting this particular edge of their territory. All of them led to the Great Room, the largest cave in camp. On one end, a small stream flowed through the cave that never froze no matter how cold leaf-bare was. Next to it was the Star Stone, a massive, smooth, and shiny boulder that Lightningstar called clan meetings from.

Skykit's adopted siblings were playing close to the middle of the Great Room, near the fresh-kill store. All of the clan's prey was placed in a small hole in the ground that kept it fresh. "Aspenkit! Get away from there!" Acornfur ordered. "You'll fall in!" Aspenkit sighed and guided the other siblings a few fox-lengths away from the store before resuming their play-battling.

"Can I play?" Skykit asked with a sigh. Play-battling was boring. Give Skykit hunting any day.

"Sure," Wolfkit replied with a shrug before cuffing Arctickit over the ear. Arctickit retaliated by ramming into Wolfkit and knocking him off his paws. Skykit wrinkled her nose at their playing and decided to join Frostkit, who was talking with Apsenkit in hushed tones. Frostkit perked up as Skykit padded over, offering her a small smile.

"Hi!" Frostkit chirped, scooting to the side to make room for Skykit. "Finally pulled yourself away from Softkit, hm?"

"Mm…" Skykit grunted, yawning. There was an awkward pause.

"Why are you always like this?" Aspenkit blurted. Skykit narrowed her eyes at him.

"Like what?" she mewed curtly, her ears slightly angled backwards.

"So…quiet and rude. We're trying to make an effort, y'know?" Frostkit sat there silently, looking uncomfortable. But Skykit could tell she agreed with Aspenkit.

"I'm not rude!" Skykit protested, drawing herself up.

"Yes, you are!" Aspenkit countered. "You always ignore us."

"Fine! I guess I'll go play with some other cat," Skykit growled. Aspenkit scoffed.

"Suit yourself, jerk." Skykit bit back a sharp retort and instead whirled around and stalked off.

"She's so prickly," Skykit heard Frsotkit whisper to Aspenkit.

This was why she hated playing with her siblings. They were so judgy all the time.

But…was she being rude? And…prickly? Skykit shook those thoughts off. She padded over to the fresh-kill pile and selected a plump rabbit. Its fur was brown, but flecks of white indicated the rabbits' fur was beginning to change color, as it was almost leaf-bare. I'll take it to Pebblepelt, Skykit decided. Her adopted older brother was always kind, unlike her other siblings.

Skykit entered the medicine den and was immediately hit with the familiar scent of rosemary, pine, and various acidic herbs. She found Pebblepelt and Birchstep, her other older sister, sorting herbs and storing them in small rock holes while deep in conversation. Pebblepelt greeted Skykit with a warm smile and Birchstep beckoned her to sit. "I brought food," Skykit mumbled around the mouthful of rabbit fur in her mouth.

Pebblepelt chuckled. "I can certainly see that."

"Thanks," Birchstep purred. Skykit nodded and dropped the rabbit to the floor, suddenly realizing how heavy it was.

In between mouthfuls of rabbit, Skykit looked up. "Am I rude?" she asked suddenly. Pebblepelt looked up in surprise.

"Of course you aren't!" he exclaimed. "Who told you that?"

"Aspenkit and Frostkit," Skykit sighed, looking downcast.

"Don't listen to them," Birchstep mewed softly. "You're awesome." Skykit gave her a grateful smile.

"Sure, you can be spirited, and you have strong emotions, but rude? No!" Pebblepelt told her.

"Thanks," Skykit murmured. She felt a bit better, though she wasn't completely satisfied. She finished her portion of the rabbit quickly and stood up. "I should go. Acornfur will be mad." Pebblepelt and Birchstep chuckled knowingly.

"See you later!" Pebblepelt called as Skykit exited the den and emerged in the Great Room.

Skykit gazed around the cave, searching for any friendly faces. She saw Acornfur grooming herself near the Star Stone. Skykit's mother acknowledged her with a small nod before continuing her washing. Lightningstar, Bearclaw, Gingefur, Brooksong, and Thrushwing were talking quietly in their usual corner of the Great Room, near the entrance to Lightningstar's den. Gingerfur, Brooksong, and Thrushwing had been senior warriors for as long as Skykit had been alive, and she had always associated them with Lightningstar and Bearclaw.

Skykit turned away, and immediately wished she hadn't, because Aspenkit and Frostkit were standing right there. Apsenkit glared at her while Frostkit quickly averted her gaze. Skykit scoffed. Whatever. She didn't need them. They were pieces of fox-dung anyway.

Oh gosh. Skykit shivered. She kind of was a jerk.

Notes: Woo! Chapter 2 complete. Who do you like better, Eclipse or Skykit? Who do you identify more with? There'll be a bit more depth into their personalities soon, I promise. Also, this chapter was a bit longer than I expected lol. Sorry about that.

See you soon!