Warriors: Feathers Of Stars

Chapter One: Of Sparrows and Doves

Sparrowkit pounced on Dovekit, sending the two tiny cats tumbling through the soft moss.

"Go Dovekit!" Needlekit cheered.

"Nah. Sparrowkit is so gonna win!" Splinterkit retorted.

"But look at Dovekit! He's so strong. There's no way Sparrowkit can overpower him!" Needlekit gently shoved his sister in the shoulder, making Splinterkit hiss softly.

Sparrowkit pummeled Dovekit's belly with sheathed claws as the white-furred tom kicked up with his hind legs, sending the two kits sprawling.

They both laughed as they fell on the moss, stretching out their limbs.

"I win!" Sparrowkit declared.

"No, I do!" Dovekit blurted.

Needlekit and Splinterkit bounded over to them, and all four kits stood up.

"Me and Dovekit are Cats of the Trees! You two are Cats of the Rock invading our camp." Sparrowkit said.

"But I don't wanna be a Cat of the Rock again!" Splinterkit whined.

Needlekit perked up. "Toms against she-kits?" He challenged.

"You bet! Plus, it's technically more logical. Needlekit is gray, and I'm white, like Cats of the Rock! Oh. Oh! Sparrowkit and Splinterkit are both brown like tree bark." Dovekit observed.

"Alright! On your mark, get set.... battle!"

At once, the two pairs of kits leaped at each other, play-fighting and laughing.

Pinewhisker stretched out her limbs and settled on the soft, mossy ground of the nursery floor.

"They grow up fast, huh." She mewed.

"They're 3 moons old already!" Palewind smiled. She loved her two kits, Sparrowkit and Dovekit. They were her everything. If only...

"I only hope these kits will come soon. If they don't, I'm going to have trouble walking!" Redbark joked, gesturing towards her kit-swollen belly.

"It'll be soon, don't worry." Pinewhisker reassured the first-time queen.

Palewind turned her gaze to her kits. Sparrowkit had inherited her long claws– so had Dovekit. The white tomkit was well-muscled and sturdy, like Nightcall. Sparrowkit was quick and agile, while Dovekit was strong and wouldn't back down from a fight. She watched as Sparrowkit batted Dovekit with a paw, quickly jumping back as he pounced on her.

———☆———

The kits were exhausted from playing all day. They had collapsed at their mothers' bellies, falling asleep quickly.

I only hope that he won't find their dreams.

A fear struck Palewind as she thought of... him.

Relax, Palewind. You're safe. You're safe. She took a deep breath as the vine-laced entrance of the nursery rustled.

"Good evening, my love." A deep mew rumbled.

The black tom slipped into the nursery and laid down next to Palewind, twining their black tails together.

"I'm sorry I couldn't visit at sunhigh. Patrols have been keeping me busy lately. How are our beautiful kits?" Nightcall's sky-blue gaze drifted down to the two sleeping kits.

Sparrowkit lifted her head and yawned, mewling lightly before drifting backinto sleep.

Palewind looked around for a moment. Pinewhisker had gone to sleep, and so had Redbark.

Her face shifted from one of admiring love to lingering worry.

"What if..." Palewind took a shuddering breath. "What if he finds them? I can't have them experience what I did..." she sighed.

"Don't worry, darling. He will not find them. StarClan will guide their paws, I can feel it." Nightcall mewed comfortingly.

"Are you sure?"

"Palewind, they're able to defend themselves. In no time, they'll be apprentices and get even stronger. I promise that we will be okay." The silky black tom mewed softly.

Palewind closed her eyes and leaned into her mate's warm fur.

———☆———

Palewind's dreaming. She's dreaming of the bloodied forest, of bloodied moss climbing bloodied trees growing bloodied leaves...

Pale fur fluffing out, she looked up at the eternal eclipse shining above.

She quickly looked away and blinked. Her teal eyes darted around the clearing, searching for the cat she hated so much.

"Darktalon! Show yourself, mange-pelt!" She snarled.

A ginger-and-black tabby slipped out of the darkness, his black claws glittering in the blood-colored light.

"Here I am, my dear descendant." He mewed in that chillingly smooth tone that sent shivers down Palewind's spine.

"Why have you summoned me here again?! I thought I severed our connection seasons ago." Palewing growled.

"Hm, you can't get rid of me, it seems." Dakrtalon grinned wickedly.

"Go hurl yourself off of a cliff."

"It prefer not to do that, actually. I have cats to lead." The ginger tom blinked slowly, his pupils narrowing to dark slits.

"You're not going to hurt my kits!" Palewind yowled, digging her long, curved claws into the mulchy earth.

"I can do what I want with them. They're my kin, too." Darktalon circled around Palewind, slipping his black tail under her chin.

"I'm their mother." Palewind growled.

"Very well. I'll leave our kin alone on one condition." Darktalon paused for a moment, licking his lips.

Palewind narrowed her eyes.

"You tell Nightcall the truth."

Palewind jumped up in surprise, her eyes widening.

"No." She said firmly.

"No? Awh, I guess your kits are getting summo-"

"Gah, fine, you fox-heart! I'll tell him! Now you can go step in fucking bird dung before I push you out of a tree."

"Very good, Palewind."

———☆———

Palewind awoke to early newleaf sunshine filtering through the entrance to the nursery.

Nightcall was still curled around her, his tail twined with hers. He was sleeping soundly.

Oh, StarClan, he's cute.

Her two kits were still snoozing away, gently snoring at her belly.

Feeling a pang of guilt in her chest, she knew she had to tell them something.

Just... maybe not now.