Rainkit could feel herself being jostled about as her mother moved uncomfortably beside her. She seemed tense, the kit could feel. Maybe even panicked.
The temptation to put her head up and speak into the conversation was high, but she decided to stay tightly packed between her mother and golden brother. The tortie had woken up a few days ago, but it had been very quick. No one had noticed she'd had her eyes open. Rainkit's first vision of the nursery was a low-roofed den with leaves packed on the inside, then brambles and branches weaved outside to protect it. Leopardkit had still been asleep, soundly. Naive to the world.
Instead she listened carefully, allowing one ear to prick up a little.
Hareleap was speaking, along with Rowanface. The deputy's high-pitched voice could be recognised almost anywhere.
"Them kits are a mistake.. might get exiled." Rainkit barely heard any words, but they stuck out the most to her.
Mistake. That had been a common word used by cats the past couple of sunrises. Even by Rubblestep's kits. Brackenkit, in particular. Her eyes narrowed slightly at the thought of Brackenkit. A loud, annoying kit, always shouting early at sunrise. Even Brackenkit had started muttering "mistake" a few times as she passed them.
She didn't think that was very fair. Her, and her brother, had never even spoken a word to her, Rainkit hadn't even seen her, yet they'd already been labelled. All of a sudden, she was pulled closer, and left gasping as her mother's tail tightened around them.
"You wouldn't kill them! How could you think of such a thing?" Hareleap was left in shock, turning away from Rowanface defensively.
"Well.." Rowanface trailer off, looking awkwardly at the wall. "You wouldn't get exiled if the kits were gone. Anyway, they wouldn't feel it."
Hareleap's jaw dropped.
"Me and Pigeonfrost made a mistake. I understand that, and I will face the wrath of punishment. But I will not accept that these innocent kits have to suffer!"
"I don't want to be killed." Rainkit put her head up, interrupting the conversation, surprising Rowanface, who jumped back in slight shock. Glad at her accomplishment, Rainkit looked back up at her mother, then jumped out of her grasp.
Silently, the kit trotted out of the nursery, taking a peek around the camp. A ginger tabby tom along with a white-and-black-flecked younger cat, were sitting eating prey. Hesitantly, she padded up to them, waving her stubby tail.
"Hello." She said, mortified as her voice come out as a squeal. The bigger tom, the ginger one, looked down and gave her a warm smile.
"I'm Meadowtail. This is Swooppaw."
Studying Swooppaw's face, she noticed he looked quite angry, and it was directed mostly at her. Uncomfortably, she took a step back, clearing her throat.
"So I take I'm a mistake then?" She asked loudly to the apprentice.
"Wha?" His eyes went wide and he dropped the prey.
"No..no. Of course not!" He fumbled, his paws becoming bouncy, and he scattered off back to another den.
"What scum. Shunned against the code." Rainkit heard a hiss as she passed back through the clearing. It was Applestream, a name she had become familiar with after he had attacked Pigeonfrost.
"Don't think I didn't hear that!" She snapped loudly, coninuing to walk forward back to the nursery. The anger. It felt.. good.
Rainkit felt in control. A burning running down her spine. Seeing the shocked look on Applestream's face satisfied her.
"Think before you speak." She trailed afterwards, approaching the nursery and eventually returning back to her nest with a contented sigh. Rowanface had now thankfully disappeared, even though it hadn't been long she'd been away. Hareleap's face looked worn and bitter. Her eyes tired and sad.
"I'm so sorry, my dear Rainkit. You don't deserve this, neither your brother. Stay a strong warrior for me."
"You haven't done anything." Rainkit looked up at her mother. "This Clan is stupid. Too goody-good for their own good."
Hareleap was startled from Rainkit's reply, she could see. But the golden tabby she cat remained settled, eyes drifting over to Leopardkit. His small chest was rising and falling slowly. Not yet had he opened his eyes, but he was smaller than Rainkit, so that could be a reason. It would be soon.
Leaves waved wildly as Hareleap put her head up, pricking her ears. "Sounds like a storm approaching."
Drizzle patted the floor soon after, and strokes of water began to emerge through the nursery roof.
"Hmph." Rainkit grumbled as rain lashed at her pelt. It seemed that not only her and Hareleap were distracted by the rain. Rubblestep's kits were now galloping around, catching one another's tail. When Rainkit noticed Brackenkit, her eyes narrowed.
The tortoiseshell came bounding over to Rainkit, knocking the kit off her paws.
"Wanna play with us?" She asked happily, squashing Rainkit into the mucky floor. Preventing herself from hissing, the young cat rolled Brackenkit off her back, blinking hesitantly.
"I just wanna go to sleep right now." Trailing back to her nest, Rainkit noticed Brackenkit's scowling face.
There was a blur, and Brackenkit stepped forward.
"Too lazy to play, huh? I guess that proves that mistakes are lazy to the Clan."
"I'm not lazy!" Rainkit protested back. Meanwhile, Galekit and Torrentkit had gathered behind, chanting in unison. Pondkit gazed in their direction, but his eyes were frosted over and no sight emitted from them.
"Well you're a mistake, so you're useless to the Clan." Galekit scoffed, and struck out a paw in Rainkit's direction. Brackenkit scoffed too.
She looked around desperately for anyone, her mother, however Hareleap slept soundly. Rubblestep had left the den a while ago, but would never let her kits act like this.
"Don't call me useless." Rainkit said coldly, her voice barely a whisper. Unsheathing her claws, she took two steps towards Brackenkit. "Fight it out. You'll not be calling me a mistake then."
"It's on." Brackenkit crisply said back, a curve of a smirk on her face.
"She's gonna regret calling me a mistake..."
So, another chapter!
I had a lot of fun writing this, and it's above the average length that I write a chapter in my fanfics.
See ya in the next part <3
Ember