Rainkit gulped as she turned away from the cats in the nursery, her pelt waving in the wild wind. The storm from the previous night was still raging strongly.
"It can't be that bad, surely." Rainkit murmured to herself, looking at her paws when she walked. The tortoiseshell was a quarter way across the clearing to Duststar's den when a pair of white paws stopped her. Slightly alarmed, the young kit tried to step aside out the way. Certainly it was just an accident had this cat stepped in the way?
"What's that for?" Rainkit half-yelled as a fluffy tail bowled her over onto her back. Her head jolted upwards, and she locked gazed with the cat who had shoved her. A pair of yellow eyes flared back, narrowed in disgust, not showing a hint of worry.
"If you want to survive in this Clan, I suggest you watch where you put your paw steps." A bitter growl sounded from the other cat, which now Rainkit realised was Rowanface.
"Of course." Rainkit dipped her head in respect for the deputy. A huge amount of dislike for the dark ginger cat was running through her veins, but she rather be on her good side than Rowanface's bad side.
"I'll continue on my way." The tortie cleared her throat, and raced in the direction of Duststar's den, tail streaming behind her. When her paws stopped thundering the ground, she let out an exasperated sigh.
"Hello?" She mewed, peeking her head into the den hesitantly. Her ears began to feel hot with embarrassment. "Duststar will probably be ashamed of having a 'mistake' in his Clan." Her ears flattened and she sighed, wondering why she had actually listened to Mistflower. Beginning to sneak off, and hope that no one had seen her, she crept around the rocky entrance, where Duststar himself was standing.
"Why would I be ashamed?" The small brown tom asked her, approaching her. She shivered, spiking our her pelt in the process. "Come with me." The leader beckoned her with his tail. Together, the two walked back into the rocky den. Duststar sat in a clump of moss, his eyes questioning.
"Because I'm a mistake." Rainkit murmured, allowing her pelt to flatten. She looked at the ground beside her. Never had she felt so ashamed and awkward. However, Duststar seemed like he was listening, his green eyes showing he wanted to know what she was saying. "You don't want me and Leopardkit in this Clan. We're born against the code."
"And who told you this?" Duststar's eyes narrowed as he shuffled around in his nest, questioning the kit. Rainkit was slightly surprised, but dipped her head in response, moving closer to the brown tom.
"Rowanface, Brackenkit, Galekit, Torrentkit, Applestream, Swooppaw seems to think too.." Rainkit began counting the cats in her head. Sighing, she trailed off sadly. The tortoiseshell hated being treat like this.
What's it like being a normal cat in this Clan?
Suddenly Rainkit yearned for normality. No scorning by other cats, or being called a mistake, but being treat like any other cat, and respected like them too.
"I understand that." Duststar purred, dipping his head to the small kit. Rainkit smiled happily, all hesitation of her leader gone.
"So you don't think I'm a mistake?" She pricked her ears, surprised as the leader shook his head.
"You want to be treat normally, and respected like any other cat." Duststar said broadly. "There's only one way to do that."
"How?" Rainkit's green eyes lit up, and she did a little bounce at the thought of not being a mistake. At least Brackenkit wouldn't be her enemy anymore, neither would her Clanmates disrespect her.
"You have to take authority." Duststar's eyes narrowed, and his voice became sharp and serious. Rainkit was a little spooked at his sudden change in attitude, but she nodded slowly, stopping the bouncing. "You have to make them respect you."
The tortie kept on nodding, allowing the new information to process in her head. "So that means, fighting?"
Duststar ducked his head back. "Yes, Rainkit. BirchClan and QuailClan have been at war for moons. The only way they will respect us is if we fight, and we win the battle. They will see what we are capable of and not try to mess with us ever again." His voice became more deeper and angry the more he thought of the conflict.
"I understand." Rainkit jumped up on her paws, waving her stubby tail excitedly. "So what are these QuailClan cats like?"
"They are a load of starving fox-hearts. Crossing the borders, stealing our prey. Killed our warriors and tried to wipe us out." Duststar bared his teeth, his claws out. "But they will never defeat our Clan."
"What foxhearts." Rainkit scoffed, thumping a paw on the ground angrily. "How dare they try and defeat our Clan! But as you say, Duststar. They will never."
Thank you so much for 90+ reads already!
See ya in the next chapter!
- Ember <3