Post by Deleted on Jun 15, 2016 13:37:57 GMT -5
warning: this thread takes place in leafbare.
Hellion , Fawn
Hellion , Fawn
Leafbare 17
The snow blew around them, turning everything white and reducing visibility to less than a tail-length. Milana was a young queen, and wasn't prepared to raise a litter, much less one born at the start of the worst leafbare she had ever seen. Her kits were two moons now, and a powerful blizzard had made its presence well known. It had caught her off guard, and she had no shelter from the wind and snow. It was now the second day of the blizzard, she thought, but the whiteout made it difficult to tell. Looking back over her shoulder, she could just make out little Mina's blue eyes at the end of her line of kits.
They meant the world to her. Brave little Dathi, trying so hard to be strong, but she could see he was scared. Sweet Priscilla, her thick fur fluffed up against the cold, green eyes fixed on Dathi's ginger tail. Niko, looking so scared behind his sky blue eyes, ears pinned back against the screaming wind. And tiny Mina, the baby of them all, struggling to wade through the snow, even with the path her mother and siblings had carved.
With a sigh, Milana turned and walked on, her four balls of fluff following her like an extended tail as she searched for a place to hide from the storm. Finally, she sees a lump in the snow, and angles toward it. As they drew near, she sees that it's an old log, near-buried in snow. There's just enough room for her to squeeze inside, and plenty room for them all past the entrance.
She turned her head to her kits, calling out as loudly as she can over the storm. "Come in here, quickly!" She sees all four of her kits' reactions to her voice, and allows herself a soft smile as they all file in.
"Are we gonna be okay?" asked Dathi anxiously, looking around at the old snow-covered log.
"We'll be alright," Milana meowed, giving each kit a tired lick. She drew them to her with her tail and curled herself around them as they lay next to her, giving them as much warmth as she could. In her heart, she knew they wouldn't survive the night. Not her, not her little ones. It was heartbreaking, but there was no help coming for them, and she could do little else but hold her loved ones close and pray they felt no pain.
written in part by Fawn
Leafbare 18
The stiffness in his joints made Burningleaf groan slightly as he woke. He was getting old, and this leafbare wasn't helping him forget it. Carefully, he extracted himself from his nest, hearing and feeling his joints creaking and readjusting. Still, he wasn't ready for the elders' den, and more than likely wouldn't go willingly. As gently as he could without disturbing nearby nests, he stretched out a few of his stiff muscles before turning toward the den entrance. He picked his way between the sleeping cats, most of which had their heads partially or mostly covered by their tails or other body parts, and one or two twisted in painful-looking ways to get their heads completely under their torsos. He winced looking at them and finished his path to the entrance.
The ginger-and-white tom looked out of the den, scraping aside a small bit of snow to exit. His first action was to look up at the sky. Yesterday, it was a stormy grey obscured by the falling snow; today, it was crystal clear and the bluest he had seen in a while. He lowered his gaze to the camp next, seeing the snow piled up high. He walked through the camp, noting that all of the entrances needed to be scraped free of snow, some moreso than others.
He turned back to the warriors' den, ready to perform his next assignment. The day the blizzard had started, he was supposed to lead out a dawn patrol to check the far border. When he woke that day, the blizzard that had come in the night prevented that, and Redscar told him that as soon as the storm had passed, he could lead that patrol. Now that the storm had cleared, it was time to follow through. Upon reaching the warriors' den, he began to clean out some of the snow blocking the entrance, until there was enough room for a cat to pass comfortably without having to squeeze as he had to earlier.
Once that task was complete, he entered the den again, scanning over the sleeping bodies. He picked his way through the nests, nudging certain cats awake with his paws. When enough of them were awake, he gave his orders, keeping his voice low enough to not disturb those still sleeping. "Gustclaw, Mudpelt, Icewhisker, Rosefire, Cougarleap, Wildwhisper, Runningfire, Willowcloud. I want all eight of you to begin clearing the snow away from the dens. Group into pairs and chose a den, then dig out the snow. I'm sure I don't have to tell you this, but try not to let too much fall into the dens, and don't let it all pile up in the center of camp, either. Just...try your best." With a nod, he dismissed the eight warriors and they all filed past him, and he turned to the other cats he had roused. "Brightpool, Poppythorn, and Tallstrike. You three will head out with me on the dawn patrol. Wait outside while I wake Flashbrook." Again, he gave a nod to dismiss them, and the left the den. Burningleaf then returned to his nest and to his make.
With gentle licks to his mate's ears and face, he woke the red-tinted tom, smiling when Flashbrook's eyes finally opened. "Are you feeling up to a border patrol today?" Burningleaf took a small step back to give his mate room as he rose to his paws. He stretched, seeming to be favoring his injured leg more than usual, but Flashbrook put on a brave face and nodded. Burningleaf bumped his forehead gently against Flashbrook's, making a mental note to keep their pace slow. The two toms weaved their way between the warriors still sleeping and exited the den, making their way to where the rest of the patrol was waiting. With a brisk nod, he walked out of camp, the rest of the patrol in tow. He kept an easy pace, glancing back every so often to see how Flashbrook was keeping up. He seemed to be doing well, and Burningleaf could feel his own joints loosening up from the activity.
Niko stirred, uncomfortable in his sleep. He was so cold. His pale blue eyes opened to darkness, and his heart rate kicked up a notch. He was blind! But slowly, his eyes adjusted and he could make out little shadows where his brother and sisters lay, and he sighed in relief. Relaxing a bit, he snuggled in closer to his mother, expecting to share some of her warmth. As he pressed his nose deep into her fur, he recoiled in shock. She was so cold! His eyes widened, and he pressed a paw gently against her. She didn't move, and he pushed harder. Her fur and flesh wouldn't yield, and Niko began to worry. He rose, not caring whether he disturbed his siblings, and walked around to Milana's head. He pushed a paw against her face. "Momma?"
The coal-striped kitten brought his face closer to hers and held his breath, hoping and praying to hear hers. After a few minutes, he drew back, his heart breaking. He placed both of his forepaws onto her shoulder and tried to shake her, but she was so stiff that she wouldn't move. "Momma!" The cry that came from his mouth was strangled as his throat tightened. "Momma, wake up!"
His breath was coming in deep gasps as panic filled him. "Dathi! Priscilla! Mina! Help me! Momma won't wake up!" He continued trying to shake Milana awake, trembling violently. "Help me! She has to wake up! Momma, wake up, please! We need you!"
The patrol had just reached the TreeClan border and was about to spread out to remark it when Burningleaf flagged his tail to halt them. What was that? The senior warrior flicked his ears up high and he focused hard on listening.
There! He heard it again, a faint little cry. Waving his tail in a 'follow me' motion, he set a brisk pace toward where the cry came from. The cries grew louder, and he was able to pinpoint where they were coming from, a fallen log covered in snow.
"Burningleaf, what are you doing?" Tallstrike hissed. Burningleaf shushed him with a flick of his tail, walking closer to the log. He listened, making out the cries of kits calling for their mother to wake.
"There are kits inside. From the sound of it, their mother is dead; probably froze last night." There was a sadness in his eyes at the thought of the orphaned kits. "They'll never survive on their own." He turned toward the log, walking closer. He called out softly to the kits inside, "Hello?"
All sounds inside the log ceased. Burningleaf called out again. "Hello? How many of you are in there?"
Inside the log, all four kittens were awake, all four trembling at the realization that their mother wasn't going to wake up. Now there was a strange voice outside, and they weren't sure how to react.
"I won't hurt you. I just want to help. I know you're cold, but the sun is shining. Come on out and see."
The four kittens looked at one another, and Dathi, being the oldest, ended up with three pairs of eyes on him. "H-how do we know we can trust you?"
Burningleaf pondered the question for a moment. How could he get frightened young kits to come away from their mother? "Well, I can promise I won't hurt you. And I never break my promises." He paused for a moment. "How many of you are there?"
Dathi responded, "Four." Mina cried out quickly, "Momma is dead!" before Priscilla shushed her.
Burningleaf looked back at where his patrol stood. "Poppythorn, Brightpool," he whispered, "see if you can find some prey. It doesn't have to be much, just enough for them to have a bite." He glanced at the sparse trees around them. "Try not to go too far in." He was basically giving them permission to hunt in the open woods, even though it was technically TreeClan territory. He didn't care; he'd deal with a patrol if they showed. Right now, there were kits in trouble, and they topped everything.
The two she-cats nodded and stalked off, tasting the air for any hints of prey. Burningleaf turned back to the log, ignoring Tallstrike's hiss. "My name is Burningleaf. I have a few friends of mine with me. Two of them are going to look for some food. Are you hungry?"
The kittens hadn't thought of their empty stomachs before Burningleaf brought up the question. Mina whimpered, and Dathi ignored the question, instead repeating the one Burningleaf had asked them. "How many friends do you have?"
Burningleaf hesitated. "There are five of us. Two are hunting right now, so that leaves three of us here with you. But I promise you, none of us will hurt you. And remember? I never break my promises."
For a moment, there was silence. The kits didn't know how to respond. There were so many cats outside of their den, all of them strangers. What if they wanted to hurt them? Burningleaf promised they wouldn't, but how could they trust a stranger?
Burningleaf waited patiently. As the silence dragged on, he began thinking of what else he could say to them. Before he could think of anything, though, Poppythorn returned, a small mouse in her jaws. Burningleaf smiled.
"Hey, are you kits hungry? My friend Poppythorn just came back with a fresh mouse! You can all share it, but you've got to come out of there." He took the mouse from Poppythorn and placed it on the ground about two tail-lengths from the open end of the log. "I'm going to put it just outside, and my friends and I will all back away, okay? You don't have to be scared." He backed away, gesturing with his tail for his patrol to back up as well.
The patrol waited in silence as the kittens whispered to each other. After what seemed like ages, a small golden head peeked out of the opening of the log. With slow, measured pawsteps, the kitten came out, eyes flitting about between the strange cats and the small mouse. For a moment, Burningleaf worried that the kit would grab the mouse and run back into the log, but another head poked out of the log. Just as slowly as the first kitten, this charcoal tabby exited slowly, pausing just outside of the entrance. Another kitten followed, a silver tabby, who turned to coax the smallest kitten out. Together, the three kittens crept to where the first stood, staring at the mouse.
The didn't have much experience with solid food, so the kittens looked at the mouse warily. Soon, Niko's stomach growled, and he leaned down and prodded it with his paw. It was soft and still warm, so he took a small bite of it. He chewed it carefully, then swallowed. He glanced over at his siblings, who were watching him with interest, and nodded. With that, they started taking turns biting into the mouse and eating, and soon it was gone. Licking their lips, they looked up at the cats sitting in a loose semicircle around them.
Burningleaf stepped forward slowly, drawing the kits attention. "I am Burningleaf." He flicked his tail toward his right. "This is my mate, Flashbrook." He flicked his tail to his right again, this time pointing at Brightpool, then to his left to point out Poppythorn and Tallstrike. "This is Brightpool, Poppythorn, and Tallstrike." Each cat, save for Tallstrike, gave a sign of greeting, either a nod or a tail flick and a smile.
The kittens looked to one another anxiously, then turned to Burningleaf. They took turns, glancing back at one another for courage.
"My name is Dathi."
"My name is Niko."
"My name is Priscilla."
"M-Mina." The smallest of them was trembling, and the coal-striped one, Niko, moved over to her and pressed his flank to hers protectively.
Burningleaf smiled warmly. Dathi, Niko, Priscilla, and Mina. He ran the names over in his head a few times. He saw Mina trembling, and felt the urge to rush over and cuddle her, make her forget the cold and the hurt. But he knew he would scare them all senseless if he did, so he steadied his paws. A cold wind passed over the group, causing the four kittens to huddle close to the ground and closer to each other. Burningleaf knew he needed to get them out of the weather, and knew that they wouldn't survive alone in that log.
"Dathi, Niko, Priscilla, Mina. I know that you've just lost your mother, but you four will never survive on your own." He looked into their scared little eyes and felt his heart break. "But," he offered a small smile, "I know a place where you will be safe. You see, my friends and I live with a bunch of other cats in a big group called a Clan. It's kind of like a big family, where we all work together and take care of one another." He paused, giving them an opportunity to begin to grasp the concept, before continuing. "We all live together in a camp, and there are dens, safe places to sleep at night, sheltered from the snow and rain. And when we're all in a den together, we keep each other warm.
"I want to take you there. You'll have food and shelter, a warm place to sleep and a safe place to play. Would you like that?" He could see Mina begin to nod her head, but Niko spoke up.
"But what about Momma?" Burningleaf's expression changed to one of sorrow. "Niko. Your mother..." he paused, uncertain of what to say. It was certain the kits' mother was dead, but he hadn't actually seen the body. He decided that it could be a way to build their trust in him. "May I see her?" Niko looked to Dathi, who nodded uncertainly. Burningleaf dipped his head low, then walked over to the log, careful to give the kits a wide berth.
He slipped into the log and only confirmed what he had believed. Though long-furred and young, the silver queen had frozen to death. He sent up a silent prayer to the stars, hoping that the queen would hear and know he would try to protect her kits. He turned and exited the log, looking at the kits with a gentle expression. "I'm sorry. There's nothing we can do for her. I'm sorry, Niko, but your mother isn't coming back." He swallowed around a lump in his throat as Niko's expression turned to one of absolute dejection. Burningleaf took a step towards the kits before stopping himself.
"Will you come with us?" he asked softly. "I promise to keep you safe." Niko looked up at him, then looked to his siblings. Looking back to Burningleaf, he asked, "Promise?"
"I promise," Burningleaf replied.
Niko looked back at his siblings, but before any of them could respond, Tallstrike spoke up. "Burningleaf, you can't make that promise. We can't keep them safe. We can barely keep our Clan alive, and you want to bring in more mouths to feed?" The young warrior glared at Burningleaf. "Look around us. What do you see? 'Cause all I see is snow. And snow everywhere means that prey is hiding. You know what happens when prey is hiding? It means we can't find it, and if we can't find it, we starve, plain and simple. What you're suggesting will put the whole Clan at risk. Are you really willing to sacrifice warrior lives for the lives of four kits?"
Burningleaf met Tallstrike's glare with one of his own. "Tallstrike, you may be a warrior now, but that does not give you the authority to question the choices of warriors far older than you. We will take them with us, and we will keep them safe."
The fur on Tallstrike's back and neck were raised, and his eyes narrowed further. "Don't you see what you're doing? You're risking the lives of your Clanmates, just to feed a few kittens. The Warrior Code says to defend your Clan at all costs. That's what I'm doing now, defending my Clan. We can't take these kits in; it will destroy us."
Burningleaf squared his shoulders and straightened up. "You're quoting the Warrior Code to me? You seem to be forgetting that I've lived by the warrior code for dozens of moons before you were even a thought. If you want to quote the Code, then remember this: no warrior may neglect a kit in pain or danger. Not only that, but the code goes a step further to say that even kits from other Clans, or in this case, Clanless kits, must be protected."
Tallstrike let out a low growl. "Do you not see how taking them in will hurt LightningClan?" Burningleaf only met his question with a warning look. "Fine then. I won't let you destroy our Clan. No matter what." Tallstrike bunched his hindlegs and pushed off, lunging forward toward the kits. Burningleaf moved at the same time, stretching his body into long bounds. He reached the kits first, leaping over them to block Tallstrike's path. The new warrior skidded to a halt inches before running into Burningleaf and fixed him with a scorching glare. "Move, Burningleaf."
Burningleaf hissed angrily, pinning his ears back and leaning in closer. "Stand down, Tallstrike. These kits have done nothing to earn your wrath." The warrior only seethed. Burningleaf took a step closer, pushing against Tallstrike with his shoulder. "Calm your temper, or I'll see to it that you get apprentice duties for the next moon or two." Tallstrike's eyes widened slightly in shock. "You wouldn't..." Burningleaf maintained eye contact and spoke sternly, "Try me."
Tallstrike hesitated a moment, then backed off, head and tail hung down in defeat. Burningleaf continued to stare him down, his entire posture radiating authority. Once Tallstrike had backed a good distance away, Burningleaf relaxed slightly, turning to assess the damage Tallstrike had caused.
All four kits were trembling, but Flashbrook had drawn closer to them and was speaking softly, trying to soothe them. Burningleaf stepped closer, relaxing his dominant pose into something more inviting. He gave a small cough to draw the kits' attention without frightening then before speaking. "I am sorry for Tallstrike's actions. He's young and still has a lot to learn, but I promise the rest of the Clan will not greet you that way. However, I hope it has shown you that I will keep my word: I will protect you." His expression was serious, honest, and he hoped the kits realized he meant every word, or at least understood enough to trust him, even just a little.
"Will you come with us?" The kittens were huddled even closer than before and looked more scared than ever, but Niko nodded. "But," Niko said, "only if you promise that no one else will be like him."
Burningleaf chuckled softly, but then grew seriously. "I'm sure no one else will try to attack you. But if I'm wrong and someone does try to hurt you, I promise I won't let them. I mean it, I will protect you." Always. Already, the four had already managed to wrap themselves around his heart, and they hadn't even tried.
Niko looked to Dathi, as though getting his opinion on the matter. After a moment, Niko stood, nudging Mina and Priscilla to their paws. Dathi rose as well, and all four kittens looked a little shaky on their paws. Burningleaf gave a sad smile and stepped forward. "Would you like us to carry you? Our camp is a small distance away for us warriors, but it'll seem like a long while for you all. We can travel more quickly if we carried you." Mina quickly nodded, and Priscilla did the same. Niko and Dathi seemed a little more reluctant, but their weariness got the better of them, and they found themselves agreeing as well.
Burningleaf signalled Poppythorn and Brightpool to come forward, then turned to Flashbrook. "Do you think you can carry one?" His mate nodded bravely, and Burningleaf indicated that he should carry Mina, as she was the smallest. Poppythorn had picked up Dathi and Brightpool had Priscilla. Once Flashbrook had Mina by the scruff, Burningleaf picked up Niko, signalling the patrol to head back to camp.
The journey to camp was a quiet one, seeing as four of five mouths were full of kitten fur. For his part, Flashbrook handled the trip rather well, only stoping two or three times to rest his injured leg. When they reached the camp, Burningleaf began to look around for signs of their leader. In the process, he noticed that the snow had been cleared from the dens, and much of the snow in the center of camp had also been removed. A look further told him that most of it had been piled up around the outside of the camp, forming a sort of barrier or wall. Not seeing Firestar anywhere nearby, he decided to check in her den. He led his patrol to Firestar's den, ignoring the stares he got from several of his Clanmates.
He placed Niko down not far from the leader's den, and his siblings were soon settled next to him. Burningleaf moved to the den entrance, calling out to Firestar. He was invited in, and he took a deep breath before going inside.
Firestar sat inside with her mate, Russetfall, and it looked like they had been enjoying a conversation together. Burningleaf dipped his head in respect before addressing Firestar. "I know we are back early. However, we found something near the TreeClan border that needs to be addressed immediately." He hesitated a moment, searching for the best way to say what he needed to. "We found a loner nest inside a hollow log. The loner was dead, but...there were four kits inside, still alive." He paused, giving his words a chance to sink in.
"I brought them back here. They're tired and hungry and weak, but I, we, couldn't leave them behind. They're still young, and the can't survive on their own, especially not now. I don't think they could survive if it were the middle of greenleaf and prey was dropping dead at their paws.
"I couldn't turn away. I'm asking that you let them stay, and I'm hoping you'll welcome them into the Clan. They have no one and nothing but each other." He stopped, wondering if he should tell her what he had told them. "I promised them I would protect them," he said quietly before he could stop himself. He looked away from Firestar, at the den wall off to the side. He didn't want to look her in the eye as she processed his last words, knowing that she could think poorly of him because of it. As the silence spread, he resisted the urge to shuffle his paws. He desperately wanted her to accept the kits into the Clan, at least temporarily, until they managed to sneak their way into her heart just as they had his. He kept thinking of their sad, scared little faces, and his heart ached for them. He glanced up at Firestar, waiting for her reply.
The snow blew around them, turning everything white and reducing visibility to less than a tail-length. Milana was a young queen, and wasn't prepared to raise a litter, much less one born at the start of the worst leafbare she had ever seen. Her kits were two moons now, and a powerful blizzard had made its presence well known. It had caught her off guard, and she had no shelter from the wind and snow. It was now the second day of the blizzard, she thought, but the whiteout made it difficult to tell. Looking back over her shoulder, she could just make out little Mina's blue eyes at the end of her line of kits.
They meant the world to her. Brave little Dathi, trying so hard to be strong, but she could see he was scared. Sweet Priscilla, her thick fur fluffed up against the cold, green eyes fixed on Dathi's ginger tail. Niko, looking so scared behind his sky blue eyes, ears pinned back against the screaming wind. And tiny Mina, the baby of them all, struggling to wade through the snow, even with the path her mother and siblings had carved.
With a sigh, Milana turned and walked on, her four balls of fluff following her like an extended tail as she searched for a place to hide from the storm. Finally, she sees a lump in the snow, and angles toward it. As they drew near, she sees that it's an old log, near-buried in snow. There's just enough room for her to squeeze inside, and plenty room for them all past the entrance.
She turned her head to her kits, calling out as loudly as she can over the storm. "Come in here, quickly!" She sees all four of her kits' reactions to her voice, and allows herself a soft smile as they all file in.
"Are we gonna be okay?" asked Dathi anxiously, looking around at the old snow-covered log.
"We'll be alright," Milana meowed, giving each kit a tired lick. She drew them to her with her tail and curled herself around them as they lay next to her, giving them as much warmth as she could. In her heart, she knew they wouldn't survive the night. Not her, not her little ones. It was heartbreaking, but there was no help coming for them, and she could do little else but hold her loved ones close and pray they felt no pain.
written in part by Fawn
Leafbare 18
The stiffness in his joints made Burningleaf groan slightly as he woke. He was getting old, and this leafbare wasn't helping him forget it. Carefully, he extracted himself from his nest, hearing and feeling his joints creaking and readjusting. Still, he wasn't ready for the elders' den, and more than likely wouldn't go willingly. As gently as he could without disturbing nearby nests, he stretched out a few of his stiff muscles before turning toward the den entrance. He picked his way between the sleeping cats, most of which had their heads partially or mostly covered by their tails or other body parts, and one or two twisted in painful-looking ways to get their heads completely under their torsos. He winced looking at them and finished his path to the entrance.
The ginger-and-white tom looked out of the den, scraping aside a small bit of snow to exit. His first action was to look up at the sky. Yesterday, it was a stormy grey obscured by the falling snow; today, it was crystal clear and the bluest he had seen in a while. He lowered his gaze to the camp next, seeing the snow piled up high. He walked through the camp, noting that all of the entrances needed to be scraped free of snow, some moreso than others.
He turned back to the warriors' den, ready to perform his next assignment. The day the blizzard had started, he was supposed to lead out a dawn patrol to check the far border. When he woke that day, the blizzard that had come in the night prevented that, and Redscar told him that as soon as the storm had passed, he could lead that patrol. Now that the storm had cleared, it was time to follow through. Upon reaching the warriors' den, he began to clean out some of the snow blocking the entrance, until there was enough room for a cat to pass comfortably without having to squeeze as he had to earlier.
Once that task was complete, he entered the den again, scanning over the sleeping bodies. He picked his way through the nests, nudging certain cats awake with his paws. When enough of them were awake, he gave his orders, keeping his voice low enough to not disturb those still sleeping. "Gustclaw, Mudpelt, Icewhisker, Rosefire, Cougarleap, Wildwhisper, Runningfire, Willowcloud. I want all eight of you to begin clearing the snow away from the dens. Group into pairs and chose a den, then dig out the snow. I'm sure I don't have to tell you this, but try not to let too much fall into the dens, and don't let it all pile up in the center of camp, either. Just...try your best." With a nod, he dismissed the eight warriors and they all filed past him, and he turned to the other cats he had roused. "Brightpool, Poppythorn, and Tallstrike. You three will head out with me on the dawn patrol. Wait outside while I wake Flashbrook." Again, he gave a nod to dismiss them, and the left the den. Burningleaf then returned to his nest and to his make.
With gentle licks to his mate's ears and face, he woke the red-tinted tom, smiling when Flashbrook's eyes finally opened. "Are you feeling up to a border patrol today?" Burningleaf took a small step back to give his mate room as he rose to his paws. He stretched, seeming to be favoring his injured leg more than usual, but Flashbrook put on a brave face and nodded. Burningleaf bumped his forehead gently against Flashbrook's, making a mental note to keep their pace slow. The two toms weaved their way between the warriors still sleeping and exited the den, making their way to where the rest of the patrol was waiting. With a brisk nod, he walked out of camp, the rest of the patrol in tow. He kept an easy pace, glancing back every so often to see how Flashbrook was keeping up. He seemed to be doing well, and Burningleaf could feel his own joints loosening up from the activity.
Niko stirred, uncomfortable in his sleep. He was so cold. His pale blue eyes opened to darkness, and his heart rate kicked up a notch. He was blind! But slowly, his eyes adjusted and he could make out little shadows where his brother and sisters lay, and he sighed in relief. Relaxing a bit, he snuggled in closer to his mother, expecting to share some of her warmth. As he pressed his nose deep into her fur, he recoiled in shock. She was so cold! His eyes widened, and he pressed a paw gently against her. She didn't move, and he pushed harder. Her fur and flesh wouldn't yield, and Niko began to worry. He rose, not caring whether he disturbed his siblings, and walked around to Milana's head. He pushed a paw against her face. "Momma?"
The coal-striped kitten brought his face closer to hers and held his breath, hoping and praying to hear hers. After a few minutes, he drew back, his heart breaking. He placed both of his forepaws onto her shoulder and tried to shake her, but she was so stiff that she wouldn't move. "Momma!" The cry that came from his mouth was strangled as his throat tightened. "Momma, wake up!"
His breath was coming in deep gasps as panic filled him. "Dathi! Priscilla! Mina! Help me! Momma won't wake up!" He continued trying to shake Milana awake, trembling violently. "Help me! She has to wake up! Momma, wake up, please! We need you!"
The patrol had just reached the TreeClan border and was about to spread out to remark it when Burningleaf flagged his tail to halt them. What was that? The senior warrior flicked his ears up high and he focused hard on listening.
There! He heard it again, a faint little cry. Waving his tail in a 'follow me' motion, he set a brisk pace toward where the cry came from. The cries grew louder, and he was able to pinpoint where they were coming from, a fallen log covered in snow.
"Burningleaf, what are you doing?" Tallstrike hissed. Burningleaf shushed him with a flick of his tail, walking closer to the log. He listened, making out the cries of kits calling for their mother to wake.
"There are kits inside. From the sound of it, their mother is dead; probably froze last night." There was a sadness in his eyes at the thought of the orphaned kits. "They'll never survive on their own." He turned toward the log, walking closer. He called out softly to the kits inside, "Hello?"
All sounds inside the log ceased. Burningleaf called out again. "Hello? How many of you are in there?"
Inside the log, all four kittens were awake, all four trembling at the realization that their mother wasn't going to wake up. Now there was a strange voice outside, and they weren't sure how to react.
"I won't hurt you. I just want to help. I know you're cold, but the sun is shining. Come on out and see."
The four kittens looked at one another, and Dathi, being the oldest, ended up with three pairs of eyes on him. "H-how do we know we can trust you?"
Burningleaf pondered the question for a moment. How could he get frightened young kits to come away from their mother? "Well, I can promise I won't hurt you. And I never break my promises." He paused for a moment. "How many of you are there?"
Dathi responded, "Four." Mina cried out quickly, "Momma is dead!" before Priscilla shushed her.
Burningleaf looked back at where his patrol stood. "Poppythorn, Brightpool," he whispered, "see if you can find some prey. It doesn't have to be much, just enough for them to have a bite." He glanced at the sparse trees around them. "Try not to go too far in." He was basically giving them permission to hunt in the open woods, even though it was technically TreeClan territory. He didn't care; he'd deal with a patrol if they showed. Right now, there were kits in trouble, and they topped everything.
The two she-cats nodded and stalked off, tasting the air for any hints of prey. Burningleaf turned back to the log, ignoring Tallstrike's hiss. "My name is Burningleaf. I have a few friends of mine with me. Two of them are going to look for some food. Are you hungry?"
The kittens hadn't thought of their empty stomachs before Burningleaf brought up the question. Mina whimpered, and Dathi ignored the question, instead repeating the one Burningleaf had asked them. "How many friends do you have?"
Burningleaf hesitated. "There are five of us. Two are hunting right now, so that leaves three of us here with you. But I promise you, none of us will hurt you. And remember? I never break my promises."
For a moment, there was silence. The kits didn't know how to respond. There were so many cats outside of their den, all of them strangers. What if they wanted to hurt them? Burningleaf promised they wouldn't, but how could they trust a stranger?
Burningleaf waited patiently. As the silence dragged on, he began thinking of what else he could say to them. Before he could think of anything, though, Poppythorn returned, a small mouse in her jaws. Burningleaf smiled.
"Hey, are you kits hungry? My friend Poppythorn just came back with a fresh mouse! You can all share it, but you've got to come out of there." He took the mouse from Poppythorn and placed it on the ground about two tail-lengths from the open end of the log. "I'm going to put it just outside, and my friends and I will all back away, okay? You don't have to be scared." He backed away, gesturing with his tail for his patrol to back up as well.
The patrol waited in silence as the kittens whispered to each other. After what seemed like ages, a small golden head peeked out of the opening of the log. With slow, measured pawsteps, the kitten came out, eyes flitting about between the strange cats and the small mouse. For a moment, Burningleaf worried that the kit would grab the mouse and run back into the log, but another head poked out of the log. Just as slowly as the first kitten, this charcoal tabby exited slowly, pausing just outside of the entrance. Another kitten followed, a silver tabby, who turned to coax the smallest kitten out. Together, the three kittens crept to where the first stood, staring at the mouse.
The didn't have much experience with solid food, so the kittens looked at the mouse warily. Soon, Niko's stomach growled, and he leaned down and prodded it with his paw. It was soft and still warm, so he took a small bite of it. He chewed it carefully, then swallowed. He glanced over at his siblings, who were watching him with interest, and nodded. With that, they started taking turns biting into the mouse and eating, and soon it was gone. Licking their lips, they looked up at the cats sitting in a loose semicircle around them.
Burningleaf stepped forward slowly, drawing the kits attention. "I am Burningleaf." He flicked his tail toward his right. "This is my mate, Flashbrook." He flicked his tail to his right again, this time pointing at Brightpool, then to his left to point out Poppythorn and Tallstrike. "This is Brightpool, Poppythorn, and Tallstrike." Each cat, save for Tallstrike, gave a sign of greeting, either a nod or a tail flick and a smile.
The kittens looked to one another anxiously, then turned to Burningleaf. They took turns, glancing back at one another for courage.
"My name is Dathi."
"My name is Niko."
"My name is Priscilla."
"M-Mina." The smallest of them was trembling, and the coal-striped one, Niko, moved over to her and pressed his flank to hers protectively.
Burningleaf smiled warmly. Dathi, Niko, Priscilla, and Mina. He ran the names over in his head a few times. He saw Mina trembling, and felt the urge to rush over and cuddle her, make her forget the cold and the hurt. But he knew he would scare them all senseless if he did, so he steadied his paws. A cold wind passed over the group, causing the four kittens to huddle close to the ground and closer to each other. Burningleaf knew he needed to get them out of the weather, and knew that they wouldn't survive alone in that log.
"Dathi, Niko, Priscilla, Mina. I know that you've just lost your mother, but you four will never survive on your own." He looked into their scared little eyes and felt his heart break. "But," he offered a small smile, "I know a place where you will be safe. You see, my friends and I live with a bunch of other cats in a big group called a Clan. It's kind of like a big family, where we all work together and take care of one another." He paused, giving them an opportunity to begin to grasp the concept, before continuing. "We all live together in a camp, and there are dens, safe places to sleep at night, sheltered from the snow and rain. And when we're all in a den together, we keep each other warm.
"I want to take you there. You'll have food and shelter, a warm place to sleep and a safe place to play. Would you like that?" He could see Mina begin to nod her head, but Niko spoke up.
"But what about Momma?" Burningleaf's expression changed to one of sorrow. "Niko. Your mother..." he paused, uncertain of what to say. It was certain the kits' mother was dead, but he hadn't actually seen the body. He decided that it could be a way to build their trust in him. "May I see her?" Niko looked to Dathi, who nodded uncertainly. Burningleaf dipped his head low, then walked over to the log, careful to give the kits a wide berth.
He slipped into the log and only confirmed what he had believed. Though long-furred and young, the silver queen had frozen to death. He sent up a silent prayer to the stars, hoping that the queen would hear and know he would try to protect her kits. He turned and exited the log, looking at the kits with a gentle expression. "I'm sorry. There's nothing we can do for her. I'm sorry, Niko, but your mother isn't coming back." He swallowed around a lump in his throat as Niko's expression turned to one of absolute dejection. Burningleaf took a step towards the kits before stopping himself.
"Will you come with us?" he asked softly. "I promise to keep you safe." Niko looked up at him, then looked to his siblings. Looking back to Burningleaf, he asked, "Promise?"
"I promise," Burningleaf replied.
Niko looked back at his siblings, but before any of them could respond, Tallstrike spoke up. "Burningleaf, you can't make that promise. We can't keep them safe. We can barely keep our Clan alive, and you want to bring in more mouths to feed?" The young warrior glared at Burningleaf. "Look around us. What do you see? 'Cause all I see is snow. And snow everywhere means that prey is hiding. You know what happens when prey is hiding? It means we can't find it, and if we can't find it, we starve, plain and simple. What you're suggesting will put the whole Clan at risk. Are you really willing to sacrifice warrior lives for the lives of four kits?"
Burningleaf met Tallstrike's glare with one of his own. "Tallstrike, you may be a warrior now, but that does not give you the authority to question the choices of warriors far older than you. We will take them with us, and we will keep them safe."
The fur on Tallstrike's back and neck were raised, and his eyes narrowed further. "Don't you see what you're doing? You're risking the lives of your Clanmates, just to feed a few kittens. The Warrior Code says to defend your Clan at all costs. That's what I'm doing now, defending my Clan. We can't take these kits in; it will destroy us."
Burningleaf squared his shoulders and straightened up. "You're quoting the Warrior Code to me? You seem to be forgetting that I've lived by the warrior code for dozens of moons before you were even a thought. If you want to quote the Code, then remember this: no warrior may neglect a kit in pain or danger. Not only that, but the code goes a step further to say that even kits from other Clans, or in this case, Clanless kits, must be protected."
Tallstrike let out a low growl. "Do you not see how taking them in will hurt LightningClan?" Burningleaf only met his question with a warning look. "Fine then. I won't let you destroy our Clan. No matter what." Tallstrike bunched his hindlegs and pushed off, lunging forward toward the kits. Burningleaf moved at the same time, stretching his body into long bounds. He reached the kits first, leaping over them to block Tallstrike's path. The new warrior skidded to a halt inches before running into Burningleaf and fixed him with a scorching glare. "Move, Burningleaf."
Burningleaf hissed angrily, pinning his ears back and leaning in closer. "Stand down, Tallstrike. These kits have done nothing to earn your wrath." The warrior only seethed. Burningleaf took a step closer, pushing against Tallstrike with his shoulder. "Calm your temper, or I'll see to it that you get apprentice duties for the next moon or two." Tallstrike's eyes widened slightly in shock. "You wouldn't..." Burningleaf maintained eye contact and spoke sternly, "Try me."
Tallstrike hesitated a moment, then backed off, head and tail hung down in defeat. Burningleaf continued to stare him down, his entire posture radiating authority. Once Tallstrike had backed a good distance away, Burningleaf relaxed slightly, turning to assess the damage Tallstrike had caused.
All four kits were trembling, but Flashbrook had drawn closer to them and was speaking softly, trying to soothe them. Burningleaf stepped closer, relaxing his dominant pose into something more inviting. He gave a small cough to draw the kits' attention without frightening then before speaking. "I am sorry for Tallstrike's actions. He's young and still has a lot to learn, but I promise the rest of the Clan will not greet you that way. However, I hope it has shown you that I will keep my word: I will protect you." His expression was serious, honest, and he hoped the kits realized he meant every word, or at least understood enough to trust him, even just a little.
"Will you come with us?" The kittens were huddled even closer than before and looked more scared than ever, but Niko nodded. "But," Niko said, "only if you promise that no one else will be like him."
Burningleaf chuckled softly, but then grew seriously. "I'm sure no one else will try to attack you. But if I'm wrong and someone does try to hurt you, I promise I won't let them. I mean it, I will protect you." Always. Already, the four had already managed to wrap themselves around his heart, and they hadn't even tried.
Niko looked to Dathi, as though getting his opinion on the matter. After a moment, Niko stood, nudging Mina and Priscilla to their paws. Dathi rose as well, and all four kittens looked a little shaky on their paws. Burningleaf gave a sad smile and stepped forward. "Would you like us to carry you? Our camp is a small distance away for us warriors, but it'll seem like a long while for you all. We can travel more quickly if we carried you." Mina quickly nodded, and Priscilla did the same. Niko and Dathi seemed a little more reluctant, but their weariness got the better of them, and they found themselves agreeing as well.
Burningleaf signalled Poppythorn and Brightpool to come forward, then turned to Flashbrook. "Do you think you can carry one?" His mate nodded bravely, and Burningleaf indicated that he should carry Mina, as she was the smallest. Poppythorn had picked up Dathi and Brightpool had Priscilla. Once Flashbrook had Mina by the scruff, Burningleaf picked up Niko, signalling the patrol to head back to camp.
The journey to camp was a quiet one, seeing as four of five mouths were full of kitten fur. For his part, Flashbrook handled the trip rather well, only stoping two or three times to rest his injured leg. When they reached the camp, Burningleaf began to look around for signs of their leader. In the process, he noticed that the snow had been cleared from the dens, and much of the snow in the center of camp had also been removed. A look further told him that most of it had been piled up around the outside of the camp, forming a sort of barrier or wall. Not seeing Firestar anywhere nearby, he decided to check in her den. He led his patrol to Firestar's den, ignoring the stares he got from several of his Clanmates.
He placed Niko down not far from the leader's den, and his siblings were soon settled next to him. Burningleaf moved to the den entrance, calling out to Firestar. He was invited in, and he took a deep breath before going inside.
Firestar sat inside with her mate, Russetfall, and it looked like they had been enjoying a conversation together. Burningleaf dipped his head in respect before addressing Firestar. "I know we are back early. However, we found something near the TreeClan border that needs to be addressed immediately." He hesitated a moment, searching for the best way to say what he needed to. "We found a loner nest inside a hollow log. The loner was dead, but...there were four kits inside, still alive." He paused, giving his words a chance to sink in.
"I brought them back here. They're tired and hungry and weak, but I, we, couldn't leave them behind. They're still young, and the can't survive on their own, especially not now. I don't think they could survive if it were the middle of greenleaf and prey was dropping dead at their paws.
"I couldn't turn away. I'm asking that you let them stay, and I'm hoping you'll welcome them into the Clan. They have no one and nothing but each other." He stopped, wondering if he should tell her what he had told them. "I promised them I would protect them," he said quietly before he could stop himself. He looked away from Firestar, at the den wall off to the side. He didn't want to look her in the eye as she processed his last words, knowing that she could think poorly of him because of it. As the silence spread, he resisted the urge to shuffle his paws. He desperately wanted her to accept the kits into the Clan, at least temporarily, until they managed to sneak their way into her heart just as they had his. He kept thinking of their sad, scared little faces, and his heart ached for them. He glanced up at Firestar, waiting for her reply.
