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warriors-fallen · 4 months

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CHAPTER ONE: [NIGHTKIT]

Tiny paws silently crept along the ground as a tiny black kit eased forward in a crouch, her kinked tail twitching eagerly behind her. Her green eyes narrowed, glinting in the soft light beaming down from above. Her target’s pale grey fur was in sight, the little kit rolling around in the soft moss of a warm nest, oblivious to the eyes closely watching him.

Flexing her paws, the black kit narrowed her eyes, focusing as she stalked as close as she could get, whiskers twitching as she watched the other kit roll onto his back and wiggle around as if he were antsy. Bracing her haunches, she pushed off and leapt towards him, her front paws slamming right into his belly.

Squealing, the grey kit’s paws wrapped around her in a tight grip, and the two began to roll around and tussle, dust beginning to stir as they tumbled out of the nest.

“Nightkit!” The grey kit squeaked in protest as the black kit finally pinned him down, a pout growing on his face. “Unfair! You’re bigger than me!”

“Only by a little!” Nightkit puffed, beaming triumphantly as she stepped off of Quickkit, giggling as he sat up with his fur all messy. He giggled with her, reaching out a paw and swatting at her muzzle.

“I snuck up on you good, didn’t I?” Nightkit leaned away from Quickkit’s paw. “I’ve been practicing my stalking! My momma showed me some tricks the other day.”

“I didn’t see you!” Quickkit confirmed, tail beginning to thump behind him. Nightkit always swore instead of blood he had only energy inside him. He was always moving!

“I-“ Nightkit began.

“Please be quiet!” An irritated, hoarse groan cut her off, and Nightkit turned to look at the black and brown she-cat half-hidden in shadow at the far end of the nursery. Her swollen belly heaved as the she-cat turned in her nest, eyes narrowed at the two kits. “I can’t get any sleep!”

“Sorry, Ravenhaze!” Nightkit squeaked, snapping her mouth shut when the further noise earned her a harsher glare. She hung her head and shuffled her front paws, glancing at Quickkit who was looking similarly crestfallen at the scolding.

Ravenhaze is always so grumpy! Nightkit thought with annoyance. We weren’t even being that loud!

Nightkit got to her paws and opted to slink into the shadows toward where her and her mother’s nest was. The moss was a little cold by now since her mother had left with Quickkit’s mother and sister to stretch their legs, but she happily sank down into it, purring softly at the strong, comforting scent of her mother. She looked out into the nursery, glancing over the smooth, dug out walls and up above at the hole that let light shine in through a cover of all kinds of plants. Nightkit remembered her father telling her that it would let light in that way while also blocking out most of the rain.

The nursery had been dug out wide to leave plenty of room for queens and kits. Nightkit knew, from what she had seen, that it was almost as big as the warriors’ burrow! It never felt cramped to her, even with four queens currently staying in it. If Nightkit focused, she could see where Wildrunner’s nest was close to Ravenhaze’s. Wildrunner had only recently started to plump up, so she didn’t stay in the nursery very much.

Nightkit turned her gaze to the nearest wall where her and her mom’s nest was. While the nest was in the shadows, a little bit of light pierced through and shone faintly on the wall. Dark, little pawprints were clustered all along it. Nightkit peered a little bit away from the wall, even closer to the nest, where one little pawprint was. That one was hers! All the queens had their kits leave a muddy, clay paw mark on the wall, from what her mother had told her. She had wanted to better tell where hers was, though, so her mother let her put it away from the other marks. Her mother had proclaimed it as ‘Night’s Corner’. Nightkit felt warm thinking about it. She had made her mark when she was three moons old, and now she was four moons old! Her paws had grown a bit since then. If she lifted her paw up, she could tell the difference better.

One day my paws will be so big, you won’t even see my mark next to them!

Nightkit purred quietly at the thought. She was going to be a burrower just like her dad and uncle, with big strong paws! She couldn’t wait! She would dig the best tunnels ever!

Quiet voices snapped Nightkit to attention, and she craned her ears towards the entrance tunnel to the nursery. Quickkit, who had been rolling around in his mother’s nest again, also perked up, jumping to his paws and excitedly lashing his tail. As the voices grew, Nightkit recognized them.

Swallowing back an excited squeal when she remembered Ravenhaze’s scolding, Nightkit jumped out of her and her mother’s nest and bounded over to Quickkit, standing beside him. After a few moments, a golden brown tabby she-cat appeared in the tunnel, chatting eagerly with a pale grey tabby she-cat with a folded ear. A little brown tabby kit with ginger points followed, her tail raised high in the air.

“That’s what I was saying! It was so silly-“

“Momma!” Nightkit purred happily, crashing into her mother’s golden tabby fur, nuzzling her chest eagerly. Her mother’s voice was cut off as she laughed lightly, bending her head to lick Nightkit between the ears.

“Hi, sweet thing!” Her mother purred, the soothing rumble making Nightkit feel warm.

“Mom! You were gone so long!” Quickkit was squeaking as he circled his mother, tail still waving behind him. His sister Foxkit had taken his spot in their nest, sitting and smoothing her chest fur with her tongue.

“It was only a little while,” Rabbitear sighed in exasperation, though Nightkit could tell she was playing around by the smile on her face. She watched her son circle around her fondly for a few more moments, before she carefully stepped over him to plop down into her nest beside Foxkit.

“I snuck up on Quickkit, momma!” Nightkit beamed, lowering into a crouch. “I crouched just like this, like you showed me! He didn’t know I was there until I got him!”

“Impressive!” Warrenstalk praised, gaze warm as she watched her daughter creep forward to demonstrate. “You’re already a little warrior!”

“Yeah!” Nightkit squeaked, getting back to her paws. “You think Tunnelstar will make me an apprentice early?!”

Warrenstalk laughed affectionately. “You’re still a little too young. But I’m sure you’ll already be an amazing apprentice when you get there.”

Nightkit huffed, though she enjoyed her mother’s praise.

“Great StarClan, can’t I get any sleep?!” Ravenhaze’s sharp voice made Nightkit flinch. The plump she-cat was glaring from her nest at the gathering of cats, her teeth glinting in the low light as her lip curled.

Nightkit saw Warrenstalk shoot the other queen a harsh look, though Ravenhaze seemed to not be bothered as she puffed and settled further into her nest, tail-tip twitching irritably.

Rabbitear was staring at Ravenhaze herself, pausing in her grooming of Quickkit’s ruffled fur as he had settled in next to her, Foxkit having scooched to make room for him. She cast a glance at Warrenstalk, and the two she-cats seemed to share something silent. Nightkit wasn’t sure what it was.

“Why don’t you three go play in the camp?” Rabbitear offered after a few more moments of silence. “Let Ravenhaze get some peace and quiet for a while.”

“That sounds fun!” Warrenstalk agreed, leaning down to give Nightkit another lick between the ears. “Your father was in camp when we left. He might still be there, if you hurry!”

Nightkit perked up immediately. She nodded eagerly, and Quickkit was by her side in an instant, bouncing on his paws. Foxkit joined them a moment later, quietly looking back at her mother.

“Let’s go, let’s go!” Quickkit squealed, pelting into the tunnel at the entrance to the nursery.

“Bye mom!” Nightkit called as she hurried after Quickkit, bursting into the darkness of the tunnel. She heard her mother softly call her own goodbye, and felt the breath of Foxkit on the tip of her kinked tail.

Foxkit’s always so quiet! Is she even excited to come play?

Nightkit slowed down as the darkness in the tunnel grew, navigating the familiar path. The warm walls of the surrounding earth thrummed softly at her sides, relaxing muscles she didn’t even know she had tensed. She always felt so relaxed and safe in the familiar tunnels and burrows of BurrowClan’s territory; she couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. When she had first learned the other Clans didn’t live underground, she had been so shocked! The outside was fine, she had been up there with her parents a few times, but it felt so open and exposed, and was so noisy with so many smells! She didn’t know how other cats were happy without the comforting darkness and hugging tunnels of the underground. She didn’t even have to look where she was going to get around! Her paws knew where she was, and she was hidden from anything that might want to hurt her.

After a few more pawsteps, light began to show ahead, lighting up the pale grey tips of Quickkit’s ears. He hurried forward, and Nightkit picked up the pace as well. Soft sounds were beginning to fill her ears, and the earth below her paws was gently thumping with the pawsteps of other cats.

The kits soon burst free of the tunnel, out into a large dug out space with a massive hole above, covered with many plants just like the nursery. The warm sunlight shone through the plant cover, casting a dappled pattern on the ground below. Dark entrances of tunnels were everywhere along the smooth walls, leading to burrows and tunnels of all kinds. At the far end, across from the kits, was a cracked boulder the size of two warriors.

Nightkit felt Foxkit brush past her as she excitedly looked around. The camp was so cool! Quite a few of her Clanmates were milling about, chatting with each other or basking in the sunlight. She saw a few cats clustered around the fresh-kill pile near the big boulder, and from what she could tell it was super full! Hunting must have been great!

Hm, now where’s dad…

Looking around for him, Nightkit-

“Oh! Oh!” Quickkit gasped, nudging Nightkit in the shoulder and interrupting her thoughts. He raised a paw and pointed, and she followed his paw. She could see he was pointing at a brown tom with darker brown spots along his pelt; he was currently stretching and yawning with his tail rose high. She recognized him as Peatpaw.

“Peatpaw!” Nightkit immediately squealed, forgetting what she had been doing and wasting no time in rushing towards the apprentice. He always played with them! He was the best at moss ball and Clan Invasion!

The apprentice looked at the kits running towards him, and he gave them a smile, sitting up and yawning again. “Hey, kiddos! Out on your own, hm? Causing trouble?”

“We’re not causing trouble!” Quickkit protested, hopping around Peatpaw. “Ravenhaze was being grumpy!”

Peatpaw winced. “Sounds like her.”

Nightkit nodded seriously. “So we have a duty to do!”

Peatpaw tilted his head, tail flicking out of the way of Quickkit’s paws as the tom kept bouncing around him. “Hm?”

“We left our mommas unprotected! So now we must defend them!” Nightkit announced, eagerly looking up at the apprentice. She hoped he would take the invitation to play! He was so fun! Her paws itched to pounce!

An expression of realization dawned on Peatpaw’s face, before he grinned and narrowed his eyes mischievously. “So, it would be the perfect time to invade, huh?”

“Never!” Quickkit growled, jumping away from him to stand at Nightkit’s side. His tail lashed fiercely, and his pelt bristled. Nightkit matched his fierce stance, seeing Foxkit slowly pad up to join them. She looked a little less fierce, but a soft snarl rumbled from her throat.

“Are you three the only thing stopping my invasion?” Peatpaw laughed, getting to his paws and lifting his head. “BurrowClan must be the weakest Clan ever! I’ll invade, and take all your prey and burrows!”

“Never!” Nightkit yowled, leaping at Peatpaw with her paws outstretched. His soft fur tickled her paw pads, and he yowled as she clung to his shoulder, her claws carefully digging only into his fur and not his skin. He tried to shake her off, but Quickkit nipped gently at his hind leg, making him tumble and flop to his side.

Foxkit growled and rushed over, her paws firmly landing on Peatpaw’s haunches as she tried to pin him down. Peatpaw gasped and flailed, making Foxkit let out a rare squeal as she lost her balance and tumbled on her back.

“We got you, intruder! Surrender!” Nightkit hissed, still holding tight onto his shoulder.

“I will never surrender!” Peatpaw yowled, struggling and wiggling until Nightkit and Quickkit lost their grips. Nightkit yowled as if she were struck, dramatically envisioning scratches all along her pelt. Quickkit panted beside her, quickly getting to his paws as Peatpaw began to rise.

But before he could, Foxkit had launched herself at him again, managing to squirm onto his back and hang on tight. The apprentice screeched, stumbling, and Nightkit and Quickkit quickly recovered to help Foxkit.

Unable to take the onslaught yet again, Peatpaw fell onto his side.

“Oh, no!” He cried dramatically, an anguished look in his eyes. “I underestimated you! I’ve been defeated!”

“Do you surrender?” Quickkit squeaked, his fierce façade quickly turning excited. Peatpaw sighed, looking warily at the kits pinning him down, before nodding sadly.

“Yay!” Nightkit happily detached herself from the apprentice, watching as he shook Quickkit and Foxkit off, both giggling as they slid off him.

“Having fun?” An amused meow sounded behind them, and Nightkit looked behind her to see Rockpatch’s grey tabby coat. He was eyeing his apprentice fondly, and Peatpaw laughed.

“Yeah! Crazy kits.” Peatpaw whacked Foxkit with his tail, making her sneeze as his fur tickled her nose. The sound made Peatpaw chuckle.

“He was an intruder! We defeated him!” Nightkit happily informed the large tom. Rockpatch smiled.

“You did a good job!” He reached out a large paw to gently pat Nightkit on the head. When Quickkit scurried up, he patted him too. Foxkit just stayed where she was, grooming her ruffled tabby and ginger pointed pelt. “You’ll be great warriors.”

Nightkit beamed at the praise.

“Now, Peatpaw,” Rockpatch looked back at his apprentice. “Poolfang and I are going to investigate a faint badger scent we got near one of the breeze tunnels. Would you like to come?”

“Yeah, sure!” Peatpaw perked up.

“Alright,” Rockpatch nodded approvingly, a twinkle in his eyes. “Give yourself a good grooming, and join us by the warriors’ burrow tunnel.”

Peatpaw blinked, looking over his pelt which was severely ruffled from the playing. Looking a little embarrassed, Peatpaw nodded.

Rockpatch chuckled, before turning and padding away to join Poolfang by the tunnel that led to the warriors’ burrow. The black she-cat was sitting patiently.

“Well, I best do that.” Peatpaw nodded at the kits, fondly nudging Nightkit with one paw. “Have fun protecting us from invaders!”

“We will!” Nightkit promised, watching as he stalked a bit away to find a spot to groom.

“What now?” Quickkit was already back to pacing, as if the play fighting hadn’t worn him out at all.

“We could go see the elders,” Foxkit’s soft voice surprised Nightkit, and she turned to her. “They like it when we visit.”

“Good idea!” Nightkit agreed, and Quickkit seemed to agree as well by the way he was already running towards the tunnel that led to the elders’ burrow.

It’ll be nice to visit my grandpas!

“He’s so wild,” Foxkit murmured, and Nightkit fell in beside her as they followed Quickkit more slowly. “I can never keep up. Mom says he’s just like dad.”

Nightkit frowned, reaching out her kinked tail to drape it over Foxkit’s shoulder. Her mother had told her Quickkit’s and Foxkit’s dad had died before they were even born. Before she was even born. She couldn’t imagine not having a dad! “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Foxkit gave her an appreciative look. “I didn’t mean to be sad. I was just saying.”

Nightkit nodded.

“Mom says when she was pregnant with us, her stomach hurt all the time,” Foxkit went on, and Nightkit withdrew her tail. “She thinks it’s ‘cause Quickkit was running circles in her belly.”

“Ha!” Nightkit giggled; she could certainly imagine that! That was such a funny image! “He probably was!”

Before Foxkit could say anything else, Nightkit heard her name being called. Pausing, she peered behind her shoulder, perking up excitedly when she saw a familiar black pelt adorned with white ears.

Nightkit glanced over at Foxkit, who waved her paw.

“You can meet us there.” She simply said, padding on her way. “I’ll tell the elders to wait if they want to tell stories.”

“Thanks, Foxkit!” Nightkit called after her, before grinning and running towards the tom waiting for her.

“Dad!” Nightkit squealed, launching herself at the tom. He smelled strongly of clay and dirt, and judging by his muddy paws and crusty pelt, he had probably just returned from working on a tunnel. He laughed as she collided with him, and she felt his big strong paws wrap around her as he sat down, pulling her into his chest and belly.

“Hi, little miracle!” Darkfrost purred, nuzzling her cheek and making her giggle as his whiskers tickled her face. He cooed at her laughter, his tail coming to wrap around her to join his paws. Nightkit sank into his warmth and hold, feeling like her chest was going to burst with how hard and loud she was purring.

“Hi, dad,” Nightkit smiled, craning her head to look up at her father’s face. “I couldn’t see you earlier! Momma said you were in camp.”

“I was,” he nodded, wiping excess mud off one paw on the ground so he could run it through Nightkit’s fur. “I had to leave for a little while to finish up some work. I’m done for the day, though!”

“Yay!” Nightkit cheered, excitedly shifting on her paws. Now she and her dad could hang out!

Wait! The elders!

She couldn’t hang out with him yet! She had to join Quickkit and Foxkit!

“What have you been up to?” Darkfrost prompted, swiping away a stray loose piece of fur on Nightkit’s shoulder.

“A lot! But can I tell you later? I’m supposed to go see the elders with Foxkit and Quickkit!” Nightkit flicked her head at the dark tunnel that her friends had disappeared into.

“You have no time for your dad?” Darkfrost gasped, a look of anguish and hurt in his eyes. He let go of Nightkit to place a paw on his chest, his ears flattening against his head. “B-but…”

“Daaaad!” Nightkit giggled. He looked so silly! Her father’s expression lightened, and he leaned down to touch his nose to her cheek.

“Playing! Go have fun. We can catch up later. Say hi to your grandpas for me!” Darkfrost nudged her, and Nightkit nodded, eagerly racing off with a quick goodbye.

She wasted no time in darting into the short tunnel that led to the elders’ burrow. It only took a few strides to pop out into the dug out burrow; all of the burrows except the nursery were really quick to get into.

Pale light shone from above through the leaf covering, lighting up the pelts of Foxkit and Quickkit, who were clustered around the three elders chattering away in their soft, feather-lined nests.

“Hi, grandpas!” Nightkit greeted, making two toms look up at her.

“Nightkit!” Gravelheave rasped, his dark grey pelt a little unkempt. His white tail-tip flicked in greeting, and Nightkit trotted up to him to touch noses with her mother’s dad.

She moved on to touch noses with Badgerclaw, her dad’s dad. His white nose stripe and back stripe stood out starkly against his black pelt, making him really look like a badger! Nightkit had never seen one, but she had heard tales of them.

“Nice to see you,” Badgerclaw murmured fondly, and Nightkit settled between her grandpas. “Siltdrop was just telling Foxkit and Quickkit a story.”

Nightkit peered at her friends, paying full attention to a silver tabby she-cat with a dark grey chest.

“…And then, Blazepelt leapt at the hawk! It let go of Rootkit, and Rabbitear caught her!”

Quickkit and Foxkit both gasped aloud, and Nightkit puffed.

“Aw, they were supposed to wait for me for the stories…” Nightkit grumbled, though she didn’t actually mind all that much. It was a story about their dad. “But I guess it’s okay.”

Gravelheave chuckled, tucking his front paws under him. “There’s plenty of stories to hear. You have all the time to hear all kinds of stories.”

Nightkit meowed a soft agreement, half-listening to Siltdrop’s story for a moment, before she sniffed at Gravelheave’s slightly messy pelt. “Do you want help grooming a little, grandpa?”

“That would be sweet of you,” Gravelheave looked at her appreciatively. “You can help with my back. It’s hard to twist back there, and Badgerclaw and Siltdrop are always too sleepy to help.”

“I helped the other day!” Badgerclaw retorted, with no harshness behind his words. “You just have so much fur, it tangles up just sitting there.”

Gravelheave huffed, and Nightkit couldn’t suppress a smile at the elders and their remarks. She sat up and leaned over her grandpa, softly lapping at his dark grey pelt, focusing on smoothing the fur along his back. She didn’t mind helping at all in general, but she could also see it as early training! Apprentices had to look after the elders and help them out, after all. She was just getting a head start!

It didn’t take long to smooth Gravelheave’s ruffled back. It really wasn’t that messy, just a little ruffled. By the time she was done, Siltdrop had finished her story, and Foxkit and Quickkit were chatting amongst themselves about the story. “Dad was so cool!” Quickkit thwacked his tail against the earth, stirring up a bit of dust. “I can’t believe he fought so many hawks! They’re so big!”

“He was the Clan’s best hunter when it came to birds,” Siltdrop rasped. “You have to be careful aboveground. Big birds like to look for anything out in the open. Blazepelt was brave, and didn’t let the birds get near anyone if he could help it.”

Nightkit shivered. No thanks! I’m happy underground!

Luckily for her, when she did go out, she had her parents watching the sky. She couldn’t imagine going outside alone!

Badgerclaw curled his tail close, drawing his tongue across his lips. “Hawk tastes really good. Maybe one of you will grow up to be a hawk hunter.”

Foxkit’s eyes gleamed at that idea, and Quickkit gasped enthusiastically.

“I’d bring ‘em down with one swipe!” Quickkit squealed. “They’d be no match for me!”

“Very brave of you,” Siltdrop purred, though her tone quickly became serious. “But it’s important to remember a hawk can drag away even a full-grown cat. You must not do anything reckless if you see one.”

Foxkit and Quickkit nodded obediently. Nightkit knew that Quickkit could occasionally be a little serious…at least, when it came to situations where he could get seriously hurt.

No way I’d try to get a hawk!

“Oh! Looks like I missed you, Nightkit,” Siltdrop rumbled. “Hello! Would you like a story? I’m sorry you missed out, Foxkit really wanted to hear a story about Blazepelt.”

Nightkit got to her paws, carefully stepping around her grandpas to make her way over to the other elder and her friends. “Oh, yes please!”

“Hm…” the silver tabby she-cat hummed thoughtfully as the three kits quieted down and settled around her, eyes wide and expectant. “How about…a story about the curse?”

“The curse?” Nightkit tilted her head.

“Isn’t that a bit scary for kits?” Gravelheave piped up. “Don’t give them nightmares! I think their mothers would have our pelts.”

“Relax,” Siltdrop dismissively flicked her tail. “It’s not that bad.”

“What’s a curse?” Quickkit asked, fidgeting with his paws.

“It’s something that haunted BurrowClan for many seasons,” Siltdrop began, flicking her ear at Badgerclaw and Gravelheave who looked at her warily. “It brought great destruction. The Clan almost perished completely.”

The kits all gasped, and Nightkit’s eyes widened. That sounded bad! Why hadn’t she heard about something so serious and dangerous before?

“The curse came as cats,” the tabby elder went on. “It happened so randomly, it was impossible to predict and prepare for. Some kits would be born cursed, and bring destruction with them. Cats would mysteriously die all around the Clan, and StarClan would send a warning to try to help us. The curse was beyond them.”

“StarClan…” Foxkit breathed. Nightkit shared her awe. StarClan, their warrior ancestors…they were so elusive!

“Wow!” Quickkit squeaked, eyes wide in horror. “Cats would just…die?! Because of the cursed cat?”

Siltdrop nodded grimly. “So many would.”

“What happened when StarClan sent the signs?” Nightkit leaned closer, her pelt itching with curiosity.

“The signs would tell who was causing the destruction,” the elderly she-cat went on, dipping her head. “Then, the leader would exile the cat. But it wasn’t always simple. Once, almost the entirety of the Clan was wiped out by a curse, before my time. StarClan’s sign was a little too late. But, as you can tell, we’re still standing.”

“StarClan couldn’t take the curse away?” Foxkit tilted her head curiously.

“No, it was beyond them. But they helped however they could.”

“But…what if there’s another one?!” Quickkit gasped, suddenly looking terrified. “What if one of us is cursed, and we don’t know yet?! Is everyone gonna die?!”

Foxkit leaned to comfort her brother, but all it did was make him wail.

“Told you you’d scare them!” Gravelheave scolded, and Siltdrop rolled her eyes. Her gaze softened, and she gently reached out a paw to Quickkit. Nightkit understood his fear. Dread was pooling in her belly. Why hadn’t anyone warned her about curses? She didn’t realize her Clan could be in so much danger!

“It’s okay,” Siltdrop soothed, and Quickkit sniffled. “I wasn’t finished. I was going to tell you about how BurrowClan got rid of the curse once and for all.”

“We…got rid of it? For real?” Quickkit quickly started to calm down, Foxkit letting out a little relieved noise. Nightkit felt herself relax, too.

Thank StarClan! It’s not around anymore!

“For real,” Siltdrop confirmed softly. “Our leader, before Tunnelstar, was Duskstar. I was around when she was alive. She gave a great sacrifice to save the Clan from cursed cats. I witnessed many of my Clanmates die when I was young. But Duskstar saved us.”

“How?” Nightkit whispered. She sounded like a hero!

“She gave up the rest of her lives,” Siltdrop murmured, looking wistful and in awe herself. “She had seven left. But when she lost so many of our Clan, she took action. She went to the Moonfalls with the medicine cat, Eagleflake, to commune with StarClan, and desperately pleaded to ask what she could do. StarClan told her they discovered the power of a leader’s lives could defeat the evil source of the curse. So, she readily gave them all up.”

“Wow!” Nightkit breathed, awestruck.

“That’s so brave!” Quickkit sounded just as breathless.

“That’s so sad,” Foxkit murmured. “I wish it could have been defeated by something else.”

“It is sad,” Siltdrop agreed. “But it saved our Clan. Eagleflake brought back Duskstar’s body, and Tunnelshadow became Tunnelstar. We’ve had no curses for moons and moons. Duskstar truly saved us all.”

“I’m so sad nobody talks about her!” Nightkit frowned. “She was a hero!”

“We do talk about her,” Badgerclaw gruffly pointed out. “We just don’t usually tell kits. It can be a scary story for a cat so young.”

“It wasn’t scary!” Quickkit insisted. “I mean, it was…but we know the curse is gone, so it’s not scary anymore!”

Siltdrop gave a pointed, smug look to the other elders, who both huffed.

“I’m getting hungry,” Foxkit quietly meowed to Quickkit after a moment of silence. “I’m gonna go get some food and go back to mom.”

“Oh! Me too!” Quickkit got to his paws. “Thanks for the stories, Siltdrop! Bye!”

Nightkit giggled as Quickkit wasted no time living up to his namesake, racing out of the elders’ burrow. Foxkit shared an amused look with Nightkit, before slowly padding off after her brother.

“Goodbye!” The elders all called after the kits.

Nightkit got to her own paws. Now that she wasn’t focused on an intense story, she could feel hunger biting at the edges of her belly. “I’m getting hungry, too. Thanks for the story.”

“Of course, dear,” Siltdrop purred.

Nightkit padded over to her grandpas, touching noses with them again. “Oh! Dad says hi, by the way.”

“Tell him hi back,” Gravelheave purred, the sound rough and raspy.

“And that he needs to visit more!” Badgerclaw added. “Him and his brother must think they’re too cool for their ol’ dad.”

His tone was teasing and light, and Nightkit laughed. “I will!”

Bounding off after her friends, Nightkit emerged back into the camp clearing. Most of the cats she had seen out and about were gone now, likely doing their own thing. As she glanced up at the hole above, she saw the light was fading just a little. It was getting close to evening, so most cats were probably finishing patrols or duties for the night.

Some cats were sprawled around camp, sharing prey and chatting. Nightkit saw Foxkit and Quickkit in the middle of the clearing with their mother. Nightkit spotted Warrenstalk next to her, and ran over.

“Hi, mom!” Nightkit squeaked, reaching up to touch their noses together.

“Hi!” Warrenstalk purred, sitting down and patting the spot beside her with one paw. Nightkit obediently sat down. “From what Foxkit and Quickkit are saying, you had an exciting day!”

“Yeah!” Nightkit nodded eagerly.

Before she could go on about her day, Darkfrost came into view with a plump rabbit hanging heavily from his jaws. He was walking over from the fresh-kill pile, and flicked his head. Warrenstalk got up, and guided Nightkit over to a quiet spot where they all huddled down in front of the rabbit.

“Picked just for you guys,” Darkfrost murmured, nuzzling Warrenstalk. She purred, licking his cheek. “The plumpest rabbit on the pile.”

“Thank you, hon,” Warrenstalk looked over at Nightkit. “Wanna tell me and your dad about your exciting day, sweet thing?”

“Yes!” Nightkit eagerly purred, sinking her teeth into a small, soft part of the rabbit’s belly. She ate it quickly, swallowing as her parents dug in themselves. “So, first me and Foxkit and Quickkit defeated Peatpaw…”

After a filling meal and rambling on about her day to her parents, as well as a game of moss ball and some evening sunbathing, all three cats headed to the nursery. From the faint moonlight cascading into the nursery, Nightkit could see Rabbitear and her kits were soundly snuggled in their nest, so she carefully stepped around her. Ravenhaze was sprawled out as much as she could be with her huge belly, thankfully asleep. Even Wildrunner, with her mud stained white and grey splotched coat, was in her own nest near Ravenhaze, a rare occurrence.

Warrenstalk laid down in her nest, and Nightkit snuggled into her belly, sighing as her eyes fluttered shut. She was so sleepy and worn out from her exciting day. She felt Darkfrost curl around her and her mother, and she happily fell asleep, feeling loved and safe between her parents.

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