Nettlestar's Atonement {BEING UPDATED}

Chapter One

Nettlekit nestled into his mother's warmth, eyes shut tightly. He was supposed to have opened them already, but he wasn't ready. What if it hurts? What if I don't like what everything looks like? He worried.

"What if he never opens his eyes?" The gentle voice that he'd learned was his mother's spoke. This time, she wasn't speaking to him. She was talking to another queen, worry in her tone.

"Don't fret about it." The she-cat said. "Finchkit took longer than Thornkit. He's just taking his time."

That's Hickoryfall, Nettlekit remembered. She was Thornkit and Finchkit's mother. Sometimes Nettlekit wondered what they looked like, but he was too nervous to open his eyes and check.

"Maybe he'll never open his eyes." He heard Thornkit remark. "Or maybe kittypets just take longer." He felt his mother bristle beside him, but it was Hickoryfall who spoke first.

She hissed. "No kit of mine is that rude! Dustcloud is as much a part of this Clan as you and I, and so is Nettlekit! Having kittypet blood won't change that." Nettlekit let out a tiny sigh. Dustcloud, his father, was once a kittypet called Dusty. He had joined SummerClan a few moons before he was born, and only now was he beginning to be accepted.
Still, Thornkit didn't think of Nettlekit as part of the Clan, clearly.

I'll show him! Nettlekit thought defiantly. I'll open my eyes now! He pushed back his doubts and slowly opened his eyes, suddenly overwhelmed by the hugeness of everything. Light made him squint, but he could still see the cats around him.

Woah... Thornkit and Finchkit were huge, at least compared to himself. Their golden-brown pelts shone in the sun.

"Look, he's opened his eyes!" Nettlekit looked up at Hickoryfall. If he thought Thornkit was big, then she was a giant. Of course, all full-grown cats probably were. She was the same shade of brown as her kits, who were sitting beside her in her nest.

"Really?" His mother asked excitedly. As he looked up at her, he saw that her eyes were blue and her pelt was a mix of gray and white. "Oh, they're exactly like his father's." She murmured, gaze warm.

"They're beautiful, Sedgefang." Hickoryfall assured Nettlekit's mother. Nettlekit looked down at his paws, which looked similar to hers. The gray was a bit darker, and he had more of it than white on his pelt, but other than that he was pleased by how much they looked alike.

Hickoryfall turned to her kits. "Why don't you two take Nettlekit out of the den? Now that he's opened his eyes he can explore." Nettlekit tried not to let his tail droop. He was excited to go out of the den, but no doubt Thornkit would be an annoying furball. He thinks he's better than me! I'll show him.

"Okay." Thornkit mewed, turning briefly to Nettlekit, gaze undreadable. "Come on." They turned around to pad out of the den, and Nettlekit was about to follow but he turned back to Sedgefang first.

"Go ahead." His mother assured. "Just be nice." Nettlekit bounded forward to catch up with them, pelt prickling with irritation. She should be telling that to Thornkit!

"Don't wake Brambleflower!" Hickoryfall called from the den. Nettlekit avoided the sleeping queen and exited the den, stepping into camp for the first time. He was in awe at the sheer size of the camp, and how many warriors were strolling around. It must be great to be a full warrior! He thought gleefully. I can't wait until I get my name.

Thornkit turned to Nettlekit, amusement sparking in his yellow depths. "Amazed at what being a Clan cat is like?" Nettlekit nodded. Thornkit snorted. "Don't get used to it. A kittypet can never be a warrior anyways."