The stars promise

chapter Three

Poppykit slept against her mother's belly. It was a colder night in Shadowclan, but her mother's warm fur kept her warm. Poppykit noticed that Silverwing scented something by the look on her face."Ratfur is returning I smelled Thunderclan..." She wasn't the only one. Tawnyfall quickly gathered a few more warriors and Toadstar poked his head out. Ratfur entered, holding a white and ginger she-kit by the scruff and nudging a brown tom. "Who is that?" Poppykit asked, not recognizing the she-kit. It was late and harder for her to tell. She got up from her nest and shook out her fur. "Silverwing, can I go see what's happening?" She asked, clearly curious. "Alright...but you need to be quiet" Toadstar meowed. "Ratfur, what is this ?" "These kits were crossing the border." Poppykit quietly went out of the den to see what was going on. Is that Sunkit? She thought. The brown tom growled at Ratfur. "I'm not a kit, I'm an apprentice!" He hissed. "Sunkit, I told you we'd get caught." Sunkit flattened her ears. "You didn't have to come! I just wanted to check on Poppykit!" She looked around for her sister. Toadstar growled. "No apprentice gets to cross the border and get treated older than he acts!" His face and voice softened upon hearing Sunkit's words. "Your sister is in a different clan now! I'm sorry it's hard but you must accept it. You can't just cross borders when you feel like it." Poppykit jumped up. It was her sister! She ran over. "Sunkit! It's me Popptkit!" She mewled. "Toadstar let her down please!" Tawnyfall growled. "Silverwing! Quiet her down!" Silverwing wrapped her tail around Poppykit and whispered so only she could hear. "Hush little one, trust him. He will handle this." Sunkits voice was scarcely more than a squeak. "we-we just wanted to warn her about the fox!" Poppykit looked up. "Foxes? Are they in Shadowclan territory?" She asked, panicking. But then she got distracted by a shadowy figure behind them. She looked past the warriors to see the ghost. She gasped quietly. "Ghost!" She whispered, pushing her mother's tail away and padding over to him. Silverwing didn't notice. Toadstar stood up. "Is there a Fox in Shadowclan territory?" Sunkit was the only one who noticed trying to wriggle from Ratfur's grip. "Poppykit?" Poppykit sat down by the ghost. "I thought you left!" She mewed, staring at him. "Why would I leave you?" It whispered back. She smiled at it, not seeing his dark gaze upon her. Toadstar meowed. "You both will stay the night and Thunderclan will fetch you in the morning." Then Sunkit broke free from Ratfur. "Poppykit! Who are you talking to?" Poppykit turned, flicking her stubby tail. "You can't see him either? Weird..." She looked back at him. "I don't know his name but he's cool!" "Who?" Sunkit asked. Silverwing mewed. "Alright you two can play in the morn- " She paused. "What...Are you two doing?" "Talking to my ghost!" She purred, pawing the ghost, which looked like her pawing the air. Silverwing sighed. "Sunkit, go to your den for the night. Poppykit, we're going to find Pebblefleck." Poppykit blinked. "Can Sunkit sleep in our nest please?" She asked, glancing at her sister. Tawnyfall hissed. "Invaders don't get to sleep in the nursery." Silverwing mewed gently, "Don't be silly, she's a kit!" Toadstar dipped his head. "Very well. She may sleep in the den but Nightwhisper will guard it only because I am worried about this fox." Sunkit stepped forward. "Don't worry! I talked to it! it shouldn't bother us." Poppykit blinked. "You what? How did you talk to a fox?" The brown apprentice stood up. "I witnessed it, she did." Toadstar locked eyes with Pebblefleck. "Then she's not the only one...Of course, Qwlspark's kits would be special...Acornpaw will have a nest made for him he will return to Thunderclan in the morning." Acornpaw looked at him. "Sunkit too, right?" He asked, flicking his tail to the kit who was running to the nursery. Toadstar shook his head. "No...She wants to be with her littermate." He meowed. Poppykit squealed. "Did you hear that? You get to stay!" The ginger and white she-kit jumped up happily. Sunkit tried to control the storm of emotions and smiled. "Yay!" Acornpaw hissed. "You can't keep her! She's Thunderclan!" He hissed, trying to get to Sunkit. "Let me go home! I'll say I was looking for Sunkit but couldn't find her. Just let me go!" He hissed, unsheathing his claws. Toadstar shook his head. "No. For one, it's not even dawn. If I send you alone that fox could come back, and if I give you a patrol we risk attack. For two, Shadowclan has nothing to hide. Kits belong with their father's clan." Acornpaw stood up to Toadstars face, snarling. "Kits belong with their mother. Sunkit and Poppykit have no kin in Shadowclan, but their mother's sister is in Thunderclan, not to mention their cousins." He said with a stern voice. "Thunderclan will fight for their kits." He whispered but didn't let Toadstar hear. A black she-cat with a white muzzle stepped forward. "You're wrong. I was Owlspark's mother." Acornpaw glared at the older warrior. "She has more kin in Thunderclan...Unless you count their father." He glanced at Owlspark. "But he is just a rouge now, so he doesn't count." Wildstep snarled. "How dare you!" Toadstar hissed. "Enough! This is no matter for an irresponsible apprentice. He will go to his den and say nothing more. Pebblefleck will look at your wounds and you'll be well-fed until dawn." Acornpaw dipped his head, still hot from anger. "Fine." Toadstar turned to Silverwing. "Silverwing, both the kits will be your responsibility. Silverwing dipped her head. "Time for bed kits." Poppykit smiled. "Okay, Momma!" She looked at her sister. "Come on, I wanna show you my nest!" She ran to the nursery.  Sunkit tilted her head. "M-momma?" Poppykit looked at her. "Silverwing? That's my new mother, she and Toadstar adopted me!" She purred looking happy. "Even if I haven't met our real mom yet, I still love her." She said gently. "I-I know it's just...I called Hazelmist the same thing..." Sunkit said. Poppykit tilted her head. "Oh? That's fine I guess, but since you are staying here now Silverwing will be your new mom!" Sunkit tried to fight the tears and nodded. What could she tell her sister?Silverwing saw this and her heart ached with sorrow. She touched her nose to Sunkit. "Get some sleep for now." Poppykit yawned. "Yeah! Let's sleep. I'm pretty tired." She said, not even looking at them, but behind them. "Yeah, let's go." She shook her head and padded to her nest, curling up in it.  She gave a real purr, happy to be sleeping with her sister again. 

It was the middle of the night. A gentle breeze woke Sunkit. Poppykits nest was empty, her scent not fresh. Where was she? Sunkit rubbed her eyes, squeaking. "Poppykit, where are you?" There was no answer. Had she left the den? Maybe she was in the Dirt-place. But suddenly small paw steps sounded from the den entrance. Could it be Poppykit? She called out softly, "Poppykit?" Then, A white head with ginger hears poked its head inside. "Sunkit! Did I wake you?" She asked, sliding in softly. "No! It's ok, I...was having a hard time." "Sleeping?" Poppykit asked. "Yeah," Sunkit admitted. Poppykit smiled gently. "It's okay! Need any help?" She said, sitting down and licking behind Sunkits ear. Sunkit purred. "This is what Silverwing does to me when I can't sleep." She mewed between licks. Sunkit purred again, but something was weighing on her mind. "Where were you?" Poppykit stayed silent for a few heartbeats, feeling like forever. "I was going to the Dirt-place." She said, pulling away from Sunkit. She blinked puzzled. "Poppykit, why are you lying? what's wrong? You can trust me." Poppykit Sighed. "Well I met this nice two-leg  and it gives me food..." She mewed. "Please don't tell anyone!" She mewed. Sunkit jumped up excitedly. "I won't! But I want to see!" Poppykit smiled. "Okay! Come with me, we'll pretend we are going to the dirt place." She quickly padded out of the den and headed for the dirt-place tunnel. She went out a hole in the wall into Shadowclan territory. "Come on, it's a bit far but it's worth it." She mewed. "When did you first meet them?" "A moon or two ago," Poppykit replied. "What made you leave camp?" "Elkshade." Sunkit tilted her head. "What?" Poppykit turned and looked at her. "The ghost, his name is Elkshade. He said to meet outside of camp and he showed me around." Sunkit tilted her head. "What's a ghost?" Poppykit stopped walking and stared at the ground. "I...I think it's a dead cat who can't find its way to Starclan." She mewed. "But I've seen Starclan cats before." "Oh! So maybe you can see both! Featherwhisker told me stories of Starclan visiting living cats before." Poppykit smiled. "How cool!" She replied. "Oh look! It's Elkshade." Sunkit sighed and shook her head. "I can't see him." Poppykit frowned. "No one can..." She whispered. "Only I can see him." She mewed. She nodded. "Do we have powers?" She asked. "Like the tale of the three? I don't really believe that story but maybe.." Sunkit puffed up her fur. "Yes! Twisted'claw said they were chosen by starclan!" Poppykit flicked her stubby tail. "Do you think Starclan chose us?" "They must have! I bet we'll be the best in Thunderclan!" Sunkit purred. Poppykit took a step back. "Don't you mean Shadowclan?" She asked. Sunkit flattened her ears, suddenly feeling very homesick. "Y-yes, well kinda..." Poppykit looked upset. "What do you mean 'kinda'?" She asked. "I...I don't want to talk about it ok?" Would Maplestar even fight for me after I ran away?  "I think we should go home," Poppykit said, standing up, barely looking over her should at Sunkit. Her ears drooped. "Do you think I can talk to two legs too?" Poppykit glared at her. "We're gonna get in trouble, let's go home! I'll take you tomorrow...if you stay." Tears streamed down Sunkits muzzle as she spoke softly. "Could you leave Silverwing so easily?" Poppykits neck fur rose. "We've never had a real mother." She growled. "Or father." She turned to Sunkit, looking at the ground. "I have nothing expect them and you." She looked up at her.  "I know it's the same for me! Please don't be upset, I couldn't make that decision anymore then you could." Poppykit sighed. "Lets go home."