He sighed and smiled at his kits playing with the younger tom Hickorykit.
The golden kit was smaller then Honeykit and Firekit but he was about as strong as the two older toms.
The three kits ran up to him. "Can we go out of the cave and explore?!" Hickorykit asked.
"Uh aren't kits not supposed to leave camp?" He argued their question with an question of his own.
"We don't need to tell anyone we went out" Firekit added.
"Uh I'm still not sure" Rustdapple responded.
"Please we'll be careful" Honeykit begged.
They gave him kitten eyes that no one could really say no to.
He sighed "fine I guess I can bring you three out of the cave".
"Yay!" The three kits cheered.
He walked out of camp with the three kits. Most of the warriors were out hunting or patrolling the borders of the territory.
So it was just him and the kits outside of camp.
Honeykit leapt at Hickorykit and they tumbled around on the sand.
Firekit tried to help out his brother get free from Hickorykit pinning him on the sand.
Their tiny paws dug into the sand as they played.
Hickorykit seems to be pretty good at fighting. He mentally noted.
He smiled. He just loved caring for the kits.
Firekit let out a tiny shriek.
Hickorykit and Honeykit broke apart at the noise.
He thought it was just them playing.
Until a hawk swooped down grabbing Hickorykit in it's talons.
He leap up and at the hawk but it had lifted the kit too high into the air.
His paws landed on thin air.
He leapt up swiping at the hawk with his claws.
But the hawk was already flying off with Hickorykit crying out in its talons.
Hickorykit swiped his tiny claws at the hawks talons but the hawk didn't seem to care.
I shouldn't have let them come out here. This wouldn't have happened if I never let them come out here.
His thoughts were racing as the hawk flew off high in the sky.
"That meanie bird stole Hickorykit" Honeykit grumbled.
And we won't even have a body to sit vigil for. His brain reminded him.
"Come on we're going back inside" he ordered the two remaining kits.
His voice was fierce and the kits scrambled into the camp.
They were afraid that he'd take his anger at himself out at them.
He shouldn't have made such a stupid decision. His tail flicked with anger.
I should probably make sure they know that I'm not mad at them He thought.
And let the clan know of Hickorykits death.
He walked into the camp
"Honeykit Firekit come here" he called out for his two kits.
They walked up to him clearly still worried if he was mad at them.
"Guys I'm not mad at you I was mad at myself for letting that hawk make off with Hickorykit" he told them.
"Oh your not" Honeykit asked.
Rustdapple nodded. "Yep I'm not".
"Well we see Hickorykit again?" Firekit asked.
"Someday in starclan" he answered.
"In Starclan but can't only the Uh med-cats see Starclan?" Honeykit asked.
"Well when all cats die they go to starclan" he explained.
Honeykits ears drooped. "Oh so Hickorykit died by the hawk".
"Unfortunately yes" Rustdapple responded.
Jumpbranch dashed into camp with Seaneedle and Rootpaw behind her. "We saw a hawk flying off from the camp with something in it's talons is everyone alright?" She asked.
"No I let the kits come out and play on the beach and a hawk stole Hickorykit" Rustdapple answered.
"Well what kind of mousebrained idea is that they aren't allowed to go out of the camp until their six moons old" she growled.
She was clearly mad that they lost one of their few kits and was taking it out on him.
"I'm so sorry" he apologized to Jumpbranch.
"We'll be making sure that Moonstar is informed of what has happened" she told him.
He nodded. "I understand" he replied.
Jumpbranch huffed. "You better understand".
He brought the kits to the nursery he didn't want to have the kits out to listen as he explained what happened to Hickorykit.
He slipped back out of the nursery after he settled his kits in their nest.
He sat outside the nursery to wait for Moonstar to return with her patrol.
Cobrapaw walked up to him and sat beside him.
"You tried your hardest to save Hickorykit right?" She asked.
"Yeah I did" he answered.
"Well then I don't blame you 'cause you tried but you ended up failing" Cobrapaw told him.
She's an good cat.
"Thanks".
"Your welcome!" She smiled.
He curled his tail around her.
Hillbrook walked into camp with Thriftbird Fadedtail and Moonstar all with their jaws filled with prey.
"Moonstar I have some bad news" Jumpbranch informed their leader.
She dashed forward and dropped her prey on the fresh-kill pile then walked over.
"What is it?" Moonstar asked. Worry shimmered in the clan leaders eyes.
Jumpbranch beckoned him forward before telling Moonstar. "Rustdapple let the kits play outside and a hawk took Hickorykit".
Moonstars now sad gaze moved to Rustdapple. "Is this true?" She asked.
"Yes it is. I tried to save him and if you exile me let my kits stay here they had no involvement in the death of Hickorykit" Rustdapple told her.
Moonstar nodded. "You can stay we don't really have the ability to lose cats right now".
"Thank you Moonstar" he thanked her.
"Hickorykit well be missed" she stated sadly.
Moonstar having nothing else to say walked off to her den.
Robindash walked into camp with a bundle of herbs in her jaws.
He turned and walked back over to the nursery and to Cobrapaw.
"I'm glad that Moonstar is nice enough to let you stay" Cobrapaw stated.
"Yeah the clan has been so nice to me throughout the short time I've stayed here" Rustdapple agreed.
"Moonstar has seemed like she cares for the clan a lot" Cobrapaw stated.
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The kitten eyes...just think the please face in bluey :3
YOU ARE READING
The story of the shimmering lands
Fanfiction(a story on my clangen game) Moonwinds clan had been growing far too big for her and a few of her clan-mates and her best friend Robindash had a vision from Starclan giving them the choice to create their own clan so they found Soupclan. Along with...
