Antlers and Feathers {warriors fan-story}

Chapter 3

Every cat fell silent as Batstar spoke. She was a very intimidating cat, often described as having a presence that demanded respect and attention. Often many cats fell silent in her presence and didn't dare defy her. "Championheart. Care to explain why you have brought a Riverclan kit into Windclan camp?" she meowed, narrowing her amber eyes.

Elkkit fell into a crouch, moving closer to the kit. Applekit and Sorrelkit sat beside him, all three kits stared at the stranger with wide, curious eyes. Upon moving closer, he realized the kit did indeed smell of fish, a scent he could only assume was associated with Riverclan cats.

"We found him near the horseplace, between our territory and Riverclan's" Championheart explained. "The air smelled of fox. We thought it would be easier to bring him back here instead of returning it to Riverclan camp as it was closer to our territory" Batstar parted her jaws to speak once more but her meow was interrupted by a yowl.

"Move out of the way!" Drizzlemask hissed. The crowd of mewling cats parted, allowing the medicine cat to run through, their apprentice, Flarepaw, following close behind with a bundle of herbs.

Drizzlemask crouched beside the barely conscious siamese kit, running a gentle paw across it's flank to check if it was still, in fact breathing. "Flarepaw. I need some marigold." Drizzlemask meowed without glancing up to their apprentice. "And cobweb. Do you remember what marigold is used for?"

Flarepaw nodded, already chewing the marigold into a smooth poultice. "Marigold is used to help stop infection and bleeding." He recalled, passing Drizzlemask the herbs that they had asked for. The medicine cat dipped their head, applying the herbs to the kit's cuts and small bite marks. "Flarepaw, go find Coralclaw." they meowed.

The tortoiseshell tom nodded, darting through the crowd towards the nursery, returning with Coralclaw. Elkkit noticed his mother following the two close behind, studying the kit with narrow eyes.

Coralclaw sat beside the kit, grooming it gently until it soon began to stir. By now, most of the cats have left to continue what they were doing prior to the kit being brought into camp. Elkkit glanced up, noticing his mother sitting beside him instead of Applekit and Sorrelkit.

"Mama, look! The kit looks like it's going to live!" He commented to her, eyes wide with wonder and hope as he watched Coralclaw calmly groom the kit, who didn't appear much younger then Elkkit himself.

Falconsnap snorted and narrowed her golden eyes, hissing. "That kit shouldn't be here. It should be returned to Riverclan or better yet, thrown into the lake or left for a fox or badger to finish off." She snarled, stalking away, her tabby tail lashing wildly behind her.

"But mama, they couldn't let the kit die. You're so silly!" Elkkit laughed softly, padding after her, his tiny tail held proudly, high in the air. "You wouldn't let me die." "They should have let it die. " Falconsnap replied without turning to acknowledge her kit. Instead, she slipped back into the nursery muttering the words "I would have preferred you to die."

Elkkit frowned, deciding not to follow his mother. The last time he had interrupted her sleep, he had been left with a missing whisker or two. So instead, Elkkit turned and waddled back towards the main clearing, his tail held between his hind legs as he noticed that Mouseface was no longer there, more than likely on patrol.

When in the clearing, he noticed the kit opening his eyes and lifting his head. His face lightened as he rushed over, curiosity engulfing any other emotion that he had felt in that moment.