Warriors: Forest of Secrets - Book Three (Completed)

Chapter Thirteen

Waterlily padded into ThunderClan camp with the tiny black kit in her jaws. Luckily it was still dark as she padded into the nursery. Frostfur stirred and blinked open her eyes. She then widened them. "What are you doing bringing in a kit?" She mewed in a hushed voice. She glanced around, hoping she didn't wake the others.

Waterlily dropped the kit at Frostfur's paws. "I found him just inside the ThunderClan borders." She explained. "He doesn't smell of any Clan scent. Nor does he smell of a kittypet. I think he might have been a loner's kit."

"What if the she-cat comes back looking for it?" Frostfur hissed.

"She won't." 

"And how do you know this?" Frostfur's voice was almost shaken as the kit looked up at her with wide eyes and amusement. 

"He was alone. When I found him, he began following me. I think he was meant to be here." She dared not say anything more, but she was certain that he could be apart of what Spottedleaf was talking about. He was the color of a shadow. 

Frostfur didn't take her eyes off the kit. She softly sighed then nodded her head. "Alright. But if the mother comes looking for him, he's leaving."

Waterlily nodded. "Of course. Just until his mother comes to find him." She agreed. Then she ducked out of the nursery and trekked back to the medicine den. She curled up in her nest and closed her eyes to sleep. 

***

"ThunderClan is no longer a Clan!" Hissed a tom.

"We might as well be loners!" Hissed another tom.

Waterlily opened her eyes and padded out of the den. She could see most of the Clan in the clearing. She padded slowly out into the clearing, her eyes shifting from one cat to another. Most of the cats seemed to be okay with it, while others bristled their fur. Bluestar sat up on the highrock looking at Frostfur with the kit between her paws. Waterlily raced to the queen's side and looked down at the kit. He looked up at her and purred happily, then stomped awkwardly towards her. 

"We should have known!" Hissed a tabby tom. 

Waterlily whirled around and glared at him. It was Longtail who had spoke. "I should have known that you wouldn't like him." She taunted back.

Longtail didn't say anything more, but Waterlily knew he was still not satisfied with her words. 

Waterlily jumped over the kit that was trying to bat at her tuft of fur on her chest, then trekked to the highrock. She whispered to Bluestar then waited for her to nod her head. Bluestar dipped her head, then stepped aside so Waterlily could stand beside her. "I brought this kit here because he was most likely abandoned from some loner. I have asked Frostfur to take care of him until his mother comes looking for him." Though I have doubts that she ever will. She added to herself. "His name for now will be Shadowkit."

Soft murmurs rose from the Clan. Waterlily couldn't tell if they were murmurs of agreement or murmurs of disapproval. She glanced at Bluestar and all she did was nod her head approvingly.

Waterlily puffed out her chest, then leaped back down from the highrock. She felt judgement as she padded back through the crowd of cats and she stopped in front of Frostfur. "Thank you." She mewed, softening her eyes. Then she looked down at Shadowkit. "Welcome to ThunderClan, Shadowkit." She added, purring. 

Bluestar leaped down from the highrock and flicked her tail implying that the meeting was over. The cats murmured in hushed voices as they went back to their morning duties. Waterlily followed Frostfur and Shadowkit to the nursery.

Cloudkit bounded up to Shadowkit. "Can he play yet?" He mewed, excitedly.

Frostfur shook her head, "He can't play any rough games yet." She meowed, "He will pretty soon, don't you worry."

Waterlily felt sorrow wash over Cloudkit, but it quickly went away when he realized it might not actually be that long. Waterlily turned to Shadowkit. His round green eyes looked up at her and he managed to purr again as she spoke. "I will come visit you soon to see how you're doing."

She padded back to the medicine den and gave another dose of marigold to Smallear. Yellowfang padded into the den behind her.

"Another kit coming into the Clans?" She rasped.

"He was a loner, I'm sure of it. I didn't steal him."

Yellowfang lifted her head a little bit, then let out a little mrrow of laughter. "I did not accuse you of doing so."

Waterlily dipped in her head in embarrassment. "Sorry, it's just that I heard so many cats already say..."

She was cut off by Yellowfang, "I know. I'm sure he'll become a great warrior one day." Yellowfang's eyes softened.

"But what if he's from twolegs? Like Fireheart, Cloudkit and me? The Clans will think that we're too soft." She confessed, laying down, then resting her head on her paws.

Yellowfang padded up to her and laid the tip of her tail on Waterlily's shoulder. "The Clans already do think ThunderClan is too soft. I used to be ShadowClan, don't forget." She rasped, amusingly.

"That doesn't help." Waterlily hissed, lifting her head and closing her eyes as if to hide in her anger.

"I...you're right." Yellowfang stuttered, then padded back to sorting daisies and feverfew. Waterlily stayed where she was and rested her head on her paws again. She gazed across the clearing, watching as the Cinderpaw and Brackenpaw head out of camp to do some battle training outside the hollow. Fireheart and Graystripe were leading them. Then she pricked her ears as she heard tint kits playing in the bits of snow still left on the ground.

"Can't catch me!" Mewed one of Brindleface's kits.

"Oh yes I can! Just watch me!" Mewed another, scampering after their sibling.

Waterlily softly sighed at the thought of having kits. She couldn't grasp the amount of patience needed for them. She was glad that she was a medicine cat. A medicine cat is forbidden to have them. Then she began wondering what it would have been like if she actually did become a warrior. Would I have settled in with a mate? She shook her head to clear it. No, whatever the past was, I am a medicine cat and I am proud of that.