Snowleap's Fortitude

|| Chapter 3 ||

If Snowkit wasn't already panic-stricken, he was now. He couldn't particularly discern what everyone was saying, his racing mind creating a coalesce of voices lacking words. All he knew was that Ravenpaw protectively stood over him as the situation was assumed to be explained. While the white tomcat didn't know how long they were stuck like that, he did notice a sudden change of expression on Fleetrunner. 

"My, my," a new voice chided, "this really isn't the way to be treating kits and apprentices of our Clan, Fleetrunner. I'm disappointed in you, yet again." The voice came from a black tomcat covered in white flecks. He- Whitespeckle -came from the warriors den, striding out of it with two other cats following. "Your son looks petrified," the tomcat remarked, walking past Ravenpaw to pick Snowkit up by his scruff.

By now, the rest of MistClan's cats had begun to awake. Snowkit, in the warrior's grasp, was brought back to the nursery. However, instead of taking him inside, he sat him outside of the entrance.

Snowkit pinned his ears down, taking a nervous glance at the camp centre. Badgerblaze and Windtail, the two other cats who were with Whitespeckle, were scolding Fleetrunner as Leaftuft defended him. The apprentices and kits were swarmed by their parents, the nursery cats rushing out of the nursery while Grayheart and Clearshine came from the den of the warriors. 

"Are you alright?" Whitespeckle questioned, his honey coloured eyes narrowed. "You looked pretty scared, and I know you're not allowed out the nursery. Truthfully," he admitted, "I don't know the context behind any of this."

"I-I'm fine," Snowkit replied, "we were just doing early apprentice training before Fleetrunner came."

"Well, he certainly created an unnecessary scene, didn't he?" Whitespeckle reproached. After a moment, the tomcat gasped and covered his mouth with his paw. "Dear me, I apologise for speaking ill of your father."

"It's alright, my mother does it all the time," Snowkit murmured with a reassuring tone. The amount of times Dancingleaf had ranted to him about Fleetrunner, calling him terms such as "fox-hearted" or "snake-tongued", he couldn't count.

"Oh, speak of Dancingleaf," Whitespeckle grumbled under his breath. "I think you'll need to talk to your mother about this... needlessly vexatious event." The black, white-speckled tomcat turned to the nursery, gazing at the grey molly within. "Dancingleaf, your son is here!" he called to her. 

A dread nestled deep within Snowkit as he subconsciously unsheathed his claws. He felt his body go rigid as his heart pounded in his chest. "P-Please, don't have me go in alone," he whispered to Whitespeckle with a shaky voice. I don't want to be punished, please don't leave me! the white tomcat silently begged, frantic as the warrior shook his head. 

"Sorry, but I'm not your father," Whitespeckle replied. "I can't interfere with your family life. Just explain what happened to your mother, and hopefully she'll be understanding enough. I mean, what's the worst she can do? She'll probably just scold you." With that, the tomcat straightened himself, striding to the centre of camp to deal with Fleetrunner and Leaftuft.

With no choice but to accompany his mother, Snowkit cautiously walked into the nursery, watching her carefully. "M-Mother," he began, "I'm to explain the situation to you. So, I-"

"Quiet." Dancingleaf, who was staring at one of the nursery's walls, whipped her head around to face Snowkit. "First, get rid of that awful stutter. I can't stand to hear you with it. Second, come here. Sit next to- no, in front of me. And do it quick, I can't stand to be here for much longer. I have plans like any normal cat."

The white tomcat practically ran to Dancingleaf, sitting down right in front of her, making sure to keep a proper posture. Maybe, he thought, she's not too angry. Maybe I'll be alright this time. Snowkit felt a bit of guilt as he looked into her bereft yellow eyes. I shouldn't have trained with them so noisily. It's my fault, and I have to own up to it. "I'm sorry for disobeying you by leaving the nursery without permission, Mother," he began, making sure to speak clearly and slowly to avoid any accidental stutters of fear. "It won't happen again, I promise. I know I-"