The Burning- Book One: Blossom [DRAFT]

The Yellow Blood

Robinear sat in silence in the den, her heart pounding hard. It was the first day of her kits' Testing, and she was terrified. Terrified for their present, terrified for their future, and terrified about what would happen to her sweet kittens in the dreaded Battle Testing.

Battle Testing--the birthplace of all her nightmares.

Quailwhisker ran her tail along her flank to calm her. "It'll be alright, Robinear. Nothing will happen."

"Really?"

Quailwhisker exhaled. "No. I can't promise you anything." She paused. "But we can hope." She sat down and began cleaning her pelt.

Robinear suddenly realized she was shaking. "How can you be so calm? Knowing that they've to faced it-- are STILL facing it." She gestured to the other side of the camp, where her kits were undoubtedly training. For the first day of Testing, the two litters were kept separate.

"Because I'm used to it," admitted Quailwhisker. "After watching them fight before, I'm just...immune to it, I guess."

Robinear sighed. At least Quailwhisker has a loving mate...unlike mine, who took me without permission.

The only good he's ever done is give me the kittens.

She turned to stare at the kits in question- the white tom and yellow she-cat. Her heart seemed to fill with joy as she saw Yellowkit's excited wriggling and Whitekit's forced stillness. They were the most adorable kits in the world, and forced or not, she loved them with all her heart.

And now they might die. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to banish the thought. No, no, they'll be fine.

She began to stand up, ready to go groom their unruly fur, but was gently forced down by Quailwhisker. "No signs of affection," she mewed softly. "It's actually better the less attached to them you feel."

Less attached? thought Robinear incredulously. Quailwhisker knows that I love every scrap of fur on their bodies. Outwardly, though, Robinear nodded her silver head, then forced herself to relax as she watched the two leaders-- her kits' new Testers-- enter the den.

She barely suppressed a hiss as she identified the Leaders that were to Test her kits-- her old Tester, Lilyflower, and the kits' own father, Willowbranch. The tom's gaze swept across the den, not stopping to linger on Robinear or her companion. She again suppressed a hiss.

How dare he enter this den and look over her, as it she had not borne his kittens? How dare he treat her like he would treat others of inferior rank?

Quailwhisker's tail ran down her flank again, smoothing her spiked fur. "Relax," she mewed softly.

Right. Robinear smoothed her fur and looked anywhere but the tom who had fathered her kits.

Lilyflower looked down at the six-moon-old kittens. "Yellowkit, Whitekit. You have reached six moons of age, and it is time for you to begin your Testing. The Testing determines--"

"Your future rank and destiny! We know. Mama taught us." Yellowkit bounced excitedly, looking up at the Leader. Willowbranch flashed Lilyflower a quick glance.

Lilyflower's cold gaze snapped toward Robinear, and she had a sudden urge to sink into the dirt floor of the den.

"That is correct," mewed Lilyflower coldly, her voice loud and commanding. "No more interruptions, is that understood?"

The two kits nodded, terrified.

"Now, as I was saying, the Testing is an important part of your life. When your Testing is complete, the Naming ceremony will take place and you will receive your true prefix. I'm sure that you know that your current prefix is your main pelt color, correct?"