Imperfect

Chapter 9

"M-Mother...!" Citrus choked out and broke into tears into her mother's fur. Like a little kit, she sprung back into her mother's embrace, her knees shaking before she fell, burying her nose in the comforting pelt. Dandelion reciprocated the warmth back and held her close like she always did, and for once, she felt happy and at peace as memories came back in colorful and delightful waves.

     "Mother...! Apple is being really mean to me again! Tell him to stop!"

     "Citrus, honey, why are you so scared to talk to others besides your family?"

     "Because I love you and my family the most!"

     "Well... how about you try talking to other cats? Start with she-cats if toms scare you."

     "Really? Will that work?"

     "Would I lie to my beloved daughter?"

     "Citrus," Dandelion purred, rubbing against her daughter once again. "I'm glad that you're here with us now." Citrus looked taken back, pulling away from her.

     Her heart stopped but she didn't pull away from her mother yet, wanting to stay close now that she was reunited. "I was never told I passed the test," she pointed out. "I don't know if I'm perfect or not, so I may not be with you quite yet."

     Dandelion shook her head with disbelief. "You're here and that means you've passed."

     "Maple...? Blaze?" Citrus asked, turning around to face her older siblings through tears, blinking them away. Blaze nodded, agreeing with her while staring at her wet eyes. Maple grinned and nodded, pointing her striped tail forward. She turned around once again and saw a cat gracefully descending down a ledge.

     Her strides were even and reminded her of an angelic dove, her golden fur shining bright in the presence of Citrus. With a single look, she instantly recognized the she-cat from blurry memories of looking up at a fairly young Alpha, one that didn't show the qualities of a leader at the time. Now, even though she stood taller than the small cat, a radiant color surrounded around her, being the very definition of perfection.

     Finally, she stopped in front of, puffing her chest out without looking ashamed of their size difference. Citrus caught onto her bright and clear, blue eyes. Already, she let the walls around her crumble to ashes and dust, placing her trust in the tiny paws of the she-cat that commanded a tribe with a single flick of a tail.

     "You must be Citrus, daughter to Dandelion and Sabertooth, correct?" she asked, tilting her head. For a cat that Citrus thought was proper and more formal, she was sorely mistaken. The pitch of her voice was high like Cherry's when she screamed. 

     This is the Alpha... right? Citrus washed her confusion away. No time to make a mistake in front of her if she is, but I could've sworn she is the Alpha... "Correct, my mother is Dandelion, and my father is Sabertooth." Citrus said properly, keeping her voice confident and keeping her body upright. Her eyes flashed eagerly.

     "You're just like him, Citrus!" she mentioned, smiling wide with all her teeth, reminding Citrus of a little kit. Then the golden she-cat shook her head and locked eyes with her, her aura taking a dive. 

     "We are grace. We are beauty. We are perfect. We are the Tribe of Shining Suns." The cat swung her tail across the camp of lingering eyes, eager to see their newest ally. "I am Origanum, Alpha of the Tribe of Shining Suns." 

     The Tribe of Shining Suns... This is the place I've always wanted to be - though my expectations of what the Alpha would be are wrong. Citrus frowned inside of her head and placed a mask of a bright smile over it. Seeing Origanum act like Lark made suspicion arouse but she didn't try to let it bother her. In her mind, she expected the Alpha to be tall and strong with fire in their eyes not even the harshest waves of the great sea could conquer.