Cottonkit was born dead. He never even got to take his first breath. As is the protocol for all stillborn kit death, StarClan tasks this tiny tom with watching over a living Clan cat: Acaciakit. Aging alongside this fiery she-cat, Cottonkit must wat...
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It was a warm lick on his ear that woke Cottonkit up. He blinked his eyes slowly, confused at first as he came into consciousness.He felt a purr rumble in throat as he took in the dark furred she-cat in front of him. Hollydapple! She gave him another gentle lick between his ears, and he picked his head up to look her in the eyes.
"You've been working so hard lately, I've barely seen you in the last couple moons; you're always in the Below. You've gotten so big, Cottonkit!" She purred and settled down next to the white tom. It had been four moons since the hawk event, and he had spent every waking moment in the Below in fear of what could happen.
"I was in the Below all night...! How late is it...?" he mumbled, rolling to his side as he stretched his legs out. He had grown quite a bit; his legs had lengthened out, and kit fluff could only be found rimming his ears and tufting along his his face. His face still had a kit-like look to it, his ears being much too large still and needing to be grown into.
Hollydapple gave a soft purr and leaned in to groom down his unruly fur, straightening stray tufts of his stark white coat.
"Pistachiopaw already left, he said he didn't wasn't going to wait on your sleepy head."
"W-What?!" Cottonkit stumbled to his paws, drawing his own tongue over his fur quickly, missing a few spots. "I slept in too late! I have to go!"
"There's no rush, Cottonkit. She's not going anywhere; she'll be there when you get there," the queen soothed. He shook his head, though, and kneaded his paws uneasily.
"Acaciakit just turned six moons, so she's being made an apprentice today. I can't miss it!" There was a soft glimmer in Hollydapple's yellow gaze at this, and Cottonkit paused as he noticed the fainted blue tinge in her own aura. "I... what's wrong...?" he slowed, his head lowing cautiously. She gave a sad smile and gave him another lick over the ear. He tipped his head to the side with confusion.
"Nothing's wrong. You just... you remind me of my kits. The morning they were being apprenticed, they also were so quick to leave the den. They even left with--" she reached forward and fixed a piece of fur that stuck straight out along his neck, "--their fur still messy." She stood up. Cottonkit twitched his tail with thought before bouncing on his paws, eyes bright with an idea.
"You should come with me to the Below today! You can go visit them! And you could meet Acaciakit!" Hollydapple purred but shook her head.
"I can only go to the Below for emergencies. Only special cats like you who are a guardian get to go back and forth," she explained.
"Wha--? But that's not fair...!" He pouted, but she gently nose his ear.
