Warriors: Blood and Hope: Book 2: Tempting Limits

Chapter 26

[Witheredsoul's POV]

I fell on my side in the bear's cave. When SmallClan had moved in, this place had been removed from the territories, but still technically within DepthClan borders. Cricket laid near me, while Acornpaw looked outside, just sitting at the entrance. I was surprised that she had came with us for the whole journey, but I felt like she did it to get away. 

"Witheredsoul, what happens to the clans when they grow too small to support themselves?" She asked, not turning her head back toward me. Instead, I assumed that she stared out toward the setting sun's sky. 

I thought for a moment, but decided to respond with a question myself. "Why do you ask?" She had seen most of the clans today to their fullest. She got to see how many each clan truly had, and how they operated, except for SmallClan. 

I heard her sigh. "We are the largest clan, and we have abundant kits, meanwhile clans like EverClan, LilyClan, and MapleClan are slowly getting smaller and smaller. There aren't always going to be loners for them to accept so that the clan doesn't die out. Will we be the last clan one day?" 

I looked at Cricket, before rising. She had a point. EverClan had just come back from extinction, but they still barely had any warriors. Any of the clans could easily wipe them out right now, and LilyClan thankfully just had a family of loners come in or they could have vanished as well. I took a step closer to her, but she did not turn to look at me. I sighed and sat next to her. 

"I don't want any of the clans to vanish. DepthClan is only strong because we had Flamefur and her siblings come to live with us, and she brought my family here. Most of the cats in DepthClan are no longer truly from DepthClan anymore, but I don't want the other clans to vanish. We will find a way to make sure we all live together." I purred and nudged her lightly. 

The small brown female put her head on my shoulder. I could feel her shaking, her shaky breathing, but I said nothing. I wrapped my tail around her and kept her close. It was what she needed at the moment. She needed a future. 

I didn't notice, but I noticed Cricket come to the other side of Acornpaw and sit next to her. "We can implement some kind of plan in the future, so that we know none of the other clans will ever get wiped out. Some kind of fail safe." He muttered. I turned my head to him and flicked my ears in curiosity. "The mothers may not like it, but what if when the kits become apprentices, we can send them to the other clans to live there. It doesn't have to be forever, but they can chose to stay there if they want. We could spread the wealth we have in DepthClan." 

I chuckled at the idea. The mothers would definitely hate it, but that wasn't why I was laughing. 

"You speak like you are from DepthClan already." Acornpaw muttered before I could.