CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER CW: HEAVILY implied death, mentions of blood
“Tuniapaw!! ‘Tuniapaw!”
Petuniapaw purred as they pushed into Amber’s den. Maple and Briar, who had been play-fighting when they arrived, stopped in their tracks and darted towards the pale-colored tom.
Petuniapaw gave both kits gentle nuzzles and licks on their heads, before looking around the den. They quickly noticed something wrong. Very wrong.
“Where’s your mother?” They asked, looking down at the kits.
“Las’ night she left!” Maple squeaked, frowning and shifting her paws. “Heard real, real loud noises!”
“Mama said ‘ts a dog…” Briar mumbled, looking down at the frosty ground. “I miss her lots…”
“Me too…”
Petuniapaw stiffened. Loud noises, a dog, and the fact that Amber still wasn’t back yet…Things didn’t look good.
“Stay.” They instructed the kits, backing out of Amber’s den and beginning to rush through the grass.
Amber’s scent was faint, beginning to grow stale. However, the awful scent of dog filled the apprentice’s nose, and that just made them more fearful.
They padded through the territory with caution. At one point, they smelled a cat, but it wasn’t Amber. It must’ve been a passing loner.
They were going to give up, when suddenly they smelled something new that made their ears perk.
Blood.
This wasn’t like the first time, when Amber had a mere scratch on her leg. This scent was strong. Strong enough to make Petuniapaw lightheaded.
They pushed through a tall patch of grass, hoping to find Amber. Even finding her body would be enough. At least they’d be able to conclude their search with answers.
Instead, they found nothing but an already fading patch of blood, with a trail of crimson that led further into the grass.
Trembling and holding back a sob, Petuniapaw retraced their steps. Their tail dragged along the ground as they solemnly made their way to Amber’s den.
Maple and Briar eagerly greeted them.
“Tuniapaw! Did you find Mama?” Maple asked, expression hopeful.
Petuniapaw forced a smile. “I, um…No. I’m sorry, I didn’t. Listen…Why don’t you two come with me?” They offered. “We’re going to where I live! Um…Until your mother comes back.”
“Yay! We’re going with ‘Tuniapaw!” Briar exclaimed, waddling over to the older apprentice and flopping at their paws.
“Yep…” Petuniapaw’s stomach sank. They dipped their head and grabbed the black and white kit by her scruff, gesturing for Maple to follow. “Can you walk?” They asked, voice muffled.
Maple nodded, puffing out her little chest as she took wobbly steps behind Petuniapaw. “Not even cold!” She stated.
Nodding, Petuniapaw began to walk. They kept their steps slow so that Maple could keep up. Briar curled in their jaws, shivering.
Their mind was racing with thoughts, and they felt a cluster of emotions that twisted their stomach. They were grieving for Amber, who they had considered a friend over the past moon. They were worried about the kits, and how the clan would react.
What would Blossomstar think?
What would Lilyeye think?
What would their mother think?
The thought of facing Rosewing made Petuniapaw shudder.
If only I were Dahliapaw, They thought. Then Mama wouldn’t care what I did.
They were so lost in their thoughts that they didn’t even notice they were on top of the small hill above CraneClan’s camp entrance. The waterfall had frozen over, leaving a frozen pool of water in the middle of camp. Petuniapaw could see cats milling around, sharing tongues, and using whatever rays of sun they could to bask.
“Is this your home? That’s a lotta cats!” Maple whispered, peering over the ledge with a gasp. “Whoa, it’s bigger than Mama’s home!”
“It is,” Petuniapaw whispered back, lowering Briar to the ground. The kit whined, nuzzling closer to their pale fur. “Now listen. If you two want to stay here you have to be very good and stay quiet. Don’t speak until I tell you to.”
“Are there other kits here to play with?” Maple questioned.
Petuniapaw sucked in a deep breath. “No.”
“Okay.”
“Now, let’s go…”
The three padded into camp. Petuniapaw tried to appear confident.
The first cat to notice the group was Hazelcrest. She peered at them with a confused expression, before leaning over to Pinebreeze and whispering into his ear. The tom lifted his head, fur ruffled from a good nap, and when he noticed the kits his eyes widened.
Petuniapaw could hear their clanmates murmuring around them as they sat in front of the TallHill. Eventually, the commotion seemed to drive Blossomstar from her den, and she emerged with a yawn.
“What’s going on now?” The leader grumbled, freezing mid-step when she saw the kits. “Petuniapaw, what…Explain, please.”
Petuniapaw’s gaze lowered, and they suddenly found the ground very interesting. “I found these kits abandoned in the territory. It’s against the warrior code to leave them to freeze, so I figured I’d bring them here.”
Blossomstar’s eyes narrowed. “Hm. It’s the middle of leaf-bare, and we barely have enough prey to feed ourselves…Why should I allow more mouths to feed?” She asked.
Petuniapaw looked around nervously. They locked eyes with Rosewing, who was in the small crowd, and silently begged for some kind of defense.
Please, Mama. They were thinking. Help me like you would help Dahliapaw.
Rosewing was silent. Treewhisker stepped forward.
“Blossomstar, with all due respect, you’re tired. I think your exhaustion has clouded your judgement,” He meowed. “Our clan is lacking in cats. We haven’t had new kits since Rosewing’s kits were apprenticed, and our numbers haven’t gotten any bigger. Our fresh-kill pile is full enough for two more. Besides…”
He gave Petuniapaw a gentle smile, before looking back at the leader. “Like Petuniapaw said, it’s against the code to turn away kits in need.”
Blossomstar sighed heavily, sitting and neatly wrapping her tail around her paws. “Very well. But I do have one question…Who will raise these kits? I refuse to give an apprentice the title of ‘parent’.”
Again, the clearing fell silent, before Lilyeye stepped forward with a gentle smile.
“I suppose it’s a good time to make this announcement,” She said with a chuckle. “I’m expecting kits. They should be arriving either at the end of leaf-bare or the beginning of newleaf.”
Shocked gasps, murmurs, and congratulations rippled through the camp, while Treewhisker whipped his head to face the she-cat with wide eyes.
“What? Kits? Whose kits?” He exclaimed. “Mine?”
“Who else, silly?” Lilyeye purred, stepping forward to nudge her mate’s shoulder.
Blossomstar raised her tail, signaling for the clan to fall silent.
“Congratulations, Lilyeye,” She meowed. “I take it to mean you’ll raise these kits? What about your deputy duties?”
Lilyeye shook her head. “I can be a mother and serve my clan at the same time.”
“Alright,” Blossomstar sighed. “Very well, Petuniapaw. The kits may stay.”
Petuniapaw’s body filled with relief, and they gave Lilyeye a grateful glance before looking back at Blossomstar.
“Thank you, Blossomstar.” They meowed. “May I name them?”
“I’m not stopping you.”
The apprentice looked down at the kits. Maple and Briar looked up at them, smiling innocently. They sighed, and smiled back.
“Their names are Maplekit and Briarkit. It just feels fitting.”
