#y1-lf

[warriors-but-cats-die]

the deputy’s kit

Greypool purred.

Bristlekit took after her mother, easily commanding leadership. And it was hard not to love her.

"Let's defend Sunningrocks from those ThunderClan rogues!" Bristlekit called, inciting a tumble of kits to organize into teams. Bristlekit's brow furrowed as they bickered over who should go with who.

"Let me help," Greypool said. "Everyone, pick a partner."

The kits paired up, Bristlekit and Podkit, Pinekit and Larchkit. An even number — Greypool tried not to hesitate over where there should be an extra kit, in need of a partner.

"Okay," Greypool said. "Larchkit, pick one. Bristlekit or Podkit."

Larchkit looked conflicted. Podkit was larger, but he was to be Mudfur's apprentice. Bristlekit was a tempting choice.

"Podkit," she said, after a moment of hesitation.

"Good. Then Bristlekit and Pinekit, you be a team."

"But we made partners!" Pinekit complained.

"You'll play with someone new," Greypool said. "Or better — go see if the apprentices want to play. Then you can have bigger teams."

The kits didn't need any more urging to leave the nursery, and Greypool sighed in the quiet. It wouldn't last, but it was nice while it was here.

[warriors-but-cats-die]

after the ceremony

Wetfoot only took a moment to enjoy the calling of his new name.

Brownthorn was still basking, but Wetfoot opened his eyes.

"I have another ceremony to perform today," Brokenstar said, his voice smooth as a fresh-caught frog. "We have five kits to apprentice."

There were no protests. No one said, "But Dawncloud's litter is barely in their second season." After all, Dawncloud herself was barely a year old.

Wetfoot sat next to Brownthorn, watching the apprentices be assigned, one by one.

"Can you remember when that was us?" Brownthorn whispered. "And now, we're warriors!"

"Yeah," Wetfoot said, avoiding his denmate's gaze.

"May you all become strong warriors under StarClan's light," Brokenstar said, concluding the ceremony.

Wetfoot couldn't bring himself to call their names.

[warriors-but-cats-die]

windclan — year one — leaffall

their return from exile!

or, that's over this season.

whatever.

eaglepaw and hillpaw both die, weakened from hunger and afflicted by the same illness that killed cloudrunner. (webpaw gets sick, but survives.)

whitepaw, runningpaw, quailpaw, and storkpaw are apprenticed to onewhisker, tornear, deadfoot, and sorrelheart, respectively.

gorsekit is born to morningflower.

doespring retires.

[warriors-but-cats-die]

shadowclan — year one — leaffall

badgerpaw dies, and littlepaw becomes an apprentice seer. (don't overthink that one.)

brownthorn and wetfoot become warriors!

and we have five new apprentices: mintpaw, blossompaw, swamppaw, oakpaw, firpaw. (mentors, in order: clawface, fernshade, brackenfoot, boulder, scorchwind)

[warriors-but-cats-die]

riverclan — year one — leaffall

woot! an interesting season for riverclan. at least, for my money.

shadepaw becomes shadepelt (congrats!), and greenflower's litter becomes apprentices. heavypaw is apprenticed to blackclaw, and silverpaw is apprenticed to loudbelly.

greypool decides she'll be staying in the nursery as a queen after the death of firkit. leopardfur has a kit (because i literally ran out of she-cats, given when mistyfoot has her litter), bristlekit, but greypool is her primary caretaker.

(bristlekit, for the curious, is a blue and red calico with long fur. and since there was the anon a few days ago, i don't know who her father is. might be whiteclaw. leopardfur isn't really interested in a family. she loves her daughter, but she wasn't looking for a mate.)