For generations, four clans have shared the forest. But ThunderClan is in severe peril, and the other three Clans grow stronger every day. In the midst of this turmoil, appears two house-cat's named Rusty and Star... who both may turn out to be the...
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⊰᯽⊱┈──╌❊❊╌──┈⊰᯽⊱
THE CLOUDS THAT had covered the moon had rolled away by the next morning. Whiterose enjoyed the faint warmth of the sun on her white pelt as she washed herself in the clearing. Cloudkit and Blackkit jumped out of the nursery entrance opposite her, looking bright and happy as they wrestled.
Whiterose thanked StarClan that they had recovered so quickly. Sandpaw and herself had been right about the kit's resilience. She looked around to see if Longtail and Dustpaw were there to see it too, but the clearing was empty.
Whiterose crossed over to the nursery. "Hi, Cloudkit and Blackkit," she meowed. "Feeling better?"
"Yep!" squeaked Cloudkit, leaping off of his sister. Blackkit leaped onto his back, trying to wrap her tiny mouth around his tail. A small ball of moss that had been sticking to Blackkit's fur fell off and it distracted her enough to leap on it and paw it in the air. It bounced on the ground beside Whiterose's paws. Whiterose knocked it forward back towards the two kits, and Cloudkit sprang up to catch it with his teeth.
"Well done!" Whiterose purred, impressed. With one paw she scooped the moss ball high into the air, sending it flying across the clearing.
Blackkit and Cloudkit both raced after the moss and Cloudkit grabbed it, causing Blackkit to skid to a halt and tumble over.
Cloudkit rolled onto his back, threw the ball up with his forepaws, and kicked it away with his hind legs. It landed by the warriors den entrance and Blackkit scrambled up and scooted after it. She crouched a rabbit-leap away, her hindquarters bunched in the air.
Whiterose watched as Blackkit prepared to pounce. Suddenly, her fur prickled. A long, dark tabby foreleg was reaching toward the moss ball from beside the warriors den entrance.
"Blackkit," Whiterose called. "Wait!" Cloudkit beside her cocked his head to the side as he stared at Tigerclaw, who emerged from the warriors den with the ball of moss between his teeth. Whiterose relaxed as he carried the ball over to Blackkit and dropped it by her fluffy, black paws.
"Be careful," Tigerclaw meowed sternly. "Cats are coming and going, you wouldn't want to get under paw, do you?"
Instantly, Blackkit sat up taller, her dark tail standing up higher as she puffed out her chest. "I won't, Tigerclaw!"
Tigerclaw gave a nod.
Tigerclaw then, unexpectedly, batted the moss ball back over towards Whiterose, who's green eyes widened in amusement. The two cats shared an intense look, only interrupted by Cloudkit's squeal of excitement. He ran for the moss ball, Blackkit gaining on his paws.
"Cloudkit! Blackkit!" Whiterose heard Brindleface calling from inside the nursery. Tigerclaw nodded his head at the kits and padded away.
A silent promise to spend time with Tigerclaw ran through Whiterose's mind. She watched as Cloudkit gave the moss ball a final shove and ran over to the nursery entrance with Blackkit at his tail.
