Warriors #6: A Kittypet's Destiny

Chapter 17

Lilypetal's POV

The grogginess of sleep still seemed to be plaguing me as I sat beneath what was left of Silverpelt. The sky was a calming pale blue mixed with pink, only a few bright specks shining among it.

From where I sat just in front of the lake, I could feel the moistness of the early morning dew dampening my paws. The only sounds I could hear were the quietest ripples of the lake water, and the birds chirping as they always did when dawn was approaching.

I had never been up to hear or see all of these things very often, but because I had faced yet another restless night of sleep, plagued with more unusual dreams, I was now.

Or, dream, rather. Just one. A single kittypet dream with a single flashback, but just as lifelike as if I were experiencing it all over again. It was one that I had vaguely remembered up until now - the time that I had actually witnessed a border skirmish as a kittypet.

I had been peeking through the slits of my tall wooden fence, staring out into the forest as I always did at my past home - the home near the Clans' old forest territory.

This particular day, my stomach had practically twisted upside down with fear as I noticed a kittypet - a pale ginger tabby with dark stripes, one I had never seen before - wandering towards the forest many, many fox-lengths away from where I was.

From all of the spying I had done at this point, I knew that this tom was likely making his way into Clan territory, if he hadn't passed that mark already. Although his actions had seemed rebellious and brave to me at the time, I had felt a twinge of jealousy as well, wishing that I had that same courage to let my curiosity get the best of me and explore the forest, and find these wild cats that lived lives that I was so enamored with.

And although that would eventually happen, thank StarClan, I simply stayed in place as I continued to watch this tabby tom, his fur slightly bristled as he constantly whipped his head from side to side cautiously.

I had then let out a very audible gasp as I noticed three new shapes appear into my sight. I hadn't known who these cats were at the time, but I now recognized them easily as Dustpelt, Sandstorm, and Sorreltail (likely Sorrelpaw at the time). Present-me had been able to deduce that they were on a border patrol, and had clearly caught the scent of this kittypet by the urgency in their pawsteps.

The kittypet had backed away, its gaze fearful as Dustpelt's gaze fell on him, and he let out an angry hiss. "Hey, you!" the tabby tom had growled. "What are you doing here?"

I had watched, my eyes wide as the strange tom then struggled to find his words. "I... I-"

"This is ThunderClan territory, and you are well inside of our border," Dustpelt pressed, interrupting whatever explanation the kittypet had been about to give, if he had even had one.

Sandstorm had then rolled her emerald green eyes and quickly ran up to Dustpelt's side. "Dustpelt, take it easy," the pale ginger she-cat urged him. "It's just a kittypet."

Dustpelt let out another hiss, seemingly ignoring Sandstorm's reassuring words. "A kittypet that is on our territory!" I had then felt my own fur begin to bristle fearfully as Dustpelt lowered down, his claws slowly sliding out as his lips curled back into a snarl.

To my relief, Sandstorm had quickly intercepted him, while Sorrelpaw simply watched the whole scene unfold in alarm. "A kittypet that clearly didn't realize that they were," Sandstorm had meowed sharply. She then lashed her tail towards the stranger, whose legs were clearly shaking. "Just let him leave. You've scared him enough."

For a moment, it had seemed like Dustpelt wasn't going to comply. But, luckily for the kittypet, after Dustpelt met Sandstorm's hard gaze again, he let out a small growl and stood up. "Fine," he muttered before turning around and flicking his tail towards the kittypet. "Get out. Now. The next time you're not getting off so easily."