WARRIORS: Snowdrift's Promise

Chapter 1

"Mooom... Snowkit stepped on my tail!" Thistlekit mewled to their mother, Skypelt. Snowkit was then hit in her face,"Snowkit! You know better!" Skypelt hissed. She then threw her out of the nest,"You get to sleep in a lone nest tonight as punishment!" The queen growled. Thistlekit seemed unsympathetic towards her littermate. Snowkit teared up and slowly left the Nursery into the blizzard outside knowing her mother ment the old time out nest that was used during Newleaf and Greenleaf. She curled in the frozen, snow-covered nest and fell asleep. The next morning Heatstar comes out of his den and spots Snowkit and immediately goes to her,"Snowkit?! Have you been in this nest all night??" He meowed in concern. Snowkit was trembling and nods,"Here... Ill take you to, Windpelt.." Heatstar picked the freezing kit and takes it to the medicine cat. "Oh my! Heatstar is that Snowkit??" Windpelt's eyes widened in horror. "Yes... Shes freezing to death... I know its not good to tell Skypelt to warm her because I think she rejected Snowkit again for absolutely nothing." The leader mewed letting the medicine cat curl around the cold kit. "What did this young kit do to be rejected? I know she never did anything... She is obviously more mature then kits her age... If I was her mother I would be proud..." Windpelt said with a worried mew in her tone. "So would I... Maybe I should make Skypelt stay in the Warriors den away from her kits for a few weeks... So that way she can know the punishment of nearly killing her own kit..." Heatstar said standing and leaving the den for Windpelt to care for Snowkit. Skypelt left the den with her 3 other kits, Thistlekit, Kindlekit, and Stormkit. Everyone knew that Skypelt loved Thistlekit the most out of the 3 kits she already has. Heatstar went up to the queen angrily,"Skypelt, meet me at my den when the deputy is up and out of the Warriors Den... I need to speak with you... Make sure Windpelt cares for your kits for the moment..." He stalks away into his den after grabbing a small mouse from the Fresh-Kill Pile.

Skypelt told her kits to go to the nursery and saw that Mudpelt left the warriors den going to Heatstar's den and swiftly follows,"Heatstar Im here with Mudpelt..." She mewed. "ENTER!" Was all the senior leader said. Mudpelt lead the way into the den, Skypelt beside him. "Mudpelt sit next to me..." He ordered his deputy, he watched the deputy sit beside him on his big nest. Heatstar looked then to the queen, his gaze hard and angry," This morning, I walked out of my den to find your kit, Snowkit freezing to pure death in a frozen nest used for time out in Newleaf and Greenleaf... I took her to Windpelt to be cared for. I've had enough of you rejecting this innocent kit! You should be proud she is so much more mature...." Heatstar paused trying to keep himself from growling, he then continued," I have decided that you shall be punished.... This is the 11th time this week shes been put in life-threatening punishments! I will not stand by anymore, I ban you from the Nursery for a moon and you must not go near any of your kits and NEVER go near Snowkit! You will resume Warrior Duties for this punishment and work twice as harder then the other warriors which means 2-3 patrols of hunting and 1 border patrol a day..." He hisses. Skypelt's fur bristled at this punishment,"You can't do that!!" She yowled in protest. "I can, and I will..." Heatstar replied with a nasty hiss,"You are breaking the warrior code by nearly killing your OWN kit!!" He said and flicked his tail dismissing her," Mudpelt will monitor you..." He then quickly said dismissing the Deputy as well.

"Momma?" Thistlekit watches Skypelt walk by to the Warriors Den,"Windpelt? Why is mommy not allowed near us?" The young she-kit asked. "Your mother is being punished for nearly killing Snowkit... She almost froze to death last night..." Windpelt said still keeping Snowkit close as can be to keep the kit warm. She almost wanted to cry seeing that the kit was even neglected getting milk and forced to only have a small drop. Windpelt swore that she will bring the kit up herself if she had to. "Go and play with you littermates..." she told Thistlekit. Thistlekit nodded and quickly ran off. Windpelt laid in her nest with Snowkit near her belly. She ate borage leaves and ate to produce enough milk to feed the starving kit. Her thin tail then made the kit come closer and nurse against the medicine cat's filled teets. Snowkit instantly began to suckle. She still needed to drink milk before even trying fresh kill like her littermates. Windpelt's eyes were soft and loving to the kit and knew that her apprentice, Sootpaw would do well as the new medicine cat. Windpelt looked at Sootpaw,"Hey, Sootpaw, come here for a second." Windpelt said. The small black tom poked his head out of the corner of the den where he was sorting cat nip. He ran over,"Yes Windpelt?" He tilted his head. "Would you be ok if I took on Queen duties while Snowkit is still very weak and needs the love of a mother other then Skypelt?" Winpelt asked. "Of course! Ill be just fine, Windpelt! You taught me enough remedies to get us through Leafbare!" Sootpaw said with ethusiaism. Windpelt couldn't help but purr deeply,"Thank you so much Sootpaw." She stood taking the silver kit by her scruff and went to Heatstar,"Heatstar may me and Snowkit come in?" She mewed. Heatstar gave a small shout from within the den."You may!" He meowed.

Windpelt padded in carrying Snowkit,"Sir, I would like to ask if I take on queen duties for Snowkit's sake by feeding her and caring for her like a queen. Sootpaw is ready to be taken to the Moonpool to recieve his Medicine Cat name." She meowed curling her tail around Snowkit. Heatstar nodded,"As long as Starclan says its fine to break the code for her sake I shall allow it." He said smiling knowing this kit needs Windpelt more then she needs Skypelt. Windpelt dipped her head respectfully and told Sootpaw they were leaving for the Moonpool tonight,"I have left Snowkit with Heatstar while we go to the Moonpool tonight. Come on, we leave now." Windpelt mewed rushing Sootpaw to the Moonpool. Sootpaw and Windpelt travelled through the Windclan territory only to be stopped by Darkhook, the Windclan Deputy,"Stop!" He growled,"Why are you in Windclan Territory!" He hissed. "I am Windpelt, Medicine Cat of Thunderclan, I am travelling to the Moonpool with my apprentice, Sootpaw, He shall be made Medicine Cat." Windpelt mewed softly. "Then why do you smell like a freshly new queen??" Darkhook pointed out sternly. "I am caring for a dieing kit and ate borage leaves to produce milk for her. The mother, Skypelt, rejected and neglected the kit away and so it is malnurished and Skypelt is the only queen at the moment." Windpelt meowed. "Alright, very well... You may pass... Tell the kit my regards to its sad life." Darkhook spoke allowing the two to pass. Windpelt dipped her head rushing to the Moonpool. As soon as they reached inside to the Moonstone. Windpelt and Sootpaw fell asleep entering Starclan's World. Sootpaw was greeted by his mother, Thundertail. "Thundertail!" He mewed nuzzling his dead mother,"Your here to recieve your Medicine Cat name dear?" She asks purring. "Yes I have." Sootpaw replied. Thundertail yowled to the oldest Thunderclan medicine cat: Yellowfang,"Yes?" The fading Starclan cat meowed. "Naming Ceremony to a new Medicine Cat."

"Yellowfang?" Windpelt mewed.

"Yes Windpelt?"

"Id like to ask to pospone my duties as Medicine Cat to act as a Queen to the young kit, Snowkit, She suffers greatly and her own mother neglects and rejects her for being the smallest of the 4..."

"Even though you break a code about kits?"

"Yes."

"Hm... Very Well, Starclan will allow you to break the code and care for Snowkit like a Queen." Yellowfang rasped, she then turned to Sootpaw,"Sootpaw, as a medicine cat in your turn you shall be Sootstep. Help your clan well." The old she-cat rasped. Sootstep dipped his head and then both medicine cats awoken and travelled back to Thunderclan.