Warriors: Burnttail's Regret (Complete)

Prologue

 White, fluffy clouds were floating on the pale blue sky, covering the sun. Soft snowflakes were falling onto the silent pine forest, and the ground was covered in snow. There were no chirping birds, and no prey running around. The only sounds disturbing the silence were a few voices coming from the center of the pine forest.

 ''Ugh! There's so much snow!'' A silver she-cat with gray stripes complained, looking around. ''And it's so cold! Can't we go out later?''

 ''No, Needlerose.'' A dark gray tom with pale blue eyes rolled his eyes. ''We have to patrol the ThunderClan border. And it doesn't matter if we patrol it now or later, the weather won't change.''

 Needlerose rolled her eyes, but didn't protest any longer. She followed the dark gray tom, but stopped. ''Where's Sootblossom?''

 ''Here!'' A voice called out. Needlerose turned around and saw the black-and-ginger tom with amber eyes rush toward them. ''I'm sorry, but I had to check on Ebonyheart to see if she needed anything.''

 ''Right.'' Needlerose growled. ''Couldn't you do that later?''

 ''Needlerose!'' The dark gray tom hissed, padding forward. ''You know it's been hard for them, ever since Scorpionkit died. That poor kit, dying so suddenly and early...''

 Needlerose hesitated, feeling guilty, and nodded. ''Yes, you're right. I'm sorry. Scorpionkit would have made a fine warrior, but I'm sure her sister, Snakekit, will be a great warrior one day.''

 ''Yeah.'' Sootblossom sighed, but then shook his head and looked at the dark gray tom. ''Anyway, where are we going, Smokedream?''

 ''To the ThunderClan border.'' The tom meowed, then turned around. ''Come on, follow me, both of you!''

 Needlerose and Sootblossom followed Smokedream quietly through the snow-covered forest. Suddenly, Sootblossom stopped and twitched his ears.

 ''What is it?'' Needlerose looked at him. ''Did you hear something?''

 ''Yes, it... it sounds like a kit is mewling.'' Sootblossom squinted his eyes and looked around.

 ''There's no way.'' Smokedream approached them, flicking his tail. ''Are you sure?''

 ''It's probably just the wind.'' Needlerose shrugged. ''Now let's go!''

 ''No!'' Sootblossom hissed. ''I'm sure it's a kit, and I'm not letting it to die!'' And with that, he turned and sprinted away.

 ''Sootblossom, wait!'' Needlerose called and ran after him. She heard Smokedream's heavy paw steps behind her, and she ran faster to try and catch up with Sootblossom, but the tom was running too fast. He jumped over a fallen branch and stopped, looking down.

 Needlerose jumped past the branch and stopped next to him, panting. ''Are you out of your mind? There's no-''

 Then, she paused and looked down. A tiny kit lay on a moss, squirming around and mewling. It was a dark ginger kit with lighter paws, a brown belly and ears, with a long, gray tail.

 ''It... it really is a kit.'' Smokedream whispered, looking at him. ''What is it doing here? Where is its mother?''

 ''I'm not sure.'' Sootblossom meowed and crouched, sniffing the kit. Then, he tilted his head. ''I don't recognize his scent. He's not a Clan kit.''

 ''Let me see.'' Smokedream crouched and sniffed the kit, then he nodded, getting up. ''I don't recognize the scent, either. He must be a loner.''

 ''Well, where's his mother?'' Needlerose asked, looking around. ''She surely wouldn't have abandoned her kit during leaf-bare.''

 ''Maybe she didn't.'' Sootblossom got up, shivering. ''Maybe something happened to her.''

 ''Well, what should we do with this kit, then?'' Needlerose asked, looking at the kit's fragile body. ''We can't just let him here!''

 ''No, we can't.'' Sootblossom nodded. ''I say we should take him back to ShadowClan.''

 ''That's a good idea.'' Smokedream agreed and crouched, picking up the kit slowly. The tiny kit soon started mewling louder and hitting the air with his paws.

 ''Calm down! I'm not going to hurt you!'' Smokedream exclaimed, surprised, but the kit didn't stop.

 ''He must be hungry... poor kit.'' Needlerose whispered, sympathizing with the kit. ''Come on, let's get him back to camp fast.''

 Smokedream nodded and turned, leading the way back. ''We'll patrol the ThunderClan border after we get this kit back to the Clan.''

 Needlerose turned and followed the Clan deputy, Sootblossom following close behind. After a while, Smokedream entered the camp and Needlerose followed him.

 The cats that were in camp were either talking to each other, eating prey, or listening to the elders. When the patrol entered the camp, they all fell silent and looked at them.

 ''Where's Bumblestar?'' Sootblossom asked, looking around.

 ''Here.'' A sturdy and long-furred yellow tom with black stripes padded toward them. He pricked his ears as he heard the kit's mewling. ''What's that? A kit?''

 ''Yes, Sootblossom heard it while we were on our way to patrol.'' Smokedream explained, holding the kit gently. ''It had no Clan scent on it, and it looked abandoned, so we decided that we should bring it back to camp.''

 Bumblestar looked at the kit, hesitant to say something.

 A cream she-cat with white spots padded forward, sniffing the kit. ''Smokedream is right, I don't recognize the kit's scent.''

 ''Well, if it's abandoned, then I think we should take him in. If his mother comes looking for him, then we'll give him back to her, although I doubt that would happen.'' Bumblestar meowed, then looked around. ''Smokedream, take him to Ebonyheart and see if she's willing to care for him. I'll announce this to the Clan soon.''

 ''Yes, Bumblestar.'' Smokedream dipped his head and turned around, padding toward the nursery. When he padded inside, he looked around longingly, remembering his times as a carefree kit, but he brushed it off. ''Ebonyheart?''

 ''Yes? Is something wrong?'' The pale gray she-cat with a white belly raised her head from her kit, who was sleeping next to her. She then blinked. ''Who is that?''

 ''Sootblossom found this kit while we were patrolling and we brought it back, and Bumblestar said that we'll take it in, at least for now.'' Smokedream explained. ''There's no Clan scent on him, and Bumblestar was wondering if you could take care of him?''

 Ebonyheart looked at the kit, then at Snakekit. She sighed. ''Not a day passes without me thinking about Scorpionkit, and how much I wish she lived. That kit won't ever replace her, but... I think he could act like a brother to Snakekit. Bring him here.''

 ''Thank you.'' Smokedream sighed, relieved, and approached the queen. He gently set the kit down, and the kit stopped mewling as he soon caught the scent of milk. ''What will you name him?''

 Ebonyheart looked at the kit and paused when she saw his tail. ''His whole body is ginger, and yet his tail is... gray. I've never seen something like that. It looks like it's burnt...'' She then raised his head. ''I'll name him Burntkit, I think it fits him.''

 Smokedream looked a bit hesitant, so Ebonyheart sighed. ''No, I didn't name him that to make fun of his tail. I'm sure he'll be proud of his name later, and his tail can fool his enemies, making them think that he can't use his tail in battles, which would make him lose his balance faster, but they would be wrong.'' She then licked the tiny kit. ''He's going to be a good warrior one day.''