Antlers and Feathers {warriors fan-story}

Chapter 1

Elkkit pressed his small body against the side of the nursery, his pale eyes wide with wonder as he watched a beetle scuttle through the leaves. The world outside the nursery was full of adventure, but inside, some things just felt... different...

The little brown tom crouched low, flicking his tail as he pawed playfully at the beetle before it disappeared, almost panicked, into the branches of the nursery wall. Elkkit's eyes narrowed as he pressed his paws against the nursery wall for a moment before sighing "Almost got it..." he murmured to himself before standing, glancing over to his littermates, who were squealing and giggling in one of the moss nests in the nursery.

"You're too slow, Weaselkit! I'll always be faster!" A little dappled kitten huffed as they pinned a light brown tom to the nest, the light cat wriggled underneath them. "Yeah Fawnkit... w-well, wait until I get bigger! You won't stand a chance" The lean little tom twisted free of his sibling's grip and swiped at them playfully, his movements were sloppy and fairly slow.

A smile tugged at Elkkit's mouth faintly as his green eyes observed his siblings' antics, but a chill rippled down from his neck to the tip of his tail, a flicker of unease filling his chest and making it tight. 

Elkkit turned to see a pair of amber eyes sternly and coldly watching him and his littermates, though the eyes softened as they lingered on Weaselkit for a moment longer than himself and Fawnkit. But then, in an instant, the amber eyes shot back to Elkkit, narrowing with a sharp intensity that made the kit stumble backward.

"Weaselkit, Fawnkit. Elkkit." A voice cut through the air, causing all three kits to freeze in place, but freshen themselves up and sit in line with one another. "Yes Mama?" Elkkit blinked up at her, clearly startled but not wanting to look away from his mother, her brown tabby pelt rippled over her body, which would be less intimidating to a warrior as Falconsnap had little to no muscle on her body.

Falconsnap moved closer to the kits, her amber gaze unwavering. She spoke again, her voice cool and dry "Enough of this kit-play. You should be focused on learning about the clan. There's no place for weakness in this nursery, not from you three" her tone grew sharp and almost dismissive of the kits, Falconsnap looked outside of the nursery and flicked her tail in that direction. "Maybe some elders or warriors will teach you some manners, perhaps not to wake your mother when she's sleeping"

With her words, Elkkit felt a little crestfallen, he lowered his head slightly, shuffling his paws closer together. He felt like he needed to defend his siblings in some way, after all... they were just playing. "But... we were just playing" the little tom-kit's voice wavered, attempting to keep the disappointment away from his tone.

Fawnkit, seeing how upset their sibling was, huffed and stepped forward "We're still kits mother! We can play if we want to!" they stood tall beside her brother, their hazel eyes flashing with a defiance that Elkkit silently admired. Elkkit turned to a shivering Weaselkit, he was definitely more timid than the other two of his littermates, but also rather fiery when he was upset, perhaps that was why Falconsnap was softer towards him...

"Y-yeah Mama... we're just having fun..." he mewled timidly, shooting a nervous glance at Falconsnap, who curled her tail around her body. She narrowed her eyes and scrunched up her nose, causing her fangs to bare, her voice did not hold the kindness of a normal queen or even Fennelwhisker, who was caring for younger kits in the nursery as their father, and the other nursery queen, Rosewing, but Elkkit wasn't sure who the father of her kits was. "Fun? That's not what will protect you in battle, Fawnkit. Elkkit would need to learn a lesson like that of he ever hopes to be anything more than a burden."

Falconsnap's words hit Elkkit like a stone, leaving him frozen and speechless, his ears flattened and his paws quivered as he lowered his head. Fawnkit stepped even closer to Falconsnap, their eyes flashing with defiance. "He's not a burden! He's going to be a great warrior!" they spat her words with ferocity, defending their brother with tiny teeth bared and their tail lashing.

Weaselkit flattened his ears as the one sided arguement ensued, quivering in the moss beside Elkkit. He glanced nervously between his siblings and Falconsnap and winced "Maybe we should just listen..." he whimpered, Falconsnap's gaze flicked towards the smallest of the group and she let out a rare purr of comfort. "Oh worry not Weaselkit, just listen to me and you will find that you'll be a warrior in no time" she murmured, pulling Weaselkit towards her and cleaning him with her tongue.

Her gaze flicked back to Fawnkit for a short while before Fawnkit finally turned her back. The brown tabby she-cat rolled her eyes at her kits' defiance and turned away "Suit yourselves. But don't come crying when you've wasted your chance to become stronger" With that, Falconsnap gave Weaselkit a few more seemingly loving licks before standing up and stalking out of the nursery, leaving the kittens in a tense silence.

Elkkit swallowed hard, his heart weighed heavy with confusion as he glanced over to Fawnkit, sure he was hurt by Falconsnap's words, but she was his mother, and she only wanted the best for him, he knew she did, she had to.  "I just... I want to make her proud" he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper as his eyes lowering to the ground.

"And you will Elkkit. Don't listen to her. We'll show her how strong we are, together." Fawnkit shot back, softly but firmly. They nudged Elkkit gently with a paw and smiled at him, eyes softening with a comforting glance. "Yeah..." Weaselkit added, as small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth "We'll be the best warriors in WindClan, all three of us!" He bounced to his paws, shaking his short light brown pelt, clearly trying to lighten the mood.

Elkkit didn't say a word more, but smiled weakly at his littermates, grateful for their support. Though deep down, a seed of doubt had already been planted, and he felt like that it would only grow bigger and bigger until he wasn't able to handle it.

His gaze drifted towards the nursery entrance, where sunlight bathed the camp in warmth and lit up the leaves and the ground. Maybe someone else will want to play with me... he thought. Elkkit nodded, determination flowed through him until it flicked out of his tail as he padded towards the opening and slipped out into the bustling camp. His heart raced with hope that someone, anyone, would see him for who he truly was.

"... I'll show her. I'll show her I'm not a burden"