𝙄𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙜𝙤𝙠𝙞𝙩𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙𝙖𝙨𝙎𝙪𝙣𝙛𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙙𝙤𝙛𝙛warriorsfor patrols on the rocks at the base of the Stonepile. Dapplefall, Mapleleaf, Cedarpaw, and Embersun were gathering at the foot of the slope, getting ready to leave. Behind her, Rosefall and Hazelflower were reinforcing the nursery even more. The warriors had worked tirelessly the past few sunrises to repair the nursery. Indigokit still felt slightly uneasy to have returned so soon to the place where Fawnkit had died. She stayed out of the den as much as possible.
Indigokit shook out her fur against a sharp chill that felt like icy claws along her back. The snow had stayed and grown hard from the cold, making it impossible to get it out from the crevices of the quarry. Sunflare had warned her to be careful around them. The Clan had been uneasy about falling snow since her littermate's death. But, despite the tragedy, Indigokit still noticed a few wary looks from her Clanmates. I am not my father, she had whispered to herself, clawing into the stiff, packed snow beneath her paws.
Indigokit thought for a moment, wondering where Willowkit was. Her silver-and-white sister hadn't followed her out of the nursery. She whirled around, tramping lightly as she entered the den, giving a nod of appreciation to Rosefall and Hazelflower. As she adjusted to the weak leaf-bare sunlight that slanted into the nursery, she saw Willowkit lying in her nest on the opposite corner where Fawnkit had been suffocated with snow.
Indigokit felt a pang of sympathy for her sister. She knew Willowkit blamed herself for Fawnkit's death. Her sister was staring blankly at the nursery wall. "Come outside!" Indigokit urged, bouncing on her toes.
Willowkit glanced at her for a moment, then shifted her body to face away from Indigokit. Her littermate rested her chin on her paws and wrapped her tail tightly around her flank.
"Aw, come on, Willowkit. You can't stay here forever. It's stuffy and dark." Indigokit shuddered, not wanting to stay in the nursery any longer. Her sister didn't move. She didn't even twitch a whisker. Indigokit frowned.
"Please? Fawnkit wouldn't want you to mope around all day," Indigokit pointed out, taking a step toward her sister to nudge her rump.
Fast as lightning, Willowkit whirled to face Indigokit, coming nose-to-nose with her. "Get. Out," her sister hissed, her words as sharp as the icicles formed on the quarry's rocks.
Indigokit's eyes were like two full moons as she stared into her littermate's threatening gaze. Then she slowly backed away, flattening her ears to the sides of her head like a frightened kit. Without another word, Indigokit stalked out of the nursery. She fluffed out her fur as she stepped outside, shaken from Willowkit's hostility. Indigokit had no idea her littermate would act that way. She didn't think that it had taken such a toll on Willowkit, but she didn't want to think about it. She still felt the pain from her brother's death like a fresh thorn in her pad.
