Lillyheart's Secret

Bonus 1: The Kits

Lillyheart sat outside the nursery, laughing to herself as she watched the scene unfolding before her.

"I swear, if you two don't settle down, you're going to be complete messes by the time your ceremony comes around."

Clearkit looked up from where she was settled, sitting firmly across her sister. "Aw, let it!" She cried, swaying her tail through the air. "Nobody's going to care what I look like once they can see what I fight like!"

"You can't fight," Pebblepaw moaned from beneath her sister, nosing her way out so the tip of her grey muzzle could be seen amidst Clearkit's cream fur. "Everyone knows you can't fight."

"Shh," Clearkit reprimanded her sister, placing her paw on Pebblekit's nose. "I'm busy daydreaming now. Don't interrupt."

Lillyheart sighed, shaking her head. "Clearkit, at least let go of Pebblekit so she can breathe." The words were light, but with enough of a commanding tone that they pulled Clearkit out of her wonderings of grandeur long enough for Pebblekit to slink over to where her mother was settled.

Lillyheart gave her daughter a lick across the forehead, looking fondly at her. "You know I'm proud of you, right?"

Pebblekit stared back with her shining blue eyes, face solemn. "What if I'm no good as an apprentice?"

"Then I'll still be proud of you," Lillyheart assured her, using one paw to draw her close. "I'm your mother, and it's my job to be proud of you."

"I thought it was your job to be a warrior?" Clearkit mumbled, looking up at the sky, apparently still half listening to the rest of her family.

Lillyheart chuckled. "I can be both, you know. All queens have been both."

Pebblekit shook her head. "Not Poppytail. She doesn't have any kits, never did."

Lillyheart let out a soft sigh. "That's not true, Pebblekit. Driftjumper and Cinderstep have been warriors for the past three moons. They're Poppytail's kits, and you knew that."

Pebblekit stuck out her tongue. "I can never keep anyone straight," she mewed, folding her paws as she settled down beside her mother. "There's too many cats in our clan."

Lillyheart's breathing hitched, just for a moment, a second. "Don't ever say that." Her voice trembled. "We need to be grateful for everyone in this clan, Pebblekit."

"Yeah," Clearkit echoed, finally wandering over to the two of them. "You need to be more respectful to the clan I'm going to lead one day!"

Pebblekit scrunched her face. "Every-kit thinks they're going to be leader one day."

Clearkit stuck out her tongue in response. "You don't, duh."

Pebblekit started to get up, and Lillyheart swept her tail between the two. "You girls better stop bickering, or I'll be telling our current leader that you aren't ready to become apprentices yet."

Clearkit shrank back, suddenly apologetic. "Sorry, Pebblekit," she muttered, looking away.

Pebblekit's own gaze was tossed to the side as well as she murmured back, "Yeah, sorry."

Lillyheart nodded once. "Right. Now, why don't the two of you go find something to do—that's not trouble-making—while I go find Larkbreeze. Ok?"

The two kits nodded in tandem. "Not getting in trouble, yes Lillyheart."

Lillyheart had already turned away and wasn't able to catch the shared glint in their eyes as they turned to look at each other.
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"So you really want to be leader that badly?"