Colorful Doom

Chapter 1

Nightkit glanced at her mother, her gaze flashing. "Are they back yet?" She inquired for the tenth time.

Fawnfur sighed. "No. Aren't you tired? Don't you want to go back to sleep with your brother?"

Nightkit lashed her tail, turning her head to stare out of the nursery again. "No. I'm not tired."

Earlier that day, ThunderClan scent had been discovered on the border. Oakstar had gone with a patrol to question the forest Clan peacefully, but every cat was still tense. It had barely been three moons since a bloody battle with ThunderClan. Nightkit glanced at the broken nursery wall that was slowly being rebuilt, reminiscing the horror she had felt when her mother had pushed her and Duskkit deep into the moss nest.

Fawnfur turned to her kit. "Are you cold? You're shivering." She curled her tail around her black kit, concern dancing in her eyes like fire.

"I'm just worried about the patrol. What if they're attacked in the  ThunderClan camp? They wouldn't stand a chance." Nightkit murmured quietly.

Fawnfur licked Nightkit, pride in her eyes. "Oh," she squeaed, "look at my little warrior already!"

Nightkit's fur bushed up, then settled. She squeezed out of her mother's choke-hold. "They're back!" She sprinted out of the nursery, the light of the moon making her pelt glow. She stopped just in time to hear Echowing interrogating the patrol.

"Where have you been?" She screeched, voice shrill.

Most cats would have taken offense to the she-cat's sharp tone, but Nightkit knew she had just been worried about her Clanmates.

Oakstar placed his tail on Echowing. "ThunderClan didn't take it too well," he meowed in a defeated tone. "We were chased out. We're lucky to have made it out without any injuries."

"Lucky?" Rosefeather rounded on her leader. "Those snakehearts were lucky I didn't rip into them! How dare they?"

Honeyheart nodded, agreeing with the russet she-cat. "I doubt StarClan will be very happy with them. It was dishonorable. We came in peace."

Oakstar pointed his tail towards the warrior's den. "Go rest. I'll call a Clan meeting so we can discuss this."

Nightkit stared at the warriors, rage on her face. How dare they? She knew that honor in ThunderClan was rare, but not to this degree.

Fawnfur glanced at her kit. "Let's get back to the nursery. They need their rest."

As Nightkit padded back to the bramble den, her tail lashed. "Are we going to attack?" She asked her mother.

Fawnfur stared at her daughter for a few heartbeats, deep in thought. "We might. If I were Oakstar, I would want to wait until the Clan recovers. Then, when ThunderClan thinks we forgot..." She slashed a thorn-sharp claw through the air.

Nightkit observed her mother, grinning. "You'd make a good deputy."

Fawnfur smiled. "I'm flattered, but we already have a great deputy." She nosed Nightkit towards the nursery. "Now come on. We need to sleep."

Nightkit sighed. "But I'm not tired. And I want to hear Oakstar's announcement."

Fawnfur yawned, her eyes slits. "Fine. We'll stay up. But only for tonight. And don't tell Duskkit." She glanced  her other kit, love shining in her eyes.

Nightkit observed her mother. She was the role model queen, sweet and kind towards her kits, but protective and loyal to her Clan. It was a shame her father couldn't be the same. Beetlewing never really paid attention to his kits anymore. Fawnfur said he was busy with his warrior duties, but Nightkit doubted it. All the other toms had time for their sons and daughters.