StarClan isn't real..

Chapter 3

Yellowkit yawned, her eyes slipping open. She was laying in the nursery, the soft grass brushing against her pelt. She stretched her legs and tail, instinctively smiling. Multiple moons had passed since the day she had met the elders. In the mornings, Yellowkit normally forgot about her littermates. They were still being rude to her, but now she was used to it, and she thought Fallowkit was growing on her. Meanwhile, Nettlestem had given birth to two little she-kits; Whitekit and Casperkit. Casperkit had been born with a strange mutation that Nettlestem called "albino".

Today, Yellowkit noticed that Blacktooth wasn't in the nursery. Confused, Yellowkit rose to her paws and padded stiffly out of the nursery. Outside, Blacktooth was giving Logkit, Finchkit, and Fallowkit a thorough wash. She glanced up as Yellowkit padded out of the nursery. "Hello, dear." Blacktooth purred.

"What are you doing out of the nursery so early?" Yellowkit asked.

Blacktooth blinked. "You'll see."

Yellowkit, confused, sat down and gave her own pelt a wash. Fallowkit leaned over to her and whispered, "It's our apprentice ceremony," then focused back on his washing. Yellowkit tried to hide her amazement. Finally! She thought she would be in the nursery forever! But why hadn't Blacktooth told her, if she had told her other kits? Yellowkit's doubts about her birth returned.

Meanwhile, Applestar, the Clan leader, had climbed onto the Tallrock. Yellowkit shook off her thoughts and leapt to her paws.

"Let all cats old enough to run the moor join here beneath the Tallrock for a Clan meeting."

Blacktooth stopped washing the kits and headed into the clearing. Fallowkit, Finchkit, and Logkit followed after. Yellowkit bounded after them. The elders were the first to emerge into the clearing, then the medicine cats, taking their place below the Tallrock. Specklebird sat down on the other side of the rock, while the warriors padded into and sat down in small groups around the clearing. Fawnleap, a new warrior, sat down beside Deadbee. Larkpaw and Larchpaw, the two remaining apprentices, sat down near the back of the clearing. Nettlestem sat down outside the nursery, keeping in the shade of the gorse so the sun didn't harm Casperkit's sensitive skin. Patchstep, another queen who had not yet kitted, sat down beside the elders.

Blacktooth led her kits to a space beside Beetleshine and his friend, Greenfern. Yellowkit sat down, eagerly staring up at Applestar as the white tom cleared his throat to address the Clan.

"Cats of WindClan, we have many new apprentices today," He began. "Logkit, step up."

The gray and black tomcat let out a purr and triumphantly headed through the crowd. He stood below Tallrock, his chin high as Applestar continued. "Logkit, you have reached the age of six moons and are now ready to become an apprentice. From this moment onward, until you recieve your warrior name, you will be known as Logpaw. Your mentor will be Aspenwing, and I hope they pass on everything they know to you."

Logpaw straightened up and padded over to a sleek, smoky black tom. He reached up and touches noses, then sat down beside his new mentor.

Applestar did the same with Fallowkit, giving them the name Fallowpaw and the mentor Grassleg. Then he did Finchpaw. "Your mentor will be Vixentalon, and I hope they will pass down everything they know to you." Finchpaw purred and bounded over to a brown tomcat with pale orange eyes. Yellowkit purred and lifted her muzzle. Applestar was saving her for last! Then Applestar dipped her head and leapt down from the Tallrock. "Clan dismissed," She mewed, and headed over to her deputy, Specklebird. Yellowkit's mouth dropped in confusion.

"What about me?" She wailed.

Applestar turned to her, and the entire Clan went silent. Yellowkit uncomfortable shuffled her paws. They were all staring at her! Applestar looked towards Blacktooth, mouthing something that Yellowkit read as, "You haven't told her yet?"

Blacktooth sighed and looked towards Yellowkit. "Come with me, sweetie."

She padded away towards the Hunting Stones and leapt onto one. The Clan watched for a moment, then uncomfortable headed over to to Specklebird for patrols. Yellowkit looked up at her mother with round eyes. "Why didn't Applestar make me an apprentice, too?" She whimpered, her heart and voice cracking. "I'm good enough, right? I'm just the same as they are?"

"It's not that, hon." Blacktooth murmered. "I should've told you this earlier, but... you're not my kit."

Yellowkit's eyes hollowed. She looked at her paws. It was just as she feared. "Then... who's kit am I?"

"Deadbee found you on the bridge," Blacktooth explained, her tail twitching as she spoke. "Your mother was a rogue who died during her kitting. We thought she had no kits, but then Fawnleap found you." She sighed, and her eyes went distant, as if she was remembering something. "You were only a few minutes old, I think. You were brought into WindClan, and I took care of you. I was planning to tell you sooner, but..." She closed her eyes, then opened them and looked at Yellowkit. "I didn't know how you'd react. I was scared."

Yellowkit was hardly listening. How could she not be a Clan cat? "Why didn't you tell me?" She whispered, her mew emotionless. She loved her mother, but she wasn't even her mother... what even was she?

"I was afraid," Blacktooth murmered. "But look on the bright side. StarClan sent you to me. If-"

Fury and confusion surged through Yellowkit. She leapt to her paws and bristled, staring furiously into her "mother's" eyes. "I don't know what StarClan is!" She screeched. "I don't know what my gender is, I don't know if I like toms or she-cats. I don't know what's going on, I don't know who I want to be, or what Clan I'm even in!" Her tail lashed. "Just leave me alone!"

She bounded off into the nursery, charging blindly through the gorse and collapsing in the corner of the den. She ignored Casperkit's confused mewls. Whatever "StarClan" was, it wasn't them that had brought her here... it was stupid, bad luck.