𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗜𝗢𝗥𝗦ᶠᵃⁿᶠⁱᶜᵗⁱᵒⁿ 一 𝔅𝔩𝔞𝔷𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔓𝔞𝔰𝔱 [𝟑]

❆☾𑁍𓆱ᥴhᥲρtᥱr 𝟺𝟷𓆱𑁍☽❆

𝙰𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛𝚑𝚊𝚣𝚎

Judging by the lack of scent marks, Amberhaze had made landfall outside of MoonClan territory. She shook out her pelt vigorously, which stuck to her body, wet and unpleasantly cold, so that the drops flew in all directions.

Even though her legs trembled with every step and threatened to give way beneath her, she dashed off. Panic tightened her throat until she caught a glimpse of the kit again.

Hold on a little longer, please. Gradually, the heathery scent of MoonClan grew stronger. Not much longer and she would cross the border. Just before it, she stopped, undecided.

The warrior code forbade crossing Clan borders without a good reason. However, it also said that kits in danger could not be ignored. With this thought in mind, Amberhaze stepped back into the shallow water and crept crouched past the boundary markers. Code or not, she still preferred it if her scent wasn't found on MoonClan territory.

Every now and then she feared that a patrol would appear from behind the hills after all. But nothing stirred for far and wide. The Shadowless have attacked here only a few days ago. Amberhaze shuddered. Surely MoonClan simply needed a while to recover from the shock.

As she approached the kit, she noticed that its eyes were still tightly shut and its ears were pressed to his head. It had to be barely a few days old, which fuelled Amberhaze's pity even more.

"Hello," she whispered, although she realised that it couldn't hear her yet. Its short fur was the colour of the sky at sunset and except for its face, legs and tail it had no stripes. The tip of its tail was white.

Amberhaze lowered her muzzle to sniff at it, reflexively backing away as it snapped open its small, toothless mouth and hissed at her intently.

She purred. "Is this the thanks I get for risking my life?"

But she couldn't be angry. It was just a small, abandoned kit that must have been terrified. How lucky for it that she had come by.

From the smell, it was a tomkit. But that was all she could tell. Is it a rogue?, she wondered. Why would any she-cat leave her kit behind?

The kit hissed again, crawling forward and trying to pull himself up Amberhaze's foreleg. She stared down at him, stunned. This kit had no one left. If she hadn't come here, he would have died soon.

She licked him over the head until he stopped hissing and curled up. Warm bliss flooded her from nose to tail tip. "I'll protect you," she promised, "forever and ever. No harm will ever come to you. From now on, you are my kit."

Even though she would have to give him to Reddapple to nurse and she was in no way related to him, she already felt a strong bond with him. No matter what happened, she would never leave him again. Not like his real mother.