Mosskit Book 1: Skycloud

Chapter 21

It had been a few moons since the birth of Ashkit and Cinderkit. Each day, Skycloud would watch her son and daughter, joy flooding through her. The two reminded her of her family when she was but a young kit. In them she saw Rosefur, Petalnose, Mousekit, Oceanpaw...all those no longer with her.

Wavestorm's kits had been born a week after Skycloud's. She had given birth to three she-cats--Snowkit, Featherkit, and Waterkit.

Snowkit was pure white with blue and green eyes. At first, all Skycloud could see in the young kit was her sister, Petalnose. But shortly after, she was proved wrong. Like Wavestorm, Snowkit was mean and bratty, even more so than Wavestorm.

Featherkit was a white she-cat with fray on her muzzle, paws, ears, and tail. She wasn't as mean as Snowkit, but she was Snowkit's henchman. 

Lastly, there was Waterkit, a silver-blue she-cat. It was amazing to think she was Wavestorm's kit. She was kind and loving, sweet to all cats. But at the same time, she was very shy.

Lilywhisker's kits had been born shortly after Wavestorm's. There were two she-cats, but Skycloud swore perhaps there had been a third. In all of the confusion and swarming of their birth, Skycloud had watched a cat rush by, and she swore a kit had been in one of the SnowClan warrior's mouth.

The two she-cats--Mousekit and Dawnkit-- reminded Skycloud once again of her family. Mousekit resembled Smokestar almost completely with her white coat and black spots. Her eyes, however, were a deep blue, like her mother's. She had been named after Smokestar's dead sister, something that had made Skycloud nearly burst into tears.

Dawnkit was a beautiful gray tabby she-cat. She, like her sister, loved to play and was very kind.

Though Wavestorm and Lilywhisker's bickering hurt Skycloud's ears, and the bickering of the half-sisters, Mintfall had recently moved into the nursery, pregnant with Blackheart's. She spared Skycloud from much of the arguing.

Skycloud would smile when she saw Ashkit playing alongside with Ivypaw, who would often visit. Perhaps Ivypaw had moved on from the tom that had died moons before.

But so much had changed in Skycloud's life. As if being a mother wasn't hard enough, she had grown to love Mossclaw. She knew she would not have another mate, but she'd got to know him even better over the past few moons. He would visit and play with the kits, and often, they'd go on walks. Once, the kits had even referred to him as their father before Skycloud corrected them and reminded them of their dead father, Blacktail, whom she still continued to despise.

Skycloud wanted to confess her love to Mossclaw desperately, but she didn't know how, and she wondered if he'd hurt her just like Blacktail had and would leave her with kits that he would most likely never watch and love.

"Look at me! I'm such a big warrior!" Ashkit yowled at his sister.

"No, I'm bigger!" Cinderkit replied.

Skycloud laughed at the two. "You're the exact same size. You'll probably always be the same size."

"Aw, but I want to be a big, tough warrior!" Ashkit complained.

"You will, but for now, you're just a kit. You'll grow," Skycloud assured him.

"But I want to grow now!" he complained.

Skycloud laughed at her son. "Don't worry. You will. Patience will be vital in your life. You're nearly three moons, and that means three less moons until you train to become a warrior."

Before Ashkit could reply, Mossclaw padded into the den, causing Skycloud to turn her attention towards him.

"Hi, Mossclaw!" Cinderkit squeaked.

"Hello, Cinderkit," he replied, greeting the light gray she-cat. "Skycloud, would you like to go for a walk?"

"Sure," Skycloud replied, leaving her kits to play in the nursery. She knew Mintfall would watch after them while she was gone.

"How are you?" Mossclaw asked as they exited the camp.

"I'm good. And you?"

He smiled. "I'm well too." He looked into the sky, and Skycloud did the same. It was nearly sunset, and pink and orange colors were spattered against the sky as the sun began to fade from their view.

"Beautiful sunset," Mossclaw observed.

Skycloud nodded.

"Well, I've seen more beautiful things," Mossclaw admitted.

Skycloud rolled her eyes, though her heart was swelling with love. "Oh, stop it!" she teased, pawing at him.

Mossclaw laughed, beginning to wrestle with Skycloud. Together, the two wrestled like kits, laughing and shouting.

As the sun fully disappeared, Skycloud yawned.

"I'm tired," she told Mossclaw.

"Then lie down here," Mossclaw told her, laying down in the grass.

Skycloud knew she should get back to her kits, but she longed for Mossclaw, and she nodded, laying down beside him. He nuzzled her affectionately, causing Skycloud to smile. For once in her life, she felt happiness and joy. She had healthy kits and a tom who loved her very much. Maybe she would become mates with him.

Her thoughts came to an end as she closed her eyes, falling asleep to Mossclaw's purrs as he licked the top of her head.