prologue

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[header art drawn by me]

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[header art drawn by me]

The black and white tom ambled through the forest, his thick pelt waterlogged and mud clinging to his paws. Rain drops slid down his whiskers and pattered against his pelt. The scent of petrichor hung in the forest air, filtering through the cat's nostrils. The rain was the least of his problems though. Two kits swung in his jaws, mewling as water seeped into their thin coats.

This was the only place he knew to take them. A cat like him had no need for kits, and wasn't interested in raising them himself. Plus, they needed milk and warmth. Hopefully Mintstar would be kind and forgiving enough to take them in.

Strong, unfamiliar scents touched the tom's nostrils. He was finally here. With a sigh, he dropped the two kits on the ground outside the thick barrier of vegetation. After a moments hesitation, the tom let out a yowl. As soon as the noise escaped his throat, he darted off into the bushes, hoping to remain unseen. He didn't even bother to look back.

–🌸–

"Mintstar! Come here! There's kits!"

The cream colored tom's eyes were wide with shock and confusion. Beside him stood a long-haired white she-cat, equally surprised but mostly skeptical. Who would abandon two helpless kits outside of the FernClan camp? The yowl had come from an older cat. Was this an ambush? Were the kits bait?

"Wait, Adderthorn," the white cat mewed, turning to her Clanmate. "This might be a trap. Let's check if any other cats are around, just in case."

Adderthorn nodded slowly. The tabby raised his nose to the air, inhaling the aromas around him. His face scrunched up as the warrior was met with a sharp stench. It most certainly wasn't from FernClan. The white she-cat, Snowbranch, seemed to have also noticed the scent. She glanced at Adderthorn, eyes swimming with worry.

"It's alright," Adderthorn meowed. "I think they ran off. It's not that strong. They must have dropped off the kits and left."

Suddenly, Mintstar came crashing through the camp barrier. Her pale green eyes flickered alertly. Her gaze surveyed the forest, then fell on the kits. Her expression held that of slight irritation, and she bent her head low to give the kits a quick sniff.

"No," Mintstar whispered, raising her sleek gray head. "I know who these kits belong to. As much as I'd like to leave them here, my mind tells me no. These kits are harmless. FernClan will raise them right."

"Whose kits are they?" Snowbranch asked. Mintstar just shook her head.

"I can't leave them here. Oh, I should, I should, but it's against the Warrior Code. These kits are coming with us, whether you like it or not."

"Mintstar," Snowbranch questioned again, her voice on edge. "Who do these kits belong to?"

The elegant gray leader's gaze hardened. "Ripple. They're Ripple's kits."

descendancy  // a warrior cats fanfictionWhere stories live. Discover now