Warriors fanfiction: Tawnypaw's Choice (REVIVED)

Chapter 1

(Reference: Rising Storm, pg 19)

"Come on, Tawnykit!"

She stared at her brother uncertainly as he bounded out of the nursery, looking over his shoulder at her eagerly. She shrank back against Goldenflower's pelt. The camp must be huge!

Her mother nudged her gently with her muzzle. "Why don't you go outside with Bramblekit?" She asked.

"I-I'd rather stay here with you," Tawnykit mewed uneasily. "It's scary out there!"

Goldenflower purred. "Nonsense!" She wrapped her ginger tail around Tawnykit. "You're safe in Thunderclan. Our warriors are strong and they'll protect us from anything." She twitched her whiskers in amusement. "Besides, you can't stay in the nursery forever."

"Snowkit left the nursery days ago." Speckletail commented from her nest, lowering her head to lick her son's white pelt. The little kit stared blankly ahead as she groomed him.

Goldenflower twitched her tail. "It's not a competition, Speckletail." She looked outside the nursery, and Tawnykit followed her gaze. Bramblekit was no longer paying attention to them. He looked ahead at something out of their sight, his tail waving excitedly.

I wonder what he sees? What does the camp look like?  Tawnykit suddenly longed to see. She looked up at her mother. "Are you sure I'll be safe?" she asked uncertainly.

"Of course," Goldenflower meowed softly. "You're safe in Thunderclan, I promise. Come, let's see what your brother is doing." She got to her paws and lifted Tawnykit by her scruff. She stared ahead wide eyed as her mother carried her out of the nursery.

Wow!  Tawnykit's eyes widened as she took in her surroundings. The ravine was even bigger than she imagined. She saw the fresh kill pile across the clearing, the other dens... Warriors sharing prey and grooming each other. The highrock stood tall on the other side of the clearing, where she'd heard Bluestar call clan meetings before. It's amazing!

As they neared Bramblekit, she saw a ginger tom staring at him with an alarmed look on his face, his fur bristling slightly. She was amazed by how vibrant his fur looked in the sunlight, setting his fur ablaze like fire. That must be Fireheart, the clan deputy! 

She was surprised when Goldenflower dropped her quickly and curled her tail around her and Bramblekit, raising her chin at the deputy. Tawnykit blinked up at him. Fireheart looked embarrassed, his fur flattening. "Your... Your kits look healthy," He stammered, his green gaze not leaving Bramblekit. He must have been surprised to see us out of the nursery! She decided.

"It's Tawnykit's first time out of the nursery," Goldenflower meowed, looking down at her. Tawnykit straightened, looking up at Fireheart nervously. I hope he thinks I'll make a good warrior!

Fireheart avoided their gaze. "They've grown quickly," He murmured.

Goldenflower leaned down and licked she and Bramblekit on the head, then padded away from them, speaking to the clan deputy quietly. Tawnykit strained to hear what they were saying, but gave up when she couldn't.

"Isn't the camp big?" Bramblekit turned to her, his amber eyes gleaming. "There's a lot more room than in the nursery!"

"Yeah," Tawnykit turned her attention from Fireheart and her mother, looking around the ravine. "It's great!" She paused, blinking at Bramblekit. "That ginger tom is Fireheart, isn't he?" When he nodded, she purred. "He looked surprised to see you."

Bramblekit let out a purr of amusement. "I ran out of the nursery so fast, I must have startled him."

"Let's go back to the nursery, kits." Goldenflower padded back to them, gently nudging Bramblekit with her muzzle. "You can play moss-ball with Snowkit." 

"Okay!" Bramblekit bounded into the nursery. Tawnykit looked past her mother at Fireheart. The ginger tom was still watching them, his expression unreadable. We'll make you proud. She thought. We'll be the best warriors in Thunderclan!

***

Later that day, Willowpelt's kits had been born. Goldenflower had left the nursery with Bramblekit and Tawnykit, telling them that Cinderpelt needed room to help Willowpelt kit. They'd gotten bored of moss-ball quickly and resolved to pouncing on Goldenflower's tail, complaining, and asking where kits came from, to which their mother wouldn't respond.

After what felt like moons, Cinderpelt left the nursery and allowed them back inside. Sure enough, there were three new kits at Willowpelt's belly.

Goldenflower settled back in her nest. "Come over here," She meowed to Tawnykit and Bramblekit. "Let Willowpelt rest." They'd obeyed, but spent most of the evening staring at their new denmates.

"They're so tiny!" Tawnykit exclaimed. "Is that normal?"

"Of course," Goldenflower mewed softly. "All kits are that small when they're born. Even you."

Bramblekit looked at her in surprise. "Really?"

Their mother purred in amusement. "Yes." Just then, a white tom entered the nursery, his eyes glowing at Willowpelt. It was Whitestorm, the father of these kits. He'd been visiting the nursery every day bringing his mate prey and checking on her. Willowpelt purred at him, and the tom settled beside her, and they touched noses.

"They're beautiful," Whitestorm purred, nuzzling the silver she-cat. "Like you."

"The toms remind me of you," Willowpelt purred. "And they need names." She lapped her tongue over the tiny dark gray tom. "I'd like to call this one Rainkit."

The white warrior purred. "The other tom could be Sootkit." He touched his nose to the little tortoiseshell she-cat. "And how about Sorrelkit?"

"Those are perfect." Willowpelt licked Sorrelkit's head and she let out a squeak.

Whitestorm is going to be in the nursery a lot more. Tawnykit thought. Suddenly, she wondered something she hadn't thought of before. She looked up at her mother. "Goldenflower, why doesn't our father visit us?" 

Unease flashed in her mother's eyes, and she didn't respond right away. "He did when you were very young."

"Did he help name us too?" Bramblekit asked, clearly sharing Tawnykit's curiosity.

"Yes," Goldenflower responded hesitantly. "He named you, Bramblekit."

Tawnykit tipped her head. "Why doesn't he visit us anymore?" And who is he..? Goldenflower was quiet. Suddenly, she became aware of the silence gripping the nursery. She looked over her shoulder to see Whitestorm's yellow gaze fixed on Tawnykit and Bramblekit sympathetically. Speckletail narrowed her eyes at her, but didn't speak.

"You've had a busy day," Goldenflower rasped her tongue over Tawnykit's head. "Why don't you both get to sleep?"

Bramblekit opened his jaws in protest. "But-"

"Come on, to sleep," She meowed firmly, wrapping her tail around him. "You can play in the morning." She rested her chin on her paws.

Tawnykit reluctantly curled up beside Bramblekit, tucking her tail over her nose. But she didn't fall asleep for a long time. Goldenflower said our father visited us when we were very young. She focused and dug through her memories, searching for her father, but she found nothing of the memory. She sighed and closed her eyes. Why won't Goldenflower tell us about him?