Smallcloud's Path

Chapter 1

Two queens praised the new mother, looking at the three kits laying at her belly.

"Aw, the tortoiseshell looks just like you, Sweetcloud!" One queen purred.

"And the brown kit looks like the proud papa." Lynxstar, at that statement, puffed out his light brown chest.

"And look at the golden she-kit! She has Lynxstar's pelt and Sweetcloud's white paws!"

Sweetcloud looked up at the two cats, her eyes dull. She sighed and closed her eyes
Lynxstar noticed Sweetcloud's tiredness. He rasped his tongue over one of her ears.

"Sweetcloud's tired after having the three of them... if you could-" Before Lynxstar could finish, one queen dipped her head. "Oh, of course, Lynxstar." The gray tabby she-cat nodded. "Thank you, Hailfur and Edenflower for your kind words for the kits..." Hailfur and Edenflower dipped their heads, leaving the den.

Lynxstar looked down at Sweetcloud, hearing her raspy breathing. She opened her eyes a little, looking up at her mate. "You need to care for our kits when I'm gone, my dear..." Sweetcloud rasped. Lynxstar's heart sunk. He never thought he'd see the day when Sweetcloud, the most energetic cat he knew, would accept death this quick. He buried his nose in her soft, tortoiseshell fur. "You aren't going to leave us..." He whimpered, pinning his ears back against his head. Sweetcloud looked up at Lynxstar, a small, weak smile jerked at her mouth. "Teach then about me, I still wish to be a part of their life, and I'll visit them in their dreams.." She looked down at the three kits nuzzled in her belly fur. "I love you..." With that, Sweetcloud's head rest on the edge of her nest, taking her final breath.

Lynxstar's heart lurched, nudging his beloved mate. "Sweetcloud, come on, stop joking." Lynxstar desperately nudged Sweetcloud's back. His tail drooped. He let out a shaky breath.

"Iceshard, Echostream." He croaked at the two cats passing by the nursery. The two she-cats's tails drooped at the sight of their dead friend. They hurried toward them.

"Take the kits into the elders den. I'll take Sweetcloud outside..."

"How'd this happen?!" Iceshard demanded, her white fur rising along her spine. Lynxstar closed his eyes, knowing Iceshard was a feisty cat. Echostream rest her tail along Iceshard's shoulders. "She was sick, Iceshard..." Echostream mewed softly, picking up both the tortoiseshell tom and the golden she-kit.

Iceshard huffed, picking up the light brown tomkit, both she-cats walking toward the elders den.

Lynxstar gently picked up his mate by the scruff, walking outside. He carefully set her in front of his den. Hurricanepelt hurried outside. "Is she dead?" He sniffed the she-cats pelt. Hurricanepelt's eyes narrowed with sadness, giving his friend a lick over the ears. "May StarClan light your path. May you find good prey and land."

Cats surrounded the dead she-cat, sitting vigil.

It's been three moons since Sweetcloud's death, and Lynxstar named each kit himself. The brown tabby tom was named Pinekit, the golden she-kit was named Lionkit, and the tortoiseshell tom was named Smallkit, in honor for his exact resemblance to Sweetcloud.

Pinekit and Lionkit stepped outside of the FlameClan camps entrance, Smallkit on the other side. "Come on, Smallkit! Don't be a scaredy-mouse!" Lionkit sneered, lashing her fluffy tail.

"I-" Smallkit sighed. "Fine..."

Smallkit stepped beside his siblings, and the kits rushed away.

"I'm going to catch a rabbit!" Pinekit boasted.

"Sure, mousebrain." Lionkit bat at her brother's ear. The two cats left Smallkit, leaving him stranded.

Smallkit walked around, his ears perked. His short little legs growing a little tired.

"Hey!" A she-cat yowled. Smallkit looked over at the she-cat, his eyes widening. He dashed away. As he ran, he tripped over his paws, and pain sheathed through his lower half. He yowled in pain, and yowled for help. The same she-cat who yowled at him, freed him. Smallkit tried to stand, but fell. "Come on, FlameClan kit..." She grabbed the little tom's scruff, padding along the trail to go back to FlameClan.

A search party had been sent out for the missing three kits, Lionkit and Pinekit had been found. The gray she-cat who had been carrying Smallkit told them what had happened. They invited her to the Clan, seeing she was pregnant.

After a bit, the party, plus the gray cat and Smallkit, arrived back at the FlameClan camp. Lynxstar scolded his kits, and thanked the MeadowClan she-cat, who they learned that her name was Mistyface. Lynxstar offered Mistyfeather to stay, and she accepted. Mistyface took Smallkit into the medicine den.

Smallkit looked up at Mistyface, finally getting a good look at the she-cat. She seemed to be the same age as Lynxstar, and she had piercing icy blue eyes. Her fur was quiet soft, you'd almost think it could be a cloud.

Mistyface looked down at Smallkit. "Your poor tail..." She mewed sympathetically. Smallkit looked up at her, tilting his head to the side. "What about it?" He mewed. "The trap cut most of it off, now you have a little stump of a tail."

Smallkit looked behind him to see that his long, wavy tail was missing. His amber eyes widened to the point to where you could see the whites of his eyes. No, no, no! He looked up at Mistyface, his eyes misting a little bit. "How'd this happen?" He whimpered helplessly.

Mistyface lapped her tongue down the young tortoiseshell's pelt. "Your tail was caught in the Twoleg trap, and when I went to open the trap, the spikes of the trap almost immediately tore it off..." Mistyface pulled the young tom closer to her. Smallkit nuzzled into her fur, his eyes closing, soon drifting into a deep sleep.