Thornheart's Acceptance

Chapter 4

     Thornkit was in the leaders den, she had been here for a while now. Shrewpaw had already checked her ear.

"Hey Thornkit, I'm Shrewpaw. I know it's been awhile, but do you remember me?"

Thornkit nodded.

"Alright, well I'm going to check your ear."

Thornkit nodded before asking, "When is Antpelt going to be back?"

Shrewpaw stopped wrapping cobwebs over her ear and said, "I don't know, but I'm sure he will be here soon."

"When he gets here could you send him to me?"

"Yes I can."

"Promise?"

"Promise"

*****

That had been a while ago. It was now almost sun-high. Thornkit wanted Antpelt. She wanted to curl up next to him and she wanted his warm pelt. She wanted his soft, warm voice, his reassuring smile, the way he fussed over her, his bad sense of humor that always made her feel better, but most of all she wanted to know if what Crowclaw had said was true.

She was almost asleep when she heard voices outside.

"Shrewpaw, what's wrong? I need to give Thornkit the squirrel she asked for."

"I'm taking you to Thornkit."

"Why is she in the leader's den?"

"Brackenstar has asked me not to tell you. I'm sorry."

"It's ok, is she just right inside?"

There was rustling outside, then she saw the head of Antpelt pop in with a squirrel in his mouth.

"Hey Thornkit, I got the squirrel you asked for," he stopped when he saw her ear. "Thornkit what happened to your ear?!" He almost shouted.

"Crowclaw got mad," she said.

Antpelt walked forward and sniffed her ear and he asked, "Are you ok?" looking her in the eye. She nodded. "Are you sure?"

She nodded again before tears pooled at her eyes and started shaking her head no. Antpelt laid down. "Come here, sweet heart."

Thornkit got up and almost run to him, curling up in to his chest and starting to cry

"It's ok, it's ok, I'm here now" he said wrapping his paws around her.

In between sobs, she managed to get out her side of what happened, "All I Did was ask her "If you're not my mom, then who is?" And when she kept saying "I don't know" I asked "Is there anything you can tell me." an.....and she got so mad she said "You don't deserve to be here" and that my mom was a rogue who left me to die at the jaws of a dog, I said that she was a lair and that made it worst, but she had to be lying I deserve to be here, right?"

"Hey,..hey look at me" she lifted her head "You do deserve to be here, don't let anyone tell you you're not." Antpelt said firmly.

"And my mom?"

"How about this? You eat some of the squirrel, maybe a nap and tonight I'll tell you, ok?"

Thornkit nodded.

* * * * *

It was past sun-high when they heard rustling outside of the den again, then Brackenstar and Crowclaw walked in and said.

"Why is he here?"

"Because I asked him to." Brackenstar stated.

"He doesn't have the right to be here." Crowclaw hissed.