Warriors: Divided Loyalty

Chapter Forty-Six

"Toss the moss, Hollykit!" Called Rosekit from the other side of the nursery. "You can't hog it forever!"

Hollykit huffed. "I wasn't going to, Rosekit!" She grumbled and tossed the moss ball in the air and watched as Dustkit leaped up and swatted it with his forepaw.

Emberkit crouched down, his haunches wiggling as he prepared to spring. "I've got this!" He meowed and lashed out with a paw as the moss headed for him.

Stonekit dove for the green ball, eyes shining as he kept it from hitting the ground in the nursery. "Heads up, Mistlekit!" He warned his sister as the moss reached for the sky and began to fall down to the ground.

Mistlekit reared on her hind legs and smacked the moss ball, making it go towards Petalkit, who was talking with Dustkit next to the corner of the den. "Look out, Petalkit!" She warned but the moss ball smacked her in the back of the head.

The kit whirled around and glared at her sister. "Watch it!" She hissed and tackled Petalkit, though she didn't hurt her. "Next time, I'll throw a moss ball at your head and see how you like it!"

"Calm down, Petalkit." Meowed Nightstar as she watched the eight kits play. "It was an accident and threats don't need to be shared."

Petalkit let out a grunt and got off her sister. "Fine, but I will." She meowed and turned away, heading back to Dustkit who was giggling.

The other six kittens looked at the leader with wide eyes. It had been a moon since Nightstar lost her first life and her kits grew quickly. They were roughly the same size, Emberkit being the largest and strongest of the three. Echospeck, Poppybee, and Whiteblaze's kits grew quickly as well. Since they were around the same age, Nightstar and the other queens agreed to make them apprentices at the same time.

Hollykit didn't have her mother or her father's eyes at all. Nightstar was surprised at her kit bore bright green eyes when her siblings did not. Nonetheless, her daughter was fierce and proud of her eyes and was one of a kind.

Emberkit was living up to his name-sake pretty well, Nightstar noticed. He was hot-headed, fierce, and protective of his sisters in a way that was kind of like a mother fox to her cubs. His markings were exactly like his sisters' but lighter than Hollykit's. His eyes were a bright purple and Nightstar was pleased that they were a combination of hers and Thorntail's eyes.

Mosskit was more complicated and strange of her brother and sister. She was gray and white and smaller than Hollykit and Emberkit. Nevertheless, she strived to be like her mother and loved to be out of the nursery and begged to be let out into the camp. Along with her pelt, she had adoring orange eyes, just like her mother's but more orange than amber.

Nightstar was proud that her kits were shaping up to be great cats and soon, they would be apprentices and she would be free of the grasp of being a queen in the nursery. She liked being a leader with her Clanmates at her command. Oh, Thorntail. If only you were here to watch them grow up with me, my love. She thought, pain spreading through her heart.

A few sunrises ago was the Gathering and quite a lot had happened. Spiderstar was killed by greencough and Vixenpool was now Vixenstar. Honeyheart was moved into the nursery where she gave birth to Wolfstripe's kits, Lizardkit and Fallingkit. Nightstar was happy for her, though they were not close. She was glad she had started a family of her own. Frostgaze was named as deputy and Vixenstar concluded her report.

Next was Swiftstar, who looked a bit frail but he insisted that he was fine. He reported that all was well in GlacierClan and there was nothing else. Nightstar remembered his ribs sticking out like mountain peaks against the bold cream sky.

Eeltail gave her report, saying Blackstar was too sick to come to the Gathering and how Dusthawk will be getting an apprentice sooner than they thought he would. When she looked at Nightstar, the leader gave her report.

"DawnClan is doing very well this leafbare. Our nursery is crawling with kits and we have our paws full with keeping them busy and fed." She'd said, earning cheers of congratulations and warm purrs. "Sadly, Hollowstream died a few sunrises ago and his spirit rests in StarClan. Tumblewatcher and Sparrowshadow were killed during a badger attack so beware of the two badgers." Nightstar had given the leaders a respectful nod. "This concludes this moon's Gathering. Please go to your respective leader and leave."

Now that her kits were a moon old and could explore a bit, Nightstar spent more time giving orders and going hunting every now and then. Her kits were very happy to see her and boasted about who would become the next leader.

Nightstar sighed, gazing at her kits as they began to play hide-and-seek. She closed her eyes briefly before opening them again. She rose to her paws and nodded to Halfsnow, who had recently given birth to her own three kits.

Snowkit was the color of snow. She acted dainty and loved to keep her fur soft and clean. Her dazzling blue eye was sharp and her yellow eye was keen on watching. However, she was deaf in the ear that her blue eye was. That didn't seem to stop her from being the best out of her siblings and her denmates.

Branchkit was more of the bully and leader of his generation. He was a dark honey-brown tabby tom with broad shoulders and large paws. His eyes, which her a striking blue, stood out like a clump of snow on a greenleaf day. He was very proud and cocky and constantly proved himself to be stronger than his sisters.

Patchkit was quieter than her siblings, being the only one to not shout and speak unless spoken to. Her fur was very strange but it was beautiful. Brown with white patches surprised Nightstar and the rest of the Clan when she was born. Her eyes were a bright yellow like the sun.

Poppybee's kits were strong and active as well. Three sons were born to the she-cat and she looked overwhelmed but loved her sons no matter what.

Gingerkit was trying to make his presence in the Clan known from the moment he was born by screeching loud enough for NightClan to hear. He was the happiest of the trio and he often kept every cats' spirits up.

Firekit was more reserved and kept to himself. That's to say when his brothers aren't around. At only a moon or so old, the tabby kitten was as playful as ever and loved to play hide-and-seek, moss ball, or Warrior and Mouse.

Adderkit was the serious kit out of his brothers and watched whenever they played games. His keen sight and sharp hearing made Timberskip and Shellfur's interests shoot through the roof of their den. Although he isn't terribly active in playing games, he loves his kin and would do anything to make them proud.

Even Whiteblaze's kits were a litter of four, much to the shock of the Clan. Two she-cats and two toms was a pawful to say the least. Whiteblaze didn't let them out of her sight and frequently fussed and worried about their pelts and safety.

Goosekit was the first to be born and he made sure all his denmates and siblings knew it. Often boasting about how he'll be made an apprentice before Nightstar thinks of his three siblings. He is very stoic and proves to be like Larkflight in some aspects.

Copperkit is the least concerned about how her brother is barely older than her. She loves being out of the nursery and chases just about everything she can get her tiny claws into.

Lilykit and Streamkit were pretty much the same cat but with different names and appearances. Both of them are reserved and self-conscious about what they do and how they act. Lilykit is a bit more cheerful than her younger brother but the two kits do everything together.

Nightstar was shocked at how many kits were in the nursery all at one time and even had the warriors expand the nursery to fit all of them. Nonetheless, her Clan was growing and it was a treat to watch.