Diverging Paths (Warrior Cats Fanfiction)

Chapter 35

13 moons ago...

"Oh, Hollowkit! You're too sweet!"

Flakefall giggled as the little two-moon-old tuxedo kit waddled up to her with a less-than-impressive, tiny bunch of flowers. There were many of them growing along the bramble wall now that greenleaf was dawning, but the one brought to her in particular was special - because it had been brought to her by her son. Or, well, the kit who she had accepted as her son.

Hollowkit opened his mouth to speak, dropping the flower and not noticing he had dropped it. "It's for you, mama."

The white, red-eyed she-cat swished around her bluish-silver tail in amusement, giggling. "I know, honey." She dragged Hollowkit closer with one of her bluish-silver paws, making the tom-kit squeal and squirm as she licked his head.

"Mama, stop! Please! You're gonna mess up my fur!" he complained, his tail waving wildly as his mother purred and groomed him.

"Mom's just trying to clean you, Hollowkit." Flakefall turned her head to see Highkit, one of Hollowkit's sisters, approaching. The she-kit was clearly trying to have a steady, respectable gait, but still had imperfections in her trot that were typical of young kits. Flakefall kept in a chuckle, respecting the she-kit's attempt.

"But I don't want her to..." the little tom-kit mewled, as Flakefall let go of her grip on him and he scrambled towards his sister.

"Well, she has to. How else is she gonna get rid of your ugly eye?" Highkit questioned him, poking Hollowkit's head with a paw. Her comment made her brother cower down in overwhelming self-consciousness.

"Highkit!" Flakefall exclaimed; the she-kit perked up her ears and widened her eyes as she saw her mother frowning at her, tail-tip flicking. "That is not appropriate. Apologize to your brother now."

Highkit tensed up and raised her eyebrows, lowering her gaze back to her crying brother. She could not understand why he was crying, but when she saw him so sad, she became a bit sad herself. Plus, her mother was angry at her; how could she deny her wishes? "Oh. I'm sorry, Hollowkit. I didn't wanna make you cry. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," he murmured, clearly not okay.

Flakefall sighed. "You need to learn to not always speak your mind like that, Highkit. Some cats might not like what you say."

Highkit raised her eyes back up toward her mom and pinned her ears back. "But how will I know?"

"Well...how would you feel if I called you ugly?" Flakefall inquired.

"Er...bad," she mewed in an almost defeated tone.

"Exactly. And how do you think Hollowkit feels, after he's called ugly?"

Highkit looked back towards her brother, once again absorbing all of the hurt he felt, and feeling even worse about it. "Bad."

"Exactly."

Hollowkit still seemed broken up about it, and Highkit recalled faintly all the times that she had heard her father, Sickbreath, casting him annoyed or irritated glances or making insulting remarks about his eye. Oh. He's already really sad. I shouldn't make him more sad.