Elmkit blinked, the sun stinging her eyes as she stepped out into the clearing, the breeze brushing gently across her face and ruffling her light brown fur. Something slammed into her from the side, knocking the breath out of her.

"Applekit!" She hissed as her brother rolled her over onto her back. She kicked him off, sending him flying into the dirt. Seeing her mother watching her, she looked at her, wanting approval.

"Very good!" Her mother, Blueleap called, her gray pelt shining. Elmkit got up and shook herself and trotted over to Applekit.

"Haha." She meowed and walked away, tail up. Her father, Boulderheart, trotted into camp with a squirrel in his jaws, his muscles rippling under his gray tabby pelt. As Elmkit walked over to him and he glanced at her but didn't put his prey down. Elmkit sighed and walked back to the nursery.

"Why doesn't he love me?" She muttered.

"He does! He..." Her mother trailed off, her eyes filled with sadness. Elmkit watched from the nursery entrance as Applekit and Dawnkit, her littermates, scampered over to see their father. Boulderheart's ears pricked up and he turned toward them, crouching down.

"Hey there!" He meowed playfully. The two kits squeaked and jumped on him, purring.

Elmkit turned away, looking at her mother. "You know what? Boulderheart's heart is a boulder." She meowed. "He doesn't show any affection to me!" She added. Purring, Blueleap licked her ears. "If he doesn't want to love you then that's his problem. I will always love you, no matter what." Elmkit didn't reply but went to sit in the nest. Before she realized it, she was asleep.

Hushed meows awoke her. Elmkit sat up and stretched. The den was dark and Applekit, Fogkit, and Dawnkit. were sleeping next to her, their breath barely audible.

"You can't keep treating her like that!" That was her mother. "Well...I-I can treat her any way I want." Boulderheart muttered. "No, you can't! She's your kit for Starclan's sake." Blueleap growled.

"You know what? I wish I never even brought kit here! I wish I never let you raise her as our kit!" Boulderheart meowed, his voice raising.

Elmkit's head began to spin. 'I-I'm not...I'm not Blueleap's daughter? Then where am I from? Who are my parents?' These thoughts ran through her head as she sat down abruptly. Blueleap gasped.

"Don't say that! If you are this unhappy about her, then why did you bring her back in the first place?" She asked Boulderheart. "Because I couldn't leave that scrap in that place! She would have died or-" He cut off, seeing Firestar emerge from his den. "Whats going on?" He asked.

"Oh, nothing. Boulderheart and I were just...discussing something." Blueleap mewed, trying to sound cheerful. "Hmm." Firestar replied, turning back to his den.

"This conversation is over." Blueleap meowed.

"Fine." Boulderheart replied, turning away to the warriors den.

Hearing her mother stand up and pad back to the nursery, Elmkit jumped up and scampered back to her nest, closing her eyes and slowing her breathing. Blueleap entered and padded wearily over to the nest. She stopped, looking at her two gray kits and one brown kit. She shook her head and wrapped herself around them, quickly into a troubled sleep.