Willowkit sat in the nursery, watching her mother. Mintspot was looking into the distance, her eyes bleary. Her useless leg was stretched out limply in front of her. Willowkit debated askin her mother to go outside. Finally, the enclosed and boring place was too much to take. Willowkit trotted over to Mintspot.
           "Mintspot.., can I go outside?" asked Willowkit in a small voice. Mintspot turned to her as if just realising she was there.
           "Huh?" said Mintspot. 
            "Can I go outside to play?" asked Willowkit slightly louder. She knew she had said something wrong. Mintspot's gaze turned cold and angry. 
             "To play?" she growled. Willowkit never understood what Mintspot had against playing or fun. Everytime it seemed like Willowkit was having fun or was happy, Mintspot would end it. Willowkit finally got used to it, thinking it was just her mother's personality. 
             "Yeah," mumbled Willowkit. 
              "You want to go outside and laugh and play?" Mintspot questioned. Willowkit nodded. That was what she wanted to do. Finally, Mintspot understood. "How dare you? Your brother is gone and all you want to do is play?!" Willowkit backed away. Mintspot had never yelled at her. 
              "I-I'm sorry," mumbled Willowkit. She felt bad. She hadn't meant to upset Mintspot. She hadn't meant to upset her brother either. She wished he would come back. They'd be a proper family. A cat burst into the nursery. It was Beetlejaw. He rushed up to Mintspot and licked her comfortingly on the nose. He glanced at Willowkit, slight concern in his eyes then turned his attention back to Mintspot. 
             "What's wrong?" he asked. "Are you alright?" 
             "Willow- stupid stupid kit," Mintspot spluttered. Beetlejaw gave Willowkit a hard stare.
              "What did you do?" He demanded sternly. Willowkit hunched into a ball. 
               "I just- I just asked if I could play," replied Willowkit in a small voice. 
              "You should have known better than to ask that," Beetlejaw warned. "Mintspot, it's alright. She didn't mean anything by it." 
              "You don't understand," Mintspot said, breathing heavily. "Everyday, I have to deal with her. She keeps wanting to go outside and play, I can see it. She doesn't even care. She doesn't care about Stormkit." Willowkit's eyes widened. Of course she cared about Stormkit! She was sure that he would be the only one who would be able to make things right. The only one who would understand him. 
               "Don't say that. It's not true," Beetlejaw soothed gently. 
               "Of course it's true. She's like the other kits," spat Mintspot. Willowkit bowed her head. Mintspot was talking as if she wasn't there. 
                "Willowkit, go outside for a while. I want to talk to Mintspot alone," Beetlejaw said. "Go have fun." Willowkit shuffled outside then ran through the clearing. She bundled into a few bushes and sprawled on the ground. She pushed her tears away. There was nothing to be sad about. She had always known that Mintspot was different. Not just because of her leg. She didn't gaze at Willowkit lovingly. She didn't talk to her. Not like Wrencry did to Snailkit and Acornkit. 
               "Hey Willowkit," came a gentle voice. Willowkit turned around. She was at the elder's den. Russetstorm lay under the shade of a bush. "How are you?" 
               "Good," mumbled Willowkit. Of course she wasn't good. 
               "Hmmm," Russetstorm said slowly. "Do you miss your brother?" Willowkit nodded. 
               "A lot," she said. And she did. Even though she never remembered him. She missed him. She ached for him to come back. 
                "Well, do you want me to tell you a bit about your brother?" asked Russetstorm. "Or has your mother already told you?" Mintspot had never directly told her any information about her brother. 
               "No, please tell me," Willowkit said, sitting up. 
               "Well, when your brother was born, underneath this tree, he was big and strong. When I licked him, I could feel him wriggling. It was as if he was already trying to walk. He had really soft fur and a loud meow. When I brought him outside and hid him in the cover of a bush, I continued licking him. Do you know what he did then? He cried for milk. It was so cute. I could have sworn he said milk. Anyway, after that, you- you know the rest," sighed Russetstorm. Willowkit nodded. Stormkit sounded like a strong and brave kit. He would be a great warrior. No wonder his parents missed him so much. No wonder Mintspot was so distracted by him leaving. Willowkit tried to picture herself. Small, frail and shy. Only socialising with Acornkit, not the warriors, not the apprentices, not even the elders. Maybe that's why Mintspot never really paid attention to her. Because she wasn't as good as her brother. She hung her head. Or maybe Mintspot was just like that. Willowkit sighed. She looked up at the sky and imagined her brother. Maybe he was in a better place.