"It seems like you're fine, but Shade begs to differ," Heather said, examining her. Wildflower and Shade had gotten back to the camp by now and she made a direct beeline towards the healers' den. Heather was the only one in there, sorting out herbs as usual as spies came in and dropped off the herbs they had found while exploring. Maybe she should've been a spy instead, at least they get to wander around.

     Then again, I wouldn't be able to fight, Wildflower thought to herself. All they really do is scouter unknown places, find herbs, or act as messengers to the Tribe of Shining Suns and the Training Den. Wildflower set her head down on her paws.

     Should I tell her about the voice in my head?

     "What's going on? Feel sick?"

     "Sick to my stomach," Wildflower groaned, trying to sound tired.

     "Nope! You're just tired. That's why you should go to sleep earlier instead of staying up and hanging out with your family!" Heather claimed, cuffing Wildflower in the ear. She flinched but the healer was already on the job of dabbing it with some wet moss. "Honestly, what have you been taught?"

     "To be perfect," Wildflower answered sarcastically. The healer glared at her angrily, fire spreading through her veins. 

     "Just get some rest. Whether you stay here or walk around camp, but do not go outside and into the territory," Heather instructed and then left her patient on the nest. The tabby went back towards her herb pile. Wildflower pushed herself back onto her aching paws.

     Fresh air might do the trick, she thought, making her way towards the exit. The sunlight met her first. She covered her eyes for a second, trying to process all of the vibrant lights swarming in like an angry bee mob. Finally, her eyes adjusted and she spotted some cats around each other, seeming to play a game.

     Maple was by Dandelion and Blaze was over by the other betas. To join him would be improper; she knew that doing so would only get her in trouble all because of her low rank. 

     Wildflower's claws were unleashed and dug into the ground. Soon I'll be able to join him! I'll become Alpha if I have to!

     "And with your mistakes?" Her mind hissed, doubting lacing in its voice.

     Origanum only became the Alpha because she didn't want to be kicked out! Neither do I! So becoming Alpha would be like---

     "Oh, copying off of Origanum?"

     Wildflower stopped dead in her tracks. The camp was warmer, the wind blowing against the mountain top, roaring of an incoming storm. She glared at the sky, wishing that the storm wouldn't roll in, but her mind laughed anyway, leaving her along with the breeze. Silent for a moment, the scouter looked over at her mother and with no other option, padded over. 

     Maple's ear flicked as she heard the incoming paw steps. Dandelion lifted her head. "Wildflower, how kind of you to show up," she said, nodding to her right side. "Are you here for a story along with your older sister?"

     "Mother!" Maple exclaimed, her pelt growing red with embarrassment. "We aren't kits any more!"

     "But we are!" An excited squeal popped up behind Wildflower. She jumped up, whirling around to see the innocent pair of eyes of Bounce and Snow. "We're kits!"

     "Yeah! Yeah!" Snow agreed, not wanting to be left out. "Kits! Us!"

     Maple leaned over towards Wildflower's ear, strictly whispering, "Snow's got a speech problem, so don't say anything that points it out."

     "Story! Tell!" Snow said, her amber eyes shone. "Fun time!" Her brother didn't seem to mind her speech disorder. What caught Wildflower's eye was on the white she-kit's back, instead of seeing two back legs and paws, her back right leg was gone. 

     What's going to happen to her? Wildflower thought, frowning at the smaller kit. A kit born into the Tribe of Shining Suns with two disabilities. How would that fair?

     "It was confirmed that Snow will be killed before she makes it to the Training Den," Maple answered. The words sunk in like ice. Horror reflected in her own eyes, but the little kit was blind to see what was going on inside of her. Wildflower felt her paws shake and she forced them still, pretending she didn't hear.

     Snow had no idea of her destiny. For all she knew, the kit was waiting eagerly to join the tribe as a true member. Blind to what was going to happen in the future for her. Cut short, just like a twig. The runt of the litter smiled again, her eyes stuck on Dandelion.

     "Time! Story! Fun! Now!" she sputtered out.

     "Please? Mother said she needed some alone time!" Bounce said, "she's meeting with the Alpha right now!"

     In that moment, Wildflower knew what was going to happen. Looking at Snow, she could see it play before her eyes. Everything that Snow had hoped for, a loving mother and father, becoming a member with her brother -  would be taken away by force. 

     It made her sick to her stomach but it was for a better cause. Heron would have to kill Snow before her time came. She argued with herself, though the thought completely crushed her insides. A family turned on family, a mother slaying her beloved kit. The light in the kit's eyes dying out like a flame. 

     Sound was shut off with a single blink. Anything that was going on outside was coated in darkness. Her heart thumped against her chest evenly but quickened its pace as if she herself was receiving the deadly blow. A quick slash to her open throat. Blood sprayed out, drenching her mother's paws. Another attack on the side, causing her to lose her balance. Finally, jaws that were once friendly and helpful now went for the kill. 

     Jagged teeth digging into her scruff only to lose her life seconds later. Wildflower's eyes became dull once again, unable to respond to the outside world now. A limp body that the mother had once given birth to, now gone from this world at her own paws.

     "Perfection!" Her mind taunted in a singing melody. "Everything's so perfect now!"

     Stop it! Wildflower roared.

     "Wildflower!" Dandelion shouted, snapping her out of her thoughts. Snow pressed up against her pelt, comforting her as she panicked. Her chest heaved for breath, brain still bouncing around like it was on catmint. 

     It was almost like she wasn't in control of her body anymore.

     "Okay? Fine?" Snow mumbled beside her, pressing her head closer. Wildflower shook her head, forcing her brain to snap back into place. "Safe. Good," the kit said, stepping back and tripping over her back leg.

     She fell on the ground, not bothering to get up. Bounce looked at Wildflower, then back to his little sister. "What happened?"

     "Danger. Flashing lights. Death," Snow replied without emotion.

     "How come I'm slightly concerned about what you know?" Maple asked, trying to lighten the mood. Unfortunately, no cat bothered to answer her. "I'll have to teach---"

     Dandelion shoved her tail in her daughter's mouth before she could spill out anymore gossip. "Enough!" she snarled and her daughter shrank back. Wildflower was still stunned in the place but slowly regained herself. "Now, I'm willing to tell a story now, just to shut all of you up!"

     Yep, she's back, Wildflower thought, glad to hear her own voice ringing in her head that wasn't out for her.

     "Hehehe... Perfection! Perfection! All you gotta do is be perfect!  Her mind gleeful sang. Wildflower bit her tongue instead of lashing at herself. 

     "Storytime!" Bounce shouted, sitting right in front of Dandelion. "Tell us about---"

     "Trees," Snow answered, her eyes lighting up. "Trees. Trees. Trees!" She repeated, lashing her tail, jumping up slightly with her three paws. Wildflower observed how the tiny kit handled herself with three legs, impressed that the she-kit adapted to the setback.

     "Trees?" Maple questioned and Dandelion cuffed her in the ear. "Ow! Okay!"

     "So you want to know about trees?" she asked sweetly, her voice laced with honey. Wildflower sighed, trying to be relaxed this one time.

     "No! Yes!" Snow chirped.

     A yes or no, no maybe, Wildflower thought.

     "I can tell you about what it's like in the tribe," Dandelion offered, pushing the little kit's request aside. Snow didn't seem to mind and if she did, she didn't show it. 

     "Yes!" Bounce exclaimed. "Even better! Tell us about you! What about your mommy?"

     "That's..." Dandelion frowned, glancing outside of the camp. "Complicated, since she's dead." Wildflower saw her mother's pale eyes shift upwards towards the blue sky. Maple looked up as well and kept her mouth shut as well. "But I never stayed around her much since I was busy trying to serve this tribe."

     Wildflower only heard a few stories from time to time about Dandelion's mother but never any stories about her father. Dandelion seemed to block any kind of story of her father but seemed fine with telling her kits about her mother. 

     I wonder what this one will be about.

     "But I had siblings," Dandelion said, smiling at Bounce and Snow. "An older brother and sister and a little brother."

     "Where are they?" Bounce asked.

     "Dead," Maple answered and Dandelion cuffed her over the ear once again. "Fine! I'll shut up!" She yowled, rubbing both of her ears as she hid the laugh that tugged at her muzzle.

     "You'll never shut up," Dandelion sighed. Bounce and Snow both looked at Maple as she stalked away, heading towards the guardians' den. Wildflower snickered to herself at her sister's big mouth.

     "Dead? Fact?" Snow asked worriedly, looking up at Dandelion with sad eyes. Her amber pools now flooding with emotion. Bounce intertwined his black tail with her silver tail.

     "Yes," Dandelion replied. "They're happy now, away from me."

     "Why?" Bounce asked.

     She didn't need to hear the rest of the story. Dandelion had never gotten along with her siblings. Dandelion's mother, Magnolia, had a sour relation with her kits without their father around to protect them. That was a leading factor why Wildflower and her siblings were always together, their bond strong enough to withstand problems. Their mother pushing each of them to have the bonds she never had with her own siblings and mother.

     Every one of her siblings had a strong relationship with each other. It was one of the things that she valued above all. Family.

     Even though I'm told not to care about them or my friends---

     "Friends, you say?" Her mind sneered at her. "You barely have any; all you do is hang out with your family."

     Wildflower cut her thought short.

     "You need friends, even though you feel like your family is the only one you can turn to."

     And I thought you were just here to tease me.

     "That's my purpose! I'm you and you are me. Together, we make Wildflower---"

     No. I'm Wildflower. You're just my mind talking to myself. We aren't the same.

     "I'll still be around, no matter what you say. What I'm trying to do for you is help you."

     The last voice that Wildflower heard had a different tone to it. That voice seemed to feast on her anxiety and grow stronger as it consumed more. 

     While this voice seemed calmer. This one seemed to be encouraging her. She didn't want to get her hopes to rise too high if there was a chance for this voice to turn malicious.

     "I know you hang with your family so much, but maybe you'd see something else if you had friends."

     Explain. Now.

     "You may rely on your family a lot and there's nothing wrong with that. What I'm trying to say is family may be blood, but there isn't any harm running toward a friend who has turned into family."

     Wildflower saw Snow and Bounce smile at Dandelion's story, the two kits dancing and twirling as they cheered. She shut her eyes and slowly inched away, hoping she could sneak away without their notice. 

     "We're perfect, we can't be broken to pieces or hit rock bottom. So, why do I feel like rock bottom is splitting beneath me and I'm falling?"