It was the day Mothkit had been waiting for!

Today was the day!

Her Colony's Seeker was returning
home and bringing with them gifts for The Monarchs, those expecting and not, and Wise Ones, fresh and strange herbs for The Medics to try and find new cures with and most importantly, in the young molly's mind, new stories of grand adventures.

She and her siblings, even her older denmates, Spiderkit and Cobrakit,
had stayed up well past their assigned bedtime to watch for signs that their Seeker was coming home.

As well as who they would choose as the next Seeker.

Seekers are cats who are shrouded in mystery and they rarely choose the next Seeker right away, usually receiving signs from the stars or sometimes...not at all.

Mothkit shivered as she sat among her Colony on pine needles and burrs as they waited for their Seeker to walk into camp.

Finally, the bushes rustled and out stepped, a tall, heavily scarred black tom with ice blue eyes with white paws and tail tip with an unusual white marking on his face, letting his piercing gaze scan over the crowd, over to her group of kits in particular, she noticed with a sudden chill, before he moved on to sit in front of Paladin Toto's den, which was a large maze of darkness beneath the great Stepping Tree.

He looked as if he were trying to catch his breath for a moment before he parted his jaws in a commanding yowl.

"Scholar Duskdance, Captain Quincy, Medics Dewflame and Runningbreeze, gather here! Our esteemed Paladin Toto and our beloved Proxy Lavender must also join us in my den if you would. We have much to discuss about the future of our Colony." His eyes searched the crowd for the cats he requested, his tail lashing the only sign he was growing restless.

A young, tall calico by the name of Turtlesplash stepped forward with a dip of their head, their green eyes fixed on the Seeker's steadily.

"Forgive me, Icejumper, but Proxy Lavender and Paladin Toto are out hunting with Runningbreeze. It seems my sister Dewflame, has caught whitecough."

Icejumper's eyes widened in horror.

"Stars no. This is a bad omen! Quickly, where are Quincy and Duskdance?"

Turtlesplash's ears flattened.

"Overseeing to the borders and strengthening our defenses."

Icejumper's tail lashed again in fury as he started digging his long claws into the ground.

"A bad omen indeed. I suppose I should just take matters into my own paws then. The stars have shown me my Student. As tradition, I will take her now. Please give my regards to your sister, Turtlesplash."

Turtlesplash winced, bowing their head.

"Of course, Seeker. I understand."

The crowd followed the calico's lead, with bowed heads and lowered to their bellies to let the tom pass.

A cold shudder ran down Mothkit's spine as Icejumper approached the kits, and immediately grabbed her sister, Olivekit, by her scruff.

"What's going on?! Let me go! Let me go! Mothkit! Stonekit! Silverkit! Daddy! Runningbreeze, please!
Somebody, help me!" The black and dark ginger molly wailed as the black tom carried her away.

As her sister's cries fainted into the distance, the crowd parted ways, off to do their own duties, some went to gather the many gifts that Icejumper had brought.

Mothkit couldn't move nor speak as someone placed a shiny stone in front of her.

Was this really tradition?

Or had Icejumper just made a decision that could send the Colonies into complete chaos?

🌙💜🌙💜🌙💜🌙💜🌙💜🌙💜🌙💜🌙💜🌙💜🌙💜🌙💜🌙💜

Up top is Icejumper!!

Ain't he cute? ;)

- P.