Hunger kept sleep at bay.

Autumn turned in the ragged straw of her 'nest', looking at Wild Wind.

"I'm hungry." She mewed quietly.

"Me too," Wild Wind comforted her.

"Emberstorm! Help us!" Autumn wailed, her nose stretching out for her older brother.

Soon, his ginger tabby shape came into view.

"Sorry," Emberstorm mewed apologetically. "I don't have any food. But when I'm older, I'll be the best hunter ever! I'll never let you two starve again!"

Autumn let out a weak purr. It had been a moon since her mother had left her.

"Why did mother leave?" she questioned.

Emberstorm looked uncomfortable. And really guilty.

"You look strange," Wild Wind commented. "Tell us, Emberstorm. Why did mother leave?"

Autumn remembered with a pang of sadness that Wild Wind had been taken from them once. He had been gone for only a few sunrises, but Autumn had had trouble sleeping every night. Now, starving and helpless, she was just grateful she had both her littermates with her.

"Uhh," Emberstorm muttered. "I think she had to go, uh, to a different home."

"You're lying! Brothers don't lie!" Wild Wind fired.

Once again, like usual, Autumn was left out. She didn't mind.

"I'm not lying!' Emberstorm protested. "I never lie! Brave cats don't lie!"

"So, you're saying you're a weak cat?" Autumn sniffed.

Wild Wind turned to his sister with respect. He was about to open his mouth when he stopped.

"What is it?" Autumn asked, curious.

"Do you hear that?" Wild Wind hissed.

Emberstorm pricked his ears and padded to the cave entrance. His eyes widened and he raced out of the cave.

I would follow him, Autumn thought ruefully. But I don't have the strength.

Soon, Emberstorm came back in, a black she-cat in tow.

She looks familiar.

Beside her, Wild Wind looked like he was having similar thoughts.

"Who're you?" Wild Wind snarled. "Stay back! I look small, but I'm very powerful!"

"I am Eclipse. I was a friend of your mother's. Where is she, anyway? I didn't take Spark as the abandoning kit type." The she-cat mewed in a soft, pretty voice.

"I don't know!" Wild Wind wailed. He hated it when he didn't know something.

Spark.

Mother has a name.

"But Wild Wind's right. Who are you?" Autumn interrogated eagerly; her hunger forgotten.

"A friend of your mother's." the she-cat repeated. "And I'll save you. Come with me. I can take you to a safe place to live. You'll be warm, fed and happy there."

"We're not leaving!" Emberstorm mewed stubbornly.

"Yeah!" Autumn added. "Spark might come back!"

Emberstorm looked at her with a heartbroken expression.

"Emberstorm, you've been acting funny." Wild Wind turned on his brother. "What's going on?"

"Is she dea-" the she-cat asked Emberstorm before he cut in quickly.

"No!" but he nodded.

"I'm Eclipse. You might remember me. I took care of you when you were younger." The she-cat turned back to Autumn and Wild Wind.

Oh.

"Come with me. I'll help you stay safe." Eclipse urged, reaching out with a paw.

"No!" Wild Wind snarled, unsheathing his claws. "I don't trust you! You claim to know our mother, but I don't believe you!"

Eclipse's face softened. "Are you guys hungry?"

"Very!" Autumn's stomach growled.

"Not at all!" Wild Wind mewed at the same time.

"What he means," Emberstorm purred. "Is that we're starving."

Eclipse dipped her head before leaving the cave.

"I don't trust her." Wild Wind repeated.

"Wild Wind," Emberstorm tried. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course!" the brown tabby mewed, shocked.

"Then trust Eclipse. I know her better than you." Emberstorm's face darkened.

Emberstorm has secrets. And he's not sharing them. Hmph.

Soon, Eclipse was back, a rabbit in her mouth. She set it down and pushed it towards the kits. "Eat."

Autumn was too hungry, and she tucked in eagerly. Emberstorm followed quickly.

"I don't trust her." Wild Wind repeated before taking a bite.

Within seconds, the rabbit was devoured, and the kits' bellies were much fuller than they had been earlier.

"Emberstorm. Where is Spark?" Eclipse questioned the tom.

Emberstorm glanced at Autumn and Wild Wind before hissing something in Eclipse's ear. Her expression went from shock to horror to grief.

"I see." Eclipse mewed carefully. "And where did this...FOX!"

Eclipse bared her teeth at the cave entrance where a lean red creature stood, its pelt soaked with blood.

"It's hungry, and it wants you," Eclipse mewed without looking back. "Emberstorm, protect Wild Wind and Autumn."

"I don't need protecting!" Autumn protested and struggled to look over Emberstorm's broad frame.

Eclipse lunged at the fox, ducking its claw-swipe as she went. She scraped her front claws on its face while kicking its belly using her back claws. The fox let out a high-pitched whine, fresh blood running down its face.

I almost feel sorry for that fox.

Eclipse continued attacking relentlessly, using her claws to nick its ears and rip its flesh. Soon, it was more blood than fox.

The fox left.

Wild Wind gaped at Eclipse while Autumn danced around her excitedly.

"Teach me!" Autumn mewed.

"I trust you." Wild Wind declared.

"Alright, kits. I'll adopt you. You won't survive by yourself." Eclipse licked her chest fur, embarrassed by Autumn's worshipping. "But, as your new guardian, I'm going to tell you what happened to Spark."

"Tell." Wild Wind demanded.

Emberstorm cowered in a corner, his tail tucked between his legs.

"Emberstorm is not your real brother." Eclipse mewed quietly.

"He is!" Autumn argued.

"I know. You call him a brother, and that's okay. But he's not your blood brother. Your real brother died."

"Impossible!" Wild Wind dropped his head.

"Spark told me this bit. We were friends when she was still...here. Her third kit was identical to Emberstorm. His name was Ember. When she left the place she had kitted, she found Emberstorm and took him in. She raised him as her own." Eclipse explained.

"What happened to Spark?" Autumn begged.

"A fox attacked her. She managed to escape, though. I don't know where she is right now." Eclipse's ear twitched.

In the corner of the cave, Emberstorm came out of the ball, blinking at Eclipse gratefully.

"I'm going to take you to where I live. It's a place called the Dynasty of Truth. The camp is hidden in a small ravine in the mountains." Eclipse led them out of the cave. "It's not far from here."

Autumn padded alongside Wild Wind. Emberstorm was throwing questions at Eclipse about Spark, who answered them quickly.

"I trust her." Wild Wind mewed again.

"I know. And I'm glad that we're alive." Autumn nuzzled Wild Wind.

"We're here!" Eclipse called.

Autumn raced to the front and her jaw fell open.

Standing before them was a large crack in the land. As she peered down into the crack, she heard joyful purrs and she could see distant shapes of cats eating and enjoying life.

Autumn knew it was home.