Fernkit yawned, stretching in the nest. She felt her mother shuffle slightly beside her, and she relished the warmth of the nest. Then, her belly growled loudly. Oh, that didn't sound good. Maybe I should go to the dirtplace...

As quietly as she could, Fernkit snuck out of the nursery. She padded across camp to the small bramble tunnel next to the camp entrance and ducked inside. She wrinkled her nose at the foul stench, but continued walking until she found a spot to make dirt.

Just as she was finishing up, she heard growls and snarls from outside camp. She lifted her head to see giant, lanky creatures with bright ginger pelts and slavering jaws. Foxes! There were so many, all clustered outside the camp entrance. One was trying to squeeze its way through bramble tunnel, but it stopped suddenly, jerking its muzzle in air. It barked to its companions, and every head swiveled to Fernkit.

Great StarClan, her paws were frozen with fear as the foxes approached her, pointy muzzles snapping with glittering white fangs. She whimpered and began backing slowly into the bramble bush, but the first fox leaped. She turned tail and raced into camp, wailing.

"Foxes! There are foxes in camp!"

Every warrior and apprentice instantly bolted from their dens. Fernkit dove into a small dip in the ground for shelter, and blinked up at the battle taking place before her. She saw Dawnshadow fighting two vixens side-by-side with Marigoldshine. Nearby, Gullpaw and Antpaw were scratching and biting a huge dog fox. Fernkit saw Twigpaw and Breezepaw leap in to help their denmates, and the dog fox was sent fleeing from camp.

We're winning! Fernkit's thoughts were interrupted by a screech of anger and hatred coming from the nursery. She turned to see Cloudleap and Dewfrost, the two queens, side-by-side and growling at a vixen, even larger than the dog fox that the apprentices had scared away. Oh no.

The vixen snapped its jaws, connecting with Dewfrost's ear. The dark gray tabby wailed in pain as another fox lifted her off the ground by her tail. Cloudleap launched herself at her friend, knocking her to the ground. Woah. Good job mother!

Then, she saw a smaller vixen enter the nursery. The queens didn't notice, but a heartbeat later every cat stopped when they heard an anguished wail, followed by a quick snap!

The vixen emerged, carrying a small limp form. I-is that a kit? The fox yelped to the others, and they all ran out of camp. Each was carrying something, either off of the fresh-kill pile or... or a cat.

"W-which kit was that?" Some cat called out.

Cloudleap gulped and ducked into the nursery. A wail of pure agony followed, and the queen came back out.

"L-Leafkit and Fernkit. They're both dead!" Cloudleap wailed, flinging herself down into the dirt and sobbing. Dewfrost sat next to her, her eyes full of grief for her friend.

Leafkit, Fernkit choked back a sob as she thought of her sister, a clumsy but sweet she-kit. She loved to talk on and on about being a warrior, she couldn't take it anymore and wailed. Now she'll never get to be one!

She realized that her father had his ears perked in her direction. "Fernkit? Is that you?"

"Y-yes," she stuttered, standing up shakily. "I-I'm fine."

Her mother and father quickly rushed over to her, searching her pelt for wounds. After they were sure she would live, Cloudleap collapsed on the ground with another heartbreaking wail.

"My kit! My precious kit! She's dead, and it's all my fault! I should have seen that fox go into the nursery!"

Every cat around the grieving family bowed their heads. Hawthornkit and Briarkit came bounding out of the nursery to sit with their parents and sister, while Rabbitkit and Locustkit sat with Dewfrost.

I saw the vixen go into the nursery, Fernkit sobbed harder, and her father, Whitetalon, wrapped his fluffy tail around her. I should have said something. I could have saved Leafkit. It's all my fault.

✩︎✮︎✩︎✮︎✩︎✮︎✩︎✮︎✩︎✮︎✩︎✮︎✩︎✮︎✩︎

Fernkit shivered. The vigil for all the cats who died in the fox attack, including Leafkit, Antpaw, Gullpaw, and Heathercloud, had just ended. All the cats that had stayed to honor the young cats were beginning to stir, ready to head off to their dens. She felt her mother shift beside her and slowly rise to her paws.

"I'm going to get some rest," Cloudleap murmured to no cat in particular, her blue eyes glazed with sadness.

Whitetalon nodded, then turned his gaze back to the night sky. Fernkit followed his gaze up to Silverpelt. An uncountable number of stars glittered overhead. I wonder which one is Leafkit.