Fernkit took another half-hearted bite of mouse. She was watching Locustkit and Rabbitkit play-fight, not feeling in the mood to join in. I haven't really been in the mood for anything since Leafkit died.

Nearly a quarter moon had passed since the fox attack, but WindClan was still grieving hard. Every night, all the queens and kits in the nursery went to a heather patch were four flat stones marked the lives of Leafkit, Gullpaw, Antpaw, and Heathercloud.

   She shouldn't be in the belly of a fox right now, Fernkit's eyes began to water. It should be me. I saw the vixen, but I was too scared to say anything. No good warrior would be too afraid to save a clanmate, let alone a littermate! She tipped her head back in a silent, agonized wail. I'm so, so sorry. This never should have happened.

   She felt fur press against her side, and glanced over to see Hawthornkit. Briarkit padded up on her other side.

   "We miss her too," the pale brown tabby tom sighed. "She would have been a good warrior."

   Briarkit nodded with a sniffle. "Sh-she would have."

   Fernkit nodded, feeling choked by her emotions. "It's just not fair!" She managed to mutter. "Why did StarClan have to take her so early? And why in such a horrible way?"

   "Well," Hawthornkit sighed, leaning closer to his remaining sister. "Life is like that sometimes, I guess. But I agree, it sucks. Leafkit should still be here, playing battle patrol with us."

   "Don't speak that name again," the three whipped around to see Cloudleap, her eyes burning with emotions too deep for Fernkit to comprehend. "Leafkit is dead, and she will remain dead. Talking about her won't bring her back, it will only cause more heartache and grief."

   Hawthornkit's fur bristled defensively. "If we don't talk about her, cats will forget her memory!"

   "If that is StarClan's will, to have my daughter fade from existence, then there is nothing we can do to stop it."

   Fernkit gaped at her mother. "But there is something we can do about it! All we have to do is remember her! Can you honestly say that you wish she had never existed?"

   Cloudleap's eyes flashed. "I loved her more than you could ever know, but StarClan doesn't care!" Her bottom lip trembled, and her voice rose to a yowl. "Those cold-hearted, flea-ridden, fox-hearts are undeserving of her soul. She deserves to be alive, and here with a Clan that loves and cherishes her, not with some dead cats that will treat her like any other kit! StarClan are a bunch of murderers, and they should be treated as such. I will no longer worship our warrior ancestors. They cause nothing but grief."

   The whole Clan had come out to stare at the queen. "Cloudleap, you can't blame StarCl-"

   "Then who can I blame?" She cut the medicine cat off. Fernkit was trembling in fear beside her littermates. Mother's gone crazy!

   Cloudleap took a threatening step towards the medicine cat. "Bluewillow, you are blinded by your faith. StarClan are kit-murdering fox-hearts, and that's all they ever were. I used to be blind to their games as well, but now I see. It was all a lie! They don't care for us, they just want to see us all dead!"

   Whitetalon shoved his way through the crowd to face his mate. He stared into Cloudleap's eyes, which were wide and crazed-looking. The queen was twitching, nervously jerking her head from side-to-side, as though she was expecting StarClan to leap out at her from the tall grass.

   What's wrong with her? Fernkit wanted to wail as Dewfrost led her and her littermates back to the nursery. Why can't things just be happy again?

                 ✩︎✮︎✩︎✮︎✩︎✮︎✩︎✮︎✩︎✮︎✩︎✮︎✩︎✮︎✩︎

Fernkit woke from her nightmare in a cold sweat. The foxes... the screams... the blood... the death, she shivered as the scene of the vixen exiting the den, carrying the limp and bloody form of her sister, played over and over again in her mind. I can't stay in here. I need fresh air.

As she stepped out of the brambles, she took in a big gulp of air. She felt her shoulder fur flatten, and her heart rate began to slow. It's so nice tonight, she reflected as she gazed up at the almost-full moon. I'll be an apprentice soon, she sighed as she felt another pang of sadness. But Leafkit won't be there with me.

A rustling in the grass made her head whip around. She saw that some of the grass stalks had been crushed by unseen paws. That's... odd. Fernkit stood, taking a step towards the paw prints. Suddenly, a silver tabby she-cat stepped out from a clump of heather, making Fernkit jump.

Who is she? Fernkit had never seen this cat before, but her gleaming silver tabby fur and her soft blue eyes seemed friendly enough. She can't be an enemy warrior... she looks more like a queen. She strange she-cat's belly was round, and Fernkit could tell by her scent that she had milk.

"W-who are you?" Fernkit asked, silently cursing the tremble in her voice.

The she-cat simply padded closer to her. It was almost as if she were gliding over the grass, as her paws barely made a sound. Strange, Fernkit thought. As the she-cat got closer, Fernkit could see that her paws, tail tip, muzzle, and a heart-shaped patch of chest fur were white on her silver tabby fur. She's certainly very pretty.

"What's your name?" Fernkit asked, curiousity sparking her pelt. "Are you a kittypet, or maybe a loner?"

The she-cat shook her head. "A Clan cat?" The silver tabby nodded. She sat gently down beside Fernkit, wrapping her silky tail around the small kit. Fernkit was soothed by her warm fur and milky scent. This is nice... She snuggled in closer to the strange cat, feeling safe and relaxed.

"Thank you," Fernkit whispered, her eyelids feeling heavy. "I was having a really bad day, well past few days, actually. My sister died, and my mother is going crazy."

The silver tabby nodded, her eyes warm with sympathy. She began to groom Fernkit's unruly fur, causing the kit to become even sleepier.

"You're very nice," The kit yawned. "Goodnight."

And with that, Fernkit drifted off to a peaceful, well-needed sleep.