leopardflight, warrior

Serving under the regime of the noble Heronstar, his deputy Paleotter and the medicine cat Vardenspeckle, the ReedClan tom known as Thistleheart was perhaps one of the best warriors of his generation. From the moment he became an apprentice to the day he earned his warrior name, there was no doubt that there was something special about him; sharp of mind, strong of body and yet humble of heart, there was never a battle that he refused to fight for his Clanmates, nor was there ever a patrol that he wouldn’t volunteer for. His loyalty, friendliness and bravery made him popular among his Clan and earned him the respect of the higher positions – at one point, there had even been whispers that he would likely become the next deputy after Heronstar passed the baton. But whenever the subject was touched upon, he would merely smile and politely decline. [‘If it comes to it, I would proudly take up the mantle as ReedClan’s deputy, but I am truly happy as I am and there are greater cats more suited for such an honor,’] he would say with warm tones, his eyes soft and fond as he’d gaze out across ReedClan’s camp. [‘I have wonderful friends, a strong Clan, and a beautiful home; why would I ever wish for more?’] And for many moons, it had remained that way - right up until a small fire swept through ReedClan's territory and tossed Thistleheart's world upside down.

The blaze could hardly be called a disaster despite appearances and concerns; with that greenleaf's weather having been particularly dry a few flare-ups had been expected and the ReedClan leadership had already made preparations in the event a fire broke out. Rendezvous points and evacuations routes had long been carefully marked out, and as the first billows of smoke rolled into the camp the Clan was already in the process of moving. And in the process, Thistleheart once again proved that he was a true warrior, weaving through ember and smoke, heat and soot to offer assistance or comfort to his Clanmates as Heronstar and Paleotter lead them through burning brush to safer grounds. However, as the Clan began to finally clear the smoky air, a soft sound on the wind caught Thistleheart's ear - a muffled cry that the ReedClan warrior wouldn't ignore. Back through the smoke he charged, heedless to the calls of his Clanmates for him to return to the safety of the path as his paws followed the sound back to the edge of the fire. ['Somebody help me, please! I can't get out!'] with every step the distant cry slowly turned into a distinct voice, choked and rough and desperately afraid, until at last he finally happened upon the source: a young, unfamiliar molly who had been trapped within a foxhole by a flaming branch that was steadily filling the cavern with smoke.

There was no hesitation in Thistleheart as he dug his claws into the burning wood, wrenching and pulling and chipping at the obstruction with all the strength he could muster. With every attempt embers scorched his paws and smoke burned his lungs, and in his peripheral vision he could steadily see the blaze coming closer - but not once did he think to abandon the stranger to her fate. [‘Don't worry, I'm here, I won’t leave you,’] had been his promise to the terrified molly, his determined blue gaze finding the terrified amber eyes through the billows. [‘I promise you, you’re going to be alright! Just stay low until I can get to you! I’m coming!’] Like a mantra he repeated his promise as he kept up the assault, attempting to keep the molly alert and awake and growing more desperate as her responses began to grow weaker with each passing minute. Ignoring his own pains, Thistleheart redoubled his efforts, clawing and tearing at the branch until at last the obstacle gave way with a resounding 'crack!' that split it in two. Diving over the broken pieces, the ReedClan warrior snatched at the molly's scruff, pulling her bodily from the foxhole just before the blaze could reach them. And then, heaving the disorientated stranger onto his shoulders, Thistleheart proceeded to carry her straight to the safety of the rendezvous point.

Before the next day dawned the fire had teetered out, leaving behind a few scorched areas and even blessedly fewer injuries. The worst of it was several bouts of smoke inhalation and minor burns that would heal quickly, with the most severe being Thistleheart's charred fore-paws. Though Vardenspeckle was able to treat the injuries, some of the damage done to the brave warrior would never heal despite the medicine cat's best efforts; Thistleheart would always carry blotchy scarring over the pads and he'd never regain full feeling in the flesh. [‘It was worth it,’] had been Thistleheart's firm opinion on the matter when he'd been given the news, his gaze steadily shifting to the nest next to his and the resting ginger form within it. ['And I will always consider it such.] Alongside Thistleheart, the molly he had rescued - a young loner who called herself Tansy - had also been taken into Vardenspeckle's den. In her attempt to flee the fire, Tansy had crossed into ReedClan's borders hoping to seek refuge near one of the rivers, but had been cut off and forced to hide in a foxhole when she'd been trapped. Hearing her story, Heronstar had taken pity upon the injured loner, and once the Clan had returned to their camp had offered her refuge and care within ReedClan until she was strong enough to leave - an offer that Tansy was more than grateful to accept.

It would be within the walls of the Medicine Cat's Den that Tansy would formally meet her rescuer, and the seeds of destiny would take root. Under Vardenspeckle's careful care, both Thistleheart and Tansy steadily grew stronger and healthier, and all throughout their stay they would be other's constant companion. One couldn't enter the den without seeing the two huddled together, either idly chatting the day away or griping about being confined. And the the more they talked, the more charmed Thistleheart became by the molly at his side; with each passing day the terrified, smoke-choked molly he'd saved revealed herself to be one of the most confident and fierce cats he'd ever met, boldly asking questions of Clanlife and surprising him with sharp-tongued quips. Sometimes she would perplex him, such as when cats would enter and she'd watch them quietly before commenting on their moods or calling them out on fibs they'd tell to Vardenspeckle - most of which turned out to be eerily accurate. For her part, the very act that someone had cared enough to save her life or that an entire group of cats had allowed her to stay with them to heal had touched Tansy deeply, and soon enough the ginger loner found herself swept away by both Thistleheart's kindness and the tales he told of his Clan and their lifestyle - two things, she found, that she wished to know more intimately.

Eventually, the time came that Thistleheart was healthy enough to resume his warrior duties whilst Tansy was declared strong enough to return to her loner life. However, as the ginger molly took her leave of Vardenspeckle's den, rather than make for the entrance as expected she instead padded straight up to Heronstar with an unexpected request on her tongue: a desire to remain in ReedClan. ['All my life I've been taught to rely on myself,'] she'd explained, her voice level and low with respect to the ReedClan leader. ['But without you and your Clan's kindness, I would have perished. Now I wish to repay you with my life and loyalty. Please allow me the chance to learn your ways and beliefs... please Heronstar, allow me the chance to join the Clan and cats who saved my life...']. Naturally, Tansy's request was met with a mixed reception, with many warriors advocating for her and others skeptical, but after careful consideration Heronstar allowed the molly the chance she so desired, but in a unique move, rather than assigning her to a single warrior to be trained, Heronstar instead declared that it would be the responsibility of all the Clan to teach their newest member their ways. ['We as a whole kept her alive, now we as a whole will integrate her into our lives.'] And with that, ReedClan welcomed their newest apprentice into their midst.

Under the guidance of the Clan, the newly christened Tansypaw began to learn the ways of the Warrior Code and StarClan. Her mentors would rotate daily, with any warriors who weren't busy with their own duties taking up the mantle of training that day - Thistleheart chief among them. Elders would welcome her to their den with stories of past deeds and legends, whilst queens and apprentices would share their own experiences in Clanlife openly to her eager ears. Some days were easier, whilst others were harder: the lesson of learning how to rely on others and not just herself taking the most time for the ginger molly to acclimate to, but over the course of her apprenticeship the former loner steadily began to flourish as a Clan cat in her own right. But even as she grew into a capable huntress and battler, it would always be that strange skill Thistleheart had noticed in the Medicine Cat's Den that would distinguished her from the rest of her Clanmates - that knowing of a cat's mood or truthfulness just by watching them. This, along with her perseverance and determination, would silence the voices of the skeptics the most, with many calling it a gift from StarClan themselves and wondering just what it was that let their newest member know such things. But whenever anyone asked, Tansypaw would grow visibly uncomfortable and instead change the subject, never once giving a clear answer to anyone.

Whatever the young molly's secret was however was of little consequence to her Clanmates despite their curiosity. In the end, it was a gift that belonged to their Clanmate, and if she wished not to say how it worked that was her choice. Perhaps she didn't know how exactly it worked either, or maybe she couldn't say - either way, it was hers and she was theirs. That was all that mattered. Faced with such acceptance only pushed Tansypaw to excel further for her new Clan; no challenge was too big, no battle too hard, and only eight moons from the day she had requested to join the Clan Tansypaw finally earned her warrior's name. Long gone was Tansy the Loner, who had relied only on herself and trusted no one, and in her place stood Tansypetal, a fully accepted member of ReedClan who the stars themselves watched over from above - and who had stolen the heart of one of ReedClan's most respected warriors. The friendship that had grown between Tansypetal and Thistleheart over the course of their stay in the Medicine Cat's Den had deepened throughout her stay in ReedClan, blossoming into sincere affection that transformed into a romance neither were expecting. Wherever one was the other was never far behind, with the two often sneaking out of camp to hunt or patrol alone together or snuggling close to share tongues whenever they returned, both simply taking pleasure in the other's presence at their side.

Therefore, it came as no surprise when Tansypetal's stomach began to swell in the waning weeks of a leaf-bare. ['All you overgrown kits will have to deal without me there to bail you out for a time,] she had joked, amber eyes sparkling as she addressed her friends and Clan. ['By new-leaf I'll be too busy nursing my own!'] All at once, the Clan had rallied to her, offering congratulations and expressing their excitement at the promise of new life in the wake of both Paleotter and Vardenspeckle's sudden deaths. Thistleheart had been unable to contain his joy at the news, and over the course of the pregnancy became a staple in the Nursery next to Tansypetal's nest. For two moons, the two mates seemed to relive the days they'd spent in the Medicine Cat's Den - idly discussing name possibilities, betting one another on how large the litter would be or pestering other queens for any advice they could offer. The new medicine cat, a tom by the name of Beaverfang, also became a common sight among the queens, fussing over the mother-to be for a time before leaving pleased that her progress was going well. So when leaf-bare finally began to fade into new-leaf, the Clan blissfully and eagerly welcomed its newest members into the fold - two tiny molly kits, both sporting bright tricolor pelts - one calico and the other tortoiseshell - with the calico even sporting a tail similar to her mother's.

By all accounts, the kitting had gone extremely well. Both kittens were healthy and strong, and needed little guidance in finding their mother's belly. However, the strain of the birth seemed to have taken a lot out of Tansypetal herself; when Thistleheart entered the den to meet his newborn daughters, the molly could hardly even muster up a smile for her mate. ['I'm just a little tired, Thistleheart,'] she replied in the face of his worry. ['I've heard kitting will do that to a queen, you know. I'll be fine tomorrow, so let's focus on these two; they still need names.] What followed after that was a short debate on possible names each liked, with most getting shot down by one or the other before at last they settled on two. To the calico molly with her mother's plumed tail, Thistleheart christened as Bramblingkit, and to the other Tansypetal titled as Maplekit. That night, Thistleheart opted to stay in the Nursery curled up beside his exhausted mate and children, basking in the glow of his new family - only to awaken the next day to discover tragedy in its place. The early hours of the new-leaf dawn saw Beaverfang rushing from his den at Thistleheart's heartbroken cries, where the medicine cat found the tom sprawled over Tansypetal's cold body, still curled around their daughters in her nest - a causality of unforeseen complications that sent her to StarClan in the night...

The loss of Tansypetal was a hard blow to the moral of the Clan a whole, but none so much as Thistleheart himself. Throughout her vigil, the gray-and white warrior was completely despondent and still, only moving from his seat when the time came to take her body out to be buried. Once the act was done, however, a new determination seemed to settle over the stricken tom, who made a beeline straight into the Nursery to see to his daughters. ['They are my last link to Tansypetal - the kits she looked forward to so much. She's not here to love them, but I am, and I always will be,] he had stated to his fellow warriors, the two colorful mollies clutched snugly between his charred paws as he watched them warmly. And for the rest of their kit-hood, Thistleheart remained true to his promise. Much like their mother before them, the responsibility of caring for Bramblingkit and Maplekit was shared between the queens of the Nursery, with each rotating their care to another daily whilst their father visited them every chance he could. To make up for his intrusions, the tom would often bring fresh-kill to each of the queens, who in turn tolerated his presence in their midst. As a result, Thistleheart was a constant presence in his daughters' lives, watching over their progress and entertaining them with stories of their mother all throughout their kit-hood.

This pattern only changed when Bramblingkit and Maplekit reached their sixth moon, becoming apprentices to ReedClan in the waning moons of Heronstar's leadership. The noble tom had long began to show his age, and rarely left his den; as such, the young mollies' Apprentice Ceremony was instead overseen by Ripplecreek, the valiant and noble warrior whom Heronstar had selected as his new deputy after Paleotter's passing. The ceremony itself went off without a hitch, with the queens' fussing over both new apprentices' coats till they gleamed under the moonlight and both being assigned respectable warriors to be mentored by; Thistleheart couldn't help the flare of pride he'd felt as he watched the newly christened Bramblingpaw pad towards her assigned mentor with her tail held high in a manner much like mother whilst Maplepaw shyly greeted her own. However, the very fact that Ripplecreek had been the one to officiate the ceremony and not Heronstar struck an undercurrent of concern through the otherwise happy occasion. That concern was proven valid when only a moon later Heronstar was found dead in his den, losing his last life to the ravages of time. That night, as Ripplecreek was led away towards the Star-Drip Cave to receive xir nine lives, the seven moon old Bramblingpaw overheard the whispers of her Clanmates, each wondering how Ripplecreek would fare as a leader - and more importantly, who would xe chose to be xir deputy.

Once more, Thistleheart's name was thrown into consideration, with each whisper listing his traits and faults in comparison to the other possible candidates. And the more Bramblingpaw overheard, the more convinced she was that her father would be chosen. Thistleheart was brave, kind, and noble, plus he was of decent age and had trained several apprentices in his time. He met all the requirements and exceeded them, so when the newly christened Ripplestar returned with Beaverfang in tow, Bramblingpaw had been nearly trembling out of her fur with excitement as the Clan gathered beneath their High Stone. However, the name that Ripplestar called out was not the one she had been expecting. ['The new deputy of ReedClan will be Hawthornstem.'] All at once, Bramblingpaw's excitement turned into utter confusion. Hawthornstem was an older molly warrior with a number of battles and moons of experience to her credit; she was a decent choice, and a clear favorite among the Clan, but for Bramblingpaw the announcement had felt like a physical blow. As the Clan dispersed, Bramblingpaw rushed to find her father at the edge of the camp, bombarding with questions how he could just sit idly by and pleading with him to speak to Ripplestar about reconsidering their choice. But to her horror, her father refused her requests. ['It's Ripplestar's choice who becomes deputy, Bramblingpaw. I'm not upset, rather I'm proud of Hawthornstem; just as you should be,'] Thistleheart had patiently explained to the distraught apprentice, a smile in his tone and a look of peace that the young molly could not understand.

It would be several more days before Bramblingpaw would finally understand why her father wasn't as upset as she was. In Bramblingpaw's point of view, there was no cat better than Thistleheart, and by all she had been taught and seen he should have been named deputy instead of Hawthornstem. However, the fault in that mistake wasn't with Ripplestar or even Hawthornstem, but rather in Thistleheart himself; a conclusion she had arrived to after watching her father interact with Hawthornstem in the following mornings. The tom who was obviously meant for greater things was content with his lesser standing, and instead of reaching for what he clearly deserved he instead chose to remain as he was - and the very thought of that disgusted Bramblingpaw to her core. Part of her thought to confront her father then and there, to demand an explanation for why he wouldn't strive for something more, but feeling that her frustrations would fall on deaf ears she instead turned to Maplepaw, venting to her sister in privacy. ['I don't understand him Maplepaw! He could have it all, but he doesn't want it! Help me understand, please!'] Bramblingpaw yowled, pacing back and forth in front of her sister with her tail lashing behind her. And Maplepaw did try, offering suggestions or the offhand comment to try and ease her sister's indignation, but everything seemed to just confuse the young molly more. Finally, in a last desperate attempt, Bramblingpaw turned to her mentor for the answers, unloading her feelings upon the older cat during one of their training sessions - and was instead faced with a question herself.

['Well if he doesn't want the position, what's stopping you from aiming for it?']

It was likely just an attempt to get Bramblingpaw to focus on her training, perhaps even to ease her overflowing frustrations, but for Bramblingpaw it was like a switch had been flipped in her mind; a sudden clarity that had swept over her and changed the way Bramblingpaw would see Clanlife forever. Let her father stay in his contentment if he so wanted, she thought, she would not follow his path nor remain in his shadow - rather she would reach for what he had so long rejected, and then she would go a step further. ['One day I'll be leader of ReedClan,'] she began to declare to any who would listen, her tone full of steel and eyes sharp as ice whenever they'd look to the High Stone. ['And I'll never stop until I reach that goal.'] And from the moment she made that first declaration, Bramblingpaw began to carve out the path that would lead her to it. With each passing day, the young apprentice would throw herself into her training sessions with renewed vigor, never settling for less than perfection. She always had to be the best - the best huntress, the best fighter, the best swimmer – for StarClan and ReedClan would ever accept any less for leadership. She became the pride of her mentor, who would crow her praises to the Clan with every milestone she passed, and the respect she gained from her peers and superiors was hard won with every patrol and hunt she took, cementing within her a work ethic that would follow her for the rest of her days. By the time she was ten moons of age she had surpassed many of her peers, and by eleven moons she had earned herself her warrior's name before even her sister: Bramblingcry.

Earning her Warrior's Ceremony however did not slow Bramblingcry down in the least - in fact, it seemed to just encourage her to push herself harder. Like her father before her, she had become one of the best warriors of her generation, eagerly volunteering for later patrols or earlier hunts and even the occasional raid. But while she had gained the respect and attention of her Clanmates, her relationships with her father and sister were steadily declining, and any attempts to reason with her fell on deaf ears; the day of sister's Warrior Ceremony, she expressed open distaste in the newly christened Mapleshine's choice to retire to the Nursery as a full-time queen, a reaction that ended in a small spat between the sisters that Thistleheart had to break up. ['I'm not like you, Bramblingcry,] was Mapleshine's response to her sister's verbal assault. ['I'm sorry you're disappointed, but I'm happy with my choice; why can't you be?'] And there was her family's curse once more - contentment with lesser things than what they deserved. It would be the one thing Bramblingcry would never succumb to, that she swore. But while her familial relationships were failing, another one was beginning to form; being one of the Clan's up-and-coming warriors, and her natural beauty and grace, Bramblingcry had long been desired by several hopeful toms and mollies - most of who would trip over themselves to vie for her attention. Most were from her generation, a few from the younger, but for the most part she ignored their attempts with single-minded focus... until Stormstrike began to actively court her, that was.

Much like her, Stormstrike was an up-and-coming young warrior with a bright future ahead of him. Five moons older than Bramblingcry and already training his first apprentice, Stormstrike was known best for his hot temper and deep seeded ambition, as well as for his fool of a brother, a tom by the name of Loudscream. There wasn't a day that didn't pass by that Loudscream wasn't pulling some sort of prank or cracking bad jokes one after the other, much to the exasperation of his brother, but otherwise the two seemed to get along - except of course whenever it came to Bramblingcry. From the start, it was clear that the match between the two young warriors was not ideal; both Stormstrike and Bramblingcry were stubborn and confrontational, and their courtship was equally as aggressive and passionate. There wasn't a day when they wouldn't break into an argument about something, prompting Loudscream to separate them. More than once another argument would spring from Stormstrike and Loudscream, with the latter attempting to talk his brother out of this explosive relationship, but Stormstrike wouldn't hear of it. In truth, there was no affection gained or lost between Bramblingcry and Stormstrike, as neither was the least bit interested in falling in love or settling down; rather their affair was a calculated arrangement for their benefits alone. Equally as fierce and ambitious as the other, it was a mere fact that one of them was likely to be chosen to become the next deputy - though having already been assigned an apprentice, it was clear Stormstrike was more likely to be chosen.

This reason alone was the deciding factor in Bramblingcry's acceptance of his advances and his request to become her mate. Should Stormstrike become deputy, he would require a steadfast loyalist to help boost him along, one who would very likely become his deputy in turn should he become leader. It was a long-game plot the two hatched in secret, and so despite their rather volatile relationship and the objections of others they stuck together to see it fulfilled... at least until one careless mistake had the sixteen moon old Bramblingcry's stomach begin to swell near the end of green-leaf. Once Beaverfang had confirmed her suspicions, the young molly stalked up to Stormstrike with fury in her eyes the explosive relationship finally imploded into a furious argument. The fault of the unexpected and unwanted pregnancy was passed back and forth between the two in barbed words and lashing hisses, drawing the attention of the entire Clan. The fight only fizzled out when Ripplestar and Hawthornstem themselves intervened, and along with it any bond that the two warriors had shared. ['They're your kits, you raise them. I'll have no part of this,'] and with those venomous words, Stormstrike completely turned his back on both Bramblingcry and her unborn litter. The breakup was hardly a blimp on Bramblingcry's radar; while the loss of Stormstrike's support would set her ambitions back somewhat, they would recover with time. Her pregnancy however was another story, and the young queen was left with a dilemma. For the time being, Bramblingcry knew she could still preform her duties as a warrior - it was still early in her pregnancy, and to waste valuable time was something that really didn't appeal to her.

But regardless of what she could and couldn't afford or do, Bramblingcry knew what the Clan would expect of her, and that not doing such - especially with leaf-bare just around the corner - could damage her reputation with the Clan in the event something happened to her unborn litter. So that night rather than continue with her warrior duties the molly immediately moved into the Nursery, much to the surprise of her sister. Nevertheless, Mapleshine welcomed Bramblingcry happily, expressing her congratulations to her sister - sentiments that were echoed by Thistleheart the next day when he came to visit his daughters. ['This reminds me of old times,'] the tom chuckled fondly. ['Of course, the last time we were all in here, you two could fit between my paws!'] Both her father and her sister made every attempt to keep Bramblingcry comfortable and entertained during her stay, with the senior warrior visiting every chance he could and Mapleshine offering advice and quips on raising kits and motherhood, each making obvious attempts to reconnect with the calico molly in lieu of this event. But Bramblingcry barely responded to any of it - the short time she spent in the Nursery felt like a lifetime to the ambitious and eager queen, who was now reduced to spending the day curled up in a mossy nest with little to do but listen to gossip and stare at the entrance with longing eyes. What made it even worse was that the closer she got to her kitting the more Thistleheart fretted over her, constantly badgering Beaverfang to check on her for a fear of a repeat of Tansypetal's fate. Thankfully, she wouldn't have to endure it much longer...

Despite Thistleheart's fears, Bramblingcry's uneventful pregnancy ended in a similarly uneventful kitting right in the midst of late leaf-fall, with no complications or troubles to speak of. When it was over, three newborns laid nestled up to Bramblingcry's pink stomach - one puffy furred little tabby tom and two tortoiseshell mollies who had inherited their mother's plumed tail, one nearly solid black and the other sporting a brighter, nearly spotted coat with white splashed across her stomach and front. Both Thistleheart and Mapleshine were present to welcome the three newest members of their family, though the joyful mood was slightly soured by Bramblingcry when she was asked if she had any names chosen. ['I haven't thought of any, name them whatever you like,'] had been her curt response as she turned away to sleep. In hindsight, that should've been the first sign of what was to come, but both sister and father attributed it up to exhaustion at the time. So rather than pester the new mother, the two took their permission and ran with it: to the single tom-kit, Thistleheart called Bitternkit - a favored name Tansypetal had wished to give to one of their kittens if they'd had a dark colored tom. The two sisters however were a little trickier, and as Bramblingcry slept both Mapleshine and Thistleheart quietly bickered over what names would fit best. Lizardkit or Nightkit, Blackkit or Morningkit, one by one they were presented and shot down in turn. Eventually they settled upon a name for the darker sister - Ivykit, for the black patterns that stretched through her pelt, and that only left the brighter sister to name.

However, before they could come to an agreement, another shadow fell across the Nursery entrance. ['...Am I too late?'] a soft, hesitant voice called out, drawn both Thistleheart and Mapleshine's attention to the arrival of Loudscream. The large tom hesitated only for a few moments in the entrance, shuffling his paws slightly before he slowly padded up to the small family. Though he had not been present for the pregnancy or the delivery, Loudscream quietly explained that he had not been ignorant of his brother's abandoned family, and throughout the duration had pleaded and argued with his brother to change his mind. When he had heard that Bramblingcry had finally kitted, he had tracked his brother down and made another attempt to appeal to him, but Stormstrike had remained firm. ['...he told me that if they were so important to me, I should go raise them... so here I am, if you'll have me.'] There was no question, no hesitation or second thoughts as both Thistleheart and Mapleshine gave the tom a soft look, before the queen gently pushed the unnamed molly towards her uncle with a tender paw and the soft statement that she still needed a name. Loudscream quickly drew his niece to his chest, curling his paws and welcoming her warmth with silent wonder. For several long moments, the blue-gray tom merely watched the newborn in his grasp, carefully considering his opinions, before he raised his head to meet the other's eyes. ['Leopardkit. Her name is Leopardkit. With those spots in her fur, how can she be anything else?'] he questioned, and with warm looks both Mpaleshine and Thistleheart agreed.

The warmth and joy would not remain, and neither would Bramblingcry as it turned out; though Loudscream was eager to be a part of his nieces and nephew's lives, their mother was not. A mere week after the birth, the eighteen moon old queen all but bolted from the Nursery to return to her warrior duties, leaving her kittens in the care of her shell-shocked sister and the other queens. Mapleshine had been quick to follow her at first, demanding that she return to her children, but Bramblingcry merely snorted in disdain. ['I don't have time to waste raising kits, that's what queens like you are for,'] the response was so blunt and callous that Mapleshine could only stand and stare in horror as her sister padded away, but rather than call out for her and start an useless argument the tortoiseshell molly instead turned on her heel and stalked straight to Ripplestar's den, a plan already forming in her mind. That evening, Mapleshine watched with barely concealed satisfaction as an embarrassed Bramblingcry crept back into the Nursery, the calico molly's ears still ringing with Ripplestar's calm explanation that while her eagerness to return to her duties was noted it would be better for her to return to Nursery. Her children needed to be fed and cared for, and while Bramblingcry's fellow queens would be happy to help, they had their own kits to tend to, so it was best that she tend to her own. It was a hollow victory - while Bramblingcry would return to sleep in the Nursery at night and to feed her kits often, she would be gone just as quickly as she arrived, leaving her children alone with Maplehine more often than not.

Deciding to gracefully admit defeat rather than continue the losing battle, Mapleshine instead turned her attention to the care of the three kits, determined to pick up the slack that Bramblingcry was equally determined to leave behind. Over the course of their first moon she put all she had learned in her time in the Nursery into practice. What areas she couldn't fill were happily occupied by Thistleheart and Loudscream, who were constant visitors to the Nursery. Never once did the kits want for anything - if one wanted attention Loudscream or Thistleheart were quick to give it, or if another was hungry Mapleshine either would leave the Nursery to hunt down her sister and drag her back by her scruff or ask one of the other queens for help. All three were also present in the Nursery when the siblings began to open their eyes, eager to be the first loving face that they saw; but while Ivykit and Bitternkit would see the world in one way, Leopardkit would see it in an entirely different state. As she pried her eyes open for the first time and peered up into the still blurry face of her uncle, the tom spoke, a garbled and muffled noise that was painted in a beautiful array of colors that left Leopardkit enchanted. Before her new eyes, vivid shades rippled around Loudscream's muzzle and face, darkening and lightening with his pitch and tone, and Leopardkit was enchanted at first sight. Thistleheart and Mapleshine's voices too were painted as well, different colors from Loudscream's, but just as beautiful and bright; this would be her first view of what she would eventually come to call Colored Sight.

As Leopardkit began to transition into her second moon of life, she steadily began to discover what each color was named, and that it wasn't just her uncle, grandfather or aunt's voices that were painted so vividly. As Ivykit and Bitternkit began to grow into their own personalities, their voices too began to take on different shades. Ivykit's soft pitches eventually transformed into pale oranges that reminded her of the setting sun, while Bitternkit's more cheerful baritones soon outclassed the sun with their golden tints. Loudscream's familiar splashes of silvery white were a constant fixture in the Nursery with each passing day, whilst Thistleheart's more subdued lavenders swirled through the air in stories he would come to tell them. But her favorite was Mapleshine's soft pink tones that would swirl gently through the air, flowing over her like a soothing mist. Several times the tiny tortoiseshell had attempted to touch the swirling hues above her head, reaching out with a single white tipped paw only to have it fall uselessly through empty air. Once, it had even landed upon Loudscream's nose. ['Aww, she likes me!'] had been the tom's joyful coo, his voice splashing the air with shimmering white hues as he pulled his niece close to his chest. But as wondrous and beautiful as the dancing colors were, there were some that she quickly learned meant trouble was approaching as well - especially whenever she would catch sight of the familiar shades of dark red that would slithered from the entrance of the Nursery to announce Bramblingcry's arrival.

Unfortunately along with the opening of their eyes a growing awareness of their situation, and the older the siblings grew the less frequent Bramblingcry visited the Nursery, and her absence soon began to be felt. ['Mapleshine, why doesn't Mother stay with us?'] was the question that Bitternkit had asked of their aunt one time, his baby blue hues wide as he stared up beseechingly at the tortoiseshell molly. Leopardkit, for her part, would always dread the sight of her mother's voice staining the Nursery entrance, for whenever the calico warrior would decide to visit Bitternkit would always be the first to greet her, often climbing in-between her paws or laying on her tail in vain attempts to keep her in the Nursery with them only to be reduced crying helplessly into Mapleshine's pelt when she would inevitably leave. The first time Ivykit had tried to follow after their mother was also the last time any of them tried - the moment she had grabbed Bramblingcry's tail, the warrior molly and turned on her heel and hissed at the black kit, scaring her back to Mapleshine's side. After that, Ivykit never approached Bramblingcry again, taking to hiding out of sight behind their aunt whenever their mother was in the Nursery. But beyond this, Leopardkit wasn't sure what to feel for the molly who had birthed her or understand why she didn't want them. On one hand, she hated the way Bramblingcry treated her siblings, but on the other the molly was more of a stranger than she was a mother. And even more elusive was this fabled father that Loudscream would often tell her about, a cat she had never seen before yet was always somewhere just outside of the Nursery.

All of these thoughts cluttered the little kit's mind, warring with the stability that her aunt, uncle and grandfather offered her. What was so special about Bramblingcry that it could reduce her brother to tears when she left, and what exactly was this mysterious Stormstrike like? Eventually the curiosity overcame her, and one evening while her aunt and siblings were napping in their nest Leopardkit slipped away to pad to the entrance of the Nursery, hoping for a glimpse of the cat who they said was her father. Both Mapleshine and Loudscream had told her what he looked like several times before, so even without having met him before, she was certain she would be able to pick him out from the others. However, as she peered into the outside world for the first time, Leopardkit found herself awestruck by the myriad of colors that assaulted her senses. For a moment's time, Leopardkit forgot all about finding her father, instead letting herself be swept up in the rainbows that swirled throughout her vision. Birdsong in particular, she learned, was painted just as vividly as any of her family's voices, and as she turned her gaze skyward she found the heavens alight with different hues - ranging from red to purple and everything in-between. The softest whisper of wind stole wisps of silver through the leaves of nearby trees, whilst a splash of water from a jumping fish rippled in pale greens across the shimmering surface. It was the most magnificent sight she had ever beheld, and it was only broken when her gaze finally landed upon a strangely familiar pelt standing on the far side of camp.

The moment her gaze landed upon the twenty-seven moon old warrior, mingling among the throngs of pelts and mixing colors, Leopardkit came to an epiphany; only moments before Leopardkit had wondered what her reaction to finally seeing Stormstrike might be, but as she continued to stare him down she found that nothing would roar to the forefront. No anger, no sorrow, no joy; just nothing. For a few fleeting moments she tried to form an emotion - any kind of emotion whatsoever - to be summoned within her for her sire, but even as she watched him continue on about his day she still felt nothing whatsoever. The kit watched her father for a few moments longer, her tiny form unnoticed by the Nursery entrance, before she quietly turned back into the Nursery and returned to Mapleshine's side before she was ever missed. From that moment on, Leopardkit's entire demeanor would change; at last she'd finally glimpsed her father, and the truth she'd come to realize as he'd vanished into the pelts of ReedClan's numbers was that there wasn't really anything special about him. He was a respected ReedClan warrior, and he had sired her, but that was it - just like there was nothing truly special about the mother who Bitternkit so desperately cried for. The swirling rainbow that had painted the sky outside the Nursery was far more interesting than the dark gray tom across the camp, who had just seemed to blend in with the surroundings. So then and there, she decided that it would be the last time she ever truly spared a thought for either Bramblingcry or Stormstrike. After all, if the colors outside were any indication, there were far better things she could think about.

From that moment onward, Leopardkit's entire outlook on life changed drastically. With no more thoughts towards either of her absent parents weighing down on her mind, the young tortoiseshell instead turned her focus to the future. Deeply inspired by her glimpse of the world outside the Nursery, the three moon old molly began to strike out on her own more often, wandering further and further away from Mapleshine to introduce herself to the other queens and kits - all the while committing the colors of their voices to memory. Other times, she would make for the Nursery entrance, each attempt leading her further and further away before Mapleshine would inevitably bring her back to the nest. That was until Loudscream discovered her little hobby, and offered to take her off of Mapleshine's paws for a time. ['We won't leave camp, or go near the water - just let her stretch her legs a bit,] he had reasoned, and in spite of her better judgement found herself Mapleshine agreeing; a choice she would eventually bring herself to fondly regret for what it bore. With his niece in tow, Loudscream set about with his usual routine - the odd prank here, a bad joke there that got the occasional laugh, and from the first moment Leopardkit loved every moment of it all. Between the fun born of her uncle's antics, the freedom allowed from outside the Nursery and the vision of swirling colors that always hung just overhead, it was the one of the best days she'd ever experienced. However, only a few hours later found Leopardkit nest-ridden next to Mapleshine with a bad ache behind her eyes.

Its sudden onset had terrified her family for a time, but the careful reassurance of Beaverfang set their worries to rest. ['She'll be fine with some rest; her little excursion was just too much for her,'] was all he'd said, offering the kit a few weak painkilling herbs before he padded back to his own den. Just as the medicine cat predicted, by the next day Leopardkit was back on her paws and ready for the world, and the first thing she did was locate under uncle. ['Can you teach me how to make cats laugh like you do, Loudscream?'], was her simple request, eyes sparkling up at the surprised expression on her uncle's face before it turned into a look of absolute glee. Of all she had experienced the day before, her uncle's pranks and jokes were by far her favorite parts - especially when the laughter his jokes had wrought changed the colors of others' voices into bright, happy hues. Loudscream was more than happy to acquiesce to her request, and for the rest of her time in the Nursery the blue-gray tom would pass down his pranks to his niece, explaining which berries were best to paint on cats and how to sneak thins into nests when cats weren't looking among other things. By the time she reached her third moon of life, Leopardkit had cemented herself as the bane of the Nursery; one couldn't fall asleep without risking waking up to messy berry juice paw-prints adoring their pelts, or leaving the Nursery with their clean kits sleeping soundly only to come back to find them running wild mud and moss covered pelts. And though usually everyone ended up laughing along, it was becoming apparent that the Nursery was too small for the wily Leopardkit...

With little to do in terms of curbing her niece's love of mischief, Mapleshine allowed the three moon old Leopardkit further reign away from the Nursery on the condition that she didn't get too close to the water's edge or leave the camp borders. Fortunately for Leopardkit, she needn't go far to make a nuisance of herself. With more freedom came more chances for her to practice the skills and pranks Loudscream taught her, and even come up with a few of her own, and as a result a day hardly went by without someone falling victim to one of Leopardkit's pranks. Not even the leadership of ReedClan had been safe; the day that Ripplestar had slipped from xis den with a mane of leaves and mud woven around xer head like a lion would forever be remembered in ReedClan history, as would the time that Hawthornstem had proudly worn a mask of mud over her face for the entirety of an evening patrol. ['If anything, the faces of the BranchClan patrol we encountered made it all worth it,'] she'd snickered as she scraped the mud from her fur. Beaverfang in particular proved to be a favorite target, often stalking around camp complanimg of cricket-filled dreams or sporting silly patterns over his fur. Many times the medicine cat attempted to catch the little troublemaker in the act, spawning a sort of game between the two where they'd try to one up another. However, the game shifted soon enough when Bitternkit began to follow his sister on her excursions. Simple curiosity had led the young tom to follow his sister from the Nursery, but one taste of the mischief she left in her wake was all it had taken for him to become hooked.

It soon became a common sight to see Bitternkit toddling in Leopardkit's wake whenver she would wander about the camp, following behind wherever her questing paws decided to take them. Swept in by his sister's bold confidence and outgoing spirit, the once depressed young tom soon burst from his own shell, no longer pining for his mother's attention when he could instead laugh with his sister. And eventually, the kitten prankster had even found a partner-in-crime within her brother as well; whilst Leopardkit's sudden appearance in a den would be met with wary suspicion, Bitternkit could enter and leave without a second glance, sneaking in his sister's pranks before anyone ever realized he was there. Corruption the warriors had called it, wistfully sighing that Leopardkit had ruined her brother, but if either kit overheard it they paid it no mind. But while Bitternkit had begun to move forward with Leopardkit, Ivykit seemed determined to take her own path ['I don't want to play with you;'] would be her common answer whenever her siblings would try to bring her in on their games, a hiss in her voice and her nose in the air. ['I'm going to be a warrior soon, and warriors don't play kit games like you both do!'] It had become a commonplace occurrance between the siblings not long after Leopardkit had started her pranking spree; whenever the duo would approach the dark colored molly her mood would take a sour turn for no apparent reason, her blue eyes glaring at her sister and brother with a disdain that reminded them of their mother. Neither could pin-point the exact reason for this change, and Ivykit herself wasn't talking.

The only time Ivykit ever deigned to join them in their games was when Mapleshine, Loudscream or Thistleheart chose to take the three of them to the Shallow Pool, the area where the next generation of ReedClan would be introudced to water for the first time and learn how to navigate it. Little more than a broken offshoot of the dam, the area was often filled with just enough water to cover an adult warrior’s paws; more than enough for a trio of three moon old kits to get their paws wet for the first time. As soon as Loudscream had lowered Leopardkit enough to let her paw's touch the water's surface, the little molly took to it like a fish; within moments she was splashing and froclicking about until she was absolutely soaked from nose to tail tip, laughing all the while. Ivykit's reaction was similiar, and in a rare moment of camaraderie had actually joined Leopardkit in a game when her sister had splashed her, chasing the brighter tortortiseshell all around the pool in an attempt to retaliate. The only one who wasn't having as much fun was their brother, who tried to avoid getting wet for as long as possible. ['I don't like it! It's cold and it makes my fur feel sticky, please don't make me get in it!'] he had begged his aunt when she had snatched him up by his scruff, halting his latest escape attempt before it could begin. Mapleshine did try to ease him into the pool, slowly lowering her curled up and trembling nephew into the shallowest part of the pool - only for Bitternkit to proceed to sit absolutely still in the water and scream his small head off as loudly as he could.

This was the last time that Ivykit would play with either Leopardkit or Bitternkit, and with her continued rejections of their invitations to play games 'that wouldn't benefit them as ReedClan cats' there was a lot of time for Bitternkit and Leopardkit to bond. Whether it was a prank or just a simple romp around camp, one was never seen without the other. This included the times when Leopardkit would be nest-ridden with yet another ache behind her eyes, a symptom she had soon realized was caused whenever the colors would get too much to handle. A couple of overlapping flashes here, too many colors overlapping there, and she would be able to do little but curl up in Mapleshine's nest and hide her face in the soft moss until the pain receded. Beaverfang had been called in a few times to assess her, but each time he did he reaffirmed his previous diagnosis. ['The day was too much for her, just let her rest,'] and in a way he wasn't wrong. However, the instances never ceased to worry her family, and it was after the fourth or so time that Bitternkit finally asked his sister what wrong. ['It's the colors, Bitternkit,'] she replied wearily to the tom-kit seated at her side, as though it was the most obvious answer in the world. ['I don't know how you all handle it so well; what's your secret?'] When that question had slipped past her mouth, the young molly had known what to expect for an answer, but Bitternkit's timid response of 'what colors?' was certainly not it.

At first just thinking she had been misunderstood, Leopardkit tried to explain her dilemma a little more clearly, citing how voices would mix with birdsong or how the wind would cut through it all so suddenly, but the more she tried to explain it the more confused and bewildered her brother became. The concept of colors flsahing before his eyes was so foreign to Bitternkit that it just didn't seem to register, and after a few more moments of attempting to explain a sudden suspicion began to creep into Leopardkit's mind. ['...Bitternkit, you can't see voices... can you?'] the moment her brother gave a timid shake of his head was all Leopardkit needed to confirm her suspicion, and for one long moment the young tortoiseshell could only stare at the ground in front of her in disbelief. From day one she had always been able to see the colors of voices and sounds - it had never once occurred to her that others might not be able to see them, or that she might be the only one who could. At his sister's stricken expression Bitternkit had turned to leave, explaining he was going to get some help to try and figure this out, but Leopardkit merely shook her head. ['I... I've lived with them this long, I just assumed everyone could see them,'] she began, her voice unnaturally timid as she lowered her gaze back to the moss around her. ['But now, I kind of wish you could see them too, Bitternkit. Your voice... it’s so bright, you'd love it.'] And as she spoke, she focused on her brother's small muzzle - actually focused on it, and let her joy shine through her eyes.

It was that expression that had Bitternkit settling back down at his sister's side, the concern on his face melting away into innocent curiosity. Cautious questions began to fall from his muzzle, born of a desire to understand exactly what his sister was seeing, and for the first time in her short life, Leopardkit found herself having to try and explain something she'd taken as an everyday occurrence; a task far easier said than done. How could she explain this in a way her brother would understand, she had wondered silently to herself, but nevertheless attempted to weave together a suitable description of the world through her eyes. Over the course of the evening she tried to detail the movement of Mapleshine's voice, the shade of Loudscream's laughter and even the way the wind weaved its silver tresses through the tree leaves, just falling short of the mark each. But what she had explained was more than enough to leave her brother in a state of absolute awe and wonder. If Bitternkit had not idolized his sister before, he certainly did now. The way his sister described her view of the world had enchanted him just as much as it had first enchanted her; even the fact that she felt she couldn't truly explain it just added to its mysticism for him. ['A gift from StarClan!'] he had chirped, his eyes twinkling and tail almost wagging behind him. ['It's got to be! There must be a reason you have this beautiful vision, Leopardkit!'] Beautiful, her brother had called it; a gift from StarClan. That too was something Leopardkit had never considered. But if this was some sort of gift, what was she supposed to do with it?

Whether Leopardkit's 'Colored Vision' as Bitternkit titled it was truly a gift from StarClan or not, her brother had decided that it was, and in his opinion it would remain as such. For a time, he suggested that perhaps they should tell Ripplestar or Beaverfang about them, to try and figure out what they were for, but Leopardkit disagreed. For one, Beaverfang had already checked her over several times for her aches; if he could diagnosis the colors, he would've already. For another, aside from Bitternkit, who was to say that anyone would believe her - a three moon old kit with a love of mischief - if she even told them, or that it was even something sent by StarClan in the first place? ['I want to keep this to myself for now... until we figure out why I have it,'] she had reasoned, and begrudgingly Bitternkit agreed. But just because they couldn't tell anyone about the colors just yet didn't mean they couldn't enjoy them for themselves until then; with Bitternkit now aware of the colors, a new pastime sprouted between the two siblings. Along with their pranks, they would huddle near the Nursery entrance or in a corner of the camp and simply watch the camp, with Bitternkit asking his sister in hushed tones about whose voices were what color and if she had any thoughts as to why they might be that shade or for what reason they would move in a certain way. Other times, they would invent new games where Bitternkit would speak and attempt to see what pitches and tones changed the colors of his voice. And should the colors ever become too much, he would just guide her face to his shoulder, letting Leopardkit hide away in his fur the pain stopped.

But aside from a few new dynamics, life continued on fairly much the same for the two siblings. They still played pranks on the camp together, Ivykit still refused to join them, they still had their caretakers but more than that it was usually just the two of them together. Of course both had plenty of friends in the Nursery; kits from other litters who were either close to or the same age as them who would join in on games of moss ball or wrestling matches, but with the creation of her new secret came a sensation of separation that Leopardkit had never before felt. It was a constant presence in the back of her mind, one that was neither heavy or corroding but just always there; Bitternkit's easy acceptance of her ability eased the sensation, but always the fact remained that she was different from the other kits in a way no one else was. And truth be told, she really wasn't sure how to feel about that. But on one fine new-leaf day, all of that would change for the tortoiseshell molly in a way she would never see coming. What had started as yet another prank on Beaverfang had gone awry when Pikepaw, the new medicine cat apprentice, had been caught in the crossfire instead, and while Beaverfang was quite content to accept whenever Leopardkit got one up on him Pikepaw was decidedly not. ['Get back here, you stupid little fur-balls!'] an angry yowl from the Medicine Cat's Den was the only warning the camp received before two little blurs bolted from the entrance, the medicine cat apprentice hot on their heels with her furious grass-stained face on display for all to see.

All at once the atmosphere of the camp was thrown into sheer chaos; in their attempts to escape the enraged apprentice, Leopardkit and Bitternkit took to diving under the legs of the larger warriors and clambering over juts in the dam, which usually ended up in Pikepaw slamming into other cats or tumbling over her paws. This only offered the two pranksters a temporary reprieve, for as soon as she gathered her wits she was up and off again, never more than a few steps behind them. And it was during one such reprieve, when Leopardkit had managed to feint Pikepaw into careening into an unsuspecting Hawthornstem that it happened; the few seconds that Leopardkit taken her attention off of where she was going to glance back over her shoulder at the occupied medicine cat apprentice and deputy was all the time needed for the kit to crash headfirst into something small, warm and soft. The shock of the sudden stop and the momentum she had been running sent both Leopardkit and her unintended victim tumbling to the ground in a cloud of dust, dual yelps filling the air as the world spun for several seconds. When everything finally came to a stop, Leopardkit found herself sprawled out over another form with Bitternkit's worried voice hovering over her head. ['Are you guys okay?! That was a hard fall!'] her brother asked, his golden tones flashing sharply against the blue sky. Forcefully gathering as much of her wits as she could, Leopardkit slowly raised her head with a groan and glanced down at the furry form beneath her body, coming face to face with the wide-eyed stare of the familiar face of Torrentkit, one of her fellow Nursery-mates.

For one long, still moment the two kits stared at each other, the situation not really catching up with either of them until Pikepaw's screech snapped Leopardkit back to reality. All at once, Leopardkit was scrambling to get off the other kit, Bitternkit's nervous trills to hurry ringing in her ears as her brother anxiously circled the two she-kits. The moment Leopardkit managed to get back to her paws the also the moment Pikepaw found them again, her grass-stained face locked in a furious hiss as she barreled for them. ['Run!!'] Bitternkit's yelp was meant for Leopardkit, but at the sight of the irate apprentice Torrentkit ended up heeding it as well, fleeing across the camp alongside the two troublemakers as fast as her paws could carry her. The chase continued on for several more minutes, with the unlikely trio only just managing to avoid Pikepaw's grasp before they were finally corner against a section of the dam. ['Finally caught you fuzz-brains,'] Pikepaw had growled lowly, voice tinged in a sinister pale green that almost matched the shade of her stained face. With another high-pitched yelp, Bitternkit turned and vainly attempted to climb the dam to escape; Leopardkit too was already searching for ways that that could be used to slip by their pursuer without ending up pinned, but before she could test any of them Pikepaw’s next statement stopped her dead in her tracks. ['I expected this from Leopardkit, Bitternkit too really, but certainly not you Torrentkit,'] disappointment tinged on the edge of Pikepaw's tone, her gaze locked firmly onto the impromptu third member of the party...

It hadn’t been the first time that an innocent bystander had gotten caught in the wake of Leopardkit’s chaos, and it certainly would not be the last time. And usually, whenever it did occur said innocent bystander would always be quick to deny any question or accusation of their involvement; most of the time they were believed, a few times they hadn’t been – though in this instance Leopardkit would’ve honestly been quite surprised if Pikepaw found any reason to doubt any explanation that would come from Torrentkit. In fact, the entire reason that Pikepaw’s accusation had rooted Leopardkit’s paws where she stood was that the very allegation that Torrentkit would ever decide to willingly run riot across the camp – let alone scheme – with the Clan Trickster was so absurd that it had actually caused Leopardkit’s mind to blank in mind-boggled disbelief. For all intents and purposes, Torrentkit was the complete opposite to the wily tortoiseshell troublemaker; where Leopardkit was outgoing and vocal, the silver spotted molly tended to come off as a rather shy and quiet individual who preferred to keep to herself rather than join in on others’ activities. Beyond a few passing greetings in and around the Nursery, the two mollies had never even shared a full conversation let alone interacted with one another for any prolonged amount of time; certainly Pikepaw – who made frequent trips to the Nursery with Beaverfang to care for the queens – had to have known that despite how things might’ve appeared at the moment. Perhaps then the medicine cat apprentice had just spoken out of irritation, fully expecting the same thing that Leopardkit did: for Torrentkit to deny the accusation and lay the blame back onto those who were responsible.

But rather than the assertion of innocence that they’d expected, under the weight of Pikepaw’s glare Torrentkit had all but crumbled where she stood, collapsing to the ground in the tightest ball she could manage the moment the accusation had been leveled. She gave no attempt to defend herself against the medicine cat apprentice’s disappointment, instead opting to hide her face beneath her paws to try and muffle the soft sobs that began to bubble up from her throat; the only sounds she seemed capable of making in her devastation. This image, along with the realization that no explanation would be coming from Torrentkit, spurred Leopardkit’s next action before she was even aware of it. [‘It is not her fault!’] the sudden shout that erupted from the three moon old kit had gained not only Pikepaw’s attention, but also Torrentkit’s and Bitternkit’s, both of whom had snapped their gazes towards the young molly to pin her with wide-eyed stares. Moments later Leopardkit found herself vaulting between the green-faced apprentice and the terrified kit, angling her tiny body to obscure Torrentkit as much as she could from the older molly’s line of sight. [‘Torrentkit was only running with us because I crashed into her; she didn’t know what was going on. I’m the one who set up the prank, she had no part in it,’] there was no hesitation in Leopardkit’s tone, nor did she attempt to lessen her part in the prank as she boldly met the medicine cat apprentice’s disbelieving gaze. In the end this confession, along with a similar admission from a rather contrite Bitternkit, spared Torrentkit from any wrongful punishment – and as Pikepaw led the three kits back to the Nursery, Leopardkit could’ve sworn she saw the spotted kit send them both a grateful look.

But just because Leopardkit and Bitternkit’s confession had saved Torrentkit didn’t mean that the siblings been forgiven, and for the next few days that followed the two had been restricted to the Nursery by a rather weary and resigned Mapleshine – a common punishment the duo had often received. Bitternkit never really minded them, easily finding entertainment to occupy himself with, but for Leopardkit the confinement was almost borderline torturous. More often than not she would be found restlessly pacing around and about the nest, clearly pent up and bored by staring at the same walls for too long. Several times she had even made attempts to escape when the boredom became too much, though each time she only made it as far as the Nursery entrance before someone – usually a gleeful Ivykit – would alert Mapleshine to her absence. [‘It’s your own fault, you know,’] had been Ivykit’s amused sneer, her eyes nearly glowing with satisfied mirth whenever a morose Leopardkit would be carted back to the nest. [‘Making such spectacles of the camp; you have to have known that such antics wouldn’t be tolerated forever.’] But where Ivykit took pleasure in her sister’s misery, an understanding Mapleshine and Bitternkit would attempt to alleviate it, offering different distractions ranging from moss-ball games in the nest to simply nestling together to watch the other queens and their kits. A few times Loudscream or Thistleheart had even come to visit, bringing news of the outside world for their listening ears or taking Leopardkit aside to share a new joke or prank whenever Mapleshine wasn’t paying attention. For the most part these measures had been enough to keep the adventurous young molly occupied for a time, but never for long enough.

It wasn’t until the final day of their punishment dawned that there would be any sort of real shift in Leopardkit’s mood, and it would come from an unexpected outside source. [‘Hey, Leopardkit, do you have a moment?’] the cheery, upbeat voice that caught in her ear had her break away from her routine pacing, and in turning her head towards the source she met the bright eyed gaze of Duskkit, a young tom of nearly five moons of age. Alongside of him were his two sisters, the paler pelt of Swankit standing out in stark contrast to her darker furred brother – but it was the familiar spotted pelt of Torrentkit standing nervously off to the side that had piqued Leopardkit’s attention. [‘Sorry to bother you,’] Swankit took over for her brother, approaching Leopardkit with a friendly expression to match her silvery voice. [‘But Torrentkit told us what you did for her, and we just wanted to say thank you; all three of us,’] as she spoke, Duskkit had padded over to their shier sister, gently coaxing her forward to join her siblings. The gratitude expressed was unexpected, and for several long seconds Leopardkit could only stare wide eyed at the siblings; eventually she managing to find her voice, reminding the three that it had been her fault that Torrentkit had gotten in trouble to begin with – a statement that had Duskkit purring in crimson laughter. [‘Yeah, Torrentkit mentioned that, but we’re still thankful all the same! You stepped in between Pikepaw and Torrentkit when you didn’t have to, so that makes you Torrentkit’s hero!’] then, almost as an afterthought, he pushed a moss-ball over to Leopardkit and asked if she wanted to play a game to pass the rest of the day – an offer that was extended to Bitternkit when the young tom joined them moments later.

The end of the game, and by extension the end of Leopardkit and Bitternkit’s confinement period, would not be the last time the five kits would interact. Not long after she had been released from the Nursery, Leopardkit was of course once again up to her old tricks, wandering about the camp and pranking wherever she went with Bitternkit always a step behind – though this time around, it also wasn’t uncommon to also see the two hanging around in the Nursery more often than usual. It was an unexpected change that had befuddled her caretakers, though all one had to do was watch Leopardkit’s interactions with Torrentkit to understand the reasons why. Throughout the duration of that first game and with gentle coaxing from her siblings, Torrentkit had steadily grown more comfortable around both Leopardkit and Bitternkit, revealing another side to herself that neither had known about the normally timid molly. But while she had opened up to both the younger kits, it was with Leopardkit that the five moon old molly had connected with the deepest; though divided by contrasting personalities and a two moon age difference, the young mollies had steadily gravitated towards one another – with the spotted kit being swept in by Leopardkit’s bold confidence and passion, whilst Torrentkit’s subtle cleverness and grace had quickly captivated the tortoiseshell molly in turn. The soft shades of silver-blue that poured from Torrentkit’s tender tones bewitched Leopardkit in a similar manner, the way the colors lit up the spotted molly’s joyful expression and splashed against the shadows of the Nursery walls invoking thoughts of starlit skies that banished the harsher shadows of the night when most of the world wasn’t watching. And to Leopardkit, it was just as beautiful a sight.

It was the privilege of seeing this sight, as well as the desire to learn more about the molly beneath the timid demeanor that brought Leopardkit to actively seek out the other kit, visiting her mother’s either for a quick game of some sort or simply to talk about whatever happened to cross their minds. Each became a foil to the other, with Torrentkit’s gentle nature providing a balm for the usually restless Leopardkit, soothing her more adventurous side enough for her to actually relax around the Nursery. In turn, Leopardkit’s passionate spirit began to coax Torrentkit out from her shell in a way that not even her siblings could manage, and on a few occasions the older kit had even followed the trickster and her brother out on their more mundane wanderings around the camp in the days that followed. It was a change in dynamics that had not gone unnoticed by either Leopardkit’s caretakers or Torrentkit’s family, and before long the two molly kits were welcomed visitors among each other’s nests. [‘You spend more time together with her than you do with us!’] Duskkit had faux complained to his sister during one visit, purring in laughter with Swankit while their mother, a queen named Frostsong, looked on with twinkling eyes. Bitternkit was no different, being quick to vanish or find something to busy himself with whenever Torrentkit would call on his sister before either could even ask him to join their games, whilst Mapleshine, Thistleheart and Loudscream would often share a look between one another, privy to a secret only they knew. The only one who wasn’t welcoming of her sister’s growing bond into the fold was Ivykit, who preferred to keep her distance whenever Torrentkit would visit for one simple reason.

It was common knowledge among the Clan that Frostsong had romanced a rogue from beyond the borders – a union from which Torrentkit had been born nearly half a moon earlier than her littermates. Frostsong had since broken off any relationship or communication with the rogue, and Torrentkit had outright stated she wanted nothing to do with her father, but still the stigma of being half-Clan was one that haunted her almost constantly. Most in ReedClan were understanding and treated both mother and daughter no differently, though there were others who spoke in harsh whispers about Frostsong or sent suspicious glances in Torrentkit’s direction – Ivykit fell squarely into the latter category, and unlike the others was never of the mind to keep her opinions on the matter to herself. But the first time she had tried to say a snide comment about it to Torrentkit’s face was also the second time Leopardkit stepped in; no sooner had the hurtful words been spoken than did the brighter tortoiseshell lunge for her sister, her claws unsheathed and fangs searching for blood right in front of a horrified Torrentkit. The resulting scuffle had been a short but brutal session, with both sisters suffering minor injuries before Mapleshine and Loudscream were able to physically separate the two. ['I won’t apologize! I don’t care what punishment you give me, I will not apologize to her!’] Leopardkit had raged in her uncle’s grasp, tiny claws digging into the mossy nest from where she was pinned in it and eyes alight with furious fire. It was only the presence of a still shaken Torrentkit had kept Leopardkit from lunging for Ivykit a second time when she was released, snuggling close to the wounded kit and whispering soft words that washed soothing starlight over her trembling body.

The incident ended in a fairly anticlimactic visit to Beaverfang’s den to treat their scrapes and both Ivykit and Leopardkit being confined to the Nursery, but the repercussions it had on the family reached much further. From that point on Ivykit would always attempt to avoid contact with her sister, slinking away from Leopardkit’s eye-and-earshot whenever the brighter molly was nearby with a flash of fear about her expression. Leopardkit in the meantime made sure to keep a close watch on where the darker molly was at all times, her trust in her sister broken by her callous behavior to her dear friend. Bitternkit was largely unaffected by the incident as a whole, and though he tried to keep a neutral stance on the subject like Loudscream and Thistleheart he tended to lean more towards Leopardkit’s side of the conflict. Mapleshine meanwhile was happy to put the entire day behind her, especially when the visit to the Medicine Cat’s Den had yielded more than expected. [‘You’re with kits, Mapleshine,’] had been Pikepaw’s blunt explanation when she had called the young queen to her while Beaverfang tended to the sisters, her sharp gaze recognizing the subtle changes that Mapleshine hadn’t yet noticed. The news was as much a shock as it was a joy – for many moons Mapleshine had been trying to have kits of her own, but every encounter she’d had with a tom had come up fruitless. She had gone into her last encounter expecting the same result, preparing to resign herself to happily caring for her sister’s kits after this last attempt, though it would seem StarClan had finally decided to grant her wish. That night, Mapleshine returned to the Nursery with Ivykit and Leopardkit in a happy daze, only barely managing to relay the news to her father and Loudscream when the two had questioned her strangely sunny mood.

The news that they would soon be receiving new members of the family was met with a somewhat mixed reaction. Thistleheart echoed his daughter’s joy, exuberant lavender tones mingling with her softer pinks as he congratulated her, whilst Loudscream’s flashed happily in his excited crowing. The joy the news brought was infectious, spreading through the Nursery as queens and kits alike approached to offer their congratulations to the new mother-to-be; the molly had always been a great help around the Nursery, and to know that she would at last gain her one wish was a wondrous thought. However, once the celebrations died down and all returned to their own nests Mapleshine made sure to gather her nieces and nephew to her, pulling all three kits close with a serious expression about her face. [‘As I’m sure you heard, I’m expecting kits of my own,’] she began softly, pink wisps flashing around her face as her amber eyes flitted over each kit’s expression. [‘But I want you to know that doesn’t mean I want you three any less. You’re my family, and I love you all,’] that thought had honestly not ran through either Ivykit or Leopardkit’s minds – the idea that Mapleshine might neglect or abandon them in favor of her own litter – though that likely had a lot to do with their animosity towards one another still being fresh on their minds. But clearly the thought had gone through Bitternkit’s mind, who up until that moment had shown no reaction to the news of Mapleshine’s pregnancy. No sooner had the words registered than did the young tom suddenly break down in his aunt’s grasp, relief and joy pouring from his sobs as he snuggled against her chest. Mapleshine in turn pulled all three as close as possible, purring out reassurances that washed over them in streams of rose.

But while one family was steadily pulling together, another was set to implode. A quarter of a moon after the eventful evening saw both Ivykit and Leopardkit still serving out their punishments as preparations for Mapleshine’s kits continued, though this time around there was no Torrentkit to keep Leopardkit in check. [‘I’m sorry sweetie; once Leopardkit is free you can play together again,’] Mapleshine had told a dejected Torrentkit when the silver molly had attempted to visit, reluctantly sending her back to Frostsong’s side. But without the silver molly’s calming presence Leopardkit was as miserable and restless as she had ever been, but it was because of this same restlessness that Leopardkit was awake the night when a strange scent floated past her nose from the entrance. Crouching further down into the nest, Leopardkit watched with wide eyes as an unfamiliar tom stole into the Nursery, silently creeping past the sleeping queens with his gaze locked on a specific nest. The little moonlight that spilled in from the entrance illuminated his figure just enough for Leopardkit to make out the familiar spots alongside his flank, and when he reached down to try and grasp the one kit whose pelt matched his Leopardkit acted. [‘Torrentkit!! Get away for her!’] without warning Leopardkit lunged for the stranger’s tail, digging her claws into the vulnerable appendage as hard as she could. The pain caused him to rear back from Torrentkit, releasing a scream of his own that served to wake the Nursery, and all at once every adult cat in range was upon him, clawing at his eyes and screeching loud enough to wake the rest of the camp. That was when the tom managed to break away from the assault, flinging Leopardkit off his tail as he fled with several warriors in pursuit…

The warriors did manage to catch the intruder just outside of the camp borders, and a brawl ensued that left the returning warriors with a few scrapes and scratches. However, for every scratch the stranger had given the warriors had dealt twice the damage, and it was highly doubted he would try a second attempt. Still, the very fact that he had even made a first attempt, and managed to get as close as he had, rattled the camp as a whole. [‘I want warriors on guard around the camp borders each night until further notice,’] Ripplestar had snarled loudly, xis fur on edge and eyes flashing angrily as they stormed past the Nursery’s entrance and deeper into the beaver’s lodge with Hawthornstem hot on his heels. [‘Clearly this entrance isn’t as hidden as we thought! If a rogue can find it and make an attempt to steal one of our kits right out of the Nursery, I don’t want to take the chance of a rival Clan making the same attempt!’] The entrance that the rogue had used had been the one reserved for Clan’s elders, young apprentices and queens with kits, set above the beaver’s lodge that ReedClan called home and hidden among rocks, branches and thick thorny brambles. It was nearly impossible to locate if someone didn’t know where to look, which made the rogue’s intrusion all the more unsettling. The only silver lining to the entire incident was that the rogue had not managed to take Torrentkit, who remained unharmed and trembling at her mother’s side when the leader had come to check upon the family a while later. It was then that Frostsong revealed the identity of the rogue, as well as his reasons for making such a brazen attempt: during the scuffle the queen had recognized the intruder as Drake – her former mate. Apparently the tom had not taken being cut out of his daughter’s life so gracefully.

Leopardkit too escaped the encounter the rogue relatively unscathed; save for a rather large bruise on her flank that would hinder her movement for a few days, her fall to the ground didn’t even result in a stay in Beaverfang’s den. The news was a relief to both Leopardkit’s family, who had been distressed by the entire ordeal, and to Torrentkit, who after calming down had made herself comfortable next to the sore tortoiseshell for the remainder of Leopardkit’s confinement – and this time Mapleshine didn’t have the heart to separate them. [‘I never thought I’d say this about the kit that made me a lion once, but we owe your daughter our thanks,’] Ripplestar had stated to the harrowed queen, a twitch of xis whiskers expressing their amusement at the ironic situation. [‘Without her, we’d have likely lost Torrentkit.’] It would be quite a while later that Mapleshine would realize she had not even thought to correct her leader’s comment of Leopardkit being her daughter – it just hadn’t registered. Thankfully, the ordeal was not repeated, and Drake seemed to have vanished from ReedClan’s borders without a trace after his scrap with the warriors. Nevertheless, even though there were warriors on guard at all hours of the night, Leopardkit had refused to sleep for several nights afterwards – her tail resting protectively over the slumbering Torrentkit at her side and her eyes locked on the entrance to the Nursery, senses alert for anything that might’ve been out of the ordinary. Frostsong too refused to sleep easily, jumping at any sound that went bump in the night and constantly checking in on her daughter from where she slept on in Mapleshine’s nest. As a result, both queen and kit became quite acquainted with one another throughout this time, keeping the other company through a shared vigil.

Eventually though these vigils became more and more infrequent as time passed, and both families began to steadily move on past the ordeal. Instead, they chose to focus on Mapleshine’s progressing pregnancy, preparing for the litter’s arrival in their own ways. Frostsong was quick to move her nest right next to the younger queen’s – both for her daughter’s benefit and for Mapleshine’s. [‘You’re already raising three kits; you’re going to need help to handle more than that,] the white queen had teased, eyes sparkling as she shaped a thick batch of fresh moss into a proper nest shape. The kits especially were elated at the promise of new playmates, with both Duskkit and Bitternkit often attempting to feel and hear the newborns through Mapleshine’s stomach despite her laughingly explaining that it was too early for that. Even the haughty Ivykit had managed a purr at the thought, curiously wondering how large the litter might be and how many mollies and toms would be born. Unsurprisingly, Thistleheart was caught between exuberance and concerns, the same worries he had suffered during Bramblingcry’s pregnancy rearing their heads despite his daughter’s and Frostsong’s reassurances. Though in a twist, reassurances of a different nature also had to be offered to Loudscream as well; though happy for Mapleshine, over time he’d grown terribly unsure of what his place would be with the new litter, and the stress that insecurity had wrought showed quite visibly on the emotional warrior. [‘You’re going to be their uncle, of course!’] both Mapleshine and Thistleheart had purred at him, nudging the blue-gray tom affectionately. [‘You’re part of this family, never doubt that.’] Whether he truly believed it or not, the reassurances seemed to ease his worries.

Sadly, neither Torrentkit nor her two littermates would be able to witness the happy event. Two quarter moons after Drake’s failed attempt at stealing his daughter, several days after reaching their fourth moon of life, Leopardkit and Bitternkit had to say goodbye to their friends as Frostsong’s litter prepared for their Apprentice Ceremony. Throughout the entirety of the day the white queen had spent hours fussing over her kits, grooming their fur to a slick shine and making sure all three were presentable for their official entrance into life as members of ReedClan. Both Duskkit and Swankit were ecstatic over the prospect, nearly vibrating with energy in their mother’s grip as she attempted to groom them, but for Torrentkit the idea was far more nerve-wracking than it was thrilling – especially considering that Leopardkit would not be there with her. [‘It’s only for two moons, less than that even,’] was Leopardkit’s assurance to the spotted molly from her place at her side, though even to her own ears the words sounded hollow and forced. [‘Soon Bitternkit and I will be in the Apprentice’s Den right beside you guys! You’ll never notice we weren’t there to start with!’] though she attempted to sound cheery, it was quite obvious that the upcoming separation was weighing as heavily on her as it was on Torrentkit, and the two made it a point to remain attached at the hip throughout the duration of the day. Still, regardless of the bittersweet nature of the event there was still an undercurrent of excitement, and as night fell all depressing thoughts that had crossed their minds had been pushed aside in favor of letting themselves be caught up in it; there would be time to worry and fret after the happy event had ended.

As the crescent moon arose in the sky, all three of Frostsong’s kits padded forward to be presented before Ripplestar’s wizened gaze as the leader called the Clan Meeting. Despite the happiness of the occasion, the loss of both Torrentkit’s warmth at her side and the closeness of her silvery-blue tones threatened to twist her heart in her chest, her gaze riveted to the molly’s silvery form as she stepped shyly forward beside her siblings towards their leader. The older molly’s pelt seemed to be set aglow under the tender light of the night, outshining even the brightest of the stars that watched overhead as Ripplestar bestowed the names of Torrentpaw, Duskpaw and Swanpaw to each of Frostsong’s kits as the queen looked on proudly – to Leopardkit, it almost seemed as though their ancestors were offering the timid molly their own blessings and reassurances, and the thought brought a small spark of peace to her mind as she watched all three new apprentices disappear into the Apprentice’s Den for the first time. But as the three littermates were enjoying a series of firsts, Ripplestar was concluding their last actions as leader; two days after the Ceremony, the aging leader of ReedClan called the Clan together once again to announce xis decision to retire from their post and live out the rest of xis life as a warrior, passing the mantle to Hawthornstem in turn. [‘I am proud to have served you all as your leader, but I feel my time has now passed. It is Hawthornstem’s turn to lead you, and I trust she will serve you all just as well as leader as she has served as your deputy,’] as the Clan disbanded Ripplestar met with both Beaverfang and Hawthornstem at the camp entrance, and together all three padded off towards the Star-Drip Cave, leaving the Clan under Pikepaw’s careful watch and in a tense state.

Ripplestar’s retirement wasn’t an unexpected development. The Clan leader was not at an advanced age as of yet and had led the Clan well, but it had been no secret that they had been uncomfortable with the title since the start. There was also no doubt that Hawthornstem would make for just as grand a leader as expected, but no matter how good she would or would not turn out to be did not change the fact that the sixty-two moon old molly’s age would begin to show at some point in her tenure. Therefore, most of the Clan expected that she would likely choose a younger warrior to fill her position, and once more gossip filled the camp as many wondered just who would be chosen. There was a small pool of certain cats that were favored to have the best chances, and among the idle chatter that filled the camp had cropped up two very familiar names that had caught Leopardkit’s interest – Bramblingcry and Stormstrike. Now aged twenty-two and twenty-seven moons respectively, both of the warriors were certainly possibilities; they were young, loyal, dedicated to a fault and while Bramblingcry had only just received her first apprentice in the last moon many suspected that such a small detail wouldn’t hinder her chances. ['Who's to say? Doesn't matter to me who gets deputy,'] had been Loudscream’s opinion on the matter, giving little more than a careless shrug of his shoulders. Mapleshine was of the same mindset, though at times Leopardkit thought she saw a flash of pain fly through her aunt’s expression. Only Thistleheart had a differing opinion; at fifty-nine moons of age, the elder warrior was no longer considered a candidate as he had once been, but when it came to his daughter and her former mate, he steadfastly refused to consider either as possible deputies.

The new dawn saw the return of Beaverfang and the demoted Ripplecreek following alongside the newly christened Hawthornstar, and as the former leader vanished into the depths of the Warrior’s Den their successor retired to her new den to consider her choice in solitude. The entire camp was on pins and needles, going about their duties whilst glancing towards the entrance to the Leader’s Den with open curiosity. They didn’t have to wait too long, for before the sun had even risen to its zenith she had reappeared, calling her first Clan Meeting in a strong, sure tone. Before the Clan, Hawthornstar chose neither Bramblingcry nor Stormstrike to lead beside her, but Silverthroat – a cat that had not even been considered in the running. A loyal if not distant tom of Hawthornstar’s generation, he was otherwise the exact opposite of what everyone had expected her to choose – a fact that had Thistleheart nearly gasping with laughter after the Clan had dispersed. [‘Silverthroat is a good choice, though I don’t expect him to remain deputy for long,’] the gray-and-white tom explained as he rejoined his family in the Nursery. [‘Hawthornstar isn’t looking for a successor so soon – she’s looking for support as she finds her footing as leader. Silverthroat will provide that, ’] but above all, the older tom was just glad that Hawthornstar had seen through Stormstrike and Bramblingcry; though Thistleheart still did and always would love his daughter, both she and her former mate had long since proven themselves unfit for the position. To their credit, the two warriors had not reacted to being passed over for the promotion each so coveted, only sticking around to offer quick congratulations to the new deputy before heading off to tend to their duties.

In the following days, any more thoughts of Bramblingcry or Stormstrike or shifts in leadership were tossed aside in favor of Mapleshine’s unborn litter once again, but the thing that had brought the family joy now brought nothing but worry and fear. As her pregnancy steadily progressed, it was clear that Mapleshine would not share the luck that her sister had; half-way into the pregnancy, the young queen was stricken by terrible pains that forced her awake in the late hours of the night, her claws digging into her nest as she tried to breathe through the agony. Beaverfang was immediately brought in, a harrowed Pikepaw in tow carrying a small supply of herbs in her muzzle, but no matter what the aged medicine cat tried the tortoiseshell’s pains wouldn’t subside – at most, he could only take the edge off. [‘I’m not sure what is going on,’] he explained to a stricken Thistleheart and Loudscream, both of whom had the terrified Leopardkit, Bitternkit and Ivykit safely tucked beneath their legs. [‘All I can say is that her fate is in StarClan’s paws now,’] throughout the rest of her pregnancy Beaverfang would continue to return to the Nursery to tend to the ailing queen, being required more often as the pains worsened the closer she came to her kitting. The troubles often brought back Thistleheart's old worries to the forefront, and the tom would often hover near his daughter's nest whilst Loudscream took care of Leopardkit and her siblings in another nest. [‘It’s going to be okay,’] he would soothe them quietly, attempting to ease their worries the best he could. [‘Mapleshine is strong, and Beaverfang is the best. She’s going to get through this; StarClan isn’t ready for her just yet,’] the young kits could only hope he was right – the alternative was too terrible to think of.

If there had ever been a time that Leopardkit had needed Torrentpaw at her side it was in those trying days. Without her dearest friend to soothe her, and with her aunt in a state of constant pain, the young tortoiseshell was an absolute mess of restlessness and stress – constantly pacing about the Nursery or keeping silent vigil over her ailing aunt from the edge of her nest. Bitternkit and Ivykit were little better, with the young tom constantly sneaking away to snuggle up to Mapleshine and desperately clinging to her fur when Loudscream would come to retrieve him while the darker molly kit huddled herself into a corner, dazedly watching the world as it passed by her. This was the state in which the three entered their fifth moon of life, filled with stress and fear and worry, until at last it all came to a sudden end. Under the careful watch of both medicine cats, Mapleshine delivered her litter through a truly perilous kitting, laboring through the evening and night until at last a single tiny bundle wailed out through the darkness. [‘A molly, and she’s just as beautiful as her mother,’] Pikepaw had purred softly to the panting tortoiseshell, gently cleaning the tiny babe before nudging her towards her mother’s stomach. Despite all odds and expectations, Mapleshine and her new daughter were alive come the morning, and a tired Beaverfang happily gave the news to the relieved and joyful family. [‘They will live,’] he rumbled, before his eyes sharpened upon the exhausted molly. [‘But you will not survive another attempt at a litter. Cherish the daughters and sons you have now, and be happy,’] and with that both Beaverfang and Pikepaw took their leave of the Nursery to let the family get acquainted with their newest member.

For the first time in several weeks, the three siblings were finally allowed to return to their aunt’s nest, all but stampeding away from their uncle to return to the recovering queen’s side before the tom had even finished approaching the nest. The moment he reached her Bitternkit broke down yet again, his claws tangling in the tortoiseshell’s fur as he hid his face against her to muffle his wails; Leopardkit was in no better shape, curling as closely to Mapleshine’s chest as she could in order to hear the older cat’s heartbeat, barely managing to avoid falling into Bitternkit’s state. Even Ivykit, who had remained almost catatonic throughout most of the ordeal, didn’t hesitate to rear up and rub her head tenderly against Mapleshine’s muzzle, licking the molly’s nose in the most loving way with misty eyes. The tortoiseshell queen was quick to welcome their intrusion, embracing all three as closely as she could manage with loud, halting purrs rumbling from her throat despite her exhaustion. Her father was quick to return to his former post at her side, settling down behind her and curling his body loosely around her weary form whilst Loudscream gently bumped his head against hers, the normally animated tom for once subdued in his relief. [‘I’m so sorry…’] Mapleshine had rasped softly, the soft and strong voice that Leopardkit remembered now little more than a whisper that shimmered in the palest pink. [‘I worried you all, didn’t I? But it’s all over now, and I promise I’ll never put any of you through that pain again. Now, there’s someone I want you all to meet,’] and here, turned her attention away from her small family, her loving gaze falling upon the tiny bundle of brown and white fluff resting peacefully at her rosy stomach…

- Leopardkit meets and bonds with her newborn cousin, Duckkit, over her last moon in the Nursery. Though not Torrentpaw, Duckkit manages to keep Leopardkit’s more wild side tamed in a similar manner, and is the main reason Leopardkit remains closer to the Nursery. Some of Duckkit’s favorite things to do are either sneak into other queen’s nests to try and get extra milk, and follow behind Leopardkit while holding onto her tail to keep herself steady.

- When Leopardkit turns six moons old, she and both her siblings become the apprentices Leopardpaw, Bitternpaw and Ivypaw alongside two others – Goldenpaw and Frozenpaw. Before the Ceremony, Leopardpaw is noted to have insisted on grooming her own fur, which led her to appearing before Hawthornstar with her fur in an absolute mess. While Bitternpaw and Ivypaw are apprenticed to older, more experienced warriors, Leopardpaw is apprenticed to a overeager green warrior molly named Turtlespots, whose enthusiasm immediately rubs her the wrong way – when the older molly tries to touch her nose to Leopardpaw’s, she overshoots and ends up jabbing her nose into Leopardpaw’s eye instead, leading Leopardpaw to spend her first evening as an apprentice in the Medicine Cat’s Den getting it tended to by a highly amused Pikeleaf.

- Right away, Leopardpaw’s apprenticeship starts off on a bad note. While her siblings get stronger and better, Leopardpaw’s ability to see colors hinders her progress, often overloading her senses whenever she leaves the camp to train. To make matters worse, Turtlespots proves to be overbearing in her attempts to help Leopardpaw, leading the young molly to train alone in secret at night, when the colors aren’t as bad. This comes back to bite her in the tail when the lack of sleep and her exhaustion cause her to faint while training one day after her seventh moon of life, and she spends another day in the Medicine Cat’s Den until Beaverfang is certain she’s gotten enough rest.

- The discovery of Leopardpaw’s secret training deeply hurts Turtlespots, and after a heart to heart, Leopardpaw tells Turtlespots about the colors she sees. To her surprise, Turtlespots believes her, and together they begin to explore what Leopardpaw’s colors are capable of: it is Turtlespots who discovers that only the things Leopardpaw can hear turn up as colors, and she teaches her apprentice how to focus on certain sounds and block out others. It is also Turtlespots who realizes that Leopardpaw can use the colors to discern lies. Through this, the two learn to bond and grow close, and often head out into the territory to wander about and explore together under the guise of ‘training’.

- Early on in Leopardpaw’s sixth moon, a newcomer with a bronze voice joins the Clan – a loner who is missing one of his forelegs who calls himself Tumble. Leopardpaw is immediately intrigued by this stranger who now shares the same den as her, and after defending him against a few cruel teasers she strikes up an easy friendship with the older tom through shared interests, such as exploring the territory by night. Tumble’s ‘apprenticeship’ however didn’t last too long – and before long he was wearing the warrior name of Tumbleweed before Leopardpaw even entered her eighth moon.

- While Leopardpaw’s training begins to improve, her friend Torrentpaw is still having a hard time thanks to her shy nature. The whispers and concerns from the older warriors, as well as the loss of Duskpaw, do not help the issue, and to bring up her friend’s spirits Leopardpaw begins to make Torrentpaw’s nests for her every day, decorating the nests with flowers such as lavender and jewelweed and sparkling stones she finds around the territory, but she makes a point not to tell Torrentpaw who is building the nests.

- At the age of nine moons, Turtlespots decides to begin teaching Leopardpaw how to navigate fiercer currents, though as a precaution she asks Thistleheart to join them on the off chance something goes wrong. The current they choose is within a river that runs right next to a section of the CavernClan border, and during the training session when Thistleheart sees a young CavernClan apprentice struggling in the current he doesn’t hesitate to help, pulling the apprentice to the border. Though the apprentice and their mentor are grateful for the help, the appearance of a CavernClan patrol moments later sours the mood. Among the patrol is a brash young warrior named Skunkstripe, who brazenly attacks Thistleheart before the situation can be explained. Thistleheart ends up taking a hard hit to the head from Skunkstripe, and falls into the river before Turtlespots can reach him.

- Thistleheart’s body is swept away in the currents, and after the search parties come up empty the Clan holds a vigil for the fallen warrior. Having suffered the first major loss in her life, Leopardpaw becomes despondent in her grief, staying in her nest in the Apprentice’s Den staring at the wall. It is only when Torrentpaw comes to comfort her that she finally opens up again, and it is also the moment when Leopardpaw finally realizes she has fallen for her friend. Turtlespots too helps out, pushing through her own guilt at not being able to save Thistleheart one night to teach Leopardpaw about StarClan. It is Turtlespots who shows Leopardpaw how the stars reflect on the surface of still pools, and who begins her hobby of swimming at night among the stars to feel closer to StarClan.

- Shortly after reaching her tenth moon of life, a ReedClan patrol comes face to face with a small pack of wolves. Among this patrol are both Stormstrike and Ivypaw, who was with her mentor at the time. Though most of the patrol comes back unscathed, Stormstrike is torn apart by the wolves when the branch he was on breaks, sending him to his death. Ivypaw is the one to tell the Clan of his fate, as she had been in the same tree as him, but as she’s speaking Leopardpaw notices a disturbing fluctuation in her voice when she explains how the branch broke – an indication that she is lying.

- At the age of eleven moons, Leopardpaw witnesses the Warrior Ceremony of her beloved, who gains the name Torrentheart, and the Apprentice Ceremony of her cousin who becomes Duckpaw. Several days later, Leopardpaw joins both her mentor and Torrentheart on a patrol near the BranchClan border. While they aren’t paying attention, an eagle swoops down and takes aim at Torrentheart, prompting Leopardpaw to take quick action. With her mentor’s screams behind her, Leopardpaw leaps upon the back of the bird of prey and manages to push it off course, and it crashes to the ground hard enough to kill it. Leopardpaw is knocked unconscious and suffers a badly sprained back leg from the fall, prompting her to spend over a moon in the Medicine Cat’s Den recovering.

- During Leopardpaw’s stay in the Medicine Cat’s Den, her siblings gain their warrior names – Bitternwing and Ivystream. Bitternwing, Torrentheart, Mapleshine, Turtlespots, Loudscream and Duckpaw among others are all constant visitors while she recovers. However, shortly after she is released from the den, Leopardpaw too receives her warrior name at the age of thirteen moons: inspired by the tales she had heard of Leopardpaw’s deed – with Turtlespots even stating that her apprentice ‘flew’ through the air – Hawthornstar names the young molly as Leopardflight.

- As Leopardflight reaches her fifteenth moon, the Clan sees its medicine cat, Beaverfang, finally retire – leaving Pikeleaf as the sole medicine cat of the Clan. Along with that, a sudden monsoon season begins to sweep over the Forest, flooding the rivers and streams of ReedClan’s territory, and a loyal ReedClan molly named Silverstride is claimed by such a storm. One day, Duckpaw does not return to camp after going on a solo hunt, and despite another storm on the way Leopardflight rushes out in the territory to find her cousin. When she does, Duckpaw has one of her front legs tangled in a snare trap. Leopardflight manages to free her, but in her struggle against the snare Duckpaw has mangled her paw, twisted her leg and exhausted herself. With no time to outrun the storm, and the water of the nearby streams flooding over, Leopardflight drags her cousin to high ground and covers her body with her own, protecting her through the storm. They are found the next day by a patrol.

- Though Duckpaw survives her ordeal, Pikeleaf states that her leg and paw will never heal correctly. Believing that she will never be able to swim right – and therefore never be a proper ReedClan cat – Duckpaw’s mentor abandons her to the Elder’s Den. Leopardflight, however, refuses to let her cousin fade so easily, and throughout her healing process she helps and supports Duckpaw. When Duckpaw is able to leave Pikeleaf’s den, Leopardflight asks Turtlespots to help her finish Duckpaw’s training.

- Through trial and error, Leopardflight helps Duckpaw learn to live with her disability, and by the time Duckpaw is fifteen moons of age she is capable of swimming, hunting and battling just as well as any other ReedClan cat. After an assessment from Hawthornstar, Duckpaw gains the warrior name of Duckstep, and Leopardflight soon gains her first official apprentice a moon later – a young, excitable tom named Otterpaw. During this time, another ReedClan cat name Heatherbreeze is found dead in a snare.

- Right off the bat, Otterpaw proves himself to be a menace for the twenty-one moon old Leopardflight, who can barely keep up with his energy as he ran circles around her. However, it is through his training that Leopardflight discovers her love of teaching, and within six moons she is able to mold Otterpaw into a capable tracker and hunter, earning him the name Otternose at the end of his training period. During their training, an attempted raid by CavernClan ends with Leopardflight facing Skunkstripe, whom she maims in her anger.

- At the age of twenty-eight moons, Leopardflight receives her second apprentice – an eleven moon old quiet young tom named Comfreypaw, whose former mentor Jaytalon had died after an accident in the river. As Comfreypaw is on the cusp of receiving his warrior name, Leopardflight is simply expected to just review and go over what he’d already learned, but instead she ends up teaching the young tom how to move on while also learning from his own lack of belief in StarClan. Comfreypaw becomes Comfreytuft shortly after his thirteenth moon.

- A moon before Comfreytuft receives his warrior name, the Clan’s deputy, Silverthroat, retires from his position. In a shocking twist, the aging Hawthornstar chooses Torrentheart as her new deputy, and Leopardflight is one of the first to support the decision when Bramblingcry attempts to make a fuss over it.

- At the age of thirty-one moons, Leopardflight takes an interest in a young kit named Minnowkit, whose ambition and confidence both worry and intrigue her. She makes a request to Hawthornstar to mentor this young cat when she comes of age. Hawthornstar considers the request, and during Minnowkit’s Apprentice Ceremony a moon later she grants it, assigning the newly named Minnowpaw to Leopardflight to train.

- As expected, Minnowpaw proves to be her greatest challenge; the confidence the young kit has in herself gives rise to arrogance, and Leopardflight has to employ a strict system of discipline to get anywhere with the young molly. The system manages to get through to Minnowpaw, and over time the two begin to bond. It is also the fact that she is currently training an apprentice that saves Leopardflight when Skunkstripe, the tom responsible for killing Thistleheart, is found dead at the CavernClan border with tortoiseshell fur in his claws – having joined Torrentheart and her apprentice on a joint training trip with two other mentors, Leopardflight is given an airtight alibi for the death, and while ReedClan wholy believes in her innocence there are still some outside the Clan who believe she is responsible.

- Half-way into her training of Minnowpaw, Pikeleaf dies in an accident, leaving her apprentice Silverflame as the sole medicine cat of ReedClan. Shortly afterward, Bitternwing suffers an accident of his own when his tail is caught in a snap trap on the border while on a hunt. Though Leopardflight tries to help her brother get loose, the threat of encroaching predators forces the two to bite off the appendage, leaving Bitternwing with no tail and plenty of balance issues. Rather than let her brother stumble through on his own, Leopardflight has him join her and Minnowpaw on their training sessions, and both mentor and apprentice help the warrior find ways around his new disability. It is during one of these training sessions that Leopardflight learns that Bitternwing had been hunting with Ivystream, and that he had gotten caught in the trap when he had been following her through the brush. When she had disappeared, he assumed she had gone to get help – but the truth was she had not said a single word of their brother’s fate.

- Now carrying suspicions of her sister’s motives, Leopardflight keeps a closer eye on Ivystream, though her attention is divided by both her apprentice and the Clan’s worry over Hawthornstar’s declining health. A bout of greencough soon strikes down the great leader the day after Minnowspring is granted her warrior name, and Torrentheart steps in to take her place. It is while the newly named Torrentstar names her deputy Frozenfox, one of the two cats who also became apprentices alongside herself and her siblings, that Leopardflight gets the first glimpse of Ivystream’s true nature in a terrifying vision. As she looks at her sister sitting in the back, Ivystream transforms into a monstrous version of herself before her eyes, though as soon as the vision appears it is gone. Now suspecting her sister of crimes against ReedClan, Leopardflight searches for a way to prove it… before the next victim is claimed…

(-current roleplayed events to be recorded here-)