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Description
"Badgerpaw! Badgerpaw! Oh, my son, he's dead!" A terror-shrilled voice woke me from my dream of chasing a squirrel to the upmost branches of an oak tree. Dead. What was going on? The word 'death' scorched fear through me, I crouched down beside Cinderkit, not daring to look outside. Dawncloud rose to her paws and skidded out of the den immediately. Swampkit blinked open his eyes and started to walk toward Dawncloud. "Mom? Where are you going?" I scampered over and dragged Swampkit back. "Someone died out there." Horror suddenly flashed in Swampkit's blue eyes. "What are we going to do? Badgerpaw died!" Blossomkit wailed. "Don't worry, little ones, it's all okay, just stay in there!" Dawncloud called over her shoulder before pushing through. Brackenkit stared sympathetically at Blossomkit and Swampkit. "I didn't know that you experienced this during your time as kits. In ThunderClan, we were spoiled." He muttered.
Blossomkit and Swampkit didn't answer, their eyes were misted over, and they were crying. I looked at Cinderkit, who nodded. I padded over and curled up next to my adoptive siblings, they'd be comforted now. Brackenkit and Thornkit joined, Cinderkit last, she was peering out of the den. It was late at night, and the moon was still low in the sky. During the day, we had been showed around the territory. Flintfang's raspy mew cut into my thoughts. "I never meant for it to happen..." He claimed. "You killed your own nephew!" Fernshade spat. "I'm sorry. It was out of my will. Brokenstar-" his voice trailed away. Blossomkit rested her head on my shoulder, I froze. What should I do? The white she-kit was so stressed, I didn't want to push her away, so I allowed her to remain there.
Dawncloud slowly reentered the den, sorrowfully stumbling in and falling onto the hard floor. "Mama? Are you okay?" Blossomkit suddenly ran to Dawncloud's aid. Dawncloud opened her eyes. "I'm fine..." she mewed. She lay her head on the stony ground and started to murmur. "I can't let my kits share a similar fate to Badgerpaw." Swampkit glanced apprehensively at Thornkit, who winced. Did that mean that we'd be off to fend for ourselves? "Go back to sleep, little ones, but you won't be sleeping for very long." Dawncloud meowed. I padded around Dawncloud and rested against her shoulder; how could I sleep? Some cat died outside. Eventually, I had fallen asleep, curled up with Cinderkit, sobbing with fear and worry for my newfound family and my kin here. We'd die if we were apprenticed early.

"Wake up," Dawncloud meowed lowly. Swampkit stirred. "Is it morning?" he asked drowsily. "Not yet, but I must bring you somewhere." The pale ginger queen explained. Blossomkit blinked open her eyes. "How come?" she queried. I glanced at my foster sister. "You're going home." She told us. "Even us? But ShadowClan is home!" Swampkit claimed. Dawncloud didn't answer, she flicked her tail toward the entrance. "I'll lead you up the Thunderpath, and you'll just keep walking straight, does that sound good?" I was confused. Why was Dawncloud leaving us? "Just come." She led them up the den and down into the undergrowth at the side, where a large hill loomed above us. "Get on my back, and hold tight," Dawncloud instructed, lowering her body. I hesitantly clambered over the pale ginger queen's back and clung on her shoulders, followed by Cinderkit, Thornkit, Brackenkit, Swampkit, and Blossomkit. Surprisingly, we weren't spotted as she climbed the hill and squeezed through the ragged, tangled vines.
The pine forest was layered with snow, unusual for leaf-fall weather. "Keep your paw steps light," Dawncloud whispered. I felt my paws begin to twitch with fear, I didn't like nights like these, stepping throughout the snow. I stepped gingerly through the woods, Dawncloud glanced over her shoulder at ShadowClan camp, while her two kits were gazing ahead nervously. "Come," she murmured, ringing around the camp, by the time we reached the entrance, Clawface and Blackfoot were defending camp. "What are you up to?" Blackfoot asked, halting in grooming his forepaw. "I'm taking the kits for some battle-training in the snow," Dawncloud lied huskily. "They won't end up like Badgerpaw."
"Good," Blackfoot muttered. "My nephew was too weak to ever be a true warrior." Dawncloud dipped her head. "I will train these cats better, half-brother," she meowed, turning and haring into the snow. I found it hard to keep with her pace, and I allowed Cinderkit to grip the fur on my tail with her teeth. "Dawncloud!" I called after the pale ginger queen. "Are we really doing snow-training?" Swampkit squeaked. "No, dear, I don't agree with Blackfoot's actions." She stared at her paws. "They killed my younger brothers," She shook her head. "Let's go."
We skidded across the forestry, and she steered us around the marsh, leading to a small stream down to the Thunderpath, where Clawface had taken us. "Cross here, as quick as a hare," Dawncloud instructed, "Luckily there aren't many monsters this late at night." I bunched my muscles. "Cross, cross now!" Dawncloud hissed. I darted across the thick path and jumped over into the familiar soft grass. Swampkit and Blossomkit piled after me. But my littermates struggled, a monster passed, I felt fear hollow out in my chest. "No!" Once the monster passed, I saw that they were alive, oil-covered, but alive. Dawncloud passed next and halted beside the Thunderpath. "Swampkit, Blossomkit, come here," Cinderkit and I were already at the top of the hill, but we perked our ears to listen.
"Be safe in ThunderClan, little ones, I will never forget you," She murmured, voice cracking. "I-I... I'm so sorry...but I must leave you..." Swampkit and Blossomkit were whimpering. "Join ThunderClan with us! We can be a full family!" Dawncloud rested her tail over the two kits' shoulders. "Oh, my sweet Blossomkit, you know I can't do that. You will die if they follow the scent trail up to the ThunderClan border, more kits will die if I join you. Brokenstar must believe that you died...okay?" Dawncloud sniffed. "I won't wanna leave you!" Blossomkit wailed, sobbing and brushing against Dawncloud. "I know. I know...you're okay. It's okay. I will always be at the Gatherings. ThunderClan will keep you safe. I owe everything to them, tell them that...please...I love you."
"You don't have to leave," Swampkit argued. "There's no use arguing. I love you." She licked between the two kits' ears. "I love you too, Mama," Blossomkit loafed in the grass and stayed in silence for a few moments. Swampkit joined in. "I love you." He muttered. After a few long heartbeats, Dawncloud got to her paws. "Okay, I've got to go. I love you," Her eyes filled with pain. "Will you come visit?" Swampkit asked. "I-I'll try." Dawncloud shut her eyes tightly. "Good-bye." She turned and fled. "Mama! Mama, come back!" Blossomkit wailed. "I wanna say a proper good-bye! Wait!"
Swampkit curled his tail over Blossomkit's shoulder. "Don't cross. I don't want you to go too."
"Dawncloud said we have to go straight from here." Thornkit said. "Are you ready to go?" Brackenkit asked Blossomkit and Swampkit. Blossomkit wiped her tears. "Yes, we're ready."

Description
"Badgerpaw! Badgerpaw! Oh, my son, he's dead!" A terror-shrilled voice woke me from my dream of chasing a squirrel to the upmost branches of an oak tree. Dead. What was going on? The word 'death' scorched fear through me, I crouched down beside Cinderkit, not daring to look outside. Dawncloud rose to her paws and skidded out of the den immediately. Swampkit blinked open his eyes and started to walk toward Dawncloud. "Mom? Where are you going?" I scampered over and dragged Swampkit back. "Someone died out there." Horror suddenly flashed in Swampkit's blue eyes. "What are we going to do? Badgerpaw died!" Blossomkit wailed. "Don't worry, little ones, it's all okay, just stay in there!" Dawncloud called over her shoulder before pushing through. Brackenkit stared sympathetically at Blossomkit and Swampkit. "I didn't know that you experienced this during your time as kits. In ThunderClan, we were spoiled." He muttered.
Blossomkit and Swampkit didn't answer, their eyes were misted over, and they were crying. I looked at Cinderkit, who nodded. I padded over and curled up next to my adoptive siblings, they'd be comforted now. Brackenkit and Thornkit joined, Cinderkit last, she was peering out of the den. It was late at night, and the moon was still low in the sky. During the day, we had been showed around the territory. Flintfang's raspy mew cut into my thoughts. "I never meant for it to happen..." He claimed. "You killed your own nephew!" Fernshade spat. "I'm sorry. It was out of my will. Brokenstar-" his voice trailed away. Blossomkit rested her head on my shoulder, I froze. What should I do? The white she-kit was so stressed, I didn't want to push her away, so I allowed her to remain there.
Dawncloud slowly reentered the den, sorrowfully stumbling in and falling onto the hard floor. "Mama? Are you okay?" Blossomkit suddenly ran to Dawncloud's aid. Dawncloud opened her eyes. "I'm fine..." she mewed. She lay her head on the stony ground and started to murmur. "I can't let my kits share a similar fate to Badgerpaw." Swampkit glanced apprehensively at Thornkit, who winced. Did that mean that we'd be off to fend for ourselves? "Go back to sleep, little ones, but you won't be sleeping for very long." Dawncloud meowed. I padded around Dawncloud and rested against her shoulder; how could I sleep? Some cat died outside. Eventually, I had fallen asleep, curled up with Cinderkit, sobbing with fear and worry for my newfound family and my kin here. We'd die if we were apprenticed early.

"Wake up," Dawncloud meowed lowly. Swampkit stirred. "Is it morning?" he asked drowsily. "Not yet, but I must bring you somewhere." The pale ginger queen explained. Blossomkit blinked open her eyes. "How come?" she queried. I glanced at my foster sister. "You're going home." She told us. "Even us? But ShadowClan is home!" Swampkit claimed. Dawncloud didn't answer, she flicked her tail toward the entrance. "I'll lead you up the Thunderpath, and you'll just keep walking straight, does that sound good?" I was confused. Why was Dawncloud leaving us? "Just come." She led them up the den and down into the undergrowth at the side, where a large hill loomed above us. "Get on my back, and hold tight," Dawncloud instructed, lowering her body. I hesitantly clambered over the pale ginger queen's back and clung on her shoulders, followed by Cinderkit, Thornkit, Brackenkit, Swampkit, and Blossomkit. Surprisingly, we weren't spotted as she climbed the hill and squeezed through the ragged, tangled vines.
The pine forest was layered with snow, unusual for leaf-fall weather. "Keep your paw steps light," Dawncloud whispered. I felt my paws begin to twitch with fear, I didn't like nights like these, stepping throughout the snow. I stepped gingerly through the woods, Dawncloud glanced over her shoulder at ShadowClan camp, while her two kits were gazing ahead nervously. "Come," she murmured, ringing around the camp, by the time we reached the entrance, Clawface and Blackfoot were defending camp. "What are you up to?" Blackfoot asked, halting in grooming his forepaw. "I'm taking the kits for some battle-training in the snow," Dawncloud lied huskily. "They won't end up like Badgerpaw."
"Good," Blackfoot muttered. "My nephew was too weak to ever be a true warrior." Dawncloud dipped her head. "I will train these cats better, half-brother," she meowed, turning and haring into the snow. I found it hard to keep with her pace, and I allowed Cinderkit to grip the fur on my tail with her teeth. "Dawncloud!" I called after the pale ginger queen. "Are we really doing snow-training?" Swampkit squeaked. "No, dear, I don't agree with Blackfoot's actions." She stared at her paws. "They killed my younger brothers," She shook her head. "Let's go."
We skidded across the forestry, and she steered us around the marsh, leading to a small stream down to the Thunderpath, where Clawface had taken us. "Cross here, as quick as a hare," Dawncloud instructed, "Luckily there aren't many monsters this late at night." I bunched my muscles. "Cross, cross now!" Dawncloud hissed. I darted across the thick path and jumped over into the familiar soft grass. Swampkit and Blossomkit piled after me. But my littermates struggled, a monster passed, I felt fear hollow out in my chest. "No!" Once the monster passed, I saw that they were alive, oil-covered, but alive. Dawncloud passed next and halted beside the Thunderpath. "Swampkit, Blossomkit, come here," Cinderkit and I were already at the top of the hill, but we perked our ears to listen.
"Be safe in ThunderClan, little ones, I will never forget you," She murmured, voice cracking. "I-I... I'm so sorry...but I must leave you..." Swampkit and Blossomkit were whimpering. "Join ThunderClan with us! We can be a full family!" Dawncloud rested her tail over the two kits' shoulders. "Oh, my sweet Blossomkit, you know I can't do that. You will die if they follow the scent trail up to the ThunderClan border, more kits will die if I join you. Brokenstar must believe that you died...okay?" Dawncloud sniffed. "I won't wanna leave you!" Blossomkit wailed, sobbing and brushing against Dawncloud. "I know. I know...you're okay. It's okay. I will always be at the Gatherings. ThunderClan will keep you safe. I owe everything to them, tell them that...please...I love you."
"You don't have to leave," Swampkit argued. "There's no use arguing. I love you." She licked between the two kits' ears. "I love you too, Mama," Blossomkit loafed in the grass and stayed in silence for a few moments. Swampkit joined in. "I love you." He muttered. After a few long heartbeats, Dawncloud got to her paws. "Okay, I've got to go. I love you," Her eyes filled with pain. "Will you come visit?" Swampkit asked. "I-I'll try." Dawncloud shut her eyes tightly. "Good-bye." She turned and fled. "Mama! Mama, come back!" Blossomkit wailed. "I wanna say a proper good-bye! Wait!"
Swampkit curled his tail over Blossomkit's shoulder. "Don't cross. I don't want you to go too."
"Dawncloud said we have to go straight from here." Thornkit said. "Are you ready to go?" Brackenkit asked Blossomkit and Swampkit. Blossomkit wiped her tears. "Yes, we're ready."