Where My Loyalty Belongs

This is a One-Shot made by Otterpaw, because she hadn't added to her fan-fic in such a long time!

Where My Loyalty Belongs
Foxpaw’s POV “Foxpaw, hurry up!” Eaglepaw called after his friend, the medicine cat apprentice. “It feels good to finally get off of DappleClan territory!”

Foxpaw came walking up to Eaglepaw, panting. “It’s not like we wasn’t allowed to leave.”

Eaglepaw rolled his amber eyes. “Oh, whatever. Let’s explore! We don’t have all day!”

The medicine cat apprentice rolled her eyes and then pranced after Eaglepaw, who was leaping from rock to rock. “Slow down!” Foxpaw picked up her pace.

Abruptly, Eaglepaw stopped. Foxpaw ran into the tom. “Ow?” Foxpaw snapped.

“Look!” Eaglepaw hissed, using his head to point at the ground. Foxpaw peered over the edge of the rock, a small tunnel was there.

“Okay,” Foxpaw said, fear edging her mew. “Let’s go back to camp.”

Eaglepaw shot a harsh look at Foxpaw. “Are you going to leave me? Are you a scardey-mouse?”

Foxpaw growled and nodded her head. Eaglepaw leaped into the tunnel, Foxpaw following him. They slowly crept in the tunnel, until a mew echoed.

“What was that?” Foxpaw flinched.

“It sounded like a cat!” Eaglepaw mewed, his eyes wide. “Come on, let’s go check it out!”

Before Foxpaw could say a word, Eaglepaw sprinted off, leaving Foxpaw watching in awe. Mousebrain! Foxpaw sprinted after her friend.

“Foxpaw!” Eaglepaw’s voice called. “Look what I found!”

Foxpaw ran faster to where Eaglepaw was. When she finally got to the tom, he was standing over a nest – with three little kits in there. One was a dark gray tom-kit, while another was a white she-kit with a gray muzzle, and the last was a small gray and white patched tom-kit.

“Eaglepaw,” Foxpaw warned. “You are not going to take those kits. Their mother will come back to them!”

The tom shook his head. “She won’t,” Eaglepaw whispered. He gently put his paw on the gray and white tom-kit, who wasn’t breathing. “This one’s dead. She probably hadn’t been here for days.”

Foxpaw laid her paws on the dark gray kit. Breathing. She moved her paw to touch the chest of the white she-kit. Breathing. “We have to bring them back to camp,” Foxpaw agreed.

“Good,” Eaglepaw said, gently picking up the dark gray tom-kit by his scruff. Foxpaw did the same with the white kit. “Let’s get back to camp.”

–=+=–

Foxpaw and Eaglepaw sat in Icestar’s den, their tails wrapped around their body and their body up straight. The two kits they found between them.

“You found the kits?” Icestar asked.

The two apprentices nodded their heads.

“First off, you shouldn’t had been out of camp,” Icestar meowed. “Second, was there a mother scent on them?”

Eaglepaw shook his head. “There was another kit with them, but he was dead. We buried him.”

Icestar nodded, as if she was taking that in. “We can’t just leave these kits alone, with no mother to take care of them,” Icestar decided, sitting up straight. “Roseleap can take care of them, but first, we must name them.”

Relief flooded Foxpaw. Eaglepaw laid his tail on the dark gray tom. “Stormkit.” He gave a look to Foxpaw, asking her to name the she-kit.

“Whiskerkit,” Foxpaw decided, staring at the kits’ long whiskers.

“It is settled then,” Icestar mewed. “Roseleap will take care of Stormkit and Frostkit. They are now a part of DappleClan.”

–=+=–

Whiskerkit’s POV

These cats are very kind to me and my brother, Stormkit. My foster mother, Roseleap, had been like our real mother. She had two other kits – Poppykit and Mudkit. They have really odd names here, but I’m sure Stormkit and I will get used to it.

A cat named Foxpaw was the one who was the kindest. She played with us every time she could, but she did always smelled like herbs. A cat named Eaglepaw also played with us, but not as much as Foxpaw.

I play outside in the clearing with Stormkit, Poppykit, and Mudkit. We chase a butterfly, while Roseleap watches and laughs from the nursery. A screech comes by from the sky, Roseleap stops laughing and starts yowling.

“Poppykit! Mudkit! Stormkit! Whiskerkit!” Roseleap cries. “Come over here! Quick!”

“Owl!” Eaglepaw yowled, all the cats in the clearing dash into their dens. The other kits and I freeze. I glance up at the sky, a huge bird coming down.

“Kits!” Roseleap wails. “Come here!”

I finally realize what’s happening. I run to Roseleap, the other kits following. Once I got to the nursery, I pressed against her warm belly. The other kits are getting closer. They are going to make it.

Stormkit didn’t.

“Stormkit!” I wailed. Talons curled around the dark gray tom-kit as he let out a huge yowl. “Nooo!!!”

I wanted to cry. I want to chase after Stormkit. I wanted to claw the owl. Roseleap wouldn’t let me. She wrapped her tail around my body, tight. “No, Whiskerkit. StarClan watches over him now.”

Stormkit. My littermate. The kit that keeps me warm at night, the one who is always there when Poppykit and Mudkit are sleeping. He was always with me all my life. That owl took him away. He took my best friend away.

I miss Stormkit. I hate that owl.

–=+=–

Cats gathered around in the clearing, while I peaked out of the nursery. Poppykit and Mudkiy was around me.

“What are they talking about out there?” Poppykit squeaked, pouncing on my tail.

“And where’s Stormkit?” Mudkit added.

Sadness pulled through my heart. I choked back the sadness. “Just let me listen.”

The two other kits became silent. All the cats were silent, too. The said nothing. Foxpaw was in the group, and once she saw me, she padded over.

“Kits, get back into the den,” whispered Foxpaw. “Whiskerkit, you can talk with me.”

“Can we listen, too?” Mudkit asked.

Foxpaw nosed a mossball toward the kits. “No, you can play with this.”

Poppykit and Mudkit began pouncing on the moss. I followed Foxpaw, who lead me to the entrance of the den.

“Is Stormkit…” I tried to say. “Is Stormkit… dead?”

Foxpaw stared at her ginger tail, her usually bright green eyes became sad. “Yes.” She glanced up at the night sky. “He walks with the stars, now.”

“Is he with out ancestors?” I asked.

“He’s with StarClan. He’ll always watch over you.”

“Will he get a warrior name?”

Foxpaw gave me a confused look. “Huh? Whiskerkit, what do you mean?”

“I mean, like his last part of his name won’t start with kit,” I explained. “So he can have a name like Roseleap.”

“Why don’t you make up a name for him?”

I closed my eyes. Stormkit was always positive, and he was fun. He plays with Poppykit, Mudkit, and me a lot, and when he played with me, he let me win. He was kind, and bright.

“Stormspirit,” I decided.

Foxpaw purred. “Great name. Stormkit is always watching over you, and I’m sure he’s glad that you gave him his name.”

–=+=– Two moons later…

Foxpaw became Foxlight and Eaglepaw became Eagleflight. I’m happy for them. Foxlight became a medicine cat and Eagleflight became a warrior. Foxlight’s mentor died. Cats started to gather around in the clearing. This was important.

Roseleap lapped at my head. “Today is a big day for you, Whiskerkit. You have to look your best.”

Poppykit and Mudkit danced around me. “You get to become an apprentice!” Poppykit exclaimed.

“You’re so lucky!” Mudkit mewed.

Stormkit should become Stormpaw, I thought. He’ll be proud of me.

“Let all cats that are old enough to catch their own prey gather in the clearing!” Icestar’s voice called.

Usually, that meant the kits and I wasn’t supposed to come, but this time, Roseleap beckoned me to come. Once I got outside, Icestar gave a kind look at me.

“Whiskerkit, come forward,” Icestar said. I obeyed and walked foward.

“Whiskerkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Whiskerpaw. Your mentor will be,” Icestar paused for a moment, “Foxlight. I hope Foxlight will pass down all she knows on to you.”

Excitement rushed through my body like a wave. Foxlight’s my mentor! I glanced up at the sky. ''Stormkit, I hope you are proud of me! I’m becoming a medicine cat!''

Foxlight came forward. “Foxlight, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Frostleaf, and you have shown yourself to be kind and clever. You will be the mentor of Whisker, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Whiskerpaw.”

I touched noses with Foxlight, and I could tell she was as excited as I was.

“Whiskerpaw! Whiskerpaw! Whiskerpaw!”

The meeting was over, and I followed Foxlight. “I’m your apprentice!” I exclaimed.

Foxlight purred. “I know. And I am so glad that Eagleflight and I brought you to the clan.”

–=+=– 4 moons later…

“What?”

“Who is this?”

“Why are you here?”

Voices awoke me from my sleep, Foxlight was beside me, hovering over me. “Come on, Whiskerpaw. Let’s see what’s going on.”

Outside, the clan was gathering to see a stranger – a light gray she-cat with white paws and blue eyes.

Icestar pushed through the crowd and faced the stranger. “Who are you?”

I pressed against Foxlight. The stranger’s blue eyes skimmed across the cats, and finally laid on me. “Ivy! My kit!”

Everyone went quiet.

“What?” I blurted out. “You’re… my mother?”

The stranger nodded. “Yes! Ivy, I’ve been looking for you, Stone, and Moss forever! I am your mother, Gray.”

I stood still, the clan’s eyes staring at me. “I-I don’t remember. You left me.”

“I was just trying to find food,” Gray explained. “Where’s Stone and Moss?”

I still didn’t believe it. My Mother. Stone must be Stormkit and Moss… must be the other kit. “Storm- I mean Stone got carried off by an eagle. And Moss… died.”

Gray shook her head. “Oh dear, Ivy. Don’t you want to come back with me?”

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. This was my chance to go back to my mother. But, this clan is my home. They brought Stormkit and me back to their clan, where they cared for us. Roseleap took care of me after Stormkit died, and Poppykit and Mudkit kept me busy. Foxlight and Eagleflight was always there.

I finally shook my head. “This is my clan. This is my home. I musn’t go. You are my mother, but I have family here.”

“But, I’m your mother.” Gray protested. “Ivy, you must come back with me.”

“I can’t,” I whispered. I straighten up. “I won’t. And I’m not Ivy anymore, I’m Whiskerpaw.”

Gray sighed. “You’re making the wrong decision.”

“No, I’m making the right decision,” I corrected. “You left me, they found me. You left me and my brothers to starve without a mother, they gave us shelter and food. This is where I live now, and where I will live til the day I die.”

Before Gray could reply, Icestar came forward. “Your daughter made her decision. You should leave.”

Gray gave all the cats a harsh look, then left camp. Icestar waved the cats off, as if she was sending everyone back to sleep. I followed Foxlight back into the medicine cats’ den. “I did make the right choice, right?”

Foxlight faced me, then nodded. “Of course. I am so glad you decided to stay.”

–=+=–

That night, I feel asleep easily. I woke up in a place with a pretty lake, trees and soft grass. But I wasn’t awake. I was sleeping.

“It worked!” A familiar voice exclaimed. I turned around to see and dark gray tom…

“Stormkit!” I exclaimed, running toward my brother. “You went to StarClan!”

Stormkit nodded. “Of course I did. I’m so glad you decided to stay with DappleClan.”

“They gave us a home,” I mewed.

“And the warrior name you gave me – Stormspirit,” Stormkit said. “I love it.”

I purred. “You are always fun.” I paused for a second, and a stared at my white paws. “Is Gray actually our mother?”

Stormkit nodded. “Yes, I’m sort of surprised that you didn’t go with her.”

“Well, DappleClan is my home,” I repeated. I thought for a moment. ''DappleClan is more than my home. It’s where I belong.'' “DappleClan is where my loyalty belongs.”