Hello Feline Friends

Hazelpaw was, as usual, already awake. The young she-cat had been able to adjust over the past moon so that she could sleep, but she was still uncomfortable, which in her translated to late nights, early mornings, an inability to sleep deeply. Plus, he just kept touching her.

(Earlier, Nightstar said that for all intents and purposes Hazelpaw was his mate. Does that mean they’re actually mates mates or is he just using her as a bedwarmer until Violetwing can move in with him? Also, once Violetwing escapes, He’s torally going to make Hazelpaw Actually be his mate mate, isn’t he?)

(Ok!)

A moon later, Nightstar awoke once more, stretching out his forepaws one at a time so he could maintain his grip on Hazelpaw.

(The adopted kit will be, what, almost six moons old then? She should be old enough to run then but I suppose Violetwing could carry her on her back. She’ll certainly be old enough to hold on.

I have to go wash dishes. I’ll be back in about half an hour)

(Is that including the adopted kit or not?)

(Sure! And Violetwing’s having three kits so they’re each carrying one but since Hazelpaw and Graypaw get caught, only Violetwing and that kit escape)

(Ok! I think Hazelpaw and Graypaw should try to run off as well, but get caught while Violetwing escapes.)

(I dunno. At least a moon, though. Let everyone get settled into the new situation but maybe before Violetwing can move into Nightstar’s den (because he’s harsly going to bring the kits with her. She’ll run away before she moves in, though ))

(How long were you thinking?)

Hazelpaw bit back a pitiful whimper at his tail so close to her folds. The poor she-cat didn’t sleep at all that night.

(Time skip?)

Graypaw soon fell into a fitful sleep, his face pressed against his mother’s fur as she groomed him.

Nightstar’s grip on Hazelpaw didn’t slacken, but his tail tucked itself between her hindlegs before he seemed to drift off to sleep, not applying any pressure to anything sensitive but still just there.

Violetwing sighed softly, seeing he wasn’t believing her, and started to gently groom him.

Hazelpaw was stiff against the tom’s body, unable to relax.

Graypaw listened to Violetwing with flattened ears, wanting to believe desperately what his mother said. All the same, he couldn’t help but to blame himself. In his mind, his poor performance was cleanly and clearly connected to Foxfury’s mounting frustration and eventually betrayal.

Nightstar purred softly, using a forepaw to pull Hazelpaw in until her back was pressed against his belly. The tom laid on his side with her, wrapping his forepaws possessively around the apprentice as he laid beside her.

Violetwing frowned, curling around him as best as she could. “No, little one. If being a terrible apprentice would cause mentors to become traitors, then we would hardly ever have any loyal cats at all. You being a bad apprentice would not have been enough to cause Foxfury to betray your father.”

Hazelpaw eyed the nest warily but quietly slipped into it, tense as she settled next to Nightstar.

“All of this is my fault. Foxfury might not have helped Nightstar come back if I wasn’t such a bad apprentice. And Hazelpaw wouldn’t be with him right now if I was braver.” Graypaw whined into Violetwing’s side, starting to sob into his mother’s fur.

“I expect to be greeted more enthusiastically in the future,” grunted Nightstar. “For all intents and purposes, you are my mate, after all.” The tom sighed, gesturing to his nest for The she-cat.

Violetwing frowned at her son. “Graypaw, no, you’re not. Why would you say that?”

Hazelpaw swallowed nervously, dropping her gaze to the ground. She didn’t say anything.

“Mom,” Graypaw murmured, ears pinned back, “I’m a terrible cat.”

Nightstar was already sitting inside his den, waiting expectantly for Hazelpaw when she arrived. A slight smile crossed the Tom’s muzzle as he saw her enter his den. “Greetings,” purred the tom, watching her every move.

Violetwing held her daughter close before letting her go with a loving lick between the ears, her pale gaze infinitely sad.

Feeling ill and rather like she was walking to her death, Hazelpaw ducked out of the nursery, flattening her ears as she slowly made her way across the camp to the leader’s den.

Graypaw looked towards Hazelpaw apprehensively, not wanting his sister to leave, but knowing she would for their sakes.

The small kit had snuggled with Violetwing and Graypaw the whole time, and even fallen asleep again.

Hazelpaw stayed curled into her mother’s embrace, trembling slightly but gradually calming down. Unfortunately, the time passed far too quickly, and before she knew it it was sunset.

“I have a brother, too?” Mewled the tiny kit. “Cool!” She ran up to Graypaw and pressed her nose against his shoulder, blissfully unaware of the sorrow that filled the den.

Graypaw stiffened when the kit touched him, but didn’t want to move away from his mother so he stayed still.

Violetwing couldn’t curl around her precious kits with her belly as large as it was but she still tried to cuddle and comfort them as much as she could. “He’s my son, Graypaw,” she murmured.

The young she-kit blinked sleepily in her nest as Hazelpaw and Violetwing entered the nursery, the small she-cat yawning. She clearly hadn’t even been aware that Violetwing left her nest, much less anything else that had happened. “Who’s that?” Asked the kit with a curious tilt of her head, ears angled towards Graypaw.


Graypaw didn’t speak, burying his face into his mother’s fur when she laid back down.

After a moment, Hazelpaw nudged her brother over to their mother and the three of them retreated into the nursery.

Graypaw leaned against his sister, blinking sadly at her. He opened his mouth to apologize for being a coward, for having to get her involved to fix his problems, for failing to protect her, but in another moment he closed his muzzle again, lowering his gaze in shame once more.

Once released, Hazelpaw hurried over to her brother and pressed against his side.