This Is Wrong But It Feels So Right (Stormwind)

Heronkit stood up and clambered up on top of of Blackstar’s Head, puffing her chest out. “I️ bet that if Dad can go from apprentice to leader, I’ll be the first cat ever to go from kit to leader.”

Patchkit blinked again, not quite having expected that despite suspecting it.

“Maybe I️ am...” Blackstar played coy, but it was obvious that he was.  “It was a true story, all of it.”  

Heronkit’s eyes widened.  “You went straight from apprentice to leader!?” The she-kit’s squeak was shrill with amazement.

Patchkit blinked up at her father. “Dada...are you sure you aren’t talking about you and Mama?”

Blackstar smiled happily. “Whitepaw became Whitestar, Larkpaw became Larkflight, and they had four beautiful kits.”

Stonekit purred happily at that.

Blackstar purred before continuing his other story. “Larkpaw, as it turns out, had also fallen in love with Whitepaw. So much so that when the time came for Whitepaw to take over leadership of his clan... she left hers to follow him.”

The kits blinked, looked at each other, and shrugged.

Blackstar pretended to think for a second. “Have I️ ever told you kits how your mother and I️ met?”

Patchkit started to frown, the story sounding very familiar by this point.

“When the clan was retaken, there were no good cats left to lead it. The clan didn’t trust anyone that had sided with Thunderslash, and every other cat was unwilling to take on the responsibility. Except for one...” he smiled at his kits.

Heronkit’s eyes went wide. “Whitepaw!?” Blackstar nodded to the affirmative.

Patchkit beamed with pride.

“You are right, but there are two exceptions: when a cat is not of the clans, or when he is threatening the lives of you and your clanmates.” Blackstar explained. “Good job knowing the code already, though.”

“Keep felling the story!” Heronkit protested impatiently.

Patchkit frowned. “But doesn’t the Warrior Code say we’re not supposed to kill?”

Blackstar nodded. “He had to. He was an evil tom, and Whitepaw’s clanmates we’re dying fighting against him and his warriors.”

The kits’ eyes widened again. “Did Whitepaw kill him?” Patchkit asked.

“The two apprentices worked together well, beating back the elder warrior until, finally, Whitepaw dealt the tom a final blow, and he collapsed!”

Patchkit let out a relieved breath, flopping down onto the ground and looking up at her father.

“Nope!” Blackstar Replied cheerily, “Because out of nowhere, Larkpaw leapt in, crashing into Thunderslash and knocking him off balance just in the nick of time!”

Heronkit let out a triumphant yowl, relaxing slightly.

“Did he die?” Stonekit asked the morbid question, eyes wide.

“And he did get hurt!” Blackstar added, adding to the drama of the moment by making his voice more urgent. “Lightningscar threw him off his huge back, and the warrior’s eyes filled with fury as he raised his paw and prepared to slash the young Tom’s throat...”

Heronkit gasped, nearly falling off of her father’s back but barely staying on.

Patchkit gasped in alarm. “But he could be hurt!”

Blackstar smiled before continuing along with the main plot of his story. “So Whitepaw And Larkpaw snuck into the camp. All the while, a fierce battle raged at the entrance. Some of the cats from Whitepaw’s clan joined Larkpaw’s in the fight after being mistreated for so long by Thunderslash, but it wasn’t enough to outright win. Whitepaw knew the only way was to take down Thunderslash, and so, the brave apprentice leapt directly onto the back of the huge enemy warrior.”

Stonekit looked a little starry-eyed by this point. You wouldn’t know it to look at him, but he was a bit of a romantic and big on the love thing.

“Well, yes,” Blackstar conceded, “but this was Larkpaw we’re talking about. She was the prettiest apprentice in the clans. Not only that, but she was so caring for him when the rest of her clan just wanted him gone. They shared a very special bond.”