//------------------------------//
// Chapter 12 
// Story: My Little Warriors: Fallen Stars 
// by Truzzle 
//------------------------------//

                                                                   Chapter 12




Icefur awoke as the light of sunhigh shone into the nursery, and kits were begging her if they could go outside into the camp. After the incident the day before, she had stayed up nearly all night waiting to see if Thorntalon was alive, along with nearly every other cat in the Clan. Eventually, Brightfeather said that she was alive, but had one broken leg, causing her to have to stay in the medicine cat's den longer. This left the kits unsupervised, so Icefur had offered to watch over the kits until they became apprentices in two moons, or until Thornbranch was healed.
"Icefuh!" meowed Darkkit and Whitekit in unison. "We wawnt to go outside!"
"Alright," meowed Icefur, getting up. "But you'll have to stay down here at the bottom of the Clan camp." Icefur stretched luxuriously, shook moss and dirt from her fur, and quickly followed the hyper kits outside. The warm sun shone on her fur as she sat and groomed herself once outside, the kits sitting a couple tail lengths from her.
"I see you're awake," meowed Redspots, quickly hopping down from the warrior's den and plopping down beside Icefur.
"These kits," meowed Icefur between licks. "Are harder to take care of than my own fur!" She eventually began to groom her paw, her tail intertwining with Redspots' tail. After more time of grooming, Icefur finished her grooming and began to watch the kits.
"...I'll be the warrior," Darkkit was mewing. "And you'll be the ValleyClan intwuder!" Darkkit grinned.
"Why am I always the intwuder?!" squealed Whitekit. "You'we strongew than me and it's not faiw! You always win!"
"Why?" asked Darkkit, looking offended. "Because I'm going 'ta grow up and defend my Clan, maybe even lead it!"
"I...I'm gon' grow up, too!" meowed Whitekit, his fur stretching in every direction. "You'we not going to be the only one who'll defend you'we Clan! I'll defend it, too..." Whitekit paused, as if trying to find a thought. "I-I might even be better than you!"
Icefur stared at the kits in distress, ready to leap in and separate the two kits if a fierce battle broke out. But then she calmed down, knowing that they were kits, and the only fierce battle they would have wouldn't include claws. Teeth, maybe, but Icefur would watch the kits close. Icefur watched as Darkkit slowly began to step backwards with a faked face of disbelief and fear. Then, like a flash of lightning, Darkkit's face grew to anger as he hurled himself at Whitekit with claws outstretched.
"No!" gasped Redspots and Icefur in unison, both leaping up and hurrying to the two kits. Darkkit had pinned Whitekit down, his claws sunk into Whitekit's shoulders. Icefur quickly yanked the oversized kit off of the smaller one, startling Darkkit and nearly accidentally hitting him against a nearby stone.
"How dare you hurt your own brother!" spat Icefur, cornering the now fearful kit. "If I hadn't been watching, you could have killed him!" For a moment, it seemed as if Darkkit was proud from hearing that statement, but then returned to his fearful state.
"But he's wea-"
"He is not weak!" interrupted Icefur. "No cat here is weak! Now, get in the nursery and don't leave it until I tell you so!" Anger crossing Darkkit's face, Darkkit stalked into the nursery where he disappeared into the cool darkness. Turning to Redspots, she saw the small Whitekit laying on his back between Redspot's paws, staring at the sky in pure confusion and fear.
"Let's take him to Brightfeather to get his scratches healed," meowed Redspots, gently picking up the kit by its scruff and padding away with Icefur guarding the nursery.