Icepelt was grateful for her snowy white pelt. When leafbare rolled around, it helped her to be one of ShadowClan's stealthiest hunters. She spotted movement nearby and the swish of gray fur dash away. Maybe a mouse!
Treebranch shivered. "I know. I wish some cats would clear it out of the camp so we don't freeze our paws off walking around."
Icepelt nodded, creeping up to the gray form and pouncing on it. It was a good thing that she didn't kill it instantly, because at that moment, the thing at her paws squealed in alarm. It was just a kit!
"We gather up all the fluffy cats and roll them in the snow," Treebranch teased.
"Right," Icepelt said, lifting the kit up by its scruff. We came to get some prey, but now we only have another mouth to feed! Hopefully leafbare will be over soon...
Treebranch nodded thoughtfully. "That's an idea."
A dark gray tom entered the medicine cat's den with a jawful of herbs, his scraggly fur covered with snow. He set them down on the floor and began sorting them. "Now what in tarnation are you two talking about?" he said.
Icepelt trotted into the nursery and her mother's narrowed blue gaze was upon her. "What are you thinking, bringing a strange kit into this place? It could be filled with germs!" the older she-cat snapped.
"It's been awfully cold, Graytuft," Treebranch added helpfully. "Don't you think it's a good idea?"
"It doesn't matter what I think," Graytuft said grumpily.
"Did you even think about looking around for its mother?" Nightgaze said, cringing away from the kit. "It's probably riddled with disease, for StarClan's sake! Get it out of the nursery before it infects clanborn kits."
Icepelt bristled and padded out of the nursery. The other queens sympathetically watched her leave as she angrily headed towards the medicine cat's den.
-
"I hold you and your opinions in the highest regard, you mouse-brain," Treebranch said playfully. "Besides, I think it would help out the elders. StarClan knows that Peachpelt is having trouble from walking in the cold."
Blackears stayed and glared. "I thought even someone as fox-hearted as you would know not to leave an innocent kit to die, Mother." He snarled. He and his mother had a complicated history.
He snorted with laughter. "He sure is grumpy about it too." Treebranch mewed.
"It could kill ALL of the kits in the nursery. Is that what you want?" Nightgaze snapped. Waterfall, an older queen stood up.
"Hold your tongue, Nightgaze," Waterfall said. "I remember when you had your kits. Have you lost your heart? This kit needs our help, clanborn or not."
She turned to look at Blackears, lowering her voice. "I'll nurse the little one, but Nightgaze does have a point. If it's sickly, the whole nursery could be at risk."
-
Treebranch laughed, but Graytuft looked disapprovingly at them both. "You shouldn't speak of your elders like that. Peachpelt was a warrior with courage and spirit and should be treated with respect for what she was."
