Chapter Text
The Windclan camp was buzzing with activity. Ashstar watched from atop her rock as her deputy, Woolfoot, organized the day’s patrols. A troop of kits pelted across the camp, getting underfoot and nearly sweeping Meadowpelt off her feet. The clan’s single elder, Appleleaf, paused in her washing to call them over. It was the kits that were worrying Ashstar this morning, and she turned to her oldest friend, confidant, and medicine cat, Peatshine.
“I know that look,” Peatshine sighed, stretching. “I thought maybe I’d get some peace this morning, but oh well. What’s troubling you?”
“The kits.” Ashstar replied shortly.
Peatshine tipped his head to the side. “What about them? They’re all healthy. They’re rowdy, to be sure, but overall well behaved. And they’ll be apprenticed by the end of next moon, that’ll give them an outlet for their energy.
“It’s not about them, exactly.” Ashstar shook her head slightly. “It’s about what they represent.”
“The future?” Peatshine guessed. When Ashstar didn’t reply, he continued “I don’t see what ill omen 5 healthy kits could possibly present.”
“5 healthy kits, whose mothers are sisters. 5 healthy kits, 3 of which who’re also half-siblings of one of the two apprentices we have right now. An entire generation of our clan, half of all the cats in Windclan at the moment, all of whom are related.” Ashstar explained tersely.
Peatshine nodded in understanding and touched her shoulder lightly with his tail. “You’re worried that having so many young cats that are kin will affect the clan size.” He summarized.
“Yes.”
“You’re overthinking things. Yes, those 5 are related, but the clan has plenty of other cats. Blossomspot’s kits are kin to Icepaw, but he’s my apprentice. He won’t be having kits anyways. And they aren’t the only young cats. Antpaw isn’t kin to any of them, you know that. You were an only-kit, and Heatherwhisker may as well be.” Peatshine reasoned.
“I suppose that’s true.” Ashstar admitted begrudgingly. “Still…”
“Besides,” Peatshine carried on with a wave of his tail “soon it will be newleaf, and there’ll be new kits.”
Ashstar flicked her ears in surprise. “You know something I don’t, I suppose?”
“Well, I can’t say anything for certain yet. But Meadowpelt and Firecloud have been hunting together an awful lot lately, wouldn’t you agree?”
Ashstar gazed across the clearing, her amber eyes settling on the pair of cats in question. They were sitting close together, sharing tongues and talking quietly. For the first time this morning, she felt her fur lay completely flat. “I think you might be right, Peatshine. I think we’ll be alright after all.”