Chapter Text
There was a broken gap in the fence, and Tiny was just barely small enough to squeeze through it. His size, the whole reason his life was in danger, was now his saving grace. He knew that no one - not the Twolegs, not his mother, not his terrible siblings - would be able to follow him.
And you know what happens to unwanted kittens? They get thrown in the river.
He popped out the other side of the fence, small splinters clinging to his black fur. He couldn’t shake his sister Ruby’s cruel words. They sent a prickle of fear down his spine, and he flattened his ears against his head. He wouldn’t let the Twolegs throw him in the river. He wouldn’t! He would escape to the forest, where he could explore all he liked, and no one would call him too small.
Filled with determination, the young kit struck off into the unknown.
The sun was high in the sky and warm against his back, while the air was crisp and cold. The purple collar swinging at his neck seemed lighter. His step felt jauntier. Dappled shadows shifted across the fenceline. A few kittypets from the neighboring house spotted him as he trotted past, calling out to him with warnings about the forest. Tiny ignored them. It was nothing he hadn’t heard before - and he already knew plenty about the forest. Probably far more than those scaredy house pets! He’d ventured into the woods lots of times to explore. Tiny felt lighter, buoyed by his confidence. He conveniently didn’t recall that he’d only poked around the edge of the woods, and only twice. In the young kit’s mind, he was as world-wise an explorer as any wandering tom.
He stopped to sniff the air - and smelled something warm and tasty. Something to hunt! A great explorer, out to make the world his own, would surely need something yummy to eat. Tiny’s belly grumbled, sealing the deal. The smell led past the scrubby fenceline grass and into a tangle of twiggy bushes. Tiny didn’t hesitate – he charged right in.
Here the sunlight filtered thinly through the canopy, scattering pale stripes of light on the forest floor. The earth was hard-packed frozen on Tiny’s little paws, and he stepped gingerly over dead leaves and twigs as he walked. The barren trees towered over him - taller even than the Twoleg house. He wondered if he could climb one, all the way to the top? Tiny stopped to marvel, looking up, up, up into the highest branches - craning his head so far he stumbled, falling backwards into a pile of leaf litter.
He sprang to his feet, fur puffed and face hot. He half expected to hear Ruby and Socks laughing at his clumsiness. But as he whirled around, all he could hear was the wind rustling in the branches, and the distant whistle of a mockingbird. His fur slowly lay back down. “Can’t be so jumpy.” Tiny muttered to himself. “You’ll scare all the -” Prey. Right. He clamped his mouth shut, reminded of his goal again. It was hard for a kit to not get distracted in a place like the forest, but if he wanted to feed himself, he’d have to stay focused.
He breathed deeply to find the scent again. Warm, sweet. There it was. He crouched down, his tail held upright above him like a flag, and stalked after the smell.
Focus focus focus. There! He could see, in the shadows under a tree root, a small furry shape. A mouse! He sank low on his paws and waggled his hips in anticipation. He heard another rustle nearby, but it was behind him, and Tiny was determined to stay on task. He took a small step forward towards the mouse, then another, paw over paw. Focused.
There was another rustle, a new smell, but Tiny ignored it. Ah, forest, he thought smugly, you can’t distract me again this time! He was going to catch this mouse. This time he was so focused, nothing could possibly sway -
Something heavy bowled into him with a yowling battle cry.
Tiny let out a screech of shock as they tumbled across the forest floor, sending twigs and pine needles flying. An attack! His mind flooded with his mother’s stories about wild forest cats, a stream of blood and bone and beasts like tigers grinning at him, eager to gobble up a defenseless kit! His heart hammered in his throat. He couldn’t be eaten by a forest cat! Not now!
He was being squashed into the dirt under the weight of his attacker. He twisted and thrashed desperately, meeting a wall of white fur. Terror was choking him. He couldn’t breathe! He couldn’t breathe! He curled into himself, trying to shield his head, and let out a wail.
The weight lifted. Tiny let out a gasp.
He scrambled to his paws, chest heaving. Across from him he finally saw the vicious creature he had escaped - and it was another kit. He was covered in snowy white fur, with wide yellow eyes fixed on Tiny. Now that he could fully see him, Tiny realized - this kit was no older than himself.
The kit blinked at him, then broke out in a wide grin. “I got you!” He crowed happily. “I tracked you all by myself, and I got you! Bluefur is gonna be so proud of me!” He hopped to his paws, puffing out his chest with pride.
Tiny didn’t understand most of that, but he understood enough. He pinned his ears back and puffed out his fur, trying his hardest to appear threatening. The kit didn’t seem to notice, and crawled closer, belly brushing the dirt, his tail lashing playfully. “You didn’t put up much of a fight, for a trespasser. What’s your name?”
The kit didn’t seem like he was going to renew his attack. Tiny’s fur started to lie down. “I’m Tiny.” He mewed hesitantly. “What’s your name?”
The kit beamed. “I’m -”
“WHITEKIT!”
A harried-looking she-cat with gray fur burst out of the undergrowth. She sniffed urgently all over the kit. “Thank StarClan, you’re not hurt.” she exclaimed in relief, giving his head a few swift licks. “Whitekit, you can’t run ahead like that! That was very irresponsible. And after Sunstar was so kind to let you leave camp!”
Whitekit pawed at her face, trying to push it away. His ears turned back in embarrassment. “Sorry, Bluefur.” He mumbled. “I just wanted to help catch the kittypet intruder!”
For the first time, the she-cat seemed to notice Tiny. She glanced sideways at him. Her blue-eyed gaze was piercing - immediately Tiny shrunk down, dropping low on his front paws. There was something fierce and wild in those eyes - something Tiny had never seen before, but knew instinctively to fear.
She blinked slowly at him, sizing him up. Then she turned her attention back to the other kit. “You’re lucky it was just a kit. He can’t do any harm to ThunderClan.” She lifted her head and called out over her shoulder. “Sunstar? Whitekit and I are over here.”
Through the undergrowth strode the most impressive cat Tiny had ever seen. He caught his breath. The tom was tall and broad-shouldered, covered in thick golden fur criss-crossed with battle scars. The way he walked, it was almost regal. And in his eyes, the same blazing wildness as the gray cat.
He nodded to Bluefur. “Glad he didn’t get far, Bluefur. Whitekit,” he turned his attention to the kit, his voice rumbling, “A warrior follows his leader’s orders, when told to wait. Remember that, when you are apprenticed in a few moons.”
The kit ducked his head, fully shamed. “Yes, Sunstar.”
The golden cat nodded again. Then he turned to look at Tiny. Tiny shrank even farther, pressing himself into the ground as if he could disappear - but he didn’t want to disappear. He wanted to look at these forest cats forever. He had never seen anything so terrifying and awe-inspiring in his life. His mother’s stories had never done them justice.
“So! This is the kittypet who’s been trespassing into our territory. I shall have to let Thistleclaw know, to put his concerns to rest.” When he stepped closer to Tiny, the earth seemed to shake under his paws. He loomed over the tiny kit like a tree. “As for you, little one - you are trespassing on ThunderClan territory.”
ThunderClan. The shiver that word sent down Tiny’s spine!
He bowed his head meekly. Sunstar continued gravely. “You are very fortunate - had you met one of our warriors instead of young Whitekit, you might not have escaped unscathed.” His eyes were fiery as he rumbled a final warning. “Hurry home to your Twolegs little one, and don’t come back here again.”
Sunstar turned away. He flicked his tail, gesturing for Bluefur and Whitekit to follow him. Tiny’s heart was in his throat. Wait! Don’t go! He felt like a door was closing right before his eyes, shutting out the first glimpse of light he had ever seen.
Tiny finally found his voice, lifted his head and croaked, “I don’t have a home!”
The forest cats froze.
“I-I-I don’t have Twolegs.” He stammered. “They don’t want me. I-if I go back, the T-Twolegs will throw me in the river. That’s what they do to unwanted kits.”
Bluefur turned to look over her shoulder at him, her face creased with concern. “How awful!” she murmured.
Tiny took a step towards her, hopeful. “I can’t go back.” he mewed. “Please, I - I heard stories about forest cats - please,” His heart pounding in his ears, he couldn’t believe he was about to ask it - “Can I go with you?”
Bluefur’s eyes went wide, and she darted a look over at Sunstar. His back was still turned to Tiny, but his ears stood up at his question. Slowly, he turned around, fixing the tiny black kit with a somber expression. “The forest is harsh and dangerous.” He meowed sternly, but his eyes glittered with sympathy. “Warriors like ourselves fight for our survival, and the survival of our Clanmates, every day. We can’t trouble ourselves with kittypet concerns.”
Tiny’s shoulders sagged, but he lurched forward anyway. He had to keep trying. “I won’t be a kittypet – I’ll become a warrior too! I can learn! I-I’ll learn to hunt and fight, I promise I will…”
Bluefur glanced at her leader, ears low. “Sunstar…”
Sunstar’s face was pained. “What would you have me do?” he huffed, not meeting her gaze. “We can’t bring him to ThunderClan. Another mouth to feed, in leaf-bare?”
“I know.” Bluefur looked down at Whitekit. “It’s just, if it were Whitekit…” She shook her head with a shudder. “The warrior code says we cannot leave a kit in need, regardless of its Clan. I think that extends to kittypet kits as well.”
Sunstar heaved a sigh. “...I know.”
The two warriors looked at Tiny again, who pricked his ears up, still holding out hope. Whitekit was sitting in between Bluefur’s forepaws, looking at the ground. He shuffled some dirt with his paw, and mewed, “Could he go to a different Clan?”
Sunstar seemed to consider it, then shook his head. “I doubt any other Clan would take in a kit with no warrior blood. And it’s not like we know any kittypets who -” Suddenly he stopped. His eyes went round, his whisker twitching with thought.
Bluefur stared at him curiously. “Did you think of something?”
Sunstar looked back at Tiny, but his eyes seemed to be focused on something beyond him - something far, far away.
“I know who we can take him to.” He meowed finally.
*
Tiny hadn’t been sure what to expect, when Sunstar picked him up by the scruff. He had sent Bluefur and Whitekit away, then loped off with Tiny in tow. The forest around them had whipped past with each bounding stride. Up and over fallen trees, leaping across creeks, scrambling up steep banksides and sliding down dells - all with Tiny swinging from the forest cat’s jaws, jostled until his head spun. Forest cats could run like lions too, it seemed.
Earth gave way to grass gave way to bare concrete. Before Tiny could think, Sunstar was scaling fences, sprinting over lawns, and bolting through the shadowed corridors between Twoleg nests. Sunstar finally skidded to a stop at the edge of a small Thunderpath. After looking both ways for monsters, Tiny swinging this way and that from his jaws, Sunstar darted across – and dove into the shelter of a densely woven hedge.
The branches scraped at Tiny, and he squeaked in protest. He felt Sunstar release his grip on his scruff, and Tiny plopped down onto soft garden soil. His head was still spinning from the journey. Where has Sunstar taken me? It wasn’t the neighborhood of his birth, but it certainly wasn’t the forest. As he opened his mouth to demand answers, Sunstar flicked his tail over his face, silencing him. The older cat fixed him with a fierce stare, making Tiny flinch, before he turned away. He peered through the leaves towards the Twoleg house beyond it, eyes narrowed, searching.
Finally he lifted his muzzle and meowed softly. “Pinestar!”
Pinestar? The name sounded like Sunstar’s. Another forest cat? In a place like this?
Tiny scooted forward, craning his head over a branch to look.
Across the carefully trimmed grass and up a set of faded wooden porch steps, he finally spotted the coiled shape of a cat. Rust-colored fur rose and fell peacefully as the cat slept. Sunstar called out again, a little bit louder. “Pinestar!”
The shape flinched, bristling to wakefulness. The cat let out a groan. Slowly, creakingly, the cat sat up. His muzzle was silver with age, and his reddish-brown fur was faded and scraggly. He blinked at Sunstar and Tiny through bleary green eyes, brow furrowed. “Sunstar? Is that you?” He meowed. “What are you doing here?”
Sunstar nudged Tiny forward with one paw, jerking his head in a follow me gesture. Then he ducked out from under the hedge, glancing around the yard cautiously. “I’m glad I could find this place. Your scent is… different now, Pinestar.” Sunstar led Tiny across the yard, shepherding the little kit along with his tail draped across Tiny’s shoulders.
“That’s not my name anymore.” The cat plunked down the steps with heavy paws. Despite his curiosity, Tiny ducked back, hiding behind Sunstar’s flank. Up close, he could see pale scars covering the old cat’s muzzle and back. This cat must have been a fearsome fighter, once.
“It’s just Pine now.” Pine tipped his head, looking Sunstar up and down. “Leadership suits you, Sunstar.”
Sunstar ducked his head. “...It seems like yesterday that you left, Pinest- sorry, Pine.” There was an echo of sadness under the golden warrior’s voice.
Pine blinked slowly. “Why have you come looking for me? Is ThunderClan well? Has something happened with Tigerkit?”
There was an edge to the question that seemed odd to Tiny - especially the way Pine said with Tigerkit. Like it was something chasing him.
“No, no, ThunderClan is fine, and Tigerpaw is well. You would be proud of his progress - he’s turning into a fine, strong warrior.”
“...Tigerpaw...” Pine echoed. “...That’s... good to hear.”
“No, I came to you about this.” Sunstar stepped aside, pushing Tiny forward with his tail. Now exposed on the grass, Tiny realized just how small he felt, seated next to these two large cats. He stared, owl-eyed, up at Pine - who returned his gaze with curiosity.
“Whose kit is this?” The old cat frowned.
Sunstar touched Tiny’s collar with his tail - Tiny batted at it crossly. “It’s a kittypet kit. Bluefur and I caught him on ThunderClan territory this sun-high.” Sunstar pulled his tail away from Tiny’s small claws. “Little thing told us he has no place to go, and we couldn’t take him to ThunderClan…” Sunstar looked at Pine pleadingly. “I’m afraid you’re the only one I could think to turn to.”
Pine’s eyes widened. A flurry of emotions crossed his face – shock, worry, regret. He hurriedly shook his head, as if throwing off a burr. “...My Twolegs are kind to strays.” He meowed finally. “I’m sure they won’t mind the little one.”
Sunstar bowed his head in gratitude.
Suddenly the scene clicked into place for Tiny. Sunstar is leaving me with this old house cat! Before he could speak, Sunstar had already turned and bounded away. Tiny gasped, leaping after him – but Pine’s large brown paw caught him, pulling him back.
“Wait! Sunstar!” Tiny wailed. “Don’t leave me! I want to be a forest cat! I want to be a warrior!”
The golden tom paused at the edge of the yard, casting one last pitying glance at Tiny. Then he nodded once more to Pine, and with a flick of his tail, he disappeared across the Thunderpath.
“I want to be a warrior…” Tiny’s voice trailed off bitterly.
He slumped, dropping his face onto his paws. Pine shifted awkwardly, before hesitantly curling his tail around Tiny. “It’ll be alright, little one.” He mewed in a stilted attempt at comfort.
Tiny didn’t answer. Pine helped Tiny to his paws, guiding him inside with his tail. He was saying something about beds and toys and what time the Twolegs put food out, but Tiny wasn’t listening. All he could think about were the forest cats. Warriors like ourselves fight for our survival… The memory of those cats was burned into his mind, a dazzling engraving of everything he’d ever dreamed to be.
Even as he bowed his head at Pine’s food dish, even as he sat on cool tiled floor – in his heart, Tiny was still out there, under tangled tree branches clawing at the sky. Deep down, that memory crystallized into a fervent desire.
Tiny didn’t know how, and didn’t know when – but somehow, and someday, he would go back. He would prove to them all that the forest was where he belonged.