Chapter Text
Firestar stretched as he woke up. Life in ThunderClan was good. The orange tom was of course happy to help reform SkyClan, but he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t happy to be home with both his mates and clan. Speaking of his mates, he and Graystripe were ecstatic to learn about Sandstorm’s pregnancy. Firestar wouldn’t be surprised if the other Clans hadn’t heard from all the shouting done that day.
The clan would be brimming with more kits soon and not just because of Sandstorm. Brightheart had given birth to her and Cloudtail’s daughter, Whitekit, and Ferncloud had recently announced her second litter with Snowear. Firestar was thrilled for his nephew and the others. All of their kits had big families that already loved them deeply. On top of that, Firestar was thrilled to say Brambleflower and Whitestorm’s kits were doing swimmingly as a new warrior and apprentices.
Firestar was finally able to slip out from under Sandstorm and made his way out into the camp. As he left his den, movement caught his gaze. Dogscar was coming out of the medicine cat’s den, probably on his way to see Brightheart and Ferncloud. Dogscar had really come into his own after becoming a medicine cat. Firestar’s heart still sometimes ached at the loss of two great warriors. But it was Cinderpelt and Dogscar’s decision. He was happy so long as they were happy.
Not everything was wonderful of course. Willowpelt’s death and Longtail losing his eyesight were still tragedies. But the clan would always remember Willowpelt fondly and Longtail got along well with the other elders. All in all, life couldn’t be better.
“Firestar!” The leader startled at the call. Coming into the clan entrance was Dustpelt, Ashfur, and Mousefur. It was the brown tom that called out to him. Dustpelt and Firestar’s relationship had never been a good one, but it downright went up in flames after the reveal that Dustpelt’s brother, Ravenpaw now Scourge was still alive.
Maybe Firestar should have felt bad, but the orange tom didn’t. Dustpelt had been awful to both him and his friend. StarClan, Firestar wasn’t even aware the two toms were brothers until after Ravenpaw fled! Firestar refused to feel sorry for a cat that had not been trustworthy at the time.
Behind the three warriors, Firestar was surprised to see his sister. Along with them was a long-furred gray she-cat Firestar had not seen before. Dangling from the newcomer’s jaw was a white kit with black spots covering his face and body.
“Princess!” The orange leader jumped down from the Highrock to meet the she-cat. The tom bumped heads with his sister when he reached her. “What are you doing here?”
Princess turned towards the new she-cat and kit. “This is Smoke,” she introduced. “And she requires your help.”
“What can I do for you, Smoke?” Firestar asked. The gray she-cat looked around the camp, a stressed look on her face. “Is this WindClan?” the she-cat asked.
“No. This is ThunderClan. Do you have business with WindClan?”
Smoke shook her head. “I do, technically. But I don’t believe they can help me. Not like your sister said you could.” She pushed the kit forward. “This is my son. I lost my Twoleg recently and can’t take care of him. His…father…is a warrior. But refuses to help.”
“A ThunderClan warrior?” the orange leader questioned. He didn’t believe so, not with how she spoke about WindClan, but he wanted to be certain. If it was in fact one of his warriors, he would have their head. Abandoning a kit in need was unacceptable.
“No. I wasn’t even aware there were other clans until I spoke with Princess. She told me how you were once a kittypet and what you did for her son. Please, I don’t have any other options,” the she-cat pleaded.
Firestar looked down at the kit. He knew what he wanted to do, but he still remembers how the clan treated him and Cloudtail when they first showed up. He loved his clanmates dearly, but it’s hard to forget sometimes how cruel they had been in the beginning.
“Of course we’ll take him in!” Firestar turned to see Graystripe coming towards them. Up on the Highrock, he spotted Sandstorm coming out of their shared den. She must have woken out when she heard the commotion. She was slowly making her way down the rocks to come standby her mate.
Graystripe pressed up against his mate to get a better look at the kit. “Oh, yeah. He’s definitely WindClan. Look at those ears. Only a WindClan cat could have ears like that.”
“Graystripe-.”
“Aw, I’m just teasing Firestar. Don’t get all pouty on me.”
Sandstorm had came up on Firestar’s other side as the toms continued to tease each other. The she-cat investigated the kit. A look of surprise crossed her face as the kit pressed his face to hers before her expression melted into a small smile.
A snort on his right caught Firestar’s attention. That had been Cloudtail. “You planning on adopting another kit, Firestar?” his nephew teased.
Firestar blinked. “What makes you think I’m taking him?”
That statement was met with silence for a brief moment. From the medicine den, Cinderpelt erupted with laughter. The she-cat pushed her way out into the clearing. “You’re kidding, right?” she called. “Half the clan calls you dad, Firestar. Who else would raise him?”
Murmurs of agreement filled the clan cats. No one seemed to be displeased with the idea of taking in another kittypet. Which was good. Great even. Stars above, Firestar thought. Was he really that predictable? Despite the teasing and gossip, the thought had crossed his mind, but that wouldn’t be fair to put that on Sandstorm or Graystripe.
“You’re thinking too hard,” Sandstorm commented. While Firestar was distracted, the she-cat had laid down to allow the kit to nurse her. “I don’t mind claiming him as ours if you two don’t. Graystripe?”
On his other side, Graystripe had started purring. “It’s fine by me.” His gaze turned towards Smoke. “Does he have a name?”
The gray she-cat shook her head. “I was afraid of getting attached. I’m sorry.”
Looking at the kit’s features, a name kept popping into Firestar’s head, but he didn’t say it. He didn’t think it would be appropriate to name him after that cat. Instead, he asked Smoke, “If you don’t mind me asking, who is his father?”
“Onewhisker.”
The whole clan froze as everyone’s eyes landed on their leader. It was no secret that the orange tom was friends with the WindClan warrior, and this? This was devasting.
“I see,” Firestar said in a neutral voice. The calm tone filled the clan with dread. It would have been less concerning if he started yelling. “I’ll be right back.”
Firestar made his way towards the camp’s entrance before he was blocked by his deputy, Whitestorm. “Where are you going?”
“Nowhere. Move Whitestorm.”
The senior warrior didn’t. “Firestar, you aren’t planning on going to WindClan? Are you?”
“He abandoned his own kit.”
“Firestar-.”
“No. He abandoned his own kit. I want to know why.”
“No. You don’t. Because whatever answer he gives you is going to hurt. Because you know and I know what the actual reason is.”
Firestar continued to glare at his deputy. Firestar was the leader; he could technically do whatever he wanted. If he wanted to go all the way to WindClan to yell at his – Stars, did Firestar even want to be friends with Onewhisker still? How could he ever look at the tom the same way again? Because Whitestorm was right. There really was only one explanation, wasn’t there? Did the other tom think the same way about him? That Firestar was still just some kittypet playing pretend?
“Well, it’s his loss then.” That was Longtail. Shocked coursed through Firestar’s veins. The former warrior had been one of Firestar's biggest dissenters and even though time had passed and Longtail was civil with the now leader, he didn’t actually think the warrior’s entire opinion had changed that much on the matter.
“Anyone who leaves a kit for such a mousebrain reason,” Longtail continued, “as who’s their parents are or what blood runs through their veins, isn’t worth anyone’s time.”
Once again, the clearing filled with murmurs of agreement. Firestar didn’t know how to feel about this. He was of course glad no one was fighting him on whether or not they should keep the kit. But…
But he remembers how hard Longtail fought him on his first day. He remembers how hard he had to work just to receive the same praise as his clanmates. Remembers the way they talked about him and Cloudtail behind their backs, especially after Cloudtail’s disappearance.
Whitestorm bumped into him from behind, interrupting his dark thoughts. “Don’t look so surprised, Firestar. You and your nephew have proved time and time again just by existing that we were wrong. Stars, if we want to continue to hammer the point home, cats like Tigerstar and Brokenstar prove not every Clan cat is trustworthy.” In a quieter voice as to not embarrass his leader, Whitestorm admits, “I know it doesn't take back how you were treated when you arrived here, but we’re sorry. You deserve to be here. As does this kit. If Onewhisker can’t see that, then that’s on him.”
Firestar looked around the camp at all the cats he had come to know. It wasn’t always easy to forgive them, and he would never forget, but they were trying. That would just have to be enough.
“Alright,” he said turning to Smoke. “We’ll happily take him in.” The kittypet beamed at the answer. Before anyone could change his mind, he added, “You’re more than welcome to stay too, you know.”
The she-cat just shook her head, “I wasn’t meant for your life.” She looks down at the kitten. “But he can be.”
Firestar nodded before turning to his sister. “Will you two at least stay for a bit? It’s been a while since we last spoke.” Princess seemed surprised. She wasn’t a warrior; she had no business being here. But the she-cat would be lying if she said she didn’t miss seeing her brother.
The day was filled with stories and laughter, the kittypet and any cat really who wanted to trade tales about their leader and brother. Yes, Firestar thought. This would be enough.
***
Later, when Firestar, Sandstorm, and Graystripe were alone, they would discuss what to name their son. Though saying the three of them were discussing wasn’t quite accurate. Graystripe hadn’t spoken much. He had been fine earlier. But throughout the day, he became more withdrawn. Was he maybe having second thoughts?
“You alright, fluffy butt?” Sandstorm asked from underneath Firestar. The kit was curled up next to the she-cat’s stomach, fast asleep.
“Do…” he paused, gathering his thought. “Am I like Onewhisker?”
“What do you mean?”
“Onewhisker abandoned his kit. I’m not exactly in Feathertail and Stormfur’s life either. I sometimes feel like a failed them.”
“You went to go live in RiverClan with them. And Leopardstar got you kicked out. You didn’t exactly have a choice. Onewhisker did,” Sandstorm pointed out.
“I could have fought to stay harder.”
“Graystripe you go out of your way to see them any chance you get,” Firestar said rubbing his face against the other tom’s. “Maybe you don’t see them every day, but you try to be in their lives in any way you can. These are two very situations.”
Graystripe didn’t respond. He just continued to sit and stew. That’s when Sandstorm spoke up again. “Hey. How about you name the kit?”
The gray tom blinked. “Me?”
“Why not? Everything Firestar and I suggest keeps getting shot down. And you’re going to be raising him with us.”
Graystripe continued not to say anything, though his face was no longer saddened. Finally, nervously, he asked, “What about Darkkit?”
The two other cats shared a look. “Is that really a good idea?”
Graystripe rested head on his paws. “I know it’s mousebrain. Honestly, I don’t understand why I want to name him that. It’s not like me and my brother were even close. But I…” The two other warriors wait. “I just want to honor the cat he could have been. The one I remember back when I was a kit. I want this kit to be better than Darkstripe.”
Firestar and Sandstorm share a look. It’s a lot of pressure to put on a kit. To be better than your namesake. But Darkkit was not Darkstripe. They would not let him fall.
“Well, that settles it.” Firestar turned to face his son. “Welcome to the clan, Darkkit.”