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When they were little, Songkit and Cinderkit were two of the closest cats in the clan. During their time in the nursery and their early days of being apprentices, the two were joint at the hip. The two were siblings sure, but also best friends and they didn't trust anyone more than each other. Where you found one, the other was surely always with them or at the very least close by. It was just a normal occurrence and the clan was used to them always being side by side.
Songkit was always a lot more vocal and outgoing than her shy, introverted littermate. Where she found it easy to play with others and make new friends, Cinderkit stuck by their mom or a nearby den parent unless Songkit introduced him to others. Even then, the other kits didn't seem too inclined to spend time with Cinderkit unless they had to. He didn't really know how to interact with other cats properly, and he seemed to weird out other cats due to his usual silence. But that was more than fine to him, he still had his sibling after all, she understood him just fine. Nothing would take her away, he was sure of it.
When they became apprentices, no one cheered Cinderpaw's new name louder than Songpaw herself. Cinderpaw wasn't as loud with her name, due to his shy nature, but that was okay! Songpaw could be plenty loud and proud enough for the both of them. Unfortunately Cinderpaw didn't get that lucky with his mentor, being paired with one of the grumpier, more impatient cats in the clan while his sister had gotten someone a lot more gentle. Cinderpaw often wondered if their leader thought things through before they did them, but he'd never be the one to voice this frustrated curiosity.
As time went on however, and their apprenticeships moved forward, a wedge started to grow between them. Songpaw got more and more self conscious of what her clanmates thought of her, you know how teenagers are. She became acutely aware of her clanmates distaste for her brother. His quietness, how awkward he was, how much he struggled to do basic warrior training. Well, she had already been aware of it for moons now, but eventually the stares and weird looks she'd watch him get, could feel her clanmates giving her by association made her feel small. She didn't really know how to handle that, and in her panic to stop feeling like the clans eyes were on her at all times, slowly began distancing herself from Cinderpaw.
She stopped stepping up for him when other cats would snap at him, when the other apprentices would bully him. She was never cruel to him herself because she just wasn't that kind of cat, but she never stopped the others. Songpaw could feel her stomach twisting every single time she watched that hurt, betrayed, scared expression he had when he first started realizing that the only cat in his corner had stepped out, that she no longer had his back. In turn, Cinderpaw slowly started turning from timid and shy to cold and shut off. The memory of the first time she realized this change had occurred burns in her memory.
It was their warriors ceremony, and Songpaw had been so excited for them both despite the circumstances. She didn't know how to apologize and fix this, or maybe she was just too afraid of his rejection to try. Either way when his name was called out first, she once again was the loudest cat yelling out his name. She hoped deep within her heart that he would hear her, would know that she still loved him very much, that maybe it would change something. Instead her blood ran cold when her name was announced, and through the crowd calling her new name, Cinderhope glared directly at her, mouth firmly shut. And oh. Oh. How that feeling was worse than any feelings of judgement she had ever felt from their clanmates.
She was too late, she realized. Evident more by the fact that Cinderhope avoided her no matter what and since the rest of the clan seemed to hate him, no one was there to sympathize with her. The only time she tried to talk to anyone about it, she was told in not so many words that she should consider it good riddance, especially with how sour he was now. She felt helpless to change anything and, not wanting to be alone, continued to trail along with the group of young warriors she had befriended.
The rift only grew, and she was sure she had severed any chance of getting her brother back.
Until they both happened to be on a border patrol one day, Cinderhope still pretending that Songflower didn't exist. She can't remember specific details anymore, like what had even caused it or how they got there, but one second they were all standing nearby a cliff, and the next the ground beneath them had started to crack. Songflower doesn't even remember what they were there for, but she knew that Cinderhope had been the closest to the edge of it, simply because he wanted to stand as far from the others as possible while they stopped.
Songflower had started to run with the others, until she heard her littermate's panicked shout. It was the loudest she'd ever heard him be, and her head whipped back around to see his back paw snagged between two rocks. He was stuck. That registered in her head about the same time that she realized no one else was turning back. No one else was making a move to help him. She felt sick, did their clan really despise him that much?
Before she could even think about the danger she was putting herself in, Songflower turned herself on her paws as quickly as she could, running back towards where her brother was frantically trying to get his paw uncaught while the ground beneath him creaked. His eyes were shut tight and she was sure he was trying not to cry, because that's what she was trying not to do herself. "CINDERHOPE!" She screamed, and she could barely register the shock as his eyes reopened and he saw her coming towards him before her teeth were embedded in his scruff, yanking along with him to free him. Eventually they got his paw unstuck, and the two tumbled backwards in a heap near where the rest of the patrol had retreated to just as that small section of earth fell.
When they were for sure safe again (save for Cinderhope's back paw, he'd twisted it pretty bad when it got stuck), they blinked at each other for a few seconds. Cinderhope looked like he wanted to speak, but the memory that no one else had dared even try to help, even seemed concerned for him took over her senses and she was turned back towards the others. Her fur puffed up and she let out an angry yowl, stomping towards them.
"What was that?! He could have died! Yeah I get it, you all think he's weird and mean, whatever! He's still your clanmate, how dare you!" No one apologized, but they didn't offer excuses either. Simply hung their heads like it had taken Cinderhope almost dying for them to realize how poor and unfairly they'd been treating him. She pointedly ignored her friends as she helped her brother home, hissing at the others when any did try to finally help him walk back to camp. No, they didn't get to do that. Pretend they cared just because they got called out. She wouldn't let them.
She refused to leave his side in the medicine den, and it was later that night when the medicine cats had stepped out to gather herbs that they finally talked. He'd been staring at her with wide eyes the entire time, and it had been so long since they'd talked to each other that she jumped a bit when Cinderhope spoke.
"Why did you do that?"
"...what?"
"Go after me like that. You could have died."
She blinked at him, moving to sit up from where she'd been laying nearby his nest. "And you almost did." He looked away, staring down at his paws as he wrapped his tail over them, looking as if he were deep in thought.
"I thought you hated me, Songflower."
"I thought you hated me."
"I never hated you. I was just... hurt. And scared." She nodded at that. That's how this all started, wasn't it? Her being scared. "I... I was too. I'm sorry. I let my worry of everyone else's opinions get under my pelt and I shouldn't have. I should have been there for you."
They fell into silence for a while after that, before Cinderhope asked, "Are you going to keep doing it? Leaving me behind?" His voice held no malice, instead full of anxiety. She moved to lay next to him, curling her tail around him and pressing her forehead against his shoulder.
"No, never again. I'm so sorry that I did. I know haven't been a good sister. You mean the world to me Cinderhope, I love you. I'll do anything to make sure you never doubt that again."
When their eyes met, she wasn't surprised to see his own reflected with the same tears hers held. He gave a tired smile. "I love you too, Songflower. We'll try again, yeah? I dunno if I can forgive you yet, but I'm willing to try. I don't like being alone." She had always knew that. It was time for her to start acting like the cat who'd once known Cinderhope better than anyone.
At some point in the next moon, she suggested to him that they leave. Their parent's were gone by then, and if their birth clan didn't welcome him with open arms then it wasn't one Songflower wanted to be a part of. Cinderhope, though very cautious about the idea, eventually agreed and one night the pair snuck out. Songflower didn't know what the future held for them, she didn't know if leaving was the worst idea they'd ever had or the best.
She did know just one thing though; whatever they faced, they'd do it together. Side by side, just like it was always meant to be. Siblings and best friends, like they once were. They were stronger with the other by their side, and Songflower realized she felt braver and stronger than she ever had with the support of her former friends.
They both vowed they'd never turn their backs on each other ever again. It was through thick and thin for them, for good.