Chapter Text
It was early Newleaf, the snow just beginning to melt on the cliffside inhabited by a newly formed clan: Lightclan. It had been formed by 10 cats who had found each other in the midst of Leafbare. These cats had either been exiled from their old clans, previously rogues, ran away, or abandoned. They had found each other in their weakest times, when Leafbare was at its worst, and banded together to help one another.
JaggedClan and Frozenclan viewed this action as pathetic, the two clans being where some of the cats in Lightclan previously came from. DandelionClan and RockClan, on the other paw, viewed this as strength and resilience, and respected it.
Finally, GlintClan, a cunning, medium-sized clan, were completely hostile towards them. One of the kits in Lightclan had run away from the other clan due to their actions toward him. Though it’s not how you’d expect.
Glintclan had a prophecy, a fake prophecy given to their leader by the cats of the dark forest, where a dark brown pelted kit, with black spots, a white underbelly, and eyes the colour of an orange morning dawn would be born. The prophecy said this kit would be the reincarnation of an old god, and must be treated as such for it to become one once again. Glintkit was his name, and once he was born, the clan went into a psychosis. They changed the name of their clan after this kit, and soon became something of a cult, now under the reign of this small kit.
He saw cats killed beneath his paws by his old clanmates for his pleasure, though all it did was mentally break him. He hated being treated like this, hated this way of life. This wasn't what he wanted, he was only 2 moons old. And when he ran away into the blizzard of Leafbare, and almost ran off a cliff before being saved by LightClans too-be leader; Ashenburrow, and wasn’t treated like a god by the cats around him, he knew he had found his place.
Though GlintClan had quickly found out about Glintkit's inhabitance in LightClan, and swore they would get their god back.
~~
AshenStar was talking to SpotEmerald, the deputy, about what to do with the situation with GlintClan, when she saw the patrol she’d sent out for fresh-kill about 20 minutes ago step back into clan base. “Hey, GingerFleck, are we all stocked up on freshkill?” AshenStar called out across the clearing to him. He opened his mouth to say something, when CressField, the other cat that went on patrol with GingerFleck, spoke first.
“Yep, should have enough to last us 40 moons!” He meowed, making his way toward AshenStar.
“I found a new hunting spot, too. It’s awesome! Filled with prey to the brim, we won’t have to worry about Leafbare again!”
GingerFleck quickly closed his mouth, and trotted past them to where SpotEmerald was, who was now talking to the clan meditator, BoneAmber. GingerFleck didn't really have bad opinions on her, it’s just he didn’t know her that much. And with that, it was a bit difficult to join the conversation. Before he could fully approach them, he paused, and decided against it. He doubts he could add anything to the conversation. He sat in a spot near the warriors den, seeing TigerLeaf nearby, but decided against it to start a conversation, and looked up. He scanned the sky to see if he could find any hawks. He didn’t know why, it was just something he had always done when he was bored.
While he was staring at the sky, his mind wandered. He remembered how he came here. He used to be a rogue, living life as he’d done as always, when one night he had a vision. A vision where everything he loved, dreaded, lived, would come to an end. Why? How? He didn’t know. All he knew was that everything would become unbearably hot, to where you could feel your fur melting off.
He left everything behind that night. His friends, family, everything. Left to burn.
Why?
He watched as two hawks came together, locked talons, and death spiralled into the drop below.
Why not.
~~
“SUUuUNKIIIIIITT!!!” Flamekit called out.
“yeeaAaaAAaAHh??” She yelled back, her tiny voice cracking.
She appeared from behind him, giving the smaller kit a scare.
“Is DawnStripe ok? I can’ fine’ er’ anywhere.” He chirped, glancing around camp.
“Probably. Here, I can help you look.”
“Does StarClan sometimes make people be stuff they don’t wanna be?” GlintKit asked.
“No, dear kit, why would you think that?” DawnStripe, the medicine cat, replied.
“It’s just that… When I was in my old home, I got treated how I didn’t want to be.”
“Oh, you poor child, I swear you will never be treated with such carelessness again.”
“No, it wasn’t like that, i-” He was cut off by the incessant yelling by SunKit for DawnStripe.
“DAWNSTRIIPE!! THERe you are!!! Where were you?” She said loudly, which made GlintKit slightly shrink back, while FlameKit pranced up and plopped next to DawnStripe.
“I’ve been here this whole time, what do you mean?”
“It’s jus’ I couldn’t find you, an’ I-I din’ know wha’ tto do, an’--” Tears covered his copper eyes, and she crouched down next to him to comfort him, her warm grey, dark striped fur blending with his bengaled coat.
“Hey, it’s okay, you found me now. If you can’t find me, just check the medicine den.”
FlameKit acknowledged her by some sort of noise that no one could replicate if they tried, and GlintKit took a step back, before slowly slipping away from where the others were. He looked around camp, to find someone to talk to, his eyes landing on GingerFleck.
Eugh, no.
He decided to go back to the nursery, lay in his nest and dwell about StarClan on his own.
~~
After SpotEmerald stopped talking to BoneAmber, he headed for the leader's den.
“You wanted to talk to me, AshenStar?” He asked, his face unchanging.
“SpotEmerald, our clan is at great risk. All because of GlintClan’s unending ‘faith’ in this child..”
“You’re not suggesting we exile the child? We’re an all accepting clan, this-”
“No. I’m not. I brought this kit into our clan and I am going to make sure he stays safe.”
She almost scowled. “We have to announce at the gathering GlintKit died shortly after we brought him in.”
“But AshenStar, what if they attack? You know they lost all morals the day that kit was born!”
“The other clans will take our side. DandelionClan and RockClan admire us, and there is no chance JaggedClan is that dumb-witted to not see the twistedness of their actions.”
“And FrozenClan?”
“They’re too stuck-up to care.” She spat.
“...So what would you like me to do for the clan as of now?”
She turned to face him.
“Prepare them.”