Lilykit's arrival

Slate followed a well-trodden path laden with different cat scents. Lily, his only surviving kit, was swinging in his jaws, mewling with hunger. As he neared a thorn tunnel he spotted many cats with similar scents, sitting around what he assumed must be their camp.

(OOC: I presume Slate in an NPC just dropping her off?)

The arrival of a stranger was announced to ThunderClan simply through scent alone. Marshstorm padded out of the camp to meet the stranger at the top of the gorge. His eyes narrowed in suspicion as he watched the strange cat, widening at the sight of the little bundle of fur in his jaws. The dark tabby tilted his head slightly. The little one looked, and smelled, hungry and weak. His gaze returned to the tom holding her as he lifted his head.

"Did you get lost Stranger?" He meowed calmly, his tail flicked to quell the mutterings of a couple cats that had accompanied him. "Do you need help finding twolegplace?" He doubted it, but compassion urged him to ask. It seemed unlikely that a tom who had tracked cats along the main pathways through the forest would be doing so for fun. Especially when Twolegplace was in the complete other direction, and especially not with a hapless kit.

"No, I am not lost, but in need of help." said Slate, glancing warily around the clearing. "My mate has just died, as well as three of our kits. She," He indicated the kit infront of him, whom he had placed down to speak, "is the only surviving of the litter. I beg you, please take her, for she will starve without anyone to feed her. If you do, I will never return, no matter how much I may want to."

Leopardstar, distracted from his grooming by the sudden movement of Marshstorm, watched as his deputy seemed to greet a cat who lay just beyond his sight, outside the gorse tunnel.  The automatic assumption was that he was simply welcoming back a patrol or group of hunters, but if that was the case, why would the usually cordial tom look so suspecting?  The golden fur along his spine beginning to prickle, the ThunderClan leader rose to his paws and left his place at the base of the Highrock, his imposing figure quickly joining the two toms just in time to hear the strange rogue cat's request.

Instantly, the tom's hazel eyes narrowed.  "You've come to the right place stranger, under my leadership ThunderClan will never turn away a kit in need; but usually, I would prefer for a kit to remain with their rightful family, despite the struggles.  It's obvious that you love this kit, given the fact that you didn't abandon her as many other cats have done before.  Do you wish to stay with her?  We do not only accept kits."  There seemed to be a challenge in the experienced warrior's gaze, a wish for a tragedy he knew all too well to be prevented.  "Every kit deserves to be loved...most of all, by their parents."

"I do not wish to join the clan." Slate murmured, "Clan life is not one for me. I have lived a Loner my whole life, and it doesn't feel right to change that now." He dipped his head respectively to Leopardstar, hoping the golden tom wouldn't be offended by his decision.

As Marshstorm listened to Slate's words, he dipped his head politely towards Leopardstar as the golden tom came into view. His eyes still trained on the newcomer for the moment. It felt cruel to take her away from the only remaining parent she had left, yet as Slate rejected Leopardstar's offer, Marshstorm nodded.
"As long as you are certain this is what you want." He reaffirmed, his tone calm but careful as he padded forward and waited for Slate to give the kit to Leopardstar. He would accompany Slate back to the border. He turned a questioning look to the leader, wondering briefly which queen would take in the little one?

Gently, Slate nudged Lily towards the golden leader's paws, whispering a farewell to the only reminder of his mate he had left. He dipped his head in farewell, and turned to leave the camp.

At the moment Slate left, Falconwing trotted into camp, a tiny calico bundle in her jaws. Eyes first meeting Leopardstar and Marshstorm, she then looked at their paws, where a little cream she-kit sat. Her piercing yellow gaze softened as she set down the tortoiseshell. "A kit is happier raised with a sibling. I'm assuming the loner I passed brought her here?" Stepping forward and sniffing Lily, she tilted her head. "I'll take her. Does she have a name?"

Having found herself set on the ground again, Moss took a moment to survey her surroundings with curiosity and concern. As her gaze traveled across the various strange cats that surrounded the clearing, she whimpered quietly. After her eyes finally landed on the two powerful toms that stood before her, the kit appeared to almost curl in on herself, her ears having flattened of their own accord to the top of her head as she stared up at the two of them silently shivering, although if it was due to the cold or fear or some mix of both was debatable.

OOC: Sorry, still trying to remember the past tense thing, I hope I get the hang of it soon!

Lily scrambled towards the warmth of the other small kit. Her pelt was cold, and the others warm, so she wanted to get every last bit of heat possible. Lifting her head she mewed as loud as she could, so she could test out her lungs.

Moss's eyes were torn from the other, larger cats as the kit came towards her. Beginning to relax as the other kit sat next to her and mewed, a purr began to rumble in her throat, and she twisted her head to poke her nose against her new companions head comfortingly. Her shivering slowed as they shared their body warmth with each other, and she awaited the news of their fate.