Shadowy Mud(open, save a kit)

Flamepaw's ears perked as he heard a scream from in the marshlands. His paws flew over the soft forest floor as he raced towards the cry. It sounds like a kit! Memories of himself being abandoned and left to die in clan territory ran through his head. He couldn't let any kit end up harmed, none that would be like him. There were patches of slightly melting ice as the sun had come out that day and the mud was a bit thawed for once during the winter cold. Through the bleeding brown and white of the defrosting wetland, he was something else. It was the kit!
"I'm coming!" He yowled as he rushed through the mud, coating his bright orange coat in thick brown patches. His mentor, Hazeflight, had helped to teach him how to best get through the muddy ground as every young Shadowclan cat learned. Finally, he reached her and managed to sink his teeth into her scruff just enough to pull her out of the deep mud. He dragged the smaller scrap of fur to more solid ground and away from the dangerously muddy patches. At once he set to work running his tongue over her fur to rid it of the mud and try to warm her up.
"Are you okay?" He meowed after a while.

Hazeflight had been doing her usaul meander through the marsh when a yowl broke the Leafbare silence.With a small grumble the silver she-cat bounded towards the noise.

Hazeflight was surprised to see her apprentice and a kit caked in mud sitting there.She was quick though to shake off her look of shock and a small smile crossed her face.Hazeflight flicked her tail in greeting to Flamepaw before settling her self down beside the two.Hello,lil' kit,I'm Hazeflight.I'm sure you've heard of my amazing hunting skills,but more importantly what are you doing out here?A little kit like you shouldn't be out here in Leafbare!You're very lucky Flamepaw was out here otherwise you could of drowned in that mud!"Hazeflight meowed.She had tried to be soft, but utter disbelief had taken over and that had then turned into worry.Sometimes Hazeflight was hopeless.

shadow looked at the cats. "I'm fine." She snapped. "I've been living out here for 2 moons now!"

"You have?" Flamepaw stopped licking in shock, and his whiskers twitched in amusement, "As much as I'd like to believe you're fine, we've had older cats drown in mud like that before".

Hazeflight sighed,this kit was stubborn and she was not going to let another cat she could help and up like Moonpaw."Yeah well,that's about to change.C'mon you're going to join ShadowClan."she meowed simply.

Shadow narrowed her eyes. "Do you think I'm a kit? I'm as old as some apprentices are! Yeah, I know about your secret little ways. I personally think they're mouse-brained." She growled.

"Would you rather I had left you in the mud?" Flamepaw mused, twitching his whiskers in amusement. He found the much younger cat's attitude to be funny, even though it was slightly aggravating.

Hazeflight snorted."So to speak,according to you saving kits lives and giving them a home is Mousebrained?Well,that's your opinion."she meowed.Hazeflight wanted to see if the little cat had a comeback.This would be fun!

Shadow glared at the one who had introduced (I'll guess here)herself as Hazelflight. "No, I mean your strict formatting, code, ranks, and all this stuff I find BORING!" She listed. "And," She added, "I am NOT a kit!"

This cat thinks she is apprentice aged?!Just shows how much of a kit she is!Hazeflight smiled at the fierey she-cat."I do not know where you come from little kit,but I'm fairly sure to be an apprentice you must be six moons old.You said that you're only two moons old,now come on I'm taking you to camp."she meowed a clear tone of authority in her voice.Hazeflight's whiskers and tail twitched in slight annoyance.

Shadow looked at her in confusion. "I said I've been living out here for 2 moons. I was born a kittypet. I am not only 2 moons. Seriously."

Hazeflight shrugged."You look kit aged,besides Thrushstar does not take kindly to rogues on ShadowClan territory.Maybe you should consider asking to join.Knowing Thrushstar he'll probably say no,anyway it's worth a shot."she meowed flicking her tail thoughtfully.She thought for a moment the scented the air,checking for any prey.

That was it. Shadow was not going to ask some leader to be a clan cat. "NO!" She said fiercely as she ran. She would go somewhere else. If she did want to be Shadowclan, she would wait until Thrushstar died. Unless somecat killed him first! she thought.

Hazeflight sighed.Need to work on my friendliness,I think.She nodded towards Flamepaw"Well,she certainly is a moody one!she meowed thoughtfully flicking her tail in mild thought.Hazeflight smiled tiredly,then stretched before getting to her paws.She flicked her tail in goodbye to Flamepaw and padded off towards camp.