amongst the flowers, a new blossom is found [OPEN TC]

A small patrol trekked through ThunderClan's corner of the forest, some cats with prey dangling from their jaws after a very successful hunt. They were on their way back to camp when Firefly stopped in her tracks, ears tilted backwards as the rustling of leaves caught her attention. The sent that wafted her way was definitely that of a cat, though there were no clan scents attached. Whoever it was would get a lashing once she caught them. "Show yourself or I'll do it for you." Her fur was beginning to raise at the thought someone would have the audacity to trespass at all.

The little she kit didnt know where she was, or even what happened, bht she did know that her mother wasnt moving. The little calico mewed for help, hoping anybody hear her, as tears rolled. Just then she heard a rustle and then a voice. The little kit shyly looked out of her hiding area to see a big cat staring straight at her. The kit wanted to ask for help but she was too scared to even move.

Amberpaw padded near the back of the patrol, a few squirrels dangling from his maw. A strange scent filled his nose - one similar to the scents in the nursery…only….was that death? His amber fur rose on end. Then, his amber eyes spotted the kit. “Firefly,” he began, but trailed off. Sadness sunk in his heart like a boulder.

Firefly's rising hackles began to slowly smooth themselves out again as a small calico head peaked around brush: a kit. A very upset kit, no less. Unable to be angry anymore, the russet warrior blinked in stunned silence. Whose child was this? And why was she alone? Amberpaw had begun to say Firefly's name, causing her to turn to look in the apprentices direction. The scent of death stirred as she did. Oh no.

Peering past the green leaves that half covered the kit, Firefly soon understood why this young cat was alone: a still form of what she could only guess was the kits mom was laying at her little paws. A pang of sadness crossed her face. She couldn't really claim a motherless child to be a trespasser, now could she? Speaking to young cats was more a thing her best friend Curlyfluff was good at, not her. But she would try to ask herself WWCD: What Would Curlyfluff Do? Maybe make himself smaller as to not tower over the clearly scared kit.

Crouching down to the calico's level, Firefly attempted a softer voice. "Do you need help, little one?"

As the bigger cat got smaller, the tiny kit nodded at the question. "M-my mama..... she ...isnt moving, c-can you help her... she asked shyly not looking at the other cats and just the ground. She hopped the big cats knew how to help her mom as the kit felt helpless. She didnt know her mother was never coming back, she didnt even notice the looks the cats were giving her, all she knew was that she couldnt survive without her mama.

Amberpaw dropped his squirrels in a nearby bush for later. Then, he saw Firefly crouch down, and he did the same. Can you help her? The question rang through the tom's head like an eerie echo on a foggy night. What were they supposed to say to that? Lie? Amberpaw slowly stepped toward the kit, a kind smile on his face. "Come here, little one," he purred in a voice as sweet and smooth as honey. Who could resist burying themselves into his soft, flame-colored fluffy fur? Surely not a kit. He was like a big, fuzzy bed of moss. "Don't worry about your moma. It will all be okay, you'll see. Nothing to worry about, sweet one." What killed her mother? A predator? It could still be around, if so. We need to get this kit to safety, Amberpaw thought. He scooped the tiny creature toward him with a large, pale paw and nuzzled her into his floof, where she'd be safe. He glanced at Firefly, unsure of what to do next. Should they check the body? Look for other kits? Take this one back to camp?

It really hit her just how small this kit was as Amberpaw curled himself around her. Firefly's scarred face turned to exchanged uneasy glances with the flame pelted apprentice, expressing that she also had no idea what to do. If this kits mother was dead, then that meant she was alone. And a kit couldn't survive the forest on their own; she'd be dead within the day.

All but the sound of the wind in the trees and the sniffling of the orphaned kit rang in her ears as she stared, lost in thought. Could she really bring herself to bring an outsider - although a kit - into ThunderClan and pretend it would be okay? That was something she'd been struggling with, even though Firefly was well aware that her blood was mixed with the tyrant Nightstar's. Green eyes narrowed before she finally thought of what her best friend would do in this situation: get over it.

"If ThunderClans leader approves, I can take you to camp. We'll have Fawnshine - our medicine cat - look over your mother and see what she can do." She eyed Amberpaw as if beg him to go along with it. Just to keep the calico kit from crying further. "And I... I will look after you until you're big enough to survive on your own and decide if this is the place for you. Does that sound okay to you, tiny one?" A small smile crossed her scarred maw in an attempt to further sooth the situation.

The kit snuggled into the younger cat, missing the embrace of someone. As the older cat came up with a plan, the tiny kit thought about everything that went into the decision. She didnt want to be out alone in the forest and these nice cats mentioned helping her mother. But on the other side what if the cats friends didnt like her, and she was left in the forest along again. She was terrified of what could happen, but she still decided to go with them. She gave a small nod as the crying made her throat to dry to speak. She really hoped her mother would be okay, but she had a feeling deep down that it wasnt the case.

"And I... I will look after you until you're big enough to survive on your own and decide if this is the place for you..."

She had been farther behind on the patrol, having found something that had caught her attention of concern. Mottlestar found her attention pulled, however, the moment she heard the unmistakable voice of her daughter in the distance. Tortoiseshell paws quickly traversed their way over, curiosity and concern now thick on her pelt. There was only one situation such words applied to, and Mottlestar hoped it wasn't such. Finding stray kits on the territory was a rare occurrence, and one she hoped to seldom occur. But, the moment her clanmates came into view... the scent told her all that she needed to know. As did the small kit.

Thankfully, the leader was small for her stature. Amberpaw even dwarfed her already, and she was the size of a young cat who had just been apprenticed. It helped her appear friendlier, but also made it slightly comical as she approached her daughter. One of her youngest daughters. "Firefly, is everything alright?" Her voice was laced with concern. Worry. Not just for the kit, but also for the patrol. How had they stumbled upon the kit? Her mother? Looking towards the little one, her entire being seemed to morph into that motherly care. That warmth that had been there to take care of three litters of children.

Softly, she settled down nearby onto her paws, close enough the kit could approach, but still far enough away as to not overwhelm. "Hi, my new friend. I know- there's a lot of us. It's probably scary. But I'm Mottlestar, the leader. Would you be okay with coming back with us? With Firefly? We want to make sure your momma is okay. And you, sweet one." Her words were slow, paused, so as to not cause overwhelm. A warm purr even rumbled from her throat in an attempt to instinctively soothe the kit before her. She'd talk to her daughter more later about what she had overheard, but for now, it seemed Firefly had chosen her path. Mottlestar wasn't going to get in the way of that. "If you hurt anywhere, my friend Fawnshine will help. Even if it's just a tiny ache." She purred, gently offering a paw forward of peace. "Is it okay if we help you, my sweet friend?"

She's an outsider, Amberpaw thought, staring down at the little figure buried in his ginger floof. Her mom was probably a rogue or a loner. What brought her to the forest? Was she looking for a better life for her kit? A life off the streets? A life where she'd be loved and protected by a clan? Amberpaw's heart sank at the story he was concocting in his head. Whatever she was, its a shame that she died before she could see her child's bright future unfold.

Amberpaw wasn't generally fond of outsiders - he was fiercely loyal to his clan, which meant that Thunderclan had to be protected at all cost from outsiders and rival clans...anyone who would want to cause them harm. But, it was hard to look at the fearful kit and turn her away because she was an outsider. Besides, for all Amberpaw knew, she could be Thunderclan blood, anyway. Perhaps she had been a pregnant she-cat, taken by twolegs, returning to Thunderclan with a litter of full-blooded Thunderclan kits. He had no clue - he was still young and knew little of the events that occurred before he was made apprentice, which was only within the past couple of moons. 

And then, Mottlestar caught up. Amberpaw breathed a sigh of relief - he knew Mottlestar would make the right decision. Regardless, he would support any decision Mottlestar made. Well, within reason...okay maybe not every decision she'd make...or had ever made...that's beside the point. Amberpaw was devoted to his clan, the Warrior Code, and therefore his leader. Still, he gave Mottlestar and Firefly an uncomfortable look - one he hoped would share his unspoken concerns about outsiders with them. At Mottlestar's cooing to the kit, Amberpaw bent down and nudged the little kitten toward the leader with his nose. Better she be with the she-cats. I don't know a thing about kits and Mottlestar's had them before. A pang of something burst in Amberpaw's chest...resentment? He pushed it down. And Firefly already offered to mother the thing. 

The tiny kit looked up at the older cats. She knew they were trying to help her, but would it be alright to let the strangers take her. After a few morw seconds, the tiny calico kit walked up to the cat who was the leader, whatever that meant, and with as much confidence as she could muster, she said. "Take me with you, you can help me." she mewed. She thought it sounded confident but in reality it came out as a tiny whisper to the othera.

Firefly would not give any cat the chance to intervene should they want to. "That's settled then: you'll be coming home with us." She did cast a glance at Amberpaw who looked to herself and Mottlestar with concern. She knew where that concern came from, and she didn't blame the apprentice for it; Firefly just had no place to blame a kit for their bloodline. That was beyond her control.

With a flick of her tail, she signaled to the patrol that it was time to return to camp. Picking up the small calico by the scruff, she set off.