#greykit

GREYPOOL

Greysplotch

“You idiot! What are you doing on my territory?”

“Ummm…Drowning?”

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The worst and best thing that could possibly happen to Ferndoe has happened to her, and her mind was completely empty. 

She had reunited with one of her kits, Greykit, her darling eldest daughter. She had looked exactly how Ferndoe had remembered her, precious little ears and orange spots all. Seeing her was the last thing she expected to happen today. She had cuddled her, held her close, apologized profusely and told her how much she loved her. Yet it felt like it was ending all too soon. 

Then again, even if she knew better than Starclan how safe kits could be here, she knew how cruel Starclan could be to kits who left, and she was not going to put her kit at risk for her sake. Not again.

What made things worse was that Poppyhill’s own daughter, Mottlekit, was here as well, which meant Poppyhill had padded alongside her as they took their kits to the border tunnel. When the two kits reluctantly, but happily crossed through the tunnel, shouting cheery good-byes as they went, Ferndoe’s swelling love dissolved into disgust. Disgust at herself, and for the cat standing next to her.

Ferndoe waited until she could no longer hear Greykit, and then some, then began to turn away. Unfortunately, Poppyhill had other plans.

“Our daughters are best friends,” she said simply.

Ferndoe fixed a glare on her. “And? We’re not.”

Poppyhill only kept staring blankly at the tunnel. “I forgot what she looked like. Is that weird?”

Ferndoe curled her lip. “Are you referring to your kit or the one you manipulated me into killing?”

Poppyhill didn’t seem to hear her, infuriating Ferndoe further. “I was obsessed with her and Oatkit for so long. I dedicated everything to avenging them. I hurt innocents for them, and I can’t even properly remember what they look like.”

Ferndoe’s fur burned in anger. She turned on Poppyhill fully. How dare she speak to her about killing her kits and act like her biggest sorrow was forgetting how her own looked? Ferndoe would never forget! She can never forget any of it, because of Poppyhill! “Put those tears away! You won’t fool me again!” She felt suddenly very aware of the kits in her belly, and her rage increased tenfold.

In spite of the threat, Poppyhill only seemed to flatten against herself. “I’m sorry,” she breathed, surprising Ferndoe. “Really, this time,” she added. “I…I couldn’t see my victims–your kits, your brother, you, for anything other than pawns to hurt Goldennose. I just couldn’t bear losing my kits, I had to make that she-cat suffer, even if it meant causing pain to those that never did anything to me, even if it meant hurting you.”

“I trusted you,” Ferndoe spat. “You used my grief against me. You made me kill my kits for your little revenge plan.” It took everything in Ferndoe–mainly the reminder of her unborn kits and their need for safety–not to leap and claw at Poppyhill right there and then. “You think excuses will make that all go away now?”

Poppyhill vigorously shook her head. “No, no I don’t. I know no reason that I give will make any part of it better. I did trick you. I swooped in when you were at your lowest and manipulated you, forced you to do the worst thing imaginable because I made you believe that it was the best thing for them. I knew,” she went on quickly when Ferndoe snapped open her jaws for a sharp retort, “I knew what I was doing, grief or no grief. That makes it my burden alone. You were only a victim. You did nothing wrong.”

Ferndoe shook, but as harsh as she wanted to be, she couldn’t think of a thing to say. As little as that may mean coming from Poppyhill, the words still resonated deep within her, gripping her heart in sharp talons, tugging it from her ribcage. 

She showed her fangs, feeling them drip saliva, flattening her ears until they pressed against her skull, and snarled. “Stay away from my family!” With that, she turned tail and fled, racing through the trees, ignoring the spiraling of thoughts and the painful pounding in her chest.

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