#root ych

For the first time ever, little Rootkit mustered up the courage to finally leave camp. It wasn't exactly hard, since there was no one to stop, nor notice her missing, anymore.

However, it didn't take long for her to get lost, despite trying to stick to the path her clanmates left in the forest floor, made by the paws of generations of Hymnclanners. It doesn't help she felt watched by the shadows, the trees hiding whatever was stalking her.

The forest is not the place for a little kitten.

She panicked, and rushed to hide in the first spot she found, a small bush, just big enough for her to crawl under and pray to StarClan, pray to her family, to take her back home.

The forest grew silent. The wind held its breath in horror. Rootkit laid on the dirt as low as she could.

She hid there for a while.

She felt sore after crouching for so long, she was hungry, cold, and alone. Maybe it was safe to take a peek?

Still low, with her whiskers touching the ground, she poked her head outside to look around.

Someone was there. Standing right next to her.

There was a cat, or at least it looked like one. Enormous, and shrouded in darkness. It was no ordinary feline, it felt out of place, like an intruder to a land it never belonged.

It's face was hidden behind a blinding mask of light, and their fur glittered like the clearest night sky.

But this wasn't a StarClan warrior. It wasn't the savior she prayed for.

She froze, staring at this cat thing with wide eyes, claws digging into the dirt and her fur standing so high she looked like she's been struck by lightning.

She blinked...

Then she woke up. Somewhere else. Somewhere far away, unfamiliar. She stood in a clearing, confused and unharmed, but mostly frightened.

Suddenly, quick pawsteps could be heard behind her, and when she turned to face the sound, she was face to face with another cat.

This cat looked normal, this time. With long, wavy ginger fur, so red it looked stained with blood. Stained with blood.

The cat quickly introduced herself as Moonruby, Priestess of the Viper. She asked Rootkit about her parents, where she came from, but the kit was too shocked to give a clear answer.

Moonruby then scooped her up, and walked the path back to her colony.

The next few days were kind of a blur.

Moonruby was nice. She fed and cleaned Rootkit, brushed off her tears and sang to her at night. But she was also... odd. A self-proclaimed priestess, of a non-existent order, worshiping strange Gods while hiding it from her colony. Her colony prayed to the stars in the sky, Moonruby prayed to the stars that fell.

She rambled on and on about her Patron Goddess, Viperdance, the Goddess of love and war.

Rootkit listened to her curiously, but then her caregiver finally described this Deity's appearance. She felt her heart drop, the mouse she was eating now hanging loosely from her mouth.

It was now seven moons since the end of DeltaClan’s civil war. Darkstar had since stepped down as leader, choosing to take the name “Darkmeadow.” She lives a quiet life with her mate, Oatsun. However, with a lack of responsibilities the former leader becomes restless. She builds a habit of leaving camp for days at a time, exploring outside of DeltaClan's territory. Oatsun, though worried sick, understands that her mate needs the time alone.

On one of these excursions, Darkmeadow stumbles upon a kitten. Seeing the helpless thing all alone, she considers helping it find its mother. Upon discovering there is no mother to be found, she considers her other options. Darkmeadow considers that she and Oatsun had brought up the idea of starting a family (although adopting this kit would mean no more multiple days out of camp at a time. The kitten would need both of its mothers). After much thought, she decides to bring the kitten back to DeltaClan.

Oatsun although a little surprised, was delighted at the sight of the kitten (which they discover is named Rootkit). Both Oatsun and Darkmeadow loved their daughter dearly. And Darkmeadow became a full time nursery queen, finding her footing after being so unsure of how she would fit into the clan again.

When Rootkit showed signs of wanting to become a medicine cat, Darkmeadow fiercely advocated for her to be apprenticed under Bumbleheather. Her proud mothers watched as Rootpaw grew into a skilled healer. Darkmeadow and Oatsun were the first to congratulate her after she earned her full name, Rootmeadow, after the cat that found her.