Sun and Shadows

This page contains a fanfiction written by Arti. This page contains the opinions of the original author(s), and is not patrolled for factual accuracy. Remember that this story is non-canon. It may contain false characters, plots, or locations. Responses, comments & other feedback should be made on the comments section below.

The following story is rated Worse.

Companion to Cinders

Sometimes you just can't help wondering what would have happened if it had ended another way...

Prologue

Yellowfang gritted her teeth and paced back and forth between the pool and the stones surrounding it. Allowing it to draw her in for a moment, then pulling away.

No one else was here. Yellowfang was glad for that- she didn't want to have to throw Spottedleaf or Bluestar out before beginning her moping.

"Grow some claws," she muttered, "You're wallowing in the past and that's just about the stupidest thing you can do. You're not Cinderpelt or Bluestar- you made the choices in your life and you need to deal with them. You deserve it,"

Misery washed over her and she pushed it away, like she pushed away all the other feelings she couldn't deal with. Anger blazed up then and she held onto that- it was something tangible, something she could use.

She sat, letting the anger pull her in, turning it towards herself. "You're being ridiculous," she snarled, "You didn't starve before life began, you didn't cripple yourself, you didn't give up anything for a good cause. You were a stupid she-cat who let stupid feelings get in the way of your stupid life and you let those stupid decisions haunt you for the rest of your life and after."

But the waves of the pool called to her, drawing her in.

What if...

What if...

What if...

What-

"Enough!" she roared, jumping to her paws. The waves curled back as if they could sense the anger pulsing from her. But soon the waves were once again wearing at the shores of the stony path. Yellowfang felt her own resolve being worn away at.

Her heart ached. She did not want to relive these things. It wasn't like this was something she'd never given a thought to- there were a thousand ways to ask the question answered, and if she asked it the wrong way she could be thrown into a life of agony.

Fine Yellowfang, she thought, You want to go back into the past so bad? You think of a way to ask that doesn't result in Brokenstar killing you or Raggedstar going mad or any of the other terrible things you've managed to concoct these seasons.

Yellowfang had truly meant to discourage herself, but she sat on the edge of the pool for the rest of the night, thinking. She only moved when the moon had begun to slip away and she heard a rustling in the bracken.

"Just me," Cinderpelt meowed, revealing herself. Yellowfang relaxed and Cinderpelt sat beside her.

The older medicine cat studied her apprentice for a moment. Since Cinderpelt had gone back to see what her life had been like if she hadn't broken her leg, the she-cat had become more serious, reserved. It broke Yellowfang's heart a little to see her lively apprentice grow up. But she also knew that the pain of coming back to a world where Fireheart had chosen Sandstorm and her leg was shattered was a pain that wouldn't just melt away.

"You want to go back," Cinderpelt meowed without preamble.

Yellowfang considered denying it for a moment, then nodded, not wanting her apprentice to remind her exactly how well she knew her old mentor.

"But you can't think of a way to ask the question?" Cinderpelt asked, a little less sure now. There was any number of reasons Yellowfang might not have wanted to go back and this was just the most obvious. But Yellowfang nodded again.

Cinderpelt sighed and looked upwards, thinking. "You want to see about Brokenstar...you need to know if you could have made it alright. But if you find out you could have it'll torture you forever because you could have saved everyone and didn't. And if you find out you couldn't have it will break your heart because he was your kit and you love him."

"When did you get so smart?" Yellowfang asked wryly, "Last I remember you were worrying about whether or not you were fixing up your herbs right,"

Cinderpelt purred, but her blue eyes remained serious. "I don't think you should see about Brokenstar," she meowed gently.

Yellowfang sighed, "What else is there to ask about?" she meowed weakly, "My entire life led up to that one mistake and my entire life afterwards was just misery because of what I'd done."

"You need something...happy," Cinderpelt decided. She thought and her eyes brightened, "Didn't you say you had three kits?"

"The two she-cats died," Yellowfang meowed bitterly, "All that was left was him,"

"So ask about if they had lived...and if Brokenstar had died in their place," Cinderpelt said cautiously. Yellowfang couldn't blame her- it wasn't the easiest thing to see what would and wouldn't offend her as far as Brokenstar was concerned.

"You're right," Yellowfang meowed. And then she was suddenly gripped by a fear, "Cinderpelt- what if I don't get it right? What if it's all wrong and it still hurts? What if they're just like him?"

"Shhh..." Cinderpelt soothed, her eyes bright. "You don't have to do it. But I think you should."

Yellowfang looked at the pool and looked back to her apprentice, feeling very vulnerable, "You'll wait for me to wake up?"

"I won't move a muscle." Cinderpelt promised.

Yellowfang nodded, and uncertainly made her way to the pool.

What if they had lived and he hadn't?

She held her breath and dived into the pool, tasting starlight and the salt of tears she hadn't realized she was shedding. And then it all vanished and she could smell toadstools and fear and pain and kits.

Chapter 1

"Come on..." Yellowfang whispered, her eyes clenched tight together in pain.

How many she-cats had she helped to give birth? How many times had she comforted a screeching queen while thinking, Let's be honest- it can't hurt that bad.

But it did.

She had to keep quiet though, or they would find her. A medicine cat who fell in love was one thing- a medicine cat who bore her mate's kit was another.

The kits slid out, one at a time. The first one born was a she-kit, and Yellowfang nipped the sac and licked the kit to warm it up. The kit had dark fur, black as a shadow.

The next kit was another she-cat. She had golden fur, bright as the sun. Yellowfang purred weakly. Something very un-warrior like and something very un-Yellowfangly was stirring in her, something she usually only felt with Raggedstar.

"One more," she told herself, gritting her teeth.

The final kit hurt and when she nipped the sac, the kit spilled out, a dark tabby tom. His tail was broken in the middle but other then that he was the same as his father. But dead.

Yellowfang felt a dull sense of pain. One of her kits had died and she never even knew him.

No time for that, she told herself briskly, You still have two kits who need seeing to.

She turned to the other two kits, both of them were weak, but they were alive. The dark she-cat had opened her eyes to show gray eyes with a touch of silvery blue and the lighter kit had amber eyes that were already blinking at Yellowfang fiercely.

Yellowfang purred and pulled the kits closer so they could suckle. She was less afraid now- the pain had subsided and the worst and most dangerous part of the birth was over. Her kits would most likely survive...all except the tom.

She stared at him in pain. How many moments had she denied him? Was there a she-kit in the Clan who wouldn't get a mate now? Were there cats out there who would remain unscarred because her son had died before he got a chance to fight them?

Stop being so melodramatic! she chastised herself, He was your kit, yes, but you never knew him. There was no loss.

Yellowfang looked at the two she-cats suckling. They were as different as night and day, as the sun and the moon, as lights and shadows.

She let herself be totally unlike herself for a moment, to imagine what their lives would be like. Raggedstar would be so pleased, two healthy kits.

The small body of her third kit called to her. She looked away- she didn't think that she would be telling Raggedstar about him anytime soon. It would only hurt him.

The kits at her belly let out mewls of distress as she stood. Feeling a twinge of regret- she would only get to keep these kits for a while longer- she grabbed the body of the kit and headed out.

It was raining, naturally. ShadowClan territory was beautiful in its own way, but the marshes became treacherous during the rain. With a small burst of joy Yellowfang thought she would probably have to stay with the kits in the tree- they wouldn't be traveling anytime soon with all this rain. They were too young.

The hole she dug was only just big enough for the kit and she let him fall into it before scraping the dirt over his small body.

"StarClan guide this soul to your territories and protect him in death as you could not protect him in life," The usually bittersweet oath was especially sad now that she was performing it for her own kit.

She returned to the tree where her two mewling kits waited. She reset them at her belly and looked down on them, purring.

They need names! she realized suddenly.

"For the black kit...Shadowkit," she meowed. Usually its didn't get named things like Starkit or Moonkit or Thunderkit or any of those names, but the daughter of a medicine cat was special.

"And for the golden kit...Sunkit," she meowed, purring.

Shadowkit and Sunkit curled close to her, napping and she smiled, eager to show off her new kits to Raggedstar.

Chapter 2

"Sunkit and Shadowkit?" Raggedstar asked. He was cramped in the small space of the tree, his broad shoulders barely squeezing in.

"Yes," Yellowfang meowed happily, "Two perfect little she-kits."

There was a flicker of something in Raggedstar's eyes and he hid it by looking down at the two kits. But Yellowfang had already seen it. She narrowed her eyes, "What?"

"What what?"

"What was that little look?" she mimicked it and Raggedstar snorted.

"First of all, I did not look that pathetic. And second of all, I didn't even make a look so-" the young leader's eyes clouded over and Yellowfangs whiskers twitched. Hopefully at least one of their kits had inherited her brain.

"Okay, okay," Raggedstar backpedaled, "There was a look. It's just...I always wanted a son."

Yellowfang felt as if the blood froze inside of her. You had a son. A perfect little tom buried all by himself in he swamp. Sorry. "Well, you're going to have to be the one to tell your daughters you didn't want either of them."

"No!" he still sounded a little troubled, but he brought himself back, "No, it's not that. It's just..." he purred, "I love them. I do."

Yellowfang nodded, but she still felt a little...she pushed it away. Sunkit and Shadowkit were perfect and so was Raggedstar. She was happy.

And yet she kept turning back to that moment when his face fell as he learned he had two daughters.

Yellowfang gritted her teeth. She hadn't wanted to do this, it was too fast, too soon. Her eyes burned from wanting to cry, but she hadn't cried in her life. Not even once. She was too tough. And yet the thought of parting with two slightly stinky balls of fur was suddenly unthinkable.

My little stinky balls of fur. she corrected herself miserably.

The nastier part of her, the part that poked fun at Raggedstar and hid behind jibes and jokes, snorted. If you cared so much, maybe you shouldn't have fallen in love. Or even gotten pregnant in the first place! Stellar idea, wouldn't you say?

"Shut up brain," she muttered.

"What?" Lizardstripe meowed, her lip curling nastily.

"Nothing," Yellowfang meowed coolly. "But you're the only nursing queen and if you don't take these kits they'll die."

"Ugly little things," Lizardstripe commented. She looked to her own kits- a pale brown tom, a dark brown she-cat, and a gray and white tom whose nose seemed to be running since he arrived into the world. "Of course, mine aren't much better." Her gaze turned crafty, "Of course, five kits is a lot to handle..."

Raggedstar's eyes flashed, "You will be raising my kits. That is honor enough."

Lizardstripe backed down, eyes flashing. She wasn't going to take on the leader of ShadowClan. So she turned to Yellowfang instead. "Why do you think the mother gave them up, hrm?"

"Remember you're talking about my mate," Raggedstar growled. He seemed more concerned with the idea of Lizardstripe disrespecting him then the idea that the she-cat could be insulting Yellowfang.

"I know, I know..." Lizardstripe turned her hungry eyes back to Yellowfang, "So, do you know why? Do you know who she is?"

"I'm standing right here!" Raggedstar complained, his eyes narrowing.

Lizardstripe maintained her gaze. Yellowfang shook her head, adept at lying as most ShadowClan cats were, "No. And if I did I wouldn't tell.:"

"She gave birth without a medicine cat?" Lizardstripe echoed disbelievingly. Her voice lowered, "Is it Foxheart?"

Yellowfang sank her claws into the earth. Stupid pretty smart ginger stupid little like to claw her... "You'll have to ask her," she meowed infuriatingly.

Lizardstripe huffed and Yellowfang crouched, giving each of her kits a good bye lick.

Then she walked out of the den, away from her kits, mate, and everything that had made her happy but was forbidden to her because of her duties.

Stupid rules.

Chapter 3

"No fair Runningkit!"

The wail exploded in the camp's early morning silence. Yellowfang jerked awake and then slapped a paw over her ear, trying to block out the noise.

"It is too fair!" a sniff, "I got the moss ball fair and you're just upset cuz you lost!"

"Someone shut those kits up!" This angry yowl came from the elders' den. Yellowfang muttered and stood, stretching. She hated morning, preferring to sleep them away. But it seemed the lovely little dears of the Clans would rather have their pelts ripped off. Or a strong lecture about not waking the entire Clan up with games. Whichever came first.

Yellowfang pushed her way out of the den and padded over to where the kits were still arguing loudly over the moss ball.

Lizardstripe's kits- the gray and white Runningkit, who was sniffling like a cat dying of green cough, the pale brown Deerkit, and the darker brown she-cat Tanglekit were crowded around the moss ball. Yellowfang glanced over them and rested her gaze on the only other two kits in the Clan.

Sunkit looked angry. Yellowfang sensed so much of Raggedstar in the spunky, stubborn young she-cat. She was the only golden cat in the Clan and you could see she thought it made her special with the way she (mostly) groomed it til it shone every day. Her amber eyes were belligerent now, as they often were, and she looked ready to pounce on Runningkit.

Shadowkit on the other hand was more like Yellowfang. Her strange silver-blue eyes were narrowed slightly and the intelligence practically poured out of them. Her dark fur was sleek and she crouched close to Deerkit, her tail weaving back and forth slightly. She looked at her sister and let out a small purr, sticking her tongue out to antagonize Sunkit.

"Don't stick your tongue out at me Shadowkit!" Sunkit growled, And don't you give me that look Runningkit, I'm coming back to get you, cheater."

Tanglekit's whiskers twitched and Shadowkit blinked innocently, "I think Tanglekit is laughing at you Sunkit."

Deerkit purred with Shadowkit as Sunkit threw herself at Tanglekit who shrieked with laughter.

"Now Deerkit's laughing!" Runningkit purred, his sky blue eyes joyful. The moss ball lay forgotten on the ground, this new game taking its place. Sunkit threw herself at Deerkit who shrugged her off easily. She charged hi again.

"Everyone get Deerkit!" Tanglekit shouted joyously. All the kittens piled on the light brown tom and they dissolved in purrs.

"Kits!" Yellowfang growled, a little sad to be disrupting their game. But not as sad as they were going to be if they didn't pipe down and let her go back to sleep.

"Oops," Deerkit meowed. The kits all quieted down, even Sunkit.

"What are you doing out here? It's not even dawn!"

"Well Tanglekit couldn't sleep, so she kept poking Runningkit and then we all decided to play mossball and then Runningkit cheated so we all were yelling at him and then Sunkit went nuts. Again," Deerkit explained quickly.

"The sun is not even up yet," Yellowfang meowed though gritted teeth. "When the sun comes up, you can do whatever you want. But right now you need to go back to sleep."

"Why?" Sunkit asked rebelliously.

"So I can go back to sleep," Yellowfang snapped, half proud for her daughter to be so strong, the other half focused on keeping a steely demeanor. It was always hard around the kits to keep being Yellowfang, the grumpy medicine cat/warrior and now Yellowfang the broken mother.

"That's not fair!" Sunkit protested, her amber eyes fiery, glaring into Yellowfang's.

"What Sunkit means to say," Shadowkit meowed quickly, "Is that we're really, 'really sorry we woke you up. And we'll play quietly, promise."

Clever kit, Yellowfang praised softly in her mind. "No, what you'll do is you'll g back into the nursery this instant before an elder skins you alive."

Sunkit opened her jaws to say something, but, sensing they had lost this battle, Shadowkit and the others pulled her away.

"It's okay," Yellowfang heard Deerkit whispering, "As soon as she goes back to bed we can play more. We'll just have to be quieter."

The kits all agreed and they slipped back into the nursery. Lizardstripe's snores drifted from the den and Yellowfang felt her fur bristle slightly. Stupid she-cat.

Foxheart was coming out of the nursery, her ginger fur sleek and her green eyes carrying their usual sparkle of mischief. "Hey Yellowfang," she meowed as she padded to Raggedstar's den, "I'm going to set up some patrols for later, do you need me to get any herbs?"

Yellowfang shook her head and the ginger she-cat disappeared into Raggedstar's den. Yellowfang's claws sank into the earth and she turned, stalking back to her den.

Chapter 4

"You wanted to see me Raggedstar?"

The young leader looked up and blinked, almost as if he'd forgotten he'd asked for her. Then he nodded, "Come in,"

Yellowfang sat on the ground, tail curled over her paws. She waited, feeling very much like she used to in battles where the two sides would size each other up, waiting to strike.

"Yellowfang, I'm here to talk to you about my kits," Raggedstar meowed. Yellowfang winced slightly. No one could hear them and even still he was keeping the secret. Or was he just really that stupid? She forced herself to listen.

"Sunkit and Shadowkit," he clarified, as if she wouldn't remember the two kits she gave birth to, "I need to choose between them,"

"Choose," Yellowfang echoed disbelievingly.

Raggedstar nodded, "This was why I would have preferred a tom, a true heir. But one of the she-cats will have to do."

"Heir," Yellowfang closed her eyes, praying to all the StarClan cats she knew that Raggedstar really wasn't this arrogant.

But he nodded. "One of them will become leader after me,"

"The Clan leader isn't about family," she meowed, knowing it was futile.

He gave her a pointed look, "Isn't it? Keeping the power in our paws. These kits have the blood of the two most important cats in the Clan in them." his eyes lit up, "Now if one of them would be medicine cat and the other could become leader..."

Not even pausing to enjoy the subtle idea that Foxheart was number three in the Clan, Yellowfang shook her head, "No. Not happening. These kits cat do whatever they want but I'm telling you now neither of them will choose StarClan over the path of being a warrior."

Raggedstar looked slightly put out. "Maybe you could ask StarClan which one I should choose?"

Yellowfang snorted. "If you do this, you're going to do it all by yourself. I won't choose one kit over the other."

"Shadowkit's smarter," Raggedstar meowed thoughtfully, "And she's clever. She would be a good leader. But Sunkit is stronger, she's a true warrior. My daughter,"

"They're both your daughters," Yellowfang meowed through gritted teeth. "And you can't toy with them like this."

Raggedstar's nostrils flared and Yellowfang wondered if she'd gone too far. Raggedstar did have a temper and he was the leader. She squared her shoulders and glared at him.

Raggedstar opened his jaws, "Yellowfang," he meowed softly, "You're angry."

"Obviously," she growled icily.

"Why?"

"Are you really that thick-headed?" she snapped, "First you act like I'm not the cat who carried those two around with her for moons then gave birth to them- alone- then you ask me to help you decide which of your daughters you want to immorally 'inherit' the Clan. Why do you think I would be angry Raggedstar?"

He blinked, honestly shocked.

"I knew you were arrogant and a dumb furball," she spat, "But I never thought you were this...this...awful." she turned to stalk out and came face to face with Foxheart.

Oh no. Yellowfang thought. What if she heard?

But the deputy merely blinked innocently and looked past Yellowfang to Raggedstar, "Your kits are missing,"

"What." Raggedstar rose to his paws, eyes dangerous.

"They ran off with Lizardstripe's kits."

"And where is Lizardstripe!?"

"Sleeping, I think. She tried to dump them on Marshpaw, but he had to go on patrol."

Raggedstar let out an enraged yowl, "I'm surrounded by idiots!" he groused, storming out of the den.

"Where did they go?" Yellowfang meowed, trying to remain a normal level of worry.

"They were heading for the pine forest." Foxheart meowed.

Yellowfang felt cold inside. "There was a fox sighted there yesterday."

"Yes," Foxheart confirmed.

Yellowfang pushed past her and ran out of the den.

Chapter 5

Yellowfang tore through the forest. Once she found the kits, she would yell at them. Then she would yell at Lizardstripe. Then she would return to yelling at Raggedstar. Having a plan made her feel better.

The pines began to pop up, speckling the landscape. And then there were more of them, until they created the silent forest that ShadowClan cats had hunted in for generations. Spongy ground and the needles pricking paws from the ground made this an unwelcome place. A place for ShadowClan cats only.

Yellowfang listened for the sound of kits laughing. All she heard was the crisp sound of her own paws crunching through dead needles. She scented the air and quickly found Sunkit's scent along with Lizardstripe's kits and the scent of mushrooms. Yellowfang snorted, wondering is Shadowkit had disguised her scent.

She slowed to a trot, scenting the air and changing directions every once in a while.

Suddenly she heard a shriek.

Tanglekit!

And then she was flying over the ground, her paws thumping at the earth until she saw the kits, wreathed in mist, and the larger shape of a fox. Three shapes darted around it while tow other cowered and Yellowfang hastened her run.

She tackled the fox. Deerkit, Sunkit, and Shadowkit tumbled away from it and Runningkit and Tanglekit stopped screeching for a moment. "Yellowfang!" Runningkit squeaked joyfully.

Yellowfang muttered something about stupid kits and continued to flail at the fox. It was a large male, full of scars from other battles. Yellowfang noted deep cuts still oozing blood and reminded herself to have a talk with the kits about learning battle moves before their time. Although if they hadn't learned those moves they might have been dead now.

Suddenly, a golden streak charged past her. "Sunkit!" Yellowfang shrieked.

The kit threw herself at the fox, tiny paws slashing and hacking. The fox backed away, clearly annoyed and also a little in pain. Finally, wincing, it backed away, hissing.

"I did it!" Sunkit crowed, "I defeated the fox!"

Shadowkit snorted, "You never would have done it if I hadn't told you to aim for the eyes."

"You didn't defeat a fox," Yellowfang growled, "I did. You just almost got yourselves killed. The fox probably just decided that there would be easier prey somewhere or that it would wait for some stupid kits to come back and get themselves killed."

Sunkit met her glare, "I think you just are jealous."

"I think that she just doesn't want you to get any ideas about your strength." Shadowkit smirked.

Yellowfang stared at her kits with an open mouth. They had too much of Raggedstar in them. She would never have gone off to challenge a fox. Well....maybe she would. But still!

Foxheart and Raggedstar caught up with her, panting slightly from the run. "Are they...okay?" Raggedstar meowed.

Yellowfang nodded, "Tanglekit has a scratch, but other then that everyone is fine. I can double check when we get back to camp."

"See that you do," Raggedstar meowed in relief. He crouched before Sunkit and Shadowkit. "You girls scared me. Don't do that again, alright? You'll take on foxes one day, but for now stick to moss balls."

"Alright Raggedstar," Sunkit huffed, although Yellowfang could tell she was a little pleased by her father's attention.

"Alright," Raggedstar looked up at the rest of them. "Let's go home."

Yellowfang sighed as the kits trudged after their leader. The kits of any medicine cat and leader would be bad enough. But that they're Raggedstar and mine? she snorted, Chances are they'll get their pelts clawed off before they become apprentices.

The thought didn't cheer her up as she padded home.

Chapter 6

And that was not the worst of Sunkit and Shadowkit's escapades. Yellowfang constantly felt as though the kits were taking center stage in her own life. Her role as medicine cat had been compromised as she chased the five kits from border to border. Raggedstar sat by the entire time, and she could see him tallying in his head. Sunkit fought a fox, Shadowkit found evidence of ThunderClan stealing prey, Sunkit fought a badger, Shadowkit caught a mouse, and so on and so forth.

Yellowfang felt sick.

And today, today had to be the worst.

"All kits have crushes," Raggedstar meowed easily. "This is natural."

"Is it?" Yellowfang snapped, "Is it natural for sisters to challenge each other to duels in the middle of ThunderClan territory?!"

"Well, that is a little over the top," Raggedstar smirked, "They have your flair for dramatics."

"My flair for the dramatics? Who decided to pretend to die after you got a belly wound at the battle with ThunderClan?"

"I passed out!" Raggedstar yelped.

Yellowfang nodded, "Uhuh. Sure you did."

Raggedstar muttered and dodged a pine tree. They probably should have been worried about the kits crossing the Thunder Path, but Sunkit had always had a bizarre fascination with it. Add that to Shadowit's smarts and they were probably already across.

Lizardstripe and Foxheart were after Deerkit, Tanglekit, and Runningkit. Apparently they had been told to await Sunkit and Shadowkit's return.

"Deerkit's not even worth it!" Yellowfang complained.

"Well, the alternative is Runningkit.." Raggedstar meowed, "And I think Deerkit is fine."

"Whatever," Yellowfang hissed, reaching the Thunderpath. Sure enough, Shadowkit and Sunkit's scents led over it. After a look, the two grown cats sprinted across. Yellowfang hoped Raggedstar didn't notice she was shivering.

She didn't really know where they were, relationship wise. But she did wonder if they'd had a tom, like Raggedstar wanted, maybe they wouldn't be as close as they still were. Raggedstar's indecision between his daughters kept him closer to his mate.

Not that she cared, obviously.

They entered the forest, cautiously. Yellowfang felt uneasy with the solid ground and huge trees. She needed shadows.

And then there were shadows, dropping from the trees around them. Yellowfang and Raggedstar spun around, back to back. ThunderClan cats surrounded them and Raggedstar found the deputy, Sunfall. The young ginger tom and slightly older brown tom glared for a moment before Raggedstar spoke.

"Some kits escaped the nursery, came here. We just want to find them and go."

Sunfall shook his head, "We found them already. They were having some kind of duel. A black she-cat and a golden she-cat, correct?"

Yellowfang nodded.

Sunfall winced, looking upset, "Well, they're back at camp..."

"Thank you," Raggedstar meowed, "They're my daughters and-"

"We know." Sunfall closed his eyes, then opened them, finding the next words difficult. "Goosefeather and Pinestar have decided that you can take one of them home, but one of them must stay here."