Two oddities (ratkit)

Sevenkit
^{Can I still just be me?}
Sevenkit sighed and sat outside the nursery. It had been moons since Skunkkit had died. Now it was just her and Ratkit. She scanned the camp with her copper red flecked eyes and then sighed, looking at her paw. Slowly she held it up and gazed at the seven toes. Did this mean she was marked by Starclan, or was she just a freak. Sometimes she felt like a total freak. She and her brother both. Him with his hairless scaly tail and her with her extra toes. Why couldn't they just be normal cats living normal lives? Why did she have to be so special. She sighed and looked up again, glancing at the blue sky. A few puffy clouds were drifting past.

With another sigh she flopped down and just lay there. She and her brother were nearly six moons old. When would she get to be an apprentice? She now wanted that more than anything in the whole world.

For the past moon Ratkit had been aware of so much more in his life than he had ever been before. How cats stared at him, how many seemed to move on after the death of Skunk-kit. But most of all, how his mother treated him. Sure it might not be on purpose, but he felt like all he was, was her son with the tail of a rat. Nothing special, unlike Sevenkit. He couldn't go a day without hearing Otterfoot saying something about how her daughter was marked by StarClan. What did she say about her son? Nothing from what Ratkit had heard. He was just her son who wasn't anything important. When Skunk-kit had died, he had at least hoped she would pay him some more attention. But apparently Sevenkit was way more important than him.

Ratkit couldn't wait to leave the nursery and become an apprentice. To get as far away from his mother has he could and be one step closer to getting away from Sevenkit, the special kitty-cat who was marked by StarClan. It was just one moon until he became an apprentice. One more moon of having Otterfoot make sure Sevenkit was warm and cozy while Ratkit did his best to ignore the two she-cats. He couldn't wait.

But then the tom saw a black pelt he didn't wish to see. He swished his bare tail and stalked as fast as he could to get away from her. She was right in the way of where he was going to turning around was out of the question. Ratkit had learned much about the secrets of ThunderClan camp from Old Talonstrike, and after being told a story Ratkit had found a small crevice in the camp walls that had become his little spot. He would stay there all day and no one would miss him.

The black tom got nearer and nearer to Sevenkit, and he was praying under his breath that she wouldn't notice him. But then the she-cat disappeared and Ratkit was flying head over heels. Sevenkit had decided to lay down right in his path, and it had been to quick for the young tom to notice. He had tripped over his own sister. There was no use in praying she wouldn't notice him now.

(agnst on)

Sevenkit
^{Can I still just be me?}

Sevenkit looked at her brother, who had just tripped over her.
"Oh, hey Ratkit." she mewed slowly. "Mother's been going on again, hasn't she?" she sighed. "I wish that she would just... shut up and face the facts." she sighed. "You and I we're freaks." she sighed. "Nothing special. Nothing perfect. Just... oddities. She buried her face in her paws. "Why couldn't I have just been called Darkkit, or Nightkit, or blackit, or..." she trembled. "And she could have called you something much nicer. Like Greykit or Cinderkit."

"And you, my brother. You're my better half. I'm just silly old me. Listen to me, jabbering on like a silly goose." she chuckled a little. "You're the brains of the two of us. You seem so wise." She sighed again and bit her lip. "Mother should pay more attention to you. You're a great cat. I know you'll be a great warrior one day. I'll bet that you could even use your tail in fight! I mean imagine getting hit with that thing in the face! It would hurt." She leaned over and licked him behind his ear.

"We're gonna be apprentices soon." she mewed. "I'm sure you'll be so much better than me. I mean I can't stop tripping over my stupid foot." She sighed a little and flopped down again.

Ratkit did his best to hold back a growl. It was just like Sevenkit to be all perfect and nice. He didn't care if she actually meant what she said, he just wanted to be away from her. Her, the most perfect kit any mother could have. Her, the one who will be blessed by StarClan, who will do great things in StarClan's name. Her, who StarClan had marked with two extra toes. While he, Ratkit, was just another kit who was a hassle to take care of. Him, who probably got as much attention from StarClan as a beetle. Him, who had a naked tail that just made others look at him in disgust. He didn't care if Sevenkit had trouble walking with her extra toes, at least they weren't as noticeable as his tail.

If it had been her goal to make him happy, then all she managed was a twinge in his heart. He wasn't going to be her friend anytime soon. She was making his life miserable with Otterfoot cooing over her almost 24/7. If anything her words just made him even angrier at her. She thought it was so simple. It wasn't bothering her, making her life hard. It was just the over attention of a grieving mother who wanted the best for her little blessed daughter. None of her compliments were very helpful either. Just made Ratkit even angrier at her for saying all that stuff about him when all he was, was angry at her. She had no right to talk to him like he was some sort of prince. All he wanted to do was get away from her and her "marked" foot.

Sometimes mother's could be stupid, but Otterfoot was the queen of stupid mothers in Ratkit's opinion. Out of pure anger Ratkit hissed at his sister "How about you just go complain to good ole' mommy about your poor little foot." He spoke with disgust when he mentioned their mother. There was no way Ratkit was ever going to speak to his mother unless he was forced to. And if Sevenkit tried anything to "fix" mother and son's relationship Ratkit would just make sure there was no hope in ever fixing it.

Sevenkit
^{Can I still just be me?}

Sevenkit let out a snarl and lashed out with her paw. Then, seeing what she had done turned and ran off out of the camp. Why had she just attecked her brother. She lay down, just outside of the camp and whimpered softly. She wasn't special. She was just... A freak.

Slowly she curled up and wrapped her tail around her nose. Why did her brother hate her? She never did anything to him. She only wanted to be friends with him. They were siblings, she adored her brother. She worshipped the ground he walked on. Why couldn't he see that. Why...

"Starclan, why does he hate me?" she wimpered. "Please, somebody answer me?" she paused. "Of course you're not going to answer. You don't exist! I HATE YOU! I hate you...." she looked away. How could she hate something that didn't exist? It didn't make sense. With a sigh she lay down. There was no Starclan, her siblings didn't live on somewhere else. They just were gone. And one day she would be gone to. And the whole clan would forget about the freak.

Slowly she got up, and padded away from the camp. Maybe if she left, maybe then her mother would love Ratkit better. He was the one that needed it. He was the one that deserved it, not her.

Ratkit glared as Sevenkit struck out. Snarling the tom whipped around and went on to the crevice he had found. Let Sevenkit deal with her problems. She had it better off than him anyway, getting all the love and attention from Otterfoot. That she-cat didn't know how tough the world actually was on 'freaks' like them. Let her learn for herself. Or let Otterfoot teach her the easy way, Ratkit on the other hand had learned the hard way. He wasn't going to be just another cat to make Sevenkit happy.

Squirmming into his little spot Ratkit stayed their for a long time. He just laided there thinking about Otterfoot, how she would react when she discovered Sevenkit was missing. How she would most likely as him where his special sister was. If he told the truth Otterfoot would "disaplene" him and if he lied she would be hysterical. Which would be prefer? Either way his mother wasn't going to love him more. He was just there to help her keep tabs on Sevenkit.

Hours passed before Ratkit crawled out of his spot. Stiff the young tom streached each leg seprately before padding to the nursery to see if Sevenkit had returned.
She hadn't.
Ratkit looked in at the empty nest. Otterfoot was out doing something. Maybe even frantically searching for her daughter. She would never search for her son if he went missing he bet. Now it was all about Sevenkit. It was as if he was already dead.
Hissing under his breath Ratkit turned around. Might as well go see where the silly she-cat was. He spent an hour searching camp to no avail. Apparently she had gone out.

The entrance wasn't gaurded, so Ratkit easily slipped out. It didn't take him long to pick up the scent of his sister. Maybe, though he wasn't getting his hopes up high, maybe if he brought Sevenkit back Otterfoot would at least acknowledge him. Though it wouldn't do much good if his mother was only happy that Sevenkit was back.

Well, it didn't really matter any way. Ratkit would just be the unimportant Ratkit. His eyes caught a glimpse of a black pelt and the gray tom race through the brambles. "Sevenkit! Sevenkit you better get back to camp before mom gets angry." Well, before she got angry at him for loosing his precious sister.

(otterfoot is out whispering sweet nothings to her new boyfriend )

Sevenkit
^{Can I still just be me?}

Sevenkit had found somewhere to hide, her usual favourite sulking spot. The black and red she-kit looked up.
"What? Have you come to yell at me more." she snarled, her fur puffed up. He wanted her to go back... well she didn't care. "I don't want to go back. I'm sick of being coddled. I hate it! It's stupid." she pointed out. "I mean... It's just stupid. How can I be the chosen of Starclan, they don't exist. It's all a bunch of mouse-brained kit-tales like the ones Old Talonstrike tells." She looked at her paws.

"I'm not blessed by Starclan, I'm not blessed by anyone because there is no starclan." She snarled, her ears flat against her skull. "Go back to your clan. I'm not needed there. Tell mother that... that I got carried off by a hawk and that you did everything you could to save me." she told him. "Make something up. I don't care. I just don't want to go back there."
Finding out her brother hated her for something that wasn't her fault really hurt the young, confused cat.

Ratkit stared stunned at his sister. He had never expected her to say something like that. Sure, she could be angry about all the attention she was given. But to reject StarClan? It was crazy! But still, Ratkit would never be able to have a good relationship with Sevenkit. He just wasn't the small kit who knew nothing. He has experienced the pain of death and of rejection from not only of the clan and his mother. And Sevenkit had just made it worse.

"I would do that, Sevenkit. If it wasn't for the fact that you know nothing about how to protect yourself or hunt. So I can't really leave you here for dead even if you wanted me too." Standing up he continued "So either I stay with you or you go with me. Either way I'm going to find a way to bring you back to camp. Even if I have to drag you back."

ooc:// Sorry it's so short. I'm low on fuel at the moment.

Sevenkit
^{Can I still just be me?}

"Then you're going to have to drag me back." She said, standing up and stalking off. "Because I'm not going back. Not ever!" Her eyes flashed. "And if you drag me back I'll just run away again." she added, eyes harsh. "I don't want to be the favourite anymore. I just don't want it." She looked away. "I'm not the favourite anymore anyway. Mum's too busy with Toadstep. They're always talking together. She just wants me out of the picture so she can be with him. I think she never wanted us in the first place." She sighed and looked down. "I mean, I don't even know who my father is... who our father is." She paused and thought of poor Skunkkit, killed by a fox. "Maybe you're right. Of course you are, you're the smart one. We should go back." She turned to walk back, looking behind her for her brother.

Starsbane
^{I am powerful, I am immortal, I can do anything, I am cursed, I am the Darkness}
The black cat waited until the seven toed one was out of sight, then stepped infront of the small tom. "You crave revenge don't you little kit?" she mewed. "You want to be strong and loved by your mother." Her red eyes gleamed, brilliant blood like orbs like in the story that Talonstrike had told. "I can give you that." her breath brushed against his neck. "I can teach you to be strong. You have much hate in you, use it..." she purred. "Use it to fuel your anger and your power and it will make you strong. I can teach you to use this. What do you say, little kit? Do you wish to be strong.... my brother."

Ratkit's eyes were burning with frustration as Sevenkit stalked away blabbering on about how her life sucked. He didn't care if she was tired of being the favorite. He didn't care if their mother was falling in love with Toadstep. He didn't care what Sevenkit though, he just had to get her back to camp before he got in trouble for loosing her. Life was tough enough being looked down upon by the whole clan, why add more to it by having the hatred of his mother always hanging over him? When Sevenkit vanished into the bracken Ratkit sighed and began to follow the black she-kit. But he was halted when a shadow appeared in front of him.

Ratkit jumped back in surprise as the figure began to speak. She had come out of no where, a shadow flying in the wind. Who was this cat? Was she dangerous? Ratkit felt his skin crawl when he heard he speak. He deep, sickening voice rang in his ears becoming a thunderous roar. "You crave revenge don't you little kit? You want to be strong and loved by your mother. I can give you that. I can teach you to be strong. You have much hate in you, use it... Use it to fuel your anger and your power and it will make you strong. I can teach you to use this. What do you say, little kit? Do you wish to be strong.... my brother."

Hatred, revenge, strong and loved. How did this cat know how he felt? Who was she, how could she make him strong? And what did she mean by her brother? Ratkit opened his mouth to speak but couldn't say a word. His mouth was as dry as the dirt during a drought. He tried to swallow but he couldn't. He heard the rustle of leaves and saw his sister return, her eyes revealed how scared she was. Ratkit felt courage build in his chest and taking a deep breath he asked "Who are you? And why did you call me you brother?"

Starsbane
^{I am powerful, I am immortal, I can do anything, I am cursed, I am the Darkness}

"I go by many names. I was once a cat of Thunderclan. But they feared my power and cast me out, calling me Fallen. Then I became strong, and Immortal. I am Darkness itself. I am Starsbane, the one Starclan itself fears." she paused and looked over her shoulder.

"Begone whelp." she snapped at Sevenkit, who turned tail and ran for her life.

"I called you brother, because that is who you are. We share the same father little one." She purred happily. "He is a cat as dark as the depths of night itself. Named for the dark hour before dawn. He is Nox. He sired you little one, I can see it in your eyes. Eyes of blood and a coat of shadow." She locked her own blood red eyes with his.
"I can teach you the ways of power. You just have to... Pledge yourself to me."

Her words pierced Ratkit's ears like icicles. Her voice was cold; dead. There was something about this cat that wasn't right. Something about this cat gave Ratkit the feeling she wasn't completely alive. The young tom found it to hard to believe what she was saying. StarClan couldn't fear her. And if ThunderClan had cast her out, it probably wasn't for her power. She could have broken the code, or killed a cat! He should go back to camp and tell Riverstar about seeing this strange cat. This cat who calls herself Starsbane. But when Sevenkit ran with her tail between her legs Ratkit felt all of his courage drain away from him. He couldn't speak, he couldn't move.

Then she answered his other question. He couldn't hold back his surprise. Ratkit didn't want to call this...creature sister. He would never call her sister. But those few things she told him about hers, no, their father was invaluable to him. Now he knew what his father looked like. He could ask Otterfoot about him, and hopefully be able to get straight answers this time. It was the one thing he was going to take from Starsbane. He felt his confidence return at the idea of getting information from his mother.

"I can teach you the ways of power. You just have to... Pledge yourself to me." That one pause, that one little pause, was all it took. Ratkit braced himself and screamed "No!" before streaking back the way he had come; back to camp. He just prayed Starsbane wouldn't follow him.

Starsbane
^{I am powerful, I am immortal, I can do anything, I am cursed, I am the Darkness}

"Run away little tom." She purred, watching his retreating form. "Run far away. I'll see you again, and I won't be so nice next time." She raised her voice and yelled after him. "YOUR BLOOD IS MINE WHELP!" Her yowl pierced the air. "You will rue the day you crossed me. I am immortal, I am cursed, I am Darkness and Hell itself." She called, snarling.
"We may share blood, but I will hunt you down like prey and drink your blood." she spoke to herself now.
"Your days are numbered foolish kit, they are numbered.

Slowly she turned and walked into the woods, then faded away into a fine black mist tinged with streaks of blood red. She had to hunt, had to feed on the blood of cats.