Bright's Kit Challenge (And maybe more challenges)

The day I was born. It was one of the most fascinating yet terrible stories that my mother Rippleheart told me and my littermates as we grew up. Aspenfern never liked hearing about it; she'd always sleep or run off when Rippleheart began the account. Maplestream liked to hear about the action and the bravery of Hailstrike, our father. I simply was fascinated with the whole thing.

We were born in a flood, with a storm raging overhead and wind lashing the water. Hailstrike often said that Crookedstar was born much the same way, and we were all destined to become someone great. But greatness usually came with a price. I learned that later on too. The camp was flooding fast, and Rippleheart had been one of the last out of the camp when her pains came. She was on high ground, but with the water rushing so fast, Willowshine, the medicine cat back then, feared that it wasn't good enough. She and Mapleflight helped Rippleheart up a misshapen aspen tree, sheltering between the two trunks that had somehow wound together. But in making sure her best friend and her kits would be safe, Mapleflight slipped from the slippery bark and fell into the dark water. And drowned.

Thankfully, my mother had often said, Willowshine had an entire bundle of mixmatched herbs from her den. All those leaves and flowers would've been swept away otherwise. She'd given Rippleheart raspberry leaves and thyme for shock, waiting patiently and calmly until it was time.

I had been born first, pale as a heron's feather. Hailstrike named me Brightkit, for his kits were the only good thing that had happened that day. We were the "bright spots." Add to the fact that my silvery, white-gray fur was a beacon against the rain-darkened tree branch. Maplekit was born next, as dark-furred as the bark beside her. Rippleheart named her after Mapleflight, who was already hidden in the tossing waves. Next, Aspenkit, after the two trees that had saved us from all going to StarClan before we were even born. Otterkit last, named for the slippery beaver-like creatures that swam in water like fish. Hailstrike hoped that his only male kit would be able to swim and hunt just like an otter.

We'd all stayed in those two trees until the storm eased, the rain soaking our pelts and making us shake like leaves in the cold. Willowshine feared that we would get the cold, and even though she didn't say anything else, Rippleheart knew that if her kits catched any sickness so early, they would die. So she sheltered us covering our bodies with her triangular-shaped head, constantly trying to warm us with her tongue.

But we were fine in the end.

Rippleheart had told us, rather huffily, that Hailstrike had not been worried about us catching any sickness. "They're destined for great things!" he'd said proudly. "Being born in the rain and water-- they're true RiverClan kits!" I've always wish I could've heard him say that, his deep voice rumbling, his amber eyes shining. But he was true; his words almost like a prophecy. We did grow up to be great. But always with a price.