"And you're sure that the fox has been taken care of?" Python integrated. Hurricane stood there, unflinching at the looming shadow of the older tom. With Snow pressed against her, she felt braver and less intimated by the tom. "If it isn't---"

     "The den and fox have been dealt with," Hurricane announced, keeping her voice calm. What she couldn't allow slip by was meeting Dandelion again. "I've done your request with Lightning and Tsunami."

     "Are you sure you aren't lying?" Viper sneered, trying to chip away at her confidence. "While I don't remember what happened." Hurricane could hear Blizzard and Firestorm hid their smirk and straighten up. "I don't think you could pick a fight against a fox. I feel like we should check---"

     "Enough, Viper," Python growled, nodding.

     "Y-Yes!" Viper shuddered, getting back up on his paws. Though his mouth was locked tight, Hurricane couldn't find the key to lock his glare from his deadly eyes. She narrowed her eyes at him but returned her sharp gaze towards the leader. Wildfire pressed up against her again came behind her, sticking her tongue at her father's ally.

     "Hurricane, you seemed to have slipped away this time," Python acknowledged. "I'm proud to see my kits recruited someone as strong as you."

     This time? Hurricane thought, a frown itching her face. Does this mean he wanted me to fail?

     "Of course he did," her mind answered.

     "Of course he didn't," her mind noted.

     Not helping.

     "Have I earned your trust?" Hurricane asked. It probably was a bad way to start out into the conversation. From the way that Python and Viper were glowering at her, it was a bad sign. 

     Wildfire shook her head at her father. "Father, please? I think she earned it," she begged.

     His eyes did not waver when his youngest daughter pleaded. Wildfire didn't lose her confidence. "Fine," Python responded and Viper's bewildered shock nearly shattered Hurricane's stoic face. Their leader turned around, heading toward his den. With one last glare, the black-furred tom trotted after the leader like a moth drawn to the light. 

     "Sounds like you made it in well," a new voice laughed. Hurricane didn't have to turn around, recognizing the familiar and high voice. Snow squealed and left her side and she watched as both Wasp and Summit came over. 

     "I'm really surprised Python let you join," Summit commented nervously with a wide, anxious grin. "When I first came here he made me fight three nights in a row before he ever allowed me to join a patrol."

     "Really?" Hurricane glanced at Wildfire, who tilted her head and smiled sheepishly. "Something tells me you played a part of this if your father doesn't normally let cats in this easily."

     "Nope! It was all you!" cheered Wildfire. "Remember, I can't get everything I asked for. I'm not that spoiled." Then her amber eyes trailed to Snow, who climbed on Summit's back playfully and the ginger Imperfect laughed, letting the kit swing around her.

     "Who are her parents? Are they worried about her?" Wildfire asked.

      "Heron and Crow," Hurricane replied and Snow perked her head up at their names. "They know I took her." Wildfire and Wasp didn't say much except stare at the kit and Summit. The she-cat frowned and knelt down, allowing the she-kit to climb off and mess around with her tail.

     "Think she'll be old enough to join us on the raid?" Wasp suggested, trying to switch subjects. "That'll be exciting to see her fight. I'd love to teach her how to fight."

     "Raid?" Hurricane echoed, worry pricking in her stomach at the thought of Wasp instructing Snow.

     "Remember what we told you?" Wildfire popped up. "How Father wanted the foxes away? Well, he wanted the territory clean of all threats."

     "He really does want the Tribe of Shining Suns gone," Hurricane murmured, dropping her ears. "How long is that? Snow is only six moons old."

     "Father wants the runts to become warriors," Wasp explained. "So about eight moons?"

     That's a moon right after Cherry joins the tribe. Hurricane looked down and Snow crept closer, snuggling her.

     "Hurricane. Mother," she mewed in chunks. Hurricane curled her tail around the kit. Wasp and Summit smiled at the two and Wildfire looked at Snow longingly, her eyes replaying a memory. The golden she-cat blinked and the memory was gone, replaced by the faint glow of her eyes again.

     "Hey Snow, want to hear a story?" Wildfire said, trying to take Snow. The kit squeaked and scooted around Hurricane. She darted her paw out to catch her. Snow let out a huff of breath as she fell. She smiled up, wiggling her three legs around. Carefully, she set the kit down.

     "Sure," Snow replied to Wildfire. She still clung onto Hurricane and didn't let go. 

     Wildfire's eyes lit up happily. "I heard this story from my mother when she was talking with Father. She never did answer me when I asked her if it was true, but the story is about a cat named Cinder."

     Cinder. 

     The words struck her like an arrow. Hurricane's breath was caught between her throat, heart thumping. The brown she-cat came to mind, the snarkish smile and all. Hazel eyes ripping through the night that loomed over her as she slept. She almost sensed her spirit beside her, listening to the Imperfects. 

     Cinder, the Fallen Hero and Origanum's best friend.

     Her heart began to beat faster. While Cinder had no particular relation to Hurricane, but the she-cat herself had mysteries surrounding her life. Her impression of the Fallen Hero was low and hateful, but she tried to let the past grudge fade away. What she was learning now could change her thought of the dead she-cat.

     It's intriguing to know what the Imperfects think of her.

     "Long ago, Cinder was found on our territory by a cat named Magnolia. Magnolia took her in, nursed her back to health, and then dropped by the camp. Cinder was welcomed and began to help the cats around here. She was most known for being from the Tribe of Shining Suns."

     "Didn't Cinder also know about the Fallen Tree? I think she devoted her life afterward to helping us and figuring out the story behind that tree," Wasp added, enjoying the story just as much as Snow was.

     "That is what I was getting to," Wildfire said, "Cinder made it her quest to figure out the Fallen Tree story. She figured out bits and pieces, but never the real story. Then a bad snowstorm hit us. We were forced to wait it out, but that was also a time when there was an unknown enemy prowling around. That cat had come and slaughtered a kit and Cinder chased after him."

     How stubborn was she? She thought, wishing she could've at least asked Cinder some questions before she left and gave her an imperfect curse.

     "And you're not any different?" scoffed her mind. 

     "We never saw Cinder after that," Wildfire said sadly. "The forest was covered in white for an entire moon. Then we finally went out and found her, but from what I heard from my mother, it wasn't a pretty sight and nobody was prepared to see it."

     Snow began to shiver next to Hurricane.

     "Cinder was found dead on a pile of ice, every part of her ice-cold," A new voice said finished the story. Hurricane, Snow, and Summit turned to see Firestorm standing behind them with his blue eyes focused on his sister. "She was long gone when we found her."

     An icicle crashed upon Hurricane. Her stomach turned to water and she wanted to barf. A sheet of ice sealing away the rest of the she-cat's life, knowing she'd never get to see her best friend ever again. She swallowed and looked at the sky. You really had a rough life, didn't you?

     "After?" Snow questioned. 

     "She never solved the Fallen Tree," Firestorm answered. "It was all an illusion to her."

     "Go," Snow said, looking outside of the camp. "Tree. Move," she repeated.

     "We aren't going there," Hurricane said, covering the little kit up with her striped tail. "I don't think you're allowed to leave camp."

     "They are," Wasp interjected. "All of them are allowed to leave camp."

     "You guys just let kits wander around the territory freely?!" Hurricane sputtered, trying to comprehend. Snow's face lit up with delight. Just like a mother would do, Hurricane threw herself over her. "What are you even thinking? What if they get attacked by a fox or badger?!"

     "Then they get attacked by a fox or badger...?" Wasp said, looking confused. By the face he was giving Hurricane, she could tell she was making a fool out of herself. Snow was nodding her head up and down happily at the request to go outside. 

     Summit snarled at him and Wasp backed down, breaking out in laughter. She turned to Hurricane and shook her head, smiling. "Kits are allowed to explore camp but they have boundary lines." She cast a dark look at the golden tom. "And those boundaries aren't anywhere near foxes or badgers." 

     "How did you get stuck with him?" Hurricane whispered and Summit grinned.

     "He's like my older brother. The first time we met he tricked me into walking into a thorn bush," she commented, extending her paw forward. On her pad, Hurricane saw a faint scar. Summit pulled her paw back and shook her head in a reassuring way. "He makes life seem brighter, even if we are Imperfects."

     "Do you wish you were in the Tribe of Shining Suns?" Hurricane asked, peering at the she-cat's yellow eyes. 

     Summit frowned. "Maybe? I haven't really thought about it. I was just born where I was and I don't regret who I am." Then she leaned closer. "Why exactly do we have these things called tribes? Why can't we just break down those borders and live as one big tribe? We all believe in the Tribe of Endless Stars and Tribe of Never-Ending Shadows, so why are we separated just over dumb beliefs?"

     "... I don't know," she responded.

     "It's all right if you don't," she reassured with a friendly wave of her tail. "Nobody's given me a good answer to that question."

     Snow jumped in front of Hurricane, grabbing her attention with a pout. "Go! Please!"

     "Not now, maybe later," Hurricane insisted.

     "Thanks! Let's go!" Snow cheered.

     "I didn't say now!"

     "Shut up!" Lightning roared from a distance. "Some of us prefer to enjoy ourselves for once. Now please be quiet." Hurricane glanced in his direction and saw the tom by a white tom, the two seeming to be in a conversation. She shrugged and went back to Summit and Snow. 

     "Are we taking a trip?" Wildfire asked happily, inching even closer. "After completing a task, I'd love to stretch my legs and explore or go somewhere! Besides, the rest of my siblings still don't trust you. We'll go on a bunch of journeys if it makes them trust you."

     "Were you even listening?" Hurricane, pushing an excited Snow to the ground carefully, flinching as her sharp teeth gnawed her paw.

     "I was," Wildfire claimed, "but I needed to make sure I heard it right."

     "Sure..."

     "Now let's go!" Snow said, surprising Hurricane that she spoke an actual sentence. The she-kit looked at her and repeated, "Now let's go!"

     "Fine," Hurricane muttered. "Not like you would listen to me." She frowned after seeing the kit's sad look. "Hey, Snow? Do you like it here?"

     By the way she said it, it was clear that Snow had something else on her mind or she had a hard time understanding the question thrust upon her. Either way, it seemed as if the kit had multiple answers. Hurricane didn't let her gaze lift from her. The she-kit finally raised her head confidently.

     "Ma---"

     "Hurricane," Lightning said. This time, Hurricane didn't flinch at the sudden appearance. From instinct, she flicked her tail two times, one to the right and then up. Silence answered her request and she groaned, turning around very slowly.

     Stars do they know anything? She let out an annoyed sigh in her head. Hurricane faced Lightning, trying to wipe her expression off her face. "Yeah?"

     "We want you to help train us or that you train with us," Lightning explained more in detail, his voice getting weaker as he went on. Hurricane bit back the purr arising in her throat, feeling glad that she was wanted and that she saw the arrogant tom asking for help and looking so pained as he said it. "Since... you know..."

     "Are you asking for my help?" Hurricane decided. She kept her voice as calm as she could muster. Inside of her, she was fighting to keep her laughter contained. Lightning nodded and then stormed off toward the white tom, who gave her some kind of impressed look. "What is your problem?" she asked Wildfire, Wasp, and Summit. 

     "He's my big brother," Wildfire squeaked. "Of course he's moody."

     "And I thought it was us that were supposed to be moody..." Hurricane trailed off.

     "Not in front of Snow!" Wildfire chirped, covering the white she-kit's ears.

     "And I don't matter?!?" Wasp demanded. "Thanks. I feel appreciated."

     "Because you're always around," Summit sighed with a heartful smile. "But I'd love to train with you, Hurricane. I want to see some of your battle tactics myself." The ginger she-cat crouched down and unleashed her claws, starting a mock duel. 

     "Yeah, I'll try," Hurricane said and then looked at Snow. "Do you think you could wait just a bit longer?"

     "Yep!" Snow bounced off toward another den where she met two other kits her size, who welcomed her into their game. 

     "Let's start then!" Wildfire insisted. "I wanna be in the first group you do! I'm sure other cats will come up and try to learn! This could be a chance to meet everyone! I'll introduce you to my best friends: Jay and Butterfly!" With that, she darted off, calling their two names. 

     A small group of cats had already heard the news and was gathering together. Hurricane watched as the cats grouped together and whispered to each other as Wildfire ran around them, pulling out two cats. They met eyes and the tiny she-cat pointed her tail at the two and motioned for her to come over. She nodded and briskly followed with Summit and Wasp at her side. 

     When she looked at Wasp again, he was grinning at her, almost as if he were saying, "See? Imperfection isn't as bad as you think." 

     Yes, she thought just as she approached the group, who turned to look at her. Hurricane greeted them and waited for the quick introductions to stop before she started the lesson. Her eyes met with Wasp once again. It's not.