"Come on, please, you don't belong here anymore," she begged desperately, eyes quivering at the sight of her. A male tom ran up by her side, his sides heaving with effort as if he'd just ran a mile, but the daring gleam of his eyes stayed firm, refusing to bow down to exhaustion. The spotted cat shifted her eyes to the tom and let out a sigh of relief. Then she turned back and through the pounding rain, pleaded once more."Come back home, you're my---"

     "Get away from me now," she snarled, lashing out at the she-cat, threatening to attack. The cat let out a screech and the tom sprang forward, dragging her out of harm's reach. Recoiling, she spread her legs out in a jumping positioned, aimed for the tom that claimed he was her kin. Her eyes held fiery hate for both of them, claws were as long as thorns, ready to kill. "You aren't my family. Get out of my sight before I kill you." When they didn't budge, her fur rippled down her skinny and boney back like wildfire. "Now!"

     "How can you stand it there? Mother---"

     "She never cared for me, now leave! Get out!" she yowled angrily at them, another paw lashing through the rainy air. "Get out now!" This time, her paw left a scar along the tom's pelt. The she-cat cried out and the tom gritted his teeth in pain, digging his claws into the mud. Rage boiled inside of her, refusing to die down. Her breathing became jagged and uneven, red beating in her ears like thunder, the only visible sound being of her own breath, unable to remain calm. Narrowing her slitted eyes, she stepped closer to the shaking she-cat.

     "You'll always be my---"

     "I was never your sister," she snarled, eyes gleaming dangerously as she approached them, claws sliding out of place, sharp as thorns. "I never was, and never will." She pointed her tail behind them, cursing to herself. "Leave, before the whole Tribe comes and kills you. If not, I'll kill you myself; you're just two ticks that need to be thrown away." 

     'What am I doing? Why am I letting them leave so easily?' 

     "How can you say that?" the tom roared, fur bristling with fury. His amber eyes flashed with pain, summoning the strength to fight and shout like a spoiled kit. To her surprise, he pounced and threw her on the ground, digging his paws into her shoulders painfully. She tried to not let it show on her face, squinting one, lethal eye open."We were trying to run away!" he protested, pushing his nose too close. 

     "Why run?" she challenged, "it doesn't make sense if you're running away. That means you're running away from yourself and mistakes." Thunder roared above them and rain poured harder with each word splitting the hopeless bond between the lost siblings. The ground under them turned into thick mud, her back sinking further into the cool sensation, dirtying her golden, perfect pelt. She held back a snarl, glowering at her brother's blue orbs. 

     'It's the blood of my enemies under me,' she thought, 'I've beaten them in battle. These two cats are no different from the rest of them. The word family and sister meaning nothing to me.'

     "First thing's first," she snarled and sprang, using her backlegs to propel her in the air. She came up and knocked the larger tom to the ground, mud flying as they fell. Before the tom could get up, she sunk her claws into his shoulders, causing his face to wither. They sunk into his shoulders easily, making her heart pound and twist with excitement. Her back legs hooked into the ground, keeping her balance as she leaned down, snapping her jaws around the thick-furred cat's neck and heaved him up, aimed for the she-cat that stood in the dark forest with horror spreading across her nerves rapidly. 

     Then she tossed the cat in her jaws aside, directed toward the spotted cat. She yelped and ducked, holding her paws above her head as her brother came crashing on her. The sight was beautiful, the Imperfects struggling in their misery, knowing they couldn't escape. That was the kind of joy she found toying with them and pretending to listen to them when they dropped to their paws and licked the ground just for mere seconds of her time. 

     'It's a shame they'll never know how enjoyable moments like these are.'

     "Do you get it now?" She asked, voice like ice. "I don't need you anymore, I don't need Mother anymore, and I don't need anyone." There was a rustle of leaves behind her back and the devilish grin on her face spread. The Imperfects' faces dropped and they clambered over one another, making a vain attempt to run. Pelts swarmed by the golden cat, each like an arrow that shot through the forest, and soon enough, yowls of distress and pain filled the forest, bringing music to her ears. 

     Fluffing her pelt out and shaking out the clumps of fur between her claws, she spat, "I only need perfection."

~~~oOo~~~

[Two moons later]

     Citrus opened her eyes to the bright sunlight that streamed in from the entrance of the cave, painting the stone in front of her yellow. She rolled to her side, basking in the warm glow, a purr escaping her sleepy throat. Her legs ached but that didn't matter. 

     It was time; the moment she'd been preparing for her entire life.

     It's time for the test.

     Last night, the guardians, her family, and friends threw a celebration together. Prey was offered to her in heaps. All the attention was on her, and the idea of slipping back in time when the world revolved around her made her paws light and her heart jump. The idea that cats were paying attention to her and her accomplishments filled with her giddiness and gleefulness. Citrus remembered tossing and turning last night, trying to get her eyes to close so she could restore her strength but her mind continued to shout throughout the night. 

     Cherry scrounged nights before for leaves to place around the cave, giving it a parting feel to the cave. Her decorations were fabulous, even the guardians were impressed by how the tiny and timid she-cat could fetch large leaves that were twice the size of her head. Lark made sure every cat was served properly and made sure everything was going according to plan. The party started at dusk and went on till moonhigh, cats shouting and congratulating Citrus for her upcoming trial.

     All the excitement meant for her succeeded her expectations for the night. Every kit ready to take the Test had this kind of celebration to wish them luck in the future and sent them off with a grand farewell. The gestures and praises toward any kit that day would lift their spirits and make the Test seem like a minor obstacle to what was going to happen. While she remembered Maple being strongly opposed to this, Citrus went into the event with a blank slate and accepted warm words and compliments from cats who had been nothing but harsh and strict. 

     Was the party all to see if I could remember everything? Staying up late, eating a bunch of prey, and then waking up at a normal time. Was it all to see if I could be perfect, even if I had all of those obstacles? she wondered, staring at her paws. 

    Even after I finish this thing, I'll have to change my name or keep it the same. Granted, Citrus sounds kinda boring and I want to be perfect. The names she could chose were from her mother, Dandelion. A required task for any mother was to pick out a few names that their kit could choose once they entered the tribe. Citrus didn't mind. She never had the brain to think of a unique name for herself. Her older siblings decided to stick true to their first names, and there were times when she wondered what possible names they could've picked. 

     Breeze, Honey, Wildflower, Cheetah, and Amber. I have to choose one and I better like it since that'll be my name forever, even in The Tribe of Endless Stars. Citrus knew she had another choice. She could stay as Citrus, but even at three moons old, she knew already chosen her favorite name out of the bunch. 

     Wildflower would be joining the Tribe of Shining Suns.

     Butterflies fluttered and raced in her stomach every time she heard that name or even thought about other cats calling her that. It was confidential information, any tribe name, and asking another cat regardless of their relationship to them was strictly forbidden. Telling a cat what their new name could be was also punished and that cat would be forced to choose another name. No matter how much she wanted to tell her family, she bit her tongue anytime Lark or Apple tried to think of each other's names. 

     The only requirement was no names were to be repeated or the same name as a Fallen Hero. That was a deadly mistake. From the reports, nobody in the tribe was called Wildflower.

     Citrus pushed herself out of her warm nest, stretching as she let out a long and loud yawn. Her hard work from the past two moons wouldn't go to waste, not after she nearly died. Anything she failed at, even if it was off by an inch, she forced herself to work on day and night. There had been many nights, however, Citrus felt like she couldn't do it anymore and would find herself sulking in a corner. Cloud or Hawk would be quick to berate her and force her back on her paws, constantly reminding her of what a tiny mistake could mean in the future. 

     Working under pressure wasn't her thing. Thankfully, anytime she had one of those nights, one of her siblings would sneak out of their resting cave and comfort her and eventually, help her. Whether it was Lark who instructed her on her jumps, Apple with tracking and heightened senses picking out every moment, Cherry's vast knowledge on herbs and healing or techniques she thought she found useful - even if she couldn't perform them herself - Blaze's mentoring on whatever subject she felt like, or Maple's kind encouragements and hints, she had cats that were on her side. Ones that supported her. 

     But there were times when they didn't train and would talk to her like normal siblings, making up the time they'd lose or already lost with her. 

     Blaze came over with stories of the tribe and their noble accomplishments that would take hours upon hours to finish, not that she cared how long they lasted. He told her how brave they were; as strong as lions but as gentle as doves. The tribe could blow through eagle attacks, they could hunt in the harsh winters, they picked out herbs that could fight against contagious sickness, and how every cat looked out for each other, striving to reach the golden sun. All of this filled Citrus with a burning lust to join even more.

     Maple told her about training sessions that went on. Citrus knew that the Training Den was to get the moves down but in the tribe, they expanded the basic moves even more. Each day, a cat would have a new idea of a new battle move or come up with a new way of doing a battle move, causing other cats to crowd around and watch. The thought of learning something new each day made her paws tingle. A new move each day, a new way to be perfect. Her heart elevated each time her older sister demonstrated new moves she picked up.

     Apple, despite not being in the tribe yet, told her about himself and his goals. He yearned to master each skill so Mother and Father would be proud of him. His eyes were set high on the Alpha's position, promising to work himself up the mountain until one day he was on equal footing with the sun itself. While she never did get to talk about her dreams, Citrus loved hearing her little brother talk to her about these wishes and goals. Seeing the glimmer of hope in his eyes when he normally forced a cold and harsh demeanor over them each night was worth it.

     Lark acted like she was in the tribe already. Every single night she would happen to see Citrus by herself, she'd tell a story. Adventures of traveling the territory, seeing sights that they couldn't see now, or fighting against savage beasts that roamed the land. The stories painted out a lovely image of what the Tribe looked like to the sisters. With her departure, she wouldn't be able to fantasize with her anymore, but she looked forward to the day when they reunited and could create new stories, this time setting their sights on the Tribe of Endless Stars.  

     Then there was little Cherry. Citrus always loved seeing her youngest sibling run up to her, ready to tell her about her discoveries - even if she had reported them before. They examined each leaf or bug her little sister found and would decorate their nests with the treasures they collected. Unlike the others, she'd would try to tell stories about how she would visit every day once she became a scouter. Hearing those encouraging words, her little sister's nights didn't become so lonely. 

     Last night, before Citrus went to sleep, the two sisters shared one last conversation, one that engraved itself deep into her mind, playing the memory as if she were standing there once again.

     Cherry looked at Citrus, her eyes flowing with love and pain. She was losing one of her siblings once again, knowing that they'd wander out of reach. The first time wasn't so bad, the second one was a reminder of what was to come, and now a third was slipping away. It wouldn't be long before Apple left, leaving her and Lark together, but then her last sister would disappear. Then she would be alone for a moon. 

     "I... I love you, Citrus," she whispered shyly, messing with her paws. Her light amber eyes shined brightly in the black night. Then she shook her head and giggled. "I wish you luck in the tribe. I'll always think of you, Blaze, Maple, Lark, and Apple when you leave."

     When she blinked, the memory was gone, and the empty nests of her siblings greeted her. Just by inhaling their scents, Apple had gotten up first, then Lark, and finally, Cherry. They all snuck out of the cave, leaving her alone in the cave. She looked outside and could faintly pick out a silhouette of them in front of the rising sun. Her heart tightened at the thought of not waking up every morning to them. Citrus bit her tongue and stepped out of the den, fighting the urge to rush to them. 

     Her paws trotted lightly across the stone, careful not to let her paws slip all over the place before she even started - but that didn't mean she couldn't stop the trembling in them. Here we go, Citrus - no, Wildflower. Here we go, it's time, and you've been waiting for this your whole life. 

     Outside, Cherry, Lark, Apple, Blaze, Maple, Dusk, Cloud, Hawk, Spark, Ripple, Speck, and Pebble all were in a line, gathered together and staring at the rising sun, their eyes pinpointed on the Tribe of Shining Suns. 

     She must've been standing in one place for too long because Blaze was the first to look around and notice her obvious staring. Her siblings' eyes lit up at the sight of her while Speck and Pebble cheered for her. The guardians turned around and gave her warm looks, letting her approach them. Citrus stared at Ripple's old face, glad to see a sense of happiness fill him. 

     "It's now time for one of our kits to leave the Training Den and join the Tribe of Shining Suns," Ripple announced, looking at the faraway mountain, where that grand tribe resided. His warm, green eyes shone down on her. She tried to keep her face under control so she wouldn't look like a hungry kit. That didn't stop Lark and Apple from silently teasing her, their faces held together by thin cobwebs. 

     Ripple, despite the harsh training he imposed on her on certain days and serving her punishments such as running around the den until the sun set, was by far her favorite guardian. Despite his cranky nature and personality, a part of her felt relieved to know he was the one wishing her off. "Citrus, the third daughter to Dandelion, it is time for you to take the Test. We all wish you one last moment with you before you depart."

     Yes, she thought, heart elevating and thumping harder. I'll leave and once I pass, I'll be able to join Mother. Pawsteps aroused behind and she looked over her shoulder, eyes warming at the sight of her friends and family. 

     Since Blaze and Maple would be making the trip with her, they wouldn't get to say anything to her, but they both dipped their heads in respect, welcoming their little sister. Apple was the first to approach her, his tan pelt shining in the pale sunlight, fighting to hold himself back. They touched noses and shared tongues one last time together, the two siblings saying nothing.

     Then, into her ear, he whispered, "Just remember, I'll be joining you in a moon. Don't slack off or I'll be better at you." 

     She nodded and whispered sweet nothings back to them. Even if we're separated, we'll still be competing to see whose better. Citrus made a promise to herself that she wouldn't fall behind so that the two could continue to have friendly competitions even when they were perfect. She'd be flying higher and higher each day, just waiting for the day when she could tease him again.

     "Goodbye, Apple," Citrus dipped her head. That'll be the last time I call him Apple. He'll have a new name, who knows if he'll be changed. Apple nodded back at her, wrapping his tail around her tail one last time. Then he let go, and loneliness instantly rushed on her as if she'd never get to see him ever again. She didn't let the concern show and thought of it as nerves, something she'd have to stomp out before she began her trip. 

     Next was Lark. She looked down and placed her paw on Citrus'. Dark brown fur on top of dirty, striped, yellow fur. Her sister said nothing and stared at the two paws, noticing the size comparison. Whatever was going on in her mind, she had no idea, and the she-cat looked up and with hope flaring through her body, said, "Don't worry about us, we've got your back - plus, I'll work extra hard." They shared one last embrace and left, the same feeling she got when Apple left her returning.

     It was gone by the time Cherry approached. Her eyes gazed lovingly onto her, about to burst like a balloon. Gathering herself, she sputtered, "C-Citrus, I hope you do well, and p-please, remember to visit us..." Tripping over her own words again, the cream she-cat buried her head in her paws in embarrassment and Citrus curled herself around the tiny cat, comforting her. She looked up, shyly smiling.

     "I promise." Citrus leaned closer to her small ear, and, taking a risk, whispered, "I'll be Wildflower by then." With that, she left, careful not to make it look suspicious around her. The guardians paid no attention and only watched as she parted from her siblings. Knowing her timid sister, her secret wouldn't be spilled. All she hoped for was the name didn't make waiting seem like forever. 

     I'll be heading towards my testing area, and then, into the Tribe of Shining Suns. I'll get to see Mother again... I wonder what her reaction will be seeing another one of her kits join. Citrus looked over at her siblings one last time before the patrol set off. They sent her off with a wave of their tails, mouthing unheard words. She flicked her ear and set off, forcing herself to move forward.

     The sun was shining out in front of her. The Tribe of Shining Suns was waiting for her. Did they know another cat was joining their ranks? Would they be excited to see another perfect cat march through the entrance? Questions bubbled in Citrus' mind and she tried to keep her pace even all the while keeping beat to the guardian's pace. 

     The dirt path stretched out far beyond her field of vision. The tall forest trees leaned over the path in an arch, looking like pillars to a grand castle. The sun's rays painted the tops of the trees proudly, each wearing a golden crown, showing their pride. Her path was bright and clear, clean of imperfection and mistakes. Citrus savored each moment her paw touched the path, knowing that she was walking the path of perfection. 

     But she still looked behind one last time, seeing the silhouette of Cherry, Lark, and Apple still looking over and out onto the path, eyes meeting each of her siblings one last time. She nodded and turned away. 

     Goodbye, Apple, Lark, and Cherry.