Mapleshade watched the three achingly familiar kits play in front of her. A few moons had passed since she took them in and every passing day they reminded her more and more of her kits. Splashkit was just as timid to leave her side as Patchkit had been, Willowkit and Larkkit played just as Petalkit and Larchkit had. She watched through gently narrowed amber eyes, Splashkit's small pelt beside her.
Clouds darkened the sky and a drop of rain plopped onto Mapleshade's white muzzle. She shook her head.
"C'mon kits, time to get back to shelter." The kits didn't need to be told a second time. With screeches of terror they fled to the den, Mapleshade following, confused. Most kits were excited for their first rainfall.
She cuddled up beside the kit's, sheltering then from the cold and rain. The kits were pressed hard against her pelt, shivering in terror.
"W-we don't like rain!" Splashkit mewed shakily, looking up at Mapleshade with wide green eyes.
"Yeah! They bring floods!" Petalkit continued, her light amber gaze bright with fright.
'How do they even know what a flood is I certainly never told them!'
"The feeling of water filling your lungs as you slowly exhaust is horrible!" Larchkit finished, shivering violently,
Mapleshade curled tighter around them, surprised at their accurate and grim description of drowning. "Well you won't be drowned on my watch."
They all looked up at her, almost in sync saying one phrase, chilling her to the bone:
"But you have."
"But you've never been in a flood," Mapleshade responded, beyond confused.
A clap of thunder sounded nearby, loud, and the kits squealed in terror, muffled as Mapelshade curled around then tigher, her tortoiseshell pelt fluffed in confusion and worry.
"It's just like that golden speckled she-cat yelling at us while we left ThunderClan's camp!" Splashkit squealed.
Pure horror flooded over her. No one had told them about the Clans, much less Frecklewish's description.
"Yeah, right after she hurt mama!" Willowkit mewed, her voice turning to a bit of a growl.
Mapleshade self-consciously placed a paw over the lasting scar over one of her eyes that luckily hadn't blinded her. Too accurate. Was this StarClan's punishment? Sending in kits to recall memories to her!