A Matter of Small Importance

[. s p o r e l e t t ♪]

Leading the way back to his den, Ravenstar slipped inside and made his way to the very back. He turned to face both queens and settled down in his nest, tucking his paws beneath him in a comfortable gesture that served to calm the atmosphere. Blinking slowly at the two queens, he gazed silently for a moment before speaking. This was a situation to be handled delicately, and he wasn't about to bungle it up with a careless word or a harsh look. Ravenstar put on his best 'leader face' and got right to the point. "Now," he began calmly, "out in the clearing you two mentioned two of your kits getting in a fight and unsheathing their claws. I want you to explain to me, one at a time, what you both saw, and then tell me what your concerns are. Rest assured that we will not leave this den until some conclusion has been reached."

Ravenstar closed his mouth and looked at both queens in turn, his pale green eyes moving from Rivermist's tense form to Sandtail's determined one. Both cats were valuable members of his Clan, and he would do his best to appease them both. He had a Clan to run, after all, and a Clan made up of suspicious, unhappy cats was dangerous to itself. A queen who thought her kits were threatened was the most dangerous of all, and queens were essential to the well-being of the Clan. Keeping a sober, considerate expression on his angular face, the WindClan leader awaited the responses of both queens, and wondered what change the end of this day would bring.

[nightstorm]

Rivermist began in a quiet voice. "Our kits were playing, pretending they were from different clans, in the midst of what they felt was a fierce battle. Shadowkit ran to me in the middle of it, frightened by the apprentice Bristlepaw. After I had comforted her, she ran back into the game. She and two of my other kits, Swiftkit and Streamkit, began to argue, and I spoke with them. It was right after I finished that I heard Sandkit and Violetkit begin to argue. I knew they weren't the best of friends, but I didn't realize..."

Rivermist shook her head, her voice becoming stronger as she continued. "Yes, Sandkit attacked Violetkit first, but even Sandtail cannot deny that she was provoked. There is only so much that a kit can take before lashing out. Violetkit, and I'm not trying to place the blame there, Ravenstar," she pointed out, "had been making snide comments to Sandkit throughout the game. Finally, Sandkit exploded, and she attacked Violetkit. However, as naughty as that was, Violetkit, instead of going limp, started to fight back. I might've been angry with Sandkit only, had Violetkit not fought back. Violetkit was no victim; she participated, knowing full well what she was doing. Sandtail didn't help when she wrenched my daughter off and flung her. I hadn't touched Violetkit; she had no right to touch my kit." Rivermist's eyes blazed at this memory. Sandtail, who had practically raised her kits alongside her, had thrown Sandkit away as if nothing more than a dead mouse. She flicked her ears, swallowing her anger.

"So you see, it was no one's fault, truly. It was just a kit fight. No one was hurt badly. It was just a few scratches." She finished, her eyes narrowed as she waited for Ravenstar's response, curious to see how Sandtail would tell the story.

[Yoko]

Sandtail listened calmly as Rivermist began her story. In her opinion, what Rivermist was dealing with prior to the incident had nothing at all to do with the problem. She's stalling, aiming to get sympathy for how busy she was. As Rivermist's tale wore on, Sandtail's anger grew. She was trying to hide it in her expression, but by the story's end, her expression was one of utter disdain. She had not thought Rivermist would sink so low!

"May I speak now, Ravenstar?" Sandtail mewed respectfully but with a hard tone in her voice.

"First, I would like to say that I did not throw her kit," and here she gave a disapproving look at Rivermist. Turning forward she mewed, "I grabbed her by her neck scruff, carried her a little distance and placed her on the ground. She was not, flung, or thrown, I didn't let her go until she was on the ground."

"Secondly, I would like to point out the fact that Violetkit was in just as bad a mood as Sandkit, but she did not pounce on her with claws unsheathed. Even if she said something, which being a kit she may have, nothing, nothing could have warranted such a fierce attack! She unsheathed her claws in sheer self-defense, not revenge, or retaliation. She didn't know how long it would take for some cat to help her! Especially with Rivermist dealing with the others, and me resting in the nursery for the first time in moons."

She concluded, breathing a little heavily, heart pounding wih rage, but she managed to keep her tone level and her eyes locked on Ravenstar's.

"The number of kits in this Clan is a problem Ravenstar, it has been for a while. I've held my tongue for long enough. The nursery is too small, and noisy. The kits are almost always arguing. And I can't even trust that my kits are safe amongst the others because there are too many to watch at once and my two are lost in a crowd."

[. s p o r e l e t t ♪]

Ravenstar listened with careful silence as both queens had their say. He didn't speak when Rivermist made her plea once again to forget the incident and move on, nor did his expression change at Sandtail's impassioned monologue. Both cats would be given chance to give their opinions, so that no cat could say that Ravenstar had been unfair when the matter was over.

When both queens were done, Ravenstar regarded them both considerately. He took a few moments to phrase his words correctly before he spoke. "This is indeed a matter of no minor importance. You should have come to me earlier, Sandtail. If the nursery is too small, I will assign some of my warriors the task of enlarging it. However, I know that this is not your only concern. With only two queens able to leave the nursery, and ten kits to watch between them, it is no wonder that both of you are feeling overwhelmed."

Flicking his slender tail and wrapping it more firmly around himself, Ravenstar blinked and gazed levelly at both queens. The easy part, such as it was, was over. Now he had to work out some compromise that would satisfy both queens, while at the same time be manageable for the Clan. After all, fourteen growing kits was a lot to feed at once, and he needed every warrior he could spare to hunt in order to keep everyone fed. Because when those kits were all grown and apprenticed, WindClan would become the strongest Clan in all the territories. Everything possible would be done to assure their safety until they reached six moons of age.

"It didn't escape my notice that you mentioned only the safety of your own kits, Sandtail," he said to the white and ginger queen. "I would not consider their safety less important than any other Clanmember's, however you must remember the other kits as well. It is the job of the Clan's queens to watch over the kits collectively, and make sure that they're all well cared for. Therefore, Rivermist and Sandtail, I would like to know what it is that you would have me do in order to restore order to the nursery. I can assign a warrior to help you watch them, if you wish. It is hard enough to feed the queens, kits, elders, and medicine cats as it is, but if you would feel safer with another pair of eyes to watch the kits, then I would not refuse you that."

[nightstorm]

Rivermist thought for a moment, then spoke again. "I do think enlarging the nursery wouldn't hurt a bit," she admitted. "It would definitely help. Also, maybe if the elders, or a warrior or two could just watch the kits for say maybe an hour, once a week, so Sandtail and I could get some much needed rest?" she suggested. Her fur had bristled as Sandtail had defended herself; she had too thrown Sandkit. Still, no use in bringing that up again...Now, she deliberately relaxed her fur, trying to appear as calm and collected as she usually was.

"Other than that, I suggest that we," she said, turning to Sandtail, her eyes emotionless and cold, "keep Sandkit and Violetkit away from each other for awhile, just until feelings cool down again, and keep an eye on them from now on." She kept her voice calm, not wanting to ruffle Sandtail's fur anymore than it already was.

[Yoko]

Ravenstar was wrong. He had to be. It was a Queen's job to look after all the kits. But a Queen is especially bonded to her own no matter what. She'd been in that nursery since Rivermist's and Mintleaf's kits were born. She loved them all to death, but she loved her own kits a a billion times over that. It was impossible for Sandtail to treat them all equally. Especially when her two were the ones threatened. Her ear physically twitched at the comment, but she held her tongue.

Sandtail felt unsettled. As if she were being cheated somehow. But what more could she have wanted? The den would be larger. There would be help for watching all of those kits. She didn't know what else she could have wanted.

"Very well then," she said in a clear, low tone. "Thank you, Ravenstar. May I go now?"

She had given up completely on speaking with Rivermist. No matter what, this friendship was over. The second her kits become apprentices, Sandtail will move out of that nursery and not return for many many many moons. She'd rather be a warrior anyway. She hoped Hawkflight wouldn't mind.

[. s p o r e l e t t ♪]

Ravenstar nodded and stood up, getting out of his nest. "I shall see to it that the nursery is enlarged, and talk to the elders about extra supervision for your kits. I'm sure they would be willing to help for a while, given that it doesn't take up too much of their time." He smiled at the thought of grumpy elders being called upon to watch the boisterous kits, a lighthearted gesture. Inside, his mind was busy calculating how much time and effort the work on the nursery would take, and how many warriors he would be able to spare if the elders refused to leave their den. But it didn't show in his eyes.

"You both may go. I'm sure you'll want to attend to the kits, and make sure they're alright." Waving his tail in dismissal, the small black tom waited politely for both queens to leave his den, his mind busy. Running a Clan was a full time job... he had to make sure that he did it right. Nothing could be allowed to stop his rise to power as the most powerful cat in all the territories.

[nightstorm]

Rivermist dipped her head. "Thank you Ravenstar," she murmured. "May StarClan light your paths." She was immensely grateful for his fairness; after all, he could've thrown her and her kits out, based by blood, not who they were. The pain of losing Sandtail's friendship pricked her pelt though, and she couldn't hide the hurt flooding into her eyes as she glanced at the other queen. With a small sigh, Rivermist turned, and left the den, her head low and eyes dull.

[Yoko]

Sandtail had been about to turn and leave, but Rivermist moved first. Sandtail sat stiff as stone until she sensed the other queen vanish through the entrance. She dipped her head again to Ravenstar, then rose slowly, turned around and padded forward. Her head was level and set forward, her tail was level as well. Her eyes were slightly downcast.