Fernkit awoke with a start.
Silverkit was snoring. Again.
She covered her ears to block out the sound, but it didn't help.

Silverkit was snoring so loud that Fernkit thought she was sleeping with a badger.
"Fernkit?" Ashkit's voice sounded close by. "You awake?"

"Yep." Fernkit answered.
"I forgot how loudly Silverkit snored."
The two she- kits purred quietly.
After a moment of silence, Ashkit sat up.
"Do you want to go outside?"

The younger kit thought for a moment. "Are we allowed?"
"Probably not." Ashkit concluded.
Fernkit felt excitement tingle through her pelt. "Then let's go!" She wriggled out of her nest, carful not to wake any other kit, and padded to where Ashkit was waiting at the entrance.

"Who do you want to see first?" Ashkit whispered. "I want to see my father, Stonestar, and my sister, Stemflower, and if I can find my brother, Bluenose, I'll want to talk to him too."
"I don't know who I want to see." Fernkit admitted. "I don't have any kin here."
"Oh, right. I forgot."

Without another word, the two kits left the den.
Fernkit blinked as she saw the light of day for the first time.
She gazed in awe at the camp, taking it all in.
"Sweetpaw!" She heard somecat yowl. "I told you to help Whitepaw!"
"Sorry!"

"Blazetail, come here. Smalldawn has to tell you something."
She saw a tom cat walk over to a small golden she- cat.

A moment later, the tom's tail went up.
"You're going to have my kits?!" He exclaimed.
The small she- cat nodded, her eyes filled with joy.
"Fernkit, are you coming?" Ashkit mewed from a few steps ahead.
"Yup!" Fernkit ran over.

"Hi kits." A grey tom meowed. "First time out?"
Ashkit answered. "Yes. Do you know where Stemflower or Bluenose are?"

"I don't know where Stemflower is, but I do know where Bluenose is."
"Really? Where?"

"Right here!" The grey tom purred in amusement. "I'm Bluenose."
"I'm Ashkit!" Ashkit squeaked. "And this is Fernkit."

"Thanks, Ashkit," Fernkit mumbled. "but I am perfectly able to introduce myself."
Ashkit ducked her head. "Sorry."

"Stemflower's over there, if you want to see her." Bluenose was hinting that Ashkit should leave.
"Ok!" Ashkit bounded over to a black she- cat and started talking.
"It's Fernkit, right?" The big tom meowed once the older kit was gone. "I heard you've had trouble with other kits calling you a kittypet."