Gingerkit

**Gingerkit** is a ginger and white tom with green eyes.

#### Chapter 25

It's noted that Poisonedsap wanted to join her followers for a training session, but Cougarfoot insisted she stay in the nursery with their newborn kits: Gingerkit, Duskkit, Rowankit, and Leafkit, who were born just a few days ago, the morning after Bloodfur and Mistybreeze walked in the forest.

When Mistybreeze tells Bloodfur that Revengeheart has been pressuring her to have kits, Bloodfur remembers how Poisonedsap pressured Cougarfoot into having more kits and wonders if there's a connection.

#### Chapter 26

Bloodfur is still surprised that Poisonedsap came to meet with Deserve, noting that her kits are less than a moon old, but she insisted on leaving them to attend the meeting. She asked Song, who just moved into the nursery, to keep and eye on them. Song asked many questions, though Poisonedsap answers none. Eventually Song agreed to watch the kits.

Poisonedsap tells Deserve she'd like to hold off on the attack until her kits have sharpened their skills, as they'll be participating in the battle. Bloodfur is surprised that she's teaching them battle moves at less than a moon old, but remembers how she did the same with Revengeheart and Swiftstalker. Mistybreeze is shocked as she confronts Poisonedsap about sending her kits into battle, but Revengeheart cuts her off.

#### Chapter 27

Poisonedsap is laying in the grass watching her four kits stumble around. Their eyes haven't opened yet. Gingerkit squeaks that there's so many smells as he sniffs the air. Leafkit stumbles into him and adds that she can't wait to see it all.

Poisonedsap purrs that the sooner their eyes open, the sooner they can start learning to be warriors. Bloodfur silently corrects her, thinking it'll be the sooner they'll be killed in battle.

#### Chapter 29

When the clan allies reach Deserve's camp, every cat but Poisonedsap is there, as she's with her kits.

#### Chapter 30

Swiftstalker hopes that Poisonedsap is protecting her kits.

During the battle in the camp, Swiftstalker is in disbelief when he sees Poisonedsap herding her kits out of the nursery, snarling at them to fight, as it's what she's been preparing them for. Gingerkit is terrified and digs his claws into the ground, pleading with her that he doesn't want to hurt anyone, but Poisonedsap pushes him forward with an unsheathed paw. She yowls at them in frustration and tells them to go finish Ebonypaw, but they refuse.

After killing Leafkit and Rowankit, Poisonedsap turns to Gingerkit and Duskkit, who huddle together wailing in terror. Swiftstalker realizes she's going to kill all of her kits and races at them, but Cougarfoot gets there first. He attacks Poisonedsap before she can touch Gingerkit and Duskkit. Swiftstalker then tackles Poisonedsap, and she tells him he's just as worthless as the kits. Gingerkit stares wide eyed at the bodies of his sisters, stunned.

Swiftstalker yowls at Cougarfoot to get the kits out of there. Cougarfoot has already grabbed Duskkit by the scruff, and lashes his tail at Gingerkit to follow him as he races out the thorn tunnel. Poisonedsap yowls at him to come back with the kits.

#### Chapter 31

Bloodfur is about to attack Cougarfoot when he sees he's carrying Duskkit by his scruff. As he sets Duskkit down and asks Bloodfur for help, Gingerkit pads out from behind his father and whimpers that he's scared, pressing against Duskkit. Bloodfur uncertainly asks Cougarfoot what he's doing with the kits. Cougarfoot explains that he's taking them somewhere safe, as the camp is under attack, and Poisonedsap killed Leafkit and Rowankit.

Cougarfoot pulls his kits close as he says he was wrong about Poisonedsap and a fool to take her as his mate. He asks Bloodfur to help him bring his sons to WindClan. Bloodfur starts to question this, and Cougarfoot explains that he can't let his kits stay here, as the clan will never forgive Poisonedsap for what she's done, and will only see the kits as hers. He won't let them grow up in a clan that will despise them for their mother's actions. He pauses and adds that they would face the same prejudice every day as Bloodfur did, and no cat deserves to deal with that.

Bloodfur thinks he's right. Cougarfoot looks toward the moor and says WindClan will never know who Duskkit and Gingerkit's parents are, and they'll be safe and treated fairly there. He looks at Bloodfur hopefully and asks for his help.

Before Bloodfur can answer, Poisonedsap leaps out of the bushes behind Cougarfoot, screeching that those kits will never see the light of day again. She lunges at him, and the kits shriek in terror as they watch their parents fight.

Bloodfur shoots forward and grabs Gingerkit by his scruff while sweeping Duskkit close, pulling them away from the fighting cats. Bloodfur pushes the kits into the shelter of a bush and tells them to stay there while he turns to help Cougarfoot.

After killing Cougarfoot, Poisonedsap starts toward Gingerkit and Duskkit, who huddle together whimpering under the bush. Bloodfur leaps in front of them and tells Poisonedsap to leave them alone. She spits at him to get out of her way, claiming that she decides their fate, not him. Bloodfur hisses that she doesn't decide their fate, they do, and if she wants those kits, she'll have to get through him first.

Swiftstalker attacks Poisonedsap and tells Bloodfur to get the kits out of here. Bloodfur turns to the kits, who are trembling in terror. He tells Duskkit to stay close behind him and picks up Gingerkit by his scruff, racing toward WindClan territory. Swiftstalker watches Bloodfur run off with his half brothers, glad that he'll take them somewhere safe.

At dawn, Bloodfur reaches the WindClan camp. He sets down Gingerkit while Duskkit sits beside him and anxiously asks what they're doing here. Bloodfur tells him this is his home now, and they'll be safe here. Gingerkit squeaks his confusion, asking about ShadowClan. Bloodfur doesn't respond, thinking they're only a few moons old and won't remember any of this. They'll believe they were born WindClan cats.

Willowtail asks Bloodfur what the kits are doing with him, as they're too young to be out of the nursery. Bloodfur nudges the kits toward her and introduces them, explaining that their father asked him to take them to WindClan before he died and hopes they'll take care of them. Willowtail agrees to take the kits and pulls them close, promising they'll be safe in WindClan.

## Quotes

*"There's so many smells!"*

-Gingerkit in *"Shadows of Blood",* chapter 27

"Please, I don't want to hurt anyone!"

-Gingerkit to Poisonedsap in *"Shadows of Blood",* chapter 30

## Character Development and Origins

Gingerkit first appears at the end of Starfaith's Story. He's a kit curious about being a medicine cat, exploring the empty den. The ghost of Starfaith appears, and she decides to train him to be a medicine cat.

Gingerkit was later made the son of Cougarfoot and Poisonedsap, the brother of Duskkit, and half brother of Revengeheart and Swiftstalker.

In WindClan, he would be a warrior and become mates with Lavenderfall.