" If WindClan is evil, did they make me sick? "
Born sickly, Driftkit experienced many close calls within the first three moons of life. This continuously startled his mother and RiverClan's healer to the point the poor kit constantly had eyes on him. No cat knew what disease wracked Driftkit's small body, but he was deteriorating quickly, and Mistcurrent pleaded for a miracle...
And a miracle she received.
Driftkit had a turning point at around four moons old. His unknown disease caused some lifelong ailments, but he was alive, and that was more than enough to null out any complaints RiverClan held. This little cat would need to learn to function without proper eyesight; that was the most prominent and untreatable side effect. His eyes were permanently dilated-- causing immense sun sensitivity-- and his vision was blurry enough to where he'd be considered blind.
Unbeknownst to Driftkit, he and Brookit were the results of a broken code, born with both WindClan and RiverClan running through their veins. Mistcurrent was quick to shut down any questions about their father but many clanmates stepped in to act as a filler. These simple acts of kindness developed Driftkit's loyalty and bond with their Clan.. even if they didn't quite like how they were helped around all the time.
During his time in the Healer's den and even far beyond, Driftkit was taught to hate WindClan; they were full of traitors and those who only want to take advantage of or use you. This mindset was drilled into him at a very young age by a furious Mistcurrent, and Driftkit will carry this for countless moons after.
" I missed you! How was it, meeting all the Warriors early and stuff? "
While ill and inactive during kithood, Driftpaw made a comeback. Their drive to benefit RiverClan urged them to challenge their struggles and ultimately lead them to success. Brookpaw and Driftpaw grew closer during this time, no longer separated by the strong scent of herbs versus the freedom of camp. Driftpaw’s mentor, Hailmurmur, set up frequent joint sessions with the littermates and Brookpaw’s mentor; he knew how important it was for his apprentice to have a teammate.
It was during this time that Driftpaw got a sense of the true struggles he’d have to face as a blind Warrior. While swimming (surprisingly) came easier, navigating land was more difficult, always having to adjust what senses they use based on whether they’re above or beneath the surface. With the help of his sister, mentor, and mother, Driftpaw slowly became familiar with his change of pace and opted to spend much of his time in RiverClan’s waters, where sight wasn’t needed nearly as much. A few of the Hosts even banded together and crafted him a fishnet out of sturdy vines so he could participate in hunting patrols.
Hailmurmur’s skill and optimized techniques allowed Driftpaw to progress far more than he ever imagined. Once deep-diving was nearly perfected, they moved on to land training, and while not great with combat or hunting, Driftpaw learned the territory and which shrub-dense spots to avoid. Many more moons of practice would result in extreme precision when navigating RiverClan territory. They are not familiar with any other Clan territories.
Hailmurmur and Driftpaw developed a close bond around here. Hailmurmur took on the role of a father for Driftpaw, a figure in his life that would've otherwise remained empty. Though grumpy, Hailmurmur is deeply respected and loved by Driftpaw.
" Something's wrong. The ground is moving under my paws. Can't you feel it too? "
Even into warriorhood, Driftlight is still practicing some of the techniques he learned as an apprentice. Their eyesight is a major struggle regardless of how fast they progressed; they do not let that struggle get the best of them.
”Driftlight! Brooktuft! Driftlight! Brooktuft!”
While taking a walk with Brookpaw and diving a few times along the way, Driftpaw pointed out an odd rumble coming from the trees. They investigated it together, Driftpaw nearly losing their balance multiple times from the vibration, and immediately they returned to alert RiverClan of what was about to happen. ”There’s a tree about to fall here! We need to leave!”
The cats of RiverClan perked their ears and turned toward the two distraught Apprentices. They led one of the Senior Warriors to the tree, and sure enough, it was creaking at the base at a stage early enough to be silent. Fallenstar congratulated the cats on their find and evacuated the camp safely.
While it took an entire moon to rebuild the camp and build around the tree, luckily it didn’t fall directly in the middle. Driftpaw and Brookpaw were surprised with an early ceremony for their courage and alertness to danger. At only nine moons, they became two of RiverClan’s youngest Warriors. It was at this time Driftlight earned his accessories; he was decorated in them during his ceremony, and kept them on his person ever since (save for a few washes.)
