THORNHEART
A black and white she cat silently stalked a squirrel, slowly sliding her paws forward. She thanked Starclan that the wind was blowing her long fur the other way so the squirrel did not smell her.
I am that cat, Thornheart a warrior of Thornclan. Finally, I got close enough to pounce, land squarely on top of the squirrel and deliver a killing bite to the neck. I drank in the scent, enjoying its rich earthy smell.
I saw a black and grey shape moving in the undergrowth. My mate bumblestripe came up to me; purring, "Nice catch, but you should be resting. Our kits will be born any time now" as he spoke I looked down at my belly, three kits should be born any day now according to the medicine cat Stormcorrow. I looked back up at him, "how about this we go to camp, we drop this at the fresh kill pile" pointing at my squirrel "and I go take a nap in the nursery?" I meowed sarcastically. "that would be fine" he meowed, unaffected by my tone.
He pick up his mouse and started to head toward camp. When we got back, I dropped my squirrel of at the fresh kill pile and went to the nursery for a nap, I had no idea I was so tired until I layed down, I fell asleep within moments.
A quarter moon later I was dreaming, I was in the forest. It was dark, I got the feeling I was being watched, like behind every shadow there was something hiding. All of the sudden I felt sharp pain in my belly; I realized that my kits where coming. I yowled in agony; thankfully Tigereye, one of the other queens, woke up and went to get Stormcorrow.
In what seemed like a moon they were back and at my side, "you're going to be alright" they both told me. Yet I still shaked in fear from my dream. "Where's…bumble….-" another pain in me belly cut off my sentence "where's..Bumblestripe?" I finally chocked out, "Ill go fetch him for you if you like" Tigereye meowed. "Thank you" I meowed. She came back with Bumblestripe in a few minutes, he reassured me that I would be alright just like the other cats. A little while later, I had three wonderful kits at my side, their little paws padding my belly, trying to get as milk as they could. I had already named them.
The first one was Dovekit a beautiful grey and white she cat, the next one was a wonderful black she cat I named Mousekit, the last one was Waterkit a white tom with blue eyes and black markings, "there wonderful" I meowed "that's because there yours" Bumblestripe meowed; his eyes were proud and his chest was puffed out.
A few day after, I woke up to little kittens jumping all over me begging to go outside "please mama, let us go out" meowed Waterkit who used to be runt of the litter now was the little leader. I looked at there huge eyes staring up at me, "fine, but be careful and stay out of everyone's way" I told them. "We promise," they all said as they squeezed out of the nursery. "You've got a pawful there" Tigereye meowed "yes" I sighed "but there so worth it" I told her. She gave me a look of understanding "would you like me to go out and watch them for you?" she asked.
I thought for a moment, I would be nice to rest. But I shook my head "no thank you, I would like to watch them there first time out", she looked at me with another look of understanding. "ok I'll be here if you need me" she meowed with a yawn. I slipped out of the nursery and laid down in a shaft of sunlight. Completely content, watching my kits play.
A moon later I was sitting in a sunny spot watching my kits play with Tigereye's kits, they were playing catch there fathers tail. I let out an mrrrow of laughter as Dovekit jumped on hes father's tail and Bumblestripe nearly jumped a tails length in the air and then realized it was only his daughter. A moment later Foxstar- the leader of thornclan and my father- called a clan meeting "all cats old enough to catch there own fresh kill come for a clan meeting". It was probly another warrior ceremony, there would be no apprentices left if we keep up making them warriors.
I found a spot next to Bumblestripe, my sister Silverpelt and my mother Blueflower. I gazed up at my father; amazed that he can address over fifty cats so easily, without hesitation. He began to speak "warriors of Thornclan I have called this meeting to perform a special ceremony. Icepaw is ready to become a warrior" I looked at my sister "you didn't tell me that your son was becoming a warrior" I meowed in shock. "That's because you were busy with your own kits," she told me, shoving me lightly with her shoulder; I looked back up at Foxstar "and with Starclans approval I name you Iceblaze" I joined in as the clan chanted "Iceblaze, Iceblaze!" the new warrior puffed out his chest, and and his eyes glowed with pride.
I went to go back to the nursery when I felt a pain in my side; I decided to go see the medicine cat. In case it was something wrong I should not go back to my kits with it. When I walked in Stormcorrow was teaching her apprentice, Rosepaw how to treat battle wounds, "now you want to press the horsetail in the wound" she instructed her apprentice. I let out a meow to let them know I was coming. "yes Thornheart?" Stormcorrow meowed, "I felt a pain in my side" I told her.
She told me to lay down so she could have a better look, after she inspected me, she straitened up and spoke "well you seem to be having another kit, and I could arrive any day now." she meowed. I was shocked "but I just had three kits! How can I be having another kit?" I meowed surprised, "the kit was not ready when you had your other kits. Just pretend its like your other kits" Stormcorrow told me. I nodded "alright, I will" I meowed and headed out of the den.
Chapter 2
A few nights I was dreaming of me and Silverpelt running in the forest together in the forest. Our pelts were ruffling in the wind. My body started to shake with pain, I woke up I realized I was in labor. "Stormcorrow!" I screamed Stormcorrow shot up, instantly awake and rushed over to me.
"Rosepaw I need rosemerry" stormcorrow ordered, Rosepaw came back with short, thin, spiky leaves. "Eat these" Stormcorrow told me and I obeyed. Rosepaw got me a stick to bite on when the kit came "thank you". Someone had told Bumblestripe and he kept coming in asking if I needed any thing "if you ask me how I'm doing one more time I'll rip your head off" I told him, immediately feeling guilty. Thankfully, Stormcorrow send him to get me some water from the lake
"Why not the stream outside camp?" Bumblestripe asked
"Because the water in the lake has clearer water"
"Oh…. ok, I'll be back" he meowed. When he was gone, I looked at stormcorrow "thank you" I mouthed to tire to speak. Stormcorrow looked at me "it looked like you could use a break" and she was right. A few moments later Bumblestripe came back just in time for bluekit a blue tom with white ears, tail tip, chest and paws and blue eyes. To be born. He was so perfect, and handsome, my heart was about to burst with happiness.
The next morning I took Bluekit to meet Waterkit, Mousekit and Dovekit. What would they think of there new brother? The first thing they asked was- "Who is that" Dovekit meowed "your brother Bluekit" I told them trying to sound convincing "We don't have a brother" Waterkit meowed with a questioning look "yes you do, he was just born late that's all" I told him. They all looked up at me with curios gazes as if they did not know what to think of there new little brother. They just looked at each other for a few minutes "why don't you all go play outside, you can show Bluekit around camp" I suggested. "Okay" they all meowed; they all sqeezed out of the nersury.
I decided I could go for a nap; I curled up in my nest and took a long nap. While I was sleeping, I dreamed of my kits playing in a medow, running in the leaf-bare snow, so peaceful; watching them play was so wonderful. It was as nothing could go wrong, and that is how I want it to be, everything perfect.
Four moons later, I was at my kits apprentice ceremony, Foxstar decided to wait a moon so bluekit could become an apprentice anlong with his littermates-which I was grateful for, Bluekit, his brother and sisters had gotten along really well.
I was sitting next my most important cats, my mate, my sister and my mother. Bumblestripe leaned over "I can't belive our kits are becoming warriors" he meowed, "me either, but its happening" I meowed. Foxstar called up Bluekit "from this day forward intill you earn your warrior name I name you, Bluepaw" he declared. The clan cherred for our kits "BLUEPAW, MOUSEPAW, DOVEPAW, WATERPAW!" Best of all foxstar made mousepaw his aprenntice a very big honnor to be mentored by the clan leader. He gave Bluepaw Goldenpelt, Dovepaw Blossomfall bumblestripes sister, and Waterpaw fallenleaf. All wise choices in my mind. The clan began to spead out back to go back to whatever each cat was doing befor the ceremony. Foxstar jumped down from his high perch on the great rock, and called me over to his den. Which didn't surprise my since I was his daughter I got to go to his den a lot.
I walked over and followed him into his den. When we walked in, he got strait to talking, "I have been waiting a long time to ask you this but you had kits intill now. Hollyfur is ready to retire and I was wondering if you would like to make you my deputy" foxstar meowed. "Oh…. well….um…I wasn't expecting this. I…I…" I choked out. Foxstar gave me a wary look "If you don't want to be deptuty I can get another cat" he told me. I paused for a minute, I never thought of being deputy, I was so young, so unexperienced "I would like to be deputy… it…it was just a surprised. When do you want to have the ceremony?" I asked
"If you want to we can do it now, but only if you want to" Foxstar suggested
"ok" I meowed.
We walked out of the den, Foxstar beconed Hollyfur and he came bounding up, "what can I do for you foxstar?" Hollyfur panted-he must have just come home from a hunting trip. Foxstar looked at Hollyfur "Thornheart is ready to become deputy in your place" Foxstar meowed, Hollyfur looked relived. He sighed, "thank you; I'm getting to old for this deputy stuff" he murmured. Hollyfur and Foxstar shared mrrow of laughter; "ok, Hollyfur we would like to perform the ceremony as soon as possible" Foxstar meowed.
Hollyfur nodded and turned to me "being deputy is a big responsibility, are you sure about this?" Hollyfur asked-half hoping I would say yes and half hoping I would say no let someone else do it. I am a little young to be deputy. I hesitated then said "yes. I and Foxstar agreed to do this today if you are okay with that." I meowed warily, looking at his expression-, which was showed mostly shock. After a few moments he managed to compose himself "ok. Let's do this then."
Foxstar jumped onto his high perch to address the clan "All cats old enough to catch the own fresh-kill gather for a clan meeting" He announced. As the cats below us gathered I got butterflies in my stomach, how was I supposed to do I! I never saw a deputy ceremony! Hollyfur was deputy before I was born! While I fretted, Foxstar spoke to the fifty-some cats below waiting to hear what their leader had to say.
"Cats of Thornclan, Hollyfur is ready to retire. Thornheart will take his place." He they approved of me. I saw my mother and sister sitting together. Blueflower looked as if she would burst in pride, Silverpelt puffed out her chest-her sister was deputy. Then I saw Lionpelt. She was glaring out from the warriors den at me- I knew she wanted to be deputy since she was an apprentice- she was much older then I and she believed she would be deputy after Hollyfur.
I returned Lionpelt's glare for a moment before I turned back to Foxstar, who looked as if he would burst with pride. He spoke again "also I have a few ceremonies to perform. Brookpaw is ready to become a warrior" he declared. Brookpaw came up to the highrock, I was so proud. After my kits where apprenticed I took her training back over. She was escorted by Skyheart since I was by Foxstar "Brookpaw do you promise to live by the warrior code and protect your clan even at the cost of your own life?" Foxstar asked.
Brookpaw looked up at him with a calm expression that barley covered her excitement "I do" she promised. "then by the powers of Starclan I name you Brooktail!" he yowled and the clan called her name "Brooktail, Brooktail!" the cheered. Foxstar waited for them to calm down then called out "the other ceremony is that
When the ceremony was over, Foxstar and me went into his den. When we were seated, he began speaking. He sighed happily "I can't believe my daughter is deputy" Foxstar meowed proudly. I gave my chest a few embarrassed licks, "I am honored to be deputy" I meowed. He stood up, "well I guess you should get to work. Go send out patrols" Foxstar ordered waving is tail dismissively. I walk out of the den, not really knowing how to do this. I tried to remembered how Hollyfur had sent out patrols, I thought about what we needed most.
I noticed the fresh-kill pile was low and the Rainclan border had to be patrolled. I saw Yellowclaw was free. "Yellowclaw, come here" I called; she bounded over "congratulations Thornheart! What do you need?" she asked, I knew she thought that she would be chosen for deputy. So I was glad she showed no bitterness. "I need you to lead a hunting patrol" I meowed. She nodded "sure, who should I take?" she asked, "um..D..Dawnheart, Silverpelt and Foxpaw" I stammered. "okay" she meowed as she turned "Dawnheart, Silverpelt ,Foxpaw! Were going hunting" she yowled.
I watched them go then called for mouseblaze. "yes Thornheart?" he asked cheerfully- he was always happy. "Take Bluepaw, Icewing and Jaycloud to patrol the Rainclan border. She nodded and called to the other cats and darted out of camp. I walked over to Bumblestripe, who was sharing a mouse with Waterpaw. I walked up to them "when you two are done would you like to hunt?" I asked them, I really wanted to spend some time running in the forest with my mate and son. "Sure we just finished, by the way congratulations" Bumblestripe told me "thank you" I meowed as they rose and started to walk out of camp, I followed them. As soon as we got out in the forest, we started running toward the Wisperclan border. We stayed away from the Mistclan border, because at last gathering they accused us of stealing their prey, because Foxpaw ran over the border chasing a squirrel.
We hunted for a while when we were done Waterpaw had two mice, Bumblestripe had a thrush and I had a large squirrel. when we returned to camp it was dark and most of the clan was asleep. We dropped off our fresh-kill on the pile "well I'm going to the den" Bumblestripe meowed, his eyes only half open. "Me to" Waterpaw meowed, bounding off to the apprentice den. Me and Bumblestripe headed to the warriors den, our tails twined together.
When I woke the next morning the den was empty except for Dawnpelt and Yellowclaw. I slipped out of the den carefully as to not wake the sleeping cats in the den. It was a little after dawn, and the dawn patrol that was patrolling thee Mouseblaze came up, "Thornheart, when we where on the dawn patrol we say feathers and blood by the Mistclan border and it was covered in their scent. We think they stole prey" he meowed. I was shocked for a moment then after I recovered I meowed "I am going to tell Foxstar, get some rest I want you on a hunting patrol at sunhigh". He nodded "okay, who should I take?" Mouseblaze asked. "Brooktail, Iceblaze and Dovepaw" I meowed. He nodded and went to get the others.