Sparklekit tripped clumsily through the tall grass, wind ruffling her sleek brown fur. Behind her, Flamekit pushed with her hind legs and launched herself at her littermate. Sparklekit ducked nimbly as Flamekit soared over her head and tumbled toward the nursery, flattening some of the tall grass. Flat on the ground, Sparklekit crept toward the small white body of her sister. Hissing, she pounced lightly onto Flamekit's back and bit her neck softly. Flamekit went momentarily limp as Sparklekit cried triumphantly. Her littermate suddenly sprang to her feet, landing Sparklekit hard on her back. Cuffing her opponent, Flamekit unsheathed her claws momentarily. Ivylight, their mother, paused from her washing.
"Careful, Flamekit," She warned her kit.
"I'm just practicing! We'll be warriors in a few sunrises!" Flamekit defended loudly. Sparklekit cuffed her sister playfully and retreated to the nursery. Flamekit bolted around the side of the nursery, searching for gaps with her blue gaze. Halfway through wriggling through a small hole in the corner of the nursery, a pair of teeth pulled her back and she found herself face to face with Moonkit.
"What are you doing?" She said sternly.
"I was going to sneak in on Sparklekit." Flamekit said matter-of-factly, but with a hint of annoyance in her mew. Moonkit, the third of their litter, was always thinking she was in charge just because soon she'd be training to be a medicine cat. Flamekit remembered her surprise upon Moonkit's decision to give up a warrior's life to train with Skyspirit. A medicine cat would sit around in a stuffy den and tend to sick cats. The fresh air of the wild and the victorious taste of fresh-kill were much more appealing to both Moonkit's littermates.
Moonkit's tail twitched her dark tail in annoyance. "You are going to be an apprentice soon, you know."
Biting back a smart remark, Flamekit shrugged and joined Sparklekit in the nursery. Ivylight padded in, silver fur now completely washed. Following her was Leopardpaw, a fresh killed rabbit dangling from his mouth. Sparklekit jumped to her feet and rushed over to the apprentice. Her sister joined her.
"I told you I would visit you," The young apprentice mewed, dropping the rabbit at the kits' feet. "Here, eat this. A warrior in training needs to be well fed." His words made Sparklekit's paws tingle in excitement and anxiety. She bit into the foot of the rabbit and let the flavor melt deliciously on her tongue. She closed her eyes and stretched blissfully.
"Do you like being an apprentice?" Sparklekit opened her eyes as Flamekit asked the golden Leopardpaw anxiously.
"Yeah, training with the other apprentices is great! Sometimes, we get to hunt all day! I caught five rabbits and a few mice in half a day." The kits' eyes widened as he described his adventures hunting in the grass. When at last he finished, the rabbit had disappeared between the two kits and Leopardpaw's own eyes were wide with amazement at his stories. Sparklekit leaped onto his back. "Show us some of your fighting moves!"
The three rushed out of the nursery and even Moonkit watched from the entrance to the medicine den as Leopardpaw twisted quickly onto his back and then demonstrated how to stalk a rabbit. Glancing at Moonkit, Sparklekit thought she saw something in her eyes, something like jealousy, or disappointment. She brightened, though, as Skyspirit sent her off to fetch some herbs.
…..
As she walked once more into the medicine den, mouth loaded with catmint, scents reached out to her, welcoming Moonkit as she padded in. She quickly identified poppy seed, marigold and wild garlic smells as they hit the roof of her mouth. Dustytail coughed ruggedly in the corner, eyes streaming. Skyspirit purred soothingly to him. Moonkit laid down the herbs at Skyspirit's paws. Skyspirit sniffed them.
"Very good, Moonkit," She awarded. Moonkit's whiskers twitched in calm pride. At least I'm doing something to help, she thought, hearing her littermates shrieking and squabbling with Leopardpaw. Once again, she felt somewhat left out in their games. I want to be a medicine cat, she thought, trying to push away the uncertainty nagging at her mind. I do!
Stepping out of the medicine den, she watched the kits and young apprentice play carelessly, pouncing and slashing and stalking. A small part of her wanted to join them, like a normal cat would. Well, maybe I'm not a normal cat, then.
Sparklekit spotted her. "Come and practice with us, Moonkit! Medicine cats need to train, too, you know!" Moonkit, somewhat relieved, joined them near the nursery. She flew past Leopardpaw as he hopped quickly away from her charge. Sparklekit lunged herself then at Flamekit, taking her littermate by surprise. Leopardpaw stopped and sniffed the air. Moonkit smelled it too. Rabbit! The small white rabbit streaked through the clearing. Flamekit, acting as a RiverClan warrior, pounced dumbly, missing the prey by many mouse-lengths.
Moonkit laughed with the group, happier than she'd been in at least three moons. Thoughts nagged once again at her mind. Is this where I'm meant to be, here with the warriors?
…
"There will be three of Windclan." The voice echoed in Moonkit's dream. The moor was dark and unfamiliar, yet she felt she had been there before. She looked about for the speaker. "One shall blaze through the forest." Images of white flames flooded into her mind. "Another shall rise as high as the moon." This time, she felt tingling all over her paws. "The third shall run from the moor and reunite the fifth." Suddenly, she was staring at the sky. "Together, they hold the balance of the clans."