Ashkit tumbled over Ravenkit as they play fought outside the nursery. Ashkit leaped onto Ravenkit and pushed him to the ground. Ravenkit breathed heavily, "Give me a second, will you?" Ashkit sighed. He always had more stamina, yet Ravenkit always seemed to get in the stronger blows. Ashkit felt the small bump of a bruise forming on his left flank. Ravenkit hopped up, "I'm good." Ravenkit slowly set himself into a fighting stance. Ashkit predicted he was going to leap again. Ashkit was correct. Ducking to the ground, Ashkit leaped up into Ravenkit as he jumped over him and knocked him out of the air, and Ravenkit fell hard onto the patch of dirt where the grass had died. Most of the grass had grown back already from leaf-bare.
"Jeez, Ashkit." Ashkit turned to see Leafkit looking annoyed, yet underneath her pokerface was a hint of being impressed. "You can't go easy on your pal?" Leafkit is a very pretty she-cat, despite her young age she doesn't have the cuteness that most do. Instead, she looks sharper and more mature with her striking eyes, deep strong gaze, and sleek body. Ravenkit bristled. "I do not need him to go easy on me!" Ravenkit dove at Leafkit. Leafkit yelped as Ravenkit's weight pushed her to the ground with a small thud. Ashkit attempted to shove Ravenkit off Leafkit. "Get off my sister, Ravenkit. She hates to get her-" Ashkit continued very sarcastically, "perfect white fur dirty."
Leafkit hissed at her brother with a tone that sounded angry yet surprised. The weight on top of Leafkit was lifted, and she began to groom herself with her sandpaper-like tongue. Ravenkit still looked annoyed and agitated, but he relaxed eventually. "Are you okay?" Ashkit asked his sibling. Leafkit leaned in close to Ashkit and whispered, "Your buddy could lose some weight, but yeah I'm alright." Ashkit had to suppress a laugh.
Ravenkit looked down at his left paw and rubbed his left leg with his right paw, looking quite embarrassed. If a cat could blush, Ravenkit would probably be blushing pretty hard right now. "I'm sorry, I just don't like to be insulted." Leafkit came over and licked Ravenkit's ear. "It's alright, it was kinda fun to wrestle." Ashkit turned and saw Fernstar, the leader of Thunderclan, hop up nimbly onto the large rock inside the middle of the cave belonging to Thunderclan. The elders told tales that the clans used to live in a forest, and instead of the Highledge, they had a Highrock. Fernstar, an older yet still nimble and strong warrior, quickly got in a quick lick to push down a patch of fur before she addressed the clan.
Ashkit meowed. "Hey guys lo-" He was cutoff by Fernstar, who looked to be concerned about something. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge!" Ravenkit, Ashkit, and his sister all turned to watch the clan meeting take place. Elders emerged from the elders den, and Ashkit could see the available she-cats from the nursery walk out to the clearing. Another poked her head out so she could keep and eye on the kits and the clan meeting. "Recently, we've found an increasing number of prey found nearby." Fernstar announced. The crowd of cats cheered. "But, this is quite unusual, as we've never had this much prey ever." Fernstar continued, "If anybody sees anything strange on patrol or out hunting, please report to me or Windstorm." A few cats turned to look at each other, some with concerned looks.
"Why does this matter? More prey means more freshkill, and that's a good thing!" Greyflame yelled. A few cats meowed in agreement. Fernstar replied hastily. "Whenever something unusual happens, something bad is soon to come. Does nobody remember when the famous Cinderpelt lost her leg to the monster on the Thunderpath back at the old forest? That was unusual, as Cinderpelt was perfectly capable of running across. That accident, wasn't even an accident. Tigerstar, one of the worst villains the clans had ever seen, was the cause." Fernstar looked angry, and her fur bristled a little. Greyflame shrunk back from where he was sitting. "Meeting over." Fernstar hopped down, and the cats below the Highrock dispersed and returned to what they were doing.
Ashkit kept thinking about it, and could see no wrong. Why would it matter if we had a larger amount of prey? Ashkit shook his head, and turned to head back into the nursery as a hunting patrol exited the camp.
"Where's your friend, Ravenkit?" Ferretswirl, Ashkit's mother, asked. Ashkit shrugged and sat down. A few seconds later, Ravenkit walked into the nursery. Ravenkit had a mischievous look on his face, and Ashkit knew exactly why. Ashkit raced outside the nursery, Ravenkit a tail-length behind. Ravenkit leaped, but Ashkit was prepared. Ashkit stopped to a halt, and Ravenkit flew over his head. "No fair!" Ravenkit meowed. Ashkit went for a small jab with his left paw, but missed. Ravenkit counter-attacked with a strong tackle and the two kits fell down giggling.
"What now?" Ashkit was tired of wrestling. Ravenkit ran over to a sunny spot and gestured to Ashkit with his tail. The day was very nice. Barely any clouds, and it was the perfect temperature to sunbathe. Ashkit kept dozing off, and Ravenkit would poke him to wake him up. It seemed that every other cat in camp had the same idea, even the deputy Windstorm was taking a break.
"Hi guys!" Cloverkit, a kindhearted tortoiseshell, approached the two with Foxkit at her side. Ashkit shrunk back, and glared at them. "Jeez, what's wrong?" Foxkit teased, "Scared of two little kits?" Ashkit snarled and a shivering Foxkit jumped back behind Cloverkit. Cloverkit looked at Foxkit like he was mouse-brained.
"Stop that, Ashkit." Leopardnose meowed. Leopardnose is very respected in, and outside Thunderclan. She is young yet she has had a large amount of accomplishments and feats of bravery, but she wouldn't reject an offer to help an elder despite the others who probably deserved the work more. Ashkit slowly calmed down, but he was still glaring at Foxkit. "You need to loosen up, or your friends will leave you." Leopardnose meowed sharply. "Yeah!" Foxkit added. Leopardnose turned her attention to Foxkit. "You should stop being harassing Ashkit." Foxkit looked half insulted, yet also half disappointed. Foxkit would die to have Leopardnose as a mentor, so having Leopardnose scolding him is like getting squished by a giant boulder. Foxkit walked away with his tail drooping with Cloverkit comforting him. You could hear the soft murmurs of Cloverkit's soothing. "It'll be alright, you still have a chance to get her as a mentor." But you could also hear Foxkit's groaning. "No, no it's not alright."
"Oh that's right, you two are almost apprentices." Leopardnose meowed. "Yes, we're going to be in about a half moon." Ashkit wasn't quite as excited as Ravenkit, but they both couldn't wait. Ravenkit looked like he might burst out of his fur. Leopardfur leaned into Ashkit and whispered, "Just so you know, I want you to be my apprentice." Leopardfur shifted back and looked expectantly at Ashkit. "Me?" Ashkit sputtered.
Why me? I'm not deserving of a mentor as respected as Leopardfur! Ravenkit or Cloverkit should have her if she wants an apprentice. Ashkit couldn't seem to figure it out, but he shook the idea from his mind, but he still managed to be excited. "Seriously? Me? You want to be my mentor?" Ashkit began to hop up and down. Ravenkit looked in awe, and Leopardnose just chuckled. "I'm going out on a patrol, I'll see you two kits sometime."
"Wow, Ashkit." Ravenkit was still jealous, but he was happy for his friend. To have the best mentor you can get is quite exciting. Ashkit shook his head in disbelief. "Why not you?" Ashkit still couldn't get it through his head, but Leopardfur was quite convincing. If she wanted a certain kit as an apprentice, she was most likely to get that apprentice she wanted. Featherkit, Ashkit's other sibling, came over and nuzzled Ashkit, who in turn jumped back surprised.
"That's a new one, sis." Ashkit mewed. Ravenkit laughed. It was always something new between them. One minute, they're worse enemies than Firestar and Tigerstar, then they're as close as Leafpool and Squirrelflight. Ravenkit got even more jealous, as he didn't have a sibling. The other two were snatched up by an eagle who decided it was a perfect time for lunch, and lucky for that eagle, as the two kits had their first time outside the nursery. Ravenkit got snatched up too, but the eagle couldn't support that much weight.
Ravenkit yawned. "I'm going back to the nursery.." Ravenkit seemed about to fall asleep, so Ashkit and Featherkit had to drag him most of the way. Halfway to the nursery, Ravenkit's mother Lightflame walked over and picked Ravenkit up then carried him the rest of the way. All the cats had a somewhat exciting day, especially Ashkit. The order the kits fell asleep was Ravenkit, Ashkit, then Featherkit. They all slept peacefully throughout the night.
But someone else in the camp was definitely not sleeping well. Pebblefoot, the medicine cat, was in the middle of receiving an important message. Cats from Starclan were surrounding Pebblefoot. But these didn't look like Starclan cats. These cats, were nothing like them. These cats looked devilish. Black shadows and red eyes.
"Beware the shadows, death lies hidden under the black," hissed the devil cats.