Greystripe's Kitten Days

CHAPTER ONE

Greykit was awakened on a foggy morning by his sister bumping into him in her sleep. He felt that he wasn't ever going to be able to get back to sleep, so he got up and poked his nose out of the nursery, to see if anyone else was up. To his surprise, there was a lot of movement in the camp.

He longed to go out and join the fun, but he knew that if any cat caught him out of the nursery at this time of the morning, he would be in a lot of trouble. So, he decided that he was going to wake his mom up, so that he could go out and play.

He walked over to his mom, Frostfur, and nudged her in the belly. Nothing happened. She just rolled over.

"Mom?" asked Greykit quietly.

She mumbled something that Greykit didn't quite understand. Then, he made up his mind. He was going to go out himself. No one would ever notice him! thought Greykit. I'm as quite as a mouse!

He stuck his nose out of the nursery again, and sniffed the air, to see if any cat was near. Luckily, he could only smell cats in the distance.

So he ventured out of the nursery. It was a foggy morning, and it was hard, at first, to see anything, until his eyes got used to the fog. He decided to go visit the apprentice den, and see the apprentices.

But when he reached their den, he remembered that they were probably out training. He sighed, because he had always dreamed of becoming an apprentice before his brothers and sisters. But, this probably would never happen, because he was one of the smallest of the litter.

Then an idea came to him! Maybe if he could catch some prey for the clan, they would make him an apprentice! So he turned around, and crouched down low, so that no cat would see him, and walked over to the entrance of the camp. He was deep in thought of a big juicy mouse, when someone called out to him.

"Greykit!" called Bluestar, the leader of the clan. "What is a kit as small as you doing out of the nursery at this time of day?"

"I'm not that small..." he mumbled. "I was just going out to catch a mouse for the clan..."

"That was very wrong of you, Greykit. You know that you can only go out if your mother is out, and as far as coming to catch a mouse, you know that kits can n NOT hunt until they are apprentices." she said.

"I'm sorry, Bluestar, I just wanted to help the clan.." he mumbled.

"Well," said Bluestar softening, "I know that you meant well, but you must follow the rules."

Now, she continued. "Lets go and see your mother, and see if she knows if you are up."

She started walking towards the nursery. Greykit followed at a slower pace.

"Frostfur?" called Bluestar.

"Bluestar?" she appeared from the nursery, looking terrified. "Is that you? I just lost one of my kits!" the she saw Greykit behind Bluestar.

"Greykit fancied a walk through the camp this morning." said Bluestar.

"Oh Greykit!" wailed Frostfur. "How could you? You know I told you that you can't go out by yourself!"

"It's ok, Frostfur," said Bluestar reassuringly. "it's a mistake almost all kits make. Don't be too hard on yourself. We'll just let young Greykit, here off this time, but next time, you'll have to do chores for the elders."

She left after giving Frostfur a reassuring lick on the ear. Once she was gone, Frostfur gave Greykit a long scolding.

"I can't believe it, Greykit!" she said again and again. "I thought I had told you that you were only to go outside with me!"

"I'm sorry mother, I was just going to find a juicy mouse for the clan." said Greykit.

"Oh, and having Bluestar finding you and everything! How embarrassing! Well, don't you ever do it again." she laid down, and sighed.

"Mom?" asked Greykit timidly.

"Hmm?" asked Frostfur.

"Are we going out today?" asked Greykit.

"Later, maybe." she said pulling Greykit over, and giving him a good groom. He tried to pull away, but she was stronger. So in the end, Greykit gave up, and ended up get washed.

When Frostfur had finished grooming Greykit, and his siblings; Sunkit, a male orange tabby, and Moonkit, a black and white female kitten, she felt satisfied, and let them nurse from them.

After their breakfast, Frostfur told them to stay inside the nursery, with the other queens to take care of them. While she went to the fresh kill pile, to eat breakfast herself.

Once their mother left, Sunkit and Moonkit begged Greykit to tell them about what had happened that morning. While he was telling them his story, (in a very animated way...) Ravenkit, his best friend, came over to listen. He was a jet black kitten, with a very lively spirit.

After his tale was finished, Sandkit and Dustkit came over and said that they didn't believe a word he had said. (They were a very grouchy pair of kittens, and didn't get along very well with any other kits.)

"We don't care what you believe, Sandkit!" yowled Greykit. "We all know that you've had a big fur-ball stuck inside you since the day you could talk."

Sandkit hissed and spitted, and walked to the other side of the nursery with Dustkit.

"What a grouchy pair of kits!" remarked Frostfur, who had returned from breakfast.

"Frostfur," called Speckletail from the other side of the nursery. "Can you take care of my kits while I go and get some fresh kill?"

"Of course!" said Frostfur. "You go and enjoy, and I can take care of the nursery."

Speckletail trotted out of the nursery, with Sandkit right behind her.

"Sandkit!" called Frostfur. "You have to wait until your mother comes back."

Sandkit appeared again in the nursery, looking sour. She ran over to Dustkit, and started muttering.

Frostfur sighed. "That kit should get more discipline from her mother." she said.

When Speckletail finally arrived from the fresh kill pile, all the kits and their mothers went outside to play. Greykit and Ravenkit asked their mothers if they could go and see the camp, and they said that only if they were careful.

So the Greykit and Ravenkit ran around the camp trying to decide what to do. Finally, they decided to go visit the elders. All of the elders were outside their den, basking in the sunlight. And when the two kits appeared, they greeted them kindly. Greykit asked them for a story, and they agreed. The elder that was telling the story was Smallear.

"It was a cold night, and Bluestar was on her way back from the moonstone. She was with her deputy, Redtail. It was a clear night, and at the time, Thunderclan was not an ally with Shadowclan. And, as you know, to reach the moonstone, you have to go by the Shadowclan territory. But Shadowclan wouldn't hear of it. They said that they would never let them by. So, Bluestar said that she would find a way across, because she needed to get back to the camp as fast as she could. So, Bluestar and Redtail went a long way, just to find another way across." continued Smallear. "Well, when they finally reached the Thunderclan camp, they found it was a battle scene. Shadowclan had figured out that Thunderclan was very unprotected, and came and attacked. Luckily, we had some very strong warriors: Tigerclaw, Lionheart, and Whitestorm. But, with even the elders helping, we fought them off. There were some deaths in the process, not from our side! No, from Shadowclan. One of them was Ashtail. He was a great warrior, but at least Shadowclan retreated after his death. But from that day on, Shadowclan has not attacked us since!"

"That was the best story I've ever heard!" said Greykit in awe.

"That was cool how you all fought off Shadowclan!" said Ravenkit.

"Is is true that a cold wind blows through all the Shadowclan cat's hearts?" asked Greykit.

"Sadly, yes." said Halftail, another elder.

"Thanks for the story Smallear!" said Greykit

"Bye, young Greykit and young Ravenkit!" said Smallear. "Come and hear another tale whenever you want!"

"Bye!" said Greykit and Ravenkit in unison, and they charged back to their mothers.

Authors Note: This is slightly AU, and I know that I got the mothers wrong, but please, no constructive criticism. So if you do give me "constructive criticism" then you will look a bit, well, stupid. No offense. And I also know that Greykit doesn't really, have any siblings in the book, but I think that it would be better if he did. And also, if you do have time to write such long reviews, then GET A LIFE!!!!!!! Please read and review! And remember, no constructive criticism!!!!!!!

-Icetail