"Has she opened her eyes yet?"
"Look!" a second voice meowed.
The little she-kit squinted open her eyes, dazzled by the world that had been invisible to her before. She looked up at her mother. The queen yelped in surprise.
"Now we can name them!" she examined the she-kit. "Her ginger fur looks just like an apple's skin. She can be Applekit."
"That's such a cute name!" Applekit heard the other voice squeal in delight. "What about this one?"
"Do you want to name one, Ravenclaw?"
"I couldn't! But their father deserves the chance; you can't just shut him out, Redleaf."
Redleaf turned away, and looked at the writhing kit beside Applekit. "This one's so fidgety, like a bird. I think I'll name her Robinkit." Applekit noticed that Redleaf's voice changed from excitement to regret. She blinked.
"Applekit and Robinkit, those are beautiful names, Redleaf. Should I introduce them to Cliffkit and Orchidkit?" Ravenclaw made an effort to sound bright.
"Please," Redleaf muttered, shoving the kits toward Ravenclaw. Redleaf was clearly busy with her own memories.
Applekit jumped to her paws, stumbling in her haste. "Come on, Robinkit!" she mewed to her sister. But Robinkit was already introducing herself to Ravenclaw's kits. Applekit scampered after her and halted in front of Cliffkit. "Hello!" She blurted.
"Hi." Cliffkit's mew sounded distant.
"My name's Applekit!" She stated proudly, "I was just named." Cliffkit didn't look at her.
"I know,"
"You must be Cliffkit."
"I know," Applekit wrinkled her nose at Cliffkit's rude behavior.
"If you know so much then, why aren't you an apprentice yet? Huh?"
"I'm not six moons, mouse-brain." At this retort, Applekit turned toward her mother.
"Redleaf! Cliffkit is being mean to me." She complained.
"Honestly, Ravenclaw, can't you teach your kit some manners? I heard he's already scaring the apprentices." Redleaf's irritated mew sounded in Applekit's defense.
"I've tried, but only Starclan knows how to get through to him." Ravenclaw glanced at Cliffkit, who seemed not to have noticed the comment. "I thought he would lighten up when your litter came, but I guess not." Suddenly, a high pitched squeak sounded from the corner of the nursery.
"Hey! Cliffkit is nice!" Applekit looked around, to see Orchidkit raising her head defiantly in defense of her brother.
"Is not!" Applekit wasn't too fond of Cliffkit.
"Is too!" Orchidkit meowed.
"Stop it, both of you!" Ravenclaw meowed, "We'll never get any peace in here with four kits running around, and we don't need you arguing too."
Applekit hung her head. "I'm sorry." She noticed Ravenclaw's eyes soften as she rested her gaze on each kit.
"You must be tired, why don't you two take a nap?" She glanced at Robinkit, who was watching from a corner.
Though Applekit wasn't tired, she hurried toward her mother, curling up beside her. After a few moments, she felt Robinkit's soft pelt squeeze in beside her. Applekit heard Robinkit's breathing as it relaxed, and let the rhythmic rise and fall of her flank lull her into sleep.
The rest of the story will come in time, but it might never end if I drop it, I need your encouraging reviews! There's no point in writing a story that nobody reads, right?
PS: I just had to use the name Ravenclaw! I need to think of more names though, I'm not sure what the leader's name should be...