The Life and Blood of Kindlestar
"Come on Kindlekit, wake up!"
A small voice squeaked into the young kit's ear and a small paw prodded him in the side.
"Mom wants us up and outside. Today is a nice day!" the other kit meowed.
"I'm up." Kindlekit meowed with a yawn. "I was having a wonderful dream."
"Well, mom wanted you up. She's outside right now with Firekit."
"Leafkit, you're so annoying sometimes. I can tell Firekit and mom aren't here." Kindlekit got to his feet and padded out of the nursery.
"I was hoping it wouldn't take you long to get up," their mom licked her fur.
"I was having a great dream." Kindlekit meowed. He bounded over to Firekit and pounced on him.
"He never does get up right away." Leafkit meowed.
"And either do you," their mom cuffed her ear.
Leafkit smiled and bounded over to the other two.
"You crossed the line, Jaystar!" Kindlekit meowed.
"Think again Longstar!" Firekit spat. "I haven't crossed the line. I have made a true statement on what you have done."
"Hey, can I be Fernstar, leader to WindClan?"
"Sure, we're doing a gathering." Kindlekit meowed.
Leafkit cleared her throat. "It is-" she stopped herself. "What was the statement?"
"Oh, it was that the RiverClan leader thought he had smelled ShadowClan stench on RiverClan territory."
"Oh, OK." Leafkit looked from Firekit to Kindlekit. She cleared her throat, then began, "There is to be no fighting at a gathering. StarClan shall not be happy."
Both kits turned to Leafkit.
"I have smelled ShadowClan stench on RiverClan territory, you think I won't fight?" Firekit meowed.
"ShadowClan has not been on RiverClan territory!" Kindlekit meowed angrily.
Then both kits turned to each other and bared their teeth. They pretended they had unsheathed their claws.
"Then dark clouds covered the moon." Leafkit meowed. "This gathering is over!" Leafkit pretended to jump off a rock and walk away.
Kindlekit and Firekit glared at each other one last time then also pretended to jump off a rock and walk away.
"Now what are you two going to do?" Leafkit meowed. "Are you two going to fight?"
"Yep!" Both kits replied. "This isn't over yet till we figure out which one is the best."
"Hollyleaf!" a light brown tabby cat walked toward them.
Hollyleaf stood up and walked over to her kits. "Shrewclaw?"
Shrewclaw looked at her for a bit then replied, "Jaystar wants to see you in his den."
"Now?"
"Yes, now."
Hollyleaf looked down at her kits. "Stay here and play," she meowed before walking off.
Kindlekit felt terror in the air as he looked up at the bleeding warrior. Shrewclaw looked down at him, and then walked off.
"What do you thinks going on?" Firekit meowed also aware of the terror in the air.
"I don't know." Leafkit meowed. She shuttered and looked over at Kindlekit who shrugged his shoulders.
A terrifying wail came from somewhere far off from where the three kits stood.
A warrior came through the entrance with a she-cat flanking his side. "Get all kits and elders into the nursery!" the warrior yowled.
The three kits stood there, their feet didn't budge.
Hollyleaf came pelting out of the leader's den running straight at her kits, but the warrior, Shrewclaw, made it to them first.
"Keep moving!" he yowled as warriors and apprentices were rushing around camp.
Kindlekit was pushed forward toward the nursery, and then he felt himself being lifted up. He wailed and fought to get free, but stopped as he heard the reassuring purr of his mom.
Kindlekit looked around to see where Firekit and Leafkit were, but he couldn't see them. "Where is…" was all he could get out before he heard the caterwauling cries of fighting cats. He saw cats of RiverClan streaming into the entrance and right behind them strong, furious warriors to ThunderClan.
"Get Kindlekit into the nursery!" Shrewclaw meowed from behind.
Hollyleaf lurched forward and into the nursery. Huddled with tow elders were Firekit and Leafkit. Hollyleaf put Kindlekit with them and then she went back out into the clearing.
"Do you think mom will be alright?" Leafkit meowed.
"Guess what Clan I saw!" Kindlekit meowed. "It was ThunderClan!"
"Cool!" Firekit meowed. "I'm sure mom will be just fine."
"I wonder who the Shrewclaw warrior cat is?" Leafkit meowed.
"A cat." Kindlekit meowed.
Firekit snorted then burst out into laughter.
Leafkit shot him a glare. "No, what I mean is he's the only warrior we usually ever get to see up close!"
Kindlekit was busy looking outside of the nursery. He watched as a large ThunderClan warrior with huge ears pushed their mother into the outside wall of the nursery. He strained his ears to listen.
"Hawktalon, you have no right to raid RiverClan camp," Hollyleaf meowed.
"Oh, but we are taking revenge." Hawktalon spat. "RiverClan defeated ThunderClan in our own territory so it is time RiverClan learned a lesson." He put up a paw with long, sharp claws ready to strike Hollyleaf.
"No!" Kindlekit meowed.
Hawktalon put down his paw. "Kits?"
"Leave them alone." Hollyleaf retorted.
"Oh, but why should I?" Hawktalon pushed his way into the nursery.
"Way to go Kindlekit!" Firekit meowed.
"I didn't- all I wanted to do was keep mom alive."
"And get us killed?" Firekit retorted.
The elders stood up and unsheathed their claws.
"You no good ThunderClan-" was all they heard before a sharp, painful yowl was heard from behind.
Hawktalon turned around and raced out of the nursery. "ThunderClan, we have no more business here!"
The ThunderClan cats retreated from RiverClan camp.
Kindlekit looked on dazed. Hollyleaf was gone, just gone.
Firekit and Leafkit looked up at the elders.
Shrewclaw came pelting in. "Where's Hollyleaf?"
"She had been dragged off by a ThunderClan cat." One of the elders meowed.
"Don't know where." The other elder rasped.
Shrewclaw rushed out of the nursery. The only thing going through Kindlekit's small head was, it's all my fault.
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A few days had passed and Hollyleaf still hadn't been found. Every cat of RiverClan thought ThunderClan had taken her hostage.
His siblings never forgave Kindlekit, but the other cats of RiverClan knew it was just a simple kit mistake.
Kindlekit walked out of the nursery on the day of a gathering. Shrewclaw walked up to him.
"Kindlekit, Jaystar would like to see you. He has something he wants to tell you," he meowed.
"Yes, Shrewclaw." Kindlekit walked away as Leafkit and Firekit walked out.
"I hope he's getting in trouble." Firekit meowed.
"That would be impossible." Leafkit meowed.
Kindlekit entered Jaystar's den.
Kindlekit, you must come to the gathering tonight." Jaystar meowed from on his bed. "I know ThunderClan. If they have a prisoner, they always bring them to a gathering so they can keep watch over them the entire time. You will be able to identify your mother. If we bring three kits, the other Clans will noticed, but with one they won't."
Kindlekit walked out of Jaystar's den feeling relived that he wasn't in trouble. He quickly padded over to Leafkit and Firekit.
"What, you didn't get in trouble?" Firekit meowed.
"Nope, it wasn't about getting in trouble, it was about the gathering." Kindlekit meowed.
Leafkit was more interested than Firekit. "What did Jaystar say?"
"I would be able to go to the gathering to find mom." Kindlekit meowed.
"What?" Firekit turned toward him. "I should have been the one to do this, not the one who made mom be taken hostage."
"That's the exact reason Jaystar must have chosen him!" Leafkit meowed. "Since he lost mom, he has to find mom!"
Firekit snorted and walked away.
"Come on, Kindlekit, let's figure something out." Leafkit flicked her tail toward the small rock that they always use to play by.
Kindlekit followed her. "I was thinking of smelling out the ThunderClan cats the walking through them to find her."
"That won't work, you can't just walk between each cat, they'll notice you. You have to walk underneath them." Leafkit meowed.
"What if they are sitting?" Kindlekit meowed.
"Easy, you walk behind them or walk in front of them with your belly close to the grass." Leafkit meowed.
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The time for the cats going to the gathering to get together and go came by quick. Kindlekit walked up to them and every cat looked at him weirdly.
"Cats of RiverClan, I am letting this kit come to the gathering to look for his mom. He is the reason she has been taken so we shall use him to get her back." Jaystar meowed. "Now it is time to go to the gathering."
They walked out of RiverClan camp and through the territory toward Fourtrees, the place where the gatherings were held. They went straight into the clearing not even stopping to smell which cats were here.
Kindlekit split off right away toward the area where he could smell the stench of Hawktalon.
"Now as you all know, we had been fighting our way to get back the cat that had been taken hostage by RiverClan. It was a brutal battle, but we had gotten her back. Fur had been flying everywhere and teeth and claws were clawing at us." Hawktalon had begun; each cat around him was listening very closely trying to take in every word. "I had made my way toward Shrewclaw, the deputy to RiverClan. He had been battling beside a she-cat who wasn't fighting at all. As I got a closer look at her, it was indeed the she-cat who had been taken hostage. I bit down on the back of Shrewclaw and he screeched in pain. I had grabbed the she-cat by her scuff and dragged her away toward the entrance to RiverClan camp. The rest of ThunderClan followed till we were safe from RiverClan."
Liar! Kindlekit screeched in his head. They had taken her hostage from RiverClan! Kindlekit crawled under each cat that had gotten up from their sitting position. He could tell that she was not in this group. He quickly got out of there. Where could a cat that had been taken hostage stay? Kindlekit asked himself. Of course! Where the leader was! He walked over to Shrewclaw who was sitting near a group of apprentices.
"Kindlekit?"
"Where do the leader's usually sit?"
"Over there at the big rock." Shrewclaw flicked his tail toward a large rock.
Kindlekit dipped his head and quickly rushed over there. He walked around the rock, but no cat was there. He sighed. This is going to be harder than I though.
The leader's were on top of the rock and were now talking to each cat sitting around. He looked around at all the cats. He could have sworn he saw a figure moving about the crowd as if looking for something. Or someone! Kindlekit quickly left Shrewclaw's side and rushed toward the moving cat. He followed what Leafkit had told him. Once he got into view of the cat, it was Hawktalon!
"Nope. Nope. Nope." Hawktalon meowed to himself.
Kindlekit was following his every move; swiftly, but carefully. He watched as Hawktalon busied himself looking for whatever it was he was looking for.
"Ah, Hollyleaf." He sat down beside her.
Kindlekit looked at her. She looked so skinny and scratched up! Her eyes were dull and she was limping on one paw as she sat down. How am I supposed to get her? He though. Then something came to him. Shrewclaw! Quickly remembering the cats around, he rushed back to Shrewclaw.
Jaystar was taking his time while he said what he had to say. Making sure every cat was taking in every word.
"You found her?" Shrewclaw meowed.
"Ya, but Hawktalon is next to her." Kindlekit meowed.
"I can take care of him." Shrewclaw meowed while flexing his claws. "Show me where she is."
Jaystar had noticed that they must have found her for he saw Shrewclaw get up and walk through the crowd.
Kindlekit came to a stop. Shrewclaw noticed Hawktalon and then next to him a skinny and scratched up she-cat. "There she is."
Shrewclaw nodded and padded his way toward them. "Hello, Hawktalon." He said is a cold voice.
Hawktalon turned his gaze and looked at him with wide eyes. Every cat around seemed to have froze. Even the leaders were watching.
Jaystar stood up and looked down at the cats. "Skystar, do you've got anything to say?"
Skystar looked at the cats around. "I've got nothing to say, Jaystar."
Jaystar bared his teeth and flexed his claws at Skystar. "I know you've got something to say. You have been feeding these cats a lie!"
Skystar turned her head and looked at Jaystar with deep green eyes that blazed with anger. "Why would I feed these cats lies! They all know Hollyleaf belongs to ThunderClan."
"Wrong!" Jaystar looked around and walked around on the rock. "Look at Hollyleaf. You can tell right away that your cats have been beating her up. An apprentice fight dummy, I should say!"
"Lies, lies, and more lies are streaming from your mouth, Jaystar." Skystar snarled. "You must accept the fact that Hollyleaf was never a RiverClan cat."
Fernstar, leader to WindClan, looked up at the sky, "No clouds?" she meowed to Longstar.
"StarClan must want this settled." Longstar meowed. "If this doesn't get settled, then may be a StarClan cat shall come down to settle this. Everyone knows a StarClan cat never lies." Fernstar just nodded along with him.
Shrewclaw looked at Hawktalon in the eyes. "You lying piece of scum!"
Hollyleaf stood up. She looked around and then looks back at Shrewclaw. "I have never wanted to do harm to you, Shrewclaw."
Shrewclaw turned to her. "Of course you don't. The kits are waiting for you back at the nursery."
She closed her eyes. Once she opened them again, they sparkled like StarClan and she seemed to fall back into her sitting position.
"Hollyleaf?" Shrewclaw meowed. Hawktalon even seemed transfixed on her.
"I am Copperrain, a StarClan warrior." Hollyleaf meowed. "I have come to settle this fight once and for all."
Every cat was silent listening to the StarClan warrior who had taken over Hollyleaf's body to tell them what she needed to.
"ThunderClan, you can not keep lying to keep a cat hostage and kill her." Copperrain meowed. "You have seen what might become of you from your medicine cat."
"Yes, we have, but we do not believe of it." Skystar meowed.
"Hollyleaf is not a ThunderClan cat and never was. Lying to keep power of her is not the way. Death is what comes out of it all. Not to the cat who is hostage, but to the cat who is holding her hostage."
Jaystar looked over at Skystar with an evil look in his eyes.
"Hollyleaf is free to go back to RiverClan." Copperrian's last words were fait as she disappeared, but the cats around had heard it.
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Kindlepaw searched for something to catch in RiverClan territory. He was on a task to catch prey for the Clan. He looked through some bushes, but nothing was there. The cool breeze ruffled his fur. He bounded over to the river, but as he got closer the water was still and empty. He sniffed along the edges of RiverClan territory, but nothing was there either. "Nothing is out, how am I suppose to catch prey for the Clan if I can't even find anything!"
Leafpaw bumped into Kindlepaw. "Oops, sorry Kindlepaw. Did you find any prey yet?"
"Nothing, not even a small movement in the undergrowth." Kindlepaw meowed.
"Well, it is leaf-bare, you'll have to keep looking." Leafpaw meowed.
"I've looked everywhere! Nothing is here in the territory." Kindlepaw meowed.
"Did you check the river?" Leafpaw meowed.
"Ya, no fish in the river today." Kindlepaw sighed. "I'm going to be out all day looking for prey and I'm going to find nothing."
"You'll find something." Leafpaw brushed her tail on Kindlepaw's shoulder. Then walked away.
Kindlepaw waited till she was totally gone and the undergrowth stopped moving, then he scurried away. He came to a stop next to an old tree that was falling apart. Kindlepaw walked into a whole in the tree. "Daisy?"
"Kindlepaw, is that you?" A small harsh voice came from the back.
"Daisy, are you alright?" Kindlepaw walked back to her.
"I'm afraid not, dear." Daisy rasped.
"Why don't I get Hazelthorn, RiverClan's medicine cat." Kindlepaw walked closer.
"No, dear!" Daisy rasped loudly. "I don't what you to get in trouble for not telling your Clan about me for awhile."
"But what about Corn, Rabbit, Mouse, and Ginger?" Kindlepaw looked around for the four kits.
"Two were found by Twolegs. The other two are still with me." Daisy meowed. "I'm a afraid young Rabbit and Mouse were found."
Kindlepaw looked down at his paws. "What are you going to do about Corn and Ginger?"
"I was hoping you could take them back to camp with you. You know, say you found them while hunting and couldn't leave them out in the cold leaf-bare breeze." Daisy croaked.
"Oh, but Daisy none of our queens have kits. I don't know who would give up their time to take care of a rogue's kits." Kindlepaw meowed. "Oh, Daisy I don't know what they will think of me."
"Try." Daisy croaked before she seemed to loose all of her breath and her head hit the floor of the tree.
"I guess I just will." Kindlepaw pushed his nose into the chilly fur of Daisy then went looking for the two kits.
It wasn't long before he saw the two bundles of fur curled up close to each other trying to get warmth. "Corn, Ginger?"
"Kindlepaw?" Ginger raised her small ginger head.
"Your mom wants me to take you back to our camp." Kindlepaw meowed. "She doesn't want you to stay here."
"But won't mom die?" Corn raised his head.
Kindlepaw closed his eyes. He didn't want to tell them she had already died so he thought something up. "I tried to get her help, but she didn't want it. She said she would take death with open arms. She wanted you two to have somewhere nice to grow up in so I'm taking you back to camp."