We were finally free from the Nursery.
I could feel Sootkit's nose touch my tail. It was a tight squeeze to get through, even for us kits. I pushed passed the last branch and turned to Sootkit. The branch from the bush swung back at Sootkit and smacked him in the face. He moaned.
"Ow, Icekit!" he complained to me. The tiniest trickle of blood dripped from just below his eye. I decided it was best not to tell him.
Honeykit ducked under the branch behind Sootkit. "You okay?" he asked Sootkit.
Sootkit nodded. He was tough, even though he was the smallest of the four of us.
Fernkit poked her head out of the bush. "What did you do?" she gasped.
"A branch hit me." he said puffing out his chestas if the branch was Dusk Clan's leader or something and he defeated it. Fernkit giggled.
"Wow," she said sarcasticly, "Maybe now you an take on a butterfly."
Sootkit twitched and straitened up. The drop of blood fell into his mouth. He must have tasted it becasue his eyes widened in panic.
"Whats on me!" he howled trying to lick it off himself, which was of corse impossible.
"It's blood," said Honeykit.
"Your bleeding," I added.
"Your fine." mewed Fernkit.
Sootkit shrugged, "So where are we going?"
The other three looked at me. I glanced around. Out of the corner of my eye I saw it. Between the blades of grass was a mouse, just my size. I Did my best crouch and stalked forward. My litter mates watched me strike. My claw swung out with more frce than I had ever used in our play fights. The mouse was trapped in my claw as I landed. It struggled in my grip. I leaned in quickly and nipped at it's neck. They mouse was dead. My first prey and I wasn't even an apprentice yet.
"Woah!" mewed Honeykit.
"How'd you do that?" ask Fernkit.
Sootkit stared in awe.
I picked it up. The sent of its warm juicy body filled my nose.
"You should go show that to everyone." suggested Sootkit. The others nodded.
"But what if we get in trouble for leaving camp, I mean we arn't supposed to be apprentices even for another two moons." Honeykit reminded us.
"It's a risk we'll have to take." I said.
We pushed through the bush which we had left from and returned to the familar Fire Clan camp. A small cluster of Warriros were huddled around the freshkill pile.
"Look what Icekit caught!" boasted Sootkit loudly. The warriors turned their heads. We walked over to them.
"Thats almost as big as you," Endlessdream chided.
"You caught that?" said Fallingbird suprised.
Shiningtear, our mother, stepped out of the Nursery.
"Where have you four been?" she asked.
Emberbreeze, our father who was sitting with the other warriors, looked up at her and smiled, "They were on a adventure." he said.
"Icekit caught a mouse." added Sootkit.
Shiningtear's eyes widened. I beamed and stuck out my chest. She was proud of me.
"Sootkit what happend to your beautiful face!" she shreiked.
"Just... a.. thorn.." Sootkit gasped through our mothers rough tongue.
Then Shiningtear turned to me. "You." she said flicking her tail at me, "You made my little Sootkit hurt. You lead them out of the camp."
My ears flattened I dipped my head, hiding the forming tears. "Yes Shiningtear..." I whispered.
She flicked her tail and padded back to the Nursery. My three litter mates fallowed her. Fernkit turned her head to me. She blinked softly, as if to say 'please forgive Shinigtear'. Never. She acted as if ever little problem in the clan was my fault. I am a kit. It isnt my fault. Sootkit is her perfect kit. She babys him. Honeykit and Fernkit are almost as good as him. Not me though. I am just some stupid mouse brain.
A tail brushed against my cheeck and layed across my shoulder's. It was Emberbreeze.
"You want some help eating that mouse? It's almost the size of you." I turned and glared at him.
I walked away to the Nursery where I could hear my litter mates mewing.
"What's gotten under her fur?" EndlessDream murmered.
I layed down in the far corner of the Nursery away from my litter mates and closed my eyes.
[TO BE CONTINUED]