Chapter 1
Seedkit slowly awoke from her fluffy nest, lifting her light pink nose to smell her surroundings. Finally she uncovered her eyes, the light blue-gray pupils narrowing at the familiar sight of the nursery. The previous night she had a wonderful dreamed filled with sights of the forests and the moors beyond. The only sour part was as the dream ended she heard a pitiful kit scream.
Shaking off the disturbing dream her eyes scanned for any of her siblings. She saw Bluekit and Brownkit sleeping close to her mother, Everstream. However she heard soft murmuring of voices in camp so she padded out.
Seedkit felt brambles pull comfortingly at her pelt. As she neared the fresh-kill pile she saw her best friend, Mintkit, strutting around. Seedkit padded to her friend, feeling the midday sun light up her silvery pelt.
"Hello Mintkit!" Seedkit greeted, dipping her head happily.
"Seedkit!" Mintkit replied excitedly. The two kits engaged in playful fight ending when Galestorm, Mintkit's father, padded over and separated the kits.
"Some cats actually want sleep," Galestorm meowed, stifling a yawn. The kits exchanged awkward glances before Mintkit spoke.
"Sorry Galestorm," she meowed, looking forlorn. However, Seedkit's excitement couldn't be stifled because Seedkit, her siblings, and Mintkit's apprentice ceremony was the next day. Seedkit's paws shuffled in anticipation, ignoring the strange looks she received from the various cats in the clearing.
Galestorm batted Mintkit playfully on the head before heading towards the entrance.
Mintkit looked to Brownkit and Bluekit, who were just beginning to emerge from the nursery. "Okay I have a plan…" she began, a look of slight mischief dancing on the edges of her face. "I want to impress the clan. I am gonna go and hunt!" she meowed in a pointed whisper.
Seedkit stood up. "No way! That's breaking the warrior code!"
Brownkit and Bluekit rolled their eyes in synchronization. "Don't be a stick in the mud!" Brownkit meowed, rolling his eyes. "I'm gonna go too, Mintkit," he replied to the small white she-cat.
Bluekit said nothing but nodded vigorously.
Seedkit hissed quietly. "Well if you want to break all the rules then be my guest. I actually want to become an apprentice before I am an elder!"
Mintkit looked slightly hurt. "Well… if you feel that way…" she started to pad out through a tiny, secret exit, her tail dragging on the dusty ground.
"No need to be so harsh!" Bluekit spat back before following. Brownkit just silently filed after her.
Seedkit sighed. Now my brother, sister and best friend are all mad at me! She thought bitterly, flicking her tail angrily. However, suddenly guilt washed over her. What if they were attacked by a fox or eaten by a badger? Her mind was eaten up by doubt.
Trying to take her mind off of things, Seedkit padded to the fresh-kill pile and picked up a plump mouse. She took an enthusiastic bite. The mouse sang with the flavors and scents of the forests; it was one of her favorite types of prey. Seedkit finished the last morsel, licking her lips.
Just as Seedkit was looking for her mother, a yowl sounded from the entrance of camp. "Someone get Iriswing!" someone called urgently from the entrance. Seedkit recognized the voice of Gorsestrike, the deputy of Thunderclan.
Iriswing, a pretty tabby she-cat, ran in from the medicine cat den.
"Who's hurt?" she meowed anxiously, a large bundle of herbs in her mouth.
"It's Bluekit and Mintkit!" Greenfern called from the elder's den.
Seedkit stood up on her hind paws to see her sister and friend. Two limp bundles of fur hung from Gorsestrike's jaws.
"Mintkit!" Seedkit couldn't help but let a small gasp of shock escape her jaws. Her friend's normally well-groomed white pelt was bloodied and chunks were missing from her fur. The worst was her eyes. They were scratched to the point of being unrecognizable.
Seedkit's gaze shifted to Bluekit and she let out a little squeak. There were very few places where she wasn't covered in scratches. Something about her sister seemed… eerie.
Iriswing applied herbs to Mintkit fervently then turned to Bluekit. Her eyes widened in shock. "Sh-She's dead!" she announced, backing up a few steps.
Everstream ran in. "Bluekit!" she meowed. "Bluekit, no! Impossible!" she meowed, tears already streaming down her face. Brownkit peeked out from under Gorsestrike.
"Everstream?" he meowed worriedly.
Everstream looked to her kit and nuzzled him. "Why… Why did you leave camp?!" she meowed, a hint of anger began to tint her voice. Without waiting for an answer she stalked back to the nursery, her tail dragging on the ground.
Brownkit frowned as Iriswing gave him an herb. "Eat it. It's thyme," she explained softly. "It will calm your nerves. After go to your nest and sleep." With that she padded back to Mintkit and gently grabbed her scruff before bringing her to the medicine cat den.
Brownkit sighed then ate the herb before padding to the nursery.
Seedkit's fur was still fluffed up in ignition. She started to pad to the medicine cat den to see her friend.
The den is a small cave in a clump of ferns near the corner of camp. At first the entrance is small and narrow but once you get farther it opens up with a small stream. There Iriswing sleeps.
Seedkit padded into the small cave, flicking her tail anxiously. She saw Mintkit lying in a small nest. She looked pitifully small; her fur was still sticky from the blood. Seedkit took two small steps forward. "Mintkit?" she whispered quietly.
"She's sleeping," Seedkit heard a voice coming from the herb storage. It was Iriswing.
Seedkit sighed. She was hoping she could speak to her, tell that she was sorry about earlier.
Iriswing shuffled her paws. "She won't be able to have her apprentice ceremony tomorrow like she was supposed to." Seedkit wasn't surprised. "Her eyes… they are damaged beyond repair. Mintkit… Mintkit is blind."
Seedkit gasped. "But…"This is only my fault! If I had told someone Mintkit wouldn't be blind and Bluekit wouldn't be dead…
Mintkit suddenly stirred in her nest. "Where am I?" she wailed. "Why is everything dark?"
Seedkit closed her eyes. The guilt was washing over her.
"You were attacked by a hawk," Iriswing explained softly. "It scratched your eyes…" Iriswing paused, not sure how to continue.
"So… So I'm blind?" Mintkit meowed. Her face was momentarily blank then filled with sadness. "So I can't be an apprentice?" she asked softly.
Seedkit looked to Iriswing for an answer.
Iriswing looked at her paws. "Mintkit, I'm sorry but you'll never be a warrior apprentice."