A Warrior of Windclan - Chapter One
"Come on Robinkit, they're back from the Gathering!" Whispered Firekit excitedly, prodding his brother awake. He had been too excited to sleep, happily imagining himself as an apprentice going to join the other clans at Fourtrees. Robinkit blinked and twitched his ears. "Mmm?" He mumbled, then sat up at another poke from Firekit's big paw. "Hey, you don't have to bruise my poor ribs." Teased the smaller tom, cuffing his brother's head gently. Firekit laughed, barely feeling Robinkit's light reprimand. "Come on, Mum's asleep!"
Tired out after a day of keeping her two energetic sons in line, Gentlebreeze was slumbering soundly in her nest. Robinkit glanced over at her, blinked fondly, then scrambled after his brother.
Stealthily - as stealthily as the pair of moon-and-a-half-old kits could manage anyway - they sneaked out of the gorse tunnel and into the sandy clearing of Windclan's camp. Robinkit pressed his pelt to Firekit's, trying not to breathe too loudly as he whispered in his brother's ear. "Look, there's Cloverleaf!" He nodded towards the medicine cat, who sat motionless in a shaft of moonlight, head tilted back. "Do you think he's seeing an omen?" Robinkit asked. Firekit shook his head. "Nope - his eyes are closed!" He pointed out. "He's weird, anyway. And old. Mother says he ought to have taken an apprentice long ago."
Robinkit had just spotted more figures approaching across camp. "It's Father!" The pair fell silent and stained their ears to overhear Wildfire as he spoke to Abyssfang and Cloudheart.
"-don't like it. It's one thing for Thunderclan and Riverclan to be squabbling since Crystalstar took Sunningrocks back. But Shadowclan have no reason to be acting so hostile towards the rest of us."
Abyssfang's deep growl sounded. "Do you think it was directed as us?"
Cloudheart's ears flicked uncertainly. "No, but we're the obvious target. Thunderclan are too large to threaten, they proved that with the most recent Sunningrocks battle. And they'd have to pass through Thunderclan territory if it were Riverclan they had their eye on."
Wildfire rumbled uneasily. "According to Redrose and some of the other clan elders, the rumour is Twistedstar is on his last life. You'd think it would make him more cautious. He ought to be focusing on keeping Shadowclan safe."
Abyssfang shook his head. "Or it's made him more reckless. I'm going to recommend Dreamstar she increase border patrols and station a permanent lookout on Outlook Rock."
Firekit's tail twitched in excitement. "You've got sharp eyes Robinkit. I wonder if they'd let us help keep watch?" His whispered longingly. Robinkit sighed, more practical than his brother. "I doubt it. We're not even two moons old yet." He pointed out. A stern voice from behind them made them both jump.
"Yes, and kits your age should be tucked up asleep in the nursery!" Looking down at the two youngsters was a long-legged grey she cat. Robinkit stared, speechless, up at the clan leader. Firekit twitched his whiskers nervously, but he offered her his best smile. "Sorry Dreamstar. We just wanted to know what happened at the Gathering."
The she-cat's tail whisked them back towards the nursery. "Your father will tell you tomorrow. Now, back inside before he realizes you're out here." Her green eyes glimmered with amusement. Wildfire's kits were going to make fine warriors one day, she thought, watching them scamper through the nursery tunnel. Feeling more cheerful than she previously had after the rather grim Gathering, she headed back for her own nest behind Tallrock.
"Whoops!" Robinkit clamoured carefully into their nest, trying not to laugh. Firekit had to wait several moments before he could keep himself still, shoulders heaving from his efforts to stay quiet. "I can't believe DREAMSTAR caught us sneaking out of the nursery at night!" He giggled, then blocked his muzzle with his fuzzy red-striped tail. Robinkit grinned. "But she wasn't that angry with us! I bet she sneaked out when she was our age."
"Yeah!" Firekit agreed, snuggling up beside his brother, and Robinkit draped a forepaw over his shoulders. "Goodnight brother." Robinkit whispered. Firekit nuzzled him sleepily in response. It had been a good adventure.
