Chapter One
Four moons later...
Beardance was digging into a thrush in front of the nursery, facing away from Spiritkit. She creeped forward, being as quiet as she could. Perhaps it was the Shadowclan roots she didn't yet know about that caused her to be so quiet, but she managed to surprise Beardance when she leaped on top of the brown warriors back with a battle yowl.
Beardance let out a mrrrrrow of surprise and jumped up. Spiritkit kept a good grip on the bushy fur. It was still tangled from sleeping last night, so it was easier to hold onto the warrior as he reared up.
Spiritkit was glad when he finally stood on all four legs again. He looked back at her with a sour expression though. She ignored it.
"Morning Beardance!" She called cheerfully. "Got you didn't I?"
"Whats all the racket?" Called Tawnystripe from her den. The medicine cat was a stern she-cat, but she was a very good healer, and well-respected among the clan. She was also Smallpaw's mentor. Beardance caught sight of the short black and white apprentice peaking out at them.
"Nothing." Beardance called back.
"Beardance, you should know better then to yowl like that without good reason!" Tawnstripe berated him. Beardance scowled at Spiritkit, who had climbed off his back and was hiding from Tawnystripe behind him.
"See what you did." He growled good-naturedly. He could hardly blame the little kit for wanting to have some fun. It had been a long, harsh leaf-bare and with new-leaf just beginning the kits were all restless. Oakkit and Robinkit were pouncing at a ball of moss outside the nursery under their mothers watchful gaze, and even Auburnsky's little ones were testing their wobbly legs in the sunshine.
"Beardance, when will I become an apprentice like Smallpaw and the others?" Spiritkit asked. She was watching Russetpaw and her sister Gingerpaw tussle in the clearing. Their mentors, Mysticpool and Lightwater, came out and told them to settle down.
"Six moons," replied Beardance, "you're only two moons away."
"One and a half!" Protested Spiritkit. Beardance nodded, she was right. Spiritkit looked over at the fresh kill pile. "You ever tried a thrush?" Beardance asked.
"Nope." Spirtkit replied. "It looks like it'd be hard to eat around the feathers."
"Well, yes, but it'll be very good underneath." Beardance said.
"Well, okay." Spiritkit said, going over to the fresh kill pile and dragging back the thrush. Beardance helped her eat around the feathers and Spiritkit licked her lips contentedly once it was gone. "That was good Beardance!" She meowed happily.
"Maybe later I can convince Badgersong to let me take you out for a look around the forest." Beardance said.
Spiritkits eyes got wide. "Really?" She asked, looking up at him with her tail waving excitedly.
"Sure, lets go see if she wants to take Oakkit and Robinkit too." Beardance said, getting up.
"Aww..." Spiritkit groaned. She hadn't gotten along well with her adoptive littermates since she could remember. She knew she wasn't really their sister, and was glad of it.
"Spiritkit..." Beardance gave a low warning growl. He loved his little friend, but he also loved his neice and nephew. When they got over to Badgersong, the two little kits ran over to Beardance, attacking him playfully. Robinkit was trying to pounce on Beardance's moving tail and Oakkit growled at Beardance, nipping at him and dodging the warriors counterattacks.
"You have to watch and wait Robinkit." Meowed Spiritkit. "Know where it will be before you spring." She was sitting to the side of Beardance, watching Robinkit.
"I don't need your help." Hissed Robinkit. "You're not any better then me!"
Spiritkit narrowed her eyes and pounced for the tail. A surprised hiss from Beardance told her she'd got it. Robinkit narrowed her eyes at Spiritkit, who scowled back. They faced each other for a second, then Robinkit sprung at Spiritkit, who dodged. Beardance was forced to move as the two kits had at it. They tussled until Badgersong took Spiritkit off of Robinkit, who was squealing in protest at Spiritkit.
"Thats enough." She growled at them. "Spiritkit, apologize."
"But she pounced at me first!" Spiritkit protested.
"Spiritkit..." Beardance was looking disappointed.
"Mommy she bit me!" Robinkit mewed.
"Hush Robinkit, you aren't even hurt." Badgersong told her kit. Spiritkit knew Badgersong was fair, but she would not apologize first. She sat down, her lips tightly pressed together.
"Spiritkit, we were talking about taking you all out into the forest today, you wouldn't want to miss out." Badgersong warned.
"What about Robinkit?" Spiritkit said.
Badgersong looked at her daughter. She scowled, but mumbled an apology. Spiritkit knew she didn't mean it. "Louder..." Badgersong said. Robinkit repeated herself louder and Badgersong nodded.
"Spiritkit?" Beardance turned to look at Spiritkit.
"Sorry. But I'm not going, I don't want to!" She said, running into the nursery around a surprised Brightkit, who lost her balance. Auburnsky picked up her kit and looked curiously at Badgersong and Beardance, who both shrugged.
"Well, I guess we should get going." Badgersong said.
"I sorta feel bad..." Beardance said, looking towards the nursery. Spiritkit was hiding out of sight.
"Don't, its her choice." Badgersong said.
"I suppose you're right, common you two!" Beardance called, leading the other two kits out of camp. Badgersong followed.
After they'd gone, Spiritkit came out of the nursery and went over to Brightkit and Fierykit. "Want to play?" She asked.
"With you?" Fierykit asked, sneering. "No thanks." Spiritkit looked hurt, but walked away without another word. Auburnsky had been out of earshot for that remark, but Spiritkit wondered if she would've said anything or not. The whole clan seemed to treat her differently, with the exception of Badgersong and Beardance, but she was mad at them for the present. She did feel bad about not going with them, but it wouldn't be fun with Oakkit and Robinkit picking fights that Spiritkit had to apologize for. She scowled, trotting away from the nursery and into the clearing. She wasn't told to go back with her mother, no one seemed to care anyway.
"You look like you sat on a bee." Called a voice suddenly. Spiritkit noticed Russetpaw coming over to her. Spiritkit braced herself. Russetpaw could be awful cruel when she wanted to. Spiritkit didn't reply.
"Oh, common, you can talk to me." Russetpaw said. Her voice was coated with mock sympathy and Spiritkit knew it.
"Right, you don't care!" She protested.
Russetpaw adopted a hurt look. "I was only trying to help."
"No you weren't, you were trying to get even with me for telling Mysticpool you practicing the scruff shake on me!" Spiritkit spat at Russetpaw.
Russetpaw growled. "You want to try it again?" She asked angrily.
"Whats going on?" Mysticpool asked, coming over.
"Nothing." Spiritkit said, turning to walk away. Instead of listening to Mysticpool question Russetpaw, she decided to leave camp on her own. She went out the opposite way that Beardance and Badgersong had and headed in the direction of the Shadowclan border.
She found herself at the top of a ravine, and looked down in awe. Hadn't one of the elders mentioned that this used to be a stream? Spiritkit hadn't paid much attention to the elders when they were talking, but she knew full well that this was a dangerous place. She could easily slip, so she stepped back a ways, then turned to walk along the ravine. She was staying close to camp, but knew anyone who found out would be furious. Especially Beardance and Badgersong.
'Or what if I stayed away? Beardance and Badgersong would feel so horrible about what they'd done! I'd watch them search the forest in vain, calling out apologies that I'd pretend not to hear. They'd fear a badger or fox had gotten me, and they'd cry about the horrible way they'd treated me!' She thought.
Of course! Spiritkit brightened up immediatly, and started looking for a good place to hide. Then she remembered her scent, it would lead them right to her. So, Spirikit walked back to the tunnel that led to camp, and then followed the same path out. It'd look like she'd gone in a big circle and then went back. She broke off from the path and found a hiding spot in a log that was half hollowed out. She laid down inside, far enough back that her white fur wouldn't give her away, and started grooming her paws. She liked to do that herself, and would rarely allow Badgersong to do it for her anymore. It was like she was growing up.
Spiritkit didn't realize she'd fallen asleep until she woke up. It was now close to sunhigh, and she wondered if Beardance and Badgersong had noticed her absense yet. Maybe they weren't even back from their trip in the woods though. Spiritkit pictured them showing Robinkit and Oakkit lots of wonderful things and Spiritkit almost wished she'd gone with them again. She shook her head though, chasing those thoughts away.
They were in the wrong! She just knew it. She stubbornly kneeded her paws in the ground, as if planting them there so she wouldn't feel the temptation to go back to camp. She would stay out as long as she needed to.
She was rewarded a few moments later with a faint call. She thought it was her name. She heard it again, closer. It was Badgersong and Beardance! They had noticed her absense. She smiled with anticipation.
"Spiritkit?" Beardances voice echoed and Spiritkit smiled- her little scheme was working.
"Beardance, her scent goes in one big circle, she must be in camp somewhere..." Badgersong said, but Spiritkit could hear the worry in her voice.
"We already searched camp, and so is everyone else. She's probably lying nearby waiting to pounce on us." Beardance said with false bravado.
"Or seeing if we'll feel sorry." Badgersong suggested. Spiritkit was suddenly filled with guilt. They'd figured her out. They knew what she was trying to do!
"Do you really think she'd do that?" Beardance asked his sister. The voices were getting closer and Spiritkit could hear pawsteps. "She must understand that she can't always be so stubborn."
"Its probably in her blood." Badgersong remarked dryly. The pawsteps stopped and Spiritkit strained her ears, wanting to hear more.
"She's a Thunderclanner." Beardance said menacingly. Spiritkit had never heard him talk so darkly, especially not to his sister!
"Beardance, you can't change the facts, no matter how long you avoid telling her." Badgersong replied calmly.
'Tell me what??' Spirikit thought frantically. 'I am Thunderclan... aren't I? If not, what am I?'
"Badgersong, hush, she could be listening in." Beardance hissed warningly. Spiritkit would've liked to claw his ears off. Let her talk! I need to know!
"Maybe thats for the best, maybe she'll finally figure out what you're not telling her." Badgersong said, her voice rising a little.
"Go back to camp and look after your kits." Spat Beardance. "I'll find her myself." Spiritkits eyes widened in shock- they were arguing! Because of me? But why? Whats wrong with me?
Spiritkit heard soft pawsteps and a sigh, and guessed Badgersong must be listening to Beardance. She passed right by Spirikits hideout, and the white kit recoiled back as far as she could.
When Badgersong was out of earshot, Spiritkit heard Beardance again. Two sets of paws stood in front of the hollow log. "Get out of there Spiritkit, now." Beardance sounded as mean as a badger! Spiritkit slowly walked out, timidly looking up at Beardances face, which looked very angry. "Just what did you think you were doing?" He demanded. Badgersong was out of sight.
Spiritkit didn't want to say the truth, it would only make matters worse.
"I went out exploring and fell asleep in the log, you and Badgersong woke me up." She lied. It was at least partly true, their voices had waken her up to the fact she wasn't like everyone else! This thought made her bold. "Whats wrong with me?" She demanded. Beardance looked as if he had expected this.
"Nothings wrong with you, your just not like other clan cats." Beardance said, he still looked angry. Spirikit pressed him on anyway.
"Why? What am I? A kittypet?" She questioned.
"You're no kittypet." Beardance said.
"Then what?" Spiritkit said, louder then she'd meant to. Beardance's eyes narrowed.
"Thats enough." He said.
"Oh, so the whole of Thunderclan gets to know whats wrong with me but I can't have that priveldge." She snapped.
"Your a Shadowclanners kit." Beardance said. Spiritkit looked at him in shock.
"What?"
TBC
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Spirit of the Skies