A•L•L•G•I•A•N•C•E•S
PINECLAN
LEADER Hawkstar—large mottled brown tom with a stubbed tail
DEPUTY Robinflight—dark ginger tabby she-cat with a white chest and amber eyes
MEDICINE CAT Breezetail—black she-cat with a white tail-tip and stormy blue eyes
WARRIORS (toms and she-cats without kits)
Sandstripe—light ginger tabby tom
Apprentice, Batpaw
Grasspelt—pale brown tabby tom
Sunpetal—cream colored she-cat with white paws
Ambereyes—solid dark gray tom with fiery eyes
Apprentice, Pebblepaw
Owlfire—small brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes
Apprentice, Briarpaw
Oakfall—brown and white tom with green eyes
Sedgeleaf—tortoiseshell and white she-cat
APPRENTICES (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)
Batpaw—black she-cat with a white chest and green eyes
Pebblepaw—tortoiseshell tom
Briarpaw—ginger, chestnut, and white splashed tom
QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)
Snowspots—white and gray dabbled she-cat with yellow eyes, mother of Ambereyes's kits: Goldenkit (white tom with golden eyes) and Howlkit (black tom with golden eyes)
Foxtooth—bright ginger she-cat with black paws, mother of Oakfall's kits: Bristlekit (dark brown tabby tom with stormy blue eyes, Frostkit (solid silver she-cat with deep blue eyes), and Nightkit (dark gray she-cat with white front paws and a black face)
Shadowstep—long-haired black she-cat with amber eyes, mother of Grasspelt's kits: Tawnykit (white tom with a tortoiseshell tail) and Rainkit (blue-gray tabby she-cat with a white chest, belly, tail-tip, and paw)
ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired)
Dustflower—sandy brown she-cat
Tornclaw—solid brown tom with a split paw
NEEDLECLAN
LEADER Snakestar—tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes
DEPUTY Cloudstep—gray tom with white paws
MEDICINE CAT Elmstripe—brown tabby tom
WARRIORS(toms and she-cats without kits)
Flintfrost—dark brown she-cat
Bramblebloom—tortoiseshell she-cat
Apprentice, Mintpaw
Gorsefur—large gray tom
Hollyshade—dark tabby tom
Apprentice, Beepaw
Scorchclaw—dark ginger tom
APPRENTICES (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)
Mintpaw—pale gray she-cat
Beepaw—yellow tabby tom with a black muzzle and ears
QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)
Swallowshine—dark gray and white she-cat
ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired)
Pricklepelt—dusty brown long-haired tom
DEERCLAN
LEADER Acornstar—calico tom
DEPUTY Cherrynose—ginger and white she-cat
MEDICINE CAT Leafstorm—small pale ginger tom
Apprentice, Bugpaw
WARRIORS (toms and she-cats without kits)
Swiftstream—black and gray tom
Turtletuft—pale gray tabby tom
Apprentice, Cricketpaw
Thistleheart—tortoiseshell she-cat
Apprentice, Brackenpaw
Creamfur—pale tabby she-cat
APPRENTICES (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)
Cricketpaw—light brown tom
Brackenpaw—golden brown she-cat
QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)
Littlefern—pale brown tabby she-cat
ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired)
Squirrelpelt—dark brown tabby tom
Heatherfur—pale gray she-cat
Fate of the Celestial Souls
Book One: The Bond of Two Brothers
•Chapter One: Raining Kits•
"HELP! HELP! NEEDLECLAN IS INVADING!"
The shriek echoed loud and clear inside the PineClan camp, the sound bouncing around the enormous trees that sealed in the clearing. By now, almost all of the warriors ignored the panicked alarm, some occasionally twitching their whiskers or flicking their tails. They were used to it—as it happened about seven times a day.
"NEEDLECLAN HAS SWARMED THE CAMP!" shouted Tawnykit even louder, glaring down at his companions from a small stone by the entrance to the nursery. "We need good, strong warriors to defend PineClan!" the little white tom continued, his tortoiseshell tail sticking straight up in the air. "Who can I count on to join me in battle against our mouse-brained, fox-hearted, good for nothing, smellier than fresh dirt, lower than an adder, completely useless enemies and make them wish that they had never been kitted?!"
"You can count on me!" shouted Howlkit, his chest puffed out proudly.
"And me!" the black tom's sibling squeaked, his golden eyes gleaming.
"And me!" piped up Rainkit, her blue eyes shining with desperate hope and pleading.
"How many times do I have to tell you, Rainkit? You can't play with us!" Tawnykit sniffed, frowning. "Go play with the girls or something! This is a man thing," he snorted, standing a little taller.
"No fair!" The she-cat pouted, looking more disappointed than cross. Goldenkit felt a stab of pity for her-Tawnykit's sister always wanted to join in playing with them, but her brother and Howlkit turned her away every time. Goldenkit didn't exactly blame them for not wanting to play with her—she was bossy, and a bit of a stuck-up know-it-all, always chiding them about playing with their food or making a scornful comment about how they were tracking mud all through the nursery or badgering them about how to improve their hunting crouches, etc. Still, no matter how annoying she was, Goldenkit still felt a stab in his heart as if it were he who had been rejected.
"But they're playing too now! You made them, remember?!" she wailed, looking close to tears.
Ignoring her, Tawnykit continued.
"Howlkit of PineClan! Goldenkit of PineClan! And myself, Tawnystar of PineClan! We shall hereby do battle! For justice! For honor! For the clan!"
Leaping down from the stone, Tawnykit and his two best friends clumped together, battle positions ready, staring expectantly at the leafy fern that grew a few tail-lengths from the nursery.
They waited. And waited. And waited.
"Lower your tail, Howlkit," Rainkit muttered crossly, pouting. "An enemy warrior could grab it in his teeth easily."
Goldenkit's brother let out an indifferent snort, his taller form towering over his companions.
"Ahem," Tawnykit meowed louder. "For honor! For the clan!"
Silence once more, then:
"Oh—is that our cue?"
"I don't remember—why do we have to play this again?"
"Do you think they'll mind if we leave?"
"I don't care anymore, let's just go—"
"YES IT'S YOUR CUE NOW COME AND FIGHT US!" Tawnykit bellowed, breathing heavily. There was a long sigh, then the fronds trembled as two figures jumped out unenthusiastically. They were two she-cats, one black and the other a solid silver.
"There they are!" Howlkit hissed with a vicious intensity.
"ATTACK!"
Goldenkit couldn't suppress a smile—the thrill of a fight, even if it was just against his kit friends, sent his heart beating furiously, made his bones tremble with delight. Out of the corner of his eye, the tom saw his brother tackle Nightkit. How kind of him, Goldenkit thought with an internal smirk. That left Frostkit wide open for Tawnykit to—ever so delicately and gently—leap upon. Even from the distance of a few tail-lengths, Goldenkit could see the heat rising to his friend's face as he stood awkwardly over the pretty she-cat.
Deciding to let his friend handle Frostkit alone, Goldenkit turned to help his brother out (not that he really needed the help) when he stopped in his tracks. Turning around thoughtfully, the white tom spotted Rainkit's form in the shade of the fern, her head drooping, sadness radiating off of her in waves.
With a flying leap, Goldenkit slammed his small frame into hers and the two kits went rolling in a tangle of fur and limbs.
"Hey!" She protested indignantly, trying to pry the other kit off of her. "What was that for?"
"That was for honor!" Goldenkit squeaked proudly. "And for the clan! You think you can stop me, NeedleClan warrior?"
Rainkit's expression remained confused for a second, and then her face lit up with joy. "Alright, Goldenkit of PineClan! I hereby do battle with you!"
She leapt at him swiftly, and the tom was shocked by her speed. All of those times she critiqued his posture and battle moves—apparently she knew what she was talking about after all. It made sense, now that he thought about it...the she-cat always went and talked to the older cats and watched them when they didn't include her in their games. Maybe, in her own way, by pointing out what they were doing wrong all the time she was just trying to help them.
The two scuffled together, rolling and kicking and clawing and twisting. After a few minutes Rainkit had him pinned, both of their breath coming out in short gasps as they grinned, completely out of breath.
"Nice job!" Goldenkit panted with an amused smile. "You were so fast! That one move at the end where you unbalanced me with your hind legs was amazing! Do you think you could show me sometime?"
"Of course!" She beamed happily. "Pebblepaw taught it to me!"
"Well, well, well…" came a voice to their left. "Looks like this little scrappy she-cat has got you beaten, Goldenkit. Pathetic, but not surprising, I'll say."
The small white tom knew exactly who the voice belonged to and mentally let out a groan. Bristlekit, Frostkit and Nightkit's brother, emerged into sight, glaring at the pair with contempt and, worse of all, sympathy, as if he pitied them for not being as "naturally gifted at everything" as he.
"Your brother must be so embarrassed," the dark tabby tom continued with a flick of his tail, speaking in a low murmer so only Goldenkit and Rainkit could hear. "And I would be too—to think that Howlkit is so strong and powerful, while you're nothing more than a little scrap of snow."
Distress bubbled up inside Goldenkit—why did this cat have to be so arrogant and just plain mean? None of the older cats saw him being anything but skilled and delightful—he had tried to tell the others what a jerk he was, but Snowspots was the only one who believed him.
"The best reply is no reply," she would tell him gently. "Don't act like his words have reached you, or he will know he has won."
Heeding to his mother's advice, the kit remained silent, gently pushing Rainkit off of him so that he could sit up and wash himself nonchalantly, as if no one were throwing insults right in his face.
"Hey, leave us alone!" Rainkit hissed, her fur bristling as if he really were an attacking NeedleClan warrior. "You're nothing more than a coward!"
Bristlekit stiffened, claws unsheathing as he took a step towards her.
"What did you call me?"
"If you were really so 'gifted by StarClan', you would beat me in a fair right, " she growled, not backing down.
Goldenkit gaped at her—Rainkit was seriously challenging that brute? The tom was ruthless—he could shred her!
"You don't need to do this," the white tom murmured to her, eyes imploring. She cast a sideways glance at him, smiled in reassurance, then turned back to the larger tom with a glare.
"Fine," growled Bristlekit, stepping forwards. "I could take on anyone here, let alone a little weakling she-cat who—"
But that was all that he could manage to get out before she was sprinting at him, claws unsheathed. The tom quickly took up a fighting stance—only it was for offence. He should be trying to defend, thought Goldenkit with a mew of satisfaction. Bristlekit had surely been talking to Briarpaw again—the apprentice was always preaching that if you go on the defensive, it's like giving in to your enemy. A good offense is the best defense.
Right now that wasn't working out too well for Bristlekit—Rainkit had been charging at him, but right as he lunged towards her, she shifted to the side, flying past him easily. With a quick twist, she turned around and nipped his hind leg. Spitting furiously, the brown tabby reeled to claw her ears—but she was gone. Having moved to stand in front of him in the blink of an eye, she headbutted his chest, sending the tom off balance. As he flailed uselessly, the she-cat leaped upon him, pinning the other kit easily.
As Bristlekit sputtered indignantly, Goldenkit strode up casually, gazing down at him scornfully. "Well, well, well…" he meowed in a gruff voice. "Looks like this scrappy she-cat has got you beaten, Bristlekit. Pathetic, but not surprising, I'd say—"
"Enough!" The tabby spat, his eyes narrowed to slits. "Get off of me you disgusting flea bag! You cheated!"
"No, I didn't," Rainkit meowed calmly, stepping aside so that he could hastily get to his paws and begin to furiously groom his fluffed-up fur. "I used actual battle techniques that Pebblepaw and Batpaw showed me. While you all are playing NeedleClan attack, I'm actually learning so that I can be the best warrior ever as soon as possible," she sniffed. "You, on the other hand, haven't been taught anything, or asked anyone for help because you're too prideful. You talk about being a great fighter, but it's only partly about strength—there's also strategy."
"Whatever," the defeated kit mumbled, standing up angrily.
"Come on," Goldenkit mewed to the cat who had now earned a lot of respect from him. "Let's go see if Pebblepaw and Batpaw are around. Maybe they'll show us some more moves!"
She nodded and turned to leave with him, the muttering of Bristlekit still audible in the background.
"Stupid weaklings…stupid she-cat…no one likes her…she may have the skills to beat me, but…you don't!"
Alarm shooting through his veins, Goldenkit whipped around just in time to see Bristlekit lunging towards him, teeth bared, claws extended, ready to shred his small, delicate body.
It happened so fast that he couldn't dodge, Rainkit's gasp of shock ringing in his ears as he waited to be pulverized. Without warning there was a flash of fur as black as midnight, and suddenly a much larger figure than Bristlekit tackled the tabby tom. The pair rolled for a moment in a spitting, hissing frenzy.
Goldenkit's eyes lit up and a triumphant shout of joy erupted from his chest as he took in the scene—Howlkit had Bristlekit pinned, visciously growling in his face.
"Don't you ever make another move towards my brother again, or I'll rip your ears off!" The black-pelted kit hissed.
The tabby was silent for a moment before letting out an ear-shattering wail. "AAAAAAA! OW MY PAW! MAMA HELP! HOWLKIT ATTACKED ME!"
Immediately there was the patting sound of paws on roots as the adults finally took notice of them, three felines surrounding the kits instantly.
"Howlkit!" mewed a fluffy dark ginger she-cat sharply, grabbing Goldenkit's brother by the scruff and heaving him off Bristlekit.
"Howlkit attack me, mother!" Bristlekit sniffed, giving Howlkit a hurt glance.
The she-cat frowned at them all, sighing. "Alright. Someone tell me what happened."
Goldenkit, fury causing his short fur to stick up, was about to explain to Foxtooth what an absolute mouse-brain her son was being, but Bristlekit's trempling mew sounded first.
"I-I just wanted to play with the older cats, but they wouldn't let me join," he sniffed. "When I tried to join in, Howlkit lunged at me and I sprained my paw!" The tabby held up the limb delicately.
"That isn't true!" Rainkit interjected, and Goldenkit could feel his same anger in her. "Bristlekit attacked Goldenkit! Howlkit just wanted to protect his brother!"
Howlkit nodded solemnly, his yellow eyes bright, praying that Foxtooth would believe them.
"Bristlekit tried to attack Goldenkit?" Scoffed a brown and white tom, his green eyes disbelieving. "I doubt he could have done any damage! You boys are older than him—you're his role models. You were just playing, weren't you son?"
Bristlekit nodded sadly, giving his "hurt paw" a fragile lick.
"Howlkit's just trying to be protective of his brother," chimed in the third warrior, a brown tabby she-cat.
"You're just defending him because you're his aunt," the tom accused, his green eyes flaring.
"Oh, and you're not trying to defend your kin, Oakfall?" The she-cat shot back, and Goldenkit felt a surge of admiration for her, silently willing Owlfire to continue sticking up for them.
"Even if Bristlekit attacked them like they were enemy warriors, that's no reason for the older kits to strike him." Foxtooth murmured.
"What's going on here?" Sounded a new voice, and a wave of relief flooded Goldenkit's heart. Finally, someone who Foxtooth and Oakfall would listen to!
"Hello, Ambereyes," Oakfall greeted warily, as if he knew that the argument was lost. Quickly, Foxtooth began to explain both sides of the story to the dark tom.
While they were talking, Tawnykit, Nightkit, and Frostkit came bounding up to their denmates, worry and confusion in their eyes.
"Where have you guys been?" Howlkit hissed quietly, irritation in his voice.
Tawnykit blinked with confusion before explaining, "I chased Frostkit over to the other side of the Tall Pine. Nightkit joined us when you leaped off of her to go and play with Goldenkit. Since they weren't really much for the game, we were just talking about how much we wanted to be apprentices when Sandstripe heard us."
"He said if we wanted to be apprentices so badly, we could start acting like them now," Nightkit sighed. "That old grump made us clean out the elder's den!"
"We just got back—I don't know what's going on here, but whatever it is, it has to be better than shoveling out soiled old cat bedding!" Tawnykit meowed with disgust, wrinkling his nose.
"Let's agree to disagree on that one," Goldenkit sighed. "Bristlekit's up to his usual tricks again. Now he's got his parents convinced that Howlkit visciously pummeled him and twisted his paw."
Tawnykit let out a grunt, while Nightkit frowned deeply. "Man, how come I have to be related to that jerk?" she grumbled, angrily scraping her claws along the thick roots.
"I see," meowed Ambereyes as Foxtooth's explanation drew to a close. "You two take Bristlekit to the medicine den. I'll take care of punishing the rest of them."
The two warriors nodded, the she-cat gingerly picking her son up by the scruff as if he were just one moon old instead of four. The dark tabby stuck his tongue out at his denmates before vanishing from sight among the frenzy of thick roots.
"Come along, troublemakers," Ambereyes grumbled, and only his sons were able to detect the sarcasm in his voice. With a nod, Howlkit, Goldenkit, and Rainkit padded after the warrior, leaving the other three kits staring after them, blinking.
The camp was an uneven sprawl of roots so dense that the ground couldn't be seen at all. At the center was the Tall Pine, the largest tree in the whole forest. There were several gaps in the roots, holes that led down into a sort of burrow. These were the dens where the cats slept.
Leaf-fall was coming to a close, and Goldenkit shivered as a cold breeze swept through the clearing, his thin tail bristling. I hate the cold. Why couldn't the clan have been located in a nice, sunny place where it was warm every season?
The one thing about the change of season that the tom was looking forward to was the snow—from what the older cats described, it was a bit of a nuisance, but beautiful. He wouldn't have to worry about his pelt standing out, either.
Ambereyes let the kits over the twisting roots. Briarpaw was boasting loudly to Batpaw about how he had caught the biggest squirrel in the forest, while Sedgeleaf and Sandstipe shared tongues at the base of the Tall Pine, just outside of where the medicine den lay. Inside, Breezetail and Robinflight were conversing quietly, their faces grave. Goldenkit considered the pair thoughtfully as they passed—the two she-cats were sisters, each having earned a high rank in the clan. Maybe me and Howlkit will be like that someday!
The camp was enclosed by thick walls of thin pine branches stacked together, the sharp needles protecting them from any outside threats. Suddenly the entrance tunnel quivered and Grasspelt's patrol slithered through, consisting of just him and Sunpetal. The two cats carried only a thin mouse each, their heads hanging with hunger as they padded over to drop the morsels in the fresh kill-pile. Ambereyes and his fellow warriors exchanged nods as they passed.
With a jolt, Goldenkit realized that they were following his father towards where Grasspelt and Sunwhisker had just emerged—the camp entrance!
Just as the question was forming on his lips, he was interrupted by Hawkstar.
"Ambereyes! Where are you taking these young cats? Surely not out of camp?" The old tom questioned, brows raised.
"They've been quite the nuisance here," the dark tabby reported sternly, though Goldenkit could see his whiskers twitching. "I'm taking them out for a bit of punishment. Trust me—I've got something planned."
"Just keep them close," Hawkstar grunted before turning and padding away towards the medicine den. He's probably heading to speak to Breezetail and Robinflight. What's the big deal around here? What is it that they're hiding?
Goldenkit was jostled from his thoughts as the group padded to the small tunnel. The tom could feel excitement radiating from his brother's pelt as the larger cat kneaded the ground eagerly. Rainkit seemed more worried, probably thinking that Ambereyes was actually upset with them. But Goldenkit knew his father better than that.
They followed the warrior, who had to crouch low to the ground to fit his enormous body through the tiny gap, which was made so small for the purpose of keeping other larger creatures out, like coyotes and raccoons and foxes. For the kits it was the perfect size, and they trotted forward with excitement. Ambereyes's haunches lifted and they emerged, light filtering in through the leafy trees above and temporarily blinding Goldenkit.
The small kit blinked slowly, overcome by the surge of new smells that flooded his senses. He took note of his surroundings slowly, one thing at a time—the uneven, arching ground; moss littering the forest floor and climbing up the base of enormous tree trunks that disappeared into the canopy overhead; birds screeching, the sound of flapping as a flock took flight somewhere to their left; the distant chattering of squirrels far overhead; a chilling breeze that carried the smell of sap and dry bark; the lack of foliage on the ground, nothing to hide them except trees.
"Woah! It's so dark out here!" Rainkit remarked with a squeak, echoing Goldenkit's thoughts—in their clearing the sun shone down in bright, warming rays. Here the tall, needle-covered trees blocked out most of the light and warmth.
"It is indeed," Ambereyes agreed with a smile, studying their faces with excitement, as though he were experiencing his first time out of camp again through them. "You get used to it, though. There's not many bushes or other things we can hide in, so you must learn to stalk your prey in absolute stillness and silence." Turning to Goldenkit with a sympathetic smile, he murmured, "You're going to have some difficulty bringing in prey with that bright pelt."
Goldenkit frowned, suddenly self-consious. Why couldn't he be more like his cool father? Howlkit was born in Ambereyes's image exactly—the same broad shoulders, dark pelt, short tail.
"Don't worry," his father breathed warmly, sensing his thoughts. With a wink, he chuckled, "Somehow your mother manages."
Giggling, Goldenkit padded up to his brother, who was curiously sniffing at some moss.
"It's amazing out here!" The little feline breathed.
"Someday we're going to be running through these woods as warriors," Howlkit grinned, flicking his littermate with his tail. "We're going to be the best PineClan cats ever!"
"If you're lucky I may even make you my deputy," Goldenkit teased, his haunches wiggling excitedly.
"As if!" Howlkit mewed with a grin. "You'll have a hard time being my deputy now after a remark like that! All hail the great Howlstar!"
"Goldenstar sounds way better! What am I supposed to imagine hearing Howlstar? A bunch of wolves howling at the night sky?"
"No, mouse-brain, you'll imagine me being strong and cool and powerful!"
The dark tom raked his tiny claws across the moss as if to emphasize his point.
"Hey, now, don't go destroying what we've come here for!" Ambereyes meowed, trotting up to his sons, followed by Rainkit, who couldn't seem to take her eyes off of the faraway canopy overhead.
"What?" Goldenkit asked, tilting his head.
"The moss! We're going to be bringing some back to the medicine den—it'll be all dried up soon enough with leaf-bare on its way.
Nodding, the kits, led by Ambereyes, scraped off a mouthful of vegetation in their jaws and slipped back through the prickly tunnel, back into the light and warmth of the camp.
Goldenkit puffed out his chest proudly, glancing around, hoping that many cats were in the clearing so that they could see him being of use to the clan for once. Soon I'll be helping my clan all day long when I'm an apprentice!
Breezetail spotted them before they even neared the medicine den at the base of the Tall Pine. "What a big help! Thank you so much, little ones!" she breathed gratefully, nodding to Ambereyes. She's treating us like stupid kits, Goldenkit noted warily. He followed Howlkit into the hollowed part of the tree, dropping his burden into the crevice in the wood that Breezetail instructed them to place it.
"You went out to the forest?" came an incredulous and indignant voice. Goldenkit turned around, oozing with satisfaction before he even spotted Bristlekit's shocked face, his body curled up in a makeshift nest.
"Ambereyes took us out to serve a horrible punishment for using out superior power to accidentally maim you. So sorry about that," Howlkit smirked.
"Justice is always served to those who wrong others," Rainkit mewed, only the kits understanding how she really meant those words.
"My paw's fine! See! Fine! Can I go collect moss now, too?" Bristlekit cried to Breezetail, impatiently stomping the ground with his injured limb as if to prove his point.
"Oh really?" the medicine cat mewed, her whiskers twitching with amusement. "What a speedy recovery—just minutes ago you were fearing that you would be limping for life. I think you better stay awhile and rest, just in case."
The dark tabby gaped at her, fury in his icy eyes as he shot a searing look at the other kits. "I'll shred you when I'm out of here," he warned, voice low enough that only his denmates could hear.
"That's going to be a bit hard, seeing as you could be 'limping for life'," Rainkit giggled.
Suddenly a nose poked inside the den, followed by a black head, bright green eyes shining. "Hey, dudes!" Batpaw greeted with a grin. "Mind if I borrow Howlkit and Goldenkit for a moment? Me and Briarpaw kind of have a bet going on."
"They're all done in here," Breezetail mewed with a soft smile. "Thanks for the help, you two."
"Keep whatever you're doing reasonable!" Ambereyes called as the slender she-cat beckoned the littermates out with a flick of her tail.
"So Briarpaw, as I'm sure you're aware, thinks he's the toughest cat in the whole forest," she explained, leading them over the twisting roots. "I said he's got a head bigger than the Tall Pine, and that kits could scale it to the leader's den faster than he could."
"But…we haven't ever climbed trees before," Goldenkit murmured quietly, not wanting to disappoint the pretty older cat.
"That's the whole point!" she beamed. "Don't worry—I'm pretty sure a snail could beat Briarpaw. Anyways, whichever one of us if right will get to sleep in peacefully tomorrow morning and the loser has to go on dawn patrol with grumpy butt Sandstripe and prissy whiskers Oakfall. Between you and me I'd rather go on dawn patrol fifty times in a row with anyone else than once with them," she winked.
Goldenkit giggled, eyes staring admiringly at her.
"There you are!" Briarpaw mewed hotly, his bright ginger and brown patches glowing in the fading light. "I thought they might have chickened out."
"Why did you pick us?" Howlkit mewed bluntly.
"The other kits are too young, duh," Briarpaw scoffed.
Batpaw kicked him with her hind legs. "Nah, it's because you guys are tough!" she beamed, and Goldenkit felt his fur grow warm.
"Which of you scraps wants to try your luck against me?" Briarpaw snorted, tail-tip twitching impatiently.
Goldenkit exchanged a glance with his brother. He wanted to impress Batpaw, but if he lost then she would have to suffer because of him…plus Howlkit was way bigger, giving him an advantage…
They silently communicated, and, nodding, Howlkit stepped forward, chest puffed out. "I'll go."
"Whatever," Briarpaw grunted.
"Brilliant!" Batpaw grinned. "You just have to make it up to the branch that pokes out from underneath the leader's den, alright? On your marks…get set…go!"
Both toms, about equal in size, took off, claws unsheathing as they leaped onto the bark. Heart lurching, Goldenkit watched as Howlkit landed unsteadily, his hind legs flailing, trying to get a good hold. Meanwhile, Briarpaw had landed smoothly, his eyes shining with triumph. No! He's going to win!
The apprentice remained frozen in place for a moment, teeth grinding, carefully lifting a paw up and gripping the bark above him. Hope flared in the kit once more—Briarpaw was too scared of heights to go very fast, no matter how good he was at climbing. At this rate Howlkit might stand a chance!
His brother had finally managed to dig his back claws into nooks in the wood, slowly propelling himself upwards. They inched along, speed increasing as their confidence rose. Normally someone would have noticed them and objected by now, but with so few warriors, the camp was usually mostly barren, as the adults were patrolling constantly. Tawnykit, Frostkit, and Nightkit were nowhere to be spotted either—perhaps they were gloating to Bristlekit, who was now confined to a nest in the medicine den for a while.
They were now around midway up the massive trunk, Briarpaw in the lead, but only slightly.
"Go, Howlkit!" Batpaw cheered loudly, her green eyes gleaming. Goldenkit took his eyes off of the race for a moment to study her eager face, his heart fluttering in his chest.
The white tom let out an encouraging shout of his own as Howlkit began to pass Briarpaw, the apprentice spitting in rage.
Suddenly, Goldenkit's breath drained from him in a small, barely audible gasp. If he had not been looking at the exact right spot, he would not have seen it—Briarpaw shifting his weight to the side, ramming into Howlkit. His brother's hind legs became detatched from the wood once more. The black tom swung there for a moment, dangling. Then, in one heart-stopping moment, lost his grip, his body plummeting down to the base of the Tall Pine, right in front of him and Batpaw.
Goldenkit barely heard the gasp of the she-cat as they both surged forward and loomed over his brother's motionless body, gazing down at his form in disbelief.
"H-Howlkit? Howlkit!" he wailed, pawing tentatively at his flank at first, then prodding him harder and harder, begging him to say something. Distantly, he heard someone, probably Batpaw, screaming for Breezetail. The presence of other cats suddenly made his pelt tingle, bodies clamoring around him and his brother, trying to make sense of what was happening.
Everything snapped back into place as he was shoved aside by Breezetail, who bent her head low over Howlkit, feeling for his breath and hearing for his heartbeat. A patrol had just returned, and Sedgeleaf, Oakfall, Shadowstep leaned in anxiously around them, fear for the kit making their pelts bristle. A brown tabby she-cat shouldered others aside, peering anxiously over the medicine cat's shoulder, horror twisting her face as she identified who had been injured.
"Where's Goldenkit?" She meowed in alarm, craning her neck over the crowd as Sunwhisker, Sandstripe, and Foxtooth now arrived too.
"I'm here, Owlfire! I'm okay!' he called, trembling with terror. In an instant the she-cat was looming over him, her tongue licking furiously between his ears. "Thank StarClan that both of you weren't hurt! What on earth happened here?"
Goldenkit was shaking too much to speak, and luckily he didn't have to answer her, because just then the two cats that he couldn't have been happier to see arrived—Ambereyes and Snowspots. His heart beat fast, silently begging for them to cure Howlkit, to see if he was okay. Their faces tensed with alarm, weaving through the crows to that they could peer over their son.
"Move it everyone!" Breezetail bellowed, irritation pricking her voice. "He will be fine, but I need help carrying him back to the medicine den!"
Instantly Sandstripe, Ambereyes, Grasspelt, and Batpaw volunteered, gently rising with his brother. Thankfully the medicine den was only a few tail-lengths away, and shortly Howlkit was settled in a nice, warm nest.
"What's going on? What's happening?" Bristlekit called loudly, craning his neck from the adjacent nest to get a look at his new temporary denmate.
Goldenkit was about to hiss a stinging reply, but someone beat him to it.
"Shut your nosey food hole, Bristlebutt!" Tawnykit snapped, stepping in beside Goldenkit, eyes filled with concern. "We were helping Pebblepaw change the bedding in the apprentice's den, since we'll be in there pretty soon," he explained, voice tight, obviously eager for an explanation of what had happened but wouldn't dare ask now that he had just shouted at Bristlekit for the same thing.
"He'll be okay," Breezetail repeated in a soothing voice. "He just hit his head, knocking him out, but he'll recover from it shortly. He also sprained his hind left paw, but that will heal on it's own in a few days, he'll just have to spend a bit of time in here until it's better."
"Thank StarClan it wasn't more serious," Snowspots breathed, moving forward to curl around her injured son.
"What on earth happened? Why was he climbing the tree in the first place?" Ambereyes mewed, his voice low with worry and anger.
Goldenkit hesitated. He didn't want to get Batpaw into trouble…
"It was me and Briarpaw's fault," the she-cat herself suddenly mewed, stepping forward. He was racing Howlkit to the top when he slipped." She dipped her head, tail drooping with shame. "It won't happen again."
"I should hope not!" Foxtooth snarled, wrapping Tawnykit protectively in her bushy tail before whisking him away.
Ambereyes looked to Snowspots, as if asking her to do something. Slowly, his mother lifted her head and stared at Batpaw. After a long moment, she replied, "While this was reckless, Batpaw has suffered enough in her worry for Howlkit. She has learned her lesson."
"It's not Batpaw's fault at all!" Goldenkit spoke up, finally having found his voice again. "She had nothing to do with it! Briarpaw pushed Howlkit out from the tree!"
An eerie silence followed his words, everyone staring at him in shock. Even Batpaw, whom must not have seen it happen.
"That's nonsense!" spat a voice from behind him, and Goldenkit turned with a gulp to face Briarpaw. "I tried to save him! He probably would have broken his neck if I hadn't attempted to break his fall by grabbing him when I noticed he was slipping."
Goldenkit gaped at the apprentice. Seriously? Like the Dark Forest you tried to save him!"
"Did anyone else see this?" Ambereyes asked warily.
Goldenkit's eyes shot to Batpaw, but his heart sunk as she shook her head slowly. "I'm sorry, I was looking away," she mumbled guiltily.
"Then we mustn't come to any conclusions. Let's just wait until Howlkit wakes up. Until then, though, he needs rest," Breezetail ordered sharply. "Clear out, everyone."
Tail drooping, Goldenkit padded out of the den, his mind swimming with the events that had just unfurled. "I need some time to think," he murmured to himself, padding tiredly to the dirtplace tunnel. He could find some peace out there, away from the others…
He had made halfway through the tunnel when a heavy weight slammed onto his tail, causing him to fall forwards and land face-first in mud. The pressure lifted and then dropped to his back, pushing his small frame in deeper.
"Listen here, worm," Briarpaw hissed in his ear, claws extending from his paw lightly, brushing threateningly over his shoulderblades. "Try a stunt like that again and it'll be you that falls. Only they won't take you to the medicine den…you'll be going to StarClan!"