Roots of the Forest

Chapter 2

"Badgerkit."

There was something prodding her side. She tried to shift away but the voice became more persistent.

"Badgerkit, wake up!"

Slowly the she-kit's eyes blinked open and were met by her sister's impatient amber gaze. Nightkit's paw was raised, as if she were about to prod her again.

"What is it?" she asked, sleepily, at that moment wanting nothing more than to curl up once again into her mother's soft white fur and drift back to sleep but immediately discovered that the nest was cold and empty. Swanheart had already left.

"I'm bored," the black she-kit mewed, changing positions so her chin rested against the ground and her haunches wiggled in the air. "Let's play!"

She pounced, landing squarely on her sister's back and grasping Badgerkit's ear between her teeth. Startled, but now fully awake, Badgerkit was all too happy to join in. She twisted her neck, batting at Nightkit's soft black belly with sheathed claws. The two rolled out of the nest and directly into Birdwing, who was curled up asleep with Poppykit and Redkit.

"Oof!" Nightkit exclaimed as she collided with the brown and white queen, almost falling onto the two younger kits. The queen was awake in an instant.

"Nighktit!" she hissed, "Badgerkit! What are you doing?"

"Sorry, Birdwing," Nightkit apologised fervently, "we were just playing."

Birdwing sighed. "Well then go play outside, StarClan knows you two are getting too big for the nursery."

"We'll be warriors soon!" Badgerkit told her proudly, puffing out her chest.

"Warriors? Really?" Redkit's voice was filled with amazement as he tried to clamber over his mother. Poppykit's amber eyes were also wide with awe as she stared at her two denmates.

"Really," Nightkit confirmed, coming to stand beside her littermate.

"Apprentices first," Birdwing reminded them gently, "don't go getting too far ahead of yourselves. There's lots of training to be done before you can become a great warrior."

"And I'm going to be the best apprentice ever!" Badgerkit informed her. "I caught a moth yesterday."

It had been a big moth too, bigger than her whole paw. She had hidden it in a corner of the nest so that she could show Swanheart but it appeared the snow-coloured queen had already left the nursery. Through the entrance of the bramble thicket, Badgerkit could just make out the sun rising over the tops of the trees. Her mother was probably on the dawn patrol.

Following Badgerkit's gaze, Birdwing recognised the kit's thoughts.

"Swanheart will be back soon," she meowed sympathetically, "and I'm sure she's caught a nice juicy mouse just for the two of you."

The prospect of fresh-kill cheered Badgerkit up immensely and she turned to Nightkit, swiping lightly at her sister's shoulder.

"Come on," she urged, "let's go play outside."

"Can we come too?" Redkit asked, padding over, Poppykit right behind him. The dark red she-kit looked over her shoulder to where Birdflight had begun grooming herself.

"Yes, can we, Birdwing?" she meowed.

"Go ahead," the gentle queen purred, flicking her tail in a friendly manner, "it'll be nice to have a bit of peace. Go have fun."

With Birdwing's approval the four kits bounded out of the nursery and into the clearing.

"Right," Nightkit announced once they were outside the bramble thicket. She turned to Poppykit and Redkit. "You two can be ShadowClan and Badgerkit and I will be ThunderClan. You're trying to invade the camp."

"But Nightkit!" Poppykit complained. "You're always ThunderClan!"

They were always ThunderClan, Badgerkit admitted to herself. But ThunderClan was the best! Who wanted to be ShadowClan? Not her, certainly. Then again, it was a bit unfair how Redkit and Poppykit always ended up playing the frog-eaters…

"Fine," the elder litter conceded, "you can be ThunderClan."

"Just this once, though," Nightkit was quick to add.

They played until sunhigh, running and tumbling about, as kits are prone to do, and generally making a nuisance of themselves around camp.

"Take that, Rainstar!" Redkit yowled, barrelling headfirst into Badgerkit and knocking her off her feet. Despite being a moon younger, Redkit was already bigger than both Badgerkit and Nightkit and it was clear to the young black and white feline that he would grow up to be a massive warrior. Despite her inferior size however, she fought back fiercely, eventually rolling the reddish brown tom onto his back and planting her paws on his pale belly.

"You'll never defeat me, Shadestar!" she exclaimed triumphantly just as Poppykit crashed into her from the side.

"ShadowClan will never win!"

"Surrender, Rainstar!"

"I'll save you, Rainstar!" Nightkit hurled herself into the fray.

"Has ShadowClan invaded the camp yet?" a familiar voice asked, halting the kit's game. Badgerkit turned to see the thick-furred white she-cat standing only a little ways away, a slender silver tabby beside her.

"Swanheart!" Nightkit purred.

"Hello," their mother greeted, rasping a tongue over the black she-kit's ear. She glanced at the four kits. "I hope you haven't been disturbing anyone."

Longnose, who had been walking past carrying a vole, stopped and snorted.

"They've been causing a ruckus around camp. It would have been quieter if ShadowClan really had invaded." He looked over at Badgerkit and Nightkit. "It'll be a good day when those two are finally made apprentices."

"Kits will be kits," Streamfoot purred from where she stood beside Swanheart. Longnose just shook his head and continued crossing the clearing until he reached Roanfur and Weedwhisker, whom he lay down beside. From the corner of her eye, Badgerkit noticed for the first time the grey hairs that tinged the deputy's muzzle.

Swanheart opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by a call from the Highrock.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting!" Shadestar's voice sounded through the camp. Immediately all the cats rose to their feet or emerged from their dens to answer their leader's call. With keen blue eyes Badgerkit noticed Blackfur and his apprentice Tawnypaw slipping through the entrance to sit by the Highrock, Birdwing emerging from the nursery whilst urging Redkit and Poppykit back inside and then Clovertail emerging from the medicine cat's den to sit beside her near-identical sister, Larksong. Swanheart and Streamfoot also began to make their way towards the Highrock.

"Come on," Badgerkit nudged Nightkit, "we're almost apprentices. We can join in too."

The black she-kit's expression of doubt changed to one of determination and, together, the sisters followed the other warriors. They pushed through the throng, looking for a space before finding one next to their old denmate, Sweetpaw, who was sitting with her mentor, Larksong. She shot them a curious glance as they sat down.

"I caught a moth," Badgerkit meowed as way of explanation. The golden apprentice giggled.

"Not exactly prey, though, is it?"

"It's close enough," the black and white kit responded before turning her attention to Shadestar who stood tall and proud on the Highrock. She wondered what the meeting was about but then noticed Mumblepaw and his mentor, Dustcloud, standing together proudly. Was she about to witness a warrior ceremony?

Shadestar leapt down from the Highrock.

"I have a very special duty to carry out today," he revealed to the clan before looking over at Dustcloud and Mumblepaw. "Dustcloud, do you believe it is time for your apprentice to become a warrior?"

"He has trained hard and well," the dark grey she-cat rumbled, "he is ready. ThunderClan will benefit greatly from him," she added and, if it were possible, Mumblepaw raised his head even higher. Badgerkit was impressed, it was a well-known fact in the clan that Dustcloud did not dish out praise lightly.

"Then step forward, Mumblepaw." The apprentice did so and Badgerkit held her breath in anticipation. Beside her she could feel Nightkit trembling with excitement. "I, Shadestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in turn. Mumblepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do."

"Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Mumblepaw, from this moment you shall be known as Mumblefoot. StarClan honours your determination and your energy and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

"Mumblefoot! Mumblefoot!" Badgerkit joined in, cheering as loud as the rest of the clan and eagerly awaiting the day when she and Nightkit would be standing together in Mumblefoot's place as the clan shouted their warrior names to skies.