Sparrowkit scuffed his paws impatiently. "Come on!" What was taking Littlekit so long? As he spoke, however, the tiny brown and white kit came padding out of dirt-place. "Coming," he mewed pleasantly.
"Are you playing or what?" called Finchkit from the riverbed. His sister, Ivykit, hung behind nervously, unsure as to wether or not she was welcome to the game.
"Yeah, yeah, we're coming," called Sparrowkit back, glancing down at his golden paws. They shone in the bright light distractingly, but he was thankful for his oily fur and sleek pelt. They were they signs of a good swimmer, Coalstar, his father always said. Marigoldpelt said nothing, just smiled fondly.
Sparrowkit twitched his ears and glanced at the small pool the kits had spent moons making. Now they were almost apprentice age—well, four moons—so they were determined to use their little lake whenever they got the chance.
It was big enough for about four kits, and filled with mucky water they had squeezed into the crevice with moss balls. Sparrowkit paused at the water's edge and bent down as if he meant to drink it, then used his mind to splash some on Finchkit.
"Hey!" he yowled indignantly, then stared reproachfully at Sparrowkit. "How'd you do that? I didn't even see your paw move! You must be really fast!" Sparrowkit frowned. Every other cat can do what I do, right? Finchkit must just be confused.
Finchkit gave him a great shove, and he fell into the water with an enourmous splash, splattering water everywhere.
"Sparrowkit!"
"It wasn't me," he wailed, gliding out of the water and shaking it out of his fur, helping it with his mind.
Graypaw stared in dismay at the wet feathers that had fallen from her mouth. "Sparrowkit! I spent forever collecting that! Foxheart'll shred me!"
"If Smallclaw doesn't shred you first," teased Nettlepaw as he passed her, carrying a shrew.
Graypaw swiped at him and stared moodily at the sopping feathers. "What am I gonna do?" she wailed.
"Just dry them," Sparrowkit said, bewildered.
"With what? My paws?"
No, thought Sparrowkit. Your mind.
"Don't worry," Leaffall reassured her daughter as she passed by carrying a trout. "Foxheart will understand. And Smallclaw's mad at everyone all the time anyway." She dropped her prey on the pile and disappeared into the warrior den, tortoiseshell tail swishing behind her. Oakheart stuck his head out of the medicine cat den and snatched the trout off the pile and disappeared again behind the swishing bracken.
Graypaw looked around desperately. "Lionpaw! Hey, Lionpaw!" She bounded across the clearing to her littermate, who was carrying some feathers of his own.
Sparrowkit stared at the desolate pile of feathers. Why didn't she just dry them? Riverclan cats can, right?
He stared at the feathers, concentrating. He didn't even notice he was doing it until it was done.
Graypaw bounded back up, carrying a few limp feathers in her jaws. She skidded to a stop next to the now-dry feathers and stared at them.
She looked back up at Sparrowkit.
He shrugged and dashed off, tiny heart beating fast in his ribcage. Finchkit called to him but Sparrowkit ignored him and kept going 'till he reached the nursery. He ducked inside, ignoring Marigoldpelts glance of surprise.
He curled next to her, enjoying her warmth and the feeling of safety. He let his thoughts wander to the pool. He had always been able to do it. Little things. He had always assumed that the others could too. It had never been odd. He had never really asked about it.
"Marigoldpelt?"
She looked at him fondly. "Yes?"
"Can Riverclan cats control the water?"
She blinked at him in shock. "No, no. None of the clans have powers like that. Not even Starclan. Why do you ask?"
Sparrowkit gulped. "Um, Tornear was just telling a story... that's all."
Marigoldpelt snorted. "Elders, filling a kit's head with crazy ideas. Controlling water...! Imagine what that would be like."
I don't have to imagine. I'm different.
I don't think I want to be different.
Do I want to be different?
He didn't know. He didn't know, he didn't know, he didn't know. He stared at his golden paws. Sparrowpaw. Not bad. Sparrowstar.
Safe.
Sparrowstar, Sparrowstar, Sparrowpaw.
Safe.