Chapter 2 – New Addition
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Rockledge for a Clan meeting!" Lightstar's call rang out over the LightningClan camp. Wildkit emerged sleepily from the sheltered cave that was the nursery closely followed by her sisters, Fawnkit and Ivykit.
"What now?" Ivykit grumbled.
"I think we are getting a new deputy" commented Fawnkit.
"Don't be silly, we have Smokebreeze!" Wildkit exclaimed.
"I thought he was retiring!" was the reply.
Their conversation was silenced by Pinebranch, their mother. Wildkit turned her attention to Lightstar who was perched on the Rockledge that overhung the nursery.
"This is a sad day for the clan. Our beloved deputy Smokebreeze is retiring and before midnight tonight, I will appoint another deputy."
"Told you so," hissed Fawnkit but was silenced once again by a flick of her mother's tail.
Lightstar continued once the clan had absorbed this news. "I will let Smokebreeze speak a few words and by tomorrow he will have joined the elders in our clan." She signalled to a pale grey tom that was waiting at the base of the rock and stood aside to let him stand in front of her.
"You know that I have served LightningClan for many moons but age is catching up with me. I have decided after a lot of thought that it is best that I step aside for the younger cats. I hope that I have made a good decision in the long term and that I might find new ways to serve the clan."
His speech was greeted by sympathetic and understanding mews. A few of the younger cats looked at each other excitedly, each wanting to be chosen.
"Who do you think will be the new deputy?" asked Ivykit excitedly.
"I bet a moon of dawn patrols that it will be Navysky!" Fawnkit replied.
Amused Wildkit gave her opinion, "I would say Forestpath but considering you know everything I think Fawnkit's right."
"Where do you get all that information?" Ivykit mewed, puzzled.
"I was in the nursery yesterday listening to Sloefur tell a story when Smokebreeze came in to discuss about him retiring. He also said that he thought Navysky would be a good replacement." Before Fawnkit could say anymore she vanished under her sisters.
"You little listener," cried Ivykit.
"It was a good idea, no way am I betting against you again," Wildkit mewed. Fawnkit retreated to the fresh kill pile and crouched behind it closely followed by her pursuers.
"Unfair, it's two versus one!" she meowed in protest.
Peachpaw and her brother, Emberpaw looked on in amusement as they watched the fresh kill flying.
"Hey watch out, stop it, or else there won't be any fresh kill left," meowed Milkfoot, narrowly missing a flying piece of prey. She narrowed her eyes at the three kits sitting guiltily in front of her. "You need to get out of camp to use up some of that energy. If you're good I'll talk to Pinebranch about it," she promised.
The three kits quivered with excitement.
"Do you think she really meant that we would be let out of camp? Isn't it against the warrior code?" Wildkit was excited but cautious at the same time.
"Don't think so. As long as someone is watching us," Fawnkit mewed.
"I wouldn't get your hopes up," Ivykit mewed slyly.
"Why?" replied Fawnkit and Wildkit at the same time.
"Because we'll be apprentices before they get around to letting us out of the camp. Only a little while now!" her mew was excited and eager. Exchanging glances, Wildkit say the same thought running through her sisters' mind. Glancing at Ivykit's still excited face, she leapt, bowling her over.
"Get off!" Ivykit growled, playfully. Just as they managed to stand up again a cannonball of white and grey balled into her as Fawnkit joined the fray. The three kits fell into one muddled heap. Wildkit shook a leaf from her fur and purred.
"Let's go and see the elders. They could tell us a story," Fawnkit mewed excitedly.
"Are you obsessed with the elders," Ivykit mewed, annoyed.
"Let's practise hunting," Wildkit meowed, hoping to make peace. Then, realising what she had just said she quickly sidestepped Ivykit's leap.
"That's not allowed," Ivykit complained as she landed heavily next to Wildkit.
"Who said?" taunted Wildkit. Without another word the two kits leapt at each other bundling each other over. Wildkit tried to swipe at Ivykit's paws to unbalance her. Ivykit jumped out of the way and put her hindpaws down to trap Wildkit. Thinking quickly Wildkit rolled over bringing her sister with her. In a few seconds the situation was reversed and Wildkit was now on top her sister.
"Good fighting," Lightstar's mew startled the kits. They gathered themselves up and Wildkit hastily tried to lick her fur.
"It is about time you were made apprentices," she mewed thoughtfully. "How old are you?"
It was Fawnkit who answered, "Five moons, almost six. We'll be old enough in a couple of days!"
Looking at her sister in disbelief Wildkit mewed surprised, "How do you know?"
Fawnkit shuffled her paws nervously. "Well it's almost the end of summer and we were born at the beginning of spring."
"Very clever, you will make a fantastic warrior one day." Casting her gaze at Ivykit and Wildkit she added, "All of you!"
As she padded away Ivykit mewed amazed, "Did that just happen?" Wildkit shrugged but pride was surging through her. Her leader had just said that she would be a fantastic warrior. She knew they had actually been born at the end of winter. She could still remember the cold winds. They had been born earlier than the expected time of early spring. This had caused a delay beyond the six moon apprenticeship as they until they were strong enough.
Fawnkit and Ivykit had started play fighting again so Wildkit sat down and watched thinking deeply. As she was thinking she heard a warning yowl and looked up to see what it was. Pebbledance, Ripplewave, Forestpath and Nettlepaw had arrived back from patrol. Ripplewave was carrying a pale grey kit in her mouth. Her eyes were worried as she set down the kit in the middle of the clearing. His ears flickered nervously as he saw all the cats appearing from the dens. Ripplewave flicked her tail comfortingly across his ears. Her belly was big and low to the ground and she was due to move to the nursery very soon.
Lightstar padded up to Forestpath at the head of the patrol. "What is going on here?" she asked him curiously.
"We found this kit wandering towards our camp. He wanted to talk to you," he replied.
With a shock Wildkit realised that this fluffy kit was about the same age as her, older even.
Still looking nervous, the kit stepped forward.
"My name is Pouncekit, I never knew my mother. She was a rogue who died giving birth to me. My father took me in and looked after me," he mewed cautiously.
Lightstar questioned him further, "Who is your father?"
Pouncekit looked at his feet, "Reedstar of RainClan. One of the queens there looked after me. I was going to be an apprentice soon but I hated the looks all the other cats gave me. It was like I was something bad..." His voice trailed off and he looked up with worried eyes. There were muffled gasps around the camp as the news hit them. This was the kit of the RainClan LEADER!
"Go on," Ripplewave murmured, "Tell Lightstar what you told us."
"I didn't want to belong in a Clan where no one liked me. So I came here in case you would let me join your Clan. RainClan thought that ThunderClan had stolen me and went that way. They didn't think about LightningClan."
There was silence all around. Looking at Ivykit she could see her shock mirrored in her eyes. Fawnkit looked anxiously at Pouncekit.
Forestpath finished of his report, "So we brought him here, so you could decide what to do."
Nettlepaw looked anxiously at Pebbledance, her mentor. "You promised."
"Of course, Lightstar, Nettlepaw picked up Pouncekit's sent while on the patrol. She was due an assessment soon and I think that finding Pouncekit proved that she is ready to be a warrior," she mewed, and then flicked her tail at Nettlepaw, "There."
Lightstar nodded understandingly, "Of course, I think so to. Our Clan is growing quickly. I'll watch her hunt tomorrow or this afternoon and if all goes well the ceremony will go ahead. As for Pouncekit...." she paused, "I think that there is a place for you in the Clan. That is if you want it of course."
Pouncekit looked up relieved, "Yes please."
"Then it's settled. Pebbledance, Nettlepaw, you have a patrol to finish. Ripplewave, you should rest and you Forestpath."
Flicking her tail to Pebbledance and Nettlepaw she stalked of camp. After the excitement was over Pouncekit looked puzzled and nervous again. Fawnkit, Wildkit and Ivykit bounded over to him.
"Hi," Fawnkit mewed, nervously. Wildkit flicked her ears in a friendly greeting. She was surprised her sister was so kind to this new kit.
"Umm, hi," Pouncekit mewed nervously. "What are your names?"
"I'm Fawnkit, these are my sisters, Ivykit and Wildkit," Fawnkit meowed, cheerily. Looking more relaxed Pouncekit purred back.
Wildkit looked at Fawnkit; she was staring at Pouncekit in a strange way. Hissing in frustration Wildkit suggested her idea. "Why don't we show you around the camp?" Ivykit jumped at this idea. "Yeah come on, Race you!"
She raced away towards the warriors den across the clearing. Fawnkit shook her head and bounded after, closely followed by Pouncekit and Wildkit. Ivykit paused just outside the entrance and peeked in.
"Quiet, this is the warriors den where all the warriors sleep. Just over here," she bounded over to a hollow log, "Is the elders den."
"The apprentices sleep in those bushes over there and the medicine cats have their den beneath those rocks," Wildkit mewed, trying not to be outdone.
Fawnkit added her part to, "The leaders den is in a rabbit burrow over there," she meowed, flicking her tail to some bushes on the edge of the hill. "Lightstar makes her announcements from that ledge just inside that cave. Further in is the nursery."
"It is a brilliant place for a camp. The two hills shelter us and we can sit on lookout rock up there to watch for danger. It's also called the moss rock because the sun only strikes it during the morning so lots of moss grows on it. Despite that you can see everyone and everything coming and it the morning the sun warms it up and it's just lovely to lie on. At least, that's what Peachpaw told me," Wildkit mewed, starting to show off.
"It's amazing," Pouncekit looked impressed.
"Why don't we go and see Pinebranch," suggested Ivykit, then, seeing Pouncekit's confused look she added, "Our mother."
She bounded towards the nursery cave with Wildkit just behind her. She was about to race ahead of Ivykit when she heard Pouncekit mew something to her sister.
"Thanks for being so nice to me," he mewed.
Fawnkit answered, surprised, "Don't thank me. It's just so nice to have someone else to play and talk with. It's like you are our brother."
Wildkit gasped surprised, then, remembering that she shouldn't be listening to this conversation she walked on, but not quickly enough to miss Pouncekit's reply.
"Thanks, well you are really nice as well. Are you going to be a medicine cat?"
Fawnkit sounded startled, "No way! I want to be a warrior."
"That's ok then," he sounded relieved.
Wildkit always knew that her sister would be a warrior. Then why did she feel worried that her sister didn't know what she was getting herself into.
"Hurry up slow pokes," Ivykit hissed, "How long are you all going to take. I'll be and elder before you get here."
Hissing Wildkit bounded forward and fell on top of her sister. Why worry when life was just perfect?
Entering the gloom of the nursery cave, Fawnkit looked around for her mother. Ivykit had already spotted her and was leaping towards the sleeping form. Hissing in frustration Fawnkit bounded ahead and knocked her aside.
Spitting Ivykit looked at her sister in annoyance. "What did you do that for?"
"You know how Pinebranch hates being woke up!" she mewed sensibly.
Wildkit padded up, "Fawnkit's right, we'll just get in trouble." Shooting her sister a thankful look Fawnkit was surprised to see her sister was looking away. Hurt, Fawnkit turned back to Ivykit.
"Let's go back outside, maybe Lightstar's back from patrol," she suggested.
The four kits bounded out just in time to see their leader bound up onto the Rockledge and call the clan. From under the warriors den several eager faces appeared. They all knew that very soon the new deputy would be chosen.
"Cats of LightningClan," Lightstar meowed once the cats had gathered and Pinebranch had emerged sleepily from the nursery casting a puzzled look at Pouncekit.
"There are several matters that need to be attended. First we have a new member of the Clan," she signalled to Pouncekit. "His name is Pouncekit and is the son of a rogue and the RainClan leader." She paused as the news set in. "He is tired of being seen with jealousy and hate and wishes to join our Clan. I have offered him a place..." Her mews were drowned out by loud yowls of protest.
"Lightstar, haven't you thought that RainClan would want him back. He will cause fights and unnecessary blood will be shed," a tortoiseshell tom yowled.
"Dewspots, I understand you concern but this is our chance to show RainClan we are strong. Plus we can't refuse the kits wishes."
"But won't we be seen as weak, letting in rogue kits."
Pouncekit flinched at these words and cowered nervously behind Fawnkit. She gave him a comforting nudge. Pinebranch also gave him a quick lick to comfort him. Then she looked at Dewspots and spoke, "You forget that an extra kit is the chance of an extra warrior to fight belong side you. The Clan leader's word is the law."
Nodding to Pinebranch, Lightstar continued, "We hope Pouncekit will try his hardest to fight for his new clan and will one day make us proud."
Some of the Clan cheered but some cats gave disgruntled mews.
"Secondly, we have a new warrior to make, Nettlepaw, step forward."
Fawnkit strained her head to see Nettlepaw appear from behind all the cats, followed by her mentor Pebbledance. Their pelts were gleamed to perfection. As she walked past a dark tom nuzzled her.
"Well Done."
Once Nettlepaw reached the Rockledge Lightstar bounded down.
"I, Lightstar, leader of LightningClan call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code and commend her to you as warriors in their turn. Nettlepaw, do you promise to fight for your clan and to defend it, even at the cost of your life." Nettlepaw's mew was mixed with excitement, "I do."
"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Nettlepaw from this moment on you shall be known as Nettlefur. StarClan honour your positive attitude and your quick thinking and we welcome you as a full, LightningClan warrior."
Lightstar stepped forward to rest her head on Nettlefur's shoulder. The new warrior in return licked her leader's shoulder.
"Nettlefur, Nettlefur, Nettlefur." Fawnkit joined in the cheering as they welcomed the new warrior.
As the cheering died down Lightstar continued, "Finally, I come to my last duty today. I must choose a new deputy. Smokebreeze," the old tom stepped forward, "Is it correct that you wish to step down from the position of deputy and to join the elders." Smokebreeze nodded. "It is."
Stepping forward Lightstar rested her head on his shoulders as she had done with Nettlefur. "Your Clan honours you and everything you have done for us. I call upon StarClan to give you many seasons of rest."
Bowing his head Smokebreeze padded toward where the two elders sat watching. They greeted him with understanding mews. Sighing Lightstar stepped forward, "The time has come to choose a new deputy. I say these words before StarClan and Smokebreeze so they may hear and approve my choice. Navysky will be the new deputy of LightningClan." The dark tom looked up surprised. Nettlefur ran over to him and nuzzled him, happily. The Clan nodded in approval and even Forestpath who looked disappointed nodded. Navysky walked up to Lightstar.
"Thank you. I hope I can be a worthy deputy of LightningClan."
Lightstar walked forward to touch her muzzle to Navysky's shoulder. The clan cheered, "Navysky, Navysky."
Lightstar purred to her new deputy, "I know that you will always try your hardest." She turned and after grabbing a piece of fresh kill from the pile she padded behind the bushes that led to her den.
Fawnkit peered though the tangled mass of cats to where Navysky and his daughter, Nettlefur were being congratulated. She squeezed through and appeared in front of them.
"Well done," she mewed but no sooner had she done so than she felt teeth grip her neck and heard her mother's voice. "Stop getting in the way. Come back to the nursery."
Frustration hurtled through Fawnkit. She hadn't been doing anything. She hissed crossly as her mother dropped beside her sisters. Seeing Pouncekit standing there she cheered up but still couldn't help flicking her tail angrily. "Hey," cried Ivykit. "RainClan's invading!"
"Yeah," joined in Wildkit, but meeting her sisters' eye glanced quickly at Pouncekit. "WindClan is coming!" she amended and leapt on her sister. Ivykit tumbled over.
"What's going on here?" A stern voice came from behind Fawnkit. She turned around to see Horsefeather staring at the kits. "WindClan is attacking? And RainClan..." The kits stared in guilt. Fawnkit was about to reply when Pinebranch appeared. "No cat is attacking Horsefeather! Why don't I call Peachpaw to come and look for ticks? I think you have one behind your left ear." She led the elder away from the nursery where Horsefeather forgot instantly about an invasion to call, "Peachpaw! Where are you? Good for nothing bundle of fur. Make yourself useful!"
A frustrated hiss came from the apprentice den and the fluffy ginger she-cat poked her head out. Fawnkit could just hear her mutter under her breath, "Ticks, Mouse Bile, Uuugh!" before padding of towards the medicine cat den. Her brother appeared behind her and before any cat could notice he bounded out of the camp, his ginger tail vanishing in an instant. There was no apprentice duty worse than cleaning the elders den for ticks.
After leading Horsefeather to the warriors den Pinebranch turned back to her kits. "Come back to the nursery now and stop causing trouble! Really, the very idea of a WindClan and RainClan..." She grew silent looking at Pouncekit. "Oh well, at least Horsefeather has a short memory," Wildkit added.
"Hey, don't you mean short term memory," Fawnkit corrected.
"No, it's memory loss," Pouncekit added cautiously.
Ivykit gave her opinion as well. "Are you sure it isn't short term memory loss!"
Fawnkit purred as her and her littermates as well as Pouncekit started arguing. Wasn't everything just wonderful!