Turns out sulking in the medicine den all day did no good to her mood. Lostkit was feeling more bitter than ever, even when Sunkit came to visit her for what was possibly the seventh time in one day. StarClan her sister acted like a queen!
"I'm not a kit who needs to be watched over constantly!" Lostkit spat as Sunkit entered, almost immediately falling into the new routine of asking how Lostkit was feeling before she was even completely in the medicine den.
"Yes, you are." Sunkit pointed out smugly, sitting down. The perky she kit refused to let her sister's grumpiness bother her. Of course she would be irritated having to stay in a den that reeked of various herbs. There was a constant pungent smell coming from the back of the den where there were stacks upon stacks of leaves all various shades of greens, and even some berries. They sure looked tasty! Petalheart had told her, though, not to ever eat anything if she didn't know what it was. Herbs were probably not an exception.
Lostkit wrinkled her nose and turned away, digging her face into her side in an attempt to look as if she was trying to sleep. "Just leave me alone, Sunkit. I'm sleepy, alright?"
Dejected, Sunkit padded slowly out of the den with her tail trailing in the dust. "Fine." She muttered, picking up her pace to join the other kits. 'The other tormentors,' thought Lostkit. At least in the medicine den none of the other kits dared to bother her. In fact, she had found Lightstep to be rather enjoyable company when he wasn't busy tending to some mousebrained warrior who had stepped on a thorn or who had disturbed a bee's nest. Once he even brought her a leaf. He said it was called tansy. She couldn't remember what the medicine cat apprentice said it was used for, but she had appreciated his attempts in trying to amuse her. Lostkit wondered, briefly, if he was trying to tell if she was interested in becoming his apprentice. It wouldn't be possible with Howlfur still in his position, but he was aging. Already, Lostkit had heard him complaining to his apprentice about the horrible aches he felt in his joints, and how the herbs he took did little to help.
"Lightstep, what kind of herbs does Howlfur take for his sore legs?" Lostkit piped up, thoroughly bored withh laying around with only her thoughts for company. If she was going to be stuck in a medicine den, she may as well ask about herbs. Perhaps she would find that it did interest her, and she could become Lightstep's apprentice. But... she was so determined to be a good warrior, even better than Redkit despite the fact that her leg would forever slow her down.
Lightstep padded over and set a small seed down beside Lostkit, along with a leaf. "A poppy seed and some chamomile. Usually the chamomile is used for calming a cat down, but Howlfur discovered that it's useful to stop aching joints when we don't want to spare other herbs for the elders."
"But Howlfur is an elder." Lostkit frowned, prodding the seed with a paw. It clung to her paw like a thistle and she had to flick her wrist to get it to fall from her grasp.
"Don't let him hear you saying that!" Lightstep warned, lowering the tone of his voice. "He'll cut off your ears and put them on backwards!"
Lostkit shrunk back, fear causing her pupils to dilate. "Really?" She squeaked, horrified by the mere thought. No way would he do that to her, right? Then again, Howlfur didn't seem to like her very much. None of the clan did.
"Hey!" Sunkit's voice rang in Lostkit's head and she whipped her head around, curling her lips back in a not-very-fierce snarl.
"Leave me alone already!"
"I'm not here for you, feather-brain." Sunkit retaliated, casting her sister a cold glance. "Howlfur, Bluesong is kitting!"
A wave of guilt practically drowned Lostkit, and she wished she could apologize to her sister for overeating. One look at Sunkit told her that the tension had passed, as the pretty calico kit flashed a quick smile before darting back from where she came. 'She's such a good sister. If only she'd been stuck with someone better than me.'
Howlfur and Lightstep hurried off, leaving Lightkit to her own devices. The boredom returned, and she was, once again, unsure what to do.
'Maybe I could just look at the herbs.' She thought quietly, glancing to her leg. She wasn't supposed to walk without help, but it was only a tail-length or so. Wriggling around, Lostkit managed to get herself straightened out to where she could lift herself onto all fours, though she avoided putting any pressure on her injured leg. Twisting to the side, and cringing while doing so, Lostkit hobbled over to the herb stock and glanced around, taking in all of the scents.
One berry in particular stuck out, and Lostkit stretched one paw forward to roll it carefully toward her. It was a very dark crimson color, and had a very sweet smell about it. 'I bet it tastes good.' She thought, eyeing the berry skeptically. Unlike Sunkit, Petalheart had never warned Lostkit to be careful about eating herbs. She was only two moons old, and if she ate the berry before, not knowing that it would cause her to suffocate and die, it wouldn't be her fault. A kit could not truly be held responsible for its actions unless they were explained.
Lostkit debated taking a bite. It smelled like honey, and she would bet that it tasted better than the sweet, sticky substance that was so rare but so delectable. Luckily for her, Lightstep popped his head back in. Somehow, Lostkit managed to hide the fact that she was about to eat the berry from the medicine cat, though it was probably only because he was busy. In fact, he didn't even say a thing about why she was up and walking.
"Lostkit, do you remember the raspberry leaf I showed you earlier? I need one."
She did remember- it was very dark green, tinged with a dark brownish red on the outside and with jagged edges. Plucking it up carefully with a paw, she limped over to Lightstep, who only the noticed she was moving.
"Thank you, now get back in your nest!" He disappeared in a flash. Lostkit grudgingly flopped over, letting out an impatient huff. What would she do now?
"Two of them!" Sunkit came sprinting into the medicine den where she skidded very clumsily to a stop just in front of Lostkit. "There are two little kittens! Both toms!" She jabbered off about how cute the new kits were, but all Lostkit could help thinking about was how loud they would be. At least she wouldn't have to deal with them right away, since she was still confined to the quietness of the medicine den.
"Sunkit," Lostkit interrupted, sitting up (with some pain) and looking toward her sister. "Do you think you'll ever have kits?"
Sunkit hesitated, seemingly stunned by the question. They were only two moons old, and Lostkit was thinking about kits already? "Uh, I don't know, Lostkit. Maybe. I mean, I think they're very cute. But I'd have to have a mate!" She wrinkled her nose, as if disgusted by the thought. "And the options aren't that great. Coalkit and Nettlekit and Jaykit are all mean! No way am I ever going to love any of them!"
The two she kits began to purr in amusement. Toms were gross, they agreed. To loud and boisterous and annoying. Being little kits, they were likely to think this way, just as tom kits often said that she kits had kooties. One day, perhaps, they would grow out of such thoughts and become interested in one another, but for today, Lostkit and Sunkit were content with making fun of the idea.
"What about you, Lostkit. Are you ever gonna have kits?"
"No way!" Lostkit shook her head from side to side quickly. "Honestly, Sunkit, the clan is probably going to push me off on being a medicine cat. I won't be able to have kits if I wanted them."
"That's not true!" Sunkit protested, standing up abruptly. "Lostkit, you and I are gonna be the best warriors in all of the clans combined! When I'm leader, you're going to have to be my deputy. Everybody will respect us and we'll show them how tough we can be!"
Lostkit was no convinced. Who would ever respect a deputy with a crippled leg? Jadepelt was such a regal deputy. With her harsh green gaze and her powerful legs, she demanded respect from everyone. Lostkit wasn't exactly a fearsome kit.
"Ah, c'mon, Lostkit." Sunkit seemed to notice the sorrowful look in her sister's eyes, "We still have four more moons to worry about even being apprentices. Let's just have fun!"
Have fun. Right. Fun was just another thing Lostkit lacked in life. The other kits, the older four, made sure she was being tormented whenever they were around, and even when she was trying to play with her siblings, Redkit ended up yelling at her. Fun did not seem possible for the crippled kit.