Chapter 6
Darkkit twitched his whiskers as Thornpaw explained all that had happened the day after the Gathering, "There are so many cats! They were everywhere! I met a she-cat named Vixenpelt from FireClan and she showed me to some FireClan apprentices named Stonepaw, Breezepaw, and Lightningpaw! They're already nine moons old! I got to see Shortfall on the Gathering Rock instead of Sparrowstar. Apparently, by what Vixenpelt said, Sparrowstar will come back next moon cause her kits, Hawkkit, Emberkit, Frostkit, and Skykit will be apprentices then. Shortfall said that he and Fawnwish had kits together! Their names are Briarkit and Webkit. Jaystar said that FireClan was growing strong and Stormfire and Dogfur have a kit named Reedkit. Pinestar announced me and my siblings and it was so scary! Then Addertooth challenged that we were recruiting kit-warriors! It was creepy, cause we almost fought with MistClan but Jaystar silenced everyone."
So Birdpaw was right, Darkkit thought, narrowing his eyes.
Applepaw padded over. "It was amazing! I wish you had come, Darkkit!"
Darkkit glared at him. "You totally want me to come! Isn't that the truth!" he growled.
Applepaw flattened his ears and whimpered, "What did I say wrong?"
"You've said everything wrong! Not to Dovekit, not to Pheasantkit, just me. Now, you just patronize me every day of my life! How dare you act so innocent! I know who you really are!" Darkkit snarled. "You fox-heart! Always getting everyone to love you and think that I'm the monster! It's not true!"
"How dare you lie like that!" a snarl made Darkkit whip around. There stood Ratstorm, nostrils flared and eyes glittering.
Lightheart came to her mate's side and murmured in his ear. Ratstorm relaxed his bristling pelt and nodded. Darkkit stifled a sigh of relief. His mother had come to the rescue!
Ratstorm smiled and trotted off to see what the hunting patrol had brought back. Darkkit watched the dark gray tom as he mewed something to Toadstripe. The young warrior followed Ratstorm to the fresh-kill pile and dropped his squirrel on the ground and lowered his head to talk in private with the dark-furred warrior.
Lightheart's eyes narrowed as she glowered at Darkkit for a moment. The pale gray she-cat didn't tear her gaze away until Pinestar leaped up next to the Shade Pool.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beside the Shade Pool for a Clan meeting!" Pinestar's voice rang through the camp. Lightheart turned to look up at the black tom. She padded away and sat beside Ratstorm, who watched Pinestar next to Toadstripe.
Darkkit bounced to Pheasantkit's side. "What's going on?" he hissed to his brother. Pheasantkit shrugged.
Tawnyfur strode to Pinestar's side. She sat close to him and watched her Clan. Pinestar smiled and called out, "Tawnyfur and Oaktail are to have kits together!"
Excited meows rumbled throughout the Clan as Pinestar continued, "Tawnyfur will be heading to the nursery. A new deputy must be announced to take her place."
Excitement tingled in Darkkit's paws. Who would be the next deputy? He looked around the camp at all of the warriors, leaning forward eagerly to learn of who the deputy would be.
"The next deputy will be Dustfur," Pinestar announced. The dark brown tabby's eyes grew wide in surprise as his leader flicked his tail for him to come forward. Hesitantly, Dustfur padded to Pinestar. "Dustfur, you are a noble warrior. Your loyalty is higher than that of many cats I know. You mentored Nightclaw, Olivetail, and Hissingshine, and your strength has shown in each of these fine warriors. Do you except the place of deputy?"
Dustfur dipped his head, mewing, "I do."
Pinestar flicked his tail as the Clan shouted, "Dustfur! Dustfur!" Nightclaw trotted over to her mate and brushed her muzzle across his jaw.
Pinestar disappeared into his den with Dustfur following closely behind. Darkkit purred. Dustfur was the perfect choice for a deputy! He was a senior warrior now, but he was always so strong. Every Clan told its apprentices to watch out for him; his battle moves were strategic and powerful.
Darkkit's ears pricked as Applepaw hissed in his ear, "My father's the deputy! What's your dad done? He hasn't even completed training with one apprentice, let alone three!"
Darkkit growled, "Yeah, but my father's not close to joining the elders."
Applepaw hissed, "Ratstorm may be young, but that only proves his inexperience. He would never be chosen as deputy!"
Darkkit lashed his tail. "You watch! My father will be the well-respected cat in the Clan someday!"
Applepaw shot back, "Not before mine!"
Darkkit glowered at the black and brown tom. Applepaw smiled and jeered, "I know what your warrior name will be! Darksoft!"
Darkkit snarled, "Just get away from me, Applepaw!" He shoved the apprentice back. Applepaw stumbled and fell into Ratstorm. The dark gray warrior fell backward and collapsed on his side.
"Nice job, Clumsyfall!" Brackenwing taunted Ratstorm as he scrambled to his paws. The dark brown tabby tom strode past, his dark blue eyes glittering.
Ratstorm pushed Applepaw off. "Get off, would you?" he hissed.
"It wasn't me!" Applepaw cried, his face wet with tears. "It was Darkkit! He shoved me!"
Darkkit narrowed his eyes. Applepaw was a good actor, but he saw through the disguise. Ratstorm stood and padded up to his son. He snarled, "Look what you've done! You've embarrassed me with one of the youngest warriors in the Clan! I'll never be respected this way! Why don't you just leave Applepaw alone, kittypet!"
Darkkit flattened his ears. Ratstorm had never called him a kittypet before. He opened his jaws to protest but Ratstorm cut him off, "Pinestar shall know of your insolence!"
The dark gray warrior pushed past Darkkit and strode into the leader's den. Darkkit stared after him, eyes glistening with tears. What would Pinestar do to him?
Pinestar came from his den and called for Darkkit. Darkkit padded over to the black tom, noticing Ratstorm slink away to Lightheart, whom was showing Dovekit a pounce. Pinestar led Darkkit into his den and sat in his nest. The fresh scent of Dustfur clung to the air and Darkkit shivered. In two heartbeats, Applepaw had gotten him into trouble after a perfectly good moment.
Pinestar sighed, "Darkkit, the whole Clan knows of what you have been doing, whether we try to keep it a secret or not. They demand you be punished for your actions, and I-"
"It wasn't me! Applepaw was-" Darkkit struggled to make Pinestar understand.
Pinestar cut him off, "Didn't I tell you not to speak of Applepaw that way again? I was giving you a chance, and you have ruined it! Your apprenticeship is to be delayed!"
Darkkit flattened his ears, staring in horror at his leader. Pinestar's eyes were narrowed coldly. Darkkit turned away and ducked out of the den without waiting for the dismissive signal from Pinestar. Pheasantkit bounded over to him.
"What's going on?" the big tom asked him, eyes stretched wide.
"My apprenticeship has been delayed," Darkkit murmured softly. Sorrow overwhelmed him. How was he to be leader now? He was never going to be Darkstar this way!
Pheasantkit flattened his ears and pressed against him. "I'm sorry, Darkkit," he whispered. Darkkit accepted the comfort and let Pheasantkit lead him to the nursery. Darkkit curled up in his nest, wishing Pheasantkit could wrap around him. But that was forbidden by Lightheart. Pheasantkit and Darkkit wouldn't be able to sleep together until they were apprentices.
"Darkkit," Pheasantkit whispered.
Darkkit twitched his ear. "What?" he murmured sleepily.
"I'm not going to sleep with you when we're both apprentices," Pheasantkit mewed.
Darkkit's whiskers twitched in surprise as he replied, "But why? I thought you liked me, Pheasantkit."
"I do," Pheasantkit mewed urgently, "it's just….."
Just what? What could possibly keep you from sleeping next to me every night when we're apprentices?
Pheasantkit was silent for a while. After a long pause, he whispered, "I'm going to be a medicine cat."
Darkkit was stunned. He hadn't thought about that! Had Pheasantkit ever shown that he wanted to be a medicine cat apprentice? Yes, Darkkit answered in his own mind as he thought of how much less curious Pheasantkit was in the forest. How much he didn't mind what the other Clans were up to so long as it didn't come to battle. How much the big brown and red tom didn't like to fight but rather play hide and seek.
After a while, Darkkit sensed Pheasantkit's unease. Knowing that the big tom kit was just waiting for a reply, Darkkit responded, "You'll be the best medicine cat in the forest….. with me as your leader."
"That's right," Pheasantkit replied. "You'll be my leader, Darkkit, and I'll be your best medicine cat in the world."
Darkkit purred. He could imagine him and his brother, leader and medicine cat, defending and healing their Clan to the very end.
Darkkit shut his eyes tight. Despite the sadness tugging at his pelt, Darkkit felt a stab of happiness. Sleep found him, and Darkkit welcomed it. It surged through him and filled him with a mixed sense of joy and grief.
Me: Sadness, sadness. You know, if I could, I would totally make a YouTube video on this! XD
I do not own, or claim to own, Warriors, Erin Hunter does.
