Good morning, everyone! Here's another thanks to icefire0218 for reviewing AND following AND favoriting this story. THANK YOU! :) It means so much to me, honestly! Btw, I looked over chapter four for any grammar mistakes, but I couldn't find any. I'm very sensitive to grammar and I'm always correcting other people, but of course I could still have made a mistake. Could you point out exactly where you saw the mistake so I can fix it? Thank you! Here's chapter six in Nightkit's POV!
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CHAPTER SIX
"Cats of ThunderClan, today we lost one of our members." Smokestar's sorrowful call rang out through the hollow. "Grasswave, our medicine cat, is dead. It was a suicide; we found deathberries next to him."
Gasps rippled over the crowd of cats, and Nightkit felt her blood run cold. Beside her, Streamkit stiffened.
"Although he is no longer with us physically, he will always be here in spirit." Smokestar glanced down at the elders. "He will be buried tomorrow at dawn, and we will mourn for him tonight. This being said, Pebblefur is now the full medicine cat of ThunderClan."
The gray tabby tom still looked stunned, but he dipped his head solemnly. "Thank you, Smokestar. I will do my best to serve the Clan."
Nightkit glanced at Streamkit, whom she expected to look quite happy, but instead appeared to be stunned. Wouldn't Streamkit be pleased that she could now be Pebblefur's apprentice? "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Streamkit snapped out of her phase. "I just can't believe it was…it was a suicide."
"Yeah…I guess he was just getting old and kind of crazy," Nightkit mewed, recalling the conversation she'd heard between Pebblefur and Grasswave the previous night when Pebblefur had called him "crazy" and "insane". He had been hearing voices, he said. It would be a wonder if he wasn't going crazy. She turned to Streamkit. "Are you going to say some words at the grieving tonight?"
Streamkit nodded. "I think I will." She was staring at something—someone. Nightkit followed her gaze and found that it led to Hawkkit, who was sitting at the back of the crowd next to Willowbreeze. She was rasping her tongue over his ears. Normally, Hawkkit would have been protesting and squirming away, but at that time he looked quite pleased, his eyes half-closed and tail-tip flicking gently.
"Nightkit, can I talk to you?" Streamkit suddenly asked. Nightkit nodded, surprised at how serious and urgent she looked, and they backed into the shade of the oak tree.
Streamkit sat down and stared at her sister. "Something is going on with Hawkkit."
"Yeah, I noticed something strange, too." Nightkit nodded.
"No, there's something else." Streamkit drew in a deep breath. "Earlier today, before Minnowkit and Shadekit had those bellyaches, I was in the medicine den sorting herbs. He came in, and at first he was just asking me about a couple of different herbs. Then he asked if Grasswave had any deathberries."
Nightkit twitched, but said nothing.
"He asked me where they were. I told him I didn't know, and then he just left." Streamkit's claws worked at the ground. "Then, when Pebblefur was in the nursery giving herbs to Shadekit and Minnowkit, Hawkkit slipped out. I didn't think much of it, but then before I knew it, he was yowling that Grasswave was dead. And you heard what Smokestar said! There were deathberries beside him."
"So are you trying to tell me that you think…Hawkkit killed Grasswave?" Nightkit demanded. "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard! How stupid does Grasswave have to be to eat deathberries from a kit?"
Streamkit scowled. "But Hawkkit gave Minnowkit and Shadekit that mouse…it was rotten, or something. He gave it to them so they would get a bellyache and call for Pebblefur, so that Grasswave was alone in the medicine den and Hawkkit could do his business."
"This is insane." Nightkit was infuriated; why in the name of StarClan would their brother kill the medicine cat? "Sorry, Streamkit. I'm going to need a lot more proof to sell me that story."
"Even a blind and deaf cat would believe me!" Streamkit hissed. "You're only seeing what you want to see!"
Bristling, Nightkit turned and padded away, towards the nursery, where Minnowkit and Shadekit were fast asleep. She settled down beside them, rested her chin on her paws, and immediately drifted into a light sleep.
All she could see was pitch darkness. Nightkit blinked, trying to find any light, but it was completely dark. But she wasn't alone; she could smell other cats there with her.
Suddenly, pairs of eyes began popping out of the darkness, some amber, some yellow, some blue and green. Nightkit bristled as she realized how many cats were in there. All the eyes were narrowed, glinting in fury, and staring at her.
"What do you want?" Nightkit whispered, crouching low to the ground.
She suddenly felt herself falling; the ground beneath her paws had broken away. Nightkit shrieked as darkness surrounded her once again.
There it was again—the yowling. Cheering. Determined hisses and claws unsheathing and teeth baring…Nightkit squeezed her eyes shut.
"They're dead! They're dead!" the voices were chanting. "Their family is dead!"
Who's dead? Nightkit wondered frantically. Where am I, and why do I keep hearing these yowls?
Something prodding her startled her awake. Nightkit gasped and scrambled to her paws, panting. It was dusk, orange light filling the nursery. Streamkit was standing in front of her, her eyes wide. "Nightkit, are you all right?"
Nightkit caught her breath a moment and sat down. "Yeah…I'm fine."
Streamkit shuffled her paws. "Well, I just want to apologize for earlier. I realized that you're right; why would Hawkkit want to do such a thing?"
Nightkit shook her head. "I should be the one apologizing. I was really rude to you. Although your story was quite pieced together, there's no way it could be true. Grasswave was sick in the head. He was old and crazy, and I can completely understand why he committed suicide."
"Yes, you're right." Streamkit nodded and touched her nose to Nightkit's ear. "I'm sorry."
"Me too." Nightkit purred; she really did have the best sister in the whole forest.
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Nightkit watched as the elders laid Grasswave's body down in the middle of the clearing. A line formed, consisting of most of the warriors and apprentices. Streamkit and Pebblefur stood next to each other towards the back.
One by one, each cat leaned over and murmured something to Grasswave, and then padded off. When Streamkit's turn came, she whispered something to him just like any other cat would've done. Although prayers were supposed to be private, Nightkit couldn't help but wonder what she was saying.
"You're not going to sit vigil, are you?" Nightkit asked as her sister approached her. Streamkit shook her head. "No, but Pebblefur is."
"You really want to be a medicine cat, don't you?" Nightkit suddenly blurted out, and felt guilt wash over her when Streamkit stiffened. "I-I'm sorry, Streamkit."
The gray tabby shook her head. "No, it's fine." She sucked in a breath. "Yes, I really do want to be a medicine cat. I can't imagine hurting other cats just over a piece of prey! It's really interesting, and I…I seem to be quite good at it." She hung her head.
"Don't be ashamed!" Nightkit nuzzled Streamkit. "You have every right to choose what you want to be. Don't let me, or Shadekit, or Hawkkit keep you from being what you really want to be. I'm happy you're going to be a medicine cat."
Streamkit nodded, smiling. "Thanks, Nightkit. Well, I'm not sure if I am, yet. I have to ask Pebblefur. He's still very young and isn't really in need of an apprentice yet."
"What if he says no?" Nightkit gasped, widening her eyes.
"I won't."
Nightkit spun around to see Pebblefur standing there behind them. Streamkit leapt to her paws. "Pebblefur! We were just, um, talking about—"
Pebblefur lifted his tail. "Don't fret, Streamkit." His blue eyes twinkled. "Remember what I told you about cats that were chosen to be medicine cats? It looks to me like you're one of them."
Streamkit glowed. "So, that means…"
Pebblefur nodded. "I want you to be my apprentice."
"Even though you're so young?"
"Of course. You seem to show some real talent, and I could definitely use someone as intelligent as you in the den."
"Thank you, Pebblefur!" Streamkit gave a little bounce. "I won't let you down!"
"Hey, we've still got two more moons," Nightkit pointed out softly.
Pebblefur twitched his whiskers. "That's right. You're only four moons old. Well, I'll be waiting eagerly for your apprentice ceremony, but until then, you can help me out whenever you please."
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The scent of blood and crowfood. The shrieks and cheers of cats preparing for battle. The eyes glinting in the darkness. Another night, another dream.
Yet Nightkit still feared them, feared every single dream she had. Each one was as frightening and startling as the last. Why can't I just have a good night's sleep? Nightkit thought, scowling as she sat up in her nest. Whenever things seemed to be going well, the dreams came and haunted her once again. Why was she constantly receiving these dreams? What did they mean, and who were those cats?
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This was a pretty boring chapter, I know. Don't worry, the next chapter will be their apprentice ceremonies. But yeah, Grasswave's dead and Streamkit will be apprenticed to Pebblefur. How exciting. Sorry it was so boring. Hope you have a great day!
