Whoa, long wait. I suck, I know, and I have no just excuse for taking so long. I just, like totally stopped, and I didn't go on FFN for a really long time. Well, I finish up here, because if you're reading this at all, you're probably reading for the story, not just to hear from me. XD REVEIW ANSWERS:
starbomb: My ever faithful reviewer, I don't know how you can stand reading my crappy writing. I completely agree with you. I need to get on with the plot, too. XD
Riversong of SwiftClan: Thank you, reviewer! Do you have an account? Yup, he lives! Couldn't write the story without ol' Dusty anyway.
Mistfur of ThunderClan: Aw, shucks. You give me praise that I don't deserve at all!
Sunlight filtered into ThunderClan camp. Dawn patrol returned through the entrance in the thorn barrier, carrying some freshly-caught water voles and a very plump pigeon.
Redkit, Dustykit, and Cloverkit watched them enviously as they strutted through the clearing proudly. It wouldn't be long before they joined them, as apprentices.
Redkit sighed turned to Dustykit. "I can't wait till we're apprentices!" she said, dreaming of learning to hunt and fight. "And then warriors!"
"You'll never make it to a warrior!" a voice drawled behind them. All three kits whipped around to see a silvery she-cat with glaring blue eyes. Bluepaw's mouth was drawn up in a cruel sneer. "They only let normal cats be warriors."
Cloverkit fluffed up his hackles, making himself look twice his size. "Stop being mean, you bird-head!" he screeched, swiping at Bluepaw's muzzle.
Bluepaw sighed as if bored and batted the kit away, sending him flying across the stone hollow. Then, she drew back her paw, to do the same to Dustykit. Redkit knew she had to stop him.
"GET AWAY FROM MY FRIEND, YOU MOUSE-BRAINED, FOX-HEARTED SCUM!" she yowled, soaring toward Bluepaw. She latched onto her foreleg with her teeth trying to draw as much blood as possible. The silver apprentice howled in pain as the kit's white fangs sunk into her flesh. She tried to shake her free, but she just bit into her soft flesh harder.
"Get off, get off, get off!" she shouted.
Sunstar rushed to the scene, her golden pelt gleaming in the leaf-fall sun. "What in the name of StarClan is going on here?" she demanded, glaring at all four young cats accusingly.
Redkit released her grasp on Bluepaw's leg, and looked at her paws, ashamed. Sunstar focused her cold amber eyes on Redkit. "Why were you attacking a clanmate, Redkit?" she asked, not a bit gently.
Redkit looked up at Sunstar with an innocent look on her green eyes.
"She was being mean to Cloverkit and Dustykit." she explained. Sunstar turned her gaze to Stormpaw.
"And you, Bluepaw, young she-cat, what is your side of the story?"
Bluepaw looked at Sunstar. "Cloverkit was being disrespectful and needed to be taught a lesson." she stated flatly.
Sunstar sighed. "Bluepaw, that was highly uncalled for. You will clean the elder's den and give them fresh moss and put mouse bile on their ticks until the next quarter moon. Kits, you will be confined to the nursery for the same amount of time."
"What?" all four cats whined in unison. Sunstar glanced sternly at them before flicking her tail at them and walking away.
"We were gonna be apprentices before then!" Cloverkit grumbled. "This is SOOOO unfair." he said loudly. The kits went into the nursery solemnly while Bluepaw headed into the elder's den. Redkit was too busy glaring after Bluepaw to hear.
There was something about Bluepaw, the way she carried herself, the way she reacted to things, the way she spoke, which unnerved her. She shivered, and turned back to her companions. "We should get back to the nursery." she whispered.
Stormpaw padded through the camp entrance. "Hey, Bluepaw!" he said, seeing his friend's silver tail disappear into the elder's. He skidded over to follow her.
Redkit stood, watching Stormpaw for a second before ducking under the brambles that secured the nursery. She blinked and shook her head. Was she sick? For a second, she had thought... maybe... be had seen stars glimmering in his gray fur.