Chapter 9

Darkkit watched a beetle make his way through the bushes behind the warriors' den. A week had passed and Darkkit often found the comfort of solitude here. He enjoyed watching the beetles and ladybugs moving into the forest, and watched the spiders in awe as they spun their webs or walked proudly past. Darkkit enjoyed being around the different insects and arachnids. They were quiet and seemed to enjoy his company.

Darkkit reached out a paw and the beetle walked onto it. Darkkit drew his paw closer and watched the beetle as its antennae moved around, feeling and scenting its surroundings. Darkkit purred, "How do you beetles do that? I would have thought you to have noses!"

The beetle's antennae twitched in response. Darkkit sighed, "Are you making your way to your family? Do they all love you?"

The beetle seemed to turn its attention to him.

"I wish I had a family like that," Darkkit sighed longingly. The beetle turned and walked over his paw and onto the ground. "I understand. You have to go now. Your family awaits your comfort and protection."

The beetle's black, shell-like body disappeared into the grass. Darkkit laid his head on his paws and watched a spider make a web on the side of the apprentices' den. Darkkit wondered how she made those intricate patterns. How they always seemed to form rings. Almost like flat, tiny waves. Darkkit had seen waves on the puddles, and on the river that bordered MistClan territory, but he had heard from others of larger formations. Lakes, he had been told of. The Tribe cats that joined the Clans often at Gatherings told of endless vasts of water, touching the sky and meeting together as a border separates two Clans. Vixenpelt had told Thornpaw that one. Obviously those two were friends, but nothing closer.

Recently, ShadeClan had launched an attack on MistClan. They had failed, and another warrior had been lost; Olivetail.

Darkkit waited. He wasn't certain what he was waiting for, but whatever it was, he felt he must wait. Darkkit stood and looked up at the darkening sky. He wondered if he would ever become an apprentice. Darkkit sighed and looked out into the camp. Wingpaw and Robinclaw stood by the apprentices' den, talking, while Sloekit, Flykit, Weasalkit, and Molekit asked Thornpaw a million questions. Applepaw and Dovepaw practiced battle moves in the back of the clearing and Tawnyfur spoke with Oaktail. Velvetfur and Pinestar stood together, speaking happily. Blackfeather showed Pheasantpaw how to treat an open wound on Birdpool's shoulder from a dog.

Darkkit sighed, "Sometimes it seems like everyone would be fine without me." Darkkit watched Ratstorm, Lightheart, Toadstripe, and Dustfur making their way out into the forest.

Bright light surrounded Darkkit. At first he thought he was dreaming, but then he realized, he was awake! He lifted his head to the flames blazing all around the nursery. He struggled toward Tawnyfur and her kits. The embers crashed down, almost on top of Darkkit's head. Seeing that all four kits were fine, Darkkit nudged Tawnyfur hard. The scent of burnt fur hit his nose and he realized her pelt was alive with embers, her pelt covered with soot and her eyes wide in horror. Darkkit knew she was dead.

Darkkit turned to the kits, which were staring at him with wide eyes. Darkkit crouched and ordered, "Sloekit, I'll pick you up! The rest of you, get onto my back and hold on!"

Darkkit grasped Sloekit in his jaws as the other three clambered onto his back. Darkkit winced as their claws pricked his pelt, and soon they were grasping his shoulders, and hard. Darkkit looked around, trying to get out of the nursery. He noticed the lopsided entrance and crouched low. Pressing his belly to the ground, he slid out of the nursery. Darkkit came from the nursery to a horrifying sight. The night sky was blood red from the flames. The dens were alive with the blazes.

Darkkit sprang toward the entrance, only to find it had collapsed under the weight of ash. Darkkit raced to the warriors' den, but the den was so lopsided it prevented Darkkit from reaching the exit behind. Darkkit looked around, dashing toward the leaders' den. Yowls reached his ears from beyond camp, and he knew the cats had evacuated and tried to come back when the kits didn't come. Darkkit looked at the leaders' den. So far, it was fine. The oak tree was covered in ash, but it was not set ablaze. Darkkit placed firm claws on the trunk. He began to slowly make his way up the tree.

Darkkit grew faster when more branches arrived. He clambered up and away from the blazing flames. Darkkit reached the top of the tree on one of the slender branches. He clung on as it dipped dizzyingly downward. Darkkit looked around. There was no way he could simply find his way to the ground and be out of the camp.

Darkkit sprang downward, the kits screeching as they plummeted. Darkkit's paws hardly skimmed the bark as it flit past him. He swerved around the branches and leaped out of the tree. Darkkit's paws slammed into the hard earth. He prevented himself from rolling for the kits' sake. Darkkit darted through the trees, despite his paws, which were blazing with pain.

Darkkit skidded to a halt, bumping into Blackfeather. The black tom's eyes were trained on him. Obviously the black cat had seen something no one else had, for his eyes were wide with traces of surprise.

Pinestar shoved his way through the bracken. "Darkkit! You saved the others!"

Darkkit narrowed his eyes. "We have to go, Pinestar! We're not out of the woods yet!"

Pinestar nodded and turned to the others, eyes darkening. "Come!" he yowled, swishing his tail. The dark-furred tom sprang away toward MistClan territory. Darkkit followed the warriors, refusing to let the other warriors take the kits. After seeing Tawnyfur's burnt body, Darkkit knew he must take care of them.

Darkkit burst through the bushes to arrive at the river. His ears pricked as the ShadeClan cats desperately floundered through the river. Pinestar, Poolshadow, and Bloodwhisker, the best swimmers, assisted the others. Darkkit came to the edge and Pinestar grasped Weasalkit and Molekit. Bloodwhisker took Sloekit from Darkkit's jaws and Flykit. Pinestar and Bloodwhisker swam to the other side of the river and returned for Darkkit. Darkkit leaped into the water, feeling its cold rush push against his fur. Darkkit's fur dragged down at him, yet he somehow managed to keep a steady pace. Pinestar swam beside him, just in case he vanished under the water. Darkkit found it surprisingly easy to swim strongly onto the bank of the river.

Pinestar sat in the middle of the cats. Hissingshine bristled and hissed, "MistClan patrol!"

The ShadeClan cats turned to see the figures of MistClan cats rushing toward them. Darkkit sagged. The weight of the four kits had been devastating. The four were six moons old, and Darkkit was surprised he had managed for so long. Darkkit collapsed and watched through fuzzy vision as the MistClan cats crowded around him and the other MistClan cats, until drowsiness took over and Darkkit fell into a deep and dark sleep.

I do not own, or claim to own, Warriors, Erin Hunter does.