Chapter Eight

Fawnkit dropped into a hunting crouch, widening her stance to make up for the unsteadiness of her legs. She took one slow step after another, focusing on the leaf settled on the frosty ground in front of her. She let herself get within a tail length of the leaf, and then shot forward, staying low to the ground to be as balanced as possible. She landed directly on top of it, wobbling a little but managing to hold herself up. She looked up proudly. "See, Robinwing? I'm getting a lot better!"

The long-haired gray and white tom nodded encouragingly. "You certainly are! If I were you, I'd just try to make your steps a little bit softer. You don't want to scare the prey off before you even get to it."

Fawnkit twitched her whiskers and lowered herself back to the ground. She still focused on spreading her weight evenly, but this time changed her gait so it was smoother and lighter. "Like this?" She asked.

"Yes!" Robinwing padded around her, inspecting her form. "You're looking much better. Sparrowstar has no reason not to let you become a warrior apprentice."

She sprung up, her legs wobbling and forcing her to sit down. "Great! I've been working really hard. Thanks for helping me, I really appreciate it."

"Of course," purred Robinwing. "I'm so proud of you. I never thought I'd have a kit as determined as you."

Cloverstem padded up behind him and brushed pelts with her mate. "What are you two up to?" She bumped her head affectionately against Robinwing's jaw.

"Robinwing is helping me with my hunting crouch!" Fawnkit demonstrated it to her mother.

"Very good! I'm glad to see that you've been working on it." Cloverstem gestured to where Thistlekit and Pebblekit sat by the nursery, eating a mouse. "Now, go eat with your brothers."

Fawnkit obeyed her mother, pushing to her feet and making her way slowly to where her brothers crouched. She dipped her head in greeting and moved to take a bite of the mouse. Almost immediately, she bashed heads with Pebblekit, as she was wobbling too much and couldn't keep her head still. "I'm sorry!" She gasped.

Pebblekit rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "It's alright, Fawnkit. I know you can't help it. Anyways, it didn't hurt too bad."

She glanced away, embarrassed, and then leaned down again and managed to get a mouthful without too much trouble. It was half-frozen, but anything tasted good in the prey-scarce season of leaf-bare. They ate in contented silence, Fawnkit trying extra hard to avoid hitting her brothers.

They finished their meal and sat up, Thistlekit coming to Fawnkit's side to groom his sister. "I saw your hunting crouch," he meowed in between licks. "It's looking really good!"

"Thanks!" Fawnkit purred. She sat with her eyes closed, her brother rhythmically licking her ears. In the last few moons, she had gotten much closer with her littermates. When they had been very young, they had teased her and left her out of games, but as they grew closer to apprenticehood, they had become fiercely protective of her. She was grateful to have friends as devoted as her brothers. She knew that if any cats bothered her, they would always be there to have her back.

Pebblekit stood, looking furtively to where their mother and father stood. "Guys, if we go now, I bet that they won't even notice."

"Go where?" Fawnkit tilted her head in confusion. She had been with Robinwing all morning, and figured that she had missed the creation of some plan.

Thistlekit's amber eyes sparkled. "Apparently there's a way into the forest by going out the back of the apprentices' den. Flowerpaw told us about it."

Fawnkit shook her head. "I don't really think that's a good idea. We're almost apprentices, and I don't want to get in trouble. I'm afraid that if I do anything wrong, Sparrowstar won't let me become an apprentice."

"Come on, Fawnkit," pleaded Pebblekit. "Just break the rules once. We won't get in trouble."

"No," she meowed. "I can't, I'm sorry." She looked between them. "I don't think that it's a good idea for you to go either."

Hazelkit and Rosekit came hopping over from where they had been sitting in the shadow of the nursery. They were only a moon younger than Cloverstem's litter, and were always eager to be involved.

"Did you say something about the forest?" Hazelkit twitched her golden-brown tail. "We want to come!"

Thistlekit met eyes with Fawnkit. "I think I'm going to stay back. I don't feel like getting in trouble today."

Pebblekit huffed. "Fine. We'll go without you." He turned tail and walked nonchalantly towards the apprentices' den, Hazelkit and Rosekit close on his heels.

Fawnkit sighed. He's always been the most daring of us, she thought. "They're going to get in big trouble if anyone finds out," she meowed.

"I know," responded Thistlekit, looking worried. "I just hope they'll be okay."

Time passed with no sign of their brother's return. Fawnkit and Thistlekit sat by the fresh-kill pile, trying to soak up a little of the midday sun.

"My kits!" A yowl from the nursery alerted them. "My kits are gone!"

The camp erupted into activity. Sparrowstar burst out of her den, looking alarmed. "Appleflower?" She made her way over to the tortoiseshell she-cat. "What's happened?"

"I don't know where they are," Appleflower meowed frantically. "I was asleep, and when I woke up, they were gone."

"They're nearly five moons old," meowed Sparrowstar reassuringly. "They're becoming more independent. They most likely are somewhere near." She spotted Thistlekit and Fawnkit. "You two!"

They slunk over to their leader. Fawnkit felt very guilty for letting Appleflower worry so much.

"Where is your brother?" Sparrowstar glared at them.

Fernkit shuffled her paws. "With Hazelkit and Rosekit," she whispered. "They snuck out the back of the apprentices' den to have an adventure."

Sparrowstar hissed. "You knew this happened and you didn't tell anyone? Do you have any idea how much danger they're in?"

Fawnkit flattened her ears to her head. "I'm sorry."

Sparrowstar turned and sprinted to the fallen tree. "We need patrols now! We have three kits lost in the forest. Robinwing, Alderheart, and Heronfoot, you're one group. Cricketcall, Mintpaw, Daisypetal and Rabbitnose, you're the other. There is apparently a gap in the camp wall by the apprentices' den. Start there and track the kits' scent. Their lives are in danger, and we need to find them as soon as possible."

Flowerpaw suddenly jumped to her feet from where she stood. "Sparrowstar!" Her fur was standing slightly on end, and she looked scared. "This is my fault. I told them about the hole, but I didn't think that they'd actually leave. I think that I know where they are."

Sparrowstar flicked her ears in acknowledgement. "We'll deal with your punishment later, Flowerpaw. Go with Deerleap and Sundapple."

Fawnkit watched as the three she-cats followed the other patrols to the den. Please find Pebblekit safe and sound, she prayed.