Chapter 7
Sorrelflower nudged Brightkit and Sedgekit out of the nursery. "Go to the elders' den, kits."
"Why?" Sedgekit complained. "Why can't I sleep in our nest?"
Sorrelflower lifted him by the scruff and walked the rest of the way to the elders' den. "Because Larkwing is kitting and she doesn't need you running around like a cat with bees in his brain." She dropped him down in front of the fallen tree. "Understand?"
Sedgekit hesitated for a moment, then said, "I understand."
Brightkit was already heading through the twigs and branches to get into the den, and she heard Sedgekit crashing around behind her. "Be careful not to destroy the whole den!" she mewed.
She heard Sedgekit meow, with a hint of pride, "I spent a moon going in and out of this den. I know what I'm doing."
That's a surprise. Brightkit shook her head. Sedgekit's head was full of pigeon down, but he was a good cat. He'll make a great warrior, I bet.
She came to the gap in the undergrowth and saw Amberberry washing herself, while Greenfang was snoozing. Amberberry looked up at their approach. "Hello, Brightkit," She rasped.
Suddenly Sedgekit jumped into the small clearing next to his sister. "Don't say you've forgotten me?" he squealed.
"No," Amberberry mewed with a hint of amusement. "I thought a badger was breaking in; I realized that could only be one cat. Now what brings you here?"
Sedgekit, who had padded over to sit beside her and begun to get out a leaf stuck in his fur, responded, "Larkwing's kitting and Sorrelflower made us leave the nursery."
Amberberry's eyes lit up. "Oh, a kitting. How wonderful for the Clan." She focused her eyes on Sedgekit. "Sorrelflower was right to send you away. If I know you, you'd have everyone paying more attention to you than the queen about to have kits."
Sedgekit raised his head indignantly. "I would not! I'd be respectful. Besides, I only wanted to go to sleep."
Amberberry laid her tail on him, mewing, "Well, I'm sure you can get a good night's rest in here." She moved over in her nest to make room. "Come on, Brightkit. You need to rest, too."
Brightkit padded over and curled up in the nest next to Sedgekit. Amberberry was right; her nest was softer than Sorrelflower's. Probably because she doesn't have Sedgekit tearing it up all the time. Brightkit closed her eyes and darkness came over her.
Brightkit woke up. She wasn't in the nursery, and it took her a moment to remember she spent the night in the elders' den. Amberberry and Greenfang were both gone, but Sedgekit was still asleep next to her. She stood up and stretched her legs. This woke Sedgekit, who hopped up and meowed, "Do you think Larkwing's done kitting? I want to see the kits!"
Brightkit tilted her head. She couldn't hear anything beyond the usual sounds of ThunderClan. "I suppose she is."
Just then, Amberberry pushed into the den, a vole in her jaws. She put it down and rasped, "You're awake. I ran into Sorrelflower and she said to send you back to the nursery when you woke up. Larkwing has two she-kits," she added, her eyes glowing.
"Let's go!" Sedgekit mewed to Brightkit before rushing off. This time, Brightkit bounded after him and was side-by-side with him the whole way. The paused outside the nursery and Brightkit listened for Larkwing or Sorrelflower. She heard the mewling of newborn kits and Larkwing's gentle hushing. Slowly, she and Sedgekit crept into the nursery. In the darkness, Brightkit saw Larkwing curled around two little bundles of fur, one golden like Larkwing, the other white.
Larkwing looked over at them. "Come to see the kits?" she purred softly.
Brightkit and Sedgekit nodded as they padded closer. Brightkit sniffed at them. They smell like milk.
"What are their names?" Sedgekit asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.
Larkwing touched the golden one with her tail. "This one is Goldenkit." She touched the white one. "This is Frostkit."
"Those are beautiful names," Brightkit purred. She backed out of the nursery, followed by Sedgekit.
He turned to her, his eyes wide. "Were we that small when we were born?"
"You both were tiny." Sorrelflower came up beside them. "But you made enough noise to reassure Pinetail that you'd both be healthy, strong kits." She swept her tail around them. "Let's get fresh-kill. I bet you two are starving."
Right at that moment, Brightkit's stomach growled. They walked to the fresh-kill pile, and Brightkit ended up sharing a squirrel with Sedgekit. As she chewed, Brightkit wondered if things were always like this in ThunderClan: plenty of prey, well-trained warriors, a good leader, and strong kits. Of course. This is ThunderClan, after all.