Chapter 4

The hoot-hoot was right at Fernkit's tail. Dustkit and Smokekit were ahead. They could hear Fernkit's cries for help. Dustkit whipped around and dashed back to save his sister. Smokekit stopped and turned back, she stood still and watched her brother.

"Are you crazy? You'll die too!" Smokekit yowled.

"We've got to stick together! Fernkit is our sister." Dustkit meowed. "How could you be so selfish? And you always get in the way."

Smokekit was hurt. "Selfish?" she questioned. "I'm not selfish!" she yelled, but her brother paid no attention to her.

Dustkit leaped forward with his claws ready to attack. The young kit pummeled into the hoot-hoot, making it fall to the ground. The hoot-hoot got back onto its feet and began to flap its wings furiously. Fernkit stopped running and looked back.

"Dustkit!" she squeaked.

The hoot-hoot began to peck Dustkit, taking out small clumps of fur. Dustkit tried to get away but the hoot-hoot was too strong. Fernkit feared the hoot-hoot and didn't want to get near it, but she knew what she had to do. She dashed towards her hoot-hoot and jumped onto it.

"Go away!" she yelled. She dug her small claws into the hoot-hoot's belly and bit its neck. The hoot-hoot flapped its wings around, feathers were flying around everywhere. Finally, Fernkit let go and fell to the ground. The hoot-hoot ruffled its feathers and flew away.

Fernkit watched as the hoot-hoot flew away. Then she turned towards Dustkit. Her brother lay there, motionless and bloody. She rushed over to him and pressed her nose against Dustkit's flank.

"Dustkit…" she mumbled. "You save me. Don't go now, I need you here."

Suddenly the young kit gasped for air. His eyes flew open and he kept gasping for air, trying to regain his breath.

"You're alive!" Fernkit mewed excitedly.

"Is the hoot-hoot gone?" he questioned with a hoarse voice.

"Yes." She licked her brother's wounds to make him more comfortable.

"I'm fine." He mewed. He slowly got up and stretched his legs. His wounds were bleeding but they were minor. He licked a few of them for a moment then sat up straight and looked around. "Where's Smokekit?"

Fernkit looked around. "I don't know."

Just then, Smokekit walked towards them. "I'm here." She mewed plainly. "Let's go." She avoided eye contact with Dustkit and walked off.

The three kits were off again. They were deep in the forest, many pine trees were surrounding them. Smokekit took the lead, she avoiding speaking with her brother and paid no attention to her sister.

"Don't you think Smokekit is acting kind of odd?" Fernkit whispered into her brother's ear. "She isn't talking at all, but she always talks. Did something happen between you two?"

Dustkit sighed. "I called her selfish." He grunted.

"Selfish?" Fernkit cocked her head.

"It means that she only cares about herself." He explained.

Fernkit looked on ahead at her sister. Then she turned back to her brother and gave a small nod. "I guess she is kind of selfish."

Dustkit meant what he said but he also felt guilty. Smokekit might have been selfish but she was still his sister. "I think I'll go tell her I'm sorry." He mewed. Then he trotted forward.

"Hey there Smokekit." He mewed. The dark gray she-kit didn't react, she just kept on going as if she couldn't hear or see her brother. The pale brown kit grunted and sighed.

"I'm so--" he started.

"Just get away from me! I'll just get in the way again." She interrupted. Then she turned away and stormed off.

"Don't leave! We have to stick together!" he yelled. But his sister kept on going. The young tortoiseshell kit came running up.

"Where is she going?" Fernkit asked.

"I don' know!" he snapped. "She just left and now she's mad and all I wanted to do was apologize! I hate her. I wish she was gone." He yelled.

Fernkit lowered her head. She watched as her sister disappeared behind the trees. Suddenly she heard a yowl.

"Smokekit?" she mewed. Then she dashed off towards her sister's direction. Dustkit slowly followed.

Fernkit saw her sister being picked up by a large creature. She backed away in fear. Dustkit stared upwards at the creature and gulped.

"What is it?" Dustkit asked.

"I think momma called it a Twoleg. Remember when she warned us about those creatures that walked on two legs? She said that they'd take us away to their nests." She explained. A feeling of sorrow ran through her as she remembered her mother's voice.

"That's Twoleg must be taking Smokekit back to its nest!" Dustkit meowed worriedly. Suddenly he remembered that he was mad at his sister. "I-I don't care if that Twoleg takes her away." He stuttered. "Let's go find our clan." He turned away.

"Smokekit is in trouble." Fernkit twitched her tail and kept an eye on her sister being taken away.

"I don't care about her." The young pale brown kit mewed.

"You said we have to stick together! We can't just leave her."

"I don't care!"

Fernkit curled her lip. "Fine." Then she turned away and chased after her sister.

Duskit gave a furious groan and followed Fernkit.

They watched the Twoleg stick Smokekit into its nest. It slammed the door shut. The two kits were sitting by the fence, they stared at the nest hoping to see their sister.

Fernkit crept under the fence, Dustkit did the same. They were getting closer to the door, Fernkit's tail began to twitch nervously.

"Food! Food!" a loud bark was heard. The two kits froze and looked around. They saw a large creature with sharp fangs. It was drooling from the mouth and it wagged its tail.

"Chase! Food! Chase!" It barked again.

Fernkit and Dustkit gave each other a worried glance. "Dog!" Dustkit yelled.

The kits made a run for it, but the fence was surrounding them. They didn't have enough time to crawl up the fence. The dog was right at their tails, snapping every few steps.

Fernkit stumbled and fell to her side. She was panting hard and too tired to move. "Fernkit!" Duskit yelled.

He stood by his sister and stared into the dog's eyes. The dog snarled and bared his teeth.

"Food! Food!"