Riverkit winced as her belly rumbled yet again, louder than before. Her ribs were showing through her fur and she knew that if she didn't eat soon, she'd die. A harsh, cold wind blew through the hollow in the tree. Riverkit shivered. Not only was there no way she could catch prey with her small, weak body, but all the prey was buried below ground, sleeping and warm.
A cold breeze swept through the small opening in the tree. Riverkit shivered and snuggled further back into the hole. It was somewhat small, but the opening blocked most of the wind, so Riverkit didn't mind. She curled into a small, furry ball and tried to fall asleep. But no matter how hard she tried, thoughts of her mother kept coming back.
Her mother's face as she said good-bye to her only kit would not go away. The image squeezed Riverkit's heart. It wrenched and tugged at her body and mind. Wrenheart had saved her, and she would never forget her. She'd traveled a long way from her mother, and Riverkit was feeling a bit homesick, even though the other cats at home who she had used to love weren't as welcoming anymore.
The prophecy. What about that prophecy? Did it really mean her? Perhaps it had meant something different, but Riverkit doubted it, especially since Rippedstar had told the Clan the Tribe of Endless Hunting had approved of his decision. But would Riverkit keep her promise and not return to take revenge? Only if I don't die here in this cold, Riverkit thought bitterly.
Strangely, after settling on that depressing thought, Riverkit drifted off to sleep. In her dreams, she saw white flakes gently falling. Riverkit focused on one snowflake that fell and landed on the head of a great ginger cat. His green eyes watched her intently and followed her every move. Then he bounded forward, and someone yowled. She realized that the cat yowling was herself.
Slowly, Riverkit opened her eyes. She blinked as sunlight streamed through the small opening. She purred as it hit her and warmed her fur. It was early in the winter, so maybe prey would be out today, looking for last minute food!
The thought drove her out of tree. Her stomach hurt badly and she had already decided she would die if Riverkit didn't find food soon. As quiet as she could, Riverkit slipped between the trees in the forest. She lifted her head and tasted the air, imitating her mother when Riverkit had gone with her to watch her mother hunt. To her happiness, she smelled a mouse.
Riverkit stealthily slinked through the underbrush until she found her prey. It was a plump mouse sitting on a tree root eating a nut. Remembering what her mother had done next, Riverkit dropped into a crouch. It was a clumsy way to walk for a kit, but Riverkit did her best. She placed her paws lightly on the ground when she took a step, hoping the mouse didn't hear her.
Suddenly, the mouse turned its head toward her. It squeaked and tried to dart off, but being a bit heavier than normal, Riverkit caught it. She quickly killed it with a bit on its neck. Then she sat down and ate, enjoying her first meal for days. Only when she was finished did she realize with pride that she'd killed her first mouse.
If only mother could have seen, Riverkit thought sadly. Her heart was once again gripped by a hand that wrung it of all happiness. She shook her fur in hopes of ridding her misery. Once more she lifted her head to sniff the air. Being fuller now, Riverkit noticed a scent she hadn't before. Other cats!
Have I just been going in circles? Riverkit thought frantically. Rippedstar had said she'd be killed if they found her again. Riverkit looked around hysterically then darted off. Blindly, she ran until she found an abandoned rabbit hole. She shot inside and lay down, shivering. She wasn't cold, just afraid.
After a while, Riverkit could hear paws rushing towards her. Riverkit pushed back farther. They couldn't find her! Wrenheart had helped her stay alive, and Riverkit just couldn't let her mother feel any sadder than she already did.
Just then a head appeared in the entrance, blocking almost all the light. Apparently, whoever it was couldn't get in further as their body was too big.
"Hey!" the cat mewed. "Who are you and what are you doing on our territory?" Riverkit merely whimpered, too frightened to speak.
"Brambleclaw, that's just a kit!" Another voice came from behind the first. This one sounded like a she-cat.
The first cat backed up. "It's on our territory, and how do you even know it was a kit?" Brambleclaw asked suspiciously.
"Mouse-brain!" the second voice said loudly. "If it was a full grown cat it wouldn't fit in a rabbit hole, would it!" Brambleclaw grumbled, and then backed up even further, allowing the second cat to crouch down and speak to Riverkit.
"Hi! Please don't be scared, Brambleclaw's just somewhat rash." She said. Riverkit almost gasped out loud. This new cat had a voice just like her mother's!
Feeling more trusting now for some reason, Riverkit crawled forward and stuck her head out of the hole.
"Hi," Riverkit meowed shyly. The she-cat above him smiled. She had green eyes which seemed familiar to Riverkit. Her pelt was a light ginger color, almost like sand at sunset, and white paws and chest.
The other cat was a dark brown tabby. His intense amber eyes glared at Riverkit. They were full of hostility, and Riverkit suddenly felt nervous. His pelt gleamed in the sunlight and Riverkit could see his muscles. She looked back at the she-cat who was no longer smiling but was now frowning.
"StarClan, you're skinny!" the she-cat exclaimed. Riverkit smiled sheepishly, and then looked back at Brambleclaw. He too, was frowning, but then he'd been frowning since she'd met him.
"I suppose she is," Brambleclaw said, still grumbling at his moment of stupidity.
"We have to take her back to camp," she said. But Brambleclaw growled and stepped in front of the she-cat.
"No, Squirrelflight, we can't bring some random kit into ThunderClan!" Brambleclaw looked down at her, his nose wrinkled in disgust. "She could have a disease or something!"
Squirrelflight pushed her way past him and picked Riverkit up by the scruff of her neck roughly. Riverkit squealed in protest.
"Ow! That hurts!" She wriggled in Squirrelflight's grasp. "I can walk, you know!" Squirrelflight mewed a muffled apology and set her down.
"We have to bring her back; she isn't of another Clan, I can't smell any disease, and look! She's starving!" Squirrelflight hissed angrily. Brambleclaw's fur fluffed up.
Brambleclaw sniffed and seemed to detect the same thing since he flattened his fur back down.
"Okay, but we let Firestar decide," Brambleclaw said, still eyeing Riverkit. "Agreed?"
"Yes, agreed," Squirrelflight replied. If Riverkit wasn't so afraid, she would have purred in amusement. These two were obviously falling all over for each other.
"Hey, you know what I just realized?" Squirrelflight suddenly mewed as Riverkit followed them back to wherever the two older cats were going. "We don't know you're name but you know ours."
Riverkit leaped over a branch; a log to her and a twig to Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight. "It's Riverkit." She looked up and saw Brambleclaw looking back over his shoulder at her. His gaze was thoughtful.
"Kit?" Squirrelflight voiced her thoughts out loud. "Well you must be younger than six moons then." Riverkit nodded, but noticed Brambleclaw was still looking thoughtful. Whatever he was thinking was definitely different than his friend's. Riverkit noticed that although it was apparent the two liked each other, they were both very different.
As they padded forward, Squirrelflight told stories of ThunderClan and named all of its cats. She described StarClan which watched over all four Clans and gave them guidance and prophecies during times of trouble ("Like the Tribe of Endless Hunting?" Riverkit asked.). She told stories of her first gathering, her leader and father, Graystripe who was the old deputy before Brambleclaw, and their journey to this place, although thankfully he was still alive and well. After a time, Squirrelflight seemed to recognize Brambleclaw who was beginning to get agitated and decided to shut up.
All three were silent for a while until Brambleclaw, now looking forward again, mewed, "Here it is, ThunderClan camp." Riverkit looked around; The camp these cats lived in had high, rock walls with thin ledges. No cat but the most agile could possibly climb up there! The sight was simply awe-inspiring All the dens were made of brambles. Inside, she saw cats milling around and a tall pile of fresh kill. Riverkit's mouth watered at the sight of it.
Squirreltflight padded onward with Brambleclaw behind, and Riverkit followed. They walked through a screen of thorns that tugged both satisfyingly and painfully against Riverkit's pelt. Now they were in the camp. Riverkit was blinded by the sudden light compared to the shady forest. When she could see, Riverkit stared around, amazed.
There were cats everywhere, around twenty or thirty of them. Right at the entrance from this side of the tunnel, two dens made of plants and small twigs cats had obviously placed there by cats sat side by side. Three cats sat in front of the closest one, chatting. One cat slept in the second one, his long white fur faintly rising and falling.
On the other side was another den where two old cats sat. One chatted loudly as though she were going deaf, and the other replied, but he seemed to be looking in the wrong direction. Assuming that was where elders slept, Riverkit thought it odd that someone as young as the second was there with the elders.
On this side of the river there were two dens. One was slightly larger than all the others. She saw one cat standing over another. The one below was rolled over on his stomach showing a large gash. Further back in the large den was another cat that looked remotely like Squirreltail. She was scooting something out from under and small, overhanging rock. She picked them up and trotted back to the first.
Next to that den was another with three cats inside, not to mention the three kits playing in front of it. One of the kits stopped playing and flicked his tail in Riverkit's direction. He was staring at her, and the two other kits looked, too. They gazed intently at her. Squirrelflight caught her looking and said, "Since you're a bit younger than six moons, you'll be staying in there."
Riverkit looked down. "I'm actually only two weeks until I'm six moons old." She looked back up, but Squirrelflight didn't look the least surprised.
"Yeah, I thought you were already six moons, but you said you were Riverkit so that surprised me actually."
Finally, Squirrelflight stopped in front of a large, overhanging cliff. Riverkit followed Squirrelflight as she scrambled up the side. Riverkit had a harder time than the two older cats; the rocks were loose and slippery, and her paws and claws were smaller. At the top, there was a hollow in the walls that made the camp. A flame colored cat was sitting inside, licking another cat that also looked like Squirrelflight. The flame colored cat looked up and then jumped out of the hollow.
"Hello, Squirrelflight," he mewed. "Back from the border patrol?"
"Well, yes and no," Squirrelflight said, looking down at Riverkit. "Brambleclaw and I found this kit and when she ran from us, she hid in a rabbit hole." Squirrelflight purred with amusement. "We had a time getting her out, Firestar, I must say."
Firestar looked down at her and his eyes widened. Riverkit nearly tilted her head to ask why. "What's your name?"
"Riverkit," Riverkit promptly replied. His eyes widened a bit more. "I'm only two weeks from being six moons."
"I see." He seemed to be thoughtful for a moment then turned and said to Squirrelflight, "Should she go to the nursery for that remaining time or should we make her an apprentice."
Squirrelflight frowned. "You're taking her in that easy?"
"Yes, why not?" Firestar asked. "Look how skinny she is. She'd die if she spent any more time alone in the winter."
"True, that's what I told Brambleclaw," Squirrelflight said. She scowled when Firestar purred in amusement.
"I'm not that skinny!" Riverkit piped up. "I caught a mouse before they caught me!" Firestar purred again but said nothing.
"She should be in the nursery for at least a week or so, just so she can adjust." Squirrelflight said.
"Okay, why don't you take her there?" Squirrelflight nodded then padded away. When Riverkit didn't follow, she signaled with her tail to do so.
On the short way to the nursery, a few cats pointed at her with their tails and whispered things into other cats ears. Most of them nodded, a few shook their heads. Riverkit glared. She was used to this after the time she'd left StormClan. But she'd never tell anyone about StormClan, not as long as she lived.
Squirrelflight entered the nursery and talked to one of the cats, then motioned for Riverkit to come in.
"This is Moonpelt," Squirrelflight mewed, pointing at a white cat whose kits were hiding behind her. "Moonpelt, like I said, this is Riverkit."
Moonpelt moved forward to touch noses with Riverkit. The she-cat's pelt shimmered when she moved, even shifted a little. Her kits pelts were brown, white, and one that was white with brownish patches.
"She's just going to look after you for a few days, okay Riverkit?" Riverkit just nodded. She wasn't really listening. She was thinking about her real mother, whose pelt was a tabby gray. No matter how beautiful Moonpelt was, she'd never replace Wrenheart who was, in Riverkit's eyes, more beautiful and kind than any other cat in the world.
But she would never tell anyone about Wrenheart, either. Her mother was hers and no one else's. She would never tell anyone about her past and the prophecy, no matter how much she wanted to confess it. She wouldn't.
This was the exit and entrance.
Sorry it took me so long to update! Homework, you know? Not to mention it took SUCH a long time to write this! Okay, I promise in the next chapter that Riverkit will become Riverpaw and the story will get more exciting. Because this was a REALLY boring chapter if I do say so myself. I promise! Please R&R!