Chapter 9: ThunderClan
Skykit yawned, and stretched. Or, at least, tried to stretch. Her head hit something and her paws and legs couldn't stretch out. She looked down at the warm bundle of fur beside her.
It wasn't her older sister, as she had assumed; It was an older white she-cat wit a pinky coloured circle around each of her eyes.
She looked around and memories flooded back to her as she saw the brown colour of the object she was in. With difficulty she flipped the object onto its side and let the rays of the sun soak into her fur. They were a little cold and chilly, but they were good enough.
Skykit looked up, squinting her eyes. Most of the sun was covered by lots of light grey, thick clouds. There were many more scattered across the sky, promising rain.
The other cat yawned and got up. "We've got to get at least halfway out of Twolegplace before the rain comes," Skykit meowed urgently. "We have to."
"Why? There's no rush. We can hunt first." Tiani mewed, stretching. Skykit nodded. "Good idea."
Skykit crept around and found a huge rat scuffling around in some huge Twoleg cans. Skykit flung herself onto it, killing it swiftly with a nip to the neck.
She went back to the huge brown objects, were Tiani waited with two small, golden fish. "Golden fish? How is that possible?" Skykit blurted out her thoughts.
Tiani shrugged. "Twolegs keep them in ponds surrounded by big rocks," the rogue told Skykit, and sunk her teeth into one of the fish, gulping it down. Skykit took huge bites out of her rat.
It was a few minutes earlier then sunhigh, and the clouds had gathered and darkened. They covered the whole sky. Skykit looked from side-to-side.
She found an abandoned Twoleg nest, with vines curled around it and low trees inside the fence. A few if the branches of one of those trees were hanging over the edge, leaving a sheltered spot for the cats. "We could shelter over there," Skykit suggested, pointing her tail towards the overgrown plants.
Tiani nodded and Skykit followed her under the shelter of the tree's branches. Then thunder sounded, and rain suddenly poured down from the huge, dark clouds.
Skykit and the rogue who was helping her get to the forest curled up, and slept.
Skykit yawned and stretched as the sun flashed in her eyes. She nudged Tiani awake and padded out of the make-shift den.
She was urgent to get to the forest by the end of the day. Tiani yawned and got up. She padded after Skykit, and this time Skykit led the way. To Skykit's surprise, she smelled the forest, although it was very faint. "Come on. The forest is close. I can smell it." Skykit meowed, and ran ahead.
Tiani ran alongside the tabby kit, for the first time looking not serious, but happy and like she was having fun. Then Skykit suddenly saw a flash of dark green and, the best of all she saw, a glimpse of sleek, golden fur!
"Lightningheart? Is that you?" She called. There was no answer. Then, she heard one.
"Skykit? Your here!" Skykit pelted forward. As she got there, she nuzzled her Clan's deputy. "Lightningheart!" Tiani ran forward and caught up with the brown tabby she-cat. "This is Lightingheart," Skykit introduced her friend to the rogue, "and this is Tiani." She mewed to the deputy.
The two cats nodded greeting, and padded onwards. Skykit followed, joyfully.
By evening, the cats had reached the edge of ThunderClan territory. Lightningheart took a deep breath and stepped onto his Clan's territory.
Tiani padded beside Skykit as she entered the inside of the border, and they padded onward. The tips of the trees were red and fiery orange due to the sun sending scarlet lights from the horizon.
The sky darkened as the cats walked on and on, closer and closer to the ThunderClan camp.
Soon, when the first warriors of StarClan were out, the three journeying cats reached the thorn tunnel. Lightningheart and Skykit ran through quickly and joyfully, but Tiani hesitated before padding through the spiky entrance.
As they got there, many cats peaked out of their dens or looked up from their prey, and lots came to greet the two Clan cats. Then Squirrelstar came bounding down from her den with Brackenpelt and Ashclaw following close behind. "Who is this?" The light ginger she-cat asked as her gaze flicked across Tiani. "This is Tiani. I met her in Twolegplace."
Brackenpelt stepped forward, growling. "Why did you bring her here?"
"She insisted to come." Skykit replied calmly. Ashclaw and Brackenpelt turned to look at the white she-cat. Tiani nodded, then stepped back and half-turned. "I wanted to see the forest, but now I have seen it. Good hunting." Then the Twolegplace cat disappeared out the thorn tunnel. "Well, Skykit, you have a well-earned ceremony to be done." Squirrelstar mewed, and jumped up onto Highledge.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" She yowled, and soon the Clan was gathered.
The ceremony was done, and Skykit was now Skypaw. Her mentor was Mousetail. Skypaw only had two moons left of training, and she used them well, and became a fine warrior.