Leopardkit
All I hear, day in and day out, is Sagekit. Sagekit Sagekit Sagekit. "Oh, Sagekit is so handsome!" "Great first born, Squirrelflight." "He's really strong!" "Oh, look, his eyes are so colorful." "Sagekit is going to make a mighty fine warrior one day!" Well you know what? I am sick and tired of hearing Sagekit all the time. Today, I have decided to astound everyone by opening my eyes for the first time.
I opened my eyes, and looked around the nursery. It was darker than I expected, and it smelt milky. I looked at Squirrelflight, taking in her ginger coat, and I saw how proud she was.
"Oh, Leopardkit, I am so happy for you!" she said, delighted. "You opened your eyes! They are a nice color. I–"
Sagekit ran into the nursery. "–Squirrelflight, can I share a finch with Amberkit and Snowkit?" interrupted Sagekit.
"Of course not! You can't have meat! You too young!" stated Squirrelflight.
"But Squir-"
"No buts!"
I looked at my green- eyed mom, expecting her to finish her sentence, but she glanced at me tiredly.
"I'm sorry, Leopardkit, I forgot what I was saying. Why don't you go outside and play with the other kits?" Squirrelflight suggested.
Dejected, I walked out of the nursery, into the bright sunlight of the camp. It took me a few moments for my eyes to adjust to the sun, and then I remembered that this was my first time out of the nursery!
With a thonk, a moss ball hit my head, and bounced off of it. I spun around, angry, trying to find who my tormentor was. Sagekit was missing. Probably sucking up to the apprentices. Wolfkit and Clawkit would definitely pull a trick like that. When I looked at them, I saw that Clawkit was looking down guiltily.
With a lightning fast pounce, I barreled him over and pinned him down. He started whining, and he tried to wiggle out of my grasp, but I sat on him. Ha! I thought. You will never get away!
Suddenly, I was pulled off my brother, dangled in the air, and was carefully placed a few tail- lengths away from him. I looked up, and saw Bramblestar, my father, purring.
"Be nice to your brother. He was only trying to play with you," he said.
"But he hit me with a moss ball!" I complained.
"So then hit him back! Don't cheat by sitting on him!" he answered.
Taking my father's advice, I grabbed the moss ball in my teeth and rammed Clawkit with it. He then stole it from me, and with a laugh, Wolfkit stole it from him. While I watched my brothers playing keep- away from each other, I heard my parents talking.
"Are you happy?" murmured Squirrelflght.
"Yes," he replied. "Yes I am."
"I'm sorry–"
"Shh. It is OK. I understand now why you did what you did. I'm sorry I was so harsh on you. What matters now is that we love each other, and that we have a family."
While I was eavesdropping on them, I didn't notice the giant oak leaf that falling before it was too late. It completely covered me! I was so embarrassed. All the kits were laughing, but Squirrelflight stiffened. I bounded up to her.
"What's wrong?" I queried.
"Nothing… nothing at all…" she answered, a faraway tone in her voice.
"What is it, Squirrelflight?" asked Bramblestar.
"Leaf- fall is coming," she said.
"And?" he asked.
"That means leaf- bare will be after."
"So?" he replied. "It does every year."
"What if one of our kits get sick and dies from the cold?" she whispered.
"I promise I won't let anything happen to them," swore Bramblestar.
But what if you can't do that? I thought. I shook the thought with my mind. I leaped over next to Bramblestar, but not letting him know I heard. He pressed his pelt against mine, and I flicked my tail on him. I could stay here forever like this, I thought, just my father and I.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Amberkit and Sagekit climb to the top of the Highledge. They seemed to be teetering precariously. If they fell, they could die! I didn't like my brother, but I didn't want him to get hurt, either. He is my family. But before I said something, Toadstep scrambled to the top of the Highledge and brought them down, Sagekit protesting all the way.
Squirrelflight sprinted over to her son with her hackles raised.
"What in StarClan's name were you doing?" she screeched.
"I- I just wanted to see what it was- was like to be a leader, and… and…"
I started to get annoyed. I couldn't hear the rest, but it was obvious to me that Sagekit was pretending to be a hapless kit, and he just wanted the attention. "Don't worry, little one," said Bramblestar. "Your time will come. But don't kick me out of my position too soon!" he ended with a chuckle.
As Clawkit ran over to ask about what the Highledge was like, Squirrelflight started furiously licking Sagekit.
"I don't know what I would do if you had gotten hurt. You terrified me," she said.
I sighed, one thing dominating my mind.
Family favorites are so annoying!