Crystalstar Medicine cat: Thanks for the compliments! Also, thanks for pointing out my error. You may be glad to know that I fixed it. Creamkit and Fawnkit are Berrynose's, and I made Breezepelt Breezewhisper 'cause I like it better.
Ripplewater: Nice name. Thanks for the compliments.
Dr. Pepper Princess: Thanks. I'll try to update once a day.
Crazed Reader: I'll take your suggestions.
Chapter ThreeLeafkit stood as Hollyleaf padded up to her. Her wounds were completely healed and she felt as strong as ever.
"Yes, Hollyleaf?"
Hollyleaf gave her a swift lick. "I'm taking you back to WindClan today. Why don't you go say your goodbyes and have a bite to eat? We'll leave afterwards."
"Okay," Leafkit mewed. "I'll miss you guys," she admitted.
Hollyleaf nodded. "Remember," she meowed, a strange look crossing her eyes, "even if your dreams seem to be failing, you should always keep trying to fulfill them."
Leafkit nodded, wondering at the look in Hollyleaf's eyes. "I'll remember."
She padded over to the sunny patch where the queens were gossiping. Daisy, Poppyfrost, and Honeyfern turned to look at her.
"Hi," the kit mewed. "I'm leaving today. I've come to say goodbye."
Daisy gave her an affectionate lick. "Goodbye, dear. I'll miss you."
Poppyfrost nodded. "Perhaps we can meet again at Gatherings," the tortoiseshell meowed.
Honeyfern sighed. "I'll miss you too, Leafkit. You'd better say goodbye to Creamkit and Fawnkit before you go."
Leafkit nodded sadly. "Okay. Goodbye, Daisy. Bye, Poppyfrost and Honeyfern."
The queens dipped their heads. "StarClan go with you!" Poppyfrost called.
Leafkit padded over to where Lionblaze was leaving with a patrol. "Goodbye, Lionblaze!" she called.
The warrior flicked his tail. "Bye, Leafkit!" he meowed, and raced out of the camp, Berrynose and Mousewhisker hard on his heels.
Leafkit then raced over to the freshkill pile, where her friends were fighting over a squirrel. She leapt onto Creamkit's back, and the three tussled for a moment.
Leafkit hopped out of the fray, shaking dust from her back. "Hi, guys. I gotta go back to WindClan today. I came to say goodbye."
"Awe, man!" Creamkit mewed. "I want you to stay here forever!"
Fawnkit nodded. "I guess your parents are probably missing you, though."
"Yeah," Leafkit mewed. Well, one of them is. Nightcloud probably jumped for joy when I disappeared.
"Well, I guess we'll see you as apprentices," Fawnkit continued. "See ya later, Leafy."
"Yeah, see ya later," Creamkit echoed.
Leafkit gave them both a swift lick. "I'll look for you at my first Gathering. You'll see me with Kestrelwing!"
Leafkit still held onto her desire to become a medicine cat. Fawnkit and her brother had tried to convince her numerous times that it was the wrong path, but Leafkit still stuck with her dream.
Finally, Leafkit padded over to the medicine den to give her farewells to Jayfeather. She breathed in the scents of herbs. Dock, marigold, burdock, and comfrey… this is where I belong.
Jayfeather was sorting herbs when she walked in. He looked up to face her. "You've come to say goodbye?"
Leafkit nodded sadly. "Thanks for all that you've taught me, Jayfeather."
The medicine den held fond memories for Leafkit. When he had learned about her wish to become WindClan's next medicine cat, Jayfeather had let Leafkit become his helper. In the last quarter moon, she had learned the names and uses of some of the herbs. Jayfeather had taught her how to remove a thorn stuck in a cat's pad, and she had even gotten to help with the birth of Sorreltail's kits.
Leafkit felt a rush of sadness when she thought of Sorreltail. The queen's mate had been killed earlier this moon. The kits will never know a father.
Jayfeather jolted Leafkit out of her thoughts. "You'd better eat something, Leafkit. I'll see you at Gatherings. Give Kestrelwing my greetings."
"I will," Leafkit promised. "Goodbye."
The medicine cat flicked his tail. "May StarClan light your path."
Leafkit padded over to the fresh-kill pile, selecting a large vole. She gulped it down in quick, hungry bites.
Turning, the tabby kit found Hollyleaf ready and waiting for her. "Okay," Leafkit mewed. "I'm ready."
Hollyleaf flicked the kit's ear with her tailtip. "Okay, then. Let's go!"
The black warrior led the way out of camp and into the forest, Leafkit padding after her. The kit felt pride that she hardly had to struggle to keep up- she was old enough to be apprenticed!
As if reading her mind, Hollyleaf meowed, "So, Leafkit, how long until Crowstar makes you an apprentice?"
"I turn six moons old tomorrow, actually!" the smaller cat mewed happily.
Hollyleaf nodded, and the she cats chatted as they padded through the forest. Eventually, Leafkit's sharp ears picked up the gurgle of the boundary stream. Soon, she was standing beside it, looking into WindClan territory.
Hollyleaf picked Leafkit up by the scruff and nimbly leapt the stream. Setting the kit down, she meowed, "Okay, Leafkit. Lead the way."
Leafkit walked away from the stream until she came to her thinking clearing. She shuddered as she saw her own blood spotting the ground. I don't want to meet another fox for as long as I live!
Hollyleaf noticed her shiver. "Don't worry," the older cat meowed. "I won't let any foxes eat you."
Leafkit frowned and then fell into track along her familiar path to the camp. The cats trotted along the path until they came to Leafkit's secret entrance.
Hollyleaf frowned. "I can't fit through that rabbit hole," she meowed.
Leafkit nodded. "I know. That was my secret entrance. You and I can just follow the camp wall until we come to the real entrance."
Hollyleaf led the way, walking around the perimeter of the camp until they came to entrance. There, they ran smack into a patrol headed by Crowstar.
Crowstar dipped his head to Hollyleaf. "What business brings you here to WindClan, Hollyleaf?"
Hollyleaf dipped her head to the WindClan leader. Pulling Leafkit out from behind her, she meowed, "Greetings, Crowstar. I have come to return a WindClan kit that seemed to have wandered off."
Crowstar glanced at Leafkit, unspoken thoughts glimmering in his eyes. His gaze turned to the ThunderClan deputy. "Thank you, Hollyleaf. Leafkit disappeared one quarter moon ago." His eyes flashed at the black warrior. "Why was she not returned until now?"
Hollyleaf met his gaze coolly. "One of my warriors rescued her from a fox. I thought it best to keep her until she was healed. My medicine cat took very good care of her, I assure you."
Crowstar glared at her. "Very well, deputy," he meowed, snatching Leafkit up. "Goodbye." The leader turned and stalked into the camp, Leafkit swinging from his mouth.
Crowstar dropped Leafkit on the ground. She could tell that her father was furious. The kit hung her head.
Crowstar sighed. "We will talk when I get back, Leafkit." Then he turned and stalked out of the camp, after his patrol.
Review, everybody! Next chapter, apprentice ceremony! Whooo hoo!