Chapter 5

(Continued)

Sorry that last bit was so short... we had a bit of a family crisis... my grandpa had a heart attack.. at three in the morning. He's okay though... phew...close call.

Hey heres a tip that WILL save your life,if ya know you're havin' a heart attack, go to the flippin' doctors office!

"And what's this about you being a leader? and who is Lark-" The kit continued to ask.

"Sunflower, I need to speak with this kit... Alone." Hawkfur interrupted as the kit spoke.

"Yes Hawkst- Hawkfur." Sunflower said, "sorry, it's just... ermmm.." she stammered, she's almost called Hawkfur her leader.

"Understood." Hawk said simply, she seemed to have that effect on other cats.

As she watched Sunflower pad off, her mind was reeling with rediscovered memories, of larkshine, of her son, Flamekit, Redfang, the thunderpath, everything.

"Ah... erm... Hawkfur?" Shadowface asked tenatively, his face still sore from when she'd slapped him," Where ARE you from?"

"Why does it matter? I can't go back." Hawkfur sighed, turning her head away. "You wouldn't understand... it's my burden to bear." She sighed.

"Hawk? Why'd you try to kill Icenose?" Barkkit asked, starring into her ice blue eyes, some thing only one cat, now deceased Redfang, had done before.

"Just wait a minute please little one." Hawkfur said.

"Okay." Barkkit said.

"Where's the most private place in your... erm..." Hawkfur paused to look around the huge twoleg nest, "dwelling?"

"Just over here," Shadowface said, motioning towards another opening in the twoleg nest, "I'll leave you alone for now..." Shadowface said. Hawkfur looked around the place where Shadowface had lead her. This area had some sort of raised, soft, squishy moss-rock. (A.K.A. Bed)

"Come here Barkkit," Hawkfur said, using a claw to pull down a mini moss-rock for the kit to sit on. (A.K.A. pillow)

"What is it Hawk? Who was Silverstar? Who was Flamekit? Why did momma almost call you Hawkstar? Who is Larkshine? What happened to your sister's kits? Who is Jayfeather?" he asked, the questions came one after another.

"Can you keep a secret?" Hawkfur asked Barkkit, her voice was laced with pain, anger, anguish, and a somber tone.

"Yes." Barkkit said, his voice had went from curious and playful to somber and wise.

"Promise not to tell? Even if you're being tortured?" Hawkfur said.

"Yes, Hawkfur... I promise. I promise on my tail." Barkkit said, his voice seemed like it had aged many seasons in a second.

"I did a bad thing, Barkkit, I broke a lot of rules...." Hawkfur began, tears were already burning behind her eyes, "So did Jayfeather..."

"What did you do?" the kit asked, head cocked to one side.

"I lied to my mate... To my friends, my family... myself..." Hawkfur turned her head. " Jayfeather.... well, that's a different story little one."

"What did you lie about?" Barkkit asked quietly.

"I lied about Flamekit's father." Hawkfur said, her head hung low.

"Okay, so... was their father a tribe cat?" Barkkit asked.

"You know quite a bit about where I come from." Hawkfur said, suspicion in her tone.

"Well... I've had strange dreams..." Barkkit admitted, shuffling his paws.

"What did the cats look like in your dreams?" Hawkfur asked gently.

"One of them was you, only, everyone called you Hawkstar," Barkkit said "and then there was Icenose, only she was called Iceheart. She joined us just after I opened my eyes for the first time."

"Was there a blind cat? Blue eyes, snappy temper..." Hawkfur asked.

"Yeah, there was, Jayfeather was his name. There was something about a she cat named Calm Waters After a Storm."

"My kin..." Hawkfur whispered silently.

"Then there was something about a starry cat telling you that Ice can cut deeper than claws..." barkkit said.

"Enough..." Hawk said to the kit. " I must talk to Shadowface now, Promise not to tell anyone?" She asked once more.

"I promise."

"Swear on your own front paw?" Hawkfur asked sitting tall, holding up her front fight paw.

"Both of them." Barkkit said, extending his front legs so that he was bowing to Hawkfur, who laid her paws on top of his. It was a thing that only her clan members did, they did it to swear loyalty. It was a promise that, if broken, could be deadly.

"Barkkit, do you swear to keep this dark secret a secret?" Hawkfur said quietly, reciting the ancient ritual.

"I swear." Barkkit meowed quietly, but confidently.

"Do you swear that you will guard this secret with your life, and tell no one?" Hawk said, the ancient rituals words flowed smoothly.

"Yes." Barkkit said somberly.

"Swear that if you break this ancient vow, you will accept the punishment? That you will not deny your fault, and accept the punishment of exile, torture, or death??" Hawkfur let the last line of the ancient speech fall from her mouth like a stone.

"I swear to accept any and all punishment that result from the breaking of this vow." Barkkit meowed.

"Please stand, Barkkit of this dwelling." Hawkfur said. Barkkit stood, his young eyes shined with wisdom beyond his years. "Do you know that you might be killed if you tell this secret?" Hawkfur said, forgetting for a while that she was not Barkkit's leader.

"Yes. I do." Barkkit meowed.

"Then I, Hawkstar, give you my ancestors blessing." Hawkfur said as she laid her head on Barkkit's shoulder, her eyes glowing a stunning blue.

"Thank you Hawkfur." the kit said, reminding Hawkfur that she was no longer leader, but that didn't matter.

"Please find Shadowface for me." Hawkfur said.

"Okay, I'll be back in a heart beat." Barkkit said as he padded out of the den.

'Please, ancestors' Hawkfur thought, 'let him keep his vow...'

I need more character ideas,

so send me a comment with the name of your character,

their description, and a bit of their personality.

Thanks!