Spiderkit flashed a quick glance to Aspenkit, who was staring at him with wide amber eyes.
"Sorry!" he slapped her shoulder and raced after Barkkit, who was chatting with Rainkit- upon seeing the kit, the two scattered, both running in different directions.
"Wait- Aspenkit is it!" he called after them. Barkkit continued to run, Rainkit looking unsure, but padding after his sister, anyways.
Aspenkit leaped on-top of her brother. "Got you," she announced, a mock tone in her voice. "You're it!" she leaped off and ran away.
"You okay?" Blossomkit was padding over to the tom-cat. "Why are you running like that?" she questioned.
Spiderkit recognized his chance and darted forward to smack the confused she-cat.
"Hey!" she yelled, unsure of what happened.
"You're it," he explained, pausing his run.
"You little furball," Blossomkit purred, raising her haunches into a crouch, as if she was prepared to leap after him.
Spiderkit felt a flash of admiration for the she-cat, and a pang of jealousy at the same time- why did she have to be bigger? Then it would be fair!
Quick as a bird, he darted away, veering towards the apprentice den, recognizing that their was no cat inside.
Blossomkit didn't follow, instead leaping after Aspenkit, who gave a startled shriek and ducked under the she-cat's paws.
"Alright, kits, I think it's time to pack it in." Lizardclaw piped in.
Spiderkit recognized his mother strait away. "Mom!" he shreiked, rushing over to her, "You're back!" he heard Aspenkit's surprised squeak.
"Yes." Lizardclaw answered.
"How was the patrol?" Blossomkit sat upright, tucking her tail over her paws neatly, while beside her, Rainkit lay slumped over, panting heavily.
"Rainkit, stop that! You look like a dog," Barkkit scolded.
Rainkit looked offended before putting his tounge back into his mouth.
"Spiderkit, Aspenkit, the sun is setting. Let's get back to the nursery."
"But, can't we stay out with Tawnycloud's kits? We'll be good!"
"When you're four moons old, sure," Lizardclaw's voice was calm, but Spiderkit could see small burts of anger in his mother's eyes. He knew better to argue with his spicy, uncontrolled mother, or else he'd get a scolding. He still loved her all the same- the best mother he'd ever had... the only one.
"Fine," Aspenkit's tail drooped, her gray ears plastered to her head.
"See you, guys!" Blossomkit flicked her tail warmly.
Spiderkit's gaze trailed her as he left, following his mother.
Aspenkit drew her tounge over her ruffled pelt. Time and time again, she'd lick her fur before her sleep so sleek she could practically see her face in it- but each time she woke up, all her hard work was gone. She was working on her hind leg when Rainkit busted through the nursery entrance.
"Guess what? Guess what?!" he yelled, joy gleaming in his bright blue eyes.
Aspenkit didn't have to guess. He was six moons old today, meaning his apprentice ceremony would be just before sun-down. She couldn't help but feel jealous- it stinged her pelt. If only I was born sooner...!
"Will you be there for my ceremony, Aspenkit?" Rainkit questioned, his blue gaze fixed intently on her.
"Well, yeah, of course." she mewed calmly. Why would he ask such a dumb question like that?
"And so am I!" Spiderkit raised his head beside her, the thick tuft of fur on his head curled awkwardly.
Rainkit nodded. "I'm so excited. I hope I get Heatherstorm as my mentor!"
Aspenkit felt a surge of joy and admiration for her father. She pondered whether to thank him or not.
"Rainkit? Where are you?" Blossomkit poked her head through the nursery.
"Oh. There," she padded over to her brother, a look of amusement in her eyes.
"Boy, Aspenkit, your pelt looks nice today," she complimented the she-cat.
"I was just thinking that," Rainkit replied.
Why is every cat obsessing over me? She shifted her paws, not knowing how to react.
"Wanna play one last game of tag as kits?" Rainkit asked Blossomkit.
"Sure! But be prepared- I'm going to cream you!"'
"Can I join?" Spiderkit looked up.
"Sure! You too, Aspenkit?" Blossomkit replied.
"No, thanks. I want to keep cleaning my pelt."
"Okay! Come on, Spiderkit," Blossomkit let the tom pad in front of her before all three kits left the nursery.
A heartbeat later, Aspenkit heard a whack and a distant "You're it!"
"You'd rather clean yourself then play tag?" Lizardclaw inquired.
"Mm." was Aspenkit's reply, drowned out by the frequent tounge-rasps as she finished her leg.
Lizardclaw rose to her paws. "Who do you want to be your mentor?" she asked.
Aspenkit paused. She wasn't sure what to say.
"I mean, as an apprentice, of course... and it's not like you get to choose, but.."
"I think I'd want Sorrelmoon," Aspenkit quickly replied. "She's nimble and really smart."
She heard her mother's purr of approval. "She was my mentor, too! Good choice."
Aspenkit craned her head out the entrance to see her brother crouched, his green eyes narrowed. In a split second, Barkkit was throwing herself at him.
Dodge! She instructed in her head. At the last moment, Spiderkit swerved, and dashed away.
She could see Barkkit suppressing an angry glare.
"Oh, come on! You're letting a kit beat you? You're almost an apprentice!"
Aspenkit saw Duststar commenting from across the clearing.
Barkkit lowered her head in embarrasment.
Aspenkit saw Duststar mumble to himself, before a gleam snagged in his eyes.
"Lets make that happen," he mewed, loud enough for any cat to hear.
"Hazelwing," he called to the brown she-cat, "Have you sent out any patrols?"
"No. I was just about-"
Duststar broke away from her and quickly sprinted up the rock.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather underneath the highrock for a clan meeting!" he called, his loud voice ringing across the clearing.
Tawnycloud let out a startled yowl and dashed away from her half-eaten vole to rush over to her kits, who were staring up at their leader with a new-found confusion.
Aspenkit raced over to Spiderkit, who was staring up at Duststar expectantly, his eyes gleaming, as if he was being apprenticed himself.
"Rainkit! Come forward," Duststar called, even with cats still emerging from their dens.
Rainkit trotted forward confidently.
"From this moment on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be Rainpaw. Sorrelmoon,"
Dang it!
"You are kind, swift, and lithe. You will be an excellent mentor to this young apprentice."
Rainpaw stood there, as if he didn't know what to do.
Thankfully, Sorrelmoon padded over and touched noses with the tom, guiding him back with her tail.
"Barkkit! Come forward. From this moment on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be Barkpaw. Frogwing, you are a fiercly loyal..."
This is too boring. Will my ceremony really look like this?
She watched the two touch noses, and she was done.
She sneaked away, out of the crowd, back to the nursery.
I don't care about my fur anymore. I'm going to take a nap.