CHAPTER TWO

The three kits sat huddled next to each other as Yellowstar paced the den back and forth lashing his tail angrily.

"So they destroyed the prey pile?"

"Yes, Yellowstar. Unfortunately no had been paying attention to them. If I had been there before I could have stopped them. But all the hunting patrols hard work has been ruined. These kits were disrespectful of the warrior's hard work. They even ripped apart a sparrow, they treated the food as if it but just a ball of moss. They-" But Yellowstar silenced Peachfur with a lash of his tail.

"I see. Appropriate measures will have to be taken."

Chesterkit swallowed deeply. This was it, they were going to be expelled from the clan. Rainkit let out a small squeak, "They won't feed us to the foxes will they?" Whitenose had often told tales of how rambunctious kits were feed to foxes as a punishment. How much of the queens words were true, Chesterkit didn't know and he didn't want to find out.

Yellowstar let out an mrrow. "We won't feed you to the foxes, I promise."

Rainkit shrunk back closer to Chesterkit, embarrassed that the leader had heard her. "It was all a game, we promise. We didn't mean any harm by it."

"Game or not it could have caused cats to starve. That is a very serious issue. No kits will be feed to the foxes but what we will do," Yellowstar sat down and paused to give his tangled fur a quick lick, "Is send you to help out with Fangfire's tasks. So you will sort herbs, clean the elders and do whatever he asks, for a full moon or until I think you have learned."

Rainkit shuddered "The elders, yuck!"

Chesterkit brushed his tail over her to shush her. Birdkit who was lying next to Chesterkit let out a sigh of relief. He had been scared stiff the whole time.

"Yellowstar, what about Chesterkit? He clearly caused the other kits to become involved. He should be punished-"

No I didn't! Chesterkit wanted to protest but Yellowstar had cut Peachfur off again.

"Peachfur I think they will be punished enough. It does not matter who came up with the game. They must all learn to share the responsibility for their actions."

"With all due respect, I still think that Chesterkit is being let of too lightly." Peachfur dipped his head to the leader. "If you gave him extra tasks, I'm sure he would learn."

Chesterkit felt irritation bubble under his paws. He'd done nothing wrong. It was all Rainkit's idea! How could Peachfur blame him.

Yellowstar shot Peachfur an icy look. "You're not singling Chesterkit out just because he is Flowernose's and Sharpclaw's son? What ever happened between you and Flowernose happened and you shouldn't take it out on the kit."

"But I wasn't" Peachfur lashed his tail in surprise as the leader was now angry at him.

"Hmph. I see. But until I can clearly see that you hold no prejudices against Chesterkit, I will not assign him extra tasks."

Peachfur dipped his head in respect to his leader but clearly wasn't happy. "Then I can only hope that one day you will believe that I do not hold ill will against Flowernose or her mate and kits."

"Good," Yellowstar's gaze warmed towards the cream colored tom," go and check if there are any pieces of prey that can still be salvaged and distribute them accordingly."

Peachfur left the den casting a contemptuous glare at Chesterkit. Chesterkit could feel his pelt prick in annoyance. What made that cat hate him so much? But then he felt a tinge of happiness. Ha, Peachfur's plans failed all thanks to Yellowstar. Maybe the clan leader doesn't hate us after all. Yellowstar turned his gaze on the three kits lying huddled by the den entrance. "I do hope you will learn your lesson."

Scarfur bounded into the den all of a sudden, his ragged breaths echoing off of the cave walls. "I heard what happened. I am deeply sorry that this occurred. I will make sure to give Rainkit a proper scolding." The scarred tom gave Rainkit a glare and the tiny black she-kit shrunk back even closer to Chesterkit. Chesterkit let out a little gasp as he was now being crushed on both sides by his friends and could barely take a proper breath. "Come here," Scarfur ordered and Rainkit reluctantly got up to her paws and stood by his side. "I should have never given here a piece of freshkill. It's all my fault. I thought it was time for her to have a taste of mouse…but I had never imagined it would lead to this outcome." Scarfur nodded his head in shame. Yellowstar placed a tail tip on the broad tom's shoulders.

"Do not worry. You are at no fault. Kits will be kits."

Scarfur nodded his head in agreement and then drawing Rainkit closer to his side with his tail, the two left the den.

"You are an embarrassment," Chesterkit heard the toms meow before the two padded away.

Yellowstar watched them go before he turned his gaze to Chesterkit and Birdkit who started to shake. "Come, I'll bring you back to the nursery. No more adventures now, you hear." The old tom bent down and picked up both kits by the scruff. As he padded out of the cave, Chesterkit narrowed his eyes against the light. Inside it had been so dark, so his eyes were used to the dimness. As the clan leader made his way carefully down the cliff face using the climbing stones Flowernose rushed out of the nursery.

"Chesterkit, what's this I hear about from Willoweyes about you getting in trouble." she mewed as she bounded over to the bottom of the climbing stones. Her eyes were wide with worry. Mosspelt soon followed her and both queens waited patiently for the leader to get to the bottom of the climbing stones. He set the two kits down carefully.

Mosspelt darted forward to Birdkit and covered his spiked fur in licks. "Oh you poor thing. Always getting in trouble." She cast a glance at Chesterkit eyeing him warily while Birdkit squirmed under her licks.

Chesterkit swallowed a growl. It wasn't my fault!

Flowernose approached Chesterkit sniffing him over. "You're not hurt are you?"

"I'm fine mom" he mewed. Now that he was done with Peachfur and Yellowstar he felt less afraid.

"I've given them to work with Fangfire so that they may learn the value of working hard." Yellowstar addressed the she-cats.

Mosspelt narrowed her eyes. "Birdkit surely is not to blame. He's a good kit. He just always gets swept away with the other kits shenanigans." She cast another glance at Chesterkit.

"I hope you're not saying my kit is bad!" Flowernose growled drawing near to Mosspelt's face.

The tortoiseshell queen bared her teeth. "I'm just saying that ever since Birdkit started hanging out with Chesterkit and Rainkit he's been getting into a lot of trouble." Birdkit hid behind his mother's legs his eyes anxious as he watched the two she-cats.

Yellowstar waved his tail for silence. "Whatever the issue please resolve it," he mewed and then padded over to the medicine den. Fangfire was sitting outside of it chewing on a vole and picked his head up to greet his leader. The two cats spoke quietly but Chesterkit could clearly see that Fangfire was not happy about what they were taking about.

Flowernose drew a tail over Chesterkit's back. "We're going back to the nursery," she hissed throwing a scalding glance at Mosspelt who just narrowed her eyes in response.

"Mom are you and Mosspelt not friends anymore?" Chesterkit asked as he trailed along after her.

"No we just had a simple disagreement." Flowernose nosed her way into the nursery and settled into her nest. "Now come let's get you to sleep. You have a big day ahead of you."

Chesterkit curled up reluctantly next to her. Dusk had just fallen and chesterkit suddenly felt exhausted and daunted by the task that lay in front of him. How would he ever help Fangfire? He hated the smell of herbs. And helping the elders search for ticks? Yuck!

As his eyelids dropped he saw Mosspelt and Birdkit pad into the nursery. They settled into their nests. Shadowlake mewed a greeting. "I heard what happened. Quite a troublemaker, isn't he?"

"He's not the troublemaker," Mosspelt hissed and Chesterkit felt Flowernose tense next to him. But before he could hear a response he had fallen asleep.