Fawnkit squirmed under the heat of the nursery. Greenleaf sunlight streamed through the brambles, all the more reason to keep her eyes squeezed shut. But curiosity got the better of her, and she cracked one eyelid open, and the other flew open in surprise.
"Leafkit," Fawnkit whispered in awe. "You have to see this."
"See?" Leafkit grumbled sleepily.
"Yes! Open your eyes!"
Leafkit shifted, and after a long heartbeat, blinked her eyes, and stared. Her head bobbed around, looking at the nursery.
"It's a lot bigger than I thought," she squeaked.
"I bet the camp is even bigger," Fawnkit said excitedly, bouncing up and down on her paws.
"Are you suggesting we go exploring?" Leakit murmured.
"Yeah!" Fawnkit charged out the nest and promptly fell on her face. Leafkit let a mrrow of amusement. Fawnkit gingerly stood up, struggling to get a hang of her stubby legs, and carefully moved forward, Leafkit following. Soft paws clamped her tail to the ground.
"Where are you going?" A voice asked. Fawnkit looked back with wide eyes.
"Exploring?" Leafkit replied.
"Oh, let them go," a sleepy whisper called from across the nursery. Fawnkit looked up to see Flamethroat pushing Berrykit off her belly. She opened her pink mouth wide in complaint.
Snowfeather, Fawnkit's mother, sighed and licked them both on their heads.
"Be polite," she warned.
"So we can go?" Fawnkit asked.
"Of course. Don't get under any cats paws!"
Fawnkit instantly shot out of the nursery and skidded into camp.
It's huge, Fawnkit thought in shock as big, strong warriors padded into camp, carrying their heads high with big squirrels in their mouth.
"That's Mousepaw!" Leafkit hissed to Fawnkit, pointing to a small gray apprentice in the back of the group, carrying a jet-black creature.
"What's that?" Fawnkit asked, racing up to Mousepaw.
"This is called a blackbird," Mousepaw mumbled, his mew muffled by the prey.
"Cool," Leafkit murmured, awed.
"When you two become apprentices, you'll catch a bunch." he gave an affectionate lick on Fawnkit's head.
"Assuming you stay out of trouble until then! Want me to show you around camp?"
"Yes," Leafkit replied eagerly. Just then, a lithe russet-colored she-cat pushed through the gorse barrier.
"Juniperpaw," Mousepaw greeted.
"I've been training all day, and I'm really tired," she yawned. "Are these Snowfeather's kits?"
"And Owlheart's," he purred.
"They look exactly like him. Shame none of them look like Snowfeather," Juniperpaw grunted, looking at them.
"Lets go," Fawnkit hissed to Leafkit. Leafkit stared at Fawnkit, bewildered.
"But Mousepaw is gonna show us around…" Fawnkit didn't let her finish, haring off into the nearest bush, where she collided head-on with a paw.
"Oh, goodness me, I'm terribly sorry," a high-pitched mew called.
Fawnkit looked up to see a somewhat blue she-cat staring at her.
"Oh, you must be Fawnkit! How adorable! I'm Flowerfur, an elder. Would you like me to introduce you to my denmates? Again, sorry about the bump," she purred, gesturing to her paw.
Fawnkit nodded and Leafkit skidded next to Fawnkit, somewhat crossly.
"Mousepaw wanted to know where you went," she grumbled.
Fawnkit ignored her, padding into the elder's den.
"Oh! Kits!" A tortoiseshell cried out, leaping up and licking them. Fawnkit batted his nose.
"Leave them alone, Roughtail," a golden tom called out.
Fawnkit's head spun with all the names.
"This is Thickpelt," Roughtail gestured to the golden cat. Fawnkit looked at the elder. She could tell under his old bones that he had been a great warrior who had clawed many cats in his time.
Someday I'm gonna be like that, Fawnkit thought. I'm going to be a loyal, strong cat, who will defend my Clanmates with the sake of my life!