Chapter One
"Mintkit, Mintkit!"
The small brown and white kit raised her head, peering around to find who was speaking to her. Her brown and white fur was ruffled from sleep, even though it was day. She finally managed to focus on a similar-looking but larger tom, and he was pawing excitedly at the moss she was sleeping on.
"You're hurting my nest," she meowed crossly, and tried to shovel the ripped moss back onto the nest with her paw. Why couldn't Sagekit just let her sleep, for once in her life?
Sagekit tilted his head to the side, oblivious to his sister's unwillingness to do whatever he wanted to do. "Sorry. But please, you have to see this!" He was large for a kit of his age, and though he still had a half-moon until apprenticeship, already acted like he was the boss of everyone. To Sagekit, being an apprentice would be the best thing in the world.
"What is it? Tell me before I come." Mintkit was tired of her brother waking her up whenever she was sleeping, constantly- he was always scuffing his paws on the side of the nursery cave, or pestering Honey about being hungry, or trying to make Mintkit annoyed. He's really good at that, Mintkit thought.
Her brother quivered with happiness only a kit could possess. "It's a giant butterfly! It's just outside the cave and it's really big and we could try and catch it!"
Sighing, Mintkit pushed herself up from her warm nest, hoping that at the last second Sagekit might change his mind and want to have a nap instead- but that was wishful thinking. Even though Mintkit hadn't got any sleep last night because of Sagekit's snoring, he himself was well rested and bouncing around like kits did. "Alright, show me the giant butterfly." But this better be the most amazing butterfly I've ever seen!
Padding out of the nursery- in Sagekit's case, bounding out of the nursery- Mintkit shook a few last scraps of moss from her pelt. She did have to agree that it was a nice butterfly, once Sagekit had pointed it out. Big and colored black and orange, wings still as it perched on a wildflower. Perfect for chasing and catching.
Her energy suddenly restored, Mintkit's paws felt energized. "I'm going to catch it!" she declared, and dropped into a clumsy hunting crouch like she'd seen the apprentices practicing around camp. It didn't feel right at all- her tail was swaying back and forth and as she stilled it she realized her rump was too high in the air. Whatever, I'm sure it's good enough for a butterfly!
The she-kit pounced on the monarch, but it fluttered away at the last second- to her left, straight into the camp clearing. Sagekit let out a feisty growl and on his first leap, pinned it down with his big paw.
"Well done, Sagekit!"
Mintkit looked to see Lionflash, the huge long-haired tom with fur that flashed in the sunlight. Her heart sunk- praise from this warrior was not easily earned. She remembered hearing that he'd once been a kittypet with his sister, Honey, and Angelpaw had lived beside them in her own Twoleg nest. Mintkit shuddered to think of the easy life of a kittypet- but was glad Lionflash, Honey, and Angelpaw had given it up.
Sagekit lifted his brown paw and the butterfly flew away, the first few seconds of its flight a little bit disoriented. His proud look made Mintkit feel angry, though she wasn't exactly sure why. It was just a dumb butterfly! But she protested anyways.
"I was going to catch that!" Mintkit whined, glaring at her brother. He shrugged. "There's like, a billion more in the forest."
For some reason, that butterfly had felt special to Mintkit and it could have been her that Lionflash praised if dumb Sagekit hadn't stolen her butterfly. She sat down heavily and watched in a gloom as Lionflash tossed a large ball of moss at Sagekit, who, as he had done with the butterfly, pinned it down with his paw.
Mintkit was tired of watching Sagekit. She went back inside the nursery, curled into her tiny nest, fit for her tiny frame, and fell fast asleep.
"Wake up, Mintkit!"
Mintkit imagined knocking Sagekit out of the nursery door and into the bushes so she could get some sleep. Stretching and yawning, she glared at her brother. The nursery was now as dark as it was outside- it wouldn't be moonhigh for a while, but the moon was definitely out.
"What do you want now?"
The nursery was completely empty except for her and her brother- and then she remembered that there was a Gathering tonight. Gatherings weren't much fun to her. They just meant that most of the cats in camp went away for the night and came back exhausted and sometimes grumpy.
Sagekit bounced up and down. "They're all leaving for the Gathering soon!"
"So?" Am I supposed to care?
"Let's go with them!"
Mintkit rolled her eyes. Sagekit knew that the Gathering was only for cats older then six moons. "We can't go, silly. We're not apprentices. "
Her brother looked appalled. "I know that! I'm not dumb! Nobody has to know we're gone!"
"Yeah, and Honey isn't dumb either. She'll notice we're not here, mouse-brain!"
Sagekit was beginning to look cross that his idea wasn't faring well with his sister. "She's going to be sleeping all night."
Mintkit stiffled a giggle. Sometimes her brother was so oblivious, thinking he could get away with anything and everything just because he was the leader's son. He thought he was so great just because he would be a good hunter, and a good fighter when he was an apprentice. The clan had high hopes for Sagekit.
"But if they catch us, our apprenticeship might be put off. They do that sometimes, y'know. I don't want to wait any longer then what we already have to!" Mintkit had to admit to herself that she wanted to go to a Gathering- the warriors were talking about it for days afterwards, and Poppypaw and Smokepaw always boasted about how great it was.
This wasn't worrying Sagekit. "Hazelstar's not going to put off her own kit's apprentice ceremonies."
Before Mintkit could put in a word, he continued. "And we could just, like, walk really far behind them and stuff. We can hide in the bushes around Three Stones and then we'll be able to see what's going on and hear the leaders when they're talking."
What's the point of going to a Gathering if you don't get to talk to cats from other clans? She was just about to say this when Sagekit added, "And if you don't go, I'm going to know that you're just a scaredy-kit."
Mintkit bristled at the insult. "I am not a scaredy-kit!" she mewed, hating herself for giving in. Sagekit really did know how to get to her. After all, he was probably aware that she hated being "Hazelstar's daughter and Sagekit's smaller sister". Everyone expects me to be so brave and 'do great things' all the time just because my mother did! Well, Sagekit's already living up to that, so I guess it's my turn to stop being a scaredy-kit and do something brave and fun!
"So you'll go?" Sagekit looked smug.
"Fine," Mintkit agreed. "But while we're there you have to hush up for once so I can hear what the leaders are saying!"
The two kits walked out of the nursery to see what was happening in the clearing. Mintkit could see Sagekit looking longingly at the camp entrance. "Not until after they leave!" she whispered in his ear, discouraging any attempt at going into the forest before the Gathering patrol left.
Hazelstar was busily trying to arrange the cats she'd take to the Gathering. Apprentices surrounded her, begging to go, and Mintkit felt sorry for her mother as she finally turned to them and hissed, "Nobody will be going to the Gathering if you all kill me with your incessant whining!"
The five apprentices backed off, and two headed straight for Sagekit and Mintkit.
"Hazelstar's going to tell us if we're going to the Gathering in just a moment," Smokepaw said proudly. Poppypaw nodded beside him.
"It's too bad kits can't go to Gatherings," she mewed in her smooth voice, black pelt blending in with the dark forest behind her. She and Smokepaw shared a smirk.
Sagekit started to say something, but before he could brag about how he was going to the gathering, Mintkit shoved her shoulder hard into his flank. "When we're old enough," she mewed, not wanting to pick a fight with the two snooty apprentices. The other three apprentices were just fine, and Mintkit adored Eveningpaw because the sweet she-cat always brought back extra wads of moss or a long stick for her and Sagekit to play with. But Poppypaw and Smokepaw were a different story- the two were best friends, always together, and Smokepaw's I'm-better-then-everyone behavior had rubbed off on Poppypaw.
"Yup," Poppypaw agreed, trying to keep a straight face. "If the foxes don't get you first. I've never seen a kit as small as you in my life!"
"Have you seen Flutterleaf's supply of mint lately? She hasn't been able to find any. It's so small it's hardly there. Maybe that's why they named you Mintkit!" Smokepaw and Poppypaw burst into laughter, and trotted away to pester Hazelstar again before Mintkit could retort.
She found herself upset. "It's not fair," she whimpered, pawing at the ground. "They never make fun of you, because you're big."
Sagekit frowned and then flicked his tail along her pelt. "Cheer up, Mintkit. That was a pretty mean thing they said but you'll get over it. Come on, we're going to the Gathering!"
This did cheer Mintkit up a bit- because they when she was an apprentice, she could still say she'd gone to a Gathering earlier then anyone had ever gone before.
Soon the moon was near the center of the starry sky, and Hazelstar called the cats that were going to the Gathering together. Mintkit could make out about thirteen cats all crowded together, but she couldn't tell who exactly they were. She couldn't tell which apprentices were going, but she hoped that Poppypaw and Smokepaw weren't among the patrol. The only cat that Mintkit could see was Angelpaw, who was standing right in the moonlight, her clear blue eyes flashing with excitement of her first Gathering as the medicine cat apprentice.
Sagekit turned to Mintkit and whispered to her, "Remember. We're gonna go and pretend we're asleep first and then when we hear the patrol leave we'll sneak out the entrance and catch up with the patrol."
Mintkit could see many flaws in this plan- first of all, she could already see Honey settling down in her nest and soon she would call Sagekit and Mintkit inside to sleep. How were they to get up without disturbing Honey? Second of all, there was usually a guard at the camp entrance. And third of all...
"How in Starclan are we supposed to catch up with the patrol?" Mintkit pouted. "After waiting for Honey to fall asleep, sneaking out of camp past the guard, and trying to scent which way the patrol went, they'll be so far gone that we'll be lost in the forest!"
Not concerned, Sagekit started towards the nursery, tail flicking excitedly. "oh, it'll work out," he said confidently.
I hope so, cause if you're going to get us caught, then you're the one taking the blame!
Mintkit opened a single eye, and her eye met Sagekit's. Honey was sleeping soundly, and they had been lucky- the she-cat must have been absolutely exhausted, because she had fallen asleep almost instantly.
Sagekit gave a slight nod to Mintkit, and, very quietly, the two kits rose from their nests beside Honey and padded out of the den. Mintkit's heart was practically in her throat, and she resisted the urge to let out a huge sigh of relief when they got out of the nursery cave. Next came the difficult part- getting past the camp guard.
Both of the kits strained to see who was on guard that night, squinting. Finally, Mintkit was able to make the dark figure out. "I think it's Stormfoot," she breathed to Sagekit.
The tomt was sitting a little slumped over, which was good- if Stormfoot was tired, then they'd have a better chance of getting out of the camp unnoticed.
Mintkit and Sagekit crept to the side of the camp. All of the caves where the cats who were not at the Gathering were sleeping lined the clearing in a big circle, except for Hazelstar's den, which was just beside the Moss Rock. If they were lucky, everyone in the caves would be sound asleep, or at least not paying attention to the two little shapes crawling past their cave entrances.
Sagekit and Mintkit did just this- crawled past the cave entrances- until they cave to a large bush. And right beside that bush was the entrance to the camp. Maybe, just maybe, if they pressed themselves against the bush without making any noise, Stormfoot wouldn't notice them.
The bush rustled very slightly as Mintkit passed it, and Sagekit soon followed. It made enough of a noise that Stormfoot snapped up his head. "Whozzat?" Mintkit's heart pounded as she broke into a run, avoiding the twigs that littered the ground. She could hear Sagekit's small pawsteps behind her and prayed to Starclan that Stormfoot hadn't seen them.
She slowed down and waited for Sagekit, who arrived huffing and puffing. "I thought he was going to see us!" he mewed triumphantly, "I told you, you had nothing to worry about at all!"
And now they were out of the camp, without Honey or Rippleheart or Hazelstar watching over them. Free to do whatever they wanted to- but they already knew what they wanted to do.
"Can you smell where they went?" Mintkit asked Sagekit, who had his nose in the air. He shook his head and opened his jaws. Suddenly, a short breeze drifted past them, making the needles on the trees shake. A rush of scent overcame Minkit- and she recognized the smells of her older clanmates. "I smell them!"
"Me, too!" meowed Sagekit excitedly, fogetting to keep his voice low. Mintkit shushed him, and pointed her tail into a tangle of tall pine trees. "I think they went this way!"
The two were off, running as fast as their legs could carry them. The scents were getting closer and closer, and Mintkit realized that the patrol must be simply walking- because she and Sagekit would have never had a chance of getting near them if the Birchclan Gathering patrol had been going any faster.
They ran for what seemed like ages- by the time they burst out of the trees, the moon was nearly at its highest point in the sky, and Mintkit felt like her paws would drop off.
Sagekit obviously felt the same way. "I..am....tired," he breathed heavily, and Mintkit nodded in agreement while trying to catch her own breath.
Both of their energy levels were immediately restored when Sagekit's ears perked up and he gestured towards a flowing river. "Look!"
Mintkit looked. There were the Birchclan cats, walking along at a leisurely pace, chatting amongst each other. They passed where the trees ended into a large plainlike area- Mintkit couldn't see how long it went on, but she did know that there were moe cats approaching.
"Look!" Sagekit said again, as another group of cats padded towards the Birchclan cats. Mintkit noticed the heap of fallen logs going across the river where it thinned out a bit- and realized that that must be where Stoneclan and Birchclan crossed into the Gathering area. Squinting harder, she could make out the three tall stones in the Gathering area, where she had heard that the leaders delivered their news.
Meanwhile, the Birchclan cats had mingled with the other group of cats- and Mintkit had heard enough stories to know that this must be Stoneclan, who lived in the plains and rocky fields just beside Birchclan- Mistclan lived on the other side of the river.
"I think we should follow them, now," Sagekit said under his breath as the two ducked behind a bush. Mintkit shook her head vigorously as the cats, three by three, crossed into the Gathering area.
"Sagekit, not yet! They're going to-"
She cut herself off, because it was too late. Sagekit had bounded into the open field, crossing into Stoneclan territory, and Mintkit was forced to run after him. Their loud pawsteps disrupted the clan's chatter- and several cats looked back.
"Hey, there's two kits!" a Stoneclan cat called out. The Birchclan warriors who were still waiting to cross the logs turned around.
"Are they from Birchclan?" a she-cat from Stoneclan wondered aloud.
A few cats padded closer to Mintkit and Sagekit, scenting them. "They are Birchclan!"
Mintkit's heart sank, and her head swam. This was it. They were done for. The Birchclan cats would soon recognize them and have to take them back to camp, and they'd never become apprentices and it was all Sagekit's fault-
"Sagekit? Mintkit?"
A familiar voice had Mintkit looking up. It was Petalfur, their deputy.
"What in the world are you two doing here?" She sounded angry and annoyed.
Mintkit refused to speak. It was Sagekit's idea, so she would let him speak for himself.
"W-we wanted to come to the Gathering," he squeaked, staring at the ground and avoiding Petalfur's eyes.
Another two cats joined Petalfur- to Mintkit's utter dismay, it was Poppypaw and Bramblebirch.
Poppypaw recognized up right away and a cruels sneer fell over her face. "Did the kits try to come to the Gathering?" she asked Mintkit and Sagekit in a baby-voice that made Mintkit want to claw her nose off.
"Shush, Poppypaw. You go across the Fallen Logs into the Gathering, and I'll take care of these two here."
Unhappy that she hadn't gotten to make more remarks, Poppypaw left to go across the Fallen Logs. Bramblebirch turned his stare on them.
"Why are you two here?" His voice was stern nd Mintkit shut her mouth tight. Sagekit replied, once again, "We wanted to come to the Gathering."
Bramblebirch's eyes flashed with annoyance, and a bit of amusement. "You cant be at the Gathering until you're apprentice. Did you really think this would work?"
Mintkit shook her head, staring at the ground, but Sagekit kept his head held high.
"We're going to have to talk to Hazelstar about this," Bramblebirch meowed sternly. "Honey must be worried sick! Shame on you two for making her worry when she's to have kits of her own. And shame on you both for coming all the way out here."
Mintkit suddenly felt badly. looking at Petalfur's and Bramblebirch's angry faces, she realized how stupid of an idea this was. Dumb Sagekit! she thought furiously, what a dumb idea, coming to a Gathering when we're only kits!
Silently, Bramblebirch flicked his tail at Petalfur to return back to the Gathering. "I'll take them home," he said, "I'm sure Hazelstar will hear about it from someone or another later, and she'll talk with these two about their punishment. I certainly hope none of the Stoneclan cats think us foolish enough to let our kits roam the forest freely!"
So Mintkit, Sagekit, and their father walked back to camp. Mintkit was more tired then she'd ever been in her life- she just wanted to get home and go to sleep, warm and cozy in her nest next to Honey. This walk seemed longer and much slower then it had been when she and Sagekit were running it. Then, their veins had been filled with excitement and energy for the Gathering. Now, there was nothing except weariness.
"Mintkit! Sagekit!" cried a frantic voice as soon as they at last padded into camp. "Where in the name of Starclan have you two been? I'm so glad you're safe!" Honey rushed up to them, purring furiously and rubbed her cheek against theirs.
"They decided to tag along to the Gathering," Bramblebirch meowed crossly. Honey wasn't a clan-born cat and she didn't often go to Gatherings, but she did know that kits weren't even supposed to be out of camp.
Mintkit suddenly felt like she couldn't walk another pawstep- and if she had to stand there one bit longer, she would collapse right there and then. "Please," she begged in a small voice, "I'm really tired. Can I please go and sleep?"
Honey looked at her with sympathy. "Of course," she said, and when Bramblebirch looked like he was going to protest, she added, "They've been to Three Stones and back. We can talk out here- let them go sleep."
Gratefully, Mintkit and Sagekit made their ways to their nests, and Mintkit settled herself down, burying her head into the cold moss.
I never want to do that again as long as I live. I can't believe we caused so much trouble....