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Chapter Ten
Snowkit's belly grumbles and he realizes for the first time how hungry he really is. He's just got back from visiting Lightkit, who is doing much better but is still confined to RiverClan's medicine den. Upon padding towards the makeshift fresh-kill pile that the ThunderClan cats had created on Sunningrocks Snowkit wrinkles his nose. All that's left in the pile is three minnows, a trout and a water vole. Snowkit is about to snatch up the water vole when he hears Tansylight mew to her mate, Duskfang something about wanting a water vole. So deciding that the queen deserves the last good piece of prey Snowkit snatches up a minnow. Before padding over to where Sorrelpaw, Redpaw, Sandypaw and Dustpaw are eating outside the makeshift apprentice cave.
"Hi!" Redpaw coughs as his brother settles down beside him, Snowkit just flicks his ears in reply. Since falling into the river Redpaw has gotten better though he has a cold. Snowkit glances at the other apprentices prey, Redpaw is eating a squirrel, Dustpaw has a mouse, Sandypaw has a rabbit and Sorrelpaw has a vole. Snowkit's stomach grumbles and he looks down at his unappealing minnow, well its worth a shot! He thinks, screwing up his face before swallowing the minnow, whole. Snowkit waits for the flavor to spread through him, discovering that the fishy taste is better than he expected though he prefers ThunderClan's choice of prey. Sorrelpaw giggles, Snowkit rounds on the brown and white apprentice but relaxes at her next words:
"Why didn't you just ask?" she giggles, pawing her vole towards Snowkit. "There's plenty," she adds. Snowkit's green eyes light up and he nods his head in thanks before taking a large bite of the vole. Smiling at the warm earthy flavor that fills him with a sudden energy to run as fast as a WindClan cat.
"Thanks," he meows once he's taken three large bites, Sorrelpaw's blue eyes glitter playfully as she watches Snowkit. Snowkit shrugs at the she-cats odd behavior before turning towards Lionstar who is padding onto a large boulder that is near the back of Sunningrocks.
"Its time, ThunderClan returned to its camp!" he yowls triumphantly, Snowkit frowns. Surely they won't leave when Lightkit's confine to the medicine den! He flicks his tail unhappily as Lionstar continues not mentioning the small tan she-kit. "Of course were not going to all leave at once, first we'll send a patrol of a few warriors and two apprentices. Then we'll send the rest of the apprentices and younger warriors to guide the queens and kits over and last, me and the senior warriors will guide the elders back." he announces, Snowkit raises his tail in objection. Lionstar frowns but nods to the white tom-kit,
"Yes Snowkit?" he booms. Aware the entire ThunderClan is watching Snowkit takes a deep breath before replying.
"What about Lightkit? Surely she can't make the travel!" Lionstar smiles his whiskers twitching in amusement,
"Yes she cannot. Waterwish and Leafpaw promised they would bring her back to camp in a few days time, when shes fit to travel." Lionstar explains, Snowkit frowns opening his mouth to object but a hiss from his father, Moontail makes him sit down.
"Your just a kit!" his father is growling, Snowkit flexes his shoulders but doesn't reply. Instead he turns towards Lionstar as he begins to organize the patrols.
"Fawnheart, Swiftsong, Morningbreeze, Bristletail, Mosspetal, Icepath, Roseflame, Dustpaw and Sorrelpaw you will be the first patrol heading back to camp. Leave at sunhigh, Fawnheart once you've checked the camp to make sure everything is safe send one of the apprentices back to get the next patrol." Lionstar orders, Fawnheart, ThunderClan's deputy and Lionstar's mate nods. Flicking her tail to signal her patrol to join her, Lionstar continues. "Once Fawnheart has sent an apprentice back, the younger warriors and Sandypaw and Redpaw will leave with Tansylight, Fuzzykit, Ravenkit and yes-Daylily and Snowkit." Snowkit glances at his mother, she looks unhappy to be classified as a queen but she doesn't argue and instead pads over to Snowkit. Licking his forehead,
"Were going home little one." she murmurs, Snowkit just nods closing his eyes as Lionstar continues.
"The senior warriors and I, will leave once an apprentice returns from the queens patrol and we will lead, Bramblesong and Twistedtail back to camp. We will also take Cloudfoot's body with us, we will sit vigil for him properly tonight at moon-high." Lionstar leaps down from the boulder, flicking his tail towards Fawnheart's patrol. Fawnheart nods before gathering her patrol together and heading from Sunningrocks into the burnt woods beyond.
Snowkit warily follows Daylily as she crosses the stepping stones leading back to ThunderClan's territory. Redpaw pads beside his brother, murmuring words of encouragement every now and then. Snowkit just sighs as he gazes around ThunderClan's territory, every cat is silent. Normally you would hear the rustle of prey as it burrows into its nest or the woosh of the tree branches as they sway in the wind. Now there's none, no prey to be heard. No branches to be swayed, the leaves and grass has burned away and the prey has either fled or died in the flickering flames.
"How will ThunderClan survive?" Snowkit wonders aloud, Daylily brushes her tail across her kits back reassuringly but having no words to soothe him with. What would she say anyway? There truly is no hope...no hope Snowkit sighs churning a burnt leave with a paw as the patrol comes to a halt. "Why are we stopping? We can't possibly be there yet!" Snowkit hisses at Redpaw, his brothers normally bright green eyes are dark and his orange fur is prickling.
"We are," he murmurs. Snowkit frowns, his brother can't be right! Where's the gorse tunnel or the bramble dens? Or the ferns behind the nursery Snowkit used to play in? What is the empty hollow that the patrol is standing in? Snowkit can't believe his eyes, we must have taken a wrong turn! He thinks but upon glancing to his right his heart sinks, Lionstar's den is nestled right beside the highrock. This is ThunderClan's camp. Snowkit rushes over to where he thinks the nursery used to be, Morningbreeze, Swiftsong, Sandypaw and Sorrelpaw are twinning brambles together.
"What's this?!" Snowkit exclaims feeling lost in the empty camp, Sandypaw rests her tail on Snowkit's shoulder comfortingly but Snowkit shakes it off. "What is this?" he repeats,
"The nursery." Morningbreeze murmurs, Snowkit flicks his tail crossly.
"NO!" He yowls, "What are you doing? That bramble should go there...no I said there!" he growls, Swiftsong licks Snowkit's forehead her eyes glistening sadly.
"Things can't always be the same little one, we must rebuild our camp. Start a fresh," she explains. Snowkit stares up at the black she-cat his eyes blurring as the tears begin to form.
"Come my little one," Daylily murmurs urging her kit away from the new nursery. Blindly Snowkit allows his mother to guide him away. I'll never get used to this camp...