I've actually written several chapters so to start with there will be several chapters up. Then I've got to write more. So…R&R, and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors. This is a fan-made fiction, as the name implies.
"Get off me, you great big lump!" My brother, Lionkit, yowled playfully as I pounced on top of him.
"Only if you say please," I taunted, swiping at him playfully. "And it's not great big lump – Stormstar to you, thank you very much."
"In your dreams, Stormkit!" Lionkit reared up, taking advantage of his size, far superior to my own. With flailing paws, he batted me down until I was lying on my back, belly exposed. Lionkit pounced on top of me, and mewled his triumph. He was so absorbed in announcing his win that he didn't see my sister barreling towards him…until it was too late.
"Oof! Eaglekit! I thought you were on my side! I thought we were going to rule together!" Lionkit protested as he picked himself up off the ground and shook the dust off his pelt.
"I've changed my mind, Lionkit!" Eaglekit announced dramatically. "I am going to be the sole leader of the forest. Fear the wrath of Eaglekit!" She began a play-tussle with Lionkit while I watched with mild interest. I'd bide my time and attack when I knew I could gain the upper hand.
Aha. Perfect. Eaglekit was cowering under Lionkit's fierce 'blows' from waving paws. Crouching, I sprung and tackled Lionkit down. Once he was lying on the ground, I leaned over and playfully bit his shoulder, not hard enough to actually hurt him.
"Let go of me, Stormkit!" Lionkit protested, but I held my grip. "Ah, Darkkit!" Lionkit leaped up, shook me off and bounded towards the nests where Shiningface's kits, Darkkit and Silverkit, were waking up.
"Lionkit!" The kit raced towards Lionkit's side and butted his shoulder playfully. "Come; join me in my quest to defeat the evil plans of the She-Cat force!"
"So that was what you were doing to wake us up," Silverkit remarked as she stood in line with me and Eaglekit.
"My friend! We are hopelessly outnumbered. We must use our strength that far defeats them to win!" Darkkit said, making me giggle.
"Never!" I yelled out and barreled at Darkkit full speed. He was caught unawares and when I leaped on his shoulders he yowled so loudly StarClan must've heard him.
"Shut up, Darkkit, you'll wake Mother up!" Silverkit snapped.
"Mother's already awake, kits," Shiningface stepped out of her nest and stretched. "Wish I had your energy. Sun's barely up and you're tussling about like it's sunhigh already!"
"Stormkit, Lionkit, Eaglekit, break up the fight. We're going to go get the remains of the fresh-kill. Time you had something to eat." Mother, Eveningflower, stepped out of her nest, daintily groomed moss scraps out of her fur and approached the entrance to the nursery.
"Oh boy!" Lionkit's head perked up. "I want mouse! Mouse is my favorite!"
Eaglekit and I laughed at our brother, but we followed Mother's lead out though the brambles and towards the pile of fresh-kill. Lionkit – surprise, surprise – picked out a mouse, thin but not as thin as they had been earlier in the season of leaf-bare. The horrible season was nearing its end now, and though I was often told the forest needed leaf-bare to prepare the ground for new seeds, I was glad to see the end of it. Soon, the fresh-kill would be plump again and the whole Clan would thrive. And I'd begin my apprentice training in the middle of newleaf, only two moons from now. So newleaf was a season I had to look forward too.
Selecting a vole, I went back to the nursery where Lionkit was gnawing at his mouse.
"This is tough! It's all skin and bones," he complained as he gulped down his food.
"I thought you loved mouse," Eaglekit commented snidely as she munched on a chaffinch which turned out to the mostly feathers.
Lionkit didn't reply. He just shot Eaglekit an annoyed bright-green glare and turned back to searching his mouse for decent meat. Finishing my vole, I got up, stretched and muttered, "I'll be right back," to Lionkit and Eaglekit. Early morning was the best time to listen to the queen's gossip.
Walking to a safe distance away, where I could eavesdrop on them without seeming suspicious, I sat and began grooming myself, one ear tilted towards the queens so I could hear what they were saying.
"There's a Gathering tonight," Shiningface was telling Mother as they shared a rabbit.
"I know. I can't wait until I hear what ShadowClan, RiverClan and WindClan have to say for themselves," Mother lashed her tail violently. "That is, if I go. I hope I do – I'll rip the smirk off of their faces!"
"Calm down, Eveningflower. I want to get my paws on the other Clans as much as you do but it doesn't do any good to get all worked up about it."
Mother sighed and scuffed at the ground with a paw. "Those stupid Clans. They're fox-dung excuses for cats! They don't deserve to be part of this forest! If I were related to any one of those Clans I'd probably go and kill myself!"
I listened with interest. Mother rarely got so angry and worked-up, and it was quite an interesting sight. I was just glad that she never got that angry at us.
"Eveningflower, relax. Please. Look, I know you're getting restless being cooped up in the nursery looking after your kits. How about this: I'll tell Twilightstar that I'll look after your kits and mine for the rest of the day so you can go hunting or something to get a bit of your energy spent."
"Thanks, Shiningface," Mother said, and her voice sounded grateful. She gave Shiningface a quick lick on the shoulder. "I won't forget this."
I'd stopped grooming myself because I was so interested in their conversation, but seeing the queens come my way I quickly resumed, making sure they hadn't known I'd listened in on their conversation.
So there was a Gathering tonight! No wonder some of the cats were getting so worked up. I'd heard Hawkcry telling Rushingwind that it was RiverClan's fault newleaf was late this year. They'd made StarClan angry by disobeying the warrior code…how they disobeyed it, I never heard. I'd also heard Robincall telling Mother how it wasn't our fault there were no rabbits in WindClan so why did they have to hunt in our territory? Judging by the gossip about the other Clans flying around, this Gathering wasn't one anyone wanted to miss.
"You overheard them, didn't you?" A soft voice said in my ear. I jumped.
"Wha – How'd you know, Darkkit?" I asked. The black kit had crept up on me without me noticing.
He gave a sheepish smile. "Because I was listening too. Besides, I saw you pause in your grooming before restarting as Mother and Eveningflower headed your way. I'm not stupid, you know."
"All right, all right, you caught me," I said, batting him playfully with a paw. "I'd just love to go to the Gathering tonight. Judging by what everyone's been saying lately, this is going to be an exciting one."
"I know," Darkkit said. If Darkkit had been Silverkit, she probably would have said it was against the warrior code or something for kits to go to Gatherings, or that we were going to be apprentices soon enough anyway. Sure, Silverkit could be fun…sometimes. Other times – which was most of the time – she was a huge bore. I much prefer Darkkit, who seems to have the same magnet for trouble and mischief that I have.
An idea struck me. A reckless, mouse-brained, wonderful idea.
"Hey, Darkkit," I whispered, looking around to make sure no one was listening.
"Yeah?" He hissed back.
"What if we…snuck out tonight and watched the Gathering?"
