Cinderkit sat in the nursery, watching the light on the dirt floor dance as the trees overhead swayed in the wind. A half-eaten mouse lay on the ground beside her. "Cinderkit, you must finish your mouse." said the kit's mother, Cloverpatch. "I'm not hungry." answered Cinderkit, without looking at her mother. Cloverpatch's tail twitched. "Eat it. You want to be a great Warrior one day, don't you? Big and strong?" "No." said Cinderkit. "I want to be a great warrior one day, little and strong." Cloverpatch padded over to her kit and began to wash her. "Eat. Your. Mouse." she ordered between licks. Cinderkit sweetly gulped down the mouse and grinned at her mother. 'Oh No!" said her mom. "You obeyed me! Are you sick?" the queen asked, repeatedly licking her daughter.
Cinderkit collapsed into a fit of giggles, squirming to avoid her mother's tongue.
Maplekit watched from the clearing. Cinderkit was certainly something else. Maplekit was never one for chaos, but the bright orange ball of fur certainly was. Maplekit padded over to a nice sun patch and sat down. She stretched out, flexing her claws. Her claws were rarely used, in fact, the only time Maplekit could remember using them was when she was playing with Cinderkit and had somehow gotten pinned to a tree. "Things like that tend to happen when you play with her." Maplekit's mother, Rainpatter had advised. Suddenly, Maplekit was jerked out of her thoughts as a large force rocketed into her side. 'Ow, Cinderkit! That hurt!" she said, looking at her energetic friend. "Oops, sorry. Hey, um…..Hey, Maplekit, wanna play?" Maplekit smiled. "Ok, as long as I don't meet with an untimely death like last time." She said standing up. The two friends went over to an open patch of grass and began to play-fight.
"Time out!" panted Maplekit. "I have to catch my breath…" Cinderkit rolled her eyes. "Ok….take your time. We might as well-GAH!" Maplekit had pounced on her friend, pinning her to the floor. "Geez, Maplekit, when did you get fun?" Cinderkit teased. "If I were you, I wouldn't mess with the one who's winning!" yowled Maplekit. "Now now, kits. Aren't you a bit old to be play fighting?" the two kits looked up and saw Missingclaw, a highly respected elder. Maplekit quickly bowed her head in respect. Cinderkit just blinked. "You are six moons old, after all. When will you be made apprentices?" asked the elder. Maplekit's eyes brightened. "That's right! Cinderkit, I meant to tell you, Father hinted that we may be apprenticed today!" she told her friend excitedly. Missingclaw chuckled and walked towards the Great Rock. The clan leader, Coalstar, leapt up on top of it. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather below the great rock for a clan meeting!" he called. Maplekit excitedly looked at Cinderkit. "It's time!"