Chapter Five
Aspenkit stares curiously as Mintleaf, the medicine cat arranges her herb's in the sun.
Fiercekit is laying stretched out in the sun, her slim black and silver form relaxed as the tip of her tail twitches. Aspenkit sighs with longing again and a purr rises in Fiercekit's throat. Aspenkit squeaks, knowing the purr is because of her behavior. Climbing on top of the older kit, Aspenkit drops her chin on Fiercekit's side.
"Why don't you just ask if you can help?" Fiercekit asks, raising her dark head and slitting her eyes against the sun. The cream and gray dappled kit looks scandalized at the suggestion.
"Because she's a medicine cat! I can't interrupt her! She is busy." Aspenkit says and them promptly returns to staring at Mintleaf. Tilting her head to the side, her claws sheathe and unsheathe as she mouths the herbs to herself. Grunting as the claws poke her, Fiercekit rolls over, Aspenkit squeaking as she gets crushed.
"Interrupt her." Fiercekit growls playfully and Aspenkit purrs in amusement. Rolling off of her friend, Fiercekit stretches out again as Aspenkit tumbles over to where Mintleaf is. As the small kit starts asking questions, Fiercekit rolls onto her chest; stretching her legs out and tucking her paws under her chest. Her eyes glow as they lock on the smaller she-cat, who is bouncing around after Mintleaf.
Blueflame watches the kit curiously, wondering why she is so closed off from everyone but the smaller kit. Sensing his stare, Fiercekit flicks a black and silver ear, turning her head and meeting his orange gaze evenly. Her impassive stare is impressive for a five moon kit and Blueflame nods his head at her before turning back to Swanfang- a white she-cat with amber eyes.
Her gaze lingers on him for a few moments more before it is gone.
Chancing a look, he sees Fiercekit has padded over to where Aspenkit is badgering Mintleaf. Amusement flashes through his orange eyes when the little kit turns on her den-mate enthusiastically, her small tail lashing with excitement. Fiercekit is used to the bouncing kit though, and it only takes a tail stroking down the dappled kit's spine for her to settle down a little.
"Blueflame? Are you even listening?" Swanfang asks curiously, seeing the attractive tom's attention elsewhere. Her white pelt bristles until she sees he is staring at the small silver and black she-kit. Tilting her head curiously to the side, she shakes her fringe out of her eyes before sighing and rising smoothly to her paws. "I'll see you later." She mews and his attention is back on her as he scrambles to his paws.
"Sorry, I was just wondering what those two kits were doing." He says dismissively, running his tail down her spine in an unconscious mimicking of the young kit. Relaxing, the white she-cat smiles at him.
"Do you want to go hunting with me?" Swanfang meows and he nods eagerly as they head out of the entrance tunnel.
Watching them go, Fiercekit can't help but roll her silver eyes.
She won't ever be like that tom, panting after a cat so much that she loses her dignity. Stupid toms. Turning back to Aspenkit, Fiercekit puts him out of her mind.
"-the borage leaves are for nursing mothers!" Aspenkit exclaims and Fiercekit nods encouragingly, wrapping her black, silver-tipped tail around her black and silver dipped paws.
"And why is that?" Fiercekit asks patiently, Mintleaf watching with amusement as she sorts her herbs. She hasn't seen the black and silver kit so gentle with anyone since Silverkit. It warms her heart to see the two kits bond so easily but worry flashes through her at the thought of what will happen when Fiercekit chooses the life of a warrior and Aspenkit chooses the path of a medicine cat.
"Because borage helps nursing queens to make milk!" She squeaks triumphantly, bouncing on her paws happily as Fiercekit nods in approval.
XXX
Fiercekit lays in the coil of Nightstream's belly and stares outside.
The night has an almost physical pull and she longs to go into the night. Glancing at her mother, silver eyes glowing in the dark; the black and silver kit slowly slips out of nest. Placing her paws carefully, she pads to the entrance. Glancing back once, the small kit sighs as she sees her mother curl closer, wrapping her tail around her paws.
Padding out, Fiercekit glances at the guard for tonight. This time it is Foxclaw, a dark ginger she-cat with blue eyes. Her slim tail is wrapped around her white paws and her gaze is focused on the tunnel. Grateful for that, the small kit trots over to the Sunning Tree and stretches out on a rock. Kicking her paws behind her, she curls her paws under her chest as she waits for Blueflame to appear.
The moment seems to drag on until his sleek blue head pops out of the warriors den. His orange gaze sweeps through the camp until it settles on her. Glancing at Foxclaw, he moves swiftly and silently over to the small kit. Padding past her, he beckons with his tail as he rounds the medicine cat's cave-den and disappears behind it.
Scrambling up, the small kit hurries after him; almost being seen by a confused Foxclaw. Because the noise came from inside the camp though, she shrugs her ginger shoulders and turns back to the tunnel.
Peering around the den, Fiercekit sees a wall of bramble.
Opening her mouth, the scents flood in. Mintleaf with a tangy herb, the brambles, nearby honeysuckle, and Blueflame. Seeing a small opening at the side, the small kit easily slips through. Behind the wall of bramble is a semi-large area. There is a patch of sand, smooth grass surrounding it. A small pile of rocks on the other end of the clearing smell of the sun and Blueflame. In the center of the clearing Blueflame sits and watches her.
"How did you find this?" She asks in awe as she pads slowly closer, her silver eyes are wide and scanning the clearing.
"This used to be our Training Center but the 'paws made too much noise so we blocked it off. The other cats just started to forget about it. When I was a 'paw, I wasn't the best at really anything and I was ready to give up. Then Mintleaf showed me this place and I was able to hone my skills in peace." Nodding behind her, he shows her a small pond with a short but sturdy tree growing above it. The leaves mingle with the leaves from the Sunning Tree, hiding it from sight. "It was the best thing she ever did for me." He mews, rising on all of his paws. "And now I share this place with you." He stops in front of her, looking down at the little kit. "Are you ready to learn?" He asks and determination lights in her silver eyes.
"I am." She says strongly and Blueflame nods, turning and leaping onto the pile of rocks. Following, the smaller kit has to scramble over the rocks instead of getting up in one bound. Panting, she makes it to the top and faces him. Her muscles tremble from the strain for a moment until she calms down. Watching her, Blueflame nods in approval.
"We start with the warrior code." He says and she frowns a little but doesn't mew anything. His sharp eyes catch her disappointment but seeing she doesn't interrupt, he continues. "The first thing you need to know in the warrior code is you must defend you Clan, even at the cost of your own life. We are allowed to have friends within the other Clans but our loyalty to our Clan will always come first. Even if we meet them in battle. That is one of the reasons why cats are not allowed to have a mate in a different Clan. If they met in battle, their loyalty would be torn. And that cannot happen." Blueflame meows, his blue fur gleaming silver under the moon.
Nodding, Fiercekit watches him with wide eyes as the warrior code is spoken.
"This is the first rule of the warrior code and it was made because of two cats many, many, many moons ago. Their names were Gingerfang and Leopardfrost."
Gingerfang and Leopardfrost were two kits from two Clans. Gingerfang belonged to BrookClan and Leopardfrost belonged to NightClan. These two kits knew nothing about each other until they became 'paws and went to their first Gathering Tournament. The ginger apprentice met the golden apprentice and they struck up a close friendship.
Sensing the danger, their mentors strove to keep them separate but the two met each time. Frustrated as they were, they began sneaking out of their dens to meet each other. Their time was that of playful kithood but it would lead to their downfall.
The two had become fast friends, close as littermates...
...and then there was a battle between their two Clans.
Their had been one border battle too many and not matter how much the two 'paws went around and tried to fix things, the fight happened.
Their hearts full of dread, they traveled to the agreed fighting place and stood with their Clan. They searched for each other in the snarling ranks but with sinking hearts, did not see each other. Then the battle began and the blood-lust rose in them. They fought as true warriors should, fiercely and without doubts. Their claws dripping with the blood of each other's Clan-mates, they eventually stood nose to nose.
They both froze.
In that moment, all they could think of was the games they played. How happy they were when they raced each other and play-fought. In that moment of hesitation, Gingerpaw's mother, Fangflight attacked Leopardpaw and Gingerpaw unfroze. Screeching with fear, she flung herself at her mother and dragged her away.
She did the unthinkable.
She attacked her Clan-mate to save another Clan's warrior. As her mother stared at her with betrayal, Gingerpaw knew what she had done was unforgivable and the only way to fix it...was to turn on her friend. Seeing it in her eyes, Leopardpaw felt dread but he knew that he would have to fight for his Clan.
The two locked in a heated battle, made worse by the friendship being destroyed in their hearts and minds. That night, though Gingerpaw was the one pinned down; neither cat won the fight. As both Clan's padded away to sooth their wounded pelts, the two cats looked back at the same moment.
Their eyes, dark with memories and pain, met and it was with heavy hearts; they knew their friendship was over.
Their Clans must come first, so they turned their backs on each other and went their separate ways. They saw each other on border patrols and at the Gathering Tournaments but where they once greeted each other with bright eyes and happy purrs, they now saw each other with dark eyes and rumbling growls.
They knew that they were warriors from different Clans and that would never change.
And so they lost a friend and their innocence but gained a true understanding of how important a Clan truly is.
Blueflame mewed and Fiercekit nodded, staring with wide eyes as the impact of the story hits her. Her eyes feel heavy and a yawn slips out, causing Blueflame to purr with amusement.
"Alright, Fiercekit. Time to get you back to the nursing den." He meows and picks her up by her scruff, leaping down in one powerful bound. Wiggling, the small she-kit drops from his mouth.
"But what about my battle training?!" She mews in protest and he laughs, nudging her to her feet and guiding her out of the clearing.
"That will come after you learn the warrior code. You must learn it first and when you can recite it to me, then I will know you are ready to begin training." He mews and she huffs, dragging her paws reluctantly. Stopping in front of the nursing den, he nudges her inside and pads away. Frowning, the little kit pads over to Nightstream and curls up with her, falling easily into sleep.
That night, a battle is waged in her head but to her horror, the ones fighting...are her and Silverkit.
XXX
"Well if it isn't our favorite kitten!" Leafstrike exclaims.
Purring at the dappled elder, Fiercekit pads over to them.
"Hi Leafstrike." She greets the elder shyly, settling down beside her. "Hi Sharpfang, Mossheart and Redclaw." The other three elders nod at the small kitten, pleased purrs rumbling shakily in their throats.
"Hello Fiercekit, here to groom us for some stories?" Redclaw mews playfully, the ginger elder curled near his mate Mossheart. Nodding, the little kit looks pleadingly at them.
"If you don't mind?" She mews and Sharpfang purrs happily, his white and orange pelt rippling as he tries to get the fleas off himself.
"We don't mind." He reassures her and she settles in, grooming Leafstrike first. The golden brown elder begins with a story of how Lionstar became leader, sighing happily as Fiercekit cracks down on a few fleas.
"-and that is how he became leader. He is one of the good ones." Leafstrike says confidently and the other three elders nod in agreement.
"He really is, now listen to the story of how Talonstrike got caught in a tree as a 'paw..." Fiercekit spends the rest of the day with the elders, grooming them and fetching prey. These are all apprentice duties but Fiercekit actually likes doing it. It allows her to bond with the older cats and even earn stories in return.
She is an avid listener, settling down with them and listing with eager ears and wide eyes. Later when Aspenkit joins them, the two ask questions, soaking up the stories like moss soaks up water. It helps the elders a lot, it makes them feel like they are still contributing to their Clan even though they can no longer fight and hunt.
Lionstar looks in a few times, purring when he sees how enamored the elders are over the two little kits. But seeing how big Fiercekit is getting, he realizes she is almost 6 moons old. He settles down beside his mate, Rowanstrike and sweeps his gaze speculatively over his Clan. He wonders who would be a good mentor to the troubled kit.
Rowanstrike for one.
His clever mate would teach her a lot but she might also coddle her a little. Rowanstrike has been there for the little kit since she was born and is somewhat of a second mother to her. Especially since Nightstream has taken to Boulderpaw so eagerly. Lionstar winces as he acknowledges his mistake. He shouldn't have given her Boulderpaw as an apprentice, especially not so soon after loosing a kit. Because now she has latched onto the little gray tom and treats him like her own son, neglecting her true kit in the process.
Lionstar knows she doesn't mean to but she does.
What about Thistletail?
The tom hasn't had an apprentice for a couple of moons.
Sweeping his gaze over the gathered warriors, he spots Blueflame. The blue tom is sitting with Swanfang and her littermate, Hawkstorm. He has been a warrior for a few leaf-bares and has yet to mentor a 'paw. Narrowing his eyes in contemplation, Lionstar decides to keep an eye on the young tom as a potential mentor.
Turning to his beloved mate, Lionstar gently grooms her ears; a purr rising in Rowanstrike's chest as she nuzzles her mate.
Trotting out of the elders den, Fiercekit and Aspenkit mew happily about the stories they just heard. Veering towards Talonstrike, Fiercekit and Aspenkit tumble down with the gray and white warrior.
"Guess what story the elders just told us!" Aspenkit demands of the older tom, treating him like an older littermate. Amusement glimmering in his crimson eyes, he looks at the two kits.
"The story of Lionstar." He mews and Aspenkit rolls her blue-grey eyes.
"Nope. Try again!" She demands and Fiercekit purrs happily, stretched out beside her father.
"Maybe you should give him a hint?" She suggests and Aspenkit pauses in her bouncing, tilting her head to the side.
"It had to do with the warrior code." She mews and he laughs.
"The story of Gingerfang and Leopardfrost?" He meows and she pouts, flopping down beside Fiercekit.
"How'd you guess?" She mews and he tilts his head to the side.
"It is the elders favorite story to tell." He meows, nudging her flank playfully. The pout melting away, she graces him with a loud purr and Fiercekit laughs at the other kit. Her father uses his tail to tug her closer, gently washing her ears. Fiercekit's silver eyes slit and a loud purr rumbles in her chest as her father grooms her.
The moment is peaceful and then it is shattered.
"Mintleaf! Hurry! There was a border fight with BreezeClan and Brightpaw was injured!" Poppyfeather skids into camp, her cream pelt streaked with blood and green eyes wide. The medicine cat nods hurriedly leaping to her paws and rushing to her den for herbs. Aspenkit's eyes widen at the blood on the warrior and she shrinks into Fiercekit's side.
Lionstar and Rowanstrike also leap to their paws, racing out of camp. Lionstar and Rowanstrike are Brightpaw's parents. She is of their first litter with Goldenpaw before Honeypaw and Mintleaf is her mentor. She went with the border patrol so that she could gather some poppy seeds by the BreezeClan border.
Talonstrike stares after his Clan-mates worriedly as he wraps his body around the two kits. Skyfang leaps onto the Leader's Perch, the worried Clan gathering without the blue-gray deputy having to say anything.
"Alright! We need to clear a space for any injured cats by the medicine cat den. Stonecloud, take Hawkstorm and go after our leader." Nodding the two toms race out of camp, racing to save their Clan-mates and leader. "All kits, back to the nursing den. Now. Talonstrike, you and Frostheart guard the entrance just in case. The rest of you, stay out of Mintleaf's way. If she needs help, she will request it." No sooner had the blue-gray tom leapt down did Lionstar enter the camp with a limping golden apprentice held up between him and Rowanstrike.
Mintleaf immediately appears, whisking the three into her camp but not before Fiercekit can glimpse a gaping wound on her side that blood gushes out of. Then Talonstrike's larger body blocks her view and he forces her into the nursing den.
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