High-five to those who reviewed. And plushies! Okey-dokey, let's take a look at the next chapter: Littlekit!
Croaching low, Littlekit breathed in the fresh dewey air of dawn.
His chest tickled against the grass of the deep forest.
Pricking his ears, Littlekit heard a soft scuttling in the leaves nearby.
He took in a deep, silent breath.
Mm... mouse!
Wiggling forward like a snake, Littlekit locked on the brown tiny body which was weaving in and out among the crisp leaves.
He prepared to leap, his eyes never leaving the mouse that would soon be a topping piece to the fresh kill pile.
Wam!
Out shot a young, skiddish she-cat.
Her fiery red pelt made Littlekit recognize the apprentice right away.
"Littlekit!" the she-cat hissed, blocking the small kit's way to the prey.
"Blazepaw," Littlekit mumbled, hearing the soft sound of mouse steps scuttling away.
"What are you doing out so early?" Blazepaw growled, her eyes flashing. "What are you doing out at all?"
Littlekit returned the she-cat's angry glare for a moment, then glanced away.
"I... I was just practicing. I think my ceremony will be soon. Brokenstar said-"
"That's no excuse!" Blazepaw cut in to Littlekit, who blinked at her.
"I was going to catch a mouse. Then you scared it away," he explained timidly.
"How could you do that?" sneered Blazepaw.
"I could," Littlekit replied, puffing out his chest.
"Without training?" Blazepaw groomed her ears and shot the kit an amused look.
"Yes! I can show you," Littlekit mewed.
"Oh, this'll be good!" Blazepaw exclaimed with a mew of laughter.
Littlekit knew the she-cat was only waiting to mock him for failing.
So he strode off, Blazepaw bounding after him.
"Show me, and I'll leave you alone," Blazepaw tempted.
Littlekit looked over his shoulder.
It would be wonderful to have Blazepaw out of his way for once.
The she-cat was always nagging and making him look mouse-brained.
"Okay," he replied slowly.
"Go ahead," Blazepaw sat down and waved a paw. "Take you're time!"
Littlekit tested the scents around him.
The smell of vole reached him within a moment.
Waving his tail, Littlekit pointed to underbrush nearby.
"There's a vole over there," he told Blazepaw.
Blazepaw nodded, her eyes asking Littlekit his next move.
Littlekit dropped down, feeling the cool earth against his pelt.
His ears were up, alert at the slightest sounds.
But as he crept forward, Littlekit cuaght scent of something tangy, replacing the vole's smell.
He could feel the sharpness of it catch in his throat, and he nearly gagged.
Catching his actions, Littlekit tried to focus on his hunt- and the watchful eyes of Blazepaw.
Yet the strange scent lead Littlekit's eyes to a jumble of leafy plants, growing at the roots of a tree.
He had seen these before, in the medicine cat's den.
What were they used for?
Littlekit's tail flicked curiously.
Blazepaw grunted, breaking Littlekit's thoughts.
"Yoo-hoo! Are you gonna be done soon?" she whispered, careful not to scare the vole.
Littlekit nodded, forgetting the plants.
He stared firmly at the vole's grayish pelt which flashed between a shrub and the tall wild grass.
Stepping forward, Littlekit's paw landed on a crunchy brown leaf.
It crunched, sending the vole's head upward in alert.
Feeling angry at his awkwardness, Littlekit flattened to the forest floor, hoping the prey wouldn't notice him.
The vole, whiskers twitching, fell back down to investigate a nut shell.
Littlekit hurried on, now not wanting to miss his chance.
One... two ... three!
With a sudden leap, Littlekit lundged at the tiny prey, his mews filling the air.
Landing with a clumsy thud, Littlekit flailed around, trying to snap at the vole who was escaping into the bushes.
With one last struggle, Littlekit went limp.
He sighed, hearing Blazepaw's soft mews of laughter.
"Nice try, kit," she chuckled, padding up to him. "Next time, maybe you can entertain the whole lot of apprentices!"
Littlekit leaped to his feet, but was at loss with words.
Suddenly, a serious looking warrior streaked in.
"Blazepaw! We need you for a fox attack down by the border. Come on!" he flicked his tail, and Blazepaw hurried off with him, glancing over her shoulder one last time to give Littlekit a teasing grin.
She's too young to be fighting a fox! Littlekit thought, suddenly fearing for the young apprentice.
He felt a prickle down his spine, remembering how many lives had been dropping from ShadowClan.
No longer was he in a hurry to become an apprentice.
Padding over to the leafy herbs, Littlekit picked a few and hurried back to camp.
The herbs would be needed in the medicine cat den.
Hopefully not for Blazepaw's soon-to-be broken blood-splattered body.
Yes, I made Blazepaw up. Yes, I was too lazy to look through a Warriors book to find a real ShadowClan apprentice. Yes, if you review you will get a plushie. Next up will be a special treat with Sandkit. Awwww... Valentines day gift from me to you guys. You're gonna love it!