Blazestrike's P.O.V
"Who is going to the gathering tonight?" Boltkit asked excitedly.
"Not you." Foxstar smiled.
"Why not? I'll be an apprentice soon!" he scoffed.
"You'll be an apprentice in three moons." Foxstar corrected him.
"So? Please?" Boltkit pleaded.
"When you are an apprentice." Foxstar laughed, turning away from his son. He climbed up onto the high rock.
"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the high rock to hear my words!" Foxstar called.
"Why can't we go to the gathering?" Boltkit grumbled.
"Because we aren't apprentices yet." Bumblekit scoffed.
"Whatever." Brightkit mumbled.
"Tonight is the night of the gathering. Redstripe, Silverstreak, Cedarleaf, Rosepetal, Cloudwind, Rainsplash, Grayfur, Brackenpelt, Blossomstem, Tawnyheart, Tigerfrost, Ashberry, Shadestripe, Leafstorm, Jayflight, Doveflight, Hawkblaze, Skystorm, Firebreeze, Whitebird, Dustpaw, Fernpaw, Swiftwing and Wolfclaw wil be coming to the gathering. The rest of you will guard the camp." Foxstar said, leaping down from the high ledge.
"Wait!" a tiny voice squeaked.
"What is it, Hollykit?" Blazestrike asked.
"Sunnysky hasn't come back yet." she cried.
"She should be back by now." Cloudwind growled, lashing his tail angrily. He took a deep breath, his eyes flaring in anger before wrapping his tail protectively around Hollykit.
"She'll be back when she's ready. She's with Flamestar, her father. He's losing his last life and he wants his kits to be there with him. I wish I had known my father, I envy Stormcloud and Sunnysky. My father died before Ashberry and me were even born. You have to understand how important it is to her." Shadestripe said softly, touching Hollykit's back gently with his tail.
"She lied, she said she would only be gone for a little bit." Hollykit scoffed.
"She'll be back soon, don't worry." Blazestrike purred.
"I hope so." the small she-kit sighed.
"We better get going, we'll be late." Icestorm mewed.
"Hollykit, your mother will be back soon. Don't worry. I have to go, you better be sleeping when I come back." Cloudwind purred, nudging his daughter affectionately.
"I'll make sure she is." Icestorm promised.
"Foxstar!" Blazestrike called, padding over t the ThunderClan leader.
"Yes Blazestrike?" he asked.
"Why aren't I going to the gathering?" he asked. I was hoping I could see Swiftpaw, Sedgepaw and Streampaw tonight.
"Not all warriors go to the gatherings, Blazestrike. You can get to know your younger siblings at the next gathering, I must be going now." Foxstar said, without another word he padded to the front of the group of ThunderClan cats. Blazestrike watched as he led them out of the camp.
"Well this sucks." Blazestrike sighed.
"What's wrong Blazestrike?" Icestorm asked.
"It's nothing." he mumbled.
"It's about your siblings in WindClan, isn't it?" Heatherstripe mewed.
"I was just looking forward to seeing them, that's all." Blazestrike hissed, padding away from them.
"We're being attacked!" Owlwhisker screeched, racing into the camp.
"Who is it? ShadowClan? WindClan? RiverClan?" Mousepool asked.
"Neither. It's a bunch of rogues!" he panted.
"Blazestrike! Guard the nursery!" Heatherstripe hissed, as Breezefeather, Icestorm and her leaped at some rogues.
"Blazestrike, what's going on?" Nightkit asked, frightened.
"Take the rest of the kits, and hide all together in one of the nests. Go now, Nightkit and keep quiet!" Blazestrike hissed at his daughter. I will never forgive myself if one of them gets hurt. Blazestrike slashed at a rogue tom's gray muzzle, the tom's eyes raging in fury.
"You don't belong here. Leave our camp." Blazestrike growled.
"I know what you're guarding, the heart of the Clan. We destroy that, the whole Clan comes apart." he snickered. Another tom came to his side to join him. I can't beat both of them, how am I going to keep both of them from getting into the nursey and harming the kits?
"I will not let you get those kits. You will have to kill me first." Blazestrike growled.
"So be it." one of the tom's hissed, leaping at him. StarClan help me!
Boltkit's P.O.V
"Boltkit, I'm scared." Brightkit cried.
"Don't worry. Blazestrike and the other warriors won't let them in here." Bumblekit reassured her.
"What if they get in though?" Sagekit mumbled.
"They won't." Sandkit insisted.
"Will they, Boltkit?" Cinderkit asked.
"No." Boltkit said firmly. Al the kits were huddled in Hollykit's nest. She had fallen asleep after her father left for the gathering.
"I hope Blazestrike will be okay." Night cried.
"She will be. So will all the other warriors. They will be fine, they are warriors. They train for these things, We'll be training too when we're apprentices." Sagekit reassured her sister.
"We need a plan. What if one of those cats gets through Blazestrike?" Bumblekit asked.
"I know. Do you remember the hole we dug in the dirt to sneak out, but Blazestrike covered it up again?" Boltkit asked.
"Yes. My father made it clear he didn't want us sneaking out." Nightkit scoffed.
"Well, it wouldn't be that hard to dig it up again. We could leave the nursery and hide in the forest so that way, if they break in we'll still be safe!" Boltkit purred.
"That could work!" Cinderkit exclaimed.
"But won't Foxstar and the other warriors be angry when they find we aren't where Blazestrike told us to stay? What if they make us wait to become apprentices?" Bumblekit mewed nervously.
"You always expect the worst, Bumblekit. Hurry! Let's start digging before they break through!" Brightkit exclaimed, racing over to the corner of the nursery.
"I don't like this, but I'll do it." Bumblekit sighed, digging his paws into the soil.
"I can see the moonlight!" Nightkit exclaimed, digging faster.
"Okay, Boltkit you go first." Brightkit said, nudging him towards the hole.
"Why me?" Boltkit scoffed.
"Because it was your idea." Cinderkit hissed.
"Fine, I'll go first." Boltkit sighed, squeezing through the hole. He waited until his brother joined him.
"I hope your plan works." Bumblekit sighed.
"It will." Boltkit insisted as Brightkit joined them. It didn't take long before Thistlekit, Redkit, Cinderkit and Sandkit were on the other side too. We waited for Nightkit and Sagekit to join us.
"Come on! Let's go!" Boltkit said, climbing the small hill. When he reached the top, he was relieved to see that the other kits followed him.
"Boltkit, where are we going?" Nightkit asked.
"We have to find our way to the gathering. If we show up there, and tell Foxstar what happened then him and the rest of the warriors will come back to the camp and outnumber all those cats!" Boltkit exclaimed.
"We don't even know the way to the gathering." Bumblekit scoffed.
"No, but I know the scent of my Clan mates." Boltkit scoffed.
"Come on, let's go!" Redkit exclaimed.
"Redkit is right, we don't have time!" Thistlekit hissed, racing forward. Boltkit bounded beside him, leafs bushing against his face as he raced through the forest.
"Look! There's the stream! Remember how Dustpaw and Fernpaw always told us to get to the island we have to cross a tree bridge that lies across the lake. All we have to do is follow this stream and we'll find the tree bridge!" Sagekit purred.
"Let's go then." Boltkit purred, taking the lead.
"There's the lake." Sandkit mewed.
"But I don't see a tree bridge!" Cinderkit hissed.
"I do!" Bumblekit purred.
"Where?" Thistlekit asked.
"Bumblekit, where do you see the tree bridge?" Nightkit asked.
"Over there!" Bumblekit said, flicking his tail towards the bridge.
"What's that awful smell?" Sagekit scoffed.
"I think that's one of the other Clans." Boltkit laughed.
"Let's just go!" Brightkit scoffed, racing across the scent line.
"What if I fall?" Bumblekit mewed nervously.
"You won't fall. I'll make sure you don't." Boltkit reassured his brother.
"Boltkit, you can go first since this was your idea too." Brightkit mewed.
"Fine." Boltkit hissed, leaping up onto the log. He looked back after taking a few paw steps to make sure the others had followed him. Brightkit bounded behind with Redkit close on her tail.
"We're almost there." Boltkit exclaimed as he reached the end of the log. He leaped onto the shore, he could feel the sand beneath his claws. He waited until the other kits landed beside him.
"See, I told you that you wouldn't fall in." Boltkit nudged his brother playfully.
"Whatever, lets just go get Foxstar." Bumblekit growled.
"Come on! We came to our first gathering." Boltkit grinned, almost forgetting what was happening at the camp.
"Quiet, I think the leaders are talking." Bumblekit scoffed, shoving Boltkit playfully.
" -is doing fine. The rivers are flowing with fish. We have three new apprentices who are here with us tonight. Troutpaw, Flowpaw and Wetpaw!" a white tom purred.
"Troutpaw! Flowpaw! Wetpaw!" the Clan cats chanted.
"This is better than I thought." Sagekit purred.
"Let's just try and find the ThunderClan cats." Bumblekit scoffed.
"You're a little small to be apprentices." a small tom frowned.
"I didn't think ThunderClan had so many apprentices." a small she-cat beside him scoffed.
"Didn't Fernpaw and Dustpaw say they were the only apprentices?" another small she-cat said.
"They are the only apprentices. We're only kits, we'll be apprentices soon though. I'm I'm Boltkit." Boltkit purred.
"I'm Swiftpaw and these are my sisters, Sedgepaw and Streampaw. We're WindClan apprentices. Why are you here? Why would ThunderClan bring kits to a gathering?" Swiftpaw frowned.
"Kits at a gathering?" some cats who overheard their conversation muttered.
"Foxstar, what is the meaning of this? Kits at a gathering? What was ThunderClan thinking!" the white tom on the rock growled.
"What? ThunderClan brought no kits!" Foxstar hissed. Boltkit felt a prick of embarrassment as cats moved to the side, allowing his father a clear view of him and the other kits.
"Boltkit, Bumblekit, Brightkit. Explain why you followed us here." Foxstar growled.
"Well," Boltkit started but Bumblekit covered his mouth with his tail.
"I'm sorry Foxstar, but I don't think you would want the other Clans to know." Bumblekit said, glaring at Boltkit.
"It's too late for that, Bumblekit. Tell us why you left the camp." Cloudwind hissed. He's angry with us. I thought we were doing the right thing but he's angry. Boltkit thought.
"The camp was attacked by a huge group of rogues." Boltkit blurted out before his brother could silence him.
"What?" Redstripe flared.
"Why did you leave the camp? The others will be worried when they see you are gone." Silverstreak growled.
"We left the camp because they tried to break into the nursery." Boltkit scoffed. He wasn't afraid to speak his mind to the senior warrior, his father was Clan leader.
"I am sorry for the interruption, but there is something I must deal with in our camp." Foxstar dipped his head politely before leaping from the high rock.
"Then I suppose this gathering is over!" the white tom called.
"Boltkit!" Cloudwind padded over to him.
"I'm guessing your here to tell me what my punishment is." Boltkit sighed.
"There will be time for that later. Boltkit, where is Hollykit? I thought all the kits left?" Cloudwind asked. Boltkit glanced back towards the kits. Bumblekit, Brightkit, Redkit, Sandkit, Thistlekit, Cinderkit, Sagekit and Nightkit. No Hollykit.
"I thought she was with us." Boltkit's eyes widened.
"She was sleeping when we left! We forgot to wake her!" Nightkit exclaimed.
"Cloudwind! Let's go. We'll carry the kits back to camp." Foxstar said, picking Boltkit up by his scruff.
"I would like a word with you in my den after, Boltkit." he mumbled through his fur.
"Foxstar, do you want me to lead a group of warriors ahead, to see if there is still a battle going on?" Cloudwind asked.
"Yes. Take Redstripe, Cedarleaf, Silverstreak, Leafstorm, Ashberry, Shadestripe, Tawnyheart, Tigerfrost, Grayfur, Rosepetal, Skystorm and Firebreeze." Foxstar told him. Cloudwind nodded and beckoned the cats he had mentioned with his tail.
"Let's not expect the worst." Whitebird muttered as the rest of the cats reached the camp. Boltkit gasped, the camp was full of wounded cats. Both ThunderClan and rogues. The battle was still raging. "
Take the kits to my den!" Foxstar ordered, handing Boltkit over to Redstripe. He placed him down in his father's nest.
"You kits did really well, coming to get us tonight. But I don't think your father is too thrilled. I'll try to convince him not to be so harsh, okay?" Redstripe purred before leaping into battle with the other cats.
"Do you think we'll be in trouble?" Redkit asked.
"Of course. We left the camp." Thistlekit scoffed.
"And disrupted a gathering." Sagekit added.
"It's all your fault, Boltkit." Cinderkit hissed.
"We did it because we had to, okay?" Brightkit growled.
"It wasn't Boltkit's fault. He wanted to help." Bumblekit scoffed, sticking up for his brother.
"And we did help. We brought back more warriors. They'll for sure win now." Boltkit told them.
"I hope you're right." Nightkit sighed. I hope I'm right too.
Blazestrike's P.O.V
"Breezefeather!" Blazestrike cried. He had forced off the two toms. He glanced over to see his mate, Breezefeather with a rogue pinning her down. He raced forward, knocking the tom off his paws.
"Blazestrike, I didn't need your help." Breezefeather told him.
"I just don't want anything to happen to you." Blazestrike purred, licking her ear.
"I know." she mewed.
"Great. They're back. I don't know how long we could have kept this going with so many wounds." Icestorm sighed in relief. Blazestrike could see the cats from the gathering had returned. By the looks in their eyes it looked like they knew a battle was happening in the camp. They all leaped eagerly into battle. Except Cloudwind, the ThunderClan deputy. He bolted towards the nursery. Oh no! The kits! I left to help Breezefeather and I forgot about them! Blazestrike bounded over to the nursery. There was a rogue inside. He didn't have time to run off because Cloudwind had him pinned down in moments. The rogue had thrown aside a scrap of white fur. Blazestrike padded over to it and gasped. Hollykit. She lay in an awkward position, her eyes closed. Her heart had stopped beating.
"Cloudwind, I'm sorry. She is with Starsong, Mosspaw and Spiderpaw now. I know they will take care of her." Blazestrike dipped his head. Blazestrike could see the hurt in his eyes. His only kit, gone because of Blazestrike's mistake. He frowned, glancing around the nursery frantically. Why is only Hollykit here? Where is Boltkit, Bumblekit and Brightkit? What about Thistlekit, Sandkit, Redkit and Cinderkit? Where are my daughters, Nightkit and Sagekit? Where are the other kits? Blazestrike glanced back at the ThunderClan deputy to see he was dragging the limp body of the rogue out of the nursery. He killed him. He killed that rogue. Blazestrike dismissed it from his head. That rogue deserved it. He killed Cloudwind's only kit.
"We did it! If it weren't for the warriors from the gathering showing up then I don't know what we would have done." Heatherstripe purred, padding into the nursery. She had scratches along her stomach and flank.
"Where are the kits?" Icestorm exclaimed, glancing around nervously.
"Blazestrike, where are they?" Breezefeather asked. I could tell by the looks in her eyes that she was afraid.
"I-I don't know. They weren't here when I came in." Blazestrike shook his head sadly.
"The other kits are fine." Cloudwind muttered.
"Cloudwind? How do you know?" Blazestrike asked.
"Because they came to the gathering. They warned us what was happening back at the camp, that's why we came back early. They are safe in Foxstar's den." he told us.
"Cloudwind what's wrong?" Icestorm asked. He remained silent, padding over to the limp body of his daughter.
"Hollykit." Heatherstripe gasped.
"I'm glad I came back when I did. I don't know what I would do if I came back to camp knowing I didn't help with that battle." Sunnysky purred, padding into the nursery. She doesn't know about Hollykit yet.
"Sunnysky, I'm sorry." Icestorm sighed, touching her tail to Sunnysky's shoulder.
"Sorry for what?" Sunnysky narrowed her eyes.
"I'm sorry Sunnysky, a rogue got into the nursery." Blazestrike told her. Cloudwind moved aside to let Sunnysky see the limp body of their daughter.