Hey, guys, this is Jay'sGirl123. I've heard in a few reviews that I'd repeated a chapter. So sorry! Well, I've fixed it, so I hope ya'll won't hold a grudge against me. :)
Sorry about the repeated chapter, and please enjoy this one!
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"'...And said 'Rednose, the red-nosed tomcat, you'll go down in history!''" Tawny finished with a flourish.
All the kits and apprentices cheered while the eavesdropping elders and warriors purred.
Jayfeather sighed and admitted to himself that was a very cute story.
For kits of course.
He threw his senses at Willowshine again.
She was purring like all the others, chatting with Mothwing about how funny 'Rednose the Red Nosed Tomcat' was.
How could she act so casual while Jayfeather was freaking out?
It was all because of that lick to the cheek.
I wouldn't have done it. Jayfeather snorted. I would've ran off yowling.
"All right, kitties, who's ready for a special Christmas game?" Rose called excitedly.
Immediatly, the kits, apprentices, and younger warriors crowded around her.
Jayfeather scooted closer to listen, unable to resist.
"All right, kitties." Rose whispered secretively. "We're all going to play 'Secret Sandyclaws'!"
"How do you play that?" A tabby and white kit asked curiously.
"I want all of you to look around the clearing and choose a nice cat you know." Rose instructed.
To Jayfeather's surprise, every cat in the Clan, including Mistystar, trained their eyes on another cat.
"All right. Now that you know who you've chosen, I want you to think of something nice you could do for that cat. Be quiet, and make sure no cat knows who your cat is or what you're doing for that cat. Now, go be a Secret Sandyclaws!"
All the apprentices and kits scurried off in different directions, trying to be as mysterious and as quiet as they could be.
Jayfeather removed himself from the center of the clearing, feeling thoughtful.
This is a chance to be nice to Shiny. How could I be nice to her, though? She's annoying and weird and way too jumpy for my taste. But maybe she'll do something kind for me... Oh, I doubt it. I guess I'm too annoying and weird and serious for her taste, too. She called me a thing... Wait! If I could be kind to her without her knowing, it will make me feel good, even if it doesn't make her feel good. Maybe if I do that, I'll have a better chance at having fun this Christmas Moon. It's perfect!
With that, Jayfeather bounded off, feeling pleased.
...
Willowshine cocked her head. How can I be a Secret Sandyclaws?
At the back of her mind, something whispered, You could always do something for Jayfeather...
Willowshine shook her head. Nah. I doubt he's doing anything special for me.
Just then, her brother Rippletail was behind her. "What's up, Shiny?"
"Don't call me Shiny, Jayfeather does that."
"Ah ha." Rippletail meowed casually. "So now Jayfeather calls you by a special name, huh?"
"What? Nooo!" Willowshine blushed. "Stop it. I don't like him and he doesn't like me. End of subject."
"Oh, okay. Keep your secrets." Rippletail teased.
"Why, you little..." Willowshine purred, throwing a pawful of snow at his face.
Rippletail sneezed and bounded off, yowling with laughter.
That's my older brother for you. Willowshine snorted.
She looked up at the sky. Night is falling. The day went by very quickly. Just think; four more days until Christmas Moon.
...
"Alright, kitties!" Rose called. "Secret Sandyclaws is fun, I know, but it's time you got to sleep!"
"Why?" Streamkit asked curiously. "Does Sandyclaws come tonight?!"
All the kits gasped and started squeaking in excitement until Rose raised her tail for quiet. "Not tonight, but soon, preciouses, soon. Now, who would like to hear a Christmas story?"
All the kits skittered happily to their mothers and cuddled into the moss nests, ready for a story.
The apprentices came hopefully forward also, seeming to beg to hear the story, but Rose shook her head. "The kits sleep in the nusery and the apprentices sleep in the apprentice den. We'll tell you all after the kits. Promise."
Satisfied, the apprentices pranced back to their den.
Jinx purred and lay just in the entrance of the den. "Alright, kitties, is everyone here?"
Every cat nodded, and a few kits squeaked "Yes!" anxiously.
"Alright. This one's called, 'The Night Before Christmas':
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the den,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a wren.
The dock leaves were hung on the nursery with care,
In hopes that Sandyclaws soon would be there.
The kittens were nestled all snug in their nests,
While visions of honeyed mice danced in their heads.
With Ma in the nursery, I don't make a peep;
She'd just settled her brain for a long night's sleep.
When out on the clearing there rose such a clatter,
I sprang from my nest to see what was the matter.
The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow,
Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below.
When what does fate show against the moon,
But a minature bark-nest, and eight tiny racoons
With a little old rider, so quick with no flaws,
I knew in a moment it must be Sandyclaws!
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he meowed, and yowled, and called them by name:
'Now! Dasher, now! Dancer, now! Prancer, and Yowler,
'On! Grumble, on! Mumble, on! Wonder and Prowler;
'To the top of the den! to the top of the Clan!
'Now dash away! dash away! dash if you can!'
As dry leaves before the wild wind fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the den-top the coursers they flew,
With the bark-nest full of gifts-and Sandyclaws too.
And then in a twinkling, I heard on the den-top
The prancing and pawing of each little claw.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down to the clearing Sandyclaws came with a bound.
He had snow white fur, from his head to his paws,
And his eyes were quite blue; even outshining his claws.
His eyes-how they twinkled! You could tell he was merry,
His pads were like roses, his nose like a cherry.
His yawn showed his teeth, all neat in a row,
And those whiskers of his were as white as the snow.
He had a broad face, and a very long tail
That twitched when he purred, like in all Christmas tales.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old cat,
And I purred when I saw him in spite of the act.
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the dock leaves; then turned with a jerk,
And a wave of his tail and a twitch of his nose
And giving a nod, to the den-top he rose.
He sprung to his bark-nest, to his team gave a call,
And away they all flew, in no time at all;
But I heard him exclaim, as he rode out of sight-
'Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!'"
Jinx finished with a small pause to listen to the tired cheers of the kits as they soon began to drift off.
Jayfeather's mind also began to drift in the thought of Sandyclaws coming any day now.
"Hey, Jayfeather," There came a she-cat's voice, suddenly. "Can I speak with you?"
Jayfeather rolled his eyes. "Okay, Shiny."
With great irritation he followed Willowshine to the end to the clearing.
She turned to him when they were out of sight. "Did you notice all the snow? It's quite beautiful."
"Is that all you wanted to tell me?" Jayfeather mumbled, already walking away. "Well, have fun with that."
"Wait! I mean, come back." She mewed after him. "I have a great idea."
Jayfeather, irritated, turned around and padded back towards her. "Oh, really. I'm sooo excited."
"Good!" She gave a little hop of delight, ignoring his sarcasm. "We should do a Secret Sandyclaws for Rose, Tawny, and Jinx!"
Jayfeather tried to look as if he wasn't at all surprised by Willowshine's great idea, but inside, he was thoughtful. It's a great way to thank them for being so kind to our Clans...
"What would we do?" He interrogated flatly, half hoping she'd answer his question. "Give them herbs? A juniper-marigold paste perhaps? Let's face it, Willowshine, we're medicine cats. We would have no existing idea what to do for them."
"Maybe you don't." She growled. "But, thanks very much, I happen to have experience with being a warrior and I have experienced their longings and wishes. I know exactly what we could do if you'll give me time to say so."
"What?" Jayfeather sat on the freezing snow and curled his tail around his paws. "Go on, then. Spit it out."
"Listen to their song next time, berry-brain." She hissed. "Don't you remember 'Up on The Den-Top'?
'First is the dock leaf of Littlepaw,
Fill it well, dear Sandyclaws!
Give her a moss ball and honeyed mice
and some soft feathers; she was nice'!
We could give them honeyed mice. We could give them honeyed anything!"
"True, true." Jayfeather sighed. "But I'd bet my juniper stores five other cats already thought of that."
"No bet." Willowshine grumbled sheepishly. "I guess you're right. I can't think of anything else."
"Alright, we'll wait a little. I'm sure we'll find something. Remember, we've got four days left until Christmas." Jayfeather reminded. Then he admitted, "It was a pretty good idea."
Suddenly, a loud whisper startled Jayfeather out of his conversation. "Come on!"
"What?" Willowshine asked Rose, puzzled.
"We're putting up the Christmas tree!" Rose squealed quietly, giving a little hop of ethusiasm.
Sure enough, Mistystar, Tawney, Jinx and the other warriors were dragging a tiny snow coated pine tree only twice the size of Jayfeather across the clearing.
"What do we do with it?" Jayfeather questioned curiously, his nose filled with the scent of pine.
"We decorate it, of course." Rose beamed. "And put our gifts under it!"
"Who ever heard of giving gifts to a tree?" Jayfeather scoffed.
"No, silly, we put our gifts under it so they won't get lost or anything. Sandyclaws puts gifts under there, too!" Rose reasoned, still cheerful about putting up the tree.
With that, she bounded away towards the others.
"Oh, come on." Willowshine told Jayfeather. "It'll, um, be fun?"
It sounded more like a question.
"Fine." Jayfeather rolled his eyes, but followed Willowshine to put up the tree.
"Ready?" Jinx called softly when they stopped in the middle of the clearing with the tiny tree.
"Right!" Tawney replied at the other end.
With this, Jinx climbed halfway under the tree and shoved until the whole top part of the tree was off the ground.
Mistystar, Rushtail, Troutstream, Mothwing and some other cats got into the space between the tree and the ground and stood up on their hind legs, holding the tree straight up.
"There's a small but very deep hole not a mouse-length away from the trunk." Willowshine observed. "It's probably to hold the tree upright."
Jayfeather nodded, taking in every detail in awe.
"Alright, steady." Mistystar called. "Willowshine, Jayfeather, you're not doing anything. Help Tawney push the trunk into the hole... slowly."
Willowshine and Jayfeather trotted to the tree and Willowshine guided his paw to the trunk.
Carefully, he pushed with his paw until he felt the trunk moving slowly.
Delicately, he placed his paw a bit lower until the tree was leaning a bit.
"What are you doing?" Willowshine hissed, trying to steady the tree again.
"No, no." Jayfeather snapped. "If we do it the way you're doing, the trunk will snap in half. Do it my way."
Willowshine was silent for a heartbeat and Jayfeather guessed she was working it out in her head. "Oh."
Soon, Jayfeather felt the tree thunk into the hole.
"Um, thanks." Willowshine muttered, obviously feeling dumb.
"Mm." He growled, irritably walking away.
He sat away from every cat while they scraped dirt into the hole to fill it in.
Later, they were sitting beside Jayfeather, admiring their work.
"It's so beautiful." Mistystar sighed.
"It's a bit crooked, but it still looks okay." Rushtail beamed.
"Well done, well done." Jinx murmured. "Now it's time to decorate. Find the most beautiful leaves, flowers, and reeds in you territory and that should make it really shine."
"I know!" Willowshine jumped up onto four paws. "That flower that only blooms at night! Even though it only blooms at night, in the day, the buds still look pretty."
"Good idea, Willowshine." Troutstream praised. "We'll want some of that! I know where to find some very colorful berries! We could use those too, right?"
"Yes!" Mistystar purred. "And the snow on the tree makes it glow in the moonlight. We want that to show, so don't gather too many. The kit's and apprentices will be wanting to decorate it, too, so leave some empty patches for them."
...
I hope this chapter was okay. I like this one because of the revised Christmas songs and poems I put in here. It was so fun to revise them! Well, be on lookout for another chapter! I'll update one as soon as I can!
Bye!