Grasskit's chapter at last! I want to thank Darkness of the Eclipse and Kawakage for reviewing. Naturally, since this is ThunderClan, Grasskit doesn't have as much misery in his life as the other kits do. I can't tell you what his is yet, but compared to being deaf, mother died, and sister died, his is a lot more toned down.

Chapter Four

Light bathed the clearing, and illuminated the pelts of the gathering cats. "Sharptalon, do you feel that your apprentice is ready?" their leader, Foreststar, asked.

"I do."

"Emberpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, to protect and defend this clan even at the cost of your life?" Foreststar meowed seriously.

"I do."

"Emberpaw, from this day forth you shall be known as Embersky. StarClan honors your bravery and courage and welcomes you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Foreststar rested his muzzle on Embersky's head, and Embersky licked Foreststar's shoulder.

"Embersky, Embersky!" the clan cheered.

Grasskit hoped he could be like that, a loyal cat to his clan. He might take on a mate, but he wanted the position of medicine cat, so that wouldn't be possible. The only issue was that Iceblossom, the clan medicine cat, refused to retire.

Cricketsong was getting a bit older too, and he needed to take an apprentice. Iceblossom was still so stubborn, and didn't want to retire. With his apprentice ceremony a half moon away, the medicine cat had to hurry up and retire.

Grasskit sighed, and looked as his mother, Whispersong, walked over to him. "Hi sweetie, excited for your apprentice ceremony?" she asked, and gave him a lick on the forehead.

"Stay away from me," he snarled, and padded out of the den. His mother was pregnant again, Cricketsong had predicted that she would give birth before they were out of the nursery.

It would have been fine if she was expecting Foxclaw's kits, but she wasn't. She was expecting Foxclaw's brother's kits, Frigidstorm's. Whenever Grasskit thought about either of them, now, he wanted to tear them to shreds.

Now the only cat that he liked was his father, Foxclaw. He had been devastated when he found out that his mate was with another cat. This is why he had grown close to Laurelleaf.

Laurelleaf had always been the kindhearted cat that brought him honey, or gave him a little treat here and there. Although Grasskit didn't like the fact that Laurelleaf was now expecting Foxclaw's kits, he liked it better than Whispersong and Frigidstorm.

The whole thing irritated him. He had heard the story before of an old ThunderClan deputy, Whiterain or something, having two mates, but it was very rare.

Grasskit walked over to Laurelleaf to say hello. "How are you?" he asked.

"Good, thank-you," she mewed, licking her swollen belly. Grasskit stared at it for a moment, marveling at the tiny lives that were squirming inside. Laurelleaf leaned forward, and gave Grasskit a lick in between the ears. "Cricketsong said I'm going to have three or four."

"Wow, that's a big litter!" Grasskit commented. His mother had had two kits, him and Meadowkit. "Cricketsong said my mom's going to have two or three," he added.

"You're in luck, you'll have two sets of half-brothers and half-sisters," Laurelleaf purred.

Grasskit nodded, and padded off to the fresh-kill pile to get something to eat. He was hungry, so he grabbed a mouse off the pile. He took it to the shade next to the nursery and took a bite.

He started thinking about the prey that the other clan's ate. ShadowClan ate disgusting lizards and frogs, a horrible meal. RiverClan were yellow-bellies, they ate slimy fish. Lastly, WindClan had the most sense of them all, eating rabbits.

Grasskit shrugged, he still didn't know how WindClan could survive off of one type of prey, and one type only. Then there was one other clan; he remembered its name to be SkyClan.

They ate squirrels and birds. They also had a good amount of sense.

Grasskit finished the mouse, and padded into the medicine cat's den to find Iceblossom sleeping and Cricketsong sorting herbs.

"Hi Grasskit!" Cricketsong purred. Grasskit visited the medicine cat's den more than once a day, so he and the apprentice had grown pretty close. "I need to get some burdock and juniper, do you want to come with me?"

"I'd love to!" Grasskit nodded. "Let me just tell Laurelleaf and Foxclaw where I'm going, and I'll be right back!"

He dashed out of the den, and skidded to a halt in front of the nursery. Foreststar and Whispersong's voices were hushed, and he had to strain to hear.

"Grasskit hates me, he seriously hates me," Whispersong sighed.

"Well, you can hardly blame him," Foreststar challenged. "You mated with his uncle, and abandoned his father."

"So? Laurelleaf is expecting Foxclaw's kits now too!" Whispersong spat.

"Yes, but the two were denmates, and she comforted him after the shock of losing you. I mean really, Whispersong, I'm even disappointed in you. I think I'm going to go ask Foxclaw about mentor choices," Foreststar mewed, and padded out of the den.

"Hi Foreststar! Have you seen my dad?" Grasskit asked, a boost of happiness coming from hearing his mother getting scolded by the leader.

"No, but I need to talk to him. What is it you need? I can surely pass it on to him when I find him," Foreststar suggested.

"I wanted to let him know that I'm helping Cricketsong gather some herbs out in the forest," Grasskit answered.

"Alright, I'll tell him," Foreststar nodded, and as Grasskit was bounding away he called, "Have fun!"

"I will!" Grasskit yowled back, and dug his claws into the grass, skidding to a halt to keep from crashing into Cricketsong.

"Ready?" Cricketsong asked.

Grasskit nodded, and followed the older cat out of camp.

The smells were all so rich, and made Grasskit feel right at home. Cricketsong said that he was gathering burdock and juniper…what are those for again? Grasskit questioned himself.

I think juniper berries are for bellyaches…but I can't remember what burdock does! Grasskit scowled, and padded on, irritated that he couldn't remember what burdock root was for.

"So, what are juniper berries and burdock root used for?" Cricketsong asked, completely peck able timing.

"Juniper berries are for stomachaches…and I can't remember what burdock is for," Grasskit sighed with defeat.

"That's alright, burdock root is for rat bites. Sometimes a marigold poultice isn't enough, so burdock root adds extra strength to fight away infection," Cricketsong aided as they reached the burdock plant.

Cricketsong started digging up the roots, and Grasskit copied. He bit off a few of the roots and continued following Cricketsong until they got to the juniper plant. Cricketsong had taught him before how to make a wrap out of leaves, so while Cricketsong plucked the berries, he made the wraps.

As the sun passed the halfway point in the day, the two cats had finished with the job of collecting herbs. "Are you alright, Grasskit?" Cricketsong asked, pausing before they went into camp. "You should be excited with your mother's litter of kits on the way."

"I'm not!" Grasskit shrieked, shutting his eyes tightly. "Every cat thinks that because Whispersong is my mother, that I should forgive her. I can't forgive her! She abandoned my dad in his time of need, and I can't forgive that!"

Cricketsong nodded, and rested his tail on Grasskit's shoulder. "Life isn't fair, but you should still try and make the most of it," he whispered. "I'll leave you alone for now."

Grasskit nodded, and nudged the herbs over to Cricketsong. He found a patch of nettles, and laid down on them. He didn't get it.

Meadowkit was fine with their mother's decision to become mates with Frigidstorm. She was excited for the kits arrival, and wanted to see them. Yet when their father became mates with Laurelleaf, she was outraged.

It just didn't make any sense, no sense whatsoever. He closed his eyes tightly, and let the gentle rhythms of sleep come over him.

-*-

A shooting star blazed over the horizon, and crashed into a forest nearby. A bright ginger tabby she-cat dashed out of the forest as it came ablaze.

She was panting heavily, out of practice. Making her way to a gorge, she had no other choice but to jump. The fire was raging on behind her, and she, and her unborn kits, would be scorched to death if they didn't.

Shutting her eyes tightly, she jumped. She had judged her jump well, and plunged straight into the river. Cats on the surface let out caterwauls of surprise, and one sleek tabby dove into the water after the she-cat.

She struggled back up to the surface with the waterlogged cat in her jaws. The ginger she-cat choked up a mouthful of water, and soon fell asleep. Without knowing it, she would give birth to the fifth very soon.

"What should we do with her, Hollystar?" a speckled brown tom asked.

"She's as soft as a kittypet, she doesn't carry SkyClan blood!" snarled another.

"We couldn't train her for moons either. She's expecting, and she'd just be a deadweight in the nursery," one last cat hissed.

"Be quiet, all of you!" Hollystar snapped. "Don't you realize? Generations before my grandmother was born, SkyClan was restored by a kittypet. A kittypet that became leader."

"Your point?" the speckled tom asked again.

"Fawnspots, you're brave, but naïve. All of us were kittypets before SkyClan was reformed. We grew great off of the knowledge that although we might not carry SkyClan blood, we'll soon grow to create new SkyClan blood," Hollystar purred. "If she wishes, this cat will stay."

-*-

Grasskit blinked his eyes open, and saw that it was evening. He got back up on his paws, and shook his pelt of nettle scraps. Yawning a bit, he walked back to camp. Inside, a commotion was going on.

Frigidstorm was pacing back and forth in front of the nursery, and Grasskit snorted at him. Iceblossom lazily came out of the medicine cat's den, and padded over to Grasskit.

"Your mother's kitting in there," she commented. "I'm gonna go help Cricketpaw."

"Cricketsong!" Grasskit called after the elderly medicine cat.

He sighed, and waited for what seemed like hours for Cricketsong to come out and announce the birth to the clan. When the stars were shining brightly, Cricketsong came out of the nursery, and mewed, "Two toms and a she-cat."

Frigidstorm rushed in, and Grasskit closed his eyes, debating whether or not to go and see the kits.

"You should visit them," Cricketsong meowed.

"Huh?"

"You should go visit the kits. I know you're unhappy with your mother, but she kitted you, and these are your half-siblings too. Just for a few minutes, visit with them," Cricketsong meowed, and gave Grasskit a nudge.

Grasskit sighed, and padded into the nursery. His mother was lying there, three tiny kits squirming at her belly. One was pure white, the second was gray and white, and the last was a dark gray tabby.

Warmth flooded into Grasskit's eyes when he saw the kits, and he let off a purr.

Alright, thanks for reading! Please drop a review, I need to know what everyone thought of the story. If I can get three, maybe four reviews, I'll double update! Also, I have a poll posted on my profile, so please check that out and vote. Sayonara~!