CHAPTER 1
"Wake up! Rise and shine sleepy head!" A voice echoed. Flamekit slowly opened his eyes to see Ratkit on top of him jumping. "All right, I am getting up. I am just not a morning cat. I like my sleep, unlike some dumb dung brains." Flamekit snapped. Ratkit had been waking him up just about everyday for the past moon.
Lightningcloud glared at him, "Be nice you two, I don't need to call your father in again do I?" "No, we will be good." Flamekit and Ratkit said in unison. Flamekit sighed and saw his brother by the entrance of the den flicking his tail in excitement. "We are going to get out of the camp today Flamekit, I know it! Don't tell Ravenkit and Lightkit; let's just keep it between us toms." Ratkit whispered the last part. Flamekit straightened up, "Sneak out? What are you talking about? It is fine just here." Ratkit flicked his ear, "I need excitement! Come on Flamekit, you know you want to." Flamekit sighed with defeat, "So what's the plan?"
Ratkit squealed with joy and crouched down, Flamekit following. But before Ratkit could say anymore, a mew interrupted, "Hey Flamekit, what are you doing?" Flamekit sat up to find two sparkling blue eyes. He started to feel hot all over as well as speechless, "Hello?" "Sorry, it is just you have…. great whiskers! Can't go wrong with those, right?" Flamekit stifled a laugh. That was so stupid! Whiskers? What kind of mouse brain talks about whiskers? "Ok, anyway, what are you doing?" Moonkit walked over to Ratkit who looked quite annoyed, "Mind you, we are doing an ultra-secret mission! But, no she-cats allowed." Ratkit may have been the biggest kit in the nursery, but that didn't stop Moonkit, "It is not so secret if you tell someone about it."
She turned and looked back at Flamekit, "Moonkit! Moonkit! Moonkit! Guess what!" Foxkit sprang and tackled Moonkit to the ground, Hawkstripe following. Moonkit chuckled, "What?" "Foxkit jumped off quivering with excitement, "Hawkstripe is taking us to go see the whole territory of Thunderclan!" Moonkit sat upright with a twinkle in her eye, "Really?" Hawkstripe nodded, "Yep, I think it is time you see the camp. I mean, in a moon you are going to be apprentices."
Ratkit's ears perked up and leaned in toward Flamekit, "Did you hear that? They are actually going outside of the camp." All three she-cats left the den as well as squealing. "Finally, some peace and quiet." Wolftail yawned and closed her eyes, Flowertail following. The two queens hadn't kitted yet, so they would be in the nursery for a while.
Flamekit turned his head back to Ratkit, and he was gone. "Now Ratkit, you know your father and I are very busy and we don't have time for that. Just wait until you are an apprentice." Lightningcloud explained and left Ratkit looking more bored then ever. Flamekit padded up to him, "We will get out there, just not today." Ratkit immediately brightened up, "How about we play littermate attack?" Ratkit didn't wait for an answer and talked Ravenkit and Lightkit into it. Flamekit smiled, our little family. So perfect, nothing could ever ruin our bond.
"Please, I am not tired." Ratkit whined. "Ratkit, it is moon high, now get some sleep." Lightningcloud pushed Ratkit closer to her body with her tail and dozed off to sleep. Ratkit quietly pounced on Flamekit, "Get up!" He whispered, "Ratkit, get some sleep. I am tired and I don't need some mouse brain to bug me all night." Flamekit closed his eyes, ready to doze off to sleep, but was awaken again, "Flamekit, I will make a promise." Ratkit proposed.
"What is it?" Flamekit didn't really care what it was, as long as it let him sleep, "If you do this with me, I won't bug you at night again." Ratkit held his gaze. Flamekit sighed," Do what with you?" "Just go out of the camp. And before you say anything, think about it. What animal would be outside waiting for us?" Flamekit looked bewildered, "What? Ratkit, no. I am not sneaking out of camp, especially at night." Flamekit curled back into a ball. "Please Flamekit! Just this one time!" Flamekit sighed. I can't believe I am doing this. "Fine, but if we get in trouble, you take the blame." Ratkit's tail stood high and he marched toward the entrance of the nursery, "Let's go!" He ran out with no warning. Flamekit ran after him into the darkness.
"Ratkit! Where did you go?!" Flamekit quietly mewed in the dark. "Over here." A squeal came near a clearing in the middle of the camp. Flamekit swirled his head around to find two glowing eyes coming from the fresh kill pile. "Hurry up snail brain." Ratkit whispered and ran ahead. Flamekit's heart pounded and followed his brother's scent.
Flamekit lifted his nose and smelled Ratkit mixed with bushes. He stumbled forward and and tripped, "Adder!" Flamekit jumped back in fear and bushed up. "It is just my tail. And be quiet! Do you want to wake up the whole camp?" Ratkit whispered and crouched lower into the bushes. "Smell that?" Ratkit whispered. Flamekit closed his eyes and immediately opened them, "What is that?" Ratkit snickered, "Darkstar told me; it is crow food and rat dung." "So we are near the Shadowclan border? Yuck! Why not Windclan or something?" Flamekit shuddered at the thought of living in Shadowclan. "Look, we are going to sneak out this way, now follow my lead!"
"Wait, Ratkit!" Flamekit tried to stop him, but it was too late. Ratkit had already headed out of the bushes and even more near the Shadowclan border. Before Flamekit could run after him, a paw stopped him, "Now just where do you think you are going?" Flamekit held still, hoping the cat would go away, but it kept persisting. "Hello?" The paw pulled him closer to a spiky pelt. "Why, this is Darkstar's kit. Won't he be glad to see this." Clawheart! She was one the most experienced warriors in Thunderclan. Not to mention the best hunter the clans has ever seen.
"Flamekit? Where are you….." Ratkit burst through the bushes, and stopped dead in his tracks. "Well, the two toms, what a duo. Come on; let's get back to the nursery." Clawheart's tail tip dragged across Flamekit's nose, "You aren't mad at us?" Ratkit asked. Clawheart through her head back and cackled horribly, "I am not the one who should be mad at you. Your mother and father will be though." Flamekit felt sick to his stomach. Why had he listened to Ratkit? He knew it would only bring trouble, but, he did it anyway. "Come on fur balls, let's go." Clawheart left, not caring if she left them behind or not. Flamekit and Ratkit followed, "Flamekit, why did you have to get us caught? You always ruin all of the fun." Ratkit raced ahead, leaving Flamekit in the dust.
Hope you liked this addition to the story. Let me know what you think of the characters so far, Do you like Clawheart?