Chapter 2: Changed Futures

"Applekit! You're stepping on my tail!" Wildkit lightly growled. Applekit, Wildkit, and Mousekit were hiding behind the brambles of Snowstar's den. The camp was mostly empty, with all the patrols of the day sent out, the queens gossiping in the nursery, and the medicine cat, Flakefrost, out of camp looking for herbs. All the warriors left were in the leader's den with Snowstar, discussing something "That kits are not needed to know," their father, Foxfur, had told them. "Snowstar has called a meeting for warriors only for a reason."

Then he had slipped under the hanging brambles over the leader's den, leaving three very curious kits behind. Now, they were determined to find out what was said to be 'for warriors only'. Since there was no other kits in ShadowClan (their mother Lilypool's sister, Ivyleaf, was still expecting kits), the three kits were on their own for their expedition into lecture-worthy waters.

Unfortunately, Applekit and Wildkit kept finding things to argue about in some way or another, and it wasn't helping their cover.

"Both of you be quiet! I think I can hear something," Mousekit snapped before straining her ears towards the bramble out-covering of Snowstar's den they were hiding behind. Mousekit was the smallest kit ShadowClan had ever seen, but Mousekit made up for it with her sharp tongue. It had gotten her into quite a bit of trouble, but she had earned the respect of the elders while using it. She also frequently used it when she thought something was important. Nevertheless, she didn't hesitate to use it on her sisters, and often won their arguments.

"Here, I'll help you." Wildkit crouched down, and motioned for Applekit to jump on top of her. Applekit put her front paws on Wildkit's flank, then lightly hopped onto her. Then, Wildkit said, "Climb up on Applekit, and then you can hear them." Mousekit scrambled up Wildkit and Applekit and stretched her ears toward the brambles.

"How can you tell that Flakefrost told a real prophecy? He hasn't told us anything for moons! What if he's lost his touch with StarClan?" Frostnose was saying.

"How could you doubt your medicine cat? No other medicine cat has ever lost their touch with StarClan." Starlingtail, Flakefrost's mother, retorted.

"Goosefeather from ThunderClan lost his touch with StarClan," Duskpelt's voice piped up, gaining more volume as he went on. "I bet it was because he was getting too old to be medicine cat, and Flakefrost might be going through the same thing!"

Foxfur spoke up. "Goosefeather didn't lose his touch with StarClan, he got some kind of future and prophecy overload and started to sound crazy in the process. Do you see Flakefrost doing that?"

"Maybe this is the early stages," Berrystone said, "and the rest of it comes up later."

Grayfoot interrupted the argument. "Do you all hear yourselves? Flakefrost, the kind medicine cat you all know, losing touch with StarClan and going crazy? Flakefrost is as healthy as we all are, though he is getting old. As we all are, seeing as Starlingtail is Flakefrost's mother. You shouldn't doubt your medicine cat, nor should you doubt your leader!" An uncomfortable silence followed, and Mousekit assumed that Snowstar had been the one to announce the prophecy Flakefrost had made.

"Tell us the prophecy," Frostnose finally spoke, breaking the silence. "If it sounds real enough, we'll believe you."

Grayfoot growled slightly, but was interrupted by Snowstar. "Just a few of sunrises ago, Flakefrost spoke to me about a prophecy he had heard in his dreams. He said, 'The ShadowClan Threesome has arrived, and along with the blue furred one, and they will save the Clans,' and he said that this repeated over and over in his dream, until he woke up. Is that enough proof for you?" Snowstar directed this question to Frostnose and Berrystone. Both gave curt nods.

"Obviously the 'ShadowClan Threesome' must be from ShadowClan," Starlingtail said. "but this blue furred one I am not sure about. No cat in ShadowClan has blue fur."

"Unless the blue furred one is from another Clan." Foxfur's words were met by another uncomfortable silence.

"There is nothing we can do if the blue furred one is from another Clan," Snowstar said at last. "But we can find out whom StarClan speaks of when they say 'ShadowClan Threesome' at least."

Suddenly Foxfur gasped. Mousekit heard tails swishing as they did what she assumed was turn towards Foxfur. She heard her father quietly say, "Think about it. It says the 'ShadowClan Threesome' has arrived. That must mean it's a kit. Or rather, kits. There is only one litter of kits right now. There are three kits in ShadowClan. The prophecy speaks of the 'ShadowClan Threesome'. There is only one explanation for who that could be."

Mousekit was no longer quivering with excitement. She felt like a hard, cold rock in the middle of leaf-bare. Underneath her, she felt Applekit shift. "Are you okay?" Mousekit whispered, suddenly not wanting to listen to the conversation inside the leader's den.

"Applekit, quit squirming! You're going to make me fall." Wildkit hissed out, as quietly as she could. Mousekit felt both Applekit and Wildkit wobbling underneath her. Then Mousekit felt Applekit suddenly jump forward, shrieking, "I can't help it! These brambles have got ants! Now I've got ants in my peeeeeeeeeelt!" Wildkit had slipped, and Applekit and Mousekit tumbled down after her.

"Will you ever stop fighting?" Mousekit snarled angrily. "I'll bet you've woken the elders!"

"You did, all right," One of the elders, Rosetail, shuffled into view. "What in the name of StarClan are you doing here, anyways?"

"I bet I know what they were up to." Another elder, Dustfur, followed Rosetail into the gap between the leader's and the elder's den. "It's not hard to see."

"We were trying to see how high we could climb up the leader's den." The three kits smoothly lied.

Rosetail shook her head. "Kits these days…" she grumbled.

"Why, in my day, all the kits climbed up the leader's den," Dustfur said. "It's a natural thing that all kits do. You remember when I climbed onto the hazel branch? I got in so much trouble…" Dustfur purred and nudged Rosetail.

"I remember, all right," Rosetail huffed. "I was so embarrassed to be your sister, it was that bad!"

"I don't think the kits want to hear your stories, now," Moonfern, the mother of Ivypool and their mother, Lilypool, slid in beside her denmates. She gazed at the kits with her big, silver eyes that she was evidently named for. "And if I know my kin, they would want to go cause more trouble." She purred and nudged the three kits. "Go on, have fun." She led the elders back into their den.

Mousekit instantly turned on Applekit and Wildkit. "You ruin everything!" With a swish of her tail, Mousekit stalked away.

"Hey, Mousekit, what was the meeting about?" Applekit called after her eagerly, oblivious to the anger radiating from Mousekit.

"All they were doing was worrying about having too many warriors in the warriors den!" Mousekit lied angrily. "Not that you'd care." Glancing back, Mousekit saw her sisters exchange glances. They know I wouldn't tell them when I'm angry; they know I'm lying.

Mousekit could already feel dread consume her. It's all a dream, she told herself. Just a silly dream. I just need to go back into my nest and I'll wake up. Mousekit stalked as fast as she could towards the nursery.

In the nursery, Mousekit passed Lilypool and Ivyleaf reminiscing their time as kits. It's too bad I won't get that comfort as a warrior anymore, Mousekit thought resentfully. She curled up in her mother's nest.

Mousekit took comfort in the fact that her future wouldn't interrupt her dreams before falling into a dreamless sleep.