Silent paws-steps took the dark she-cat closer to her target. Her eyes narrowed into slits as she focused. The target was unsuspecting and lazing around in the moss. With a small butt wiggle the long-haired dark gray she-cat sprang. Landing with a plop and a screech from her pray.
"Willowkit!" the "prey" whined.
"You need to be aware of your surroundings, Sorrelkit," Willowkit meowed playfully quoting their father, Talonpelt.
Laughter from the other side of the den sounded in her ears. Sorrelkit glanced towards the watched her sisters eyes fill with tears and her chin wobble as she caught sight of Tigerkit, Berrykit, and Honeykit snickering at them.
Willowkit's fur raised along her back at the group. "Don't you mouse-brains have better things to do!" Willowkit hissed in their direction.
Huffing they all went back to playing. Not caring that they had made Sorrelkit cry. While the two litters were the about same age they never played together. Willowkit was extremely protective of her littermate Sorrelkit. And the three kits were ruefully mean to the plumper tortoiseshell she-kit. Tears were tumbling out of her littermate's eyes.
" Come on, Sorrelkit!" Willowkit mewed trying to draw her mind away from the three kits playing loudly. " Let's go see if we can find Cherrypaw or Thunderpaw"
The two apprentices were always nice to the two kits. Guiding Sorrelkit out of the nursery they came to Shadeclan's shaded camp. Despite the shade of the many pine trees it was warm. There was sun shining in the center of camp and a bit by the apprentices den. A couple warriors littered the ground where the most sun shined through the trees in camp. Their mother, Foxpool, and father, Talonpelt, were among them. Foxpool saw them exit the den and flicked her tail motioning them closer. Willowkit bounded towards them and Sorrelkit slowly followed her tail dragging on the ground below.
"How are my brave kits today?" Talonpelt raspily purring as he noticed Sorrelkits somber mood.
Willowkit glanced at Sorrelkit waiting for her to answer as she batted at Foxpool's tail. Tigerkit, Berrykit, and Honeykit had been badgering Sorrelkit since she was two moons old. She was quite bigger in the belly then all the kits in the nursery. It was like a thorn to the heart for Willowkit every time she saw her sisters eyes fill with tears.
" They are picking on me again.." her voice more quiet than mouse and her eyes glued to her paws.
Talonpelt licked between her ears lovingly "Soon you'll show them. You'll be one of the best apprentices. You and Willowkit!" he seemed to purr even louder to comfort her.
At her name, Willowkit, pounced on her fathers back. Talonpelt played along and gently rolling on his back. Willowkit pressed her paws on her father's chest and meowed with fake anger. Sorrelkit side stepped closer to Foxpool and curled comfortingly against the she-cat's belly fur. They watched with amused eyes at the similar looking father and daughter played. Talonpelt was a fierce looking warrior and deputy but he had a gentleness with the kits. It softened Foxpool's heart every time she saw him with Willowkit and Sorrelkit. These two were their first kits and by the look in Foxpool's eyes she didn't want them to be their last.
Foxpool meowed at the kits to finish the thrush that was laying between her and Talonpelt. Hopping off her father's chest she quickly took two small mouthfuls then left a good chunk for Sorrelkit. After Sorrelkit finished chewing the last of the thrush Cherrypaw and Thunderpaw padded into the camp through the threaded bramble tunnel with jaws clamped full of fresh-kill. They dropped the kill in the pile their eyes filled with joy at their catches. Sorrelkit perked up at the sight of them. Cherrypaw instantly bounded over to them. Ducking her head towards Talonpelt and Foxpool respectfully.
"Foxpool… could I borrow Willowkit and Sorrelkit for a bit?" Cherrypaw asked in a even tone.
"I was going to ask if you could watch them after the ceremony today while I go stretch my legs with Talonpelt," Foxpool purred.
At Sunhigh Tigerkit, Berrykit, and Honeykit would be made apprentices. They were only a half a moon older that Willowkit and Sorrelkit. Annoyance clawed at Willowkit's belly. She wanted to be apprenticed but she had to wait for another half a moon. Clawing at the ground to release the emotion Foxpool noticed and purred while licking her gently.
"You'll be apprenticed soon too. No need to be jealous. Now go play with Cherrypaw and Thunderpaw," She batted her kits closer to Cherrypaw who beamed.
They got up and padded towards the apprentices den following Cherrypaw. Cherrypaw seemed to bounce along as the kits followed her to the old roots of the giant pine. Ferns sprouted in the sun along the ground at the side of the apprentice den where the sun shined brightly. Willowkit couldn't wait til she was old enough to join her friends in this den. Until later today Thunderpaw and Cherrypaw were the only apprentices of Shadeclan. They were already almost halfway through their training meaning they would only share the den for a few moons.
Thunderpaw laid under a rather large thriving fern tearing into a blackbird that he had already plucked the feathers out of. He looked up as they approached and let out a loud throaty purr.
"Have you two filled your bellies yet?" he asked in a deep purr.
"Yes!" The two kits replied and settled sitting side by side tails over their paws. "Foxpool gave us a thrush." Willowkit continued.
"Thrush is my favorite! I wonder if there are any left?" Cherrypaw bounded away to the fresh-kill pile.
When she came back carrying a mouse they knew that the two kits got the last thrush. She didn't let it dampen her mood tho as she dug into the mouse. Once the apprentices finished their food and cleaning their faces all four of them started to play. Willowkit had launched herself at Thunderpaw. He laughed under her as she tried to pin him. Thunderpaw was much more powerful than her for the moment. Willowkit couldn't help but think when she was a apprentice she would be, hopefully, more powerful than Thunderpaw. Cherrypaw and Sorrelpaw batted a ball of moss back and forth as Willowkit and Thunderpaw tumbled over each other. Thunderpaw careful not to hurt the much smaller kit. As they tumbled a lithe looking blue-gray she-cat came out through her den and bounded on top of a long thick broken branch that overhung her den. She looked at her clan most were sharing tongues and a few soaking up the sun that shone brightly in camp. The kits and apprentices were playing. Milkflower a young queen was vigorously washing her kits much to their dismay. With a deep breath she announced loudly.
"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Brokenbranch for a Clan meeting," Juniperstar watched the cats crowd together as her call echoed around camp.
Once everyone gathered and the kits were settled in front of everyone else. Whitepetal, the medicine cat, was the last to join. Weaving her way out of her stone den and curling her tail around her paws, sitting elegantly.
"One of my favorite ceremonies will be performed today. Shadeclan has been blessed by Starclan for many moons. As we continue to be blessed today. Tigerkit, Berrykit, and Honeykit, you have reached six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on you will be known as Tigerpaw, Berrypaw, and Honeypaw. Tigerpaw your mentor will be Talonpelt. I hope Talonpelt will pass down all he knows on to you are a loyal deputy and are ready for a new apprentice. You are loyal and determined. I expect you to pass all you know to Tigerpaw." Juniperstar meowed cooly and watched as her deputy and the new apprentice touching noses strongly.
Tigerpaw had a glint in his eye as he looked at both Willowkit and Sorrelkit. Willowkit didn't show any sign of emotion but Sorrelkit visibly flinched.
"Berrypaw your mentor will be Creekdapple," A pretty long-haired white she-cat stepped forward. "I hope Creekdapple will pass down all she knows on to you. Creekdapple, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Cedarfang, and you have shown yourself to be fierce and quick. You will be the mentor of Berrypaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Berrypaw."
Softly Creekdapple and the young Berrypaw pressed noses together and swept back into the crowd of the clan.
"Honeypaw your mentor will be Snakestrike. I hope Snakestrike will pass down all he knows on to you. Snakestrike, you are ready for your first have received excellent training from Squirreltail, and you have shown yourself to be quick-witted and resourceful. You will be the mentor of Honeypaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Honeypaw."
Snakestrike, a sleek black-and-white tom, slunk out from the crowd and hastily pressed his nose to his new apprentices. He didn't look to impressed with his new apprentice. Or maybe he didn't want to be a mentor. Willowkit couldn't really tell. Juniperstar beamed as the Clan started to call the names of the new apprentice.
"TIGERPAW! BERRYPAW! HONEYPAW!"
Someday soon they would be apprentices but for now Willowkit and Sorrelkit had to deal with the gloating they were going to get from Tigerpaw, Berrypaw, and Honeypaw. Especially since Tigerpaw was now their fathers apprentice. She was just waiting for him to rub it into her and her sisters face. Foxpool and Talonpelt dipped their head to Cherrypaw after talking to Tigerpaw and padded out of the bramble entrance of the camp. Foxpool missed hunting and both her kits knew it. She is one of Shadeclan's best hunters and when she found out she was expecting kits the other cats had to pick up the slack. In half a moon she would be back in the warriors den and helping with the clan tasks instead of raising kits.
Willowkit wondered if Milkflower would go back to the warriors den. Milkflower was the mother of Tigerpaw, Berrypaw, and Honeypaw. She sat proudly next to Cedarfang, the apprentice's father, and as they talked to them. Cherrypaw made her way over to the two sisters.
"Do you two want to play some more?" Cherrypaw asked cheerfully.
She always seemed to always be cheerful in any circumstance. Willowkit looked over at her sister and saw her looking down at her paws. Looking rather defeated with her tail on the floor of the camp and one of her white front paw drawing random things in the dusty camp soil.
"Cherrypaw I think Sorrelkit is tired. We are just going to go take a nap in the nursery," Willowkit said not taking her eyes off the patterns Sorrelkit was drawing.
Suddenly she looked up at Cherrypaw and grinned her eyes shining. "Tomorrow maybe? If you are not to busy with training that is."
She looked dejected at first til Willowkit spoke. "Of course!"
Willowkit wrapped her tail around her sister's back leading her to the nursery. Where their small pelts disappeared under the winding roots of the entrance.
Later that night after Foxpool came back to the nursery and curled up next to them. Sorrelkit still clinging to the sadness from earlier in the day sniffled in her sleep. Willowkit lay awake gazing into the darkness. 'Only half a moon' her mind echoed. Foxpool's tail swept them closer to her belly. The fluffy white fur brushed her own long gray tabby fur. Sorrelkit pressed her closer to mothers belly fur for comfort as she sniffled. Poking out from under her mother's tail Willowkit glanced across the den and saw the outline of Milkflower and heard her soft snores. At the entrance of the nursery moonlight poured in around the bramble that lined the root system. She stared at the light and would have sworn on all the fresh-kill in the fresh-kill pile a outline of a star-filled outline of a cat sat in the entrance.
And was looking right at her. She was frozen in her nest staring pale outline of a cat not even knowing it was real. Until it moved. As it took pawsteps towards her the outline faded. Halfway towards her all she could see were deep amber eyes on a somber looking face. Its mouth opened and mouthed words but no sounds came and suddenly it faded with the moonlight. Willowkit scrambled out of her nest looking for the pale anguished looking star-filled cat. But nothing was in the den besides her kin and Milkflower. Shaking her head she climbed back into the nest and wrapped her tail over her eyes before drifting to sleep uncomfortably.
That night the amber eyes and pale star-filled pelt haunted her dreams. Silent meows she felt like she could never figure out. But the amber eyes. They would never leave her mind as she drew breath, ever. They were so.. Sad.