Chapter 1
Heatherkit could hear her voice being called. At first it seemed far away but as she gained consciousness she realised it was right next to her. She opened her eyes. At first all she could see were blurry shapes but then things became clearer. She could see the face of a pretty grey she-cat starring at her. She assumed this was her mother, Cinderheart. She had heard other cats saying the name so she thought she might try.
"H-h-hello Cinderheart." She meowed quietly. Cinderheart gave an affectionate purr
"Hello Heatherkit. Daisy, could you go and find Lionblaze? Heatherkit has finally opened her eyes!" A cream coloured cat raised her head and sleepily meowed
"Of course." And then padded out the den. "Lionblaze must be my father." She thought. While she was waiting she thought she might looked around the nursery. She spotted another kit lying next to her. She was a sleek black she cat with half a white muzzle. "That must be why they call her moonkit!" a huge golden tabby tom squeezed through the narrow nursery entrance. When he saw Heatherkit, he gave a deep rumbling purr and hurried over to see her.
"Hello Heatherkit. I'm your father Lionblaze." He meowed. Heatherkit got shakily to her paws. Once she had gained balance she padded over to her father. He was over three times her height. She looked at him for a moment, then she took another step towards him. Lionblaze bent down and nuzzled her cheek. Then Heatherkit took a step backwards and declared
"One day I am going to be as big as you, and then I will be able to be the best warrior in the whole forest!" Lionblaze purred and said
"I should hope so!" Just as Heatherkit was about to reply, a dark brown tabby entered the nursery. He was even bigger than Lionblaze. Heatherkit dived back into the nest and hid behind her sister, peering over her back to look at the visitor.
"Who is he?" She whispered to Cinderheart. Her mother looked up and replied.
"Heatherkit, this is Bramblestar leader of Thunderclan." The brown tom – Bramblestar – gazed at Heatherkit and meowed
"So you must be Thunderclan's newest arrival. I hope you are as big a credit to our clan as your parents." Heatherkit watched him wide-eyed until she worked up the courage to say.
"One day I will be an even better warrior than them. One day I will be leader and I'll be the greatest leader of all time!" Her shyness seemingly forgotten, she leaped onto her mother's back and squeaked "I am Heatherstar leader of Thunderclan!" Bramblestar's gaze suddenly turned serious and he murmured
"One day you will be." He then lightened his tone and said "Lionblaze, would you like to come on patrol with me and Seedpaw? I hate to tear you away from your kits but Squirrelflight has doubled up on all the boader patrols so all my other senior warriors are alredy out." Lionblaze looked from Heatherkit to Bramblestar and said
"It's fine. I'll make sure I bring back some fresh kill for the kits." so with that both cats walked out of the den. Heatherkit watched them until they disappeared, then she turned to her mother and timidly asked
"Can I go and see the camp now… pleeeese!" with a sigh Cinderheart said
"Fine… but don't get in the way of anyone's paws. I'll get you if Moonkit opens her eyes." At her mother's word, she ran out of the den. She was blinded by the light, but she soon became used to it. Heatherkit was amazed at how many cats were in the camp. Feeling a bit lost, she wandered about until a dark ginger she-cat approached her. The cat bent down until she was at eye level with her. She had bright green eyes and a sleek coat. Heatherkit could see strong muscles rippling under the russet coloured fur
"You must be Heatherkit" she meowed in a warm voice "I'm Squirrelflight the clan deputy. So, what do you think of the camp so far?"
"It's so big! How will I ever find my way around?" said Heatherkit. Squirrelflight thought for a moment and then said
"Would you like me to show you around?" Heatherkit gave an excited squeal
"Oh, yes please!" Squirrelflight purred and started leading Heatherkit around camp. She walked over to a large crack in the base of the huge hollow and said
"This is the medicine den" as Heatherkit padded inside. She saw a brown she-cat sorting some herbs. Her hind legs were splayed out behind her at an awkward angle.
"Who are you?" Heatherkit asked, then looking at the strange cat she added "And What's wrong with your legs?" The brown she-cat looked up and said kindly.
"I'm Briarlight. A big tree fell on my back and I lost the use of my back legs. I'll just get Jayfeather for you. Jayfeather! We have a little visitor." A silver and white tom emerged from a separate crack in the cave
"So Briarlight, I see you've met Heatherkit." He said looking down at the small kit. "I am your fathers brother, Jayfeather." Heatherkit noticed that his eyes were unfocussed.
"Why are your eyes all weird!" she asked. Jayfeather lowered his face until it was a mouse length in front her face.
"Because I am blind." He replied. Heatherkit didn't flinch away, she just kept looking at Jayfeather's sightless blue eyes with curiosity. She heard Squirrelflight call her.
"Heatherkit, you'd better hurry! I've got to go on a hunting patrol soon." Heatherkit meowed a quick goodbye to Jayfeather and Briarlight and headed towards Squirrelflight.
"Where can we go now?" she asked Squirrelflight
"would you like to meet the elders?" Heatherkit nodded ran to the fresh kill pile and brought back a large pigeon.
"Should I take this to them?" She asked, the pigeon muffling her words.
"Yes, I'm sure they will really appreciate it. You'll make an excellent apprentice." Squirrelflight replied. Heatherkit entered the elders den and was greeted by a long furred, grey tom.
"Hello." He meowed "You must be Heatherkit. I'm Greystripe, That's Sandstorm," He said flicking his tail at a ginger she-cat that looked like Squirrelflight. "It must be her Mother." Heatherkit thought. Then greystripe flicked his bushy tail at a frail looking tom. "And this is Purdy." Purdy gave Heather kit a friendly nod. "Hello young'n. I do hope that Pigeon is for us." Heatherkit padded closer and dropped the pigeon next to purdy.
"It is. Squirrelflight said that if I asked you nicely, you'd tell me a story." Sandstorm gave her daughter a warm glance.
"Did she now. Well let's see… how about I tell you about the time your father, Jayfeather and Hollyleaf went fox hunting. When that terrible trio were all kits, the dawn patrol reported a fox scent in our territory. Firestar…" Sandstorm choked on the word and her eyes began to water. With a sympathetic glance at sandstorm, Greystripe carried on with the story.
"Firestar sent out a patrol out to find the fox and kill it. However, Lionkit, Hollykit and Jaykit made a patrol of their own. When they found the fox, it chased them until poor Jaykit fell in through the top of the stone hollow. Luckily he didn't have too many injurys." Heatherkit didn't say anything for a while and watched sandstorm miserably eat some of the pigeon. Heatherkit shuffled closer to Greystripe.
"Who's Firestar?" She whispered. Greystripe glanced at Sand storm to make sure she wasn't listening, and then he explained.
"Firestar was the leader before Bramblestar. He died eight moons ago in the great battle with the dark forest. He was Sandstorms mate and Squirrelflight and Leafpools father. He was the greatest Leader Thunderclan had ever had." Heatherkit caught a glimmer of sorrow in the old tom's eyes but it disappeared as a deep grey she-cat entered the den.
"Who's this in my nest?" she asked. Greystripe purred and meowed "This is Heatherkit, one Lionblaze and Cinderheart's kit." He paused and nodded towards the dark grey cat. "And this is Millie, my mate." Millie sat down next to Heatherkit.
"Yes, I was at your kitting. Do you like the camp" She meowed. Before she had time to answer Daisy came running in.
"Heatherkit! Your mother sent me to get you. Your sister has just opened her eyes. Would you like to come and meet her?" Heatherkit gasped and jumped up, nearly bumping her head on the roof of the den.
"Goodbye young'un" he meowed "Thanks for the pigeon! Maybe next time I'll tell you about the time I chased a fox out of my upwalker's garden."
"ooh! Yes please! Goodbye everyone" she meowed then she sprinted out of the den as fast as she could and dived into the nursery. Moonkit rose to her paws and touched noses with her
"hello Heatherkit! I just know we are going to be the best of friends!