Chapter 6 ❖ Kestrelkit

"Kestrelkit, stop squirming!" The sound of the exasperated queen's voice filled the den as her kit continued to move about while her mother attempted to clean her. The she-kit was covered in red dust from having played outside in the rocks earlier and had already received a stern talking to about the amount of dirt she trekked in to the nursery.

Making a face, Kestrelkit made an effort to sit still, but was soon distracted from the soothing strokes of Dapplefur's tongue by the sound of Beetlewatcher's voice. The measured and calm tone was very different from the one she was used to. With a pang, she remembered the events of the previous night: her mother's cries, the feel of Sparrowstar's fur against her nose and the smell of fear that hung over the entire camp. Then, she remembered the days leading up to last night's tragedy and the pang spread through her and left her filled with fear.

Eager to get rid of it, the kit dodged her mother's tongue once more and hurried towards the entrance to the nursery, following the heat of the sun as it filtered in through the den opening. Movement always helped her to clear her head. Behind her, she could hear the padding of little paws as Skykit and Brightkit followed her out, their mother, Ripplestream, murmuring in the background.

"I would like Asterpaw to join me on my trip, as well as Otterheart or Pebblepaw and two warriors," Beetlewatcher was saying. "Perhaps Martenfur and Gentlefern?" Kestrelkit listened with interest, glad to have something to keep her mind off of the fear. She wondered what it would be like to be selected for patrols once she became an apprentice. Already being six moons old, her apprentice ceremony would take place any day now. At least, she hoped it would.

"We'll go with you!" cried Skykit and Brightkit in their usual energetic voices and Kestrelkit felt them rush past her to get to Beetlewatcher. She stifled a purr as the former deputy jumped back to escape the attacking kits.

Gentlefern brushed them off lightly. "Now, now, you'll have your chance one day. For now, it's your duty to chase down all of the tumbleweeds that dare to enter our camp boundaries." Her tail swished over the ground as she flicked the kits playfully on the ears.

Kestrelkit remained off to the side, listening to the proceedings. Busy thinking up scenarios where she herself would be included in patrols, she did not notice the cat approaching her. The tom settled down beside her, nearly making her jump out of her fur when his own brushed against it.

"Pebblepaw!" she exclaimed, his familiar scent entering her nose. He smelled of mint and juniper, both sharp and sweet at the same time.

"Good morning, Kestrelkit," he replied. "I brought you something." The smell of a mouse wafted up towards the she-cat and her mouth watered. Taking a small bite, she pushed the prey back towards him in an effort to share it.

When Pebblepaw had taken his first mouthful, she asked, "How are you feeling?" Underneath the smell he always carried, Kestrelkit also sensed something else - a fatigue or resignation of some sort.

The medicine cat apprentice paused before replying. "I've been better. But then, I think everyone has. I just wish that I was going to Moon Cliffs with Beetlewatcher tonight. Otterheart insisted on going, though StarClan knows why."

Kestrelkit nodded in understanding. Pebblepaw had let slip about his mentor's wavering belief in StarClan about a moon ago when she came to him for explanations regarding a dream. While she did not dispute that Otterheart was a fair medicine cat and carried out her duty to the Clan, the disconnection between her and StarClan made the kit uncomfortable.

"How are you?" Pebblepaw asked, pushing the mouse back towards her. His tone was friendly and polite, so much different than what she heard from many of others.

Taking a bite, she remembered her earlier feeling of fear. "I'm scared."

A silence stretched between the two, not awkward or uncomfortable but rather light and filled with an understanding that could not be expressed with words. Admitting this, Kestrelkit already felt better, but another secret weighed her down. This, however, was not something she would share with anyone, not even Pebblepaw.

The shuffling of paws announced the patrols departure and the tom besides her rose to his feet to say goodbye to his mentor and littermate. Kestrelkit waited, enjoying the feel of the sun on her dark fur while she could. Once her mother caught her out in the sunlight, she would wisk her back into the nursery to keep her from getting heatstroke.

"When do you think I'll be apprenticed?" Kestrelkit asked when Pebblepaw returned. She sat up straight, stretching to her full size. Not large, but big enough to be an apprentice, she assumed.

"I don't know," Pebblepaw responded. "Soon, I would think. It's up to Beetlewatcher." She could hear the hesitation in his voice and felt slightly deflated.

"With Sparrowstar I knew it would happen at one point or another," the she-cat admitted. "But now... I'm not sure if I'll ever be accepted the way I am." She turned her light amber eyes in her friend's direction, hoping for words of comfort.

He sighed in response. "I accept you, for what that's worth." Kestrelkit nodded in thanks, grateful that Pebblepaw was on her side.

"I'm scared that things won't be the same again," he continued. "I know they can't be, with what has happened, but I'm worried that they will only continue to spiral. It's why I wanted to share tongues with StarClan tonight."

The heavy thudding of running paws against the hard rock of the canyon cut the she-cat off before she could respond. Her paws felt the vibrations of the ground as a group of cats raced past her, bringing with them the smell of rot and blood. Beside her, Pebblepaw recoiled from the scent and she moved closer, pressing her fur against his.

"Where's Beetlewatcher?" Redblaze's voice rang out clear and strong across the camp.

"He left with a patrol not too long ago, he won't be back until after his leader ceremony," replied Beartooth in his low voice. Kestrelkit heard the new deputy swear at this.

Both of the queens suddenly emerged from the nursery, having smelled the blood and faint kit-scent that only now found its way to Kestrelkit. Masked by the sour scent of infection, it was not apparent at first.

"By StarClan, who would do this to a kit?!" cried Ripplestream. Dapplefur let out a shocked cry and Kestrelkit soon saw why.

Out of the shadows and unfamiliar shapes that usually made up Kestrelkit's vision, a small patch of light emerged. At first, it was too small to see clearly, but it grew until it took on the shape of a kit. Creeping up inside of her was that same feeling of dread she experienced only yesterday. She gasped and closed her eyes tight, wishing for the first time ever that she could remain completely blind.

The kit mewled and Kestrelkit swallowed, plucking up the courage to open her eyes. For a moment, the image of a little ginger she-cat appeared before being obscured by the shadowy form of Pebblepaw as he walked past her to approach the bloodied kit. She wanted to call out to the gathered cats, to tell them that it was too late. The kit was so bright in Kestrelkit's vision that she was practically dead already.

Just like Sparrowstar at only sunhigh yesterday.

Yet, Kestrelkit held her tongue. Many members of the Clan already thought she was a freak. They did not need to know about this, especially since being blind already set her back amonst her Clanmates. Her curse would have to remain a secret, or otherwise turn the Clan against her.

She watched, as she rarely did, as Ripplestream picked up the kit and carried her up the cliff path to the medicine den. Pebblepaw trailed behind her, no doubt muttering remedies under his breath. The kit shone like a star the whole way up, the light only snuffed out once safely tucked away in the medicine den.

Then, Kestrelkit's world turned black once more, leaving her wondering when she would be able to see again - and whether she even wanted to.

A/N: Now that we've met all six POV characters, I'd love to ask: which one's your favourite/least favourite? Which power would you yourself like to have, given the choice? Leave a review and let me know!

Happy New Year everyone (even though it's still a day and a half away, where I am)!

- Spirit