"Every night I lie in bed. The brightest colors fill my head. A million dreams are keeping me awake. I think of what the world could be. A vision of the one I see. A million dreams is all its gonna take. A million dreams for the world we're gonna make." -The Greatest Showman
CHAPTER 4: Featherkit
A whistle sounded through the trees as the small grey she cat stared at the scenery before her. She wasn't in Thunderclan anymore. A light grey she cat padded out of the forest, approaching the she cat.
"Who are you?" The she cat breathed, noting the way the she cats fur seemed to glow with the stars.
"Don't you know? You are named after me after all. I'm Feathertail. It's nice to finally meet you little one." Feathertail murmured.
"My daddy told me about you! You're the one from the prophecy! You're super important! Why would you come see me when I'm just a kit?" Featherkit squeaked out, her eyes wide with awe.
"You're important too little one. Now you have a prophecy of your own. One day all the clans will depend on you and your kin." Feathertail murmured, touching her nose gently to Featherkits.
"My own prophecy? What do you mean?" Featherkit asked incredulously.
"From the kin of the four, there will be born six. Darkness will rise and all will be lost when the shadows swallow the light. The six hold the fate of the clans in their paws" Feathertails voice echoed through the forest.
"I'm one of those six? Why me?" Featherkit mewled, her voice sounding pitiful as a wave of emotions hit her.
Feathertail began to fade as the forest began to blur. "Fear not my sweet. I'll always be watching over you." Feathertails voice rang in Featherkits ears, soothing her as the world faded away leaving Featherkit to spiral away into darkness.
Featherkit woke with a start, Sparrowkit shifting beside her and shoving her roughly with a mew of complaint.
"Careful with your sister! She just woke up!" Crowfeather snapped at his son, protective of Featherkit as usual.
Sparrowkit mumbled an apology as he sat up straight, trying not to get scolded by the cat that he wanted approval from more than anything but Crowfeather always seemed to be so wrapped up in Featherkit which caused a bit of resentment from Sparrowkit.
"Don't scold him. He just woke up too." Leafpool mewed, wrapping her tail around her kits, her tounge licking them in a rhythmic motion.
"Daddy!" Featherkit mewled, wanting her fathers comfort after her confusing dream.
She barreled into her dad, burrowing her face in his fur. Crowfeather blinked affectionately at his 5 moon old daughter. At that moment Moonkit ran in with a piece of honeycomb held in her mouth.
"Look what my dad gave me!" Moonkit boasted, her eyes glowing as she looked at her adoptive siblings.
"Honey!" Sparrowkit squealed, running forward.
"You need to stop sneaking off at night to Jayfeathers den without permission!" Leafpool scolded gently, although the warmth in her gaze showed she wasn't really mad at her adoptive daughter.
The kits crouched down and starting licking up the sweet honey. Shallowkit popped his head out from his nest, Fernkit following as usual.
"No fair! I want some!" Shallowkit protested, looking annoyed as the kits lapped up the last of the honey.
"Sorry!" Moonkit mewed apologetically.
"Next time bring enough to share with your den mates." Leafpool said, pressing herself against her mates fur in greeting. Featherkit gazed at them with wonder, hoping one day she would love someone as much as her parents loved each other. Featherkit shook the thought off, it was much too early to be thinking of mates!
"Can we go outside to play?" Featherkit asked her mother.
"Okay but don't stray to far." Crowfeather answered for her with slight concern in his mew. Sparrowkit flicked his tail in annoyance at how Crowfeather babied Featherkit. Featherkit oblivious to her brothers annoyance, grabs a moss ball and gestures for him to follow.
"Can we go too?" Shallowkit asked his mother.
"No you may not, just look at your fur!" Dovewing said sternly, beggining to groom Shallowkits ruffled fur as he mewed in protest. A few cats stopped to greet the kits as they walked out into the clearing.
Featherkit purred in delight as she threw the moss ball towards her brother who caught it swiftly, forgetting his annoyance at the moment as he got caught up in the game. They passed the ball back and forth until Sparrowkit threw it too far and the moss ball hit a grey apprentice she cat. The she cat turned her bright green eyes to the kits. Featherkit ran over, stopping in her tracks as she locked eyes with the grey she cat.
"Cat got your tounge?" The she cat mewed in amusement.
"S-sorry!" Featherkit stammered, fumbling in her mind to put a name to the pretty she cat. Willowpaw. That was the she cats name. She hadn't really interacted with the kits until now but Featherkit knew Willowpaw was halfway through her apprentice training and was a well known skillful hunter. She was a very popular she cat among the clans. Cats couldn't help but like the kind she cat.
"No problem! It was an accident. I loved playing moss ball as a kit." Willowpaw mewed brightly, nudging the moss ball back towards Featherkit.
"Well I better get to the elders den before Sandstorm has a fit!" Willowpaw chuckled and walked away, leaving Featherkit staring after her.
"Are we playing or not?" Sparrowkit irritated mew came from behind her, interrupting her thoughts as she turned back towards her brother.
As they started playing, Featherkit for some reason could not shake the pull she felt towards Willowpaw.
She tried to push the she cat out of her thoughts but from that day on Willowpaw took an interest in the kits, and Featherkit looked forward to their daily interactions.