Chapter 3

Silverkit was in awe. The forest was dark, but still lit up enough by the light of the moon. The tall trees made Silverkit feel small and the array of scents almost overwhelmed his nose. The cool, night air made his fur bristle.

"It's cool isn't it?" Ashkit cut in, interrupting Silverkit's thoughts. Silverkit turned and looked at his brother, unable to still truly be mad at him in that moment. Ashkit had a small, knowing smirk on his face. Silverkit wanted to swat him over the ears, but he could not help but agree with his brother.

"Yes.." Silverkit admitted, shuffling his paws in slight embarrassment. Ashkit was right. It was incredible, even if he could not see all of it due to the darkness.

I thought that the first time I would come out of camp would be with a mentor. Silverkit mused to himself. Even with it just being him and Ashkit, Silverkit was still amazed. He felt so small at that moment.

"But don't think I don't think that this is a bad idea!" He added after a moment, "We could get in trouble."

And then our ceremonies could be pushed back.. Silverkit thought bitterly.

Ashkit's whiskers twitched in slight amusement, "Only if we get caught, I've been coming out here for a while and no one has ever noticed."

That part was true. If Ashkit had been coming out here as much as he claimed, then why had no cat noticed him? Or did they not just care to notice? Silverkit felt a small pit in his stomach. No one really paid any mind to what Ashkit did throughout the day, and no one noticed when even Silverkit left the nursery that night.

Silverkit pushed the thoughts out of his head. Maybe it was better that no one noticed that they were gone. That way, no one came looking for them. But that thought brought a whole wave of new worries for Silverkit. What if something happened and no one knew to look for them? They could get attacked and eaten up by some fox or badger and no one would ever find the rest of them.

There would be nothing left. Silverkit shuddered internally, Raintail won't know what happened.

Or what if there was some enemy warrior on Thunderclan territory? Silverkit was big for his age, bigger than Ashkit and Mosskit. But he was still a kit, and would not be much of a match for a full-grown warrior. They could easily swat Silverkit out of the way and go on and attack camp.

Wait, they wouldn't attack camp with one warrior either. It would have to be a whole patrol. It would be an ambush and I would not be able to stop it or warn anyone. The thoughts ran through Silverkit's head desperately. Ashkit would not be any help, that lazy kit would probably just roll over and surrender. Silverkit thought bitterly, glancing at his brother. Ashkit paid no mind to the rude look that Silverkit sent his way.

It would just be me, and I would have to protect camp, and Ashkit. The nerves returned after being quelled for a slight moment.

Silverkit took a deep breath, holding it for a minute. He felt he was too old to panic like some little kit. He was old enough that he could handle this. Or so he made himself believe.

I'll be fine.

The silvery kit shook his head, gaining his composure back once again. He was fine, there was nothing out here but prey. And prey would not hurt him or any cat.

Silverkit sniffed around, still overwhelmed by the amount of scents.

"So.. what was it you thought you heard?" Silverkit asked bashfully, shuffling his paws. He did not want to admit to Ashkit that he was actually kind of nervous now that he was in the forest.

Ashkit paused, sniffing the air. "Just... something." He mumbled, straining his ears.

Of course he dragged me out of my nest for nothing Silverkit thought sourly to himself, his mood getting colder.

"Again, it's probably a bird." Silverkit rolled his eyes at his brother. Ashkit was looking around the dark forest around him, not saying anything else. It was almost eerie to watch. The darker tabby kit was unblinking, his gaze slow, eyes lit up by the faint light of the moon.

Silverkit almost shivered as he watched. Strange cat.

Ashkit paused, staring in the direction to their left. His eyes narrowed slightly, as if trying to make something out in the darkness.

Silverkit sniffed the air, not smelling anything he could pick out. The smells of the forest were so overwhelming to him, he could not pick out anything. It was a bit nerve-wracking.

"..What?" Silverkit finally asked, a bit unsure. Ashkit's ears were pricked, seemingly following a sound that Silverkit could not hear himself. Despite this, Silverkit still strained his ears as well.

Ashkit stood unmoving before walking slowly off further into the forest. Silverkit watched, unsure of what he should do. He did not want to get lost, especially with Ashkit.

Ashkit paused, glancing over his shoulder. His blue eyes betrayed nothing of how Ashkit felt, "Come on." Ashkit said softly, before padding off into the brush.

Silverkit huffed, hesitant for a second. He glanced back at the small hole in the camp wall that they had squeezed out of. For a second, he considered heading back inside. But, his curiosity unfortunately was getting the better of him, to his disappointment, and he instead padded off after his brother.

Ashkit was quiet, slinking along through the forest. If Silverkit had waited a moment longer to follow him, he may have lost him. The smells of the forest still overwhelmed him and he doubted he could have tracked Ashkit.

They walked through the forest, not speaking to one another. Silverkit was unsure of where they were going, Ashkit gave no indication but the occasional twitch of his tail when he was changing direction.

His legs were beginning to tire, but Silverkit held in his complaints. He would not voice this to any cat, especially Ashkit. No, Ashkit would not make fun of him. But even a smirk would be enough to enrage Silverkit.

Silverkit was not paying much attention to where they were going. He kept his eyes trained on Ashkit, who was only a few tail-lengths in front of him. The dark tabby almost blended into the night. Even with the light of the moon it was slightly difficult to see him.

"Stop."

Silverkit paused quickly, stumbling to a clumsy stop.

Ashkit had stopped in front of him, his ears perked yet again.

He looked around, unsure of where they were. There were large, dark rocks around him. They were shaded by the tall trees. He felt uncomfortable, as if this place was dangerous.

"Where are we?" Silverkit whispered, crouching down slightly.

Ashkit glanced at him, "I think this is the Snakerocks." He mumbled back.

Silverkit froze. The Snakerocks.

That meant that there were adders around him, waiting to strike out and bite. An adder bite would mean a painful, dragged out death. He had seen it once.

An apprentice by the name of Spottedpaw had been dragged back to camp one day, when he was barely two moons, by her mentor, Stormtuft. The little apprentice has been writhing in pain outside of Puddlestep's den. They had been unable to drag her completely inside.

Silverkit remembered trying to sleep that night as poor Spottedpaw called out, begging Puddlestep to stop the "burning of her blood."

Raintail had held her kits close that night, unable to keep them from hearing the doomed apprenticed. She had explained to them that Puddlestep could not do anything because Spottedpaw had been bit by an adder and she would die.

Silverkit remembered the scared eyes of Mosskit, who swore she would never go near the Snakerocks. For, that had been where Spottedpaw was when she was suddenly bitten.

Tansynose, or Tansypaw, at the time had told Silverkit and Mosskit that she had seen it when it happened. That she had been hunting with Spottedpaw and they had been at the Snakerocks. All that Tansypaw saw was a flash of black, and then Spottedpaw had fallen to the ground, calling out in pain.

Spottedpaw had died the night after. It was a sad time for Thunderclan, but the nights without her cries of pain were relieving for Silverkit. However, he would never admit that out loud.

And now, here he was. The stones of death. Silverkit shuddered, unable to help himself.

His brother, however, seemed unbothered by the danger that was around them. He was more focused on whatever he had been following.

"Ashkit.." Silverkit hissed, glancing around at the dark rocks," We should go, it's not safe."

Ashkit lashed his tail, "You're right, it's not safe, but nowhere is really safe out here." Ashkit did not even glance back at Silverkit. He just stared ahead into the darkness.

Silverkit was crouched on the ground, his tail tucked close to him. If he was small enough, he would not be as much of a target for the adders.

He heard a few leaves rustle. Silverkit's eyes widened. His former bravado was gone, he was scared.

"Ashkit..."