CHAPTER 2
Finchkit shuffled the foul-smelling herbs beneath his paws. It had been a few days since Applefoot had agreed to his apprenticeship, and now he was helping her whenever he could, counting down the days until he was made a 'paw.
"Put that yarrow over by the cobwebs," Applefoot instructed, her honey-sweet voice echoing around the cave that she used for her den. Finchkit nodded and grabbed the herbs between his teeth. He padded over to the rock wall full of indents that they used for shelves, and gently placed the yarrow in one. Then, he bounded over to the small pool of fresh water and lapped some up, getting rid of the bitter taste.
"Applefoot!" called a voice entering the den. Redfur emerged from the den opening, blood trickling down from a wound on his shoulder. Heatherpaw and Stormsight came in behind him, both boasting scratches.
"Finchkit, what herb should we use?" Applefoot asked, guiding her patients to a comfortable spot on a nest.
"Er…dock?" Finchkit suggested. Applefoot nodded.
"Very good. Now, will someone tell me what happened?" Applefoot asked.
"Border skirmish with WindClan. They insisted we had trespassed," Stormsight told her.
"Those fox-hearted dung eaters!" Redfur spat, flinching as Applefoot spread a poultice on his shoulder.
"Did someone tell Moonstar?" Applefoot meowed as she moved on to Heatherpaw's scratches.
"Owlfeather and Foxleap are on their way now," Stormsight mewed.
"Good. Tell them to come see me after." Applefoot then smeared Stormsight's fur with the herbs before dressing them each with cobwebs. "Take it easy for a bit. I'll tell Ivystern no patrolling for tomorrow."
"Yay!" Heatherpaw exclaimed.
"I'm sure Cranetail will be assigning you to the elder's den," Stormsight told her, though his mew was lighthearted.
"But I'm injured…" Heatherpaw complained, flopping down theatrically on the nest.
"You're perfectly fine." Stormsight rolled his eyes at her before letting out a yawn. "Thanks, Applefoot. We should be going." Stormsight gave her a respectful nod before flicking his tail and beckoning the other cats to follow him out into the open.
"So that's what medicine cats get to do?" Finchkit asked, his eyes wide, after the warriors had left. That was amazing.
Applefoot purred with amusement. "Yep. We have the best job in the clan."
Finchkit was silent for a moment before he asked, "Do you ever regret it?"
"Regret what?" Applefoot's tone was curious.
"Regret becoming a medicine cat. Like, did you ever feel left out?"
"Hm. I suppose I did, when Redfur and Foxleap became warriors and I was still an apprentice. But I never envied them, or regretted my decision. I suppose I did envy having someone to talk to."
"Why couldn't you talk to them anymore?" Finchkit asked.
"You know how your mother is best friends with Featherflight because they have something in common?"
Finchkit nodded. "Yeah. They both had their litters within a few days of each other."
"Well, once I told my siblings I was going to be a medicine cat, they were supportive of me. But during our apprenticeship, we didn't have anything in common anymore, so we sort of drifted apart. I never really had anyone that understood me anymore." Applefoot's mew was firm, yet Finchkit detected sadness in her tone. A longing for her days as a kit.
"Do you think I'll be like that with Amberkit and Adderkit?" Finchkit asked. Applefoot thought for a moment.
"No," she decided. "When my siblings and I were kits, they were always interested in fighting and hunting. But with your litter, there's a balance. You're a good team."
"Thanks. This helps," Finchkit mewed.
"Of course. Oh, and if it's still on your mind, why don't you talk to Silverstep? She went through something similar, which is what brought us to become friends," Applefoot suggested. Finchkit nodded. "Oh, and," she added, "you've done enough for today. Why don't you go get something to eat then head to bed? It's getting pretty late, after all." Finchkit peered out of the den opening and realized she was right; the sun was sinking behind the horizon.
"Alright. See you tomorrow." Applefoot dipped her head and Finchkit bounded out of the den. He scanned the hollow for any signs of his siblings. Moonstar, Ivystern, Stormsight, and Ghostmask were sharing a rabbit atop the Highledge. Below them, Mothclaw and Coyotesnout were sharing tongues. She's old enough to be an elder! Finchkit realized. He spotted his parents sharing fresh-kill beside Cranetail, Owlwhisker, and Silverstep who were deep in conversation. He debated whether he should go over to Silverstep. Not today, he decided, spotting Amberkit chatting with Tidekit. Finchkit bounded over to her.
"Hi!" Tidekit chirped. "I heard you're going to be a medicine cat."
"That's right!" Finchkit meowed. "Where's Adderkit?"
"I'm mad at him right now," Amberkit told Finchkit. A sudden wave of anxiety hit Finchkit. Was the same thing that happened to Applefoot going to happen to him?
"We have to find him!" Finchkit blurted. Amberkit looked surprised.
"Er…okay. Bye, Tidekit!" Amberkit meowed, nodding to Finchkit. "Lead the way." Finchkit turned towards the nursery and sprinted over, bursting through the entrance. No one was in there. Amberkit appeared behind him, out of breath.
"Let's try the apprentice's den next," Finchkit suggested. Amberkit nodded, and the two ran off once again, skidding to a halt once they reached the apprentice's den entrance. They padded inside to find Badgerpaw, Reedpaw, and Adderkit talking in a circle. Adderkit looked up immediately once they entered.
"Er…hi?" Adderkit mewed, puzzled.
"Finchkit was all in a fuss about finding you," Amberkit told him.
"I was not!" Finchkit protested, red-hot embarrassment creeping up his spine.
Amberkit rolled her eyes. "Whatever. C'mon, Adderkit." Adderkit shrugged.
"Bye, guys. Thanks for the lesson," Adderkit meowed. Badgerpaw and Reedpaw nodded, and Finchkit felt their stares as he and his siblings padded out of the den. Suddenly, he felt embarrassed and out of place.
He really should talk to Silverstep. He took a few paw steps toward her before glancing upward, realizing that the moon was beginning to shine high above the tree canopy. "Finchkit?" Adderkit mewed, starling Finchkit from his thoughts.
"Huh?" Finchkit grunted, staring at his brother in surprise. Adderkit sighed.
"Adderkit asked why you were looking for him," Amberkit supplied, her gaze distracted as she watched someone across the hollow. Finchkit followed her line of sight, but lost it as she turned to stare at him. "Well?" Amberkit asked.
"O-oh. I was just worried. I had a nightmare last night, that's all," Finchkit lied. He didn't want his siblings to think he was paranoid, after all.
"You sure it wasn't a prophecy from StarClan?" Adderkit snorted. Amberkit flashed him a glare and cuffed his ear. "Ouch!" he yelped, swatting at her. Amberkit dodged nimbly and came to Finchkit's side, her tail-tip flicking.
"Sorry. I know he's being a piece of fox-dung right now."
"It's no big deal." Finchkit shrugged. He was puzzled as to why Adderkit was acting this way, but honestly, Adderkit was always grumpy. He never shared his feelings with anyone. Even his own siblings.
Sure, it bothered Finchkit sometimes, but after all, Finchkit rarely talked about his emotions. He hid himself behind a mask of politeness and small talk. Everyone in the clan knew him as "the small, polite, kind, smart one". Is that really who I want to be? Finchkit asked himself, looking at Amberkit, who was padding beside him confidently. He swiveled his head around to see Adderkit, who was lagging behind and seemingly lost in thought.
"So," Finchkit said after a moment, "I'm going to turn in for tonight."
"Me too. I'm exhausted," Amberkit yawned. She quickly changed course and began to bound toward the nursery. Finchkit and Adderkit followed her as they entered the dark den. It was empty other than the faint smell of Ravenkit, who had probably stopped by earlier for a quick nap.
"Where is everyone?" Finchkit asked, mostly to Amberkit, but it was Adderkit who replied.
"Probably the elder's den. I heard their giggles all the way inside the apprentice's den," Adderkit meowed, a small smirk forming on his face.
"I feel bad for Tidekit. He has to wait a whole half moon before his apprenticeship," Amberkit meowed, plopping down on her nest.
"Oh yeah? Why's that?" Finchkit asked, padding over to his own nest.
"Well, remember how Jinxkit and Ravenkit are adopted? Moonstar thinks they're about a moon younger than Tidekit, and wants to make it fair for all of them. Plus, I don't think she wants the apprentice's den to be super crowded," Amberkit told him, beginning to groom her belly fur.
"Oh. Badgerpaw, Reedpaw, and Heatherpaw are going to be made warriors soon, right?" Finchkit asked with a yawn.
"Yeah," Adderkit chipped in. "Reedpaw told me they were going to have their assessment soon."
"So you're pretty close with them, huh?" Finchkit meowed, trying to seem casual. Adderkit gave him a crooked look.
"Not really. They were just helping me get ready for apprenticeship, that's all," Adderkit mewed, staring at the wall of the nursery intently.
"Speaking of apprenticeship," Amberkit interrupted. "Who do you want your mentor to be?"
"Probably Redfur. He's strict, but in a good way. He gets things done, I guess," Adderkit replied.
"He's a bit too strict in my opinion. I'd prefer a mentor like Owlfeather, or Silverstep," Amberkit meowed. Finchkit perked up when he heard her say the names of the two sisters.
"You know they're sisters, right?" Finchkit asked her.
"Um, yes. But what does that have to do with anything?" Amberkit meowed, narrowing her eyes.
"Nothing. Now good night," Finchkit muttered, turning around and resting his head over his paws. He curled his tail around him and slowed down his breathing, attempting to sleep. But his ears tingled with sound, and he glanced up to see Adderkit and Amberkit, heads bent together whispering.
"What're you two talking about?" Finchkit grumbled. "I'm trying to go to sleep." Amberkit looked over at him.
"Sorry. We were just talking about apprentice stuff," Amberkit told him before turning her head back around toward Adderkit.
"Why do you have to whisper? I'm going to be an apprentice too, y'know." Finchkit rolled his eyes.
"Well, it's just um…warrior apprentice stuff. We don't want you to feel left out, so…" Amberkit's excuse was pitiful.
"You're already making me feel left out," Finchkit whispered to himself.
"What was that?" Amberkit asked.
"Nothing," Finchkit sighed. It seemed he and his siblings were already further apart than he had imagined.
Notes: So far, Amberkit is angry at Adderkit, but also concerned, and Finchkit is wallowing in a pool of self-doubt, struggling to climb out and reach inner peace. What a lovely family. Let's see what Adderkit has to offer for us.