The Five Giants - Book 1

Chapter 6 - Maple

Thrushkit, along with his siblings, had been jumping around in excitement ever since they woke up. Today was their Apprentice ceremony. Sandtail looked exhausted, and could barely lift her head. Thrushkit's father, Sunstorm, padded into the den, giving his mate a quick lick on her head.

"Hey, kits. Are you ready for today?"

"Yeah!"

"I'm so excited!"

"I wonder who my mentor's going to be?"

I sat net to Thrushkit, smiling happily. My apprentice ceremony was tomorrow, and I was excited. 

I looked over to Moonkit to see him playing with Nightwing's tail, and Nightwing smiling down at him. I was tempted to join him, but I knew my mother would shove me away.

When I looked back, Sunstorm as laid down next to his mate, talking in quiet voices. Thrushkit, Goldenkit, and Frostkit were heading outside. "C'mon, Maplekit, come play mossball with us!"

I snuck a look at Moonkit one more time, nodded, and followed them outside. Goldenkit led us to a small area next to the nursery, but away from any area that a warrior would walk by.

Frostkit gathered a small, discarded bundle of moss, and passed it to me. I passed it over the Thrushkit, and so on. We played until sun-high, when Sandtail called their names. I had the ball, and this shocked me, making me miss the other cats largely. The ball dropped into a bramble bush.

The kits just shrugged, and started heading towards the nursery. I felt bad for missing, however, and decided to go and look for the ball.

Looking through gaps in the brambles, I saw the moss ball. It was pretty deep in the bushes, and with my little paws, I couldn't reach it. I kept trying to stretch my arms out farther and farther, but I couldn't reach it. I took my paw out, and made one, huge lunge with my front legs. 

I didn't reach it, but I could slowing feel myself stretching out. I opened my eyes to see brown strings coming out of my paws.

Wait, roots? Cool...

I grabbed the ball and quickly retreat my paws out of the brambles, snagging one on a thorn and getting a little cut. I turned around to see Frostkit standing behind me with her mouth agape.

"Woah..."

My entire mind stopped working, my mouth fumbling for words. "Uh, don't tell?"

She nodded vigorously. Once she got out of her trance, she looked around like she was imagining things. Her eyes then landed on my paw, where I was cut. "Oh, you may want to get that check by Finchfur." She padded back towards the nursery, occasionally shaking her head in disbelief.

That was a weird thing. Frostkit knows, I wonder if I should tell Thrushkit. I know him better, and trust him just as much as I trust Frostkit... But still, I don't feel like this is something to share to everyone, and Thrushkit is pretty social.

"Maplekit? Are you alright?" Amberpaw was standing in front of me. I looked around myself to see that my mind had taken me to the Medicine Cat's den.

Well, perfect.

"Uh, yeah. I snagged my paw on some brambles while I was playing with the other kits. It doesn't hurt that bad, but Frostkit said to get it checked." I held up my paw to show her.

She grabbed it, took a quick look at it, and walked to the back of the den.

Amberpaw came back with a large, green leaf. 

Dock. Good for scratches. Huh, funny I still know this stuff. 

She tore some of the leaf up, and then put it in her mouth. As she chewed, I thought back to my first life.