Cold Ice- A Warrior Cat Fanfiction

Chapter 1

A sheet of sunlight covered the small, sheltered dip where the camp was, filling it with the warmth of Greenleaf. A few birds, maybe skylarks, twittered as they hopped between scraggly trees and bushes. The golden light filtered through the small gaps in the woven nursery, dappling the mossy floor.

Coldkit yawned and stretched, trying to catch the sunlight on her fluffy white fur. She could hear the hushed voices of the returning dawn patrol, and the scuffles of the waking clan. Unfortunately, everyone else in the nursery was still asleep. 

Coldkit's sister, Breezekit was curled into a ball, nestled in the curve of Roeheart's belly. The little cream she-kit looked even smaller than usual, tucked under mounds of creamy fur. Crowkit, Emberkit and Mothkit were huddled together in their nest, snoring softly. Their mother, Cottoncloud was stretched out next to them, gently pushing them away when they climbed on top of her in her sleep.

Smothering a purr, Coldkit pushed through the leafy entrance and scampered outside, into the sunlight. She had been right about the dawn patrol, of course. Cornelfur, Lilyfall and Snipepaw were stumbling towards their dens, bleary-eyed. A few fresh pieces of prey lay on top of the fresh-kill pile, so they must have hunted as well. A few other cats were scattered around camp; Heatherpaw and Deerpaw were chattering by the apprentice's den, which their sister, Snipepaw had just entered, Sunnysong sorted herbs on a wide, flat branch, and Foxchaser seemed to be having a heated argument with Quickhare. 

Coldkit gazed towards the freezing spring that ran through the camp. She had seen the apprentices slide down it into the small pool just outside the medicine den. They had squealed with delight and done it over and over, but Roeheart had said Coldkit and Breezekit were too small. The spring was safe for sliding because it was so shallow and smooth; there were no rocks to get sliced up on, and the pool at the end was deep enough that they didn't get hurt. 

Maybe Coldkit could do it today. She narrowed her eyes. She was unsupervised, but there were enough cats to save her if something went wrong. And yet, if they saw her and punished her, maybe her apprentice ceremony would be delayed! Coldkit and Breezekit were four moons old, and they both really hoped they would be made apprentices early. 

But isn't it worth the risk? Coldkit thought darkly. Even if I get caught, I will have done it. It would be the right thing to do. 

Coldkit shook her head violently, trying to get rid of the niggling thought. She couldn't do anything to risk her apprenticeship, and that was final. Sighing, she crawled back into the nursery, careful not to wake anyone. She rolled around in the moss until there was a smooth dip for her to lie in and closed her eyes, falling asleep after only a couple heartbeats. 

In her dream, Coldkit was chasing a rabbit across the gold and purple moor, springing of the tough moor grass and racing through prickly gorse bushes like it was the easiest thing in the world. She bounded forward and leapt. Her small, thorn sharp claws sprang out. She hooked them into the soft flesh and was about to snap the rabbit's neck, when she heard her name, somewhere far away.

Coldkit blinked open her eyes groaned. Breezekit and Mothkit were bouncing around her in circles, purring in rapturous delight. Coldkit closed her eyes and tried to muffle their squeals in her mossy nest. Suddenly, a great weight barrelled into her and she staggered, falling back. 

'Coldkit!' Breezekit said again. 'We've been awake for ages! You're such a lazy slug!'

'Seriously?' Coldkit grumbled. 'When I woke up the first time, you were still snoring in Roeheart's belly fur.'

'I wasn't!' Breezekit shook her fur out, as if in an attempt to make herself bigger. 'Mother made me!'

For the first time, Roeheart blinked open an eye and gazed at her two kits. 'What did I make you do, Breezekit?' she meowed gently.