Willowbounce's Tale

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

    Willowkit kept her eyes on Icekit. Her vision was becoming blurry from traveling to highstones and back.
If I keep my eyes on Icekit, everything will be ok. We're going home...Willowkit thought. They were now at the border between Windclan and Thunderclan. Icekits tail drooped with exhaustion. Willowkit noticed her paws seemed to be swaying. She shook her head and tried to keep herself moving forward. As the two kits trekked their way back through the forest, the air became colder. The sun was just rising but it gave no warmth. Willowkit pushed herself to carry her paws further. Her eyes were just barely able to stay open.
"W-We're here Willowkit.." Icekit stuttered from the cold and his voice was edged with exhaustion. As the kits snuck back into the camp from the same spot they left, they stuck to the walls of camp more than they had before. With the sun slowly rising, the shadows began to disappear. Willowkit and Icekit dragged their paws into the nursery, but instead of going to their own nests, they both collapsed in Rainstripes nest. Willowkit had collapsed next to her sister and Icekit had collapsed on the right side of Willowkit. 

    "Willowkit..Willowkit.." Rainstripe said as she prodded her awake. Willowkit opened her eyes to a bleary streak of sunlight cutting into her gaze. She could tell the sun was up now but only barely, considering it wasn't much higher from when she had returned to the nursery. She still felt exhausted as she rose to her paws. Splashkit was already up and in Direkit and Fawnkit's nest.
"Er..Splashkit leave me alone..I'm still asleep." Direkit murmured.
"Ah get up lazy furball!" Splashkit persisted, prodding him with her paw. Direkit suddenly lashed his claws at Splashkit. She flinched back before he could hit her, but she looked startled. Fawnkit, who was sleeping beside Direkit, had woken up and had a startled expression as well.
"Direkit! Do not do that ever again!" Cherrypool, Direkit and Fawnkits mother, scolded him. Direkit looked unfazed by his mother's scolding. Fawnkit looked at Splashkit sympathetically. Splashkit padded out of the den, her chin held high with indignance. Willowkit looked at Cherrypool closely from her nest. The queen looked more weary than usual. Her gaze was slightly clouded and she thought she could sense something off about the queen. Willowkit gazed at her for a couple more heartbeats, then looked down and almost jumped out of her fur. She had forgotten that Icekit had fallen asleep in her nest and was curled up beside her. She looked at her mother, who was looking at her with a glitter of mischief in her eyes. Willowkit shook her head. Rainstripe gave a little mrrow of laughter, then gently prodded Icekit awake.
"Huh..er- ah!" Icekit seemed to be surprised as well when he realised what nest he was in. Spottedclaw, his mother, had padded over and sat beside Rainstripe.
"Icekit, you silly furball.." Spottedclaw mrrowed with laughter, as did Rainstripe. Willowkit and Icekit had a look of embarrassment on their faces. Spottedclaw whispered something in Rainstripes ear then Spottedclaw beckoned Icekit. He got to his paws and looked at Willowkit with a sly smile, then padded over to his mother. Rainstripe beckoned Willowkit with her tail out of the den as the other queens and their kits began to rise. Like before, the sun gave no warmth. But on the bright side, the sky looked blue and clear. Rainstripe beckoned Splashkit over to her.
"Willowkit, Splashkit. You both need to eat something before we leave." Willowkit saw her mother glance at the fresh-kill pile as she spoke. It was pitifully small, only consisting of a few mice, two rabbits and some birds. And all of the prey looked scrawny. Willowkit sighed wearily. She was still tired from last night's adventure. Though her and Icekit had both gotten a nice amount of rest before they were woken up. Her and Splashkit headed over to the fresh-kill pile. Splashkit retrieved a mouse then trotted off in the direction of her mother. Willowkit reached out with her paw for a small blackbird but it was ripped away from her as Direkit snatched it.
"H-Hey! Direkit..I was gonna eat that.." Willowkit mewed pitifully as he began to devour it with Fawnkit. When Willowkit turned back towards the fresh-kill pile, all the other kits, except Icekit, were taking every last piece of fresh-kill. When they ran off, there wasn't a scrap left. Willowkit sighed and closed her eyes. She dragged her paws back to her mother, her stomach growling hungrily.
"Ok Splashkit, Willowkit. We will be leaving soon." Rainstripe said to her kits.
"Ok mama!" Splashkit mewed. Willowkit glanced around and parted her jaws to scent if there were any scraps of prey. She scented nothing. Rainstripe and Splashkit were both talking with Stormcloud on the other side of camp now, leaving Willowkit alone. Birdkit came trotting over to her with a scrawny, but intact, thrush.
"Wanna s-share..?" Birdkit said as he put it down between them. Willowkit contemplated it for a moment, then answered him. "Sure."
"Ok." Birdkit's eyes lit up. He let her tuck into the bird first, then he started to eat his fair share.
After finishing the thrush, Willowkit stood and swiped her tongue around her jaws. Her stomach was content.
"Thanks for the thrush Birdkit." She said as he finished.
"Er- it was no problem Willowkit!" He said timidly. She trotted off to the center of the clearing where the clan was gathered. Elders, kits, queens, warriors, apprentices, all gathered in the camp. In the group of her clanmates she searched for her mother, father and sister. Finally, she found them near the center of the crowd.
"There you are Willowkit!" Icekit mewed when he saw her.
"I was getting worried when you didn't come to the center with the other kits." He murmured. Willowkit noticed all the other kits were here in the center of the group as well. All of them were close to their mothers.
"Yeah..sorry about that." She said. "I was trying to find any scraps of food because there was none left!" She added.
"Oh I'm sorry, I would've given you part of my-" Icekit was cut off by Bravestars yowl.
"Cats of Thunderclan! Is everyone ready to depart?" He asked. Yowls of agreement rose up from the crowd. Bravestar bounded off the top of the high rock, then walked to the camp entrance. He motioned with his tail for the cats to follow him.