ThornClaw's Destiny

Chapter 3

Thornkit woke up to see three cats around his age staring down at him. "Who are you?" Thornkit asked. "I'm Wetpaw, and these are my littermates, Littlepaw and Brownpaw. Who are you?" "I'm Thornkit. These are my littermates, Brightkit, Cinderkit and Brackenkit." Thornkit paused. "Wait, are you apprentices?" Littlepaw opened his mouth but before he could say anything, a yowl sounded from out of the hole. "Are you apprentices meant to be chattering like birds or taking out the bedding?" "Sorry Stumpytail!" yelped Brownpaw. To Thornkit, he added "See you around, I guess. Gotta go!" "No, wai-" Thornkit began, but the apprentice's heads had disappeared from the opening. Thornkit still hadn't had enough sleep, and since there was nothing else to do in the stinky hole, he fell asleep again.

Howls and shrieks sounded from outside. Thornkit looked up to see his littermates looking up with round, scared eyes. "What was that?" mewed Cinderkit, with round scared eyes. Brightkit stood up, trying to see and a mew sounded from Brackenkit. "Yowch! That's my leg." yelped Brackenkit. "Do you think its Thunderclan?" mewed Brightkit. "Maybe" mewed Thornkit, excitement rising in his belly. Outside, the screeches suddenly stopped. "Is it over?" whimpered Brightkit? "I-" "Help! Thunderclan! Help!" wailed Brackenkit. "Yes! Help! Thunderclan!" yelped Brightkit. A cat poked his head down into the hole. He looked at each kit in turn, before tipping back his head, and calling out "The kits! The kits are here!" "Graypaw!" Thornkit thought he was never so happy to see the grey Thunderclan apprentice. Gently, Graypaw lifted Brightkit out of the hole. Next, he gently nipped Thornkit's scruff and carried him to the surface. To his delight, Yellowfang, Mousefur, Whitestorm and Firepaw were there too. Mousefur leaned forward and started to gently lick him. Thornkit purred. He'd had enough adventures for one day. Brackenkit came out next, and with infinite care of a queen with her kit, Yellowfang started to lick his injured ear. Finally, Cinderkit got lifted out of the dark hole by Firepaw, another Thunderclan apprentice and a former kittypet. Mousefur cuddled him and his littermates close. Once Brackenkit's ear had a poultice firmly attached, the older cats arose, and softly nudged the kits to their paws. Together, they made their way home, towards Thunderclan.

"My kits! Brightkit! Cinderkit! Brackenkit! Thornkit! What happened to you!" Frostfur was in a state of panic when Thornkit and his littermates stumbled through the entrance. She pulled them close and started to groom Brackenkit, who had fallen asleep as soon as he arrived. Thornkit could feel his mother purring hard. He looked out and noticed Bluestar watching the scene. She looked proud, happy and...upset? Thornkit wasn't sure he was reading her emotions correctly. Bluestar turned away and started talking to Whitestorm in a low voice. "Why did you bring back the traitor?" Tigerclaw accused from across the clearing. "She is no traitor," Firepaw retorted. "She killed Spottedleaf," hissed Longtail, sidling up behind Yellowfang, claws unsheathed. "Look between Spottedleaf's claws," Graypaw suggested. "You will find the brown fur of Clawface, not Yellowfang's grey fur!" Mousefur hurried over to Spottedleaf's unmoving body whilst the clan watched. "Graypaw is right," Mousefur panted, rushing back. "Spottedleaf was not attacked by a grey cat." "But that does not mean that she did not help to take the kits," spat Tigerclaw. Thornkit and his littermates only just realised what the warriors were talking about. "Oh no! Spottedleaf is dead?" wailed Cinderkit. Frostfur bent over Cinderkit and picked her up, carrying her towards the nursery. Luckily, the warriors didn't look up from their heated discussion. Brindleface ushered Thornkit and his littermates into the nursery where Frostfur was leaning over Cinderkit and hushing her cries. Thornkit's paws felt rooted to the spot. Spottedleaf? Dead? Clawface. Thornkit growled, unsheathing his tiny claws. He would have turned tail and ran all the way to Shadowclan to find Clawface and confront him, but Brindleface picked him up by the scruff and gently laid him in the nest next to Cinderkit. Frostfur lay down beside him and he curled into her warm fur. He could hear the cats outside chanting "Fireheart! Graystripe! Fireheart! Graystripe!" and knew that those two cats had just been made warriors. He flexed his claws. "Don't worry," Brightkit whispered in his ear. "It'll be our turn soon." Thornkit closed his eyes at last and fell into the darkness of sleep.

sorry about these guys sleeping a lot, younger me was out of ideas