Moon Of Warning - Warrior Cat Fanfiction

Chapter Two

The day after their escapade in the nursery, Shadekit and Moonkit were swamped in despair. Their mother showed no sympathy to them. Neither did Stonewhisker or Laurelstar. Not even Moonkit's best friend, Lilacpaw. They were supposed to clean the elder's den, and pull ticks off of its inhabitants. The kits' cheer had vanished. And, even worse, Moonkit overheard Laurelstar proclaiming to her deputy, Starlingmist, that a few naughty kits should be punished for doing something. Moonkit had no idea what, because she didn't stick around to find out. As soon as the first words were out of Laurelstar's mouth, Moonkit had bolted to where her brother sat cleaning moss of his forepaws. "What's up?" He asked, but with his fur on his muzzle, it sounded more like: "Wha's uf?" Moonkit hurriedly explained to him that Laurelstar was talking about naughty kits. Shadekit sat bolt upright, spitting his half-washed leg out of his mouth. "Are you sure she was talking about us?" He asked. Moonkit, in her fearful attempt to get to her brother, had exaggerated. She had said that Laurelstar told Starlingmist that Moonkit and Shadekit were to be kicked out of camp. Her tail flew to her muzzle. One of the ridges of Shadekit's eyes curled up in confusion. Moonkit let her tail fall. "I didn't mean-" She started, and immediately stopped. What if Laurelstar had meant that she and her brother were so super bad, that they needed extra punishment? Shadekit, sensing her hesitation, curled his tail around hers. It was comforting. After a few moments of soothing purrs and twining tails, Shadekit went rigid. Moonkit looked quizzically at him, wondering what had set him off. As she looked at him, she realized that he had red around his eyes. His nose was dry as well. His scent was strange too. Moonkit's confusion turned into worry, and she stepped away from her brother. "Shadekit?" She squeaked. His body was still tensed, and his fur was standing straight up. She looked up into his eyes- he was taller than her by a few inches- and recoiled. His eyes were a fuzzy brownish green, not the sharp, newleaf green that they usually were. She ran like a Windclan cat, her paws flying across the ground. Skidding across the green turf, she stopped in front of the Medicine Cat's den. "Stonewhisker!" She cried, peering in the fern tunnel for the Medicine Cat. Stonewhisker padded forward, blinking his eyes in the gloom. "What?" He said irritably. "Please come quick! Shadekit needs help!" Sensing the kits' urgency, he followed her to where Shadekit was still standing with glazed eyes. "Shadekit! I brought St-" Moonkit was cut off again as her brother crumpled to the ground, still and unmoving.

***

Shadekit was lain in the cool Medicine den, his black and grey fur ruffled. Moonkit paced the cold floor of the den, constantly asking if her brother needed something more. Usually the reply was: "No. Leave him to rest." But this time, that was not the case. "Does Shadekit need anything?" Moonkit asked for the thousandth time. "He needs you to stop worrying about him." Was the new gruff reply. Moonkit sighed and curled up, away from her sick littermate. It was strange without the normal warmth of his body around her. Moonkit laid her tail over her nose. It was so stupid. Why did her brother have to get sick? Why did he have to be sick right now? Their apprentice ceremony was a few days away! What if he was too sick to be an apprentice? Moonkit's mind was suddenly filled with doubts and questions. Moonkit scrunched up her eyes, trying to find sleep, until she heard an almost inaudible voice. "M... Moon...ki...t. " Moonkit eyes flew open, and she stood up. She looked around, trying to figure out if she was hearing things. Another faint sound. "M... Moonki... Moonkit." She darted to where Shadekit lay. "Shadekit! You're okay!" She mewed. Stonewhisker was immediately alerted to the disturbance in his den. He slowly rose to his paws, stretching his stiff back. Moonkit watched anxiously as he checked Shadekit over. "He's fi-" Stonewhisker started, confused. "Look! His eyes... They're back to normal!" Stonewhisker meowed. Moonkit checked herself for the signs she had seen earlier. His nose was slightly wet- which was normal. His eyes no longer had red rims. Moonkit sniffed the air. Shadekit's scent was normal too. He looked perfectly fine. Moonkit didn't stop to think about the strangeness of it all. All she did was throw herself around her brother, purring as loud as a Thunderpath.