Warriors: Snowkit's Dreams (Contest entry for @Wolfyfang)

Chapter 6

Speckletail glared at Cinderpelt. "There is nothing wrong with my kit." She hissed though gritted teeth.

Cinderpelt shook her head sadly. "If there is nothing wrong, then why are you so determined not to let me look at Snowkit?"

Speckletail's gaze slid past the medicine cat's and focused on Snowkit. The tiny kit was chasing a leaf on the ground, batting it with his tiny white paws. Even though he was somehow extending his vocabulary each day, Snowkit was still seen as an outcast, a weirdo compared to other members of the Clan. It was becoming harder and harder to keep his deafness a secret.

"Fine." She sighed. "But I assure you, Snowkit is just fine."

"Good." Cinderpelt turned to Fireheart who dropped a rabbit at her paws.

"That's for you," The flame coloured tom meowed.

"Thank you." Cinderpelt purred and Speckletail considered slipping away quietly. "Speckletail and I were just having a chat about Snowkit."

"There's nothing to chat about." Speckletail snapped.

"Just call him to you, would you?" The grey cat requested.

Speckletail snorted, feeling confident. Snowkit knew to come. "Snowkit! Snowkit come here!" She meowed, beaconing with her tail.

Snowkit padded over and purred as he received a lick on the top of his head.

"Fireheart, you try." Cinderpelt meowed and sent him over to a patch of grass a few fox-lengths away.

"Come here, Snowkit." Fireheart called, his body staying perfectly still.

Snowkit didn't move. Speckletail felt as though a talon was closing over her heart. Go Snowkit! Move!

"Snowkit!" Fireheart tried again. "Snowkit, come over here!"

Dappletail stood up and padded over to Speckletail. "This reminds me of when Goosefeather discovered Moonkit's, er, problem." She mewed quietly.

"Leave us alone!" Speckletail spat in reply then nudged Snowkit towards Fireheart.

"Well done." Fireheart meowed when Snowkit reached him.

"S'all right." Snowkit meowed in his distorted voice. It was obvious though that it wasn't all right at all.

Cinderpelt looked at Speckletail. The medicine cat's blue eyes looked wide and sad. "I'm sorry, Speckletail. She meowed. "Snowkit is deaf."

Grief and rage sparked in Speckletail's heart. "I know he's deaf!" She yowled. "I'm his mother, do you think I wouldn't know?"

"White cats with blue eyes are often deaf." She head Dappletail whisper to Fireheart. "I remember one in my first litter..."

"What happened to him?" Fireheart asked.

"No cat knows." Dappletail meowed sadly. "He wandered off one day. We figured a fox must have gotten him."

Speckletail swept Snowkit close with her tail and pressed her body against his protectively. The thought of loosing her only kit... It was too much!

"Well a fox won't get this one!" She vowed. "I can look after him."

"I'm sure you can." Bluestar meowed, joining the crowd. "But I'm afraid he will never be made a warrior."

"Why can't he be a warrior?" Speckletail demanded. "He's a good, strong kit. He gets on just fine if you signal what to do!"

"That's not enough." Bluestar's voice was sympathetic. "A mentor couldn't teach him to fight or hunt by signals. He couldn't hear commands in battle and how could he catch prey if he can't even hear his own paw steps?"

Doom seemed to be crashing over Speckletail in great heavy waves of misery. She leaped to her paws and glared at Bluestar with pure malice. For a moment the elderly queen considered pouncing on her own leader. The idea wasn't a good one though. Instead, she lead Snowkit away to the privacy of the nursery.

"You will be a warrior." She hissed to her son as soon as they were inside. "You'll be the greatest warrior if them all!"

We have almost reached the end of this book! I'm thinking only one more chapter and an epilogue and the book will be finished!