GoldenHeart

Chapter 5

GoldenKit watched in awe as her mother lead her towards the fresh-kill pile. This was the first time she had seen it up close, and the heaping amount of prey it took to feed the Clan.

"Come on, GoldenKit! Let's find out what fresh-kill you like best." GoldenKit found herself looking into the warm green-gold eyes of ThunderPaw. "Rabbit is my favourite, but I think you might have a stronger fancy for squirrel."

"Okay." GoldenKit followed ThunderPaw through the throng of cats.

"Oi! ThunderPaw! Good news!" RavenWing called.

"What's up?" ThunderPaw greeted.

"What's the news?" GoldenKit asked.

"WhiteCloud is expecting FoxFlight's kits!" MapleHeart cheered.

"She is? That's wonderful!" ThunderPaw purred.

"New denmates! Me and the others are gonna have to make the nursery nice and clean!" GoldenKit announced.

"StarClan grant it, VinePaw, SparkPaw, and I might be able to help. I think doing work like that would be nice for us. Just calming and chill, right?"

"As long as you're not there during sunhigh. That's when BlazeKit and SpruceKit battle!" GoldenKit added with a mrrow of amusement.

"Come on, GoldenKit. Feast, remember? Congratulate WhiteCloud for us!" ThunderPaw called over his shoulder.

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"Here we are! Makes you hungry, doesn't it?"

"Yeah. I'm starved!" GoldenKit agreed.

"Hmm... Ah-ha! A nice rabbit. Here, try a bit." ThunderPaw tore off a hindleg for GoldenKit. GoldenKit accepted it and chewed it thoughtfully.

"It's great!" She exclaimed, swallowing. "Where's some of that squirrel you were talking about?"

"Over there. RabbitFur's got one."

"Eh? What was that? Y'all want this squirrel?" RabbitFur rasped.

"No, we can't accept that. That's YOUR prey, RabbitFur, and we have no right to take it from you," GoldenKit asserted.

"Oh. Well, thank you, youngsters. I remember when ol' LizardStrike was 'n 'pprentice. Great StarClan, the fuss he made over the gosh-tiniest things!"

"He used to complain about the DirtPlace smelling. Well, duh, it will! That's where all of ThunderClan makes dirt!" HawkFeather purred. "We were apprentices together. At the time, I think every apprentice wanted warrior status just to get away from him!"

"I can see it now," ThunderPaw purred, whiskers twitching.

"Anyways, youngsters. Take the rest of this squirrel, I don' think my fat belly will hold no more."

"Nonsense, RabbitFur! But, if you're sure..." ThunderPaw trailed off.

"Oh, I'm sure. I don' mind sharin', so long as the prey ain't swiped from beneath my nose. That's a 'nother thing he used to do, swipe prey from beneath everycat's nose. Be about to take a bite, and, poof, he took it." RabbitFur got up, nudged the squirrel remains towards the two young cats, and padded off to join SnaggleTooth.

"I think we take the elders for granted," GoldenKit muttered around a careful mouthful of squirrel mush. "They did so much for ThunderClan in the past, it makes me sick to think somecat would disrespect them."

"Yeah. Hey, listen, GoldenKit, I wanted to ask you something."

"Go on—"

"ThunderPaw! Hunting patrol!" RavenWing called. "That's a right-now order, not a finish-your-rabbit-first order!"

"Ugh... I gotta go. Later, though, right?"

"Definitely. I'll be waiting."

ThunderPaw went out, marked the ShadowClan border, and caught a thrush on the way back to camp. Planning to either give it to her then or save it for tomorrow, ThunderPaw laid his prey outside the nursery and stuck his head in. GoldenKit's tiny, fluffy golden pelt stood out against ShadowStripe's sleek, black one. Both mother and daughter's flanks rose-and-fell with the peacefulness of a dreamless sleep.