River (Book 1) A Warriors Fanfiction

Chapter 1

•Sunkit•    

Sunkit blinked open his eyes to see his brother, Moonkit standing over him. Moonkit paced back and forth like he was waiting for something. "What do you want?" Sunkit growled, "I'm trying to sleep." Moonkit bounced on the soft, mossy nest beneath him. "You finally opened your eyes!" Sunkit shut his eyes.

"Get away," he mewed, "I don't want to open my eyes yet." Moonkit purred in amusement. He stopped running around and licked his snow white paw. "Oh, but you've got to. Come out and see the world!" His mother, Snowtail, appeared above him. She picked up Sunkit and swung him in her jaws. He could feel her rumbling purr against his thick, golden pelt. He batted his small paws against the air in an effort to get back in his nest. Snowtail simply walked outside of the nursery into the bright sunshine.

Sunkit blinked open his eyes and immediately shut them against the sunlight streaming into the camp. He carefully pried his eyes open again to adjust to brightness of the mid day sun. He heard gasps from the cats who weren't on a patrol, but sitting lazily in the sunshine. Sunkit sniffed the air to see if he recognized any of the scents drifting in the open. An overwhelming amount of smells hit his nostrils as he took a deep breath in. He shook his head to clear the aromas out.
    
Snowtail gently set him on the ground. His small paws collapsed against the cool grass in the clearing. He shook himself off to regain his composure and tried to stand up. His legs wobbled, but he stayed standing. He forced his legs to take a few small steps forward. Snowtail nudged him a little further. "That's it," she murmured, "Keep walking straight ahead. I'll tell you when to stop."
    
Sunkit took a couple more shaky steps. It's easier now that I know how, he thought. He purred and walked a little more confidently.  He heard a deep voice somewhere near him. "He's beautiful," he heard the voice say. "What did you name him?" Snowtail purred.

"Guess," she mewed. Sunkit heard a deep purr, presumedly from the low voice. He looked up from the ground and saw a fiery orange tom. The tom glanced at him and purred again. "Amber eyes, too? Let me guess, his name is...Lionkit? No, one of Littleleaf's kits' names is Lionkit. Weaselkit? Spark? Just tell me, please, what's his name?" Snowtail's tail brushed against the grass.

"His brother's name is Moonkit. He's pure white, like me. Now guess." She teased. The orange tom flicked his ear at a fly. He sighed. Then he jerked his muzzle towards Snowtail.

"Brother? He has a brother?" Snowtail licked her paw.

"That's what I said, isn't it? Fine, I'll tell you what his name is and stop my silly games. I called him Sunkit, after his gold pelt." The orange looked down at Sunkit again. He bent down and licked the fur on the top of Sunkit's head, then he purred. "I have not two, but three sons of my own!" The tom said proudly. Sunkit gave him a curious look.

"Who are you?" He asked, his voice sounding small in midst of all the cats in the clearing. The orange tom gazed happily at him. "My name is Foxcatcher. I'm your father." Sunkit looked down at his paws and then walked back over to Snowtail. "Why is everyone looking at me?" Snowtail looked around the clearing to see all the furry faces staring at them.

"Because this is your first time out of the nursery. It's your first time walking too." Sunkit gave a slight nod and then something white flashed across his vision. Moonkit turned and growled at Sunkit.

"Last one back to the nursery is rotten squirrel!" He turned around to run to the nursery. Sunkit turned to follow, just barely behind him. He heard Snowtail and Foxcatcher's paw steps behind him and he ran faster, barely tumbling into the nursery before Moonkit. "I guess you're a rotten squirrel, then." Sunkit mewed, eyes sparkling. He rolled on his back and batted the air half-heartedly. Moonkit growled again and pounced on him. They tumbled right into Snowtail, but they didn't even notice. Snowtail gently batted them away and curled up in her nest.

***

Sunkit open his eyes to white fur. He growled and pushed Moonkit away. He and his brother were four moons old now. Moonkit rolled right back and batted Sunkit's face with his soft, white paws. Sunkit blinked and growled again. "I'll get you for that," he mewed. He jumped up and landed on his brother's back.
   
"Sheathe your claws, you furball!" Moonkit said. He nipped Sunkit's ear. "Furball yourself," Sunkit retorted. He leapt at his brother and tackled him to the ground. They heard a purr behind them. Sunkit whipped around to see Foxcatcher watching them. "You should try playing moss ball," he meowed.

"Only if you give us badger rides," Sunkit mewed, his eyes sparkling. Foxcatcher gave a mrow of laughter.

"You strike a hard bargain." He said. He stood up. Moonkit scrambled onto his back, with Sunkit just behind him. "Not you too," Foxcatcher said, laughing again.
    
"When I first came out of the nursery, you said that you had three sons. Why did you say that?" Sunkit asked.
    
"Have you met Flamepelt yet?" Sunkit shook his head. "Flamepelt is from a previous litter."
    
"Is Snowtail his mother, too?" Moonkit asked. Foxcatcher nodded.
    
"How come you didn't know that Moonkit was my brother?" Sunkit mused. Foxcatcher glanced at him.
    
"I had never met you two before then. Snowtail surprised me with having two kits instead of just one."
    
"Why?" Sunkit tilted his head.
    
"She wanted it to be a surprise." He mewed. Sunkit nodded, then he leapt at Moonkit again, paws outstretched. Moonkit bared his teeth in a mock snarl. Sunkit fell back, laughing.