Warriors AU: Crow That Brings In The Night

Chapter 1

~Cricketkit~

//Five moons later//

Cricketkit limped from the nursery. Her three working legs shook with exhaustion. She didn't get enough sleep since she twisted her leg.

Yet, she was determined to play with her siblings. Anything to feel like she was going to be the best apprentice to ever exist- and then the best warrior. 

Graykit and Bugkit were playing in the clearing. They seemed just so happy.

"Bet you can't catch me!'' Bugkit called to his brother.

''Bet you I can!" Graykit called back.

They started running around her. Cricketkit's tail shot up. She purred. "And I will catch you both!"  She yowled in delight.

Her brothers stopped their game and stared at her.

"You? You and run?" Graykit scoffed. "Please. We'd be delighted to see you walk." Added Bugkit. Then they went back to their game.

Cricketkit shivered. It was always like that. The kittypet collar around her neck swung as she sat down, disappointed.

--

"Let all the cats old enough to hunt gather below me for Clan meeting!"

The call from Fernstar echoed around the camp. Every car eagerly padded to her. Ever Cricketkit's brothers galloped happily toward their leader. Tails raised high, eyes shining, excited to become aprentices at least. Cricketkit purred and slowly trailed after them.

"Today, we gather next to each other to see very special moment in the lifes of those cats standigh before me." Fernstar started. Whitefur, her deputy, padded to her side, nodding.

"Bugkit, step forward." The leader called to Cricketkit's brother. The small brown tom shook with nervous energy, his eyes bright with exciment.

"I'd like to make this young cat an apprentice. Bugkit, do you promise to look after your Clan it the best and in the worst, in the happiness and in the sadness, even if your life depends on it?" Fernstar looked him in the eyes.

"Yes, i do." His mew was barely above whisper, but with the silence that consumed the Clan, it was enough for every cat to hear. Rockslide, his father, looked at him proudly. Fernstar nodded.

"Then, with the power granted to me by StarClan, I give you your apprentice name. From now on and until you gain your warrior name, you shall be known as Bugpaw. Your mentor will be Beeblaze." She bent down to touch noses with him. The cats around her caled out their joy.

"Bugpaw! Beeblaze! Bugpaw! Beeblaze! Bugpaw! Beeblaze! Bugpaw! Beeblaze!"

Beeblaze himself looked pleased, but not surprised. He purred and waved his tail at Bugpaw. With his part of the ceremony done, Bugpaw turned away from Fernstar, who nodded to Graykit to come closer.

"Graykit, you have reached the age of six moons. It's time for you to become an apprentice. Graykit, do you promise to look after your Clan it the best and in the worst, in the happiness and in the sadness, even if your life depends on it?" Her face was serious, yet kind.

Graykit nodded energetically. "Of course! I am a FireClan cat!" he called. His words were rewarded with purrs of amusement from his clanmates. Fernstar smiled at him, some of her seriousness breaking away.

"Then, with the power granted to me by StarClan, I give you your apprentice name. From now on and until you gain your warrior name, you shall be known as Graypaw. Your mentor shall be Mistfur." Once again, she touched his nose with his.

"Graypaw! Mistfur! Graypaw! Mistfur! Graypaw! Mistfur! Graypaw! Mistfur!" Called the cats.

Fernstar nodded yet again. "These two cats were made apprentices. I expect them to work hard to deserve their warrior names. Clan dismissed." The leader waved her tail and turned her back at the cats gathered.

Cricketkit sat there, frozen with shock. She shook her head in disbelief.

"What about me?" She squeaked, sounding more kit-like than she would have liked. Every cat stopped whatever tey were doing.

Her parents looked at her, disappointed that she spoke up in front of everyone. Bugpaw and Graypaw snickered. Fernstar turned her head a bit, not even bothering to look at her.

"What about you, kittypet? Don't worry, you can join the elders the moment your brothers become warriors. I am sure the old cats would appreciate some young blood. And, bonus, something every cat would be jealous for, you don't have to go through apprenticeship to get your full name." She said, then continued in her tracks.

Cricketkit stood up, though it caused her pain. "Well, maybe I want to go through apprenticeship. Maybe I want to be warrior. And maybe if the Clan actually protected it's kits, we won't be here, and you wouldn't call me 'kittypet'. It's all your fault!" She yowled atop her lungs.

Fernstar turned so suddenly Cricketkit nearly squeaked.

"None of this is my bussiness! You don't deserve to be called a warrior if you can't respect your leader's orders. So, into the nursery, now." The leader spat in her face.

Cricketkit cowered in fear. She whimpered and started shivering. Tears sprang into her eyes. The couldn't manage to speak, so she only nodded and tripped in the direction of the nursery.

Nothing she did mattered. She was alone. As always.

--

"You could just become a medicine cat, Cricketkit." Wigeonclaw whispered in her ear.

They were in the nursery. Wigeonclaw was kind queen, the only cat Cricktekit felt connected to. Her, and her kits. Dapplekit and Loinkit were little demons, but they were fun to play with. And they never judged her.

Cricketkit gazed at the queen sadly. "I am sure Leafshine would be delighted." She sighed. "She never cared for me since the... the accident. Why would she start now?" She laughted, but it was dry sound, full of hidden pain.

Wigeonclaw licked her ear. "You are right. I am sorry. But maybe the elders aren't that bad. Hollyfang is fun to be around once you get to know him. Or, if only I were warrior. I wouldn't mind training you." She looked at the kit gently.

"Or you could run away and join enemy Clan! Or create your own! I would be your deputy! Meow!" Called Lionkit and both cats twitched in surprise. Wigeonclaw turned to him. 

"I though you were asleep!" She exclaimed. Lionkit purred.

"No one can sleep with you and Cricketkit chatting like two pigeons." Yawned Dapplekit. "And Lionkit is right, Cricketkit. You should leave FireClan. From what I saw and heard, Fernstar isn't fair leader. I would come with you." She blinked at her denmate kindly.

Cricketkit smiled back at her. Both Lionkit and Dapplekit were adorable, but somethimes their ideas weren't the brighest. Or were they?

"Wigeonclaw?"

"Yes? What is it, Cricketkit?"

"What is the best way to get away unnoticed when you can barely walk?"