CricketBounce's Story [discontinued]

Chapter 4

Cricketpaw opened her eyes to a bright sunny day. She yawned lazily, stretching slowly. Wait... Oh no she had overslept! She bounded from her nest, disturbing a sleeping Wildpaw, "sorry.. Gotta run!" She whispered, Wildpaw glared at her, rubbing his multicolored eyes.

It had been a little over three weeks of apprentice training for Cricketpaw and she was really enjoying it. Although she had to catch her own prey to eat and she had to wait until the whole clan was fed as well. She still loved the long days of hunting and battle training. So far she had learned a few basic battle moves, like jumping up on her hind paws and scratching her enemy, also known as air. For now. She had mastered swimming and was now learning how to dive under for a water attack. She had caught her first fish, a medium sized salmon three sunrises ago and Viperstar himself had ate it!

Cricketpaw jumped out into the warm midday air. She glanced around quickly and spotted Silvershade sharing a trout with Moonshine. Cricketpaw padded up to him. Silvershade swallowed the trout he was chewing, looking up at her from where he was laying beside Moonshine.

"Yes?" He meowed, glancing at Ripplekit as he pounced on his wavering tail.

"Do you know where I could find Enderwing?" She meowed hopefully. Silvershade shook his head. Moonshine yawned, "she went on dawn patrol without you." Moonshine sighed, rolling her eyes, "she wanted to let you sleep and now she's on the hunting patrol, you missed two patrols." Moonshine scoffed.

Cricketpaw smiled, slightly taken aback at Moonshine's bitterness, "thanks", she meowed cheerily, not letting Moonshine's rudeness get to her. She padding off aimlessly.

Cricketpaw sighed, bored. She glanced towards the nursery. Maybe Sunkit will want to play. She thought. Cricketpaw shook her head, she was an apprentice now, way too old for kit games. But Sleekfeather's kits were two moons away from being old enough to learn how to swim, which was around six moons old, and a few sunrises before apprenticeship. Maybe she could take them out to see the river, or just around the outside of camp. Cricketpaw padded towards the nursery. Dustkit, Larkkit and Sunkit sped past all on each other's heels. "Wait!" Sunkit wailed, Dustkit and Larkkit leaving her behind. Sunkit sat abruptly on the sandy clearing ground, mumbling angrily.

"Why are you upset, Sunkit?" Cricketpaw asked, sitting besides the she-kit.

"Dustkit and Larkkit don't like to play with me because I'm 'too small'" Sunkit meowed, mocking the words too small.

Sunkit was definitely smaller than Larkkit and way smaller than Dustkit. Dustkit was almost as big as Cricketpaw! Which was probably because Hogstep, who was the largest cat in Riverclan. "Bigger isn't always better." Cricketpaw meowed wisely, "You will be the fastest and sneakiest warrior, while Dustkit will be getting his big head stuck in the camp entrance!" Cricketpaw laughed, Sunkit purred with laughter. "I guess your right! Thanks for cheering me up Cricketpaw." The small she padded off towards her brothers, tail high.

Cricketpaw smiled, padding towards a watching Sleekfeather. "Hello Cricketpaw, I saw what you did over there with Sunkit, thank you for cheering her up. That was very kind of you." Sleekfeather purred, smiling down at Cricketpaw. "Oh, it was no problem Sleekfeather, it's one of my specialties to cheer others up." Cricketpaw smiled back.

"Also, I wanted to ask you if it was okay if you and me took the kits out to see the river or someplace outside of camp. I remember my days of kithood, a few weeks ago actually". Both of the shes laughed, and Cricketpaw continued. "I was very bored all the time because I had explored the entire camp, no doubt your kits have as well, I think it would do good for them to see something new." Cricketpaw smiled, glancing at the kits, Sunkit was now running around happily, chasing her brothers.