Splashflight's Mistake (book one)

Chapter 1

"Can't catch me!" Splashkit heard his sister, Dawnkit cry. He just stayed near his mother, not bothering to try to open his eyes. He was three moons old, and his siblings were growing and thriving, but Splashkit still didn't want to open his eyes.

He was the runt of the litter, the only surviving biological kit of his mother, Aquastar. His sister biologically, Dawnkit was the stronger one, and had caught a cold and died in the last week of leafbare. When his mother had found out, she spend all day scouting the forest, heartbroken.

But when she had returned, she had found two kits in the forest, their mother killed by a fox. She brought them home, saying that one of them looked just like her dead daughter. The current Dawnkit held the name of Splashkit's real sister, because they looked so alike, they could have been twins.

"Grr! I'm a big scary warrior! I'm gonna sneak up on the fox den!" Morningkit growled, snapping Splashkit from his thoughts. "Rawr!"

Splashkit pricked his ears as his mother, Aquastar shifted, ruining his perfect position, nestled in between her belly and her head. He scowled as his mother spoke. "Now, Morningkit don't-"

Crash!

"Morningkit! Didn't I tell you not to go into the medicine den? Get out, now!" His mother scolded, getting up with a mumble. Splashkit was grumpy for a moment too; Morningkit had made his mother leave the nest, and it had made him cold! "I swear StarClan has cursed me with this kit..." Splashkit gave a tiny laugh.

I would give anything to see the look on her face! He though with a laugh, and then realized something. I can, I can! He cried silently, grinning broadly. Peeking open one crystal blue eye, he saw his sister, an orange tabby, pouting as she was escorted back to the nursery. He laughed again. Maybe I can greet her? After all, we never have really met... He pondered, and, after some thought, decided it was a great idea.

He got up on wobbly paws, stumbling around to get the feel for walking. Then he broke into a clumsy trot, then a run. He came up behind Morningkit. "Hi Morningkit! Look, look!! I opened my eyes!" He cried, puffing out his tiny chest happily. Morningkit gave a bored look, ignoring him and turning back to her sister with an upturned nose and a disgusted expression.

Splashkit didn't understand. Maybe she didn't hear me? Standing on his tip-toes, he poked her with a tiny claw. "Hey, Morningkit, look at me!" He said again, squeaking indignantly, but she carried on ignoring him, chatting like a starling to Dawnkit, his sister. Dawnkit gave an uncomfortable look, squirming out of Splashkit's viewpoint as if she were embarrassed. "Hey!" He cried again, trying to get the two sisters' attention.

"Oh my StarClan, Dawnkit! I just had a fantabulous idea! Lets go stalk the big warriors!" Morningkit whispered in a high-pitched squeak. Dawnkit shuffled her paws. Before Dawnkit could reply, she sneered and whispered something in her ear. "It's way better than being stuck in this stinkhole. Maybe we should sneak out of camp!"

Dawnkit glanced at Splashkit for a split second, her ears flat in anxiety. "Uhm, Morningkit, Aquastar said not to-" her sister cut off Dawnkit's careful reminder with a rude scoff and a slap to her sister's nose.

"Who cares?! She isn't even our real mother, you know that!" Morningkit scoffed, shoving her sister. "What's the worst that could happen?" Dawnkit looked hurt, but Splashkit thought otherwise. It looked like Morningkit was playing with Dawnkit!

Splashkit's ears pricked. A game! He went up in front of his sisters. Looking up to their heads, he tilted his own head back to speak to them. "Can I play, too? I'm a good fighter! Just watch me, rawr!" He punched an imaginary enemy on wobbly paws before falling flat on his face and earning a laugh from Morningkit.

Dawnkit smiled warmly, her fluffy creme pelt shining. "Sure, Splashkit! What's not to like about you?" She purred, helping Splashkit up. But her sister stopped her, and shoved him back down in the dirt again, wrinkling her nose delicately.

"Ew, no! Not the runt!" She said, turning up her nose and curling her lip as if Splashkit were a piece of crowfood. "He needs to stay near his mommy," she said in a mock whine, taking up a paw to tickle his nose mockingly. "Right Dawnkit?"

Dawnkit looked from her sister to Splashkit, her eyes seeming to survey him as he crouched down, his ears flat but his eyes hopeful. Dawnkit would stand up for him, right? Then Dawnkit finally looked to her paws and took a deep breath. Looking up, she had a mean sneer on her face, that she was struggling to keep on.

"Yeah! Go away, badger-paws!" She said, pushing him over and walking away, both sisters laughing their head off. At the last second, while Splashkit dusted himself off, he saw Dawnkit look back, her face dripping with guilt before Morningkit lead her away.