Splashflight's Mistake (book one)

Chapter 6

It was almost dawn when Splashkit woke again. Aquastar was nowhere that Splashkit could see; he assumed she was in her den. Apparently she had lost two lives in the battle as well. The clan had also lost Wrinklepaw, Creekjay, and then Thistleshine and Dustykit. Splashkit saw Redstrike, Wrinklepaw's uncle and mentor, hunched over his body as the burial patrol prepared the death herbs for the bodies. There were screams coming from Spottedfern. "No! Leave him, you'll mask his scent!" She screeched, throwing her arms around the two bodies. "No!"

Splashkit heard Poppystem lick Spottedfern gently, soothing the anguished cat. "Shh, come on, Spottedfern. Let's go rest," she was nudging the grieving queen to her feet as she whimpered and started to rock back and fourth, tears streaming down the sides of her cheeks. Poppystem whispered something more to Spottedfern and gave her a poppy before they disappeared in the medicine den.

Splashkit felt Brightkit press into him, and then lean into her father and brother. "I love you very much, Dad. It should have been me... Please, StarClan, make this all- all a dream..." She whispered. "Goodbye, brother. You would have been a great warrior. I love you both so much..." And with that she tore herself from Splashkit's pelt and bolted back to the nursery in tears.

Splashkit looked down at Thistleshine and Dustykit, touching his nose to the two in a gentle farewell before he dragged himself back to his nest as well. He curled around Brightkit and went to sleep, too heartbroken to say anything else to comfort his friend.

*****

Splashkit awoke to a strong tongue rasping his back. He half-heartedly wriggled out of his mother's grasp out of instinct. "Mom! What are you doing?!" He groaned. "Let me sleep!" It had been a moon since the death of Thistleshine and Dustykit, and he was now almost six moons. Almost an apprentice's age. "Mom!" He complained again.

His mother purred with amusement.  "Alright... I guess you don't want to look your best for the ceremony today..." Then Splashkit suddenly remembered with a squeal of glee what was going to happen. His eyes lit up and he jumped away from his mother, who was mid-lick. He bolted out and she sighed; half his fur was groomed down and the other half was spiked up in thorns. Splashkit didn't care, he was too excited to. He bounced out of the nursery happily, his tail waving.

"Morningkit! Dawnkit!!! Its our apprentice ceremony today!!" He screeched with pride. His eyes shone and he searched Morningkits eyes, looking hopefully for the same excitement his own held. Maybe they would bond over becoming apprentices?

But Morningkit just looked at him with disgust. She lifted a paw and shook it as if she had stepped in some dirt. Her voice was filled with discontent and snootiness. "Yeah, I noticed. Can't you actually attempt to clean your fur a little bit? You look like a hedgehog gone wrong!" She curled her lip. "Ew!"

Splashkit was stunned, his eyes turned down to his paws, his ears burning with shame. He shuffled his paws and wiped his wet cheek. "Sorry..." He whimpered with a sniff.

Morningkit looked at her sister with a laugh. Taking the chance to poke more fun, she snarled in Splashkits face. "Sorry? " She mocked. "Sorry?! You're such a mess up, sorry can't even begin to cover it! You're such a mistake, Splashkit! Go crawl back into the badger hole that you belong in!" She growled the last one in his face, shoving him to the dirt. Splashkit watched with broken eyes as they both stalked off, heads high. Splashkit felt like he wanted to run away, away from his horrible sisters and away from the clan. Maybe then he wouldn't have this much pain?

Splashkit's vision was blurry with tears as he got up to stand next to the great rock with his siblings. He avoided their gaze and just stared up at the rock.

"May every cat strong enough to swim against the current of the river and climb to the top of the swaying sycamore, come gather to hear my words!" Aquastar yowled at the top of her lungs. Splashkit wiped away his tears, taking a shaking breath. His troubles began to melt ever so slightly away once the excitement of apprenticeship began to sink in to take its place. He could hardly believe it, soon he would be an apprentice!