Warrior Cats: Gossamer

Chapter 3

Pansykit and Elderkit were already awake by the time Myrtlekit opened her eyes. This isn't a dream? she thought giddily, sitting up and stretching. By now, their muscles felt better and their lungs felt clear. She mrrowed a greeting to her new littermates.

The two kits weren't far from her, sitting at the mouth of the nursery and talking. Or rather, Pansykit was talking. Elderkit nodded their head along attentively. "Sunkit and his sibs are gonna be apprentices soon!" Pansykit boasted, blue eyes glittering. "I wish we weren't one moon younger than them! Then we could all train together! Though, I guess we'll still have lots of time together before they become warriors... oh!"

Her round head turned to look at Myrtlekit, smiling brighter than before. "Good morning, Myrtlekit!" she trilled, skipping over to the small silver tabby and head-butting her fondly. Myrtlekit nearly fell over at the force of her affection, but offered a purr regardless.

Elderkit waved her tail, the glare of the sun framing their body. "Mom told us to go get stuff from Duckstem for your face," Pansykit said. Myrtlekit glanced around, and noted with a touch of dread that Plumrose wasn't in the den. What happened? Why did she leave? Did she die?Plumrose is dead?

Pansykit licked her muzzle reassuringly. "She's just patrolling, don't worry."

Myrtlekit's heart was still racing painfully, and their shoulders were tensed uncomfortably. Why would she leave? Does she not want me? Another weight sunk against her flank, and Myrtlekit whipped their head to the side, shocked to see that Elderkit had appeared to lean against her. "How did you walk so quietly?" Myrtlekit whispered, fear dulled by curiosity. Elderkit shrugged.

"We'll take you to see Duckstem and then do a FloodClan tour from there," Pansykit explained. "You'll meet the other kits! Normally they share the nursery, but Duckstem and Plumrose wanted it to be quiet, so they've been sleeping in the apprentice's den." The white-and-ginger kit beckoned for Myrtlekit to follow, her curled tail wagging. Myrtlekit plodded through the thick moss layer that covered the den floor, ears pricked. A cool scent wafted in from the den entrance. It smelled green and crisp, and the scent was accented by the fresh aroma of running water.

"The other dens are different from ours," Pansykit said. "You'll see that we're under a big bush surrounded by reeds. Plumrose told us that the bush flowers when the warm seasons come."

Myrtlekit glanced back at the den, taking in the sight more thoroughly now that she felt awake enough to do so. It was a wide space, the floor lush and green with padded moss and colorful feathers, and there was a column of packed dirt in the center. Slotted into some parts of the column were smooth, colorful stones. Roots poked out of the column in random places, and small jingling trinkets hung from several of them. "The bush is still alive?"

Elderkit nodded. "Cool, right?" Pansykit added, "Plumrose told us it's an ancient gift from StarClan, to protect us kits from danger."

Myrtlekit nodded. The foliage of the bush was extremely dense, acting as a natural roof and only allowing enough space between the branches to let some sunlight dapple the mossy floor. There were more hanging feathers and shining trinkets woven into the bush ceiling, tucked in between the tighter branches.

Their two littermates slipped up out of the burrow. The entrance to the nursery sloped upward sharply, but wasn't so high that kits their age couldn't climb out. Digging in her claws into the outer rim of the burrow, Myrtlekit heaved herself up with all of their strength. They were huffing and puffing on the ground by the time she was out, feeling dizzy with exertion.

Pansykit stared concernedly down at her. "Do you want to go back? We can go and get the herb-"

"No," Myrtlekit interrupted, slowly rising to their paws. Quit being a jerk, Myrtle, she thought miserably. "I... I, um, want to see the camp..."