Flames At Night: Book 1: A Shattered Path

Chapter Six

A/N: I know I said I was going to update every day, but that isn't seeming plausible right now. I will try to do frequent updates, and another one on The Dragonet Prophecy, but expect gaps of 2-3 days.

Applekit

"At least tell me who you met!" Applekit begged, chasing after Bloomingpaw and Snowypaw. Bloomingpaw would normally talk to her, seeing as they were best friends, but she seemed to be in a bad mood today. In fact, she was ranting to her sister about some infuriating FrostClan apprentices.

"-and then Silverpaw tells me that we were hunting on their territory! Can you imagine? He's the biggest mousebrain in the clans!" the yellow and white she-cat practically yelled. Snowypaw nodded quietly. Applekit grinned, imagining what it would be like if they were all sisters. Then Bloomingpaw could talk to her nonstop instead of Snowypaw, and she wouldn't mind a bit.

Applekit picked up speed a little, running next to Bloomingpaw. "I caught a cricket today," she mewed. "And then Rabbitkit ate it, and Umberkit told him that it was a dumb thing to do, and they ended up in a big fight. I was sort of on Umberkit's side, because who eats crickets?"

"Rabbitkit," Snowypaw responded. Applekit burst into a fit of giggles. Just then, someone caught her by the scruff.

"Okay, time for bed, Applekit," Forestdapple said, dragging her back to the nursery. The small black she-kit protested, but to no avail. She was tucked into the nest between two of her littermates, one of whom was already asleep.

Icykit was not, however. She glared at her sister. "If you bother me, I'm going to push you out of the nest," she said under her breath, quietly enough not to wake up their snoring brothers.

Applekit rolled over so she was facing away from Icykit. Foxheart. She covered her nose with her tail and soon drifted off into sleep.

A large crack of thunder woke her in the night. Applekit gasped and cowered from the intermittent bursts of light that flashed in the sky.

Lavenderkit squealed in fright as thunder sounded almost right on top of them. He was quickly calmed by Forestdapple, who licked his ears soothingly. Applekit pressed against her youngest brother's side.

A yellow-spotted warrior, fur plastered to her sides by the rain, frantically pushed her way through the entrance. "Featherycloud!" she wailed. "I can't find them anywhere!"

"Dottedpelt! Calm down!" An orange and white tom came to stand next to her. "You aren't helping Rabbitkit and Umberkit by screeching loud enough for SwiftClan to hear."

"But they're my brothers! And they're only kits!" Dottedpelt tried to pace in the confined area, but quickly gave up after Purpleblossom glared at her for splashing water on the floor.

"We'll find them, Dottedpelt. I promise," Featherycloud mewed, licking her kit's cheek. Applekit wondered how she was managing to be calm compared to her oldest daughter.

"A-Are Rabbitkit and Umberkit gone?" Lavenderkit whimpered, burrowing into Forestdapple's side.

"Shhh," she murmured, wrapping her tail around her kits. "They'll come back. Go to sleep."

For once, none of the kits argued as they snuggled close to their mother. Outside, the storm rumbled.