Flames At Night: Book 1: A Shattered Path

Chapter Nine

This one's sad

Applekit

Applekit stared at the camp entrance, waiting for the search patrols to come back. It had been several hours, and sunhigh was long gone. For once, none of her littermates were bothering her, as they were all anxious about their denmates. Finally, several cats came into the camp, carrying two small bundles.

Featherycloud immediately raced forward, licking her kit, comforting him. Applekit was confused. Rabbitkit?

Then she saw one of the warriors gently lay out a small body in the clearing, and she knew. Featherycloud let out a wail of grief, matched by Dottedpelt and Umberkit.

Bloomingpaw was storming towards the apprentices' den. Applekit followed her, and saw the violet-eyed she-cat curled up in her nest, sobbing. She quietly walked over to her.

"Are you okay?" she asked, licking her friend's cheek. Bloomingpaw rolled over and stared at her.

"No, I'm not okay!" she snapped. Applekit shrank back, and Bloomingpaw sighed and wrapped her tail around the black she-kit. "It's not your fault. It isn't anyone's, really." She took a shaky breath. "We found them pretty fast, you know? But it wasn't fast enough, and when we found Umberkit, he was sitting under a bush, next to Rabbitkit. And Rabbitkit wouldn't wake up, and Umberkit was upset, and- it was just really sad, okay?"

Applekit said nothing, only pressed closer to her friend. Neither of them moved. At some point, Snowypaw came in and lay down next to them. The three she-cats stayed in the nest till morning.