Battlecats - The Path to the Trees

Chapter 1

          Gingerkit bounded playfully after a golden tom-kit, batting softly at his rear to encourage him to play. His fur bushed out in irritation at her advances and the tip of his tail flicked in annoyance. Quit being so boring Goldenkit! The she-kit thought as she rolled her eyes at him. She continued to bat at the golden tom-kit–her brother–Goldenkit.

          "Gingerkit, enough!" He snapped, his head whipping around to face her. "I don't want to play!" Goldenkit then hurried to take cover behind a dark gray she-cats long legs as she walked ahead of them.

          "Come on Goldenkit," Gingerkit mewed, bouncing on her paws toward him then dropping into a playful crouch. "You be the DarkPod battlecat and I'll be the WebPod battlecat." She lashed her tail excitedly, "And we'll see who wins the Grand River." She flattened her ears and wiggled her haunches in preparation to pounce.

          Goldenkit hissed indignantly, scurrying behind the dark gray she-cat's legs once more. "I'm most certainly not playing the DarkPod battlecat Gingerkit...again," he narrowed his eyes at her. "The last time I was it, you tossed me nearly halfway across the podgrounds." Goldenkit meowed, peeking from behind Scorchbird's right hindleg and sticking his tongue out at her.

          "I did not," The she-kit rolled her eyes, getting up from her position and padding after the two cats. "You're being dramatic." She mewed as she passed the dark gray she-cat and her brother. He always had to play fair.

          "The both of you, hush and stop your bickering. You're both littermates for SkyPod's sake, y'all should act like it." The dark gray she-cat, their mother, Scorchbird, reprimanded. Her yellow gaze was sharp and commanding but still full of motherly love and affection. Gingerkit stopped to listen to her mother's words before she rolled her eyes indignantly and continued forward.

          Gingerkit did not like being told what to do. Although she didn't, she typically listened closely to Scorchbird's words. Gingerkit knew her mother meant well and only wanted what was best for her and Goldenkit. She had told them as much! However, that didn't mean the little calico she-kit always listened to her mothers wisdom. Scorchbird was the only cat Gingerkit listened to. Scorchbird was strong and well respected in their pod, WebPod. Gingerkit took a lot of pride in knowing that.

          And she, of course, listened to Fallenheart. He too was a well respected and revered cat in their pod. Not just their own but in the other two pods as well; LeafPod and DarkPod. Gingerkit hoped to one day be as great and respected as both her mother and Fallenheart. Goldenkit, however, was the total opposite. Gingerkit didn't understand how they could even be related. Her brother stuck close to their mother, and followed her and every other cats' every word. He followed every word their mother mewed and listened carefully and considerately to the stories told by the mothers that shared the suckle den.

          It was a fairly hot sun-time day. Gingerkit, Scorchbird, and Goldenkit were enjoying the warm rays of sunlight outside the suckle den. They had moved along toward the fresh kill mound where the rays of the sun had shifted to indicate that it was now at its highest point. Gingerkit had wanted to enjoy a nice game of battecats with her sibling but his introverted nature seemed to persuade him from joining. Once they had reached the kill mound, Scorchbird settled down beside it while Goldenkit grabbed a fresh mole for the both of them to share.

          Gingerkit made her way over to them and plopped down beside her brother who quietly bit into the body of the mole. The calico she-kit scanned the clearing, her thoughts lazy as she looked for the black pelt of Ratkit, the brown and white pelt of Viperkit, or the tan tabby fur of Tankit. Maybe they would like to play?