Turtleheart's Path

Chapter 4

Turtlekit felt a prod at her side and opened her eyes. She saw Bramblestar's worried face above her with Hawkgrowl at her side. "Turtlekit! What is wrong with you?" Her mother demanded. She looked beyond her face, seeing the moon falling. "I wanted to be closer to Ivykit." Turtlekit climbed to her paws. "You are lucky some fox didn't take your pelt!" Hawkgrowl hissed. "Get on my back, let's go back to camp. Lionkit was worried sick, he couldnt even sleep." Bramblestar leaned down. She climbed onto her mother's scarred back and clung on. "You have so many scars." She mewed. "Yes dear, I have survived many things but losing a kit seems to be the hardest. Can you imagine if I were to have lost two?" Turtlekit sighed. "I'm sorry, Bramblestar. I'll stay in camp." Hawkgrowl flicked his tail, hitting her face with it. Turtlekit let go of her mother's back with one paw and batted at her father's tail. She giggled which lightened the mood some.
Turtlekit curled up with Lionkit, their heads put together as she fell asleep with her brother's paws gently kneading her belly as he purred. In her dream, she was hunting a vole. She crept up on it before it ran away, she felt a strange presence. "Hello?" Turtlekit meowed out into the glittering forest. A hushed whisper was heard from a bush, then it rattled and she saw a figure stroll out.
"Ivykit!" Turtlekit yowled, scrambling to her sister's sparkling body. "You look so.." Ivykit smiled. "Unhurt. Starclan takes away your scars and scratches when you come to them. Tigersnarl, one of the eldest cats, is going to guide me around and teach me to hunt!" She purred. Turtlekit sat down. "How will i go on without you?" She sighed. Ivykit stretched. "Without me? You think I'm leaving you forever?" Her whiskers twitched. "I can see your sulking all day everyday. We watch from up here. You must go, the day is near. Goodbye little sister." Ivykit purred. Turtlekit tried to speak but she woke up. Lionkit was sleeping, his paws resting on her belly.
She padded into the clearing. "Four moons old today!" Bramblestar yawned, sitting near her. "Want to go see Woolfur with me?" She asked the now lined up kits. "Yes!" Lionkit sprang to his paws. "Yay!" Briarkit padded after him. Turtlekit remained. "Can I talk to you in the leader's den?" She asked her mom. "It seems important, so yes. Come now. Kits, be good! We'll join you soon!" She called to the kits as they disappeared into the woven den for Woolfur.
"What is it, dear?" Bramblestar lay on her belly, paws in front of her. "I saw Ivykit last night. She visited my dream." Turtlekit smiled. "She looked perfect. Like she was alive." Bramblestar looked down at her. "That is wonderful." She purred. Turtlekit flicked her tail. "Am I supposed to be a medicine cat now?" She asked. "I heard many voices and dreamt of them as an apprentice, now I am a leader. It is all your choice, Turtlekit." Relief flooded her mind as she sighed. "Good, I want to be just like you when I'm a warrior." Bramblestar purred. "So you shall be. Now come on, I'm sure we are missing the best stories." The two padded from the leader's den and rounded Tall rock and slipped into the elder den.