The Flood Of Power Book 1: New Moon

Chapter 10

The ShadowClan patrol returned to camp, carrying the bodies of Seedpaw and Nutpaw. Squirrelfoot tried keeping her kits away from the battered cats, but they wriggled away, only to be stopped by Horseear, who was due in about a moon.

"You two are not allowed to see this. Wait until they're all fixed up." The calico queen meowed sternly.

Squirrelfoot picked up Nightkit in her jaws and carried him to the nursery. Horseear snatched up Mistkit before he could escape. He glared at his paws until she set him down in his nest.

"You'll make a very good mother once you have your own kits." His mother praised the other queen.

Horseear purred. "Kits are adorable, but they sure are a pawful."

"You barely know the half of it. These two cause enough trouble, imagine having more than two or three."

"If I have more than three, I might need some help handling them." Horseear lied down. "I'm only one moon into this, and my belly is sooo heavy. I assume it will only get worse before it gets better."

"Yeah," Mistkit's mother agreed with a sigh, "but these two were worth the pain and discomfort." She nuzzled Mistkit lovingly. He leaned against her soft pelt, happy for these moons where he had no responsibilities whatsoever.

"We'll be sitting vigil for Seedpaw and Nutpaw tonight. It's not right that they lost their lives when so many other cats are still alive." Horseear's ears drooped.

"No apprentices should have gone to that battle. It was dangerous for warriors, who have the fighting skill, but apprentices are not skilled enough to face foxes." His mother sighed again. "I'm shocked that there weren't more dead cats. Seven foxes can cause a lot of damage."

"No matter, at least we know that our kin are safe." Horseear's mate, Pinefrost, had returned safely from the battle, but his apprentice had been Nutpaw. "Pinefrost will be mourning longer than one night. I think we all will."

Mistkit wanted to hear more, but sleep dragged at his eyelids and he let them close.

He awoke later to Ashstar's voice. "Will the Clan please gather to mourn the deaths of two exceptional ShadowClan apprentices." Squirrelfoot nudged Mistkit and Nightkit out of the nursery after Horseear. The Clan was crowding around the bodies of the dead apprentices.

Ashstar sat near Nutpaw's head. He neither looked sad or like he mourned the loss of the two apprentices. Mistpaw knew his leader was kind and understanding, yet he'd expected him to look more mournful.

"Mistkit, come here." Squirrelfoot whispered, beckoning him over to her. She was lying near Seedpaw's back.

Doefoot, Seedpaw and Nutpaw's mother, stood up. "They were always excited about training and awaited the day they were going to become warriors." She sat back down, hanging her head.

Darkpaw stood up next. "They were great denmates. Even though they always joked about how I snore, they were kind about it. I will really miss them." A sob escaped the mottled grey tom's throat and he sat down again.

Long hours passed as each cat in the Clan spoke of their memories of the apprentices. About half of the Clan had spoken by the time Mistkit drifted back into sleep.

"A kit who doesn't like to talk. He seems like the type of kit you would love, ---." A soft voice murmured.

Another voice purred. "He would. Alas, you know we are too far away to visit. Another time, another generation. We will meet many seasons from now."

Soft whispers tickled his ears, but his eyes didn't open. Where am I? Someone get me out of here! StarClan? He thought frantically. Gentle laps of a cat's tongue slowly eased him awake.