Applewhisker's Life

Chapter 1

"Redkit!" Meowed Applekit. "Can I play with you?" "No! Whitetail promised me to show me the hunting crouch, after all, he is the best hunter in the clan!" Redkit boasted.

Applekit looked at him admiringly, he's so handsome she thought. "I'll play with you, I'll teach you some hunting moves!" Onekit bounced over. Redkit looked at his littermate defiantly. "You can try. My games are always better than yours." He sniffed. "Redkit!" Rosepetal's cream pelt flashed at the corner of Applekit's eye. "Don't say such things about your littermate!"

"Fine." Redkit mewed crossly. "I was about to leave." He stomped away. "Where's he going to?" Rosepetal looked after Redkit. "Whitetail told him that he would show Redkit the hunting crouch!" Onekit squeaked crossly, "I don't believe him! If Whitetail said it, then he would tell me too!" Rosepetal wrapped her tail around Onekit. "I agree." Rosepetal mewed.

"Applekit!" Squirrelfire's mew sounded from the other side of the nursery. "I'm back from the hunting patrol!" "Squirrelfire!" Applekit scampered toward her mother, ignoring Onekit's mew, "hey! We haven't started playing yet!"

"Can we go find Smoketail?" Applekit asked hopefully. "I don't know. He might be on a hunting patrol." Squirrelfire mewed thoughtfully. Applekit heart sank with disappointment. "Please!" Applekit pleaded. "Ok." Squirrelfire sighed.

"Great! I'll ask Redkit if he wants to come too!" Applekit ran toward Redkit. "Redkit!" She panted. "What? Whitetail was about to show me a fighting move!" He meowed impatiently.

"No I was not! Also, didn't I tell you to go get Onekit for your apprentice ceremony?" Whitetail nudged Redkit with his nose. "Fine!" He stormed away. "Um, Whitetail?" Applekit asked shyly. "Am I becoming an apprentice too?" Whitetail nodded.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath highledge!" Quailstar yowled. "Redkit, Onekit, and Applekit, from this moment on you will be known as Redpaw, Onepaw, and Applepaw! Redpaw, your mentor will be Smoketail! Onepaw, your mentor will be Leaffeather! Applepaw, your mentor will be Whitetail!" Quailstar announced. "Onepaw, Redpaw, Applepaw!" Chanted the cats below.

"Applepaw!" Redpaw yowled. "Come with us to the RiverClan border!" Redpaw was waiting at the entrance with Smoketail, Onepaw, and his mentor, Leaffeather. "Ok!" Applepaw meowed. "Can we go too, Whitetail?" She pleaded. "I suppose," he grunted. Near the RiverClan border... "remember the rules, no touching the water or crossing the border." Whitetail instructed. "We know." Redpaw rolled his eyes, "you've told us that like a thousand times!"

"He just wants us to be safe, Redpaw." Applepaw mewed, defending her mentor. "Yeah, Redpaw!" Onepaw joined in. "Now, now, RiverClan can hear you from their camp!" Leaffeather rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath. Redpaw glared at them and stomped right toward the RiverClan border. "Wait! The border..." Smoketail ran after his apprentice.

"What are you doing on our territory, mange-pelt?" Waterpaw, a RiverClan apprentice hissed. "Mind your own business!" Redpaw snapped back. "Get off our territory!" Waterpaw snarled in his face, shoving him close to the water's edge. Redpaw got up, but he slipped and fell into the water. "No!" Whitetail roared, and leaped into the water to save Redpaw. When he finally came out of the water, he was holding Redpaw's limp body by his scruff. "He's gone." He bowed his head. "He would have made an outstanding warrior." Smoketail comforted his deputy.

Onepaw was frozen to the spot. "Redpaw?" Applepaw looked at Redpaw's body. "You, you can't be dead. Redpaw? Redpaw!?" "Redpaw" Onepaw looked shocked, his eyes fixed on his dead littermate's body. "Let's bring him back to camp," Leaffeather mewed softly.