Chapter Five

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-May 26th-
-Cloudkit is 2 moons old-
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Cloudkit hid in the shadows of a bramble den. Her fluffy tail twitched at the tip slightly, but she was silent. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a flash of pale tabby fur in the darkness. She knew immediately it was Fernkit, and at her side, ginger fur almost touching hers, was Tulipkit.

   It was a few hours away from sunhigh outside and a patrol had gone out the night before at moonhigh to make sure RiverClan were staying in their own hunting grounds. The cats had returned at dawn, so that meant they were all out sharing prey. But as the sun rolled farther into the sky, they would all be retreating to their nests.

   That was what the three kits were waiting for. . .

   It wasn't long before the entrance to the warriors den rustled and Leopardfrost stalked in, practically swaying on his paws before he flopped down into his nest, followed by Petalfern, whose nest was beside his. After them followed three other warriors that the kits hadn't caught the names of yet.

   As they all settled down in their nests, Fernkit flicked her tail up over her back. That was the signal. This is so exciting! Cloudkit thought as she burst forward. All three kits jumped from the shadows and started growling and yowling, startling all five warriors.

   A black tom with white ears whipped around and hissed as Cloudkit jumped down in between him and a tortoiseshell she-cat, who looked extremely alarmed as Cloudkit stuck out her tongue and flung it around, making a noise like the mix between a hiss and a gurgle.

   "Kits!" a brown tom snarled, getting to his paws beside the tortoiseshell. Cloudkit looked up at his fierce blue gaze. He was intimidating despite his slightly smaller size and Cloudkit saw it as their cue to escape.

   "Retreat!" she yowled. Fernkit and Tulipkit stopped their terrorizing and followed her as she ran past a very ticked off Leopardfrost and out the entrance. She laughed in hysterics as she ran out, her sisters quickly catching up.

   "Softpelt!" Leopardfrost's voice hissed behind them. "Keep your brats in line will you?!"

   Brats? Cloudkit thought with a huff, but decided to ignore the jibe and continued running, her head turned back to look at the disheveled warriors in their den. Softpelt was by the nursery and she immediately hung her head. "Not again. . . ," she groaned.

   "Cloudkit, look out!"

   Cloudkit heard these words from her sisters, as they both skidded to a halt behind her. She tilted her head and looked in front of her. Before she knew what was happening, she slammed into something hard and furry and she fell backwards, just catching herself with her fore-paws and saving herself from bashing her head on the ground.

   She shook her head and huffed as she looked up to see what had gotten in her way. There before her, was a strong looking tabby tom, with strong shoulders and rippling muscles. His golden eyes were fierce and his russet fur was almost identical to Cloudkit's own pelt.

   Her now green eyes brightened. Daddy! she thought excitedly. "Foxblaze!" she purred aloud, getting to her paws. Fernkit and Tulipkit came up on either side of her and looked up at their father with shining eyes.

   Foxblaze looked down at them, his golden eyes narrowed angrily. His stare made Cloudkit's excitement fade into dread and she flattened her ears back against her head. Tulipkit and Fernkit shrunk too. "We're sorry we bothered the warriors." Cloudkit mewed at last, her voice shaky. We're in trouble now, she thought.

  "You should be," Foxblaze rumbled.

   Cloudkit was about to speak again when Softpelt's scent wafted over her and the gray queen came bounding up beside her mate. "Hello, Foxblaze," she purred, pressing her side against his momentarily. Foxblaze twitched an ear and licked her on one of hers.

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