Overshadowed

Kits!

Chapter 7

/2 moon later/

Graypaw stretched, tail trembling. It had been two moons since the ground started to yowl, and everything was progressing well. Windheart had given birth to four healthy kits named Stonekit, Icekit, Grasskit, and Shadekit. Graypaw wanted to train Shadekit if she had an apprentice once she was a warrior, since Shadekit had the black and gray color coat like she did. She sighed; the thaw brought water levels high, so none of the clans had been able to go the gathering, especially because there was a stream that circled around the gathering area and leaf back into the river, making the stream swollen and the dip in the ground to rise with water. It was the night of the gathering, and the stars twinkled brighter than she had ever seen them. Robinstar stood on the rock, and announced the gathering cats, "Dovefeather, Graceflower, Moonpaw, Graypaw, Snakepaw, Bramblepaw, Blackstream, Leopardleaf, Whiskerstone, and Flinteyes. We will leave after you all eat." Graypaw purred, Robinstar allowed the old Whiskerstone to attend to his first gathering in moons, since he just started getting back on his paws again. She had also let all the apprentices go for their last gathering as apprentices. She bounced on her paws lightly, it would be her final assessment tomorrow, and she was hoping to pass it. She grabbed a rabbit, a rare catch in RainClan, and padded toward the nursery. Windheart greeted her with a purr, and Icekit and Shadekit crawled onto her pelt, squealing in joy. The other two held back, like always. Stonekit and Grasskit didn't like her very well, and most likely were being told to not trust her by Feathermist, who was expecting kits again, with Flinteyes.

She glanced at Feathermist, narrowing her eyes at the queen. She probably just had kits with Frostheart because he was the deputy. Graypaw looked down at Shadekit, and she noticed the nick in the tip of it. Icekit had a similar one. Graypaw bent down to lick the nicks in their ears. She whispered, "What happened?" The two kits looked at their paws, ears flat. Graypaw growled, "Was it Feathermist?" Shadekit nodded, paws trembling.

Shadekit mewed, "She doesn't like us. She says we shouldn't trust you, but I don't think we should trusther!" The young kits voice took a crying pitch, catching Feathermist's attention.

Feathermist whipped her head around snarling, "That fox-dung kit! She tol-"Feathermist's voice stopped when she noticed her, standing there, eyes blazing in rage.

Graypaw stalked toward the queen, and snarled, "You're hurting kits? How would you feel if I just went to one of your newborn kits and scarred them for life?" She spat it in Feathermist's face. A paw raised with her claws unsheathed. Feathermist snarled, and lashed out a paw, clawing her over the nose. In instinct, she lashed out her own paw, scoring deep scratch marks on Feathermist's cheek. Graypaw spat, "I hope that was enough to teach you to not hurt any more kits!" Feathermist hissed at her, and turned the other way. Grasskit stared in shock at her, most likely surprised by her lack of mercy for the arrogant queen. She sighed, curling her tail over her paws. She tugged the rabbit toward herself and the kits, and mewed lightly, "Eat some if you want." The kits all sprang for the rabbit, taking mouthfuls. Graypaw purred, even though they hardly took anything out of the rabbit. Graypaw took a bite, tearing the rabbit. She swallowed, relishing the taste. Shadekit, who was next to her, stared in surprise at the massive piece she had ripped out from the rabbit, then looked at what she had done.

Shadekit squealed, "Wow! I never thought any cat could take a bite that big!"

Graypaw purred, licking the kit over her ears, "One day you'll take bites like that!" All of them returned to the eating until the rabbit was gone. Graypaw pushed the bones outside, and buried them in the earth. She waved her tail in farewell, and headed toward the gathering cats. Her fur bristled as she saw Snakepaw looking at her, eyes round and shining with starlight. They had made up a few days after she had gotten mad, and they were on good terms again. Robinstar beckoned the cats with her tail, and they headed out of the camp. Graypaw dropped to the back of the group, keeping her ears angled behind them. She padded along the familiar trail, until they got to the gathering area. The clan dived in, settling among friends. She scanned the clearing, looking for Shadowblaze. The two had met at the border instead of the gathering place, and she was hoping he was at the gathering. Instead she was met with angry hisses. She stared levelly at three SwiftClan cats.