Gingerpelt

Chapter 2

After a moon, I learned every RiverClan cats' name. I'm an official kit of RiverClan even though when I first came here I knew I was born in a different clan.

The nursery is boring and filled with more squealing kits than when I first got here. I can't even leave camp until I'm an apprentice! But, I learned all about the other clans, StarClan, the warrior code, twolegs and their dogs, our leader, medicine cat and deputy, our elders, our warriors... EVERYTHING! Mothwing told me that having that kind of information would get me ahead of the other apprentices.

Mothwing's kit, Flamekit, is also 3 moons old, so we'll be made apprentices together! I like Flamekit. He's a nice ginger tom with light blue eyes.

"Can we go outside?" I pouted to Mothwing. She turned around looking exhausted and mewed a simple "Ok, but don't go too far!"

The first time I left the nursery I got a tour of the camp. Since then I've played games with Flamekit just outside the entrance to the nursery.

We padded past Birdnose's new, small mewling kits to get outside.

"Wow! I thought I'd never get outside with them in the way!" Flamekit complained.

"Ya. I really needed some fresh air!" I agreed. Birdnose had her first kits about a moon ago. They still acted like they were just born.

"Wanna play warrior and intruder?" I suggested.

"Well... Not really. I want to go out there." He said, pointing to the camp entrance.

"But we're kits! We're not allowed to leave camp!" I argued, even though I really wanted to go outside.

"So? Are you... Scared?" Oh no he didn't.

"SCARED? ME? NO!" I screamed in his ear making him flinch.

"Then lets go before the dawn patrol gets back!" He mewed.

We raced to the entrance and I squeezed through in front of him.

"Ha! I got through first!" I said, making sure he was annoyed.

"So you wanna play it that way, huh? Race you to the river!"

"You're on!" I said, pelting away.

I easily reached the river before Flamekit.

"You're fast!" He said, panting.

I nodded and looked across the river to ThunderClan's territory. Could that be my real clan? That's the clan with the familiar forest.

I looked harder and saw a bushy ginger tail sticking from a bush on the other side of the river. FLAMEKIT! I run across the stepping stones and clawed playfully at his tail.

"Hey! What are you doing in ThunderClan territory?" I asked.

I was replied by a low growling sound as a ginger tom launched at me. Freaking out, I fell backwards into a bush as thorns tugged at my fur.

"What are YOU doing on ThunderClan territory?" He demanded.

"I-I-I'm sorry!" I stammered feeling his sharp claws keeping me down.

"Sorry? That doesn't answer my question!" The ginger tom yelled.

"I left camp and thought you were my denmate but... I don't know where he is!" I shrieked, freaking out.

He looked me up and down.

"You're a small apprentice." He said, eventually.

"Apprentice? I'm not an apprentice!"

"So you're a kit? Kits aren't supposed to leave camp!" He scolded.

"I'm sorry! I'll just... Go back home now!"

"I'll let you go this time, but if I see you again I'll shred you!"

"Ok." I gulped, as he let me go I looked into his eyes. Bright green like mine. He looked a lot like me and in the moment we caught each other's eye, we realized that. I went back across the stepping stones and looked back to see him staring at me. He smelled familiar. I shook him from my head and went back to camp.

Flamekit was there with Mothwing, waiting for me. By the look on Flamekit's face I guessed that Mothwing lectured him about the dangers there are to a kit who leaves camp. I braced myself the same lecture.

"Gingerkit! Flamekit told me what happened. He told me that when you went outside the camp he heard you call his name so he went over and saw you on the other side of the river with a large ThunderClan warrior on top of you. I was just about to go save you." Mothwing said.

"I'm sorry! I never should've left camp in the first place!"

"It's ok. As long as you're safe." Was Mothwing more worried than mad?

Mothwing told Flamekit to go rest and motioned for me to follow her to a quiet corner.

"Describe the ThunderClan warrior to me." She demanded.

"He was a tall, muscular ginger tom with bright green eyes. He looked a lot like me."

"Fireheart." Mothwing muttered, as curiosity shot through her mind.

"Do you know about your real clan?" She asked, carefully.

"Yes. I know that I was born in ThunderClan. But, I'm a RiverClan cat now! Don't ever question my loyalty! I'll be the most loyal cat RiverClan has ever seen!" I declared.

"Spoken like a true warrior. I'm so proud of you!" Mothwing purred, padding back to the nursery. Proud with myself, I followed her and the scents of nursery make me realize that no matter how loud and crammed it is in there, it's better than going out of camp.