Owlflight's Kits (Book One)

Chapter Eight

"Can you tell us another story, Olivefur?" Robinkit asked. Owlflight was sitting with Firepelt and Olivefur, the elder. Moons had passed since Songkit's death, and Firepelt was not so bad now. The kits were strong, all four now up and running around.

"Did you know that I was born before MudClan was even created?" Olivefur asked.

"Really? Did you know the great Muddy Feet?" Cloudkit asked.

"He was my mentor!" Olivefur laughed. "You know, you and your siblings are related to him!"

"We are? Really?" Stonekit jumped up. "That's so cool!"

Olivefur chuckled. "Yes, my mate was a GreenClan cat, Rainy Day, the daughter of Green Eyes."

"Who's Green Eyes?" Robinkit asked. He wasn't as playful as the other kits, seeming more quiet and relaxed. As soon as he was able to walk, the kit had never left his father's side. Owlflight was happy that his kit liked him, but also worried that Robinkit might be sick or something.

"Green Eyes created GreenClan, just like Muddy Feet, her brother, created MudClan." Olivefur explained. "My daughter, Frozenwater, was Foxclaw's mate."

"Foxclaw is old!" Cloudpool gasped. "Is he still alive?"

"Yes, he is a respected warrior of GreenClan." Olivefur let out a mrrow of laughter. "I'm going to leave now, if you don't mind. I'm hungry!"

"No, don't go!" Echokit cried, but Olivefur had already gone.

"Do you have any stories, Firepelt?" Cloudkit asked.

"No. Rest now, kits. You've too much energy.." Firepelt sighed.

"I'll take them off your paws for a bit, if you want?" Owlflight offered.

"I don't care, I just need to sleep!" Firepelt shook her head and sighed. "Just don't take them out of the camp."
Owlflight nodded, standing up, and motioned with a flick of his tail for the kits to follow. "Do you want to see the apprentices den?" He offered.

"Sure.. Just let me rest.. Don't take them out of camp." Firepelt said.

"Okay. Let's go see the apprentices in their den. You'll be apprentices just like them some day." Owlflight said, hoping that was true. Did Firepelt still plan to take her kits and leave MudClan?

"Okay!" Cloudkit said, racing ahead of the others. She bounded over to Spiderpaw, following her inside the den. Echokit and Stonekit soon followed, leaving only Robinkit with his father.

"Go on, Robinkit." Owlflight urged him. He nudged the grey kit forward, but Robinkit flattened his ears and backed into the nursery.

"What's the matter?" Firepelt asked nervously.

"Dunno." Owlflight nudged Robinkit again. "Go on! I'll be right behind you."

Robinkit flattened himself to the ground and shook his head. "I'll get Brownfur to have a look at him." Owlflight said, turning and pushing his way out of the nursery. He padded over to Brownfur's den, peeking inside.

Brownfur was arranging poppy seeds into a pile inside. "What is it, Owlflight?" He looked up, "Kits again?"

"Yes. I think you should have a look at Robinkit, he refuses to leave the nursery. I think he may be sick.."

Brownfur stood up and made his way towards the nursery, Owlflight right behind him. As he sat down to examine the kit, Owlflight remembered that he had sent the others to the apprentices den.

He went to check on them. Poking his head inside the den, all he saw was the two apprentices. "What is it?" Silverpaw asked.

"Where did the kits go?" Owlflight was beginning to worry.

"They left." Silverpaw said. "They were only in here for a few seconds.

"Didn't they go back to the nursery?" Spiderpaw asked. Owlflight shook his head, then left to search the camp.

The kits were nowhere to be found. Knowing kits, Owlflight guessed they had left the camp. Instead of worrying Firepelt, who was already worried about Robinkit, he asked Spiderpaw and Flamefur to come with him and look for them.

When they got outside, the mist of the waterfall soaked their pelts, chilling Owlflight to the bone. He shivered, praying to StarClan that his kits weren't out there, then stepped away from the waterfall and sniffed the air. Immediately he caught a whiff of Cloudkit's scent, then Stonekit's then Echokit's.

"Let's go. This way!" He called to Flamefur and Spiderpaw. The three cats trudged through the snow, bounding after the scent trail.

Soon, they found the three crouched near the river. "Echokit fell in!" Cloudkit said when she saw them.

"I helped her out, but now she's so cold.." Stonekit said. Flamefur bounded forward and picked up a tiny white bundle of fur that Owlflight hadn't seen before.

"Quick, bring her to Brownfur!" Owlflight spat. He bent down and picked up Stonekit, while Spiderpaw did the same with Cloudkit.

*

"There's nothing I can see that's wrong with Robinkit." Brownfur announced as the cats entered the camp. Then he saw Echokit, and his jaw dropped open. "Oh no!" He hissed, bounding over to the kit. He touched her in several places with his muzzle, prodded her with a paw, and even licked her a few times. Then he looked up, defeated. "Dead." He whispered.

"No!" Came Firepelt's voice, and Owlflight turned to see her bounding towards him. "She can't be dead! She can't!"