Warriors: Salmonstar's Fate

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

                Salmonkit was hardly listening when Smallstar called, “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around the RiverTree for a Clan meeting!”

                Salmonkit turned around, not wanting to go. Sandfur didn’t move away from Foxkit’s lifeless body either. But Troutfin picked Salmonkit up by the scruff and set her down underneath the large tree overhanging the river. “What happened today was a tragedy,” Smallstar began. “But we are RiverClan. Life must go on. And that’s why I’ve chosen now as the time to perform this ceremony.”

                “Icekit, Hailkit, step forward,” the RiverClan leader instructed. “Icekit, from now until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Icepaw. Seedstorm, you had a great mentor in Mosspool. I hope you pass on all you know to Icepaw.”

                “Hailkit, from this moment on until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as…” Smallstar’s voice faded as Salmonkit managed to sneak away without Troutfin noticing.

                Salmonkit found her father in the crowd. “Breezetail,” she whispered.

                He spun around, and his eyes were cold as he stared at her. “It’s your fault,” he hissed. “You could’ve saved her!”

                Salmonkit flinched back, the pain in her heart increasing. “Mommy!” she wailed.

                “Shut up!” Breezetail growled fiercely.

                Salmonkit turned and fled. She skidded to a halt next to Sandfur, who had her nose buried in Foxkit’s fur. “Sandfur, Breezetail says…” she began.

                “I don’t want to play any dumb games with you,” Sandfur snarled.

                “But that’s not what…” Salmonkit started.

                “Go away and leave me alone, you useless furball,” Sandfur muttered.

                Salmonkit could hardly believe how her parents were treating her. Nobody wants me here…I’m not important…

                She closed her eyes and padded miserably into the nursery.

***

                Salmonkit had a dream. There was a patch of land surrounded on all sides by hills except for a distant Twolegplace to her right. A stream cut through the center of the valley and she could see the abundant amount of fish in it. “This is the place you must find,” a voice in the wind meowed. “It is your destiny. It is the only way for you and your parents to ever realize where your heart truly lies.”

                “What do you mean?” Salmonkit asked.

                Is this a sign from StarClan? I mean, I’ve already thought about it of course, but are even my warrior ancestors telling me I’m not wanted here? That leaving is actually the right answer?

***

                Salmonkit woke up at the sound of pawsteps. Sandfur was entering the nursery as the sun was just now appearing in the sky. Her mother intentionally climbed into a nest at the opposite end of the nursery from where Salmonkit was sleeping. Both Frostcloud and Bluesplash gave her sympathetic looks.

                Foxkit was the only one who will ever matter to her. She doesn’t care about me…

                Salmonkit padded out of the nursery and glanced over her shoulder, but Sandfur didn’t even look up. She padded slowly across the camp. Breezetail was returning with the dawn patrol and he intentionally gave her a shove as he walked by. She stumbled but quickly regained her balance, and kept moving.

                 Salmonkit pushed her way through the reeds separating her from the stream that had taken her sister’s life.

                The young kit swam across the river without any trouble, numbly paddling to the other side. Her heart was already filled with regret and she wasn’t able to resist the desire to look back. The camp looked so peaceful, with warriors waking and marching out of their den, stretching in the sunlight. Foxkit’s body was being carried away by the elders. Owlfeather told the newly named Silvershine and Hollystorm that their long vigil was finally completed. Smallstar emerged from the bramble thicket that belonged to all RiverClan leaders and went over to speak with Troutfin about patrols. But Salmonkit could see that she wasn’t missed. She wouldn’t be missed even when they realized she was gone, gone for good. That knowledge weighed her down and made her paws seem heavier. I’m not needed…

                She lowered her head and forced herself to keep walking away from all she’d ever known…

A/N: Salmonkit is running away from RiverClan! What do you think? :D Hope you enjoyed!

Sandfur and Breezetail were SOOOOOOOOOOO MEAN! (Taylor Swift's song "Mean" starts playing in the background and all the she-cats in the ThunderClan camp start fighting about whether Taylor Swift is amazing or terrible and a gigantic prey-fight starts sorry about this being so random lol) :D