Runningfoot's Backstory

Chapter 1

Dreamkit lay awake in the early dawnlight peeking through the bracken walls of the nursery, trying to block out the annoying sounds coming from her nursery-mate, Gingerkit. Briarkit — who was next to her mother Windingriver — finally had enough of the awful mewing and screamed "Shut UP!!!". "Hey! Say sorry. Now. You shouldn't yell at others! You'll wake up the entire Clan", Windingriver scolded. "She already has," mewed Blazewhiskers as he padded in the nursery. He licked Windingriver's giver's ear, and Briarkit muttered a guilty sorry to Gingerkit.

Dreamkit tried not to giggle but failed and burst out laughing. Briarkit shot her a glare and Dreamkit stopped almost immediately and shrunk away. Owlkit — Gingerkit's sister — gave Dreamkit a sympathetic look, all of them knew Briarkit didn't like to get up early. Bluekit just looked at Dreamkit sleepily, for he seemed unbothered by Gingerkit's screeching, and mumbled a good morning to no one in particular as he clumsily got out of his nest. His large paws made a loud thud. "Be careful! You'll hurt your paws stomping around like that!", his overprotective mother, Loonsong cried. Blizzardfoot equally a tired as his son Bluekit walked into the den and chuckled, "You worry too much."

Springflower who was Dreamkit's mother became uncomfortable with how many cats were in the nursery. She quickly said, "Um, maybe we should go eat," Heatherflight who was Gingerkit and Owlkit's mother becoming uncomfortable as well, agreed and said, "You're old enough now to see the camp." All of the kits squealed in delight.

Dreamkit was so excited she could hardly stand it. She immediately had questions and things she wanted to see, but was too shy and embarrassed to ask. Even Briarkit perked her head up at the mention of leaving the nursery. Bluekit was excited too, but he was too hungry to watch where he was going and bumped into Toadhop, a pale brown tabby she-cat with green eyes. She was not too happy about the chubby kit running into her as she had just woken up.

Meanwhile, Gingerkit was having no pity for Littledawn's three kits Talonkit, Flowerkit, and Eaglekit and Quailfeather's kits Sagekit, Flaxkit, Bumblekit, and Larkkit, since they were born a few sunrises ago, and we're too young to leave the nursery.

He pranced outside in the snow taunting the poor kits, when Dreamkit spoke up and said, "Hey that's not nice! Don't you remember how we felt when Meltingpaw, Hailpaw, and Aspenpaw got to leave the nursery and we didn't?" The others were shocked that Dreamkit had spoken against Gingerkit, because she was the most reserved and quiet of the kits. Bluekit couldn't help staring at her with interest.

Gingerkit's smirk turned into a frown when he remembered when they were 1 moon old and the older kits got to explore the camp for the first time. When he stopped so suddenly she wondered if she said the wrong thing. But when he went and apologized, Springflower came up to her and purred. "You did the right thing. You knew what he was doing was wrong and you trusted your instincts. Never doubt your instincts. Only do what you think is right and you will go far." She licked her kit proudly. Dreamkit felt her chest swell up with pride.

They walked back to the fresh prey pile in the large clearing. She couldn't help but wonder why Bluekit looked at her oddly. She pushed the thought from her mind and picked out a vole smaller than the other prey. She knew with it being leaf-bare that food was scarce. She looked around in wonder at the fresh snow that now covered the ground. Had it really snowed enough to cover the whole camp just the previous night? She knew from the conversation coming from Leafpaw and Thunderpaw were having about the Gathering last night, that it had started to snow when they were heading back to camp, but this much? She continued to look at the warriors and apprentices with awe. She felt a sudden chilling breeze against her pelt, even through her thick coat it made her shiver.

Then she felt a warm body press up to her side, warming her instantaneously. She looked to her side to see Bluekit next to her. "You looked cold", he said, then quickly lowered his head in apology, "sorry...". She was surprised at the sudden guilt in his voice and said "You don't need to apologize at all, I don't even know why you're apologizing." He looked a little better. She suddenly had an idea, "Hey do you want to go find the others and see if they want to play?", her voice growing more excited by the minute. She was happy to see his face light up at her idea. "Betcha can't catch me!" She squealed as he scampered after her. Adderstrike, who was sharing tongues with Blizzardfoot, looked up from the thrush in front of him and exchanged glances with Blizzardfoot, they wondered what was going to happen with their kits. They looked on at the two kits chasing each other as they squealed in delight.

Clearstar had been watching the kits coming out of the nursery. He reminisced the memories of his kithood for a moment before padding across the clearing to greet them. They stopped short when the gray purple-eyed she-kit was about to pounce on the large pawed tom kit that was laying on the ground.

He chuckled to himself as the two kits stared at him wide eyed in awe. "Are you Clearstar?" the small gray she-kit asked quietly. "Yes, I am Clearstar, the leader of ForestClan, young kits." If it even was possible, the cream-colored tom's eyes widened even larger. "Hey you guys," the other kits cried, rushing towards the two, "what are you doing?" They stopped when they saw Clearstar, eyes as wide as the other two kits' had. "I see your friends are coming to join us too," he looked at the tiny kits "What are your names little ones?" inquired Clearstar.

"I'm Dreamkit" the gray she-kit said half nervous, half excited. "I'm Bluekit" the large pawed kit exclaimed. The ginger and gray tom kit mewed, "I'm Gingerkit." I can see why, thought Clearstar. The pale brown she-kit said, "I'm Gingerkit's sister, Owlkit." "And I am Briarkit," the fox-colored she-kit said.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Gingerkit, Owlkit, Briarkit, Bluekit, and Dreamkit." Clearstar looked at the future warriors. His eyes widened. "Five will bring hope to your Clan," he half whispered. "What did you say?" Briarkit asked confused. "Nothing, I have to do something, um, would you excuse me?" he said quickly. "Okay," said Dreamkit. "Are you gonna do something only for leaders?" Bluekit asked curiously. "Kind of," said Clearstar, it was hard to ignore how curious this kit was.

As Clearstar walked off, Dreamkit couldn't help but wonder what he was doing. But once again she pushed another thought out of her mind.

Their mothers called them back to the nursery, Dreamkit looked at the sky in shock when she realized that they'd been outside all day. She realized how tired her paws were. She padded tiredly towards the nursery where Springflower was waiting. The other kits followed her.

"How was the camp?" Littledawn asked the kits curiously, her own kits wanted to know what it was like as well. "It was great!" Dreamkit murmured sleepily. "We met Clearstar!" echoed Bluekit. "Wow, you look tired," said Quailfeather. "We're not tired!" exclaimed Gingerkit, "We could stay," he yawned, "up...all...night..." He drifted to sleep. "Well I guess it was a busy day for us all," said Heatherflight, moving Gingerkit closer to her. "Goodnight everyone." Dreamkit felt her eyelids getting heavy as they closed.

AN:

I've just been in the whole it's finally summer thing with all the craziness going on so I'll be updating in a frenzy so I can have this up so it is at where my docs is. (I'm just copying and pasting lol.) Also, my dear, dear friend Epiceeveelicious (so many letters) has a story up called Loyalty, I know she'd really appreciate it if you read it.

~ Wolf ;3