Warriors: Whitekit's Dream [Book One of the Voiceless Series]

Chapter Twenty-Two

"Whitekit, Whitekit! Calm down, little one. It's only a dream," Heatherstone murmured soothingly, brushing her tail over the kit's back.

Whitekit gasped and opened her eyes. She blinked once--twice.

She was back in the medicine den, her fur was no longer drenched and covered with dirt and dust. The buildings of EmpireClan were standing upright, and the sun was shining--a streak of light entered the den, warming Whitekit in her nest.

"Don't worry, Whitekit," Heatherstone smiled. "It was only a dream, whatever it was."

Whitekit could feel herself shaking still, despite Heatherstone's attempt to comfort her. It felt so real. . . She thought. What was that?

Heatherstone stood up and fetched a fresh cobweb. She skillfully changed the dressing on Whitekit's small wound.

"You should be back in the nursery in no time, and then you'll become apprenticed!" The medicine cat spoke cheerfully.

Right, right! I'll become an apprentice soon! Whitekit thought, her mood suddenly lifting. I wonder who my mentor will be!

Heatherstone chuckled as she tossed the dirty, old cobwebs to the side. "I don't think you'd want to spend your last days as a kit cooped up in here, would you?"

Whitekit smiled and shook her head sheepishly.

"Well, go on! You can go and play for a little--come back when I call you, though. I'll change the dressing and fix you up until you're ready to fly!"

Whitekit smiled, shaking off the bad thoughts of her dream. After all. . . It was just a dream, right?

Whitekit scurried away, crashing into Ryekit.

The tom smiled at his sister. "Hiya, Whitekit!" He greeted cheerfully.

Whitekit smiled and pawed at her brother playfully.

"What do you want to play?" Ryekit asked. "Mossball? Catch-the-mouse? Warrior?"

Whitekit took her time in deciding. Ryekit's mossball is really Wolfkit's. . . It's very old. . . I wonder how Tumblekit and Tallpoppy are doing. They must be very sad,

"Well?" Ryekit asked impatiently.

Whitekit crouched down and unsheathed her claws before sheathing them again.

"Warrior it is!" Ryekit announced with excitement. "But wait! We can't just have two clans! Palekit! Palekit, Tumblekit! We need more clans to play!" The tom shrieked, looking around for the two she-kits.

Palekit appeared, bouncing over to her siblings. "I'm here, I'm here! But Tumblekit is with Tallflower." Then, she whispered, "They're very sad, and won't come out of the nursery. Finchwing brought them food today."

Whitekit bit her lip--she felt awful for her friend, who had lost so much in the past moon. Compared to Tumblekit, Whitekit felt lucky.

"Oh, okay," Ryekit licked his muzzle. "Well, it's too bad. TumbleClan usually wins! I guess. . . RyeClan is going to win this battle today!" He squealed excitedly, tackling Palekit with sheathed claws.

Palekit squealed with excitement. "Hey! PaleClan might win today!" She said, pawing at his face.

Whitekit giggled silently and joined her siblings in a pile of fluff and paws.

* * *

"I'm still hungry!" Ryekit whined. "Can I have some of your piece, Palekit?"

Palekit hissed playfully, quickly gobbling up her morsel of pigeon. "No way! You already had more than me!" 

Whitekit licked her muzzle, finishing her juicy, warm piece. She and her family were sitting in the clearing of camp, Willowshade and Thunderfoot sharing their own pigeon while the kits shared another one.

Willowshade purred. "I really do hope we have more kits," she commented, looking up at the sky. Though it was late, the sun was only just beginning to set.

Thunderfoot licked his mate's ear. "They're a joy, watching them grow up and all."

Willowshade nodded. "And perhaps Finchwing will join me this time--she and Strikeclaw seem very happy together."

Thunderfoot nodded. "That would be great--you could use some company."

Meanwhile, Ryekit and Palekit argued over who Ryekit's mentor would be.

Ryekit laughed whole-heartedly. "I think Wildstar will be my mentor!" He said.

"No, you're not that great!" Palekit taunted.

"Am too! Wildstar would be very happy to have me as an apprentice! I would work very, very hard and get onto the Flight Team!" Ryekit insisted.

"Maybe, maybe not!" The gray she-kit giggled, finishing her dinner.

"I'll become leader! But you'll be stuck in a den all day with smelly herbs," her brother said.

"No. . . I get to go outside and learn defense moves, so ha!" Palekit said excitedly.

Whitekit stayed silent as always, wishing she could play along with her bickering siblings. She coughed, looking around camp.

It was mostly silent. Whitekit noticed Stoneleap sitting by himself, chewing slowly on a mouse. He must be sad, Whitekit noted. Both Echomoon and Jaggedwing are gone! They were his best friends.

Sure enough, Stoneleap sighed, burying his head in his paws. Whitekit couldn't tell if he was crying or not.

EmpireClan was becoming smaller and smaller--first the loss of Wolfkit, then Echomoon and Valleysong. Jaggedwing was gone now too.

It seemed empty without the four cats, and Whitekit was sure that Ivyfang was soon to pass away. The elder seemed miserable, sleeping in the elder's den mostly.

At times, Ivyfang would slowly pad out into the EmpireClan clearing. That's what the elder had done at the moment. Whitekit saw the elder and walked over with a slight bounce in her step.

"Why. . . Hello, Whitekit," Ivyfang purred, her speech crackly and high.

Whitekit blinked her eyes in a respectful greeting.

"I suppose you want a story?" Ivyfang continued.

Whitekit nodded eagerly, sitting down and curling her tail over her delicate brown paws.

Ivyfang chuckled. "Alright. . . I see. I think I've got a real good one for you, young one! I have told it moon after moon to many kits. . ."

Whitekit settled, watching the elder intently.

"It's the story. . . Of how the clans were created," Ivyfang said, clearing her throat.

"Once, the City was filled with life."

A/N:

This chapter was a little short, 960 words or so. Hope you enjoyed it! It's a little transition to the next chapter, which is the story of the City :)

I'm super excited for the Epilogue XD I thought of something really good. . . I think 😅🐾