Revenge (Sequel To Embarrassing Love)

Chapter 4

Emberkit looked from badger to badger, their beady eyes staring him down. The badger holding him set him down. A large badger that bore a scar on her flank and a torn ear emerged from a burrow. She shook her fur and padded over to Emberkit. He coward behind the badger's leg who brought him to this camp.

The badger made a series of grunts, growls, and yips. She occasionally glanced down at Emberkit. Then, she spoke, "Hello young cat."

"H-hello." Emberkit replied nervously.

"My name be Evening. I daughter of great mother-badger Midnight. I learn cat speak from her. Who are you?" she said huskily.

"I'm Emberkit." he meowed, this time a bit more confident.

"You be tired. Rest now Emberkit." the badger motioned with her massive head to an alder bush.

"Follow." the badger who brought Emberkit grunted. She padded over to the bush and crawled in. Emberkit followed her in.

"So what is your name?" Emberkit asked after laying down next to the badger's paw.

"I be River."  she answered.

"Where am I?" 

"Midnight. It is place where badgers stay to avoid bloodshed. We be divided. Some of our kin want to kill  all. We save them."

Emberkit nodded and wearily closed his eyes. He drifted into a deep slumber. River gazed warmly at him and layed her head down, falling asleep quickly.

Emberkit woke with a start when River moved her paw to get up. He rolled off of it and yawn, pulling himself to his feet.

"Good morning!" River said.

"Good morning." Emberkit replied. He peered outside warily. The camp was busy once again. The badgers were speaking, but in their own language.

"What are they saying?" Emberkit asked.

"They talk about many thing. You not understand badger speak, yet." she replied. "Today you start training. Evening will make you short-claw." River grunted proudly.

"What is a short-claw?"

"Short-claw is young badger who learns from older badger, or long-claw. You also learn badger-speak." River explained. Emberkit's eyes lit up with excitement. I'm going to learn badger-speak! This is better than becoming an apprentice.

Emberkit looked back outside and saw Evening climb onto a tree stump. She spoke a few words in badger-speak and everyone sat in front of her, silent. River nudged Emberkit out of the den.

"This where you become short-claw." River purred delightedly. Emberkit bounced with joy and sat near the front of the crowd. River sat down beside him.

"Today we make Emberkit short-claw." Evening announced. "He was found lost by River. We train young kit and make him one of us. He will be great advantage. Emberkit step forward." Emberkit took a few confident steps forward and faced Evening.

"By power of great mother badger Midnight, please make cat short-claw. Emberkit, you be called Ember according to tradition. You be mentored by Blaze."

A female badger with an orange tinge to her pelt stepped out of the crowd. She held up her paw and lightly touch the top of Ember's head with each of her claws.

"Blaze knows cat-speak best. She teach you well Ember." Evening finished. She grunted a few things in badger-speak and the badgers dispersed.

"We will start training tomorrow. Go to your den. It's that burrow over there." Blaze said, motioning to a dark burrow near the edge of camp. Ember nodded and dashed over to the short-claw den. He curiously sniffed the hole, then plunged down it. A short tunnel led to a small cave with a hole in the roof to light up the burrow. A badger followed him in. Ember turned around and gasped in surprise. The badger with as white as snow with red eyes that stood out against her pelt.