Warrior Cats: Fallen Leaves

9 A Small Talk

Last Updated: July 27 2017

A one white paw hooked a moss ball into the nursery with quiet anger. Featherkit felt as tense as the thick, humid air around her.
Away from the Clan's eyes, her family acted like rogues. Why?
"Featherkit? How come you're inside so early?" Birchflower mewed, her tortoiseshell pelt golden in the fading light, "You would usually be playfighting with your sibling, begging to stay outside just a little longer." She chuckled, nudged Mousefern who was next to her. "We would do that, wouldn't we, old friend?" The silver queen stared at her. "Well, I'm sure you'll be fine by new-leaf, Mousefern!" Birchflower's voice feigned a purr, before she focused on Featherkit. "It seems that outside there was a little scuffle with Stormkit and Rosekit. Were you all preparing for your apprenticeship?"
Featherkit didn't answer and shrugged. She should tell her what really happened, but Featherkits' mind still buzzed with confusion. Her paws kneaded soft moss for comfort and she plopped down into her nest, away from the gentle play-mews of her den-mates. She wanted to be alone. Yet, her tabby fur stood on end slightly as she recalled Birchflower's word were horribly accurate to the truth.
The truth of her siblings bullying.
She shuddered at the fresh memory. It was wrong, but at least it wasn't me being crushed. Her gaze darted guiltily at Mousefern.
No, Wheatkit's mother was motionless, distant.
Like she always was now.
A few awkward moments passed, then she heard the thudding vibrations of tiny pawsteps to her left, as all of the remaining kits rushed inside the den. Wheatkit immediately bolted to his mother's side, eyes wide, whilst Stormkit and Rosekit shouldered each other to pounce on Birchflower's kits. Skykit pounced on them first. Gorge followed slowly in after them, her fluffy tail tucked underneath her stout legs, but surprisingly, her mother did not appear.
"Wheatkit! How come you're injured?" At once, Mousefern burst into action, hurriedly licking the long, bleeding scratch on his shoulder. The repulsive scent of blood filled the area, and Featherkit's belly clenched. She met Wheatkit's eyes. They were frightened balls of blue. She looked away. Mousefern noticed the exchange. Her green eyes blazed, "You three did that to him, didn't you?"
"Um, well, that's where the surprise comes in because, uh-" Wheatkit began, but he was interrupted by Gorge, who suddenly had her tail up straight:
"-because it was Featherkit who told Stormkit and Rosekit to stop hurting Wheatkit." Gorge gave Featherkit an awe-inspired look. "She was really brave to defend another kit - and what she said were her first words too!"
Featherkit's mind raced with two very different mixed feelings. One side felt proud and glad of what she had done, whilst the other gnawed at her stomach, furious, as if she was starving for something else. Featherkit didn't know which one to feel, so she flicked one ear to be neutral. Perhaps that was her and her mother shared. Being more...mature about stuff. Even in thoughts.
The flecked queen, with the green gaze as soft as flower petals, purred to Featherkit, "Thank you." Her voice stiffened for a second, her eyes on her littermates, "But I highly doubt that their own mother would do anything about it."
Rosekit puffed out a breath, "Mother wants you in the medicine den!"
Stormkit ducked away from Pebblekit's swiping paw, "Yeah, it's important."
A patched tail flicked moss around worriedly. "Is it Honeypaw? Streamsplash?" Birchflower nuzzled her kits. "Mousefern, what's wrong?"
Mousefern was staring at the ground.
She padded through the stick entrance.
No cat followed.

~

Yowls penetrated the air.
Rosekit twinged.
Heart racing.
The yowls of her Clanmate.
Ears thumping.
Bristling fur rough against her spine.
Her siblings either side.
The other kits huddled close by.
The air stank of crowfood.
Birchflower poked her head out the nursery, muffling the panicked gasps and mews outside. "Reedfang! Reedfang! What's going on?"
"I'm not sure but...the medicine den...yes, something is wrong!" Rosekit couldn't see the deputy's face but she saw his twitching paws underneath Birchflower. Signalling Stormkit to follow her, she crept closer.
"Nightcough?"
Rosekit tensed.
Reedfang's (always) worried face, which was now visible, sank like a stone in water, "Maybe. Blueripple and Mousefern just dashed into the medicine den and now it's too crowded-" the raspy voice cut off like a twig snapping.
"Reedfang, come here!" Father. Rosekit's nose twitched in relief. She strained to see past Birchflower's tawny butt.
"Your dawdling uneases the Clan. Come and help like a real deputy!"
Rosekit padded closer.
"Yes, Hawkstar," the deputy called, before adding to the tawny queen. Rosekit's littermates, now beside her out of curiosity, pricked their ears. "Honeypaw and Streamsplash must be really sick-"
"Reedfang!"
"All right!"
Birchflower watched Reedfang leave, then, shaking herself, turned right into Rosekit's nose.
Everycat jumped. "Mrrow!"
A pause.
Then a shriek sliced the silence.
It cut off unnaturally.
"Um, do you want to play moss ball?" she whispered to Featherkit. Even though Rosekit wouldn't forgive Featherkit for defending worthless Flea and Tick, she was still a CreekClan cat. Unlike Flea and Tick.
She rolled moss into a clump, staring at it, trying to hide her fear. Her ear fur trembled as she picked up her Clanmates' words outside,
"Was that Honeypaw?"
"I think so! Where's Birdsong?"
"I don't know. There was a shriek - is my apprentice dying?!"
"And we are doing nothing to help! Reedfang, I demand you let me through..."
Rosekit shuddered.
"Mossball, then?" she pressed, voice a little louder.
Then terror raced her spine as a different wail thundered the camp.
The same one as Mothpetal when the deputy...
"Blueripple!" Birchflower dashed to the entrance, then skidded to a stop, as if remembering the kits she was caring for. "Kits, come, come. Please, now!"
Pebblekit padded first, awkward and cautious, then everykit scrambled to Birchflower, little pads scattering moss everywhere. They burst into mews, and Rosekit's head rang.
"Why's there yowling?"
"Can we go outside?"
"I want food!"
"Hush," Birchflower's warm, old gaze was dim. Weak rays of sunlight cast down onto her fur. Rosekit couldn't help but feel a little more relieved. Somecat was in control. "Hush, little ones. An old queen like me can't keep up with seven kits."
Skykit reared on his hindquarters, "Lemme see what's going on!"
"Yeah!" Gorge tried to peek around Birchflower's legs. The queen herded everykit backwards.
"No," she mewed, stern as Hawkstar, "This is a situation for-"
"-warriors!" Wheatkit bounced past Birchflower faster than she could react. His pale-gold fur shimmered as he raced through the entrance, stomping reeds and scattering twigs, "I'm a warrior-"
Blueripple's shriek halted him.
He froze, staring at something beyond him.
Rosekit peered outside with her siblings.
Then, with a mighty squeak, he dodged as Blueripple barely missed ramming into him, blue fur wild as she hurtled out the camp. Splashes of water quickly faded. Some cat followed her.
"Stay here, kits," Birchflower meowed, hurrying outside at a trot. Her tail twitched. Rosekit slipped into a hunting crouch and stalked Birchflower as she would her mother's tail. Her denmates, instead of following, hovered at the entrance. Rosekit didn't mind; no kit knew what was going on. She was going to find out.
In camp, her Clanmates bustled near the medicine den like fire ants, circled Reedfang. Breath billowed in the darkness as Weaseldash ran outside, dazed and babbling something. Rosekit stared curiously, but by now, Birchflower had caught up to the dazed Wheatkit and ushered him towards the den. Ears perked, she dove for a grass clump. Itchy stalks poked her nose. She would be in trouble if she seen!
Then, "Why is Rosekit allowed outside?"
She sighed and peered over a grass stem.
Again, Flea had ruined-
"Yes, Rosekit! Why are you outside?" Skykit stuck out his tongue from the nursery.
She stood up.
Made a show of burying dirt.
Then pointed at the white tom-kit.
Before jaws picked her up by the scruff.
Mousefern's scent. She wriggled. "Put me-"
"-down? Rosekit, why are you...fox dung! I told you to stay inside!"
Rosekit's paws twitched at her mother's language. She stopped wriggling. Met her furious yellow slits. Tried to ignore Birchflower's and Flea's curious stares.
Rosekit sagged. She had let Mother down. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry I didn't listen, Mother. But, in fact, I came to-"
"Don't lie to me. We all need to talk in the nursery."
Her mother stalked away.
Rosekit's heart sank.
I'm sorry, Mother. I'm sorry I couldn't live up to your expectations.