The Choice

Chapter 2

Hawkkit hid in the camp wall, thorns pricking at his pelt. He ignored the uncomfortable feeling, gently easing into the thorns a little more. He wanted to win hide-and-seek! He watched as Boltkit scanned the nursery, and squeaked, pouncing on the furry shape that was Patchkit. Hawkkit suppressed a giggle as he watched them tussle around, before Boltkit padded off to find the other kits. He could just see Flurrykit hiding behind the nursery, and Boltkit must've seen her too, for he called out, "Found you!" 

"Ah, mouse-dung!" Flurrykit growled, mocking anger.

It had been a moon since Silverstreak's litter of four had been born, and in that time they had grown and become good playmates. 

Boltkit scanned the camp with Patchkit, who had decided to tag along after losing. He heard a giggle and this one wasn't from Flurrykit or the younger kits. It came from near dirtplace, and Boltkit stalked towards it. 

"Found you!" Hawkkit heard the seeker exclaim proudly. 

"Aw mouse-dung!" The voice of Orangekit pouted.

Hawkkit suppressed a giggled as he watched Boltkit and Orangekit enter a fake fight, batting at each other with soft paws. His view wasn't great, but from what he could see it looked like neither of them was winning. Boltkit rushed away from his sister and towards the camp wall, where Hawkkit was hiding, shoving his little body into the hole Hawkkit had previously used to wiggle in. 

The young brown tom stiffened, and tried to squish down, but it was no use. Boltkit tripped, landing directly on the hiding kit, and let out a squeak of alarm.

"What the- Oh, Hawkkit! I found you!" He purred loudly and both of his siblings scampered over to take a look.

"Only two left!" Orangekit announced, referring to Sandkit and Lionkit. 

Hawkkit and Boltkit squeezed out of the camp barrier, and Orangekit immediately pounced on Boltkit. They growled at each other, and play-fought for a little before Flurrykit broke them up.

"Hey, let's see who can find Sandkit!" She challenged. 

All of the kits wanted to find him, but Hawkkit and Flurrykit both knew that he would be the last one found again. Sandkit was always the last one found. Each kit went off in their own direction, while Hawkkit stood and glanced around the camp. 

Birdflutter and Silverstreak were sharing tongues, watching their kits play hide-and-seek. Thistlepool flashed a glance towards the apprentices' den, and Hawkkit followed his gaze. He padded over to it, and poked his head inside, blinking his eyes to adjust to the dark environment. Scanning the den, he spotted the sleeping form of a napping Vixenpaw, and another much smaller sleeping form in what was probably Rowanpaw's nest. He crept into the, den, and saw it was Lionkit in the nest, having fallen asleep. He rolled his eyes, but not with any other feeling but amusement. 

"Hey, guys, I found Lionkit!" Hawkkit called with his head poked out of the den.

 Vixenpaw lifted her head, looking groggy, "Aw, come on, keep it down," she murmured, but didn't seem angry, and nudged her younger sister, purring, " Wake up, sleepyhead."

A furry gray head poked into the den, a black and white one following. Boltkit and Patchkit giggled, but they both seemed a little drained. Hawkkit realized how tired he was, and knew they would just have to call Sandkit out of hiding rather than find him.

"Okay, Sandkit, you win!" A squeaky voice called from outside.

Hawkkit left the apprentices den and the newly woken Lionkit behind, seeing that Orangekit had called the defeat. The sandy tom kit slithered out from the fresh kill pile, a sleepy look on his face, and Hawkkit shook his head that he never thought to look there.

Their mother must've realized they were all getting tired and called them over to rest. Flurrykit  protested, but let out a huge yawn and obediently padded over to her mother. Silverstreak's kits had all disappeared into the nursery, and he could hear them tiredly complaining about how they still wanted to play. Birdflutter shuffled her kits into the nursery as well, gently grooming each of her kits until they fell asleep.