Don't Trust Anyone

Chapter One

A silent cat speaks when they are hiding something; a talkative cat quietens down. 

Blizzardkit had learnt this from a very young age, observing the warriors, elders, queens and apprentices as they spent time eating, sleeping and talking in the Meeting Cavern.

Being a kit meant boredom was habitual, but Blizzardkit was seldom bored. There was always someone's movements to analyse, someone's lies to unmask, someone's words to decipher, and even someone's intentions to uncover. After all, knowing someone's next move was beyond satisfying. 

Blizzardkit's much-too-large, smoky grey paws stopped in interest by the camp's circular entrance. He had spotted his next target.

"The weather's nice. Did you see anything unusual on the patrol?" he commented, sniffing Narrowwhisker's paws as the warrior entered the camp. The senior hopped to avoid Blizzardkit's nose, eyes lidded with indifference. Blizzardkit's dark blue orbs trailed slowly up to the tabby's face, analysing every crease, twitch and stir in the warrior's facial features. He probed a reply, "did you catch anything on your hunting patrol?"

"Sure," Narrowwhisker told him. A clear slip up.

Blizzardkit's eyes flickered with interest as he followed the tom to the centre of the cavern. 

"But you weren't even on the hunting patrol. You were on the dawn patrol," he purred. "You've been out near PineClan territory again, haven't you?" Blizzardkit observed, noticing the single pine needle clinging onto Narrowwhisker's tabby tail.

"Are you questioning my loyalty, Blizzardkit?" Narrowwhisker queried, moving along to the prey pile. His tail twitched with irritation, knowing full well that he had been baited into dishing out a lie. 

"I'd never," Blizzardkit contended, sitting beside the tom inquisitively, "but you strayed from course again."

"I do what I want, and go where I please. Patrols are tedious, so I like to reward myself when I deem it necessary."

Blizzardkit purred, surprisingly content with Narrowwhisker's evasive answer. He would surely adore to be as care-free and independent as Narrowwhisker when he became older; it seemed like a much more fulfilling way of life.

"Did you hear about..."

Blizzardkit inclined his head, ears pricking at the prospect of gossip. Nosy? Yes. Perhaps he was a little, but Blizzardkit could not control the curiosity that sparked his heart.

He detected the voices and identified their location with insane accuracy. His acute senses tingled as he crept up to the two gossipers, keeping close to the cavern wall. News, secrets -they attracted him beyond compare; he couldn't help but be interested.

"A cat's nose should be in their own business, not that of others."

"A little curiosity never killed anyone, Darkstone," Blizzardkit countered, taking only a short glance back at the long-legged, dark grey tom. "I like to think that StarClan gave me exceptional hearing for a reason."

Blizzardkit could tell from the warrior's bitter aura that Darkstone was not pleased with his answer, but he had more intriguing things to hear than Darkstone's lectures. The soft sound of receding paws gave Blizzardkit the conclusion that Darkstone had given up on his nosy nephew. Good, back to his business - no, another cat's business.

"Is it possible that Jaggedstar will change one of our Clan's rules?" Bluebird, the MountainClan's beautiful queen, sounded nervous.

"I personally think it'd be a good idea if she did," answered Swiftstream. "Six months may be too young for an apprentice to learn the ways of our Mountain, but the other Clans outnumber us in warriors. Our training takes far too long; we need to change our laws."