The Choice

Chapter 5

Hawkkit watched as the patrol left for the gathering, letting out a grumpy grumble. He turned five moons old in a few days, so he would have to wait for a whole moon to go. 

"I'll be an apprentice soon. I wish I could go to this gathering." He mumbled. 

"We'll get to go next time!" Flurrykit said, nudging him affectionately. 

"Kits, time for you to go to sleep!" Birdflutter called to them. 

"We want to hear the gathering news!" Hawkkit whined. 

He heard his mother sigh, before responding, "Just be quiet when you enter the nursery. Silverstreak finally got her litter to sleep, and she and Cherrygaze could use the rest."

Hawkkit watched his mother slip back into the nursery. She loved them, of course, but Hawkkit knew she was eager to be a warrior again so that she, too, could be at the gathering. 

Sandkit sat silently, flicking his small tail, before saying, "Why don't we wait with Ashbreeze?"

"Sure! Maybe he can tell us a story since the elders are gone!" Flurrykit purred, and the three of them walked towards their father. 

He had been grooming his front leg with long strokes of his tongue before looking up, a bit surprised. Why would he be so surprised to see his own kits? 

"Yo don't visit me often, what brings you over?"

"We wanted to wait and hear what happened at the gathering. Do you mind if we sit with you?" Sandkit asked politely. 

"Of course." Ashbreeze purred, licking Sandkit on the head affectionately.  

"Dad, do you know any good stories?" Flurrykit questioned, trying to be just as polite as Sandkit.

"Not really. I'd say you could visit Sheepwhisker and Bramblethorn, but they both went to the gathering."

Flurrykit frowned, but Sandkit didn't seem to care, closing his eyes as his father washed behind his ears. Hawkkit tried not to see too annoyed, but he knew that if Sandkit were the one to ask he'd find something interesting. 

Time drew on, and Hawkkit fluffed out his short brown fur. It got colder as the night went on, as it was now early leaf-fall. Flurrykit and Sandkit drooped, obviously tired. Hawkkit, though, willed himself to stay awake and not show how tired he actually was. Their father chewed on a small finch while Sandkit and Flurrykit slept curled up against his gray fur. 

"Want some?"

Hawkkit turned as his father offered him some prey, ripping of a soft strip of meat and setting it near him.

"Go ahead. They should be back soon, but you should go to sleep with a full belly."

"Thanks," Hawkkit purred, chewing on the bird, feeling warm that he'd shared even a small moment with his father.

A while after he finished the prey, Hawkkit fought sleep, straining to keep his eyes open and head held high. He was woken by the sound of many cats moving, looking up to see Graystar leading the gathering cats back. The small cat instantly popped up, and he turned to see Ashbreeze nudge bleary eyed Flurrykit and Sandkit awake. The three of them, energy renewed, scrambled up to the patrol. Some cats purred in amusement, while others just looked at them and walked off to gossip or sleep. 

"Hey kits. Come to hear gossip?" The medicine cat Ivyleaf purred. 

"Yeah!" Hawkkit and Flurrykit squeaked eagerly. 

"The only thing a kit would be interested is probably that there are some new apprentices. Goldpaw and Silverpaw. All of their siblings are already apprentices, but they were too sick to be ranked up with them." Ivyleaf explained before turning and heading to her den. 

The dappled medicine cat walked to her den. All three kits looked at each other, Hawkkit and Flurrykit beaming with excitement while Sandkit only seemed mildly interested. How could he not find something like this so cool?

"Well, I guess something that's interesting is that Dewstar of Sorrelclan is sick, so Rainheart had to go in his place." A voice spoke up. 

It was Sheepwhisker, who purred as the kits all squeaked and tried to ask a flurry of questions, but she merely shook her head, gave a little giggle, and trotted over to Bramblethorn. 

"You should go to sleep now, kits." Came a kind voice.

It was the warrior Milktail, who purred and gave Ashbreeze a nod before going to speak to Skytail and Streamwhisker. 

"She's right, you three. Sandkit, make sure all of you behave and don't wake your mother. 

Hawkkit scowled at his words. 

'Sandkit.'