Warrior Cats: Forest of Blood

~Chapter Eleven~

~1 Moon Later~

   Featherwing decided it was time.

   "Where are we going?" Rainkit had asked.

   "Is it a surprise?" Sootkit had jumped excitedly.

   Ashkit was just following them quietly.

   She couldn't hide the truth from them forever.

   While Featherwing led them across the territory, she could hear Rainkit and Sootkit teasing Ashkit.

   "I wonder why mom took you along!" Sootkit curled his lip.

   "Yeah, you're too small to handle anything!" Rainkit added.

   Featherwing sighed. She wanted to defend Ashkit, but the kit needed to learn to defend herself. Or maybe it wasn't that. Maybe it's the fact that Ashkit will likely die soon, and that Featherwing doesn't want to get too attached. She and Flowerstorm are both surprised that Ashkit was alive at three moons old. Featherwing remembered that Scorpionkit and Frostkit liked to tease Ashkit too. They only joined in because they were bored, not really for the sheer joy of putting her on a lower status.

   They are just kits, Featherwing shook her head, they'll learn eventually.

   Then they made it to the river.

   "Whoa!" Rainkit and Sootkit stared at the frozen sheet of ice.

   "Isn't there supposed to be water?" Ashkit mumbled.

   "In leafbare the water is frozen, it won't be long until newleaf," Featherwing put a paw on the ice. It cracked at the light pressure of her paw.

   She flattened her ears. This ice won't be able to hold up her body weight, let alone her and three kits. She looked at the distance from one bank to the other. Could she jump?

   She looked at her kits, "Stay here, I just need to test something."

   Featherwing bunched up her haunches and sprang to the other side, just barely making it. This is great! She beamed. She jumped back and grabbed Sootkit, then she jumped back to the other side. She did this with Rainkit, and then Ashkit until all four of them were on the other side.

   "Where are we?" Sootkit snorted, "It smells gross!"

   "I know," Featherwing managed a laugh, "Imagine having to deal with it for a few days." She recalled the fire that occurred in LightningClan camp not too long ago. They had taken refuge in RainClan's camp. That was when Cavestar and Nettlestar were friends.

   "Now wait here," Featherwing sat down while Rainkit and Sootkit wrestled with each other. Ashkit just huddled up against her mother's tail.

   "What's wrong?" Featherwing asked her only daughter.

   "Nothing," Ashkit replied simply.

   "Hey!" Crashclaw's voice made Featherwing jump a little. She didn't hear him at all.

   "Oh, hi, Crashclaw," Featherwing purred.

   Rainkit and Sootkit stopped wrestling and stared at the bulky gray tom.

   "Who is that?" Rainkit stood up, sizing up the RainClan warrior.

   Crashclaw rubbed his paw on Rainkit's head, "I'm your father."

   "No you're not!" Sootkit growled, doing his best to look menacing, "Pikeleap is!"

   "Actually," Featherwing continued, "Crashclaw is your father. Pikeleap is your...LightningClan father."

   Ashkit jumped up, "I knew it! I knew Pikeleap wasn't our father! He looks nothing like us!"

   Rainkit shoved Ashkit back down, "You don't know anything, and don't act like it!"

   Whimpering, Ashkit hid behind Featherwing.

   "Tell me about 'em!" Crashclaw gleamed.

   Rainkit toppled Sootkit over. Featherwing looked up at her mate, "Rainkit is the darkest one. Sootkit is slightly lighter colored, and Ashkit is the smallest and lighter colored."

   Featherwing looked down, "She isn't expected to make it to six moons."

   Crashclaw flicked his tail, "She's halfway there, she should be fine."

   "How's RainClan?" Featherwing decided to change the topic.

   "Doing pretty good!" Crashclaw twitched his whiskers, "Rabbitpaw is learning quickly. He's quick like a rabbit, he can flick fish out of the water faster than you can blink an eye!"

   Featherwing purred, "And the other apprentices?"

   "Tallwatcher is old, he says this will be his last apprentice before he expects himself to retire," A breeze ruffled his fur, "But he's a skilled warrior nonetheless and I'm sure Brackenpaw will be a great warrior. As for Slatepaw, she has a great mentor too. I can't wait until they're all warriors so I don't have to feel like the youngest anymore. Everybody else is a senior warrior."

   "You'll be-" Featherwing was cut off by a growl. She looked to see a black tom with amber eyes emerge from the shadows.

   "So... you had kits Featherwing?" The tom flicked his tail.

   Featherwing widened her eyes and stood up, bringing her kits to her side, "Crowstream?"

   He hissed, "I'm Crow only! I refuse to go by a foolish Clan name."

   Featherwing recalled that Crowstream had once crushed on her and confessed it. She remembered having to reject him. He must be jealous now.

   "How is, um, NightClan?"

   "Pretty good," Crow nodded calmly, "Lark is my new mate. She says I'm better than Rocktuft ever was."

   Featherwing dropped her head, "Rocktuft died a bit ago."

   "Serves him right," Crow snorted.

   Crashclaw growled, "Why are you here?"

   "Patrolling the borders!" Crow laughed, "What else would I be doing?"

   "I thought you guys hated doing anything Clan-like," Crashclaw curled his lip.

   "Sure," Crow shrugged, "But some of it makes sense. Borders have to be controlled. Cats can hunt and eat whenever and whatever they want."

   "Isn't it brutal there?" Featherwing asked, wide-eyed.

   "A little," Crow didn't seem to mind, "I get a few deep wounds now and then. But it doesn't affect me. Claw is a great mentor, harsh like a mentor should be."

   "You get mentored?" 

   "Of course!" He snorted, "They need to train us out of the Clan ways."

   "How come you aren't killing us right now?" Crashclaw growled.

   "Well, I may have switched sides now, but I'm not completely evil. You guys just need to go and I'll be on my way and cover up your scent."

   Featherwing growled and picked up Ashkit by her scruff. Crashclaw picked up Rainkit, and Sootkit got on his back.

   "I don't know if I should say thanks," Featherwing mumbled and walked back to her side of the camp.