Warriors #2: Warrior Rising

Chapter 7

Goldenkit's POV

"Goldenkit, we are not doing anything like that ever again!"

I rolled my eyes and groaned at Snowkit's growl as I watched her pace the nursery.

It was the sunhigh after Snowkit and I had snuck out of camp, and since then Snowkit had been cross with me. She had been giving me harsh looks since we arrived back in camp last night. And when Lilypetal was getting her wounds treated, Snowkit wouldn't even talk to me, and she didn't say a word to me until this morning! I realized. She hadn't even slept close to me last night.

Snowkit's protesting words were the first that I heard come out of her mouth. After I had woken up, I couldn't stand the fact that Snowkit was giving me the silent treatment, so I had padded over to where she was talking with Bumblekit and Briarkit and told her that I didn't want her to be mad at me anymore, and that she should try and forgive me.

After Snowkit's harsh words, I raised one eyebrow, lashing my tail irritably. "We didn't get punished!" I protested.

Snowkit glared back at me. "So what? I don't like getting in trouble!"

"You didn't have to go with me!"

"Are you kidding me? You forced me to go!"

Just as I was about to give my sister another spitting retort, I gasped as I saw Lilypetal's head pop into the nursery, and she had a vole in her mouth.

"What are you two fighting about?" She meowed through a full mouth, both of her eyebrows raised.

I stomped up to her, barely being able to contain my anger. "Snowkit's mad at me for a stupid reason!"

Lilypetal looked as if she was trying to suppress a purr of amusement before setting the vole down. "What would be this stupid reason?" she asked gently. "Although, I think that I can guess..."

"I'm mad that she got me in trouble!" Snowkit squeaked. "I never wanted to leave camp in the first place!"

Lilypetal padded over to the two of us and then proceeded to run her tail down Snowkit's flank. "Snowkit, it's all over. Thornclaw and I trust that you have learned your lesson. You are not in trouble anymore," Lilypetal insisted, her hazel eyes warm. "But you certainly will be if you do it again."

Snowkit sighed with relief at Lilypetal's words, but immediately shot me a glare after. I just lashed my tail with annoyance. Why does Snowkit have to take things so seriously sometimes? I wondered, rolling my eyes. Sometimes I feel like she's my mother, and not Lilypetal!

I let out a huff as Lilypetal padded over and sat in our nest. I quickly trotted over to join her, suddenly feeling the urge to dig myself back into her soft tabby-and-white fur.

As I began to press my head to my mother's flank, I felt her wince. I lifted my head and gasped, completely forgetting that Lilypetal was still recovering from her injuries she'd gotten the night before.

"Oh, mother, I'm sorry!" I exclaimed, sitting back up and trying to observe her flank. "Are you okay?"

To my relief, Lilypetal's face didn't show that she was in pain, and she simply let out a purr of amusement and touched my ear with her nose. "That's alright, Goldenkit. My wounds are recovering quickly, but the touch just struck me a little bit!" Lilypetal insisted.

I whipped my head around to see Snowkit trotting towards eyes, her pale blue eyes filled with concern. "Maybe you should take it easy today?" She suggested before meeting my gaze. "And as much as I don't like to say it, maybe we shouldn't be anywhere near her injury. We don't want to irr... irra..." Snowkit then looked down to the ground, clearly trying to figure out what she wanted to say. I couldn't help but snicker as I watched her.

I lifted my head up to look at Lilypetal as I heard a purr rumble in her throat. "Is 'irritate' the word you are looking for?" She purred, bending down to lick Snowkit's head.

Snowkit's eyes then lit up, her head nodding up and down quickly. "Irritate, yes!" she exclaimed. "We wouldn't want to irritate it."

"That is a very good point, Snowkit," Lilypetal meowed softly as she looked warmly at Snowkit. "You are very smart."

Hey! Just as I was about to open my mouth to say something in protest, Lilypetal turned her warm gaze towards me and licked my head. "And so are you," Lilypetal purred to me.

I then tilted my head as my mother let out a snort. "At least, when you're not frolicking through the forest without permission." She teased, lightly poking Snowkit's and my belly lightly with her tail.

I then let out a purr as I dug my head into Lilypetal's neck fur, overwhelmed with affection. I purred even more loudly when I felt Snowkit brush my fur next to me, doing the same.

Thank StarClan, I don't think she's mad at me anymore! I realized. We're best friends again.

I then realized something else that brought a wave of sadness through me. It won't be for much longer that the three of us, plus Thornclaw when he isn't patrolling, to snuggle and be together like this, I thought. Snowkit and I are going to be apprentices any time now!

I then heard Lilypetal sigh, and I pulled away as I heard her begin to speak.

"I can't believe you two will be apprentices in less than a moon!" she meowed, her voice shaking slightly with emotion as she repeated my thoughts out loud. "Time flys by, doesn't it?"

"You're telling me!" Snowkit whimpered, pulling away from Lilypetal's fur. "I'll miss being with you all of the time."

"Me too!" I agreed, exchanging a sad glance with Snowkit. "But I'm also really excited to become an apprentice."

"Oh, I know you are!" Snowkit purred, glancing over at me with humor in her eyes. "There's no doubt about that."

"You've talked about becoming an apprentice since you could talk!" Lilypetal meowed with laughter.

I shrugged as I let out a purr of amusement. It was true, the thought of becoming an apprentice was a pleasant one. It was one step closer to being a warrior, and getting to hunt on your own, fight in battles, go on patrols and even lead them!

"That's true," I murmured, looking up at Lilypetal sympathetically. I really hoped that my mother knew that even though I wanted to be an apprentice very badly, it didn't mean that I wanted to leave her. No, it definitely doesn't mean that! I said to myself. I won't be able to stand how much I'll miss her! "But being with you and Thornclaw in the nursery is great too. I'll be sad when it's over..."

I then tilted my head in confusion as I watched a smile emerge on Lilypetal's face.

"But you know what's great?" Lilypetal asked, her eyes growing bright. "It's not over yet!"

Snowkit and I exchanged an excited glance at Lilypetal's words. I then watched as Lilypetal nodded to an old mossball that was lying a few mouselengths away. "Bring that ball of moss over here," she meowed to me. "Let's play!"

As I turned and bounced to over to the mossball excitedly, I saw Snowkit's eyes widen.

"But you're recovering!' She pointed out as I began to bat the mossball over with my paws. "You shouldn't move around too much!"

"Who says that I have to move?" Lilypetal asked before lifting up one of her paws to show us. "I've got this!"

Snowkit and I both mrrowed with laughter. "Okay, then!" Snowkit meowed.

"Then let's play!" I exclaimed, finally swiping my paw to hit the mossball towards Snowkit. And, soon enough, she, Lilypetal and I were in a full-on game of mossball.

This is some of the most fun that I've ever had! I thought happily. Yes, Snowkit and I will be apprentices soon, but I'm going to try and enjoy moments like these until then!