A Forest's Memory

Chapter Four

Sorry for the wait! I'm having a bit of writer's block right now, and it could last anywhere from a day to a few weeks. Luckily, I write in advance, so I can publish this chapter without being rushed.  I am also writing a short(ish, not really it's kinda long and I'm just starting) story from the perspective of Forestkit's great grandfather, so that will come soon. You all are wonderful and amazing! Don't change.

-SCBookworm

Forestkit bolted through the thorn tunnel that served as entrance and exit for the stone hollow that was the ThunderClan camp. She ran up to Lillyblaze and slowed her step. Then Forestkit looked up, and gasped. The trees towered over her, dwarfing the camp walls that had been the tallest thing in Forestkit's life beside the sky.

"Is this your first time out of camp?" The grey she-cat asked Forestkit. At Forestkit's nervous nod, she mewed "Don't worry, the trees make me twitchy too. On WindClan territory, there is nothing but sky, and space to run."

"You will love WindClan," Lillyblaze told Forestkit, her eyes glowing. "How could you not?"

"I was the fastest of the kits," Forestkit told her proudly. "Not even Pouncekit could catch me!"

"That will serve you well in WindClan, Forestkit." One of the toms told her. The more talkative one, as Forestkit remembered.

"I am Smokefur," The grey she-cat told her. "That is Buzzardwing," She waved her tail at the more quiet tom.

"And I am Eagleflight," The chatty one mewed.

Forestkit thought for a moment, padding along in silence, rolling the names around in her head. Smokefur sounded familiar to Forestkit for some reason. Where had she heard it before? Then she remembered a conversation she overheard when she was hiding by the warrior's den.

Is Rosestar going to challenge Bravestar about the scents on the border?

No, she better not. Smokefur was there and she claimed that it was the wind.

Yeah, the deputy's honest at least.

"You're the deputy!" Forestkit told Smokefur. "Right?"

"Clever kit," Bravestar purred. "Where did you figure that out?"

"I heard Sunleap and Darkfall talking before a gathering a moon or so ago," Forestkit told him proudly.

"Here's the stream," Buzzardwing finally spoke. His voice reminded Forestkit of rocks tumbling down the sides of the stone hollow.

Forestkit heard the sound of water. She raced ahead and stopped suddenly. She gasped. A stream rushed by at the bottom of a short slope. The waters were foaming and frothing as they tumbled over rocks. The slope went down on either side, as if to keep it trapped. It looked to Forestkit as though the water wanted to swallow her whole and never give her up.

"Forestkit, we have to cross the stream. But we will cross farther upstream, where it isn't as wide." Bravestar led the group up the bank until the stream was about three fox-lengths wide.

"I can carry Forestkit," Eagleflight offered.

Bravestar nodded after exchanging a glance with Lillyblaze. Eagleflight picked up Forestkit, who could feel herself shaking. He bunched his muscles and leapt without hesitation. Forestkit shrieked as she felt herself go weightless. They landed lightly on the other side with plenty of room to spare. Forestkit was still terrified, shaking as Eagleflight set her down.

Lillyblaze cleared the stream and hurried over to Forestkit, soothing her with rapid strokes of her tongue. "It's alright, precious. It's over now."