Emberstar's Journey

Chapter 13

"Lilycloud! Lionscar! Tigershade! Emberspirit!" 

Emberspirit straightened up, tail twitching in nervousness and excitement. 

A thick white sheet of snow covered the Camp and the freeze of leaf-bare had set in. Deertail had moved to the Nursery, two soft bundles suckling at her. Heronkit and Jaggedkit were the newest additions and Beetlestream, their father, couldn't be more proud. Hailwhiskers kits, however, had reach the age of two moons and were now a pawful with their kit games.

"How come I can't be an apprentice already!?" Troutkit whined from the entrance of the Nursery where Hailwhisker had watched the warrior ceremony. 

"Because you aren't six moons yet." Hailwhisker mewed but Troutkit let out a low growl. He leaped onto his mothers tail, pinning it down with his front paws.

"But I can fight! Look! BreezeClan scum!" He bared his teeth at his mothers tail and whacked it with a paw. "It's no fun to just lay around!"

Emberspirit let out a low laugh of amusement, he padded over to the kit. "Trust me, once you start training you'll be wishing to lay around all day. Enjoy kithood while it lasts."

The kit stared at the warrior in awe before he leaped onto Emberspirits paws. "Can't you take me outside! At least to FallenRocks." He begged, gazing at the tom with bright brown eyes. 

The red toms ear flicked, "And risk having my ears clawed off by your mom? I already have a torn ear, I want to keep what I have left of it in tack." He chuckled and lifted the tom by the scruff, setting him with his scuffling sibling. "You'll be an apprentice soon enough young kit." 

Troutkit let out a sigh before Redkit leaped on him. "Let's play chase the fox!" She growled, biting his ear before running off as Troutkit let out a roar and chased her. 

Hailwhisker let out a soft sigh, "They're growing up so fast." She mewed wistfully, "Two moons already!" 

Emberspirit blinked at the queen, "Four moons is a long wait. Besides they won't leave you forever."

The gray and black she-cat let out a soft sigh, "They'll always be kits to me."

Emberspirit smiled slightly before noticing Riverkit crouched in the corner, her light blue eyes watching silently. 

"Not going to play?" The she-cat jumped and turned, gazing at the seemingly huge cat before her. 

"Nuh-uh. I don't like fighting." She muttered, tail flicking around herself.

Emberspirit rose a brow and gazed at Hailwhisker who was watching with one eye open.

"Well, why don't we visit Berrywish?" Recently, Heatherspirit had been slowing down. She had named Berrywish a full medicine cat and moved to the Elders den. It was for the best but Heatherspirit still pitched in, gathering herbs only to be chewed out by her old apprentice.

The she-kit blinked, glancing at her mother who had a knowing look in her eye before looking back at her touseling siblings then at the newly named warrior.

"Okay." She finally agreed, fluffing up her fur to prepare for the cold. She padded alongside the new warrior and followed him as he ducked into the medicine den where Berrywish tossing old dead herbs in a pile to discard. She glanced up and smiled at Emberspirit before she noticed Riverkit.

"Hello, young Riverkit. Come here to help?" 

The she-kit blinked, "Uh, yeah.. what can I do?" She padded forward next to Berrywish as Emberspirit slowly backed out as the medicine cat explained at she was doing to the kit who nodded in understanding.