Warrior Cats: Hidden Secrets (Book One)

Chapter One (REVISED)

  "When can Meadowkit play?"
  "Patience, Pidgeonkit. You can play with your brother." Soothed Pinenose Pidgeonkit's mother.

  "No way. Cinderkit only wants to play Mouse and Warrior. I am always the mouse." Scoffed the gray she-kit, and presumed to poke at Meadowkit, earning a warning hiss from Pinenose.

  Meadowkit mewled and pressed herself closer to her mother's belly. Again, she heard Pidgeonkit's pleading mew and the same paw jabbed into her side. She cried out, keeping her eyes closed,

  "I'm tired! I'll play later."
  "Well it's been days since you left the den. Please? The hunting patrol just came back."
  "Hunting patrol?" Meadowkit opened her green eyes and sniffed the air. Sure enough, the smell of shrew filled the air, including the other mouth-watering scents.
  Eager, she jumped up, and glanced at her mother, who was stirring awake.

  "Go on ahead, dear." She yawned, and Meadowkit mewed,
  "Thanks, Bluebird."

  Without another word, she flicked her tail and scurried after Pidgeonkit, who was already reached the hunting patrol. Meadowkit happily exited the dark nursery and into the bright sunlight, skidding to a halt in front of the patrol. She watched Pidgeonkit pad off to follow some of the cats to the fresh kill pile. Her attention was lost when a plump mouse was dropped in front of her paws.

  "All for you." Mewed a familiar voice. Tanglepaw. Meadowkit tilted her head up to meet the amber eyes of the large brown cat.

  "Wow! All for me?"
  "Well, I don't know if you can eat it all, so share it with Bluebird. I bet she's hungry."
  "Oh. That's a good idea. Thank you, Tanglepaw."
  "Soon you're going to be calling me by my warrior name. Sooner or later your father is going to give me, Maplepaw, and Poppypaw's name."
  "The warrior ceremony! I'll call your name as loud as I can, promise." Meadowkit purred and the apprentice licked her ear before padding after his mentor.

  Delighted, Meadowkit began to drag the fresh-kill to the Nursery. In the corner of her eye, she saw Pidgeonkit greet her older brother, Nightpaw. She felt a pang. Meadowkit always wanted a littermate, but because of her shining personality, she didn't need one. Her Clan loved her, and Meadowkit was popular for only just a kit. However, all the attention she received did leave her feeling as if there was a hole in her heart that could never be filled. It left her lonesome.
Finally, Meadowkit stopped dragging the mouse. Peering behind it, she saw streaks in the slightly dry earth, and growled. One day she would be big enough to carry the mouse and not drag it. However, she thought, for being two and a half moons old, it was progress.
  Abandoning the mouse, she climbed into the nest she and Bluebird shared, and mewed,

  "Mother, Tanglepaw caught us a mouse to share."
  "Did he, really? Well, I'll thank him later."

  Meadowkit jumped away as the gray she-cat stood up and settled down closer to the mouse. She purred,
  "Did you bring it all the way here?"
  "Yea. It's really heavy."
  "Well that is good. Hm, take a bite here."

  Bluebird flipped the noise over on it's back, belly facing up. Meadowkit jumped back down onto the floor and took a bite, obeying her mother. The flavors and the smells of the forest reached her mouth, and she swallowed. Meadowkit licked her jaws and purred,

  "Tasty, like the shrew!"
  "That's good, Meadowkit. My turn."

The queen reached forward and took a bite herself before letting Meadowkit have another mouthful. Together, they devoured the mouse. Full, Meadowkit climbed into the nest and sat down, allowing her mother to start washing her face.
  "Are you tired?"
  "No. Birchstar is going to visit me today, right?"
  "Of course. Now turn around and let me groom you."

  Meadowkit squirmed as Bluebird's tongue smoothed her cream tabby fur. She squeaked when she went back to her face.

  "Mother!"
  "Stop squirming."

  With her eyes closed, Meadowkit's ear twitched at the sound of approching pawsteps. She opened her eyes and met the blue eyes of another cream tom. Her father.

  "Birchstar!" Meadowkit heard Bluebird stop washing and purr a greeting to her mate. Meadowkit stood up, and squeaked,

  "Hi!"
  "Hello, Meadowkit." Her father leaned in closer and licked her ear. Meadowkit purred in delight. She stepped away and asked,

  "Will you give me a badger ride?"
  "Of course, little one. Come on."

  Meadowkit trotted after her father into the open and he sat down to allow her climb onto his shoulders, sinking her tiny claws into his fur. She let out a cry of delight as he began to lumber around before shaking her off. Meadowkit rolled off and playfully tugged at his tail.
  The play continued on and on. Exhaustion slowly took a toll on Meadowkit, and she had to stifle a yawn. The scent of her mother filled her glands as the she-cat drew closer.

  "Time for a nap."
  "Aw...I'm not tired..." Meadowkit shook out her fur and yawned again. The sun was warm on her skin and she was getting sleepy. Slowly, she padded to Bluebird, and sat down. She could hear Birchstar become closer to her. He meowed,

  "You're tired. I got you"

  She felt her paws lift off of the ground and she dangled from his jaws by the scruff of her neck. Slowly, Birchstar turned around and gently began to carry her towards the Nursery. However, she let darkness take her into her dreams.