Warriors: The Three Kits

Chapter 15

          The scream is suddenly followed up by a loud barking. Heatherkit backed up from Sharpkit, Frostkit and Mistkit and looked around franticly. Cats were emerging out of their dens looking terrified because of this noise.

          “What’s going on?” One cat yelled.

          “What’s happening, I thought Redtree scared off the dogs!” Another cat yowled.

          Cats started talking and walking around franticly. Heatherkit wondered what was happening, and she could see it in the other kits terrified eyes that they felt the same way.

          “I’m scared.” Sharpkit whimpered looking up into Heatherkit’s eyes.

          Heatherkit nodded, “Me too. But you’ll be safe, don’t worry.” She said trying to calm down the scared kit.

          “Firestar, Firestar,” Someone wailed coming from the dirt place tunnel. The cat turned out to be Hawkkit as she emerged out of the tunnel, looking terrified and scared, “Firestar!” She wailed again.

          Firestar emerged from her den towards Heatherkit’s sister. “What is it?” she asked. “What happened? Are you hurt?”

          Hawkkit shook her head panting. “I’m not hurt but,” she stopped between her words to catch her breath. “But Natnoes isn’t…dogs…got…him.” She said and collapsed on the floor.

          “Natnoes,” A cat yelled in terror. Heatherkit looked over at the cat who yelled to see Laptail, Natnoes’ sister.

           Heatherkit ran over to her sister, her mother following. “Hawkkit, are you okay?” she asked nudging her sister with her paw.

          Hawkkit opened her eyes and looked at Heatherkit. She then looked back down and Heatherkit sighed.

          “Hawkkit, don’t worry honey, you will be okay.” Ladyfierce softly said to her daughter and Heatherkit watched. She saw Wildkit trembling in the nursery watching them. “Hawkkit, come with me.” Ladyfierce said once more. Hawkkit didn’t move and she just moaned.

          “Redtree, Fluffbird, Laptail and Ratpaw, come with me!” Firestar yelled out calling the three warriors and apprentice.

          Heatherkit saw Laptail slowly walk towards Firestar, followed by the others. She walked over to Firestar to see what was going to happen.

          “Now,” Firestar started. “We will chase away the dogs and see if we can save Natnoes. Laptail—”

          She was interrupted by another yowl.

          “We don’t have time!” Laptail screeched. “Let’s just go!” she yelled and ran out of the camp. Firestar and the others followed her.

          Heatherkit watched as the cats ran out the den. She then ran back to her sister, cats were starting to surround her.

          “Hawkkit, Hawkkit…” Wildkit said looking down at her sister, poking her several times with her paw.

          “I honestly don’t know how running a short distance can cause Hawkkit to be in this condition.” Heatherkit said.

          Before her mother can answer, more screams were heard outside the camp.

          Wildkit ran under her father’s belly and crouched down, trembling.

          Firestar emerged in the camp a little while after looking sad with the other cats. Heatherkit looked at Laptail who was crying. A tight pain squeezed Heatherkit’s stomach and she knew what’s going to happen next.

          The cats in the Clan look over at Firestar and the others and walk up. Loud gasps and cries of astonishment fill up the camp.

           Heatherkit walks up to them knowing what she is going to find and knowing what she is going to see. Looking over past several cats, she sees the dead body of Natnoes. “Oh no…” she muttered. She backed up three steps and then ran towards her mother.

          “Heatherkit, what happened?” Birdbreath asked as Heatherkit ran up to them.

          “Natnoes is dead!” she winced.

          Birdbreath looked down and sighed. “I thought those dogs will cause us to lose someone. But Natnoes, he was so young. He became a warrior two sunrises before you were born, it’s a shame that his time to join StarClan is now.” He said softly.

          Heatherkit nodded. Natnoes’ body now has been dragged to the center of the camp and cats are starting to surround him to sit vigil for him.

          Heatherkit looks down at Hawkkit who is now conscious again and isn’t practically dead. Still ignoring Heatherkit, Hawkkit and Wildkit head off to the nursery with Ladyfierce to get some sleep, leaving Heatherkit alone with her father.

          “Don’t worry Heatherkit,” her father began, “Although we have lost a cat today, he is safe and now living with StarClan. Everything will be alright.” He said softly and quietly trying to calm Heatherkit down.

          Heatherkit nodded and sighed. “I know, I just feel like I have something to do this. Like, if I haven’t gone to those dogs to find them, he wouldn’t be dead. You know what I mean?” She asked looking up at her father.

          Birdbreath nodded. “I know what you mean. When my mother died I thought it was my fault. I blamed myself for the Clan not having cat mint, but it wasn’t my fault. And Natnoes’ death isn’t your fault either.” He said calmly.

          Heatherkit nodded. “Okay, well I’m still going to sit vigil for him.”

          “Alright, but do it later. It’s proper to let his kin sit vigil first.” Birdbreath said looking over at Laptail who was sobbing.

          The sun has already gone down and the sky is now filled with stars by the time the cats clear away into their dens.

          Heatherkit looked up at the sky and smiled. I know you are up there Natnoes. She thought. Stay safe. She looked at his body and pressed her nose against his fur. He has now gone cold making it final that he is dead. Though she knew his death wasn’t her fault, she wasn’t sure.

          “Heatherkit,” Her mother called. “It’s getting late, come on into the nursery.”

          Heatherkit sighed and nodded turning around to face her mother. She looked at Natnoes’ dead body once more. Oh, why do I feel like this is my fault? She asked herself and slowly walked to the nursery.