Mosskit Book 2: The Journey

Chapter 13

            When Mosskit awoke, the sun was just rising. He shook his pelt off of morning dew and nudged Snakekit.

            "Snakekit. Snakekit, wake up," he whispered.

            Snakekit opened her eyes. "What is it?"

            "It's morning. We can enter the forest now," he said.

            Snakekit yawned. "Fine," she said. "It's so cold though."

            "I'm not cold," Mosskit said.

            "That's because you have thick fur," Snakekit laughed.

            Mosskit laughed too and stood in front of the large forest in front of them. How were they ever going to make it home.

            Sighing, Mosskit took a step forward. Then another. He was now walking at a steady pace. Snakekit followed behind, her head high as they trudged into the woods, becoming unaware of the danger that lay before them.

            Mosskit smiled, feeling the forest floor beneath his paws again. He breathed in the fresh scent. "This is my home," he whispered.

            Snakekit and Mosskit continued walking through the forest until the sun had full come up. Where was the cat that was supposed to guide them.

            "I'm hungry," Snakekit complained.

            "Me too," Mosskit said. "I've only caught one piece of prey in my life though and," he was cut off by a noise. It was more like a whisper.

            "Mosskit."

            Mosskit turned around, but Snakekit seemed shocked too. It hadn't been Snakekit who was saying that.

            The sound came nearer. "Mosskit."

            "Hello?!" Mosskit called.

            He gasped as he saw a flash of ginger go by. "Hey, Mosskit!"

            Mosskit turned around and gasped as he saw a familiar ginger she-cat looking over him.

            "Ginger?!"

            "It's been a long time, young one," she said.

            "What? Where? How?" He was confused.

            "My story is not as important as yours, Mosskit. Nice to meet you, Snakekit. I will be your leader as we get home to SnowClan," Ginger said. "Your mother has blessed with the knowledge of your clan and all the territories there and here. Now come on," she said, beginning to walk away.

            Mosskit and Snakekit still sat, shocked.

            "Kits, I am not carrying you into these woods. Are you going to return to SnowClan or not? I am waiting for no cat. We are on a schedule."

            Snakekit stood up. "I'm coming," she said.

            Mosskit sighed. He stood up as well. "I'm coming too."

            Ginger smiled. "Good job, young kits. I am sure you are hungry. We'll stop at the meadow first to eat up. Then we can start talking."

            It was about afternoon when they finally reached the meadow. Mosskit breathed in the familiar scent. It had felt like only yesterday when he had slept in the log. Mosskit and Snakekit followed Ginger into her den. The prey pile was smaller than it usually was.

            "I can see you've noticed how small my prey pile is. I only gathered a few pieces of prey since we won't be here forever. I don't want the small of rotting prey in my den when I return," Ginger said. She pushed a large squirrel towards the both of them. "Now eat up. It's not my fault if you're tired because you have an empty stomach."

            Snakekit and Mosskit finished the squirrel quickly, their stomachs full.

            "Congratulations on turning three moons today, Mosskit. You're about the same age as well, Snakekit," Ginger said.

            Had it really been three moons since the fire? It had felt like days.

            "It will take about three moons to get to SnowClan," Ginger said.

            Mosskit gasped. "What?! I got here in one night."

            "You were already very far into the forest with your mother," Ginger said. "Plus, you were running for awhile without any stops. We will be stopping from time to time, spending the night. It will take awhile."

            Mosskit sighed. It would be even longer until he got home.

            "Stick by me at all times. This journey will be a dangerous one. If one of you kits wanders off, I'll never forgive myself."

            Mosskit nodded.

            "We'll spend the night here," Ginger said. "I want to start out fresh and early in the morning tomorrow. You've already wasted some time by spending the night on that trail."

            "Snakekit was scared," Mosskit said.

            "Being scared will not turn out well on this journey, Snakekit. We'll be going in the forest all the time."

            "Sorry," Snakekit whimpered.

            Mosskit sighed. This would be a long journey.