Shadows of Secrecy

Chapter 1: Berrykit's Pov

[5 Moons Later]   

   Berrykit awoke in the nursery to find that Cloudkit was gone. Her other sister, Mallowkit, was nestled in beside her and their mother. She rolled lazily onto her back and scanned the small nursery. She wasn't there.

   Growing curious, the small tortoiseshell jumped up and sniffed the air. With a few clumsy leaps, she trotted outside to see her sister talking with some of the apprentices. Berrykit purred happily and went over to join them. However, Brindlepaw, a quiet tortoiseshell, glared at her and strolled off.

   Confused, she sat down anyway. Everyone was quiet, watching Brindlepaw walk away, with a scowl printed on her face.

“Hi Berrykit!” purred Cloudkit loudly “Where's Mallowkit? Isn't she excited about being an apprentice?”

   Suddenly, something light knocked Berrykit onto her back and she felt paws pin her down.

  “I'm here! And of course I'm excited!” Mallowkit said, her eye glittering with amusement as Berrykit struggled to get up. However, as soon as Mallowkit got off her sister, Cloudkit snook up on her blind side and bowled her other, laughing.

   “If you want to complete your training, you'll have to put up more of a fight than that!” she squeeled.

    With a smug impression, Cloudkit leapt off Mallowkit and went back to talk to Birchpaw, a young grey tabby tom and his sister Bumblepaw, a cream she-cat with thick brown stripes.

    “I can't believe your going to be apprentices already,” Bumblepaw said, her eyes bright and cheerful, “It seems like just yesterday when Leafsky came home after a few days of going missing with you!”

    Berrykit nodded happily, memories of the way home flooded her mind. Although she hadn't opened her eyes then, she could remember being held by the scruff in her father's mouth and the gentle breeze that ruffled her patched coat.
    
   Her and her siblings had been born outside of the camp and Leafsky had told them that Brackenstar ordered them away as a group of badgers had attacked PondClan. The leader knew that the queen was close to expecting her kits and didn't want them to get hurt.

   “You'd better go and get ready for tonight, and besides, I need to go do some battle training!” purred Birchpaw.

    Him and one of sisters had chosen the life of a warrior, unlike their other sister. Although they had only been training for a moon, the two apprentices' seemed so much stronger than them. Berrykit nodded excitedly: she couldn't wait to begin training with the other apprentices!

    A warm call sounded and the three kits turned to see their mother shouting them. She noticed Cloudkit sigh in annoyance and they ran over.