The Dawn of Thunder

Chapter 1

        Thunderkit's ears were perked as she listened to the sounds of the camp. It sounded so exciting outside the nursery, and she couldn't wait until her mother, Grayfur, finally let her and her littermates out. She heard a cat calling out orders to others. She guessed it was Coalfoot, the clan's deputy.

"Thunderkit, what are you doing?" Thunderkit turned around to see her brother, Firekit, walking up to her on unsteady legs.

"Listening to the camp," She answered, turning back to listen again. "It sounds so interesting out there. Much more than in the nursery."

"Sounds like there is a patrol going out soon." Firekit commented, listening with Thunderkit. She leaned forward a bit to hear better and she could hear rustling as the patrol Firekit was talking about left.

"They just left," Thunderkit stretched and yawned. "I can't wait to go on a patrol!"

"Me either!" Firekit bounced up and down. "It'll be great I bet!"

"What will?" Thunderkit was knocked over as her other brother, Snowkit, tackled her.

"Patrol," Thunderkit pushed Snowkit off and leaped onto his back. They rolled around play-fighting until Grayfur told them to stop.

"You are going to disturb your brother!" She scolded.

"Sorry mum," Thunderkit mumbled, Snowkit repeating it.

"Maybe we should go outside, just so that we can not disturb Moonkit," Firekit suggested. Thunderkit and Snowkit nodded their heads vigorously.

"Fine," Grayfur sighed. "But don't get under any cats' paws, understand?" But Thunderkit and her littermates were already charging outside the nursery and into the clearing. Thunderkit skidded to a halt as she stepped outside, staring at everything.

"I know I've been out before but," Thunderkit stared wide-eyed around camp. "It's just so, big!" The nursery was at the back of the camp, sheltered and hidden by a large oak tree. The warriors den was beside the thorn tunnel, the entrance to the camp, with the apprentices' den on the other side of the thorn tunnel. In the middle of camp was a huge maple tree, otherwise known as the Tree of Gifting. Lionstar climbed in whenever he needed to make important announcements, his den was in the roots of the tree. There was a den that went into the mountainside by the camp, and by the smell of plants, Thunderkit guessed it was the medicine cats den. Finally, the elders' den was about five fox-lengths away from the medicine cat den, made up of a fallen log, rotting away in the inside from time.

"Let's go inside the warriors den!" Snowkit suggested, pawing the ground with excitment.

"I don't think the warriors sleeping in there would like to be disturbed by some kits," An amused purr sounded behind Thunderkit. She whipped around to see a light brown tabby cat behind her, whiskers twitching with amusment.

"It was just an idea!" Firekit joined his littermate's side, his tail bushed out.

"But not a very good one," The cat responded calmly. "How about I teach you some hunting moves instead?"

"Yes!" Thunderkit jumped into the air. "Please!" Her littermates scrambled up to stand beside her.

"Okay, copy me," The cat pressed himself to the ground and began to move forward, belly barely brushing the ground and his tail hovering slightly above. "Now you try." Thunderkit watched as Snowkit slammed himself to the ground and began to creep forward, his haunches wiggling and tail lashing, Firekit was the same way.

"You guys look like wiggling snakes!" Thunderkit purred in amusment at the cat's discription. "Okay, now you try." He looked directly at Thunderkit.

"Wait, me?" Thunderkit stared at him in shock.

"Yes, you," He narrowed his eyes. "You want to be a warrior, right?"

"Of course!" Thunderkit bristled. How dare he doubt me! 

"Then show me your hunting crouch. Or are you scared?" He sneered, but Thunderkit didn't mind, she saw amusement in his eyes.

"I'm not scared!"

"Then show me!"

"Fine!" Thunderkit pressed herself to the ground and began to slowly move forward, careful to keep her tail and belly above the ground.

"Good, better than your brothers! But keep your ears back, you want to be a hidden as possible." The cat pushed her ears back with a paw. "You learn fast. You will be a great warrior. In fact, you all will." The cat turned around and began to pad away.

"Wait!" Thunderkit cried. The cat turned around and cocked his head to the side, looking curious. "What's your name? Mine's Thunderkit, and these are my brothers, Snowkit and Firekit." Her brothers were scuffling on the ground behind her, but stopped and joined Thunderkit when she spoke.

"The name's Falconpaw," Falconpaw turned around and walked away, calling over his shoulder; "Sorry, but I have apprentice duties to get to!"

"Humph, all that and he's not even a warrior?" Snowkit snorted. "Why should we take advice from him?"

"He knows more than us, and besides, I would've loved to get a hunting lesson!" Thunderkit turned around to see her other brother, Moonkit, walk out of the nursery, yawning as he walked up to join them.

"Hey, we should play hunter and the mouse!" Firekit suggested. "That way Moonkit can learn what we did!"

"Great idea!" Moonkit meowed, clawing the ground in anticipation. "Let's do it!"