Heartstar's rise : Book one

Ch. 3

Stormpelt took Heartkit by the scruff and brought him outside. The air was crisp and fresh. Leaf-all had begun a moon ago. Stormpelt put Heartkit down onto the dirt. 

           "Wow!" cried Hearkit. "Our camp is so big." He wriggled and tried to scramble away to explore. Stormpelt nudged him gently but his small feet weren't strong enough to let him scramble up yet. He looked up at Stormpelt with a pout. 

            "I wish I could walk," he sighed. He was half a moon old but he wanted to see the big world waiting outside the nursery for him. 

            "Then walk," Stormpelt nuzzled Heartkit forward. 

           "What if I fall?" asked Heartkit. 

           "Then I'll catch you," assured Stormpelt softly. Sandwing slipped out of the nursery. 

          "It's ok if you can't walk, Honeykit learnt how to walk when she was a moon old and Firkit and Lionkit only learnt when they were a moon and a half," said Sandwing. "You should go back to the nursery." 

              "It's alright," Stormpelt said. "If he wants to try, he can."

             "Well don't be disappointed when you don't manage," shrugged Sandwing. Stormpelt felt his pelt bristle. 

             "Why can't you be more encouraging?" he whispered angrily at her. 

             "I'm being honest," replied Sandwing with a flick of her tail. 

            "Just go back to the nursery!" snapped Stormpelt. He turned to Hearkit who was watching him intently with a worried look. He nudged him gently. "Come on Heartkit, you can do it!" Sandwing stalked back into the nursery

             "But Sandwing said," moaned Heartkit. 

             "Screw what Sandwing says, she's just an old grumpy she-cat," said Stormpelt. Heartkit giggled. 

            "But she nurses me," meowed Heartkit. Stormpelt sighed. Although Sandwing did nurse him, she never showed any kind of motherly affection towards his kit. He was slightly relieved as Brightheart should have been Heartkit's mother but also slightly sad as Heartkit would never know what it would be like to have a mother. 

           "Yes, and you should be thankful and love her and respect her for that, but you don't need to listen to her discouraging words," Stormpelt said finally. Heartkit nodded vigorously and using all his might, got up onto his paws and wobbled forward. He screamed in delight and Stormpelt pounced on his paws in pride. 

             "I did it!" cried Heartkit so loud, a few cats in the clearing turned to him. Sandwing poked her head out of the nursery. 

            "Quit shouting," she said then saw Heartkit scampering around. Her eyes widened and she disappeared into the nursery, grumbling to herself. 

             "I'm so proud of you!" smiled Stormpelt. Heartkit stumbled around the clearing. A few cats purred with amusement and gave him small licks of encouragement. Stormpelt puffed his chest out with pride. He watched his kit with love. Cindertail came over and watched Heartkit with a smile. 

              "Brightheart would be proud," she said warmly, watching Heartkit wrestle with a small branch. "You're doing such a great job raising him with Sandwing!" Stormpelt felt his smile fading an he frowned. Cindertail saw his face and quickly apologised. 

               "Sorry, I didn't mean...," she trailed off. Stormpelt smiled in reply. 

              "It's alright," he said. "Sandwing really is helping. "It's what Clanmates are for." Cindertail nodded then congratulated Heartkit before padding away. Dandelionfrost trotted over to Stormpelt. 

              "He's doing so well," she said. Stormpelt felt like his head was going to burst with pride. 

              "Thank you," he said simply, dipping his head. Pinestar trotted over to him. He spotted Heartkit and ginned. 

              "Hey Heartkit! You're walking! You're the youngest kit to learn to walk!" he exclaimed. "Good job! You're going to be a great Shadowclan warrior." 

              "Thank you Pinestar!" cried Heartkit happily. He trotted to his father's side who licked him warmly. 

              "I thought you'd want to take a hunting patrol out this evening," explained Pinestar. "Thunderclan has been coming close to our borders." Stormpelt nodded. He bent down to Heartkit. 

                "I need to go now, Heartkit. I'll bring you back to the nursery but I'll come and see you before you sleep, alright?" asked Stormpelt. 

               "Why?" asked Heartkit sadly. "I want to stay out here."

              "Not right now," Stormpelt said gently. "I need to go. Go back to Sandwing." Heartkit pouted but sighed and stumbled towards the nursery. 

              "He's going to be a strong warrior, I can see that," Pinestar said, dipping his head before padding off. Stormpelt raced after Heartkit then made sure he was settled down before going to the warrior's den to gather a border patrol.