Heartstar's rise : Book one

Ch. 6

Heartkit awoke to Sandwing prodding him. 

                 "Wake up," she whispered. Heartkit opened one of his eyes. "Firkit, Lionkit and Honeykit woke up long ago. Go join them." Yawning, Heartkit scurried away. He spotted Firkit, Lionkit and Honeykik by the Tall Stump. He rushed to them.

                "Hey Heartkit!" cried Firkit. "I'm the Shadowclan leader, Firstar. You can be my deputy, Heartfall. Lionkit is Lionear and Honeykit is Honeystar. They're both from Windclan!" Heartkit nodded. He wriggled his tail and barred his teeth. Honeykit leapt at him, paws extended. They bundled to the ground with furious squeaks and squeals. Heartkit was barely aware of Firkit and Lionkit wrestling beside them. 

             "Hey kits," called a voice. Heartkit froze as he recognised the voice. Honeykit pinned him to the ground with a howl of victory but Heartkit just pushed her off and padded to the large grey warrior. "Do you want me to teach you fighting techniques?" 

              "Yes please!" cried Heartkit. Firkit nodded enthusiastically. Stormpelt smiled at his kit, giving him a gentle lick. 

           "How about you two?" he asked Lionkit and Honeykit. They looked at him for a while then glanced at the nursery but then smiled. 

            "Yes!" answered Honeykit. Stormpelt crouched into position. The four kits copied his position. Then a black and white young tom trotted towards them. His eyes darted from side to side and he was lean and small. 

             "Spiderpaw!" Stormpelt said. "Why don't you join us? Look, reposition Lionkit for me." Spiderleg beamed and trotted over to Lionkit's side. He pressed his back lower and repositioned one of his paws. 

           "Good," congratulated Stormpelt, eyeing the four kits. He noticed that Heartkit and Firkit had the best positions and felt pride swell in him. "Now, Spiderpaw, why don't you show them a front paw blow?" Spiderpaw nodded enthusiastically. Spiderpaw crouched and brought his front paw out and cuffed Stormpelt on the head. Stormpelt ducked and smiled. 

             "Very good," he praised. Spiderpaw grinned. 

             "How did you dodge it so quickly?" he asked. 

             "Practice. I'll show you another time but I'm sure Skytail will teach you," replied Stormpelt, turning to the kits. "It's always good to start learning to fight early. Just in case. Come on, let's try the front paw blow." Heartkit smiled and turned to Firkit. They both crouched, facing each other, eyes locked and concentrated. Heartkit swiped at Firkit and hit him on the head. Firkit shook his head and blinked. 

               "That was great!" grinned Firkit. 

               "Good job Heartkit!" praised Stormpelt warmly, giving Heartkit a small lick. "Now make sure to balance on your back paws." Goldenheart padded to Stormpelt's side, watching the kits with amusement. 

              "We're going on a hunting patrol," Goldenheart informed Stormpelt. She looked at Spiderpaw. "Would you like to come?"

               "Sure," shrugged Spiderpaw, giving Lionkit one last suggestion then trotting to the camp entrance. 

               "Right," Stormpelt nodded. He glanced at the kits. "You kits play for a while. I need to sort out a few patrols." He smiled at Heartkit. "You're doing great, keep it up." He nodded to Goldenheart. "Who's going with you?"

               "Cindertail, Shadefern and Spiderpaw," said Goldenheart. Stormpelt glanced over at the warrior's den where Rabbitleap was resting just at the entrance. 

               "Take Rabbitleapt as well," Stormpelt ordered. "Leaf-bare is coming." Goldenheart nodded and headed over to Rabbitleap. Heartkit watched Stormpelt in awe. 

               "You're going to organise patrols?" he asked. 

              "Yes, you can come," smiled Stormpelt. He let Heartkit trot behind him as he approached Weaselscar. 

               "Stormpelt," acknowledged Weaselscar. "Do you need me to do something?"

               "Could you take Roselight, Deerdapple and Dandelionfrost to patrol the Windclan border. Another patrol is at the Thunderclan border already," Stormpelt told him. Weaselscar nodded. 

               "Now?" he asked. 

               "Soon, but you need to wait for Deerdapple, she's out with Darkpaw but I think she should be back soon," explained Stormpelt. He scolded himself for not arranging the patrols earlier. He was the Shadowclan deputy for Starclan's sake. He sighed and glanced at Heartkit. His heart warmed and he beckoned Heartkit over to the apprentice's den. 

               "I'm going to check which apprentices are still there. I don't think the elder's have been fed yet. Why don't you ask them?" Stormpelt suggested. Heartkit raced of, proud of his job. He returned, chest puffed out. 

               "No, they haven't eaten yet and they said the apprentices are making a mouse dung of a job to feed them," smiled Heartkit. Stormpelt rolled his eyes and cuffed Heartkit softly on the ear. His eyes sparkled with amusement. 

                "Don't say that," he warned not very seriously. 

                "But that's what Crowtail said!" exclaimed Heartkit. Stormpelt peered into the apprentice den. Duskpaw was lounging on the ground with Spottedpaw. 

               "Spottedpaw, Duskpaw," called Stormpelt sharply. They knew it was their duty to feed the elders. Duskpaw and Spottedpaw quickly got up and shot out of the den, standing in front of Stormpelt nervously. 

               "Yeah?" asked Duskpaw timidly. 

              "You know you're supposed to feed the elders," Stormpelt said sternly but gently. Duskpaw and Spottedpaw nodded solemnly. 

               "Sorry," they muttered being shooting away. Heartkit watched them with tilted heads. 

               "I'm going to do a great job feeding the elders," he announced after a while. Stormpelt chuckled. 

                "I hope so," he said softly. "Why don't you go join the other kits? I need to do a few more things." Heartkit nodded quickly and scurried off. Stormpelt watched him with love bubbling inside him.