Island Territory: Lost Stars (Warrior Cats)

Chapter 7

Photo up there is Swiftwind
Icekit dabbled at the minnows, wriggling underneath the riverbank. The river was as deep as Icekit's height, so she was careful not to trip and fall. Stupid fish, Icekit thought with annoyance, as one minnow practically swam into her paws, but missed.
Icekit gasped with surprise, when suddenly, the minnow leaped over her paw, sprouting dainty wings she hadn't seen before, and nearly toppled over when she heard Swiftwind's amused purr rumble behind her.
"Not a minnow, is it?" Swiftwind smiled kindly. "No..." Icekit murmured to herself, shaking her head, embarrassed. Swiftwind let out a low rumble, and laid down beside Icekit, watching her with his sharp amber eyes.
Icekit shivered. Swiftwind's eyes were friendly, however looked very much like Ambergaze's, watching every passing shadow and scraping through every object in sight. Icekit quickly looked away, before getting too lost in those spinning, golden eyes.
Swiftwind's gaze seemed to melt, going from the usual block of stone it was, to a kinder block of slush. "It's actually called a flying fish. Or so the elders say." Icekit self-consciously looked away.
She hated it when warriors used their sappy-drippy voice when talking to her. She may be only two and a half moons old, but she wasn't some stuck up little kit that had to stay put in the nursery all day anymore.
But she had to admit, the flying fish did sound cool when she said it out loud. "They usually stay by the seaside, but we're lucky enough to have some run through the lake through the rivers, every now and then." Swiftwind continued.
Icekit nodded vigorously. Her eyes were fixed on the leaping flying fish, whose wings reflected the light brilliantly. Icekit tensed her muscles. She was determined to catch one. Swiftwind looked over and smiled, as if having some flashback of his kit days.
Icekit crouched, but soon realized she was catching fish, not a mouse. She quickly trotted over to the streamside, where the fish was, trying not to seem like a mouse-brained kit.
Swiftwind chuckled, and followed along, giving his pelt a rough shake before padding over. He stood a little farther from Icekit, which she appreciated, knowing Swiftwind would give her space to make her catch.
And it'll be my first prey! Icekit realized, her pelt tingling with excitement. Icekit swatted at the water, suddenly, trying to flick the fish up in the air. But the fish easily swam aside, dodging her small paws.
Icekit grunted in frustration. Swiftwind made a solemn face, and trotted over, light on his paws. "Fish are dumb, but not that dumb." Swiftwind started. "You're too focused on the catch in your head; think more about the catch right now." he instructed. Icekit felt strangely approving of Swiftwind.
He didn't treat her like a squealing kit, but also didn't treat her like royalty. Like I'm his apprentice. Icekit looked over towards the clearing.
Seedpaw, who was Swiftwind's real apprentice, was there, talking with a smiling Snowkit over a piece of prey. (Icekit also noticed Sandpaw there, with a envious look written all over his face.)
Seedpaw was rather short for himself. His paws seemed too big for him, while his body was slim. But he had those signature leaf-green eyes, and was always a cheerful cat.
His mottled brown fur was messy, to say the least. It always seemed to stick up, or seem entangled in something. But nevertheless, a nice cat to be friends with.
Icekit shook her thoughts away, turning back to the stream and the fish, who was anxiously looking for a escape route, by the looks of it.
Icekit quickly regained her focus, and directed it all towards the hunt. Swiftwind paused for a moment, as if in deep thought, and quickly tumbled a couple of large rocks over at the end of the stream, so the fish couldn't escape.
Icekit smiled gratefully, and turned back to the flying fish, slowly raising her paw towards the air.
Quickly, she stuck the water with great force, for a kit, sending a splash throughout the air.
Icekit felt the scales of the fish, wriggling underneath her paw, and their wings starting to spread out.
Not this time... Icekit thought, determined to catch the fish. She loosened her grip on the wriggling thing, and it went flying upwards.
Icekit quickly adjusted her posture, and leaped at it, knocking it out of the air, and onto the bank.
Icekit squealed with excitement as she gazed at her catch, and slapped it a couple of times, for good measure.
Swiftwind purred and rolled the rocks back out of the stream. After properly placing them back, he padded over to congratulate Icekit on her first catch.
"Good strategy." He said, gazing admirably at Icekit, who was doing little leaps in the air.
Snowkit stumbled over, to also congratulate Icekit on her catch, but kept looking towards the fish, either envious, or wanting to eat it.
Icekit purred, and picked up her catch, ready to send it to the prey pile. Snowkit hesitated, but soon ran towards her.
"Wait!" She called, looking a bit embarrassed. Icekit looked over, smiling hopefully. "Uh, well... I'm kind of hungry right now, so if I could just...." Snowkit started, digging her paws towards the ground.
"Of course." Icekit replied, rather happy that her littermate would be the first to taste her first prey. Snowkit lit up, and bounced eagerly next to Icekit.
She gently set the fish down, spitting some scales out from her mouth. Icekit's chest swelled with pride, as she watched Snowkit eat happily.
Providing food for her clan, and family, were just a fraction of Icekit's greatest dreams. At the moment, Icekit didn't think anything that could ruin this moment.
By then, Sweetkit had stopped trampling across the clearing chasing Lightningpaw, and went over to see what the commotion was all about.
"Icekit caught her first prey!" Snowkit chirped, looking up at Sweetkit, as she sniffed enviously at her catch. She had been the only one who didn't catch any prey, but through her eyes, she could tell Sweetkit was happy for her.
"Anyone can catch a minnow." Sweetkit scoffed. Icekit purred triumphantly. "It's not a minnow, it's a flying fish" she said, touching the fish's wings lightly with her paw.
Sweetkit's face both fell, and lit up. "Can I have some...? She started, hesitantly raising a paw. Icekit nodded proudly.
She glanced at her littermates, happily eating her catch bit by bit, and padded a bit closer, trying to taste her catch as well.
Icekit knew that Snowkit loved fish; it was her favourite prey if she could get her paws on one. Sweetkit never really liked fish that well, but was always willing to take a bite out of it. Icekit herself, enjoyed fish, but prefered vole more.
In her opinion though, the flying fish tasted very good. Icekit ripped another chunk out, happily munching down the soft flesh.
Icekit looked up, and over to where Swiftwind originally was. But to her dismay, Swiftwind was long gone, and was just leaving the entrance to go on a patrol, or something. Icekit blinked gratefully at the disappearing figure, who most likely didn't notice it.
After a while, they managed to finish the fish, and each trotted off to do their own things, while Icekit decided to tell her mother.
Spottedheart was also part of the patrol, so later she could exaggerate the story to him. I made a catch, the first one ever! Icekit thought gleefully, with a little skip in her step.
She watched as Snowkit continued her talk with Seedpaw, under a small leaning rock from the cliffside. Sweetkit, on the other hand, was carrying nettles she had collected under a pine.
But Sweetkit soon got distracted, and dropped the nettles to go try and catch a butterfly. Icekit giggled. Sweetkit was always the one who would notice everything, while Snowkit had excellent memory.
Icekit didn't find her skill yet, but was convinced she would, when she became an apprentice.
Icekit quickened her pace, her paws neatly going in swift movements, like Crystalpelt always would.
Icekit was quickly stopped though, by Dapplefang, who had just slid out of the nursery. From the looks of it, Dapplefang was carrying many bundles of herbs, each with a tangy scent.
Icekit wrinkled her nose. Dapplefang seemed in a hurry, muttering under her breath. "Icekit, you can't go in." she said quickly, and Icekit had to take a minute to process what she was saying.
"Why not?" she started, but was interrupted by Dapplefang, who didn't seem to notice Icekit was talking.
"Make yourself useful and fetch some ginger, chamomile, maybe chervil roots... and perhaps some juniper berries, if really necessary." Dapplefang muttered bossily, shaking her head as if she was thinking very hard.
"Bring what...?" Icekit asked, completely confused. Her mind was reeling. Why would Dapplefang need so many herbs? What did any of the herbs do?
Dapplefang sighed, and quickly padded around Icekit, looking around. "Just get your sister, Snowkit. Or I'll just do it myself." she muttered something, like 'I need honey... again... ' or something like that.
Icekit scurried closer to Dapplefang, desperate for some answers, and to potentially help, if she could be of any use.
Before Icekit could ask anything, Dapplefang whipped around, looking disgruntled. "Did you hear me? I said, go fetch Snowkit." she grumped.
Icekit bit back a hiss, and turned away, padding back to Snowkit. She didn't even know why or what had happened. It wouldn't hurt anyone if she wanted to know.
Icekit let out a puff of hot air. She didn't even tell Crystalpelt about her catch yet! Why does Dapplefang have to be the medicine cat, of all cats! Why can't it be someone with a better temper?
Icekit nearly thought about Snowkit, but pushed the thought away, trying to regain her broken concentration.
"Snowkit!" she called, hiding away the anger in her voice. Snowkit looked up, dipping her head politely at Seedpaw, and hurried over, a happy expression on her face.
"What is it? Did Sweetkit get stuck in a log again?" Snowkit asked teasingly. Icekit shook her head, and gave a forced smile.
"No, Dapplefang needs you. She need, uh... Cornville, Singer, a... something-stems, and uh, jumper berries." Icekit stuttered, trying to remember the herbs Dapplefang needed.
Snowkit let out a mrrow of amusement, and nodded, hurrying to Dapplefang. Icekit sighed, pretty much knowing she wouldn't be such a big help with herbs and healing.
Icekit watched as Snowkit disappeared into the medicine cat den, with Dapplefang close behind her. Was it just her, or did Dapplefang seem relieved that Snowkit had come in to help. She's just a kit though, like me and Sweetkit. We can't help that much... Icekit thought.
Icekit pricked her ears up, trying to hear better, or pick up even a tiny bit of the conversation.
Icekit watched as Snowkit and Dapplefang bundled through, carrying many assortments of herbs, and plants she had never seen before.
Snowkit seemed strangely distressed, sadness and worryness flooding her gaze. Icekit could tell, from the way she held her tail, and the position of her ears.
Snowkit was also holding her breath, which she only did, when she was very upset. Icekit narrowed her eyes into slits.
She couldn't wait to find out why, and was slightly scared to find out as they disappeared into the nursery.
After a very long while, (Icekit could feel her fatigue kicking in), Snowkit finally came out, a look of distress all over her face.
Icekit quickly snapped awake and asked, with shining eyes; "So? What happened? You didn't look so bad since... we ate your mouse." she smirked, making a forced smile.
Snowkit seemed to wilt a bit at that, as Icekit could see her cringing away. Now Icekit was really worried.
"Icekit... It's terrible..." Snowkit started, slowly, her voice sounding like an injured kit. "Crystalpelt has whitecough."