Heartstar's rise : Book Two

Ch. 4

Heartpaw woke up to the soft sound of trickling water. He opened his eyes. Sunlight streamed into the apprentice den. He looked around. Eelpaw was sound asleep but Deerpaw was nowhere to be seen. He poked his head out of the den. The sun had just started to rise and only one patrol was gathered at the entrance, talking in hushed voices. All the cats knew about Heartpaw by now and they had accepted the choice of their leader. That he would have a trial and then they would choose his outcome. He slipped out of the den and down towards the patrol of cats. He spotted Deerpaw amongst them. She beamed at him. 

              "Hey," she said. The other cats turned to him. Moorpelt was amongst them. 

              "Ah, Heartpaw," said Moorpelt. "Blacktail told me to tell you that you will start training in the afternoon, she has something to do for now." Sparkbelly was amongst the patrol and he nodded respectfully to the warrior. 

                "I am Beestripe," said one of the warriors, stepping forward. 

               "And I'm Rainfeather," said a light grey, striped she-cat. 

                "Good to meet you," beamed Heartpaw. Then the patrol slipped out of camp and Deerpaw whispered bye. Heartpaw turned back to the empty clearing then made his way to the small mewing of cats. He approached the nursery then hesitantly waited outside. 

                 "Who is it?" came a voice. "You may come in." Heartpaw hesitated then walked in. The nursery was spacious and light streamed through from outside. The ground was sandy and soft. In green-leaf it would be warm but in leaf-bare, the nursery needed moss beds. A light tabby cat lay in one of the large moss beds. Three small kits scrambled near her side. Her eyes were tired and her movements slow. 

                  "Oh, you must be Heartpaw," said the queen. Heartpaw nodded. Deerpaw had only pointed out the location of the nursery when she had showed him Clan, she had never brought him in or mentioned kits. 

                "I'm Stripedfur," said the queen.

                "How old are they?" asked Heartpaw, looking at the kits. "And what are their names?" 

               "They're two moons old," beamed the queen proudly. "This one is Rosekit." She nudged a small, dark tabby kit. "Dustkit." She nodded to a small grey kit. "And little Hawkkit." Hawkkit was a light tabby cat who looked just like his mother. 

                  "They're so cute," said Heartpaw. Stripedfur purred. "Can they walk?" Stripedfur nodded and to prove her point, Rosekit scrambled to her feet and trotted to Heartpaw. She ran to his tail and nipped into it. Heartpaw burst into amused purrs. 

                 "They've been nagging me to go outside, but it's too cold and I'm too tired," sighed Stripedfur. 

                  "I'll bring them out," Heartpaw suggested. Rosekit pulled at his tail and he laughed. 

                   "Thank you," sighed Stripedfur in relief. "It would be a big favour." 

                  "Sure thing," grinned Heartpaw. "Come on guys, let's go outside." Dustkit and Hawkkit leapt out of the nest. 

                  "Yay, finally!" cried Rosekit. She rushed to the nursery's entrance. 

                  "Be careful and listen to what Heartpaw tells you!" warned Stripedfur. Rosekit nodded quickly and she and her siblings quickly rushed outside. Heartpaw slipped out after them. 

                  "Where are we going?" asked Rosekit. Heartpaw motioned for them to follow him. They brushed past some bushes and down a small hill. At the bottom trickled a, surprisingly, unfrozen stream. Heartpaw led the kits to it.