Warrior Cats: Sheepcloud's Sorrow

Chapter Three

The cat in the picture looks a bit like Mousefoot, but Mousefoot has a white underbelly.

This was pretty terrible.

Hawkstar was screeching angrily at Sheepkit and her parents right now. Daisyfur had obviously taken advantage of the situation and ushered Icekit straight to the medicine cat den. Bluekit and Brightkit were playing with eachother, clearly having more fun than anyone else, and Sheepkit was dying to join them.

But instead, here she was in Hawkstar's den, listening to the brown she cat complain and complain.

"How fishbrained can you be?" she growled at Sheepkit. "There's a reason why kits don't leave the camp! It's too dangerous! If Squirrelheart hadn't caught up to you in time, you would be dead!"

Sheepkit felt sick to the stomach as she remembered water entering her nostrils, eyes and mouth. She really would have died without Squirrelheart, and the thought terrified her. Why are you reminding me?

The shorthaired kit stood up straight, trying to hide her fear, but she already guessed she wasn't doing a very good job. When it came to hiding her emotions, Sheepkit knew she was terrible.

"We were bored." Sheepkit muttered. There was no way she was going to apologise.

Maybe we wouldn't have been bored of our parents actually paid attention to us during the day. Maybe then we would have been tired at night. But both mine and Icekit's parents and also Bluekit and Brightkit's parents don't seem to care about us.

"I know you were," Hawkstar hissed, "Yourself and Icekit are only very young. It's natural. But still! Pouncestrike is staying in the nursery for a reason, to spend time with you two!"

The leader suddenly faced Pouncestrike, anger in her eyes, "So what have you been doing instead?"

Pouncestrike opened her mouth to say something, but Hawkstar carried on talking.

"Leaving the camp and hunting! More than that, picking fights! Mosstail spotted you screeching across the Thunderpath at ShadowClan cats, and they hadn't even crossed the border!" Hawkstar snapped. "Spend time with your kits! There'll be plenty of time to be a warrior against once they're apprenticed! It's only five moons!"

Mousefoot let out a quiet hiss. "Our kits are doing fine, there are other queens in the nursery keeping an eye on them," his voice was gentle, but the fury in his voice was startlingly clear. "You know what ShadowClan cats are like. They would have crossed the border had Pouncestrike not been there."

Hawkstar rolled her eyes. "Forget ShadowClan, I know what kittypets are like!" her eyes were fixed on Mousefoot. "Good for nothings and lazy! Doesn't that sound familiar?"

Kittypets? Sheepkit had heard of kittypets, cats who lived with twolegs in their nests. Lionclaw, the Clan's only elder. He had always described them as lazy cats, cats who would never understand Clan life. He had always spoken badly of them.

What do kittypets have to do with this?

Pouncestrike looked as though she was resisting the urge to fling herself at her leader. "Who exactly are you accusing of being a good for nothing? RiverClan is full of honourable cats." She snarled.

Hawkstar's eyes were still resting on Mousefoot. "Don't act fishbrained, Pouncestrike. We all know exactly where your mate came from," she flicked her tail. "You may leave now. Sheepkit, behave next time. And you two, take better care of your kits."

The three cats left the den. Sheepkit was still confused, though fairly pleased that Hawkstar had snapped at her parents. They deserved it. But she still had questions.

"What was Hawkstar saying about kittypets?" Sheepkit asked, hoping that for once, her parents wouldn't ignore her.

Pouncestrike was trembling, pressing herself against Mousefoot. She turned to her daughter, looking at her for about a moment, before speaking quickly. "You're father was born a kittypet, and there's nothing wrong with that." Then, the two cats padded away before Sheepkit could even say something.

Sheepkit was disgusted.

Mousefoot was born a kittypet?

No wonder!

She headed straight for the medicine cat, feeling fury rushing through her body. Her parents were ridiculous.

"Icekit!" She yowled, forgetting for a moment that her sister was deaf.

Daisyfur and Icekit sat in the corner of the medicine cat den, and Sheepkit felt like exploding as she saw the two cats sorting through Daisyfur's supply of herbs. Sheepkit padded over to her sister, patting her on the back.

Icekit turned around. "Hi." She mewed.

"Icekit!" Sheepkit forced herself to speak slowly, resisting the urge to howl with anger. "Our father is a kittypet!"