Warrior Cats: Sheepcloud's Sorrow

Chapter Four

Sheepkit and Icekit sat in the corner of the medicine cat, Sheepkit forcing herself to speak slowly as she explained everything. She didn't understand why Icekit looked so calm, why no anger flashed in her eyes.

"A kittypet, Icekit!" she repeated. "He's a stinking kittypet!"

The white she cat docked her head to the side as she spoke, "There isn't anything wrong with that," she answered. "Not to mention, he's a warrior now."

"Barely!" Sheepkit hissed. "He's always been a coward!"

She was aware of Daisyfur watching them, and she resisted the urge to screech at the medicine cat. The rest of the Clan must have known about their father's heritage, and they hadn't even bothered to mention it. Doesn't it frustrate them?

A kittypet was let into our Clan!

Sheepkit didn't want to argue with Icekit, so in the end, the two of them left the medicine cat den, heading outside to where Bluekit and Brightkit were play fighting. Sheepkit could still feel anger rushing through all her body, but she forced herself to stay calm. She would never snap at Icekit. Her sister meant more to her than anyone else around the whole lake.

She was everything.

"Sheepkit, Icekit!" Brightkit purred upon spotting his denmates. "You two should come play with us!" His amber eyes sparkled excitedly.

"Yeah," a smirk appeared on Bluekit's face, "I guess Hawkstar didn't shred your ears off, but we can always do it instead."

Icekit didn't seem to have understood what the older kits were saying, but she gave them a warm smile. Bluekit and Brightkit smiled warmly back at her.

And then Bluekit sprang at Sheepkit. Sheepkit was shoved to the ground. Once, she would have been shocked by the power that she was hit with, but it was no secret that both Bluekit and her brother were already growing into strong young cats. Sheepkit felt a twinge of jealousy, but her heart was filled with admiration.

The white she cat weakly batted at Bluekit's stomach, lifting the grey she kit up slightly. Bluekit simply let out a laugh. "You still have a lot to learn!"

Eventually, after a few more rough bats in the face, Bluekit released Sheepkit from her grip. Sheepkit felt embarrassed about losing, but the smug smile on Bluekit's face made her feel happy.

"You two are great!" Brightkit grinned. "We're going to be amazing warriors, all four of us!" He flicked his ears in the direction of Icekit, happiness in his eyes.

Once again, he spoke too fast for Icekit to understand, but Sheepkit could see her sister smiling.

And then she remembered how Daisyfur seemed so interested in Icekit becoming her apprentice.

"Of course we are," Sheepkit forced a smile, trying to ignore the fact that she had her own personal insecurities about becoming a warrior. "But Daisyfur... she seems obsessed with Icekit becoming a medicine cat. She's so lazy! She just wants an apprentice to help her!"

Bluekit's green eyes flashed with anger. "What a lazy furball!" she growled. "She shouldn't be forcing Icekit to help her! Icekit's going to be a warrior!" She placed a paw on the younger kit's shoulders, giving Icekit a reassuring nod.

"Daisyfur isn't lazy." Icekit mewed, catching Sheepkit by surprise. She understood some of what we said. That's good... but I wish she wasn't deaf at all. Doesn't our fishbrained medicine cat have a treatment for that?

Brightkit nodded. "I don't think she's lazy, but Icekit, you're going to be a warrior!" He gave her a huge, toothy smile, and Icekit smiled weakly back.

Bluekit's pelt bristled, and she pulled away from Icekit slightly, "So, you're really not angry at our medicine cat?" She hissed.

"Of course not!" Icekit smiled. "She's a really nice!"

"She's just acting that way so you'll become her apprentice," Sheepkit muttered, glaring at the ground. "Why you? Flamekit or Ravenkit would be a much better choice."

It seemed as though Ravenkit had heard her name, as the blackhaired she kit emerged from the nursery, eyes narrowing.

"I heard everything you lot said," she mewed. "And I agree, Daisyfur shouldn't force Icekit to be a medicine cat."

"I think that's the first thing we've ever agreed on" Bluekit snorted.

Ravenkit rolled her eyes. "Daisyfur isn't lazy, though. She's just worried about a deaf cat being a warrior."

There was silence for several moments, as if every cat seemed to be processing what Ravenkit had said. That was excluding Brightkit, who had become very interested in a butterfly flying past them.

Sheepkit was furious.

She wouldn't believe that. There was no way a deaf cat could be treated that way.

Daisyfur was just a lazy, inconsiderate furball.

"That's not true!" Sheepkit stalked over to Ravenkit, looking her straight in her eyes, "Not even Daisyfur would treat Icekit like that! She's just lazy!"

Ravenkit sighed, "I wish. But just try to understand. What she's doing is wrong, but she's just worried."

She started padding back towards the nursery, and Brightkit, who had managed to smash the butterfly underneath one of his unusually large paws, called after her, "Where are you going? It's so sunny outside! Greenleaf won't last forever, you know!"

The black she kit turned around again, "I'm playing mossball with Flamekit."

"Mossball?" Bluekit scoffed. "And in the nursery? And what are your siblings doing then?"

"They're all asleep," Ravenkit answered. "And mossball... isn't that bad, at least Flamekit seemed to like it." For a brief moment, there seemed to be amusement in Ravenkit's eyes.

"But... won't your parents get mad if you play fishbrained games like that in the nursery?" Bluekit questioned.

Sheepkit understood Bluekit's reaction. Bluekit's parents surely would have snapped at her. Pouncestrike though... as long as Sheepkit stayed out of her way, which she generally did, the battle scarred she cat didn't really seem to mind what her daughter did. For a rebellious cat like Bluekit that might seem perfect, but deep down she was heartbroken that Pouncestrike didn't seem to love her. The only cat she seemed to love was Mousefoot, as though there was no room in her heart for anyone else.

Or maybe she's just too obsessed with starting fights with other Clans to think about myself or Icekit.

Foxheart.

Ravenkit suddenly looked sympathetic, and her mew was more gentle than usual as she answered, "My mother... won't mind." Without saying anything else, Ravenkit headed into the nursery.

Sheepkit didn't miss the flash of jealousy in Bluekit's eyes.

"Bluekit!" Brightkit purred, nudging his sister playfully, "Let's carry on playing!"

Bluekit brightened a bit at that. "Sure!" She grinned, leaping at her brother.

Sheepkit watched them, before turning to Icekit questioningly. Her sister gave her a nod, and Icekit ran at Sheepkit, slamming into her.

She's not even that weak!

Sheepkit and Icekit swiped at eachother, Sheepkit soon realising Icekit movements were actually slightly faster than hers. She glanced at Daisyfur's den, wanting nothing more than to yowl, 'Watch one of the future warriors of RiverClan fight, Daisyfur! You can't stop her!'

No matter what, Sheepkit would stop Icekit from being forced to become a medicine cat.

Because forcing someone to become a medicine cat to become a medicine cat was never right. Sheepkit felt it in her heart.