Mosskit Book 2: The Journey

Chapter 29

            Mosskit awoke and smiled at the brightly lit sky. He got up and stretched. Ginger was in the camp, pushing a rabbit towards him. Snakekit was still asleep.

            "Eat up fast," Ginger whispered. "You want to get to SnowClan, right?"

            Mosskit nodded, gobbling up the rabbit in minutes.

            Ginger laughed as he ate. "I'll go wake up Snakekit," she said, padding into the den.

            Mosskit sat, licking the meat off the bones of the dead rabbit. As excited as he was, nervousness filled his stomach. Would he like it in SnowClan?

            He watched as Snakekit awoke, her fur all ruffled. As she hate, Ginger groomed it, trying to make the she-cat look nice again.

            "Rough night?" Mosskit asked.

            "I was just nervous the whole night," Snakekit said.

            Mosskit nodded, watching her as she ate a vole that Ginger had caught in the camp.

            After Snakekit finished, she smiled weakly. "I'm ready to go..."

            Ginger nodded. "Then we're off. You two can run down the hill if you want."

            "Oh we don't have to..."

            "Yeah, we have to!" Mosskit shouted as Snakekit, bursting down the hill.

            He turned, seeing Snakekit run after him, a small smile on her face. Ginger followed behind, chasing them.

            Mosskit ran, faster and faster, laughing. "Can't catch me!" He tumbled down the hill, Snakekit following him. Suddenly he felt a paw on his hip.

            "Caught you," Snakekit laughed.

            "Look out!" Ginger screeched.

            Mosskit turned, seeing an angry fox growling at him. Snakekit stood, wide-eyed, about to run.

            "What do we do?" Mosskit whimpered.

            "I-I don't know," Snakekit whispered.

            The fox snapped at Mosskit. Mosskit dodged it though, the fox almost grabbing his leg. The fox continued to prowl forward, ready to kill the she-cat and the tom.

            Is this the whole reason we did this journey? Just to die like this?! Mosskit thought, believing it was the end.

            All of the sudden Snakekit stood up, her chest puffed out. "Leave him alone!" she hissed.

            "Snakekit, what are you doing?!" Mosskit gasped.

            "I'm sorry," she whispered. Suddenly she leapt under the fox, the fox turning towards her.

            "Can't catch me!" she taunted, beginning to run away in the bushes. The fox followed after her, leaves flying up into the air.

            "SNAKEKIT!" Mosskit hissed. He was about to run when Ginger stopped him.

            "You'll be killed if you go after her!" she hissed.

            Mosskit sat. The fox and Snakekit did not return. Had that really all happened. There he was, so close to reaching SnowClan when that fox had shown up. Snakekit was most likely dead. There was no way she could've outran that fox.

            Mosskit sighed. "I love you, Snakekit," he whispered.

            "I'm sorry," Ginger said. "But we must complete our journey. There's only a few more pawsteps to go."

            Mosskit sighed. He really didn't care about SnowClan anymore or his past. He just wanted Snakekit to return.

            Was that why she had been so cautious? Had she known that the fox would come and kill her? Maybe she had received a sign from StarClan.

            Mosskit got up, his tail drooping as he followed Ginger into the forest. He kept looking back, trying to see if Snakekit would return, but she never did. Dead. She had to be dead. How could she have survived a fox?

            Ginger stopped. Mosskit wondered why. Then he realized where he was. Scents of cats were all around. He was at the SnowClan camp!

            He wanted to bounce with excitement, but a part of him couldn't...not with Snakekit gone.

            "I have journeyed far with you," Ginger said.

            "Ginger, will you-," but Ginger ignored him and continued speaking.

            "But now it is my time to leave you, Mosskit."

            "No! Don't leave!" Mosskit gasped. "Please! Stay at SnowClan!"

            Ginger shook her head. "I sought you out to guide you and now I have. There is nothing more I can do. Good-bye, Mosskit. I wish you all the luck in SnowClan. Perhaps we will meet again someday." Mosskit gasped in astonishment as she faded away. He stood, confused for a moment.

            Suddenly, another bright light shone and Skycloud appeared with Mossclaw by her side.

            "Momma! Daddy!" Mosskit gasped.

            Mossclaw smiled and Skycloud did too. "I know you're confused about Ginger," Skycloud began. "When she was hit by that monster, she did die. But I sent her here to guide you."

            "You mean I was guided by a dead cat?!" Mosskit gasped. Was that why she had been able to flash the predators away?! Suddenly anger spiked his pelt. Why hadn't she flashed the fox that killed Snakekit away?!

            "You were guided by a StarClan cat," Mossclaw explained.

            "You have done well, my son," Skycloud said. "Now you must continue your journey in SnowClan. You'll find everything you need to know about your past. Tell Ashpaw and Cinderpaw that I'm sorry."

            "Ashpaw and Cinderpaw? Who?" Mosskit tilted his head.

            "You'll learn soon," Mossclaw said. "Good-bye and good luck."

            Mosskit sat, wondering what had just happened. Everyone he had known all his life had faded from him. But now, he would be stepping into a new life. He sighed, then stepped forward, walking towards the SnowClan camp...