Elemental Warriors: Shadowed Steps

Chapter Three

The fluffy gray pelt of Wolfkit was hidden by the shadows the fallen Oak left on the camp. Peering around the Oak stump his blue eyes scanned the clearing for Oakkit. They were playing hide and hunt, it was a game Ashkit had taught him and his sibling only the day before. All of the kits but one would hide in the camp and someone would have to hunt them all down. Oakkit was the hunter this time, both Deerkit and Foxkit were already caught and were waiting in the center of the clearing.

"Gotcha!" Oakkit cheered running out of the end of the fallen Oak, which was the medicine cats den, "I found Birchkit!" He declared as the brown-orange furred she-kit walked to the center of the clearing to join the others. Wolfkit kept his eyes scanning the clearing watching for signs of either Harekit or Ashkit, he didn't want to be caught before his littermate and Ashkit almost always won this game. Oakkit's ginger coat flashed from the other side of the clearing around the hollow log that was Dappledstar's den. Small white paws flashed along the edge of the berry bush that made up the warriors den, clearly showing where Harekit had chosen to hide.

"Out! Out! Out!" Wolfkit recognized the sound of his mother's mew as she gently pushed Ashkit out of the nursery, "go play with the others outside."

"But I am!" The brown tom insisted, "were playing hide and hunt!"

"Not anymore your not!" Oakkit declared as he tapped his brother on the shoulder with his tail, "I already caught Harekit, which means Wolfkit is the winner!" Surprise rippled through the young grey tom's pelt as he stepped around the stump.

"Congrats Wolfkit!" Ashkit ran towards Wolfkit his green eyes flashing with excitement, "guess it's Deerkit's turn to be the hunter again!"

"Again! You've never been the hunter yet Ashkit!" Deerkit complained her long white speckled tail trailing in the dirt behind her, "I think you should have to be the hunter at least once!"

"Yeah, I agree with Deerkit, how come you always get to hide?" Foxkit piped up,

"Well, I think since Wolfkit won the game he should get to choose who is the next hunter." Birchkit spoke up, "at least that way it's fair."

"And I think it's time for the little ones to get some rest," Icefur stepped in sweeping her tail around Deerkit and Harekit pulling them into her belly, "come on you four time for some rest."

"We've only been outside for a few hours Icefur!" Wolfkit complained as he followed his mother back into the den, "I'm not even-" With a yawn the young kits complaints stopped.

"They're going to be strong warriors one day." Paleface said walking up behind the three kits, "so are the three of you."

"I'm going to be the best warrior ever!" Birchkit declared the young she-cat her light orange-brown fur rippled softly in the wind, "and someday I'll be clan leader just like Dappledstar!"

"No way I am going to be clan leader," Ashkit argued stepping in front of his sister, "just as Beechtalon, he's going to make me his deputy someday."

"When did I say that?" Beechtalon's rumbling voice came from behind the kits. Spinning around Ashkit faced his father; "I think the three of you mischievous kits need someone to keep an eye on you. From what I understand the three of you helped in the medicine cats den earlier."

The three kits looked down at their paws, "We were only trying to help Mintflower, there were herbs everywhere!" Oakkit explained, "We only moved them out of the way!"

"Into an even bigger mess, it spent her hours to reorganize all of those herbs," Maplespring said stepping in beside her mate, "your lucky Silverpaw came back early from training so she could assist."