Moonstar's Path

Chapter One

"Leaf-bare... Always Leaf-bare!" Grumbled a white she-cat. Her belly was round with kits. "It's like my kits are made of snow!" A black kit tumbled over to the she-cat. "Leaf-bare's fun!" He narrowed his blue eyes. The white she-cat gazed at him and gave out a small purr. "Cause you're probably made out of snow!" The black tom smiled and giggled. "No! Not me! Starkit is!" A small white she-cat with green eyes popped her head from a spotted gray she-cat. "No fair! You're black! I'm white as snow!" She said, narrowing her eyes.

Moonkit rolled his eyes. "And I'm the mouse." Starkit purred. "Yea, you are." "Hey!" Moonkit said, ruffling his fur. "I'm bigger than you!" Starkit jumped down next to her littermate.

"Wait until I'm an apprentice!" She mewed. "I bet you'll be smaller than a Squirrel!" The black kit jumped on his sister and playfully bite her ear, keeping claws sheathed, he hit her cheek. "Hey!" She scowled and nudged his shoulder. "You hit my cheek!" She smiled. Before Starkit could lift a paw to hit her brother back, a black tom with a white-tipped tail and paws appeared "Hello, Star kit and Moonkit." He smiled. "Nightriver!" Nightriver purred. Starkit mewed with excitement as she saw two, small, minnows. "Prey!" Starkit jumped on the prey, giving it a nip on the head as if she caught it. The gray spotted she-cat glanced at her. "Starkit!" Starkit stopped dead and got off the minnow. "Don't play with your food..." "Okay, Spottedfeather..." She smiled.

Nightriver looked at Moonkit. "The clan has a new member." Nightriver looked behind him. A small yellow kit looked at Nightriver shyly then at Moonkit and Starkit. "Hi... my name is... Sunkit... I was born fro-," He stopped and looked at Nightriver.

"You don't have to say where you came from." Nightriver kindly stared at the scruffy kit. "Hello, I'm Moonkit and this is my sister, Starkit!" He pointed at the white she-cat. He looked at Sunkit and padded towards his new denmate. "So... You're new?" Sunkit looked at him with gleaming eyes. "Yes. My father is a warrior and my mother..." Sunkit looked down on the forest floor. "It's okay... You're not being forced to talk about where your mother came from." Moonkit soothed. "And don't worry! Riverclan always is up for new warriors in the clan!"

"Or medicine a cat," Nightriver added as he looked down at Moonkit.

"Yeah but, we already have two. The more warriors, the better." Moonkit mewed.

Nightriver purred. "Sunkit, Goldenwing, wants you in her den. She wants to check you." Sunkit nodded. "Spottedfeather, I'll be with the kits, can you show him where the medicine-cat den is?" "Course." Said the gray she-cat as she got to her paws.

"Come along Sunkit." She padded outside, being followed by Sunkit. Moonkit looked at Nightriver. "What are we gonna do?" He smiled. "Follow me." He went to the nursery's entrance. Moonkit got up and was followed by his sister.

Nightriver leads them into the edge of the border, river flood around the camp. Soft pebbles scattered around.

"I'm gonna show you how to swim." He purred. "Really? Now?" Moonkit's eyes were wide with interest. He nodded. Starkit looked unsure. "I think we should wait until Sunkit appears..." "No, We'll be fine!" Moonkit mewed.

Nightriver went in the water, paddling slowly with the rhythm of the creek. "Try it!" He meowed. Starkit put a paw in the creek. "Great Starclan! It's freezing!"

Nightriver laughed. Moonkit jumped in, leaving drops of water flying everywhere. Starkit gazed down in the creek. "Moonkit?" Bubbles appeared and Starkit's pelt bristled. "Moonkit?" Her littermate appeared. "Boo!" Starkit squealed and glared at him. "Don't do that! I thought you were drowning!" "Come in! The water is great!" Moonkit mewed and he paddled in the water. Nightriver's gaze was full of affection. "You're a pure Riverclan cat." Moonkit smiled and got out of the water, shaking his fur. "Hey!" Starkit yowled. "Stop it!" Moonkit giggled.