Whispers and Echoes

Chapter 4

Echokit opened her eyes and saw the sun shining on the clearing in the center of the camp. She yawned and stretched her legs, and looked at Whisperkit's nest. It smelled stale. She must have woken up awhile ago, Echokit thought.

She stretched again and then padded to the entrance of the nursery. Echokit realized that it was way past sunhigh and that she must have been really tired last night. She looked out at the clearing and saw Prairiefoot and Creekfall sitting by the sunning stones, Creekfall occasionally glancing at the medicine cats' den. Echokit looked around for any sign of her mother or father and wondered where they could be. It was past sun-high and they still weren't anywhere to be seen. Then she remembered that they had gone to the Gathering last night and that they were probably still sleeping.

Echokit padded over to the old mossy log to join Cloverkit, Yellowkit, Whisperkit, and Hailkit at the fresh-kill pile.

"Wow, Echokit! You slept like a hibernating fox!" Cloverkit exclaimed.

Echokit shrugged, then asked, "Is anyone who went to the Gathering awake yet?"

"Well, some are, but they went on the hunting patrols," Hailkit sighed. "Most of them are still sleeping, except for the elders. But I'm not going to ask them about it. They'd probably say 'Hey! I need my fresh moss now! Hurry up you useless flea-bag!'" Hailkit imitated the elders loudly.

All of them laughed, then Echokit hissed, "Shush! If any cat heard us, we'd probably have to search the elders for ticks for the next six moons!"

That stopped Hailkit from making fun of the elders, but they all continued to laugh.

They finished their meals in silence, Echokit glancing at the warriors' den every few mouthfuls for any sign of her parents. They promised to tell me about it!  Echokit thought.

"Hey look, it's Meadowheart! She went to the Gathering last night!" meowed Cloverkit in a hushed whisper.

Echokit followed Cloverkit's gaze until she found Meadowheart padding toward Prairiefoot and Creekfall. Then she sat down with them and they started talking.

"Mouse-dung! Now how are we supposed to ask her? She's with other warriors. She won't want to talk to a bunch of kits!" hissed Cloverkit.

"I know your father would tell us," meowed Whisperkit, looking over at Twigfoot.

"Yeah, but he's the deputy. So he's always busy," complained Hailkit.

"Well, maybe he's not so busy now, let's just go and ask him. Maybe he'll say yes," suggested Echokit.

"I say it's worth a try," meowed Hailkit eagerly, getting to his paws.

"I don't know...he might be busy, you never know," whispered Cloverkit.

"Oh come on!" teased Hailkit, "Don't be such a scared furball!"

"Oh all right, I'm coming," sighed Cloverkit, getting to her paws at last.

The five padded over toward Twigfoot, who was sitting next to the High-stone, as if waiting for someone. He was watching Bronzepelt and Gravelpelt, who were sitting beside the elders' den.

"Father!" Hailkit called, bounding up to him.

Twigfoot pricked up his ears and glanced at Hailkit. "Yes?"

"We were wondering if you could tell us about the Gathering last night," meowed Cloverkit, staring up at her father eagerly.

"Of course," he replied, "I have to tell Bronzepelt and Gravelpelt something. I'll be back in a moment."