Shadefeather's Defiance

Chapter One

"Your overthinking this Rosekit."
It was a quiet night, leaves rustled in the warm gentle breeze. The crescent moon and distant stars was shining dim light onto the black sky. Green leaf would soon come to a end, as a faint smell of leaf-fall hung in the air. Three kits laid in the nursery, all curled around a fluffy grey she-cat. A dark gray she-kit placed her cream colored paw under her chin and sighed.
"Don't worry about the ceremony, it's not that big of a deal you know."
A pale she-kit cuddled closer to the grey she-cat.
"Shadekit our ceremony is at Sunhigh. W-what am I going to do? I don't want to leave the nursery. Who's going to be my mentor? D-do I have to hurt other cats? I don't want to hurt anyone.."
Shadekit groaned. "Rosekit, your going to keep me up all night with this, shut your mouth and just go to sleep."
Rosekit's light blue eyes were still open wide with terror.
"What will the rest of the clan think?" She whispered. "I don't think they like me.. they always give me strange looks."
Shadekit narrowed her eyes. "They don't matter. Only worry about yourself."
Rosekit shifted her paws.
"I don't want to leave Dovefeather." Rosekit mewed as she leaned into the grey she-cat.
Shadekit sighed with impatience.
"Well, once you become a apprentice, you'll be with Driftingpaw."
Rosekit placed her face into her paws and sighed.
"Yeah, but she's training as a medicine cat."
Shadekit rolled her eyes, and got up and laid next to her sister.
"Don't worry about it. Everything will be fine."
Shadekit placed her tail on Rosekit's back. Rosekit sighed and closed her eyes.
"I hope so.."
Soon enough, Shadekit opened her eyes to see the golden light from the sun seeping into the nursery.
"Wake up kits."
Shadekit turned around to see Dovefeather gently padding the others awake.
A fluffy tom poked his head up and looked around the nursery, revealing his leaf green eyes.
Shadekit gave her brother a excited glance.
"Puddlekit our ceremony is today!"
Puddlekit's eyes widened.
"Oh yeah! I can't wait, I hope I get Cherrysplash as my mentor."
Dovefeather purred with pride.
"I'm so happy for all three of you. Once you become apprentices, you'll train with Cloudpaw."
Shadekit groaned, the thought of being with Cloudpaw again annoyed her. When he was still in the nursery, he was so loud and crazy. He was almost never calm, he could scare a whole forest full of prey away just by existing. Shadekit still didn't know how his mentor, Echobreeze put up with him. In the corner of her eye, Shadekit saw Rosekit walk out of the nursery. Shadekit sprung up and followed her.
"Rosekit where are you going?" Shadekit asked.
"I just need to relax.. maybe I'll talk to Driftingpaw.."
Shadekit sighed. "Your still stressing about the ceremony?"
A white and black she-cat suddenly emerged the warriors den, she glanced over at the two sisters and growled.
Another tom came out of the den right behind her and stood by her side. She whispered something to him.
"There becoming apprentices today.."
The tom narrowed his eyes. "Why is Aloestar letting them becoming apprentices?"
Shadekit shot them a dirty look and turned back to Rosekit.
"We have better places to be, let's go to the medicine cat den. I'm sure Driftingpaw would be happy to see you."
The two kits walked to the medicine cat den, they gently brushed passed the blossoms and ferns protecting the entrance of the den.
Inside was a white tom, he was clearly sorting some herbs. He turned to the two kits and gave them a friendly glance.
"Greetings. What brings you two here?"
Rosekit smiled. "Sorry to bother you, Owlflight. But we're looking for Driftingpaw. Is she here?"
Owlflight laughed with amusement, and curled his tail around his brown paws.
"Oh of course, but I'm afraid she isn't here right now. She's out collecting catmint for me."
Rosekit sighed. "Oh.."
"But don't worry, she should be back by the ceremony." Owlflight assured.
Dovefeather poked her head into the den.
"Come on you two we have to get you cleaned up before the ceremony, Aloestar told me it will begin shortly."
Rosekit let out a small nervous squeal before leaving the den.
Once they got back to the nursery, Dovefeather started to groom the three siblings.
"You don't need to wash me, I'm fine." Shadekit muttered.
Dovefeather laughed.
"You need to look nice for the ceremony."
Rosekit looked at Dovefeather with sudden excitement.
"Will our mother be there?"
Dovefeather sighed.
"I don't think so."
Puddlekit looked up at Dovefeather with wide eyes.
"Will she ever come back?"
Sadness started to spread across Dovefeather's gaze.
"I'm sorry kits.. but I don't think Paledawn will ever return to Mossclan."