Warriors: Uprising (Book 1)

Chapter 4

     When sunup arrived, Driftclan was already stirring and awakening. Featherdrip was waiting outside near the Warriors' den for some warriors themselves to wake up so she can organize the dawn patrol. Sagethorn was up before Featherdrip because of her kit, Blizzardkit. The small and fluffy white kit opened her icy blue eyes and looked up at her mother. "Sagethorn, where's Gullpaw at? I want to play with him!" She bounced around happily.

Sagethorn smiled at her kit. "He's probably not awake yet, plus he also has things to do as an apprentice."

Blizzardkit frowned and stopped bouncing around. "I want to play though!" she went to lie next to her mother.

"I'm sure Gullpaw will play with you when he's not busy." Sagethorn attempted to lick Blizzardkit's fur the best she could, before giving up a few heartbeats later.

"Don't worry Blizzardkit," Lionsplash started, "Once my kits are born you'll have others to play whatever you want with!" she smiled.

Blizzardkit's smile came back almost instantly. "Yay!"

Blizzardkit sniffed the air to get the scent of a familiar cat. Icejaw! She thought.

A dark grey tom came into the nursery. It was Icejaw.

"Icejaw!" Blizzardkit exclaimed as she hopped up and trotted over to her father, nuzzling up against his leg.

"Hi there, Blizzardkit!" He purred, then looked at Sagethorn. "And Hi Sagethorn!"

"Hello there, Icejaw, did you need something?" Sagethorn meowed.

"Well, I wanted to take Blizzardkit to see the ocean with me." the tom replied.

Blizzardkit's eyes widened, and she bounded over to Sagethorn. "Can I please, please, please go! I want to see the ocean!" She pleaded.

Sagethorn thought to herself for a moment, flicking her tail a little. "Fine, but don't stay down there for too long now..." She sighed softly.

"Yay!" The happy kit went back to her father, and they headed out of the nursery.

"Are you sure you want Blizzardkit out there this early?" Lionsplash mewed.

"They'll be fine, Icejaw will do anything to protect Blizzardkit."

"That's good." Lionsplash squirmed a bit.

*

Icejaw and Blizzardkit were padding along the shoreline of the ocean. The sun was still in the sky. "The ocean looks pretty Icejaw!" she mewed

"It does, and one day you'll get taught how to catch prey in it."

Blizzardkit's eyes sparkled, "Really?"

Icejaw smiled and laughed. "Of course! Every warrior learns how to when they are an apprentice."

"What about the prey on land?" She asked, tilting her head slightly.

"Only if you're lucky enough to catch a gull or a crab, you will."

Icejaw is so cool. I want to be like him when I'm a warrior! Blizzardkit thought as she felt the warm sand rub onto her pads.

"You'll get trained to swim as well!" Icejaw stopped for a second. "Feel the water for yourself."

Blizzardkit stopped and walked up closer to the water. It slid up towards her and touched her paws; she shivered. "It's super cold! Who would want to swim in that?"

"You'll get used to it, it's not that bad once you swim in it a few times," Icejaw reassured her.

I hope the water is super cold when I train! Blizzardkit thought.

"We should get back now, I don't want Sagethorn worrying about you too much."

"Aw, but I want to see more things with you!" Blizzardkit frowned.

"I know you do, but we can always do this again another time. Plus, don't you need to try out your first piece of prey?" Icejaw asked.

"Oh yeah! Sagethorn said I would soon!" Her frown turned back into a bright smile and she bounced around on the soft sand happily.

"Good. Let's go back then." He turned and started back to Driftclan territory with Blizzardkit by his side.

*

As the two got back to camp, Blizzardkit ran back to the nursery. "Hi, Sagethorn!" She nuzzled up against her mother, purring softly.

"How was it?" Sagethorn could smell the scent of the ocean on her kit's fur.

"The ocean was so pretty, and the sand felt so nice. I even got to touch the water! It was super cold!"

Sagethorn smiled. "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. I have something for you though."

"What is it?" Blizzardkit's ears perked up.

Sagethorn had grabbed a tiny fish from behind her and set it in front of Blizzardkit. "Your first piece of prey!"

Blizzardkit gasped. "Really?! Yay!" She sniffed it a little. The scent reminded her of the ocean, which she had no problem with at all. She then took a bite into it. It's so juicy and delicious! She thought, then purred happily.

"Well, do you like it?" Sagethorn asked.

"I love it!" Her eyes glimmered as she looked up at her mother.

Sagethorn purred happily, watching her kit enjoy the prey she gave.

A few heartbeats later, Blizzardkit finished her prey. She licked her lips and laid next to her mother. "Sagethorn, I'm scared that I won't be a warrior one day."

"Why is that?" She licked Blizzardkit's fur, but once again gave up quickly, because of it sticking back up almost instantly.

"It all seems so hard! I don't know if I'll be able to do it..." She frowned and her ears dropped a little.

"Well, it might challenge you, but you just need to try your best when the time comes, and never give up." She encouraged her kit.

Blizzardkit looked at her mother and smiled. "I will!" she had laid her head onto her paws.

I won't fail you, Icejaw and Sagethorn. I'll make you both proud of me!