Echo: The Kits Take A Stand

Chapter 7

The next night, the kits woke up at Moonhigh and left the nursery. They made their way to the edge of camp, right in the little clearing behind Hazelstar's den.

"We should start with a fighting match," Echokit meowed. The other kits agreed. "We can make it fun, too," she added. "Why don't we start with Swiftkit vs. Whitekit, and Thistlekit will fight the winner, and then Nightkit will fight the winner, and then Blossomkit and so on?"

"Yes! I love those types of matches!" Rockkit exclaimed a little too loudly. Wetkit slapped her brother with her tail to shush him.

Swiftkit barreled into Whitekit, who dodged him. Whitekit attempted to "slash" at his brother, but Swiftkit, being much bigger than Whitekit, pushed him off and pinned him down. Now it was Thistlekit's turn to fight Swiftkit, since he had won. Swiftkit leaped straight at his sister's chest and knocked her over before she was even ready. Then it was Swiftkit vs. Nightkit. Swiftkit was bigger than Nightkit as well, but Nightkit was much more clever. The black kit leaped at Swiftkit, and then whirled around to confuse him. The black-and-white tom hurled himself at her tail, but she flicked her tail away and pinned Swiftkit to the ground before he came to his senses. Unfortunately for her, Blossomkit was bigger and knew all of her sister's tricks. The tortoiseshell bounded after Nightkit, grabbing her scruff and pushing her over. Alderkit, who hardly listened when Sunpaw and Leafpaw talked about fighting moves, stood no chance against Blossomkit. He attempted to leap on top of his sister and push her down, but Blossomkit was much heavier and she simply rolled him over. Echokit didn't expect that Falconkit would defeat Blossomkit, but she was wrong. Falconkit was an average size for a kit his age, but he had a great flying leap and was skilled in defense moves. When Blossomkit sprang at him he leaped over her. She whirled around and tried pinning him down, but he rolled out from under her, "raked" her belly, and won. Rockkit was the best fisher of all the kits, but not the best fighter. Falconkit went on to face off Wetkit, and when he won that he went to fight Echokit.

Echokit dodged her brother several times, but eventually he knocked her over. "I won!" He yowled triumphantly.

"Is he really the winner, though?" Swiftkit demanded. "He never fought me, or Whitekit, or Thistlekit, or Nightkit, or Alderkit. How do we know he's really the best fighter?"

"Well, he defeated Blossomkit, and Blossomkit is better than Nightkit, who is better than you, who is better than Whitekit and Thistlekit," Rockkit pointed out.

"Winning a few fights doesn't make you the better one!" Swiftkit hissed. "I call a rematch!"

"If Swiftkit really thinks he's the best, how about he fights Falconkit?" Echokit suggested, sneaking in a glance at Swiftkit.

"Fine," growled Swiftkit, glaring back at her.

Swiftkit and Falconkit stood parallel from each other and waited for the call.

"Three...two...one...go!" Echokit whispered. Falconkit waited for Swiftkit to attack first. Watching the gaze of Falconkit, she noticed how her brother was waiting to see where Swiftkit would lunge for first. Swiftkit jumped at Falconkit but he dodged him just at the right moment. Swiftkit looked shocked. Falconkit sprang at the black-and-white tom, knocking him off balance. Swiftkit was bigger than Falconkit and could easily beat him if Falconkit wasn't smarter. Falconkit soon had Swiftkit under his paws, yowling in trumph.

"It looks like you're not the best fighter, Swiftkit!" Whitekit teased.

"Ha! I knew I would win again!" Falconkit boasted.

"We have to be quiet! Remember, we're in camp, not the forest!" Echokit warned. "Also, before we go back to the nursery, I would like to fight Swiftkit."

Swiftkit rolled his eyes and nodded in agreement.

She waited for Whitekit to command them to start and watched where Swiftkit preparing to pounce.

"Three...two...one...go!" commanded Whitekit softly.

Doing what she had seen Falconkit do before she waited. Swiftkit was focusing on her haunches. Remember haunches mean legs, Echokit remembered something that Sunpaw told her during training. Waiting for the attack, she gazed deeply at Swiftkit, trying to get him distracted. Swiftkit leaped for her legs but she jumped up and landed squarely on Swiftkit, pushing him to the ground.

"Yes! I did it finally! I got someone!" Echokit meowed happily. She yawned and added, "I think it is time to go back to our nests."

The other kits agreed and they slipped back into the nursery. Echokit curled up by her mother and dreamt of her apprentice ceremony.