The Four Apprentices

Chapter one

"Moonkit, get up." Something nudged Moonkit's ribs hard. Moonkit hissed, "Darkkit, Why are you getting me up. Go play with Tawnykit or something…" Darkkit continued to nudge Moonkit, "But I wanna play with you!" He pounced onto her. She hissed and kicked him off. He whimpered, "What was that for?!?!" Moonkit groaned and covered her face. Darkkit huffed, "fine I'll go play with Tawnykit, but it'll be no fun without you!" Moonkit scoffed but smiled, "Whatever.." another paw nudged her. "I think it's about time you wake up" Her mother purred. Moonkit groaned, "Fine, I'm awake." She stood up and started grooming herself. Her mother chuckled, "You should probably go play with Tawnykit and Darkkit." Moonkit sighed and padded outside. The morning sun greeted her, shining brightly in her eyes. She hissed at the bright light, muttering under her breath. Darkkit chuckled and pounced on Moonkit, "Grrr… I'm the evil Nightcry. Fear me!" Tawnykit bounced over to Darkkit, "Oh yeah? I'm Cliffstrike! I'll kill you, evil Nightcry." Moonkit giggled. A sinister chuckle came from behind the kits. "You guys are doing it wrong. Please let me.." Moonkit looked over and saw the tall fluffy red and black kit on a boulder behind Tawnykit. Darkkit rolled his eyes, "Alright Redkit," He got off of Moonkit and Glared at the red and black kit. "Let's see you try to be Nightcry." Redkit smirked and immediately pounced on Moonkit. Moonkit yelped in surprise. She tried to squirm out of Redkit's grip, but she was too strong for her. Moonkit let out a sigh of defeat, making Redkit chuckle. All of a sudden, Darkkit jumped onto Redkit, knocking her off of Moonkit. He hissed, "I'm Beestar and I'm here to stop you, Nightcry!" Redkit smirked, "I'd like to see you try, Nightcry." With that, the two were rolling in the grass, batting each other with their soft fluffy paws. Moonkit got up and bounded over to Tawnykit's side. Tawnykit smiled as her slim tail lashed side to side, "We should probably go stop them." Moonkit chuckled, "We should." They both padded over to the two struggling kits, but a brown cat made it to them first. Moonkit and Tawnykit exchanged glances, before heading towards Darkkit and Redkit, who were being scolded by Swiftpaw. This isn't the only time they've been scolded by Swiftpaw and his nervous strict self. They've been scolded many times by him before. Mostly, when they'd rough play like they were, before Swifpaw came in. Swiftpaw stared at the kits. "You kits should play in the nursery." Darkkit groaned, "But we've been in the nursery all week!" Swiftpaw silenced him with his tail, "Then why don't you do something calmer," He turned to Redkit and glared at her, "and not kill each other." All the kits sighed, defeated, "At least Swiftpaw didn't send us back into the cramped nursery." Tawnykit said softly. The kits nodded their heads in agreement. The nursery was indeed cramped. With Darkkit siblings, Wolfkit and Angelkit, and their other friend Ferretkit. And there are way more kits on the way. Darkkit layed on the ground, "Imagine when we're apprentices." He breathed out. Tawnykit sighed and softly smiled, "two more moons and we will be apprentices.." Moonkit felt excitement tingling in her paws. She thought about her friends and her as apprentices, training to protect their clan. Ferretkit padded over to them, her fluffy tail wagging, "What are you guys doing?" Redkit sighed, "We just got scolded by Swiftpaw, again." Ferretkit sniffed, "He's still scolding you guys?" They all nodded, "He's just being Swiftpaw.." Darkkit muttered. A loud shriek was heard from the entrance of the camp. The kits all flinched. "Moonkit, come here!" Liontuft called out. Moonkit padded to her mother, with Darkkit at her paws. Hollycloud came tumbling out of the entrance. Her dark gray pelt messy and bristling. Her blue eyes were filled with fear and worry. She turned to the nearest cat, "Get Beestar.." She uttered out. Moonkit stared in shock as the  body of Dovelight was placed gently onto the ground. Her light gray fur was stained with a dark color of red. Darkkit moved closer to Moonkit's side, as if to protect her from the sight of their dying clanmate. Featherwish padded out of the medicine cat den, a bunch of herbs in her mouth. She placed them gently down and inspected Dovelight. Her eyes seemed to darken when she looked at Hollycloud, "The only thing we can really do for her is make sure she heads to Star Clan in peace.." Hollycloud let out a cry of despair, crouching down to look at her friend through her tears. Moonkit pressed her small shaking body onto Darkkit's. His warm presence has always comforted her, and it never fails. Beestar padded beside Featherwish, with Bloodmoon by his side. He bowed his head with respect, while Bloodmoon turned to Hollycloud with gentle dull eyes, "What happened?" Hollycloud teared up, "Nightcry… he's back…" She murmured. Beestar perked up, "What did he say?" She hesitated before answering, "You'll never see the last me or my kin.. I'll come back even when I'm dead." The whole camp was silent before Beestar bounded to the meeting rock, "Warriors! As you all know, young Dovelight has been killed by the paws of Nightcry, and his words should be unforgotten. From now on, no she-cat should go outside camp without a tom." He glanced at his clan, "meeting dismissed." Most cats went back to their duties before heading into their nests. Liontuft wrapped her tail around Moonkit protectively, "let's go back inside." With that, they went into the nursery, away from Dovelight's poor twitching body.