Brokenstar's Bitterness

Chapter Four

Dusk was falling by the time Yellowfang and Brokenkit reached the medicine cats' den. The bright newleaf sun's rays broke into the den, as Yellowfang laid a pile of borage leaves and coltsfoot to dry on the ground. Brokenkit was playing nearby, either pouncing on her tail, or batting a piece of moss in the air. 
"Take that, WindClan flea-pelt!" he growled as he swiped at it with his paw. "That will you teach you to stay out of ShadowClan camp!"
"Look Brokenkit," Yellowfang meowed. "These leaves are called borage. They're good for treating cats who have a fever and this is-"
"Why are you telling me this stuff?" Brokenkit interrupted. "I'm not going to be a medicine cat! I'm going to be a warrior! Grrr! Watch me pounce!" he growled as he shred the moss ball with his claws. Yellowfang watched him with a sign of affection in her eyes. Brokenkit twitched an ear at the sound of sniffling, then turned his gaze to Yellowfang.
"Did you hear that?" Brokenkit asked, looking around but there was no cat in sight. Yellowfang looked up to see Runningkit a few tail-lengths away from the den. "Hi," Yellowfang mewed. "Come here if you want to."
Runningkit hesitated for a heartbeat, his fur fluffed up. He let out another sniff, blinking anxiously then scampered off toward the nursery.
What was that? Weird sniffling cat!
Yellowfang shrugged, then turned over to Brokenkit. He was sitting next to her, his dark brown tabby pelt shining in the sunlight. "I'll go fetch some more moss to play with," he meowed then walked off. He would be apprenticed in two moons, something he just couldn't wait for. His exciting thoughts rang in his mind.
I'll be an apprentice soon! I can't wait to learn all those battle moves and to finally be able to fight back! I'll prove my Clanmates that they were all wrong about me. 
Then a pile of moss caught his eye. Sagewhisker, ShadowClan's medicine cat was close by. Brokenkit quickly took some moss from the herb store then proceeded to walk away but Sagewhisker caught him in the act. "Hey, you! What do you think you're doing?" she scolded. "Stealing moss from our herb store? Put that down." 
Brokenkit didn't reply, dropping the pile of moss from his jaws at the old medicine cat's orders.
Stupid old medicine cat! She can always get more moss whenever she likes. 
Brokenkit could feel the old medicine cat thrusting him in front of her. Then he saw Yellowfang padding up to meet them. "Is there a problem?" she meowed.
"I caught this kit taking moss from our store inside the den!" Sagewhisker meowed crossly. "As if we didn't have to work to collect it!"
Brokenkit looked up at the old she-cat with defiance in his eyes. "I just wanted some to play with! You can always get more!"
"Brokenkit, if you want moss you know where to get some," Yellowfang told him. "There's plenty behind the elders' den. But please don't take the moss from our store."
Brokenkit saw Deerkit and Tanglekit heading out of the nursery, padding up to him. 
"Still hanging out with the medicine cats?" Deerkit sneered. "Old she-cats and sick warriors are the only friends you've got!"
Tanglekit padded up to Brokenkit until she was almost nose-to-nose to him. "What skills are you learning?" she asked mockingly. "How to dry herbs? Oh, our enemies will be scared!"
"Yeah, I can just hear him in battle." Deerkit put himself in. "Come a step closer and I'll hit you with this leaf!"
I've had enough of this! I'll teach him a lesson he won't ever forget!
Brokenkit's fur bristled with rage and he swiped at Deerkit's nose with his claws.
"Ow!" Deerkit yowled. "That hurt!"
"And it serves you right," Yellowfang meowed angrily. "Go back to the nursery until you learn how to behave."
The two kits turned away, giving resentful glances behind them and then walked off.
"Don't listen to them, Brokenkit," Yellowfang went on. "There's nothing wrong with—"
"They're right!" Brokenkit interrupted, anger clear in his eyes. "I'm not learning anything useful here! You're just a dumb old medicine cat! Why do you make me come here all the time?"
"I don't  make you," Yellowfang mewed, shocked.
"Quit bugging me and leave me alone!" Brokenkit hissed angrily then ran off.
Stupid old cat! Why doesn't she just leave me alone?
In the days that followed, Brokenkit avoided the medicine cats' den. He was always alone; his littermates kept ignoring him, and even Runningkit who never joined in the bullying since Yellowfang scolded him and his littermates. Brokenkit was strong, handsome and confident; even his crooked tail didn't show as much now that his fur had thickened. 
Cats of ShadowClan watched him wrestle with a stick in the middle of the clearing. Raggedpelt bounded up to him, and stood watching him. After a moment, Brokenkit realized he was there and looked up. 
"Try attacking with both paws at once," Raggedpelt instructed. "If it were a real enemy, you'd have to struck him with the power of your paws."
Brokenkit nodded and then leaped at the stick again, thus breaking it into splinters with his paws. Raggedpelt gave him a nod of approval.
"He looks very strong," Cedarstar remarked.
"Yes, he's ready to be an apprentice," Raggedpelt meowed proudly.
"Being an apprentice isn't just about fighting our enemies." Cedarstar meowed, "He needs to learn the importance of patience, loyalty and honor just like any other young cat."
"He'll have all of those!" Raggedpelt assured the Clan leader. "Just you wait!"
Brokenkit sat close by, listening to his father's acknowledging words. He couldn't help but feel a wave of warmth surrounding him.