“One…two…THREE!”
Warmkit turned, hopping on his paws. The nursery was empty, except for Yellowleaf who watched over him protectively and Moondrop, nursing her new kit. They aren’t here! Warmkit thought, shaking his head, they must have gone outside to hide.
He started trotting out of the nursery, a spring in each step, but he was abruptly startled by Yellowleaf’s tail, which had dropped in front of him, blocking his way out. “What are you doing, Warmkit?” Yellowleaf probed, eyes questioning.
“I’m playing hide and seek with Twigkit and Sandkit!”he answered, his eyes already looking at the clearing outside, eager to find his littermates.
“Really?”
“Yes. I thought they must have gone outside to hide.”
Yellowleaf’s ears flicked in amusement, and she moved her tail out of the way. “Go along then.”
Warmkit squealed and quickly zoomed out of the nursery.
As soon as he got out, his eyes widened. “It’s huge!” he exclaimed to himself.
The clearing was rather packed, with cats walking in and out of the camp and some sharing tongues or having a meal. Overhead was a cloudy sky, casting a cool light over the hollow. It was perfect weather for anything. Even though he’d been out for a few times now, he couldn’t help but get amazed at the high cliffs surrounding the hollow, and the seemingly endless sky. He glanced around to look. Amidst the commotion happening in front of him, he couldn’t see his littermates.
“Did you think they’d make it easy for you?” A light voice made him jump and swivel around, ears flattened. It was a short-haired white apprentice who had spoken, leaning in closer, as if to check him for any tangles in his fur.
“No, I didn’t!” He stood as straight as he could, trying to hide his embarrassment. Of course! What was I thinking?
The apprentice’s eyes glinted. “My name’s Sprintpaw. Hi, Warmkit.”
“Hello,” Warmkit beamed.
“I hope you’re having fun,” he meowed.
“Is that even a question?” Warmkit raised his chin.
“When you’re an apprentice, you rarely get any fun.” He sounded regretful as he looked to the sky ruefully. “You should try to treasure these times, Warmkit. Before you know it, it’s over!”
Warmkit nodded, but he still couldn’t understand how boring an apprentice’s life was. Shouldn’t it be more exciting? They get to go out of the camp, and hunt prey and stuff.
“I’m three moons old now.” Warmkit’s ears twitched. “It won’t be long before I become an apprentice.”
Sprintpaw laughed. “Won’t be long? You’ll have to live your life another time before becoming an apprentice. You have to be six moons old before starting your training.” Warmkit’s tail, raised high earlier, drooped in disappointment. “Oh.”
He raised his head and glanced around warily. Twigkit or Sandkit might zoom for the nursery any moment! Then he’d lose. I’m not going to lose this time! “Um, I kinda have to look for Twigkit now,” he excused himself.
Sprintpaw cuffed his ears with a tail, nodding understandingly. “Sure thing! Make sure you stop by later. Maybe we can have another chat.”
Warmkit nodded and zoomed off. “I’ll be back!” he meowed back to Sprintpaw.
Unwittingly, he barrelled right into Maplebranch. The large fawn cat raised his hackles and bared glinting white teeth at him. Warmkit slinked away, his pelt fluffed up in fear. He decided to avoid him for the rest of the day.
He walked into the medicine cat’s den, and was immediately greeted by Hawkeye, who was being attended to by Cloudcover and Deerpaw. “Hey there, sport,” Hawkeye looked at him and raised his tail in greeting.
“Hi, Hawkeye,” Warmkit greeted back, and he nuzzled his father’s leg happily. He stepped back to check him. “Why’re you in the medicine cat’s den? Are they making you a medicine cat too?”
Hawkeye laughed. “No!” he flicked a black tail over him affectionately, “I just got a little scuffed while I was out on a hunting patrol. Got stuck on some brambles chasing down prey.”
Warmkit walked over to the two medicine cats, and he watched them work on Hawkeye’s pelt. Deerpaw chewed up some leaves and Cloudcover placed them on the place where his father’s black pelt was ripped off. Hawkeye stiffened, wincing. However, Warmkit was more occupied by Deerpaw, who was opening his mouth repeatedly to remove the herb bits on stuck to the roof of his mouth. He felt sorry for him. Poor Deerpaw. I’m sure I’m not gonna be a medicine cat.
“Have you seen Twigkit or Sandkit around here?” he asked abruptly.
Cloudcover and Deerpaw glanced at each other. The way their ears twitched made Warmkit suspicious. “They’re around here, aren’t they?” he questioned them, raising an eyebrow. Deerpaw’s mouth curled into a smile, confirming what he thought.
He spied two pairs of golden eyes concealed among the medicine cats’ moss bedding. Then one of them sneezed. “Gotcha!” He pounced on the bedding, and out jumped his two littermates. The three kits tussled on the packed earth flooring the den. Soon they were sitting up, panting from exhaustion.
“No fair,” Twigkit protested, his tail flicking from side to side furiously, “Deerpaw gave us away!” He looked at Deerpaw with an accusing stare. “You promised! You promised you wouldn’t tell!”
Deerpaw shrugged. “I didn’t really say anything. Warmkit found out by himself.”
Twigkit turned to Hawkeye sadly, who was watching the entire scene amusedly. “See? It’s all so unfair! Let’s restart!”
“How about we go to the nursery for a rest?” Yellowleaf entered, and she gave Hawkeye’s ear a quick lick.
“Yay!” Sandpaw squealed, and she ran over to her mother’s side. Warmkit followed quickly. Twigkit fidgeted, but eventually came over. They exited the den, heading back out into the brightness outside. Sandkit yawned, and so did Warmkit. Twigkit looked cross.
The nursery was warm, with the sounds of sleeping cats all around. Warmkit was crouched alongside the still figures of his littermates; Twigkit was pressed up against Yellowleaf’s belly, and Sandkit was tucked in between Yellowleaf’s front paws. Outside, moonlight illuminated the clearing. It’s rather late at night, Warmkit guessed.
Despite how late it was, Warmkit couldn’t get himself to fall asleep. Too many things were running through his head. Sprintpaw had talked to him again after his nap, and they talked about things like hunting, battle training, and how wonderful newleaf was. Hearing all the wonderful things about apprenticeship had Warmkit itching to become one. The way Sprintpaw presented it; it felt like he knew exactly what to say. It didn’t feel weird talking to him, even though he was 8 moons older than Warmkit was.
I hope he becomes my mentor when the day comes I turn into an apprentice. Warmkit thought hopefully.
Maplebranch and Goldenfur appeared like they didn’t like him around. It seemed uncanny to Warmkit. What did I ever do to them? He wondered.
Close by was Moondrop, and the tiny shape of Archkit, the only kit born to her. Warmkit remembered that it was only a quarter moon since Moondrop’s kitting. He squinted his eyes at the kit. It was a she-cat, cream with a brown tabby tail. Maplebranch was her father. Being their first and only kit, Warmkit was sure that they would try hard to protect her.
Momentarily, Archkit’s blue eyes opened, looking at him. Warmkit smiled at her, and she went back to sleep. Warmkit purred.
He glanced back to Yellowleaf, and he padded over to her. He flopped himself over her. The rise and fall of her chest lulled him to sleep.
Warmkit was abruptly woken by a lick between his ears. His eyes flitted open and he jumped up, startled.
“Good morning, Warmkit.” Yellowleaf purred. She pulled herself up to her paws and stretched luxuriously.
“Sorry,” she apologized, turning back to him, “I couldn’t get up with you sleeping on me. Twigkit and Sandkit are awake as well. You can go play with them.” She turned away and walked out of the nursery. It was dawn.
Warmkit yawned, eyes misty and paws unstable. Twigkit and Sandkit were looking at him from one corner. He tottered to where they were.
“Morning!” Twigkit mewed once he got close enough. Typically, Warmkit would have replied, “You just figured that out now?” But now, he’d just woken up, and he didn’t feel like speaking yet.
Sandkit’s fluffy cream fur was fluffed up to its full extent, and her face looked sunk into it. Twigkit laughed. “You look angry. Are you angry?”
Sandkit exhaled sharply. “No,” she mewed curtly. “Just cold.” She looked from Twigkit to Warmkit.
“You two don’t look so terrifying either,” she pointed out teasingly, gesturing with her tail at them.
Twigkit and Warmkit looked at each other, bemused. But slowly, they began purring, then they both exploded into laughter. Both Twigkit’s wiry silver fur and Warmkit’s short black-patched one were fluffed up to twice their normal size.
“Furball!” they called out simultaneously. Warmkit couldn’t stop mrrowing, and so did Twigkit. They were mute, breathless from laughter.
The noise was so loud, Archkit woke up. “What’s going on?” she mewed, rising shakily to her paws.
“Sorry, Archkit!” Warmkit apologized, breathing heavily between words. Twigkit was lying down, eyes closed and mouth open in silent laughter. It seemed like he was having trouble breathing. Sandkit had to interfere. She clamped down on Twigkit’s tail. He was instantly snapped out of his laughter.
“Hey!” he yowled, turning on Sandkit. Then his gold eyes softened. “Thanks.” He dusted himself off.
“Can I join you guys?” Archkit asked pleadingly, “Please?”
Sandkit walked over to Warmkit and Twigkit, and they whispered something between themselves, leaving Archkit wondering what they were up to.
After a few moments, the three kits broke up, all smiling as they looked at Archkit. Sandkit stepped forward.
“Sure.” Archkit leaped with joy.
“But you have to go through the ceremony first.” Archkit nodded, playing along.
Sandkit stood beside her and raised her head gallantly. “Do you, Archkit, promise to uphold the beliefs and customs of LeapClan?”
“I do!” Archkit meowed proudly.
“Then I, Sandstar of LeapClan, formally accept you into our Clan. You will make a fine addition.” She tapped her head lightly with a paw. Archkit purred.
“Does this mean I’m with you three now?” she queried awkwardly.
“Yes!” Warmkit bounded to her side, and rubbed his head against hers gleefully.
“We’re going to have so much fun!” Twigkit stated.
“Um, Archkit.” Warmkit stepped back, looking like he was about to explode.
“What?”
“Your fur.”