"Silverkit, Silverkit!" Cloudnose shouted. Silverkit, dozing in
the sunshine and submerged in her thoughts, jolted awake at the
sound of Cloudnse's shouting.
" Silverkit, I've been calling you at least five times. I've been
telling you to go play with your littermates while your father
and I fix the roof. Sunnypelt will be moving into the nursery any
day now, and we can't afford her getting cold."
" Yes mother." Silverkit said, her voice giving way to a yawn.
Cloudnose tipped her head to look at her. " Are tired, Silverkit?
" Cloudnose asked, "I hope you weren't up earlier because of the
draft, were you?"
"No." Silverkit said, a little too quickly. " The sun kept
getting in my eyes, so I couldn't sleep well."
"Oh, okay. Well, go play with your littermates, and don't get
into trouble!" Cloudnose called out as Silverkit bounded toward
her siblings, who were tombuling around in the dust, black and
gray in a whirlwind of legs and tails that only stopped when
Silverkit neared.
" Hey Silverkit! Come to play with us now?" Shadowkit said, his
words coming out in short breathless gasps.
" Yeah, we're playing Whos Stronger I almost won till you came."
Moonkit said, her chest puffed up as she repinned Shadowkit. "
Nevermind, I won!" she said, her eyes gleaming.
" I have a better game! What about we play hide the pinecone
again, only this time, out here!" Silverkit said.
"Yeah, I agree, so long as Moonkit gets off me!" Shadowkit
shouted, his voice muffled by Moonkits fur.
" Oh, FINE." Moonkit said, in a long, dramatic sigh. She heaved
herself off Shadowkit and he scrambled out, his fur dusty and
ragged.
Just then, as Shadowkit and Moonkit began arguing, Silverkit
caught a glimpse of dark ginger fur imerging from the thorn
tunnel, carrying two mice by their tails. Quickly following were
Robinwing and Beechfur. Emberpaw,in the lead, quickly padded over
to the fresh-kill pile and placed the mice neatly at the top.
Silverkits heart quickened and in her mind she
thought Mouse-brain! Now suddenly your into him?! He's
just some apprentice. Robinwing carried a thrush and
Beechfur carried a bundle of marigold. When Moonkit saw this, she
padded over to Beechfur and started talking to him. Snapped out
of her thoughts, Silverkit deicided to listen to what Beechfur
had to say.
" Whats that for?" Moonkit asked. Beechfur, unable to talk with
his mouth full of leaves, carried on to the medicine den leaving
Robinwing to explain.
" Its just a procaution, you see. With Shadowclan and Riverclan
bickering, we thought it might be best if we prepare for a
battle. Marigold, you see, is the best herd to treat wounds. It
stops infection and heals the wound." Robinwing said.
" I hope we'll be apprentices by that time! That way we'll be
able to fight." said Shadowkit, already practcing a common paw
swiping move that Quillstar taught them. Moonkit neatly dodged to
the side and boasted: "Well, I'll be the best fighter in the
history of Thunderclan, since you can't even lay a paw on me!"
" Oh, yeah? Hows this for laying a paw on you?" Shadowkit
wriggeld his butt, his tail moving as he did so. With Moonkits
back turned, he pounced, his front paws struggling to get a grip
on her neck as his back paws pounded her back.
"Hey!" shouted Moonkit. Silverkit hardly noticed her sisters
protest because just then Emberpaw emerged from the apprentices
den, his black paws kicking up dust as he padded forward to
Silverkit. He dipped his head in greeting, her eyes meeting his,
just then Silverkit's pet began to flood with heat. What
are you now Silverkit? she thought, some
fluff-brained apprentice, padding after a tom? Nope, no. I CAN'T
become in love with him. I haven't even begun my training
yet!
Emberpaw, hardly noticing Silverkits panic, simply whisked his
tail back and forth as his eyes glowed with
meaning. Wait, is he waiting for me to mention
something? Or simply waiting for an invitation to speak to
me? Silverkit was spared having to answer when Crowpaw,
Emberpaw's littermate padded from the dirt place. A flash of
suspison crossed his face, and his eyes narrowed at the sight of
them together.
"Come on, Emberpaw. Bramblefur wants us on border patrol.
Slightfoot and Stonefur are already waiting for us." Crowpaw
said. His tail whisking back and forth impaitently. Emberpaw
dipped his head aplogeticly as he turned to face Crowpaw.
Emberpaw went ahead to an overhanging tree where Slightfoot and
Stonefur were waiting. Before joining his brother, Crowpaw gave
Silverkit a look of undisgused anger before padding away to join
the patrol. Ok, so you hate me. Got
it. Silverkit thought. Saddness prodded her heart as
Emberpaw's tail vahnished under the thorn tunnel. Silverkit gave
a long sigh.
" What are you mooning about?" Moonkit asked. In suprise,
Silverkit quickly licked her chest fur so she can have time to
contain her expression.
" I mean, you've been acting werid all day. Ever since this
morning." Moonkit continued. Oh Starclan. Are my
feelings this easy to read? What happens if Cloudnose finds
out,or worse, Quillstar?
"Hey!!" Moonkit shouted, " I'm talking to you!"
"What?" Silverkit said, startled at the sound of Moonkit's
shouting.
"As I was saying," Moonkit continued, her voice sounding annoyed.
" If feels as if you're not here, here you know? You aren't
padding after Emberpaw, are you?" She meant it as a question, but
for some reason, Silverkit felt defensive.
" So what if I am?" Silverkit snapped. " You have no reason to
ask me!"
A flash of hurt crossed Moonkit's face as she stared at her
sister in shock. Realizing what she done, Silverkit tried to
comfort her sister, but it was useless.
"Moonkit," she began, but Moonkit was already walking
away. Oh Starclan! She thought, my
feelings for Emberpaw have me turning agansist my own
sister!
End of Chapter Two