Firekit jumped as he heard Hollykit approach. "Hollykit?"
"Yes, Firestar said you could come to the nursery."
Firekit scrambled to his paws and walked slowly outside. As he passed Hollykit, he didn't even bother to look at her. He knew what she was probably thinking. Hollykit must hate me for what I've done. But she has a good reason to hate me, Firekit reflected.
"Firestar punished us."Hollykit said. Firekit just flicked his ears up to show Hollykit he was listening. She went on. "He said we're not allowed to be out of the nursery. Not even to go to the fresh-kill pile."
"Okay," Firekit mumbled.
"Firekit, won't you even talk to me? What have I done that you are so quiet?" Firekit could hear desperation growing in her voice. "Please, Firekit, don't act as if we don't even know each other."
Firekit looked up at her. "I thought you wouldn't want to even be near me. Not after what I've done," he spoke softly.
"Firekit, you're my brother. That will never happen. And please stop blaming yourself. It was all of our faults. It wasn't only yours."
Firekit blinked gratefully into her light green eyes. He was happy to know that he still had a sister who wanted to be with him. "Is Snowkit mad at me??"
"No, Firekit, you can stop worrying. Besides, does Snowkit seem like the type who would get upset at such a little thing?" Firekit could tell she was trying her best to comfort him. It wasn't working, though.
"Yes, Firestar said you could come to the nursery."
Firekit scrambled to his paws and walked slowly outside. As he passed Hollykit, he didn't even bother to look at her. He knew what she was probably thinking. Hollykit must hate me for what I've done. But she has a good reason to hate me, Firekit reflected.
"Firestar punished us."Hollykit said. Firekit just flicked his ears up to show Hollykit he was listening. She went on. "He said we're not allowed to be out of the nursery. Not even to go to the fresh-kill pile."
"Okay," Firekit mumbled.
"Firekit, won't you even talk to me? What have I done that you are so quiet?" Firekit could hear desperation growing in her voice. "Please, Firekit, don't act as if we don't even know each other."
Firekit looked up at her. "I thought you wouldn't want to even be near me. Not after what I've done," he spoke softly.
"Firekit, you're my brother. That will never happen. And please stop blaming yourself. It was all of our faults. It wasn't only yours."
Firekit blinked gratefully into her light green eyes. He was happy to know that he still had a sister who wanted to be with him. "Is Snowkit mad at me??"
"No, Firekit, you can stop worrying. Besides, does Snowkit seem like the type who would get upset at such a little thing?" Firekit could tell she was trying her best to comfort him. It wasn't working, though.
He just shook his head and waited until Hollykit vanished into the nursery before following. Inside, he saw Cinderheart licking Snowkit's fur fiercely. Snowkit looked up and saw him and bounded over to him. She sniffed him all over then said, "Thank Starclan! You're okay, right?"
"Yes, and I always have been. I already said that." Firekit pushed his nose into Snowkit's fur. She purred softly. "I'm sorry," he murmured.
Firekit woke with a start when he heard a loud wail. "What's going on?" he asked, as Hollykit and Snowkit peeked outside.
"Jayfeather's been very badly hurt," Hollykit said with wide eyes. Firekit glanced at Snowkit. She seemed frozen with shock and horror.
"Snowkit?" he called. "Are you okay?"
She shook herself. "Yes, I'm-I just wasn't expecting-we talked today, and-" Snowkit broke off when she didn't know what to say. Firekit got up and licked her head. She blinked at him, but then couldn't seem to help it anymore. She ran out of the nursery.
Firekit gazed at Hollykit for a moment. She seemed just as confused as he was. "Well, are you going to go get her?"
"Not you?" she asked, surprised.
"No, of the three of us, I should be the one who bears the most punishment." Firekit said sadly.
"I don't know when you'll stop thinking that. Come on." Hollykit nudged him out of the nursery.
Firekit was surprised when he noticed Cinderheart padding out after them. "I don't know when you kits will stop doing things to get in trouble," she said.
Firekit blinked at her in thanks when he realized she wasn't going to take them back in. Then he looked for Snowkit and went to her. Snowkit was staring down with horror in her eyes as she gazed down at Jayfeather's almost lifeless body.
"Is he okay?" he whispered. Snowkit didn't respond. She was looking at the faint rise and fall of Jayfeather's chest.
Firekit stepped back away from Jayfeather as Firestar and Lionblaze approached the medicine cat. When Firestar saw the three of them and twitched his whiskers. "How did this happen?" Firestar asked.
"Brightheart, Cloudtail, and I were going back to where we left Jayfeather for the patrol and saw him lying on his side with something sharp in his side," Lionblaze explained.
"Can you get it?" his leader asked. Lionblaze nodded to Firestar and took off. "Cloudtail," Firestar called, "what happened after that?"
Cloudtail pushed his way forward to stand beside his leader and kin. "Brightheart told us to lick him steadily, so he might start breathing again. When he did, she got the sharp Twoleg thing out and pressed cobwebs onto his wound. They were soaked in blood only a few moments later."
Just then, Jayfeather moaned and rolled over onto his back. "Jayfeather?" Firestar asked softly.
Jayfeather opened his eyes. "Wha...?" Then he sniffed the air. "Firestar? Don't worry. I'm fine." He tried to get to his paws but he fell and moaned again in pain.
"Where's Leafpool?" Firestar asked looking around. Firekit remembered that Leafpool was the former medicine cat and Jayfeather's mother.
"Leafpool isn't here." Firekit noticed that Brambleclaw had been sitting there just watching all this time. "She's out hunting."
"Firestar," Jayfeather gasped, "get Cinderheart. I trust her most."
"I'm here, Jayfeather. Don't worry." Cinderheart padded forward to him and touched his nose to his. Then she looked around. "Everyone leave. Only Firestar can stay and Leafpool, when she comes."
"What about me?" Firekit heard Lionblaze's muffled voice as he padded into camp. He dropped the sharp twoleg object on the ground in front of Firestar.
"Don't bother too much about me," Jayfeather said. “I've spoken to Starclan, they do not wish to take me yet.”
Firekit noticed that most of the cats relaxed when he said that. "How can Starclan be so sure, anyway?" he whispered to Hollykit.
"Because it's Starclan, mouse-brain!" Then Hollykit headed back to the nursery. Firekit nosed Snowkit gently and went after Hollykit.
"Snowkit, why are you so close to Jayfeather?" Firekit asked once she sat down beside him.
Snowkit looked startled that he had asked that. "Well... I talked to him a little, and he seems interesting, I guess."
"What? Jayfeather has the sharpest tongue in the clan, probably even more that the other clans! What could possibly be interesting about him?" Firekit was surprised that Jayfeather might actually be more than a blind cat that sorts herbs.
Snowkit thought for a moment. Then she said, "Jayfeather seems to have a lot of secrets and emotions that he seems to have buried inside him. He's struggling a lot not to let them show. That's why he gets irritated so often."
"Oh, um, okay." Firekit wasn't sure how to respond to that.
Snowkit began to groom herself, and Firekit was stuck once again by ow pretty she always looked. She looked almost... beautiful. And any cat could see Smokepaw why was padding after her. It wasn't much of a surprise. Snowkit's fur was always set properly, and the white color of it glowed all the time.
Smokepaw poked his head inside. "Snowkit, can I talk to you?"
She looked up. "Sure, but I can't leave the nursery. It's our punishment."
"I know, I heard." Smokepaw nodded. "We can go to the back of the nursery, though."
"Okay," Snowkit said as she got up, stretched herself, and padded away. Although he could see them, they were talking in too low voices for him to hear what they were saying.
Hollykit was asleep, so he had no one to talk to. Instead he padded to the entrance and sat so he could see what was going on outside. Cinderheart was crouched beside Jayfeather, who was unconscious again. Firestar was a little farther away; he seemed to be lost in thoughts, or as Firekit guessed, worries.
Firekit could slightly see Lionblaze pacing back and forth in the warrior's den. He was obviously worried about Jayfeather. Then he stopped and looked straight inside the den. Some other cat must be talking to him. Then Lionblaze spun around and started walking quickly straight at him.
Firekit gulped. He must have found out about them leaving camp. "Hi, er, Lionblaze," he said as his father glared at him.
"What do you think you were doing, leaving camp when you're still kits?" he spat. "Whose idea was this?"
Firekit looked down at his paws, not wanting to reply. "It was all of our idea." Firekit was surprised when Snowkit padded up behind him. "Don't yell at him."
"I'm not yelling at him, I'm yelling at all of you!"
"Good, then."
Firekit heard Hollykit approach them. "Hello, Lionblaze," she said calmly.
Lionblaze broke. "What would have happened if you kits had died?" He looked at all of them. Firekit was surprised when he noticed Snowkit staring angrily at Lionblaze. Then he turned his attention back to Lionblaze. He was pressing is muzzle to Hollykit's head. Then he did Snowkit's and last of all, Firekit. Then he wheeled around and went to see how Jayfeather was.
Hollykit trotted farther in so she could sleep, but Snowkit stayed where she was, staring at the ground. Firekit wondered why. "Snowkit, are you mad at Lionblaze?"
"Aren't you?" Snowkit asked, looking confused.
"Why would I be?" Firekit was really confused.
"Didn't you see how Lionblaze only cared about Hollykit?" Now that Firekit thought about it, he realized that Lionblaze has always been like that.
"Do you know why?" he asked.
"Jayfeather says he's like that because Hollykit reminds him of his sister."
"But he shouldn't even care about his sister," Firekit said, remembering what he had overheard about her.
"Why?"
"Didn't you ear? Hollyleaf murdered a Thunderclan cat when she was alive. Then she tried to run away, but she was lost in underground tunnels."
Snowkit gasped."So our father's sister was a traitor?"
"I suppose so," Firekit said, then padded inside the nursery and asked Ferncloud to get him some fresh-kill.
"Yes, and I always have been. I already said that." Firekit pushed his nose into Snowkit's fur. She purred softly. "I'm sorry," he murmured.
Firekit woke with a start when he heard a loud wail. "What's going on?" he asked, as Hollykit and Snowkit peeked outside.
"Jayfeather's been very badly hurt," Hollykit said with wide eyes. Firekit glanced at Snowkit. She seemed frozen with shock and horror.
"Snowkit?" he called. "Are you okay?"
She shook herself. "Yes, I'm-I just wasn't expecting-we talked today, and-" Snowkit broke off when she didn't know what to say. Firekit got up and licked her head. She blinked at him, but then couldn't seem to help it anymore. She ran out of the nursery.
Firekit gazed at Hollykit for a moment. She seemed just as confused as he was. "Well, are you going to go get her?"
"Not you?" she asked, surprised.
"No, of the three of us, I should be the one who bears the most punishment." Firekit said sadly.
"I don't know when you'll stop thinking that. Come on." Hollykit nudged him out of the nursery.
Firekit was surprised when he noticed Cinderheart padding out after them. "I don't know when you kits will stop doing things to get in trouble," she said.
Firekit blinked at her in thanks when he realized she wasn't going to take them back in. Then he looked for Snowkit and went to her. Snowkit was staring down with horror in her eyes as she gazed down at Jayfeather's almost lifeless body.
"Is he okay?" he whispered. Snowkit didn't respond. She was looking at the faint rise and fall of Jayfeather's chest.
Firekit stepped back away from Jayfeather as Firestar and Lionblaze approached the medicine cat. When Firestar saw the three of them and twitched his whiskers. "How did this happen?" Firestar asked.
"Brightheart, Cloudtail, and I were going back to where we left Jayfeather for the patrol and saw him lying on his side with something sharp in his side," Lionblaze explained.
"Can you get it?" his leader asked. Lionblaze nodded to Firestar and took off. "Cloudtail," Firestar called, "what happened after that?"
Cloudtail pushed his way forward to stand beside his leader and kin. "Brightheart told us to lick him steadily, so he might start breathing again. When he did, she got the sharp Twoleg thing out and pressed cobwebs onto his wound. They were soaked in blood only a few moments later."
Just then, Jayfeather moaned and rolled over onto his back. "Jayfeather?" Firestar asked softly.
Jayfeather opened his eyes. "Wha...?" Then he sniffed the air. "Firestar? Don't worry. I'm fine." He tried to get to his paws but he fell and moaned again in pain.
"Where's Leafpool?" Firestar asked looking around. Firekit remembered that Leafpool was the former medicine cat and Jayfeather's mother.
"Leafpool isn't here." Firekit noticed that Brambleclaw had been sitting there just watching all this time. "She's out hunting."
"Firestar," Jayfeather gasped, "get Cinderheart. I trust her most."
"I'm here, Jayfeather. Don't worry." Cinderheart padded forward to him and touched his nose to his. Then she looked around. "Everyone leave. Only Firestar can stay and Leafpool, when she comes."
"What about me?" Firekit heard Lionblaze's muffled voice as he padded into camp. He dropped the sharp twoleg object on the ground in front of Firestar.
"Don't bother too much about me," Jayfeather said. “I've spoken to Starclan, they do not wish to take me yet.”
Firekit noticed that most of the cats relaxed when he said that. "How can Starclan be so sure, anyway?" he whispered to Hollykit.
"Because it's Starclan, mouse-brain!" Then Hollykit headed back to the nursery. Firekit nosed Snowkit gently and went after Hollykit.
"Snowkit, why are you so close to Jayfeather?" Firekit asked once she sat down beside him.
Snowkit looked startled that he had asked that. "Well... I talked to him a little, and he seems interesting, I guess."
"What? Jayfeather has the sharpest tongue in the clan, probably even more that the other clans! What could possibly be interesting about him?" Firekit was surprised that Jayfeather might actually be more than a blind cat that sorts herbs.
Snowkit thought for a moment. Then she said, "Jayfeather seems to have a lot of secrets and emotions that he seems to have buried inside him. He's struggling a lot not to let them show. That's why he gets irritated so often."
"Oh, um, okay." Firekit wasn't sure how to respond to that.
Snowkit began to groom herself, and Firekit was stuck once again by ow pretty she always looked. She looked almost... beautiful. And any cat could see Smokepaw why was padding after her. It wasn't much of a surprise. Snowkit's fur was always set properly, and the white color of it glowed all the time.
Smokepaw poked his head inside. "Snowkit, can I talk to you?"
She looked up. "Sure, but I can't leave the nursery. It's our punishment."
"I know, I heard." Smokepaw nodded. "We can go to the back of the nursery, though."
"Okay," Snowkit said as she got up, stretched herself, and padded away. Although he could see them, they were talking in too low voices for him to hear what they were saying.
Hollykit was asleep, so he had no one to talk to. Instead he padded to the entrance and sat so he could see what was going on outside. Cinderheart was crouched beside Jayfeather, who was unconscious again. Firestar was a little farther away; he seemed to be lost in thoughts, or as Firekit guessed, worries.
Firekit could slightly see Lionblaze pacing back and forth in the warrior's den. He was obviously worried about Jayfeather. Then he stopped and looked straight inside the den. Some other cat must be talking to him. Then Lionblaze spun around and started walking quickly straight at him.
Firekit gulped. He must have found out about them leaving camp. "Hi, er, Lionblaze," he said as his father glared at him.
"What do you think you were doing, leaving camp when you're still kits?" he spat. "Whose idea was this?"
Firekit looked down at his paws, not wanting to reply. "It was all of our idea." Firekit was surprised when Snowkit padded up behind him. "Don't yell at him."
"I'm not yelling at him, I'm yelling at all of you!"
"Good, then."
Firekit heard Hollykit approach them. "Hello, Lionblaze," she said calmly.
Lionblaze broke. "What would have happened if you kits had died?" He looked at all of them. Firekit was surprised when he noticed Snowkit staring angrily at Lionblaze. Then he turned his attention back to Lionblaze. He was pressing is muzzle to Hollykit's head. Then he did Snowkit's and last of all, Firekit. Then he wheeled around and went to see how Jayfeather was.
Hollykit trotted farther in so she could sleep, but Snowkit stayed where she was, staring at the ground. Firekit wondered why. "Snowkit, are you mad at Lionblaze?"
"Aren't you?" Snowkit asked, looking confused.
"Why would I be?" Firekit was really confused.
"Didn't you see how Lionblaze only cared about Hollykit?" Now that Firekit thought about it, he realized that Lionblaze has always been like that.
"Do you know why?" he asked.
"Jayfeather says he's like that because Hollykit reminds him of his sister."
"But he shouldn't even care about his sister," Firekit said, remembering what he had overheard about her.
"Why?"
"Didn't you ear? Hollyleaf murdered a Thunderclan cat when she was alive. Then she tried to run away, but she was lost in underground tunnels."
Snowkit gasped."So our father's sister was a traitor?"
"I suppose so," Firekit said, then padded inside the nursery and asked Ferncloud to get him some fresh-kill.
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