Autumn

Chapter 2

A stream of sunlight entered the nursery. Yellow and orange swirls filled Rockkit's eyelids. She borrowed her head under her paws. The sunlight still shined through her paws. She hesitantly opened her eyes as she sat up. Rockkit noticed Gentlecall first. Gentlecall was already awake and sitting halfway out the entrance of the den sunning herself. Rockkit looked to her side. Goldenpaw was still asleep. Rumblekit was awake eating his first meal, a mouse he shared with his mother.

"So you woke up before the sun reached its peak . What a surprise. If only Goldenkit would wake up now." Spottedpebble's narrow eyes looked off dreamily. After hearing his name, Goldenkit woke up abruptly.

Rockkit found it hard to know when her mother was talking to her or thinking out loud. Everything Spottedpebble said sounded like a question or half-hearted joke. Rockkit thought back to the last things her mother had said last night. The last time her mother had not seemed like she sounded fully awake was then and after Mousepaw had saved her. Spottedpebble felt her daughter's unease and swept her tail to her.

"It's only a little joke. Don't get upset." The queen yawned.

Goldenkit yawned after his mother did. He slumped back down and back up with his eyes half-closed.

"You three will be made apprentices any day now. Isn't that exciting? Maybe Mousepaw as a warrior will mentor you Rockkit. Oh and just to ease you Rockkit, Mousepaw stayed in the medicine cat's den but is doing just fine after resting. He is back in the apprentice's den already. Greyflight stopped by earlier to say that she'll talk with Strikerstar to make Mousepaw a warrior for his courage in saving you. So be cheerful today."

Gentlecall interrupted the other queen's breath. "After last night you can't be a serious Spottedpebble. She makes so much trouble because you allow her to. It gets on my nerves."

"She gets in trouble because she's bored. She's almost an apprentice so life in the nursery and not being allowed out of the camp gets boring. I know it does for me being stuck in the nursery for so long."

From the den entrance still sunning herself sat Gentlecall. "I don't classify almost dying by a hawk as getting in trouble. I call that recklessness by an ill mother." Gentlecall snapped her jaws shut at the end of her words. She had carelessly blabbed.

"I'm not about status and our ranking, but you have no right to call me ill . Gentlecall you have your name because of your careless gossip and talk of others by the last leader. He gave you that name to teach you a lesson but I guess even so many many moons later you still don't understand."

Gentlecall rolled her eyes.

Spottedpebble turned to the red-brown queen. "Is this the example you set for your daughter? Your daughter Robinpaw will be made a warrior soon as well. I can only imagine what a warrior she will be."

Gentlecall's rust-colored tail spiked like clumps of thorns. "You mean what a queen she will be. She's already decided to become a queen as soon as she leaves the apprentice's den."

Rockkit spoke up "The only cat close to her age is Mousepaw. Will they become partners?" Rockkit was happy to know her unrelated, but still, close brother would have blood relatives if he had kittens of his own. She thought of how if she didn't become a queen she could maybe mentor one of his kittens.

"I'm certain. They grew up together and have always been close friends. Like how one of my toms will grow up with you Rockkit. And you two will become mates when you're a warrior-aged cat."

Spottedpebble interjected. "Don't force anything on her. She's just a kitten."

Gentlecall hissed slightly. Her fur prickled more. "The clan needs queens. We can't afford a she-cat to not become a queen right now. Fewer kittens are being born and the clan is aging. The youngest warrior right now Stonehill is soon to be middle-aged. The oldest warrior, Palerock, soon to be an elder. If we are to survive we need more warriors and that means more tomcats being born."