Book Two, Chosen

Chapter Twelve

Streamkit's POV. Told in first person.

I woke up from a disturbing dream. I started wailing. Batstar lifted her head from her nest and looked at me.

"What's wrong, Streamkit?" I could see the worry plastered on her face. Then, a huge amount of worry fell over me, I was very confused, but it hit me like a wave. Batstar came over to comfort me and soon I stopped wailing.

"I-I had a dream where y-you and Sk-Skywing died and the rest of the Clan was mean to us four.." I explained to Batstar. Batstar's eyes widened as she pulled me closer to her belly.

"Aw.. don't worry, me and Skywing are alive and will be for many moons to come." Batstar explained gently, I felt better.

But Skywing doesn't have nine lives like you.. I thought to myself. I buried my head into Batstar and faded off to sleep again.

I woke up again to a paw prodding my side. I opened one of my blue eyes to see Juniperkit standing over me. "What?" I asked him. I could feel a large wave of determination come off of him. Why is this happening?!

"Would you come and play with us?" Juniperkit asked. I noticed Fallenkit and Frostedkit were standing by the entrance. I felt a nudge behind me. It was Batstar. "Go play, Streamkit, before you know it you wont have time to play."

I got up and followed my siblings to the center of the camp.

"What are we going to play?" I asked. Fallenkit was the one to answer. "Moss-ball?"

Frostedkit cuffed his ear. "We don't have any moss!" she exclaimed.

"We could ask the apprentices to get us some." suggested Juniperkit. They all nodded.

"Can you go ask, Streamkit?" asked Frostedkit. I nodded. I didn't really like asking older cats things, it bothered me a little bit, more or less because I am shy.

I walk up to the apprentices den. "O-Oakpaw?" I asked nervously. "He's busy right now, Streamkit, want me to help?" a voice came from the apprentices den, it was Oakpaw's sibling, Moonpaw.

"Okay, um, me and my siblings want to play moss-ball but we don't have any moss, could you maybe get us some, please?" I asked, trying to sound as polite as I could.

Moonpaw nodded. "Okay, let me just go ask Brambleheart if I can leave." Moonpaw went up to leave.

Why do apprentices have to ask still? I wondered. Then, I saw my father, Skywing pad back into camp with a small thrush in his jaws.

"Skywing!" I squealed and ran over to him. "Hello, Streamkit!" I looked directly into his eyes and felt the warm fuzzy feeling of affection pull through me.

"I have a question." I said to him. Skywing put down his thrush in the fresh-kill pile and sat down in front of me.

"Ask away." Skywing looked at me. "Why do apprentices have to ask their mentors to leave camp?" I asked.

Skywing responded. "Because if an apprentice finds danger out there, then it risks their life. The warriors check the borders daily, so if they find it unsafe, they'll say no."

"That makes sense." I agreed with him. "I wish I was an apprentice." I sighed. Six moons was a long time, I don't know if I can last that long!

Skywing laughed. "I remember thinking the same. But being an apprentice is the best thing, other than being a warrior."

I thought hard about that. I'm not sure I really want to be a warrior, something about fighting doesn't appeal to me.

"So, you excited to be a warrior?" asked Skywing when I didn't answer.

"Oh, um, I'm not entirely sure.." I looked at my paws. Skywing came and rested his tail on my shoulder.

"That's okay, you're young, who am I to ask." he laughed. I laughed along, not knowing really rather to laugh or not.

"Oh, Moonpaw is back with moss, I should probably go." I noticed Moonpaw step into camp. Skywing nodded and headed for the nursery, heading for Batstar, I guessed.

"There you go, Streamkit" Moonpaw set down the moss. "Thank you." I replied, nodding to her.

I picked up the moss and headed over to my siblings who were sitting there patiently. "Finally!" exclaimed Juniperkit, running towards me.

I avoided his eye contact and realized I couldn't feel his emotions. Well that's a way to avoid feeling overwhelming emotion.

"You can start since you have the moss." Juniperkit told me. I nodded and flung the moss to Frostedkit.

Frostedkit caught it and threw it to Fallenkit. Fallenkit passed it back to me and I passed it to Juniperkit.

We all froze as we heard a screech coming from the entrance. "What is this?" exclaimed Sweetwish, she rushed over to the entrance.

A mysterious smaller cat came into the clearing, it was covered in blood. Batstar came rushing out of the nursery and sweeped us back inside.

"But I want to see that cat!" exclaimed Frostedkit. I looked at her.

"Why would you want to see a bloody cat?" asked Juniperkit, wrinkling his nose.

"Because he is a trespasser!" replied Frostedkit, glaring at him. Juniperkit rolled his eyes. I peaked my head out of the den to see Meadowheart running to the cat with herbs in her jaws.

My siblings seem to think that blood is gross, but it makes us live. Juniperkit, Frostedkit and Fallenkit were all huddled in the corner.

"What's happening?" asked Fallenkit. I stuck my head out further. "Meadowheart is washing the blood off the cat with wet moss.. she's taking the cat into her den, from what I can tell, he's a tom." I explained to them.

They all nodded. "I wonder what happened with that cat." commented Frostedkit.

"Maybe Batstar will tell us." Juniperkit said. He licked his paw and drew it over his head.

"Maybe..." I continued to peak out to see if I could find anything else but I didn't.