Swiftsong

CHAPTER ONE

"Glazesight! Can I go outside in the camp? The hunting patrols followed by the border patrols left ages ago!" Swiftkit bounced impatiently beside her mothers sleeping bundle of fur. A few moons had passed and Swiftkits eyes had opened revealing beautiful amber and blue eyes. The kit had been quite curious since, always eager to explore the camp. Ears twitching, Glazesight yawned and rolled over in her nest. "Okay, but stay close to the nursery where Foxfire can see you. Do be sure to stay away from the warriors paws! I'm sure they're busy enough without dodging a kit." She responded with a chuckle, her mew slightly muffled due to her tail being wrapped around her muzzle. "I will!" Swiftkit responded before bounding away, tail high as she trotted out of the den.

Swiftkit paused at the entrance of the nursery, eyes narrowed as she scanned the clearing for a familiar red pelt. "There!" Tail flicking excitedly and eyes blazing mischievously, Swiftkit raced across the clearing toward a sunny spot close to the elder's den. Intent on reaching her target, she hardly noticed she was running right into a blurry haze of fur. Letting out a squeak of terror, she collided with something seemingly soft. She let out a surprised squeak as she fell face first into a pool of mud. Her pelt ruffled and eyes widened, she let out a sneeze. In an instant, her ears were being lapped repeatedly by soft strokes of a cat's tongue. "Oh my! I'm so sorry, Swiftkit. Are you okay?" Swiftkit refocused her vision, confusion clouding her for a second. "Foxfire?" Bending down in front of Swiftkit was a red pelted queen with long fur and dazzling brown eyes. She was the fellow nursing queen alongside her mother, with two slightly older kits. "What happened?" Swiftkit tilted her head to one side, confused yet again. Foxfire let out a snort of amusement, straightening up until she could sit with her tail curled over her front paws. "Well, I was just walking to the fresh-kill pile when you tripped over my tail and landed in this pile of mud." The tiny kit's jaws gaped in shock, bending her head low to the ground, she looked up at Foxfire with her soft gaze. "I'm sorry." She mewed, unable to keep her purr out of her voice; Clearly Swiftkit was just as amused at her mistake as the queen. Swiftkit quickly cocked her head so she could begin to groom the mud out of her fur, her pelt already clumped with it. Before either of them could say anymore, a bundle of crimson fur shot from behind Swiftkit and landed on top of her with a triumphant yowl.

Foxfire let out an amused purr. Returning to the fresh-kill pile she grabbed a pigeon and a mouse and began to retreat back to the nursery. Swiftkit let out a huff of annoyance as the bigger kit overpowered her ragged muddy pelt within a couple of heartbeats. "HAH-" before the red tom-kit could finish what he was saying, a ginger pelted kit was launching herself into the air, landing on the tom's shoulders with a giggle. Swiftkit was instantly back on her paws, racing to the ginger kits side she helped pin the larger kit down on the clearing floor, her paws placed firmly on his haunches whilst the ginger she-kit grappled with his front paws. "Never stop fighting to boast, Crimsonkit!" The ginger kit held her chin high, amber eyes sparkling as she quoted one of the phrases they had heard many times before by the warriors of Shadowclan. Crimsonkit, struggling madly under both kits' paws let out a groan of annoyance. "Spikekit! We're littermates. I can't believe you betrayed me for Swiftkit!" He dramatically raised a paw over his sister's ear, letting out a good humoured snort of amusement. Swiftkit and Spikekit joined in, giggling cheekily. "Last cat to the elders' den has to grab one of the apprentice's tail!" Swiftkit declared. Instantly, both she-kits let go of the struggling tom and bolted across the clearing. "Mouse-dung! So unfair!" Crimsonkit got to his paws and clumsily raced after the other kits, his paws slipping in the trail of mud Swiftkit had left behind.