Warriors || Hopestar's Choice: Book 1 (1 of 3)

Chapter 1

The morning air that whirled through the trees just outside the den woke Hopekit from her sleep. She lifted her russet head and opened her forest green eyes. At her side, her brother and sister, Owlkit and Maplekit, still slept. Their mother, Sandstorm, snored softly-signaling to Hopekit that she was asleep as well.

Hopekit stood up and stretched out her legs before slipping out of the nursery. Light blinded her, but once her eyes adjusted she looked around the camp clearing. Warriors sat clustered in small groups whispering to each other. She pricked her ears and stalked forward, eager to hear what they were saying.

"Hopekit," Fernpaw noticed her and approached the young russet she-kit. "What are you doing outside of the nursery?"

Hopekit flattened her ears and studied her paws. "I just wanted to go outside." Her forest-green gaze traveled to the camp entrance which stood as the only obstacle between her and the forest.

Fernpaw giggled, "I'm sure that you can wait until your apprentice ceremony. That's only three moons away."

"I want to go outside the camp now." Hopekit complained with a slight whine. Her adventurous spirit employed her to explore.

Just then, Sandstorm emerged from the nursery. Seeing her kit, she bounded over. "Hopekit, there you are!" The pale ginger she-cat nosed her daughter carefully, looking for signs of injury. "Make sure you ask before leaving the nursery."

"Sorry, mother." Hopekit mumbled. "I just wanted to explore."

Sandstorm licked her fiercely. "You can explore when you're an apprentice. Until then, you will let me dote on you as much as I like."

"Aw, come on Sandstorm." Dustpelt called teasingly from the other side of the clearing. "You could give her a little freedom!"

Sandstorm looked down at Hopekit with calculating green eyes. "Fine, but stay in the camp."

"Can we go, too?" Owlkit and Maplekit appeared from the nursery, their eyes wide at the prospect of exploring camp.

"Yes, and stay together. Don't get under anyone's paws!" Sandstorm warned as she watched her three kits race off.

"Race you!" Hopekit exclaimed gleefully. The three littermates raced across the camp, dodging warriors and apprentices. Hopekit reached the other side first and let out a triumphant cry. "I won!"

Owlkit shook his light brown tabby head then shoved his sister. "You had a head start!"

"Did not, it was a fair race!" Hopekit argued, digging her claws into the dirt.

"Don't fight," Maplekit whined. "Please." The small ginger and white she-kit coughed and trembled.

Hopekit touched her nose to her sister's cheek. "Okay, Maplekit. Let's play a better game."

"Like hide and seek?" Maplekit asked hopefully.

Owlkit groaned and rolled his eyes. "Warriors don't play hide and seek. They play real games like moss-ball or invasion."

Hopekit shot her brother a fierce glare. He didn't have much sympathy for their sickly littermate. Composing herself, Hopekit turned to Maplekit. "We can play hide and seek if that's what you want. I'll count and you two can hide."

She closed her eyes and allowed Maplekit and Owlkit to race off and hide. Hopekit counted out loud. "One...two...three..."

Suddenly, someone crashed into her from behind and pinned her down. When she opened her eyes, she was looking into the golden-amber eyes of Bramblekit. "Ha! I pinned you!" Bramblekit boasted.

Hopekit slipped from his grasp and jumped at him. They tussled for a little while before she remembered that she had to go seek Owlkit and Maplekit. "Not now, Bramblekit. I have to find Owlkit and Maplekit."