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

Chapter 2

The morning seemed different somehow, almost as if the entire forest had changed overnight. Hopekit peeked outside the nursery and noticed Goldenflower sitting with Tigerstar beneath Highrock. Tigerstar murmured something to Goldenflower that caused her to flatten her ears. Hopekit wondered for a fleeting moment what Tigerstar might've said to her. Close by, Bramblekit and Tawnykit tussled in the dirt, oblivious to their parents' bickering.

Much of the clan still slept except for the dawn patrol. The patrol consisted of Darkstripe (the clan deputy), Whitestorm, Dappletail, Brindleface, and Fernpaw. Hopekit watched the warriors and Fernpaw leave the camp, silently wishing that she could join with them. She desperately wanted to explore the forest, to really stretch her legs and feel the grass beneath her paws.

When Hopekit glanced back over her shoulder, she noted that Maplekit and Owlkit were still sleeping, as was Sandstorm. There was no one to stop her from following the patrol. Hopekit considered tailing them but decided against it-Owlkit would never forgive her if she left him behind.

She emerged from the nursery and stalked across camp. Cinderpelt appeared from the healer den and Hopekit noticed her slow progress with her crippled leg. She remembered the first time she met Cinderpelt and Sandstorm had to explain how she was hit by a monster on the thunderpath as an apprentice. Hopekit bounded towards the healer.

"Cinderpelt, can I help with something?" Hopekit asked excitedly. She was awfully bored waiting for her littermates to wake up.

The dark gray she-cat thought for a moment before she nodded and answered: "Yes, why don't you help me sort through the herbs in my den? Go through them all and throw the old herbs out."

Hopekit nodded eagerly, "Yes Cinderpelt!" She dashed off towards the medicine cat den and slipped inside. The last time she'd been in here was when Owlkit clawed her ear by accident.

The little russet she-kit started to go through each pile of herbs and threw out the ones that seemed dry or frail. She continued like this for a while and didn't even notice Cinderpelt return. In her jaws she carefully carried new herbs.

"That's good, Hopekit. You can go now if you'd like." Cinderpelt laid down the herbs she was carrying and nodded to her.

Hopekit dipped her head respectively before exiting the den. Outside she found Owlkit wrestling with Bramblekit while Tawnykit talked with Maplekit. Their mothers, Goldenflower and Sandstorm, spoke in quiet voices along with Frostfur. She pricked her ears with mild curiosity but couldn't hear what they were saying.

Hopekit stalked towards the two wrestling toms and she pounced on Owlkit. "Haha! I caught you!"

Owlkit batted at his sister and shoved her off. "Go away, Hopekit! Why don't you go play with Cinderpelt since you're so fond of healer duties!"

Hopekit growled and pinned Owlkit down. She curled back her lips to show her sharp fangs. "Take. That. Back!"

Owlkit narrowed his green eyes. "No."

Snarling, Hopekit slashed Owlkit across the muzzle and she would've swung at him again if it weren't for Bramblekit dragging her off of him. "Let me go!" Hopekit howled, swatting at Bramblekit.

Sandstorm and Goldenflower hurried over and Sandstorm gasped when she saw Owlkit's bleeding muzzle. "What's going on?! Owlkit,what happened?"

"Hopekit clawed me!" Owlkit growled. He narrowed his eyes at her angrily.

Sandstorm turned on Hopekit, a look of fierce disappointment in her eyes. "Is this true, Hopekit?"

Hopekit's fur pricked at the look Sandstorm gave her. "So what if it is? He said that I should be a dumb healer rather than a warrior!"

The pale ginger she-cat sighed. "Both of you, back in the nursery now. And Owlkit, go to Cinderpelt and see what she can do about your muzzle."

Hopekit slunk away and paused by Maplekit. "Come on," she grumbled to her sister. The pair headed back to the nursery.

Maplekit crawled back into the nest, but Hopekit wasn't prepared to lay down so quick. Sandstorm entered the nursery and Hopekit raised her eyes to look at her mother. The pale ginger she-cat studied her daughter before nuzzling her shoulder.

"What were you thinking, Hopekit?" Sandstorm sighed. "You could've hurt Owlkit."

"Tigerstar always says that a warrior who doesn't fight is no warrior at all." Hopekit pointed out. "I want to be a warrior, not a mouse-hearted healer!"

"And you will be a warrior, Hopekit." Sandstorm promised, "But you can't go around hurting whoever annoys you."

Hopekit slouched and pouted. "Why is Tigerstar changing TigerClan so much? You told me that TigerClan wasn't always like this."

Sandstorm curled around Hopekit and nuzzled her daughter gently. "No, TigerClan used to be known as ThunderClan, but that was before you were ever conceived."

"Bramblekit says that Tigerstar made the clan stronger, that we were weaker as ThunderClan." Hopekit noted, remembering the day the dark brown tabby tom told her that.

Sandstorm sighed, "So much has changed since then. Did you know that in the other clans, a healer is called a medicine cat?"

Hopekit shook her head, "No, but Cinderpelt told me once that she was training to be a medicine cat, not a healer. What's the difference?"

"A medicine cat is not just a healer, but more." Sandstorm spoke wistfully. "They are spiritual leaders within the clan, a connection to StarClan."

"StarClan?" Hopekit squeaked. "Tigerstar says that we aren't allowed to mention StarClan."

"No," Sandstorm replied bitterly. "Tigerstar has changed us so much." The pale ginger she-cat looked down at Hopekit. "We need to have hope, Hopekit, that the future holds something better and brighter than what we have now. Do you understand?"

Hopekit shrugged, "I suppose, but it don't see how an imaginary clan in the sky can make us stronger."

Sandstorm's green eyes gained a faraway look, one resembling pain. "I suppose you would see it that way-you don't know any different." Sandstorm nuzzled Hopekit again. "Go play with Bramblekit and Tawnykit."

Hopekit purred and reached up to touch her mother's nose with her own. "I love you, mother."

"And I love you, Hopekit, you and your littermates." Sandstorm purred. "Now get going."

Hopekit squealed and raced out of the nursery. She found the two older kits tumbling in the dirt. The long-haired ginger she-kit dashed over to them and joined in their game.