Unexpected Grief: Fall of the Birds

Chapter 1

I step out of the nursery and scents of Greenleaf fill my nose. I see Poolkit playing with Goldenkit and Streamkit.

"Hey Poolkit can I play?" I meow with a smile. I count thirty heartbeats and all she did was roll her eyes.

"Hello?" I meow again, this time eying Goldenkit. It looks like she wants to talk to me. "Poolkit? Have you gone deaf? Do you need to see Rosethorn?" Poolkit clinches her jaw, pushes me over and leans to hiss in my ear.

"Shut up! I'm ignoring you! Can't you see that, runt?! Leave us alone and go play with the other runt. Don't ever talk to me again. Okay?" Poolkit snaps. I only nod my head in reply. Other runt... I think while sitting next to nursery entrance. Who could that be? Well there is Goldenkit, Streamkit and there is one more... Pollenkit! I guess she's a runt too! I take a deep breath and sneak around the camp to find her.

"Pollenkit?" I mew to the tiny cream kit huddled in the tall grass behind the apprentice's den "What are you doing over here?"

"I... Poolkit won't let me play with them." She mews with a tear, gently rolling down her cheek.

"She won't let me play either." I mew back "Maybe we should play together!"

"Okay! Pollenkit meows, wiping her tears away "Let's play hide-and-go-seek!" I smile, nod my head and point my tail to where I'm going to count. One... two... three... four... five... six... seven... eight... nine... ten! "I'm coming, Pollenkit!" I sneak around looking behind the nursery and the apprentice's den. I peek into Rosethorn's medicine den, no Pollenkit. I catch a glimpse of cream fur as I pass by the warriors' den. I tip-toe behind it and see Pollenkit.

"Boo! I found you!" I mew with a giggle.

"Darn." She mews, turning around to face me "You're good! I thought this was a great place to hide."

"It's okay, Pollenkit!" I mew "It's just a game."

"You're right." Pollenkit mews "Hey, I'm getting tired. Wanna nap together?"

"Sure!" I mew while walking back towards the nursery. I cuddle up next to Pollenkit and her steady breathing drifts me into sleep.

~~~

I wake when Pollenkit starts to stir. I wonder why she's waking up. But it doesn't take long for me to find out.

"Look at those sad little runts." I hear my littermate whisper.

"No cat loves them so they have to love themselves." Streamkit taunts. I shuffle around, making sure I still look like I'm sleeping, because tears are flowing. I curl my tail around Pollenkit and promise myself something. I, Sparrowkit, son of Larkwhistle and Owlwatcher, promise to protect this other runt, Pollenkit, with my life, all day and every day of my life.

~~~

"Help!!" Acornfall yowls in the middle of the night, waking up every cat "Rainstar is dying!!"

Rosethorn dashes out of her den with a bundle of herbs in her jaw "I'm crming!"

I sit up and try to look out of the gaps in the ferns but Larkwhistle curls her tail around me to get me back to sleep. All I can hear is bits and pieces of words. Eventually I actually try to sleep but less than a heartbeat later, Acornfall and Rosethorn call a clan meeting.

"Will all cats of TreeClan please join me beneath the tall stump for a clan meeting." Acornfall meows, eyes rough.

"During the night I heard gasps and quiet wails that kept me awake. Finally I pad over to Rainstar's den and he is clutching his chest and gasping for breath." Acornfall meows after few heartbeats.

"Rainstar had a heart attack and lost his final life." Rosethorn meows from below Acornfall "He was quite old, so I was expecting something soon. But don't worry, he is joined by his family in StarClan." A few scattered cheers fill the camp. After they die down Rosethorn speaks again "It is almost sun-up (morning) so Acornfall and I will travel to Highstones right away."

"But first I will choose my deputy. This cat will be in charge until I come back." Acornfall meows while scanning the crowd "Owlwatcher, you are a brave cat and a wonderful clanmate. Please take charge until I come back." My dad! That's awesome! Maybe Goldenkit and Streamkit will want to play with me now. I think Well only if Pollenkit can play too.

"With my life. Thank you." Owlwatcher meows, his meow thick with pride "StarClan light your path." Some other cats meow congratulations to Owlwatcher and Acornfall. I smile to Pollenkit and we go back to our nests and sleep the night away. Crazy night. I think with a yawn.

Thanks so much for reading!! Please check out my other books and how about this: if we get 15 reads on this chapter I'll update a special chapter on Acornstar's 9 lives! Byee!
~Swift