Shining of the Four

Chapter 20

            Lifekit groaned as paws swept at her tail in the early morning. It was too early to play, but she knew Blueocean's kits were already up, waiting to play.

            "Lifekit," a whisper came.

            "For the love of StarClan, hush up!" she shouted, burying her head into her paws. The voice was feminine though, and for a moment, she wondered...No, it couldn't have been her mother's voice.

            Lifekit opened her eyes and turned, only seeing the three kits sitting by her side. It hadn't been her mother. She was a mouse-brain for thinking so.

            "Finally, you're awake!" Ripplekit squeaked.

            "I've been awake for awhile with you three pulling at my tail," Lifekit sighed, standing up. She towered over the kits, and in a few days, she would be leaving them to become an apprentice. The thought made her smile, but she would miss the playtime with Blueocean's three kits.

            "Head outside," Blueocean snapped. She was curled up in a ball, trying to sleep. Lifekit led the kits outside into the snowy camp.

            In a moon or so, the snow would eventually fade, and prey would be plentiful again, or so she had heard. Lifekit had never experienced a new-leaf or green-leaf before, and she assumed her first seasons would be wonderful, just like leaf-fall and leaf-bare.

            "Are you going to be a warrior soon?" Marshkit asked.

            Lifekit giggled. "I'm going to be an apprentice training to be a warrior, but soon I'll be one."

            "Daddy is deputy!" Ripplekit boasted.

            "Ripplekit, Blueocean said you're not supposed to yell that to cats!" Goosekit scolded.

            Lifekit smiled. "Well, your father definitely deserved that position," she told them. She gazed at the kits, looking closely. They really didn't look too much like their father. Of course, Pinethorn did have bits of white in his pelt. Perhaps that's where Marshkit had gotten his white pelt. As for the others, their fur resembled Blueocean's, though Ripplekit's pelt was tabby, unlike Goosekit's.

            "It's a shame none of you resemble Pinethorn too much," Lifekit pointed out. To be honest though, Pinethorn's pelt was a mucky color, nothing too appealing.

            "You don't look like your father," Goosekit pointed out.

            "I've got the white," Lifekit explained. "Everyone says I look just like my mother. But I don't understand why they make a big deal out of it. Yeah, Shinypelt died in battle, but so did other warriors."

            Ripplekit shrugged at Lifekit. "Maybe she was close to a lot of cats."

            "Maybe," Lifekit reiterated, though she doubted that was the true case.

            "Who's going to be your mentor?" Marshkit asked as he bounced alongside Lifekit.

            "I don't know," Lifekit admitted. "But I'm sure Thornstar will assign me someone great!"

            "I want Pinethorn to be my mentor," Goosekit explained.

            "Your kin can't be a mentor," Ripplekit told him.

            "Thornstar will give you three someone great too," Lifekit assured the three.

            "Good. I want to be leader!" Marshkit declared.