The Forbidden Prophecies: A New Light

Chapter Eighteen~

Firekit blinked her eyes, bright light peering through the nursery walls. The usual gray shape that blocked the morning light, was gone. The kit lifted her head, staring sleepily around the den. But her mother was no where in sight.

Her gaze fell on Smokekit, her gray bother who was stretched out next to her. Firekit prodded him with one paw. "Smokekit?"

He only grunted.

"Smokekit?" Firekit pestered again. "Are you awake?"

The kit sighed and blinked his dark blue eyes open, "I am now. What do you want Firekit?"

"Where's Dovewing?" Firekit nudged her brother, ears flicking.

Smokekit yawned. "She went on dawn patrol."

"With who?"

Her brother glared at Firekit, "I don't know. Now will you stop annoying me and go to sleep."

"Fine." She grumbled, setting her head back in to the moss.

Smokekit's soft snores filled the nursery once more. But Firekit just sighed and rolled back towards her brother.

"Smokekit." She mewed, "I can't sleep."

He just sniffed, "Then go walk around camp."

"But it's dark outside." She protested. "Will you come with me?"

The gray dappled tom growled, sitting up. "Fine. But no more favors until we're apprentices."

"So it refills tomorrow." Firekit nodded, eyes wide with excitement. "I like those terms. Let's go."

The two stalked out of the nursery, dawn light just barley lighting the sky a pastel pink.

Graystripe and Oakfur were sitting on the sunning rock, chatting as the faint light penetrated their bones, the rock heating their pelt with a spark of fire. Phoenixkit was limping towards her siblings, Briarlight just in front of her.

"You're up!" Smokekit yelped in excitement. 

Phoenixkit nodded, glancing towards Briarlight, who dipped her head towards the kits litter-mates. 

With a wave of her long tabby tail, Phoenixkit bounded towards Smokekit and Firekit. Her hind leg was left slightly dragging along the ground, and the kit was only weakly using one of her front paws, flinching as it hit the ground.

"I thought you'd need to stay in your nest longer." Firekit sniffed the cobwebs that covered her sisters face.

Phoenixkit pawed Firekit away. "Leave me be will you! I said I'm fine!" She fluffed out her fur apprehensively. "Leafpool and Alderheart gave me the okay to start my training." 

"Great!" Smokekit grinned, ignoring his sisters fighting. "So what do you want to do?"

"Phoenixkit still has to do her stretches." A voice stated from behind the young kits.

They turned to see Briarlight, her eyes bright as she crawled towards the three siblings. "But her mentor should be able to start her training in a moon."

"Briarlight!" Smokekit and Firekit yelped in unison, grinning at the paralyzed she-cat.

The brown she-cat grinned at the kits, her eyes bright with amusement. "That's my name." She turned towards Smokekit and Firekit. "Can you help Phoenixkit do her stretches. I have to help sort herbs."

Firekit stared eagerly at Brairlight. "Do you need any help?"

The paralyzed she-cat let out a hum of uncertainty. "Tonight is half moon." After a moment's hesitation Briarlight grinned at the kit. "Sure! It'll be nice to have company during the moonstone ceremony."