The New Prophecy

Chapter 7

Stormkit watched as her brother’s tail flicked back and forth in his sleep, she gathered her hind legs behind her and pounced on it making him squeal in surprise. She purred and jumped back to avoid his paw as he tried to swat her in the muzzle. It had been three moons since the storm and their birth but already Stormkit and Tigerkit were impatient to become warriors, Cinderheart’s kits were outside playing in the snowdrifts with Brightheart’s kits. Squirrelflight wouldn’t let Stormkit leave until her brother woke up so she had waited, in a way, she charged outside and tripped into a snowdrift making her brother laugh and her clumsiness.

            “Nice face plant.” He snickered. “Mother should’ve called you Clumsykit.”

            “And you should’ve been called Snorekit.” She retorted.

            “Guys come look at Manekit!” Ashkit yowled.

            They ran to the side of the nursery and saw Manekit with chunks of snow in his thick neck fur and his paw caught in a dead vine. His sister Softkit was trying to help him get free but he was struggling too much.

            “You have to stay still.” She complained and he accidently flicked snow in her face.

            “But Ashkit is making fun of me… and look now he brought the others…”

            “I actually still have to find Brightheart and Sorreltail’s kits.” Ashkit replied before racing off again.

            Before he could get far though Bramblestar leaped up onto the Highledge while the rest of the clan gathered below it, they saw Lilykit, Seedkit, Amberkit, Snowkit, and Dewkit standing in a circle of cats, their fur was smoothed while their eyes all sparked with excitement.

            “What, how come they get to be warriors?” Tigerkit hissed.

            “Because they’re old enough to be now unless you want to go back to the nursery be quiet.” Squirrelflight scolded as she sat down beside them.

            “Lilykit, Seedkit, step forward.” Bramblestar commanded. “You have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior names, you will be known as Lilypaw and Seedpaw.”

            He paused and looked at the gathered cats, “Lilypaw your mentor will be Toadstep. I hope he will pass down all he knows to you. Seedpaw your mentor will be Ivypool. I hope she will pass down all her knowledge to you.”

            They touched noses with their mentors while the clan called them out by their new names. Bramblestar waited for them to quiet down before continuing.

            “Amberkit, Snowkit, Dewkit, come here. You have reached six moons of age, and it is now time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior names, you will be known as Amberpaw, Snowpaw, and Dewpaw.” He took in another breath as the new apprentices looked around and tried to guess who their mentor would be. “Amberpaw your mentor will be Dovewing. Snowpaw your mentor will be Berrynose. Dewpaw your mentor will be Cherryleaf. I hope your mentors will pass on all their skills and knowledge to you.”

            Stormkit watched as her old den mates left to look around the clan’s territory. A fit of coughing made her turn her head towards the warriors’ den where Thornclaw was bent over trying to stop. Leafpool ran over and led him to the medicine cat den, the smell of freshly crushed herbs reached Stormkit from across the clearing. Thornclaw had been the third cat so far who was coughing like that, last moon Graystripe and Hazeltail had been forced to stay in the medicine den and Bramblestar had to make Sandstorm the new temporary deputy.

            “Hey Stormkit we’re playing badger attack come on!” Softkit ran over to her, “Manekit and Tigerkit agreed to be the badgers!”

            “Then we better hide in fear!” She purred back before chasing after her friend.

            Jayfeather padded out of the den after giving Thornclaw some herbs to help his cough, as far as Leafpool could tell it wasn’t whitecough but it could turn into it if they weren’t careful. He heard the kits playing by the nursery as he walked out of the thorn barrier towards Riverclan, he needed to know if they had any herbs to spare, even if he didn’t want to admit Thunderclan’s weakness. He waited until a border patrol came and they led him to their camp, once there he went to Mothwing’s den to talk to her.

            “Jayfeather, why are you here?” Willowshine asked.

            “Is Mothwing here?”

            “No, she’s collecting herbs… is something wrong?”

            “I just wanted to ask for any herbs you have that could help a cough.”

            “Sorry but that’s what she’s out looking for.”

            “That’s okay, I didn’t really get my hopes up.”

            When he walked out of the den he was tackled by small bundles of fur, he grunted and got back up as Willowshine came out after him.

            “Icekit, Ripplekit! What did I tell you about looking where you’re going?” Willowshine scolded. “Where’s Splashkit?”

            “He’s in the snow drift.” Icekit replied while giving her an innocent look.

            “They pushed me in!” Splashkit’s muffled voice came from a nearby snow bank.

            “Apologize to Jayfeather.” Their mother, Petalfur snapped as she ran over.

            “Sorry…” The kits said in unison.

            “It’s okay, it’ll take more than being tackled by a group of kits to hurt me.” Jayfeather muttered.

            Willoshine led him back to the lakeshore but stopped him before he could leave. “I’ve been having more dreams.”

            “About the prophecy?” He asked.

            “No… maybe. I’m not sure; all I know is another war is coming. The dreams are full of pain filled shrieks and blood.”

            “I’ll try to figure it out. If you have more before the half-moon come find me.”