Into The Forest

Prologue

"Come on!" Snarled a orange she-cat. "What are you waiting for? They are getting away!"

A small brown tom raced up beside the deputy. "We can't keep up with them."

"Well try! They have Birchkit." The orange deputy shouted as the brown tom was struggling to keep up. "Do you want him to die?" With that the tom said nothing.

The four cats continued to chase after the badgers. Only when the badgers turned around is when the grouped skidded to a halt. The two badgers snarled at the cats. One with the limp kit, and the other protecting the first.

"Gingerleap! We can't beat them, tactics show that four cats can defeat one badger and there are two badger!" A small brown tom growled.

"Do you want Birchkit to die, Applepaw?" Hissed the orange deputy.

"No..." The small toms voice trailed off.

"Then," Gingerleaf leaped at the first badger with the kit. "Attack!"

The three remaining cats looked at each other then followed the deputy. Applepaw hesitated, then dug his claws into the ground and leaped onto the second badgers back to help Gingerleaf as she was get squished.

A flash of gray blurred in front of Applepaws eyes. Solidstone sunk his claws into the badger back. The second badger shrieked and tried flinging him off. Applepaw hit a tree and blacked out of a moment. He re-opened his eyes to see Solidstone, Gingerleaf and Blackear struggling against the two animals.

Applepaw growled and leaped at the first badger, he scratched its eyes and the badger let go of the kit.

Applepaw quickly grabbed it a raced up a tree. "Birchkit," He meowed softly. "Birchkit." Birchkit was his half brother, but Applepaw was born in Softlake's first litter, Birchkit was her second.

Birchkit's eyes fluttered open, they were glazed with confusion. "Wh-where am I?" He asked.

"In the forest, up a tree." Applepaw soothed.

Birchkit breathed heavily, and mumbled, "Tell mother that I'm sorry I ran off like how I did, I just wanted Amberkit to be safe, she is younger and I need to help the young, right?"

Applepaw nodded.

"So I tried to reach her, but the badgers got her before I could reach her, even though she was trying to help her father," Birchkit's breathing was slowly down. "I attacked it, not realizing how strong it was..." His breathing was dying down.

Panic fluttered in Applepaws stomach as Birchkit's eyes rolled in his head.

Birchkit managed to keep his head up and continue the story. " It let go of Amberkit and grabbed me instead..."

"Save your breath," Applepaw soothed as Birchkit's breath was starting to raise.

His heart was fluttering inside his body as Birchkit mewed. "Tell mother I'm sorry..." His voice trailed off and his final breath left his body.

A lump of grief was stuck in Applepaw's throat. He just lost his half-brother just like he lost his sister.

"Applepaw?" A cat called from down below. "Applepaw!"

Applepaw scrambled down from where he was hiding with Birchkit in his mouth. Gingerleaf, Solidstone and Blackear where scowering the area. They sighed in relief as they saw Applepaw.

"What happened?" Blackear asked, noticing the little lump of fur in his jaws.

"Birchkit didn't make it," Applepaw mumbled through the fur.

Gingerleaf lowered her head sadly, but then raised it and meowed. "We should get back to the Clan."

"Shouldn't we bury Birchkit?" Applepaw asked.

"Yes, he needs a proper burial."Solidstone meowed, grief thick in his throat. Softlake was his mate, so that made Birchkit his son.

After the four cats dug a small grave, they place the cold lump of brown fur into the hole. Applepaw saw the brown earth fall onto Birchkit's fluffy kit pelt.

"He was a fun, energetic kit. He would have made a great warrior and it's a shame that Birchkit never got a full Clan name." Applepaw meowed, grief thick in his meow.

As the cats headed back, a small shape with stars in its fur followed Applepaw. Applepaw gasped as he realized who it was, it was Birchkit.

"Is something wrong?" Blackear asked as Applepaw gasped.

Applepaw shook his head and meowed. "I'll meet you back at camp, I have to make some dirt."

Blackear nodded and continued after the group.

Applepaw went behind a bush and mewed. "Birchkit! What are you doing?"

"There is a prophecy that I must warn you about." Birchkit meowed in a hushed tone. "The amber stone will shine when the red sun touches, the finches wing will lift the sand out of the gorse, to defeat the leopard."

"What does that mean?" Applepaw asked.

Birchkit began to fade.

"Come back." Applepaw desperately clawed the ground.

"Just remember, the amber stone will shine when the red sun touches, the finches wing will lift the sand out of the gorse, to defeat the leopard."