Warriors #2: Warrior Rising

Chapter 1

Lilypetal's POV

"Lilypetal! Lilypetal! Lilypetal!"

I opened my eyes quickly to see Goldenkit standing just a mouselength in front of my face, hopping.

"Goldenkit? What's going on?" I asked as I stood up, shaking out my fur. I'm asking as if Goldenkit doesn't wake me up like this every morning...

"Whitewing has kitted!" Snowkit suddenly stuck her small head into the nursery, her pale blue eyes wide with excitement.

Then, without another word, Snowkit and Goldenkit both let out a squeal before bursting out of the nursery and padding through the camp clearing, towards the medicine den. I watched them go, a purr rumbling in my throat.

Goldenkit and Snowkit were my two precious kits, who I had had with my amazing mate, Thornclaw. They brought me more happiness then I could have ever thought possible. Every action they made, every meow they let come out of their mouths made my heart melt.

As of now, they were past five moons old. Which meant, to my dismay, that they would be apprentices soon. Every time that that realization came to mind, I would have to push it away immediately, because sometimes it was too much to bear. As ecstatic as I was to see my kits learn the ways of a warrior, a huge part of me would miss having them here in the nursery, curled up close to me as we slept together every night.

I shook my head quickly as I delved into these thoughts. I decided that I should finally follow Snowkit and Goldenkit out of the nursery so that I could see Whitewing and her new kits. Lucky her, she has six whole moons with her kits ahead of her!

As I traveled through the ThunderClan camp, I tried to think more positively. While Goldenkit and Snowkit are away training and out of the nursery, you're going to get to be a warrior again, for StarClan's sake! I told myself. I have to say, nothing beats hunting out in the forest or fighting in battle.

I did hate to admit it sometimes, but I was quite eager to return to being a warrior again after being a queen. I had already wasted so much of my life being cooped up in a Twoleg den as a kittypet, and joining ThunderClan was definitively the best decision I had ever made in my life. Almost as soon as I had walked into the camp with Squirrelflight, Brambleclaw, Sandstorm, Spiderleg and Graystripe for the first time, I had realized that Clan life had been calling me for so long, and I had finally answered the calling.

What made the arrival to ThunderClan even more monumental was the fact that just days after I arrived, my long lost mother, Mistpelt, was found by Thornclaw and me on one of our hunting trips. I had found out that Mistpelt was a ThunderClan cat herself, and that I was Clanborn. It had made me realize all the more that I was where I was meant to be.

Since being in the Clans, I had also trained to become a warrior, received my warrior name, fought in my first battle, made friends I would fight to the death for, fallen in love, had kits who were perfection in my eyes, and found my something... my more in life. This, I thought to myself. This right here.

Realizing that I had gone so deeply into my thoughts that I had nearly stopped in my tracks, I pulled myself back into reality and trotted happily over to the medicine den. I let out a purr of amusement as I realized that Goldenkit and Snowkit had waited for me, and were standing right outside of the medicine den entrance, both of their eyes wide open and glowing with eagerness.

"Took you long enough!" Goldenkit exclaimed before whipping herself around to pad inside. "Come on!"

Before I could follow my daughter, I felt Snowkit lightly touch me on the shoulder with her fluffy tail. I looked down to see that see was looking up at me, her eyes filled with guilt.

"We were fine waiting," she assured me, her eyes then hopeful.

I let out a soft purr before touching Snowkit's ear with my nose. "I know, that's alright," I whispered to her before beckoning her to walk with me into the medicine den. She has such a big heart, I thought fondly before letting my gaze follow Goldenkit as she ran excitedly around in circles in the medicine den.

I sniffed. Goldenkit definitely does too, she just has a very different way of showing it!

I averted my attention to the center of the medicine den, where Whitewing was lying with two little kits suckling at her belly. I couldn't help but purr as I watched the white queen look lovingly down at her two new daughters. I'm so happy for her. She's going to be a fantastic mother.

I finally spoke, still staring down at the two little balls of fur. "They're beautiful, Whitewing," I purred. "What did you name them?"

"Aren't they? They're so perfect," Whitewing meowed softly, her eyes not moving away from her kits. "The gray one is Dovekit. And the gray and white tabby is Ivykit."

I had nodded as the white she-cat spoke. "Those are wonderful names," I responded. I then thought that I would give some advice to the new mother, taking my thoughts from earlier. I leaned in closer to Whitewing before whispering, "Take advantage of every moment you have with them. It'll seem like it's over before you can say 'Goldenkit's got stinky breath'!"

"Hey!" I heard Goldenkit exclaim from behind me.

Whitewing let out a mrrow of laughter before mewing, "I definitely am going to try, Lilypetal. Thank you for coming to see me!"

I dipped my head to Whitewing. "It was my pleasure," I meowed. "Please come to me if you need any help!"

"Will do!" I heard Whitewing call back as I turned around and began to lead Snowkit and Goldenkit out of the medicine den.

As we were traveling back to the nursery, I passed Birchfall, the father of Whitewing's new kits. When he caught me in his gaze, he turned around from where he'd been pacing, a desperate look in his eyes.

"I heard Whitewing has kitted. Are she and the kits okay?" he almost shouted. "Of course I had to be on patrol when it happened."

I nodded and couldn't suppress a purr of amusement. "Yes. They're perfect, Birchfall," I assured him as I flicked my tail towards the medicine den. "They're all waiting for you in there!"

The pale tabby tom gave me a quick nod before whipping around and pelting over to the medicine den, his tail high in the air.

I watched him go. Not only is Whitewing going to be a great mother, but Birchfall is going to be a great father, I thought. Whitewing chose well.

I still remembered Whitewing telling me all about how she had feelings for him, but wasn't sure if he liked her back. I practically squealed when she told me that they were finally mates!

Finally, I crawled back into the nursery with Snowkit and Goldenkit following. I nearly jumped up when suddenly I heard Snowkit yelp, and I turned around to see that Goldenkit had leaped on her sister, beginning one of their usual play-fighting games.

I lied down and got comfortable in our moss nest, purring as I watched the two of them. They were no fighters yet, but there was determination in their blue and gray eyes as they batted at each other with their paws.

They aren't even apprentices yet, and I'm already so proud of them, I thought. They're going to turn into great warriors someday.