Reflected Stars

Chapter 8

Amberleaf tucked a clump of herbs into a dip in the ground.

"You know we're not staying here permanently, right?" A voice mewed behind her.

Amberleaf whirled around, "Oh, hi Parsleyseed. Yes, yes, I know. But who knows how long we're going to be in this makeshift camp!"

"Mama, mama!" Two loud squeaking voices drifted to where Amberleaf and Parsleyseed were.

"Yes, dears?" Amberleaf mewed as her two kits came crashing into Parsleyseed.

"Fernwhisper won't let us go on a hunting patrol!" Seedkit complained.

"Yeah. She said that we're too young!" Leafkit chimed in.

Amberleaf purred in amusement, "That's because you are, little ones."

"We're not little!" Leafkit shouted.

Seedkit, Parsleyseed, and Amberleaf were taken aback. Leafkit never yowled. That was always her sister's doing.

"Great Starclan Leafkit! When did you get such a loud voice?" Amberleaf mewed, her eyes wide.

"Oops," Leafkit squeaked, "I mean: We're not little." She whispered.

Seedkit rolled her sky-blue eyes, "She's always had a loud voice. She just never uses it!"

Parsleyseed glanced at Amberleaf, a purr rising in his throat, "Leafkit's starting to sound like someone a little familiar, don't you think?"

Amberleaf nodded. When she was still a kit, Amberleaf and her littermates had gone to congratulate Parsleyseed, Finsplash, and Reedthicket when the three toms had become apprentices. Finsplash had been teasing them about how they were still only kits and while he and his brothers were apprentices. Prinkleleap, then Prinklekit, had shouted that the kits were not small, but 'just as strong and great as the apprentices.'

Seedkit blinked in confusion, "Who?"

"Prinkleleap was defending me and my sister about being small." Was all she said.

"Oh."

"I was being like Prinkleleap?" Leafkit mewed quietly, wrinkling her nose as if she had just eaten crow-food.

"Don't ever speak of your kin that way." Amberleaf scolded.

"Prinkleleap's our kin?" Seedkit asked.

"Of course. He's my brother!"

"But I thought you had a sister." Seedkit mewed.

"I do."

"Then why did you say Prinkleleap is your brother?"

"Because he is!"

"But I thought you had a sister."

Amberleaf sighed. This could go on for moons!

Parsleyseed stood up, "There are many cats who have more than just two kits at a time, Seedkit."

"Then why did mama have only two?" Leafkit mewed, tilting her head.

"She didn't."

"She didn't have us?" Seedkit shrieked.

"Of course I had you!" Amberleaf snapped in frustration. "He means, I had more than just two kits."

"Oh. That makes sense."

"Wait, then where are our other littermates?" Leafkit mewed as she glanced around as if expecting her littermates to appear before her.

"They were born dead, Leafkit." Parsleyseed explained.

"Yes, your brother and sister are watching over you now."

"So they're in Starclan?"

"Yes. Now it's time for your naps. Maybe Amberkit and Dewkit will visit you in your dreams!" Amberleaf mewed. She watched her kits curl up to sleep. That discussion went in so many directions! She thought. Well, at least I got their minds taken off of that hunting patrol.