Warriors! Moonstars journey.

Chapter 3

Moonkit lifted her head, blinking sleep from her ice blue eyes, then glances at her sister, curled up beside Frostshine, their foster mother. Being careful not to wake her, moonkit slid away, and leaves the nursery, yawning.

Looking around, moonkit sees that she was the only one up, the dawn patrol having left just before.

I wonder if hawkshadow will take me out again today? Last time was really fun! Moonkit thinks about chasing a mouse, then excitement thrills through her. I'll be an apprentice in another moon! Then i won't have to wait for hawkshadow!

Rusting in the leaders den announced the appearance of her father, brackenstar. Excited, moonkit rushed over, and leaps onto him as he comes out, making him stagger.

"Gahh! Moonkit! You great lump!" Brackenstars deep purr rumbles in his chest, and he swipes a huge paw at her, which she neatly dodges, her long silver tail swaying.

"Brackenstar! Im big enough to be an apprentice! Can i be? PLEASE?" Moonkit pleaded, her eyes wide.

Brackenstar shakes his head, purring still. "We must all follow the code my daughter. And you have to be six moons old to be apprenticed."

Grumbling, moonkit slides out her long claws, and digs them into the ground, and brackenstar licks her ears.

"Look, there is your sister. Go on and play. You never know. Frostshine might even take you out to the forest today." Brackenstar purrs, seeing willowkit's small body slip out of the nursery.

Suddenly excited, moonkit charges over to her sister, stopping short without tackling her, being much bigger than her sister, and most of the apprentices already.

"Moonkit! I woke up and you were gone!" Willowkit leaps on her sister, cuffing her, and purring. "Lets go exploring moonkit! I haven't been out of camp for a moon!"

Moonkit hesitates, looking into the nursery where frostshine was sleeping. "Ok. Lets go. Frostshine won't mind us exploring." Moonkit takes off, her sister tumbling off her back, but springing up and following.

Willowkit pushes past moonkit, dashing into the forest through the fern tunnel on the edge of camp. Moonkit followed as fast as she could, her bigger body not as fast as her small sister, but her hunches well developed and letting her spring farther and higher than her sister.

Dashes over to willowkit and keeps up with her as they run through the forest, sniffing and tussling back and forth, but keeping their eyes open to their surroundings.

Moonkit stopped, smelling a strong harsh scent, and looks around nervously.

"Moonkit? Do you smell that?" Willowkit asks nervously, her eyes wide. "What is it?"

"I don't know willowkit. Lets hide!" Moonkit leads her sister into a hollow log, pressing against her for comfort.

A snuffling, and grunting comes from outside, and the scent gets stronger, almost overwhelming, and willowkit wrinkles her nose.

"Eww! Thats yucky!" Willowkit meowed.

"Shush!" Moonkit hissed. But it was too late. The log rolled, making both kits cry out in fear, and the snuffling came again, turning into a harsh snarl.

Moonkit yowled in terror, crouching over willowkit to keep her still and in the log. Moonkit looks up and sees a flash of white, and sharp yellow teeth, and bright eyes of a badger.

Fighting panic, moonkit pushed her sister farther away from the snapping jaws, realizing with horror that the badger had its head in the log, its jaws snapping a tail length from moonkits nose.

Terror and panic spread through her as moonkit realized her sister was suddenly missing from her side. And she was left alone in the face of danger.