Bluekit stared at her paws, wishing she’d never made such a stupid mistake.
Snowkit was skipping around her mother. “Of course we’ll know better next time. Does he think we’re mouse-brained?” She stopped and blinked. “He must be a really, really important warrior if Pinestar wants to share prey with him.”
“He is.” Moonflower watched as Stormtail picked up the squirrel he’d caught and carried it to the ThunderClan leader. Then she looked at Bluekit, her eyes warm. “He’ll probably have more time later.”
Bluekit lifted her chin. “He said we’d make good warriors!” Secretly vowing to prove him right, she pushed away the empty feeling in the pit of her stomach.
“Moonflower!” A mew of greeting startled Bluekit. She turned to see a speckled gray tom with pale blue eyes ambling out from a tunnel of ferns. “Did the great warrior meet his kits?”
Moonflower narrowed her eyes. “Of course.”
Snowkit’s eyes lit up. “Are you Goosefeather?”
“How did you guess?”
“That’s the medicine cats’ den, isn’t it?” Snowkit pointed her nose toward the fern tunnel. “So you must be.”
The tom sat down. “How do you know I wasn’t just visiting Goosefeather?” he sniffed.
“Then we’d have seen you go in!” Snowkit answered. “We’ve been sitting here for ages.”
“Really?” Goosefeather looked at Moonflower.
Moonflower’s tail flicked.
Bluekit sniffed the medicine cat. “You smell like Featherwhisker.” The tang of strange plants clung to his pelt along with the scent of musty bedding. “He says you know the name of every herb in the forest.”
“I do.” Goosefeather began washing his face.
Snowkit pushed past her. “Mumblefoot says you—”
“Let’s not worry about what Mumblefoot says,” Moonflower silenced her daughter.
Goosefeather stopped washing, his eyes twinkling. “I’m always curious about anything Mumblefoot has to say.”
Bluekit weaved around her sister, drawing her tail across Snowkit’s mouth. “He says you go out picking herbs nearly every day,” she mewed.
A purr rumbled in Goosefeather’s throat. “This one’s smart.”
“I am, too!” Snowkit insisted.
“Of course!” Goosefeather’s whiskers twitched. “You’re Moonflower’s kit, and she’s the smartest cat I know.” His gaze flicked briefly to Stormtail. “About most things, anyway.” He rolled onto his back and began rubbing his shoulders against the warm, rough earth. “It’s good to see newleaf again.”
Bluekit liked this tom. He was funny and friendly. She was glad they were kin.
“What else do you do?” Snowkit asked eagerly.
Goosefeather sat up and smoothed his whiskers with a paw. “Apart from keeping the whole Clan healthy?”
Bluekit heard her mother sigh. Wasn’t she proud of her littermate?
“I interpret signs from StarClan,” Goosefeather went on.
Bluekit pricked her ears. “What sort of signs?”
Goosefeather shrugged. “The clouds, for example.”
Bluekit scrunched her eyes and looked up. The bright blue sky was encircled by trees and flecked with soft white clouds scudding fast overhead.
Goosefeather cleared his throat. “I can tell just by looking that StarClan sees kits hurrying toward becoming ’paws.”
A mottled tabby tom, padding by, glanced sideways at the medicine cat.
Goosefeather nodded at the tom. “Hello, Adderfang.”
“Another prophecy?” Adderfang meowed archly.
Bluekit blinked at the warrior. Didn’t he believe in prophecies?
Snowkit could hardly keep her paws still. “Kits becoming ’paws? Does that mean us?”
“It might,” Goosefeather meowed.
Adderfang snorted as he padded away.
Bluekit tilted her head. “How do you know StarClan means the message for you and not some other Clan?”
“It comes with experience.” Goosefeather turned his muzzle toward the fern tunnel. “Do you want to see the medicine den?”
Bluekit plucked at the ground. “Oh, yes, please!” It was the one part of the camp she hadn’t seen yet.
“Moonflower!” Pinestar called to the queen.
“Coming!” Moonflower glanced around uncertainly at Goosefeather. “Can you manage these two by yourself for a moment?”
We don’t need managing! Bluekit thought indignantly.
“Of course,” Goosefeather meowed.
As Moonflower headed away to join Stormtail and Pinestar, Goosefeather led Bluekit and Snowkit through the cool green tunnel of ferns and into a grassy clearing with a small pool at one edge. The tang of herbs filled the air, and the grass was specked with stray bits of leaves that Bluekit didn’t recognize. Ferns closed in on every side except for one where a tall rock stood, split down the middle by a crack wide enough for a cat to make its den inside.
A croaking mew called from an opening in the ferns.
“Smallear is recovering from an adder bite,” Goosefeather explained as he padded toward the patient hidden inside the soft green walls. “Luckily it was a small adder, but it’ll be another day or two before the poison’s out of his system.” He disappeared through the ferns. “I won’t be long.”
“Come on,” Snowkit whispered, shaking a loose piece of leaf from her paw. “Let’s look inside that rock.”
Bluekit hesitated. Stormtail had just told her not to explore places she didn’t belong.
“It’s okay,” Snowkit encouraged. “Goosefeather asked us to come and see his den.”
Bluekit glanced at the quivering stalks where the medicine cat had disappeared. “I guess.” She trotted after Snowkit to the dark opening in the rock.
“I’ll go first.” Snowkit’s white pelt was swallowed by shadow as she disappeared into the den. Bluekit followed, blinking against the sudden darkness. Pungent odors instantly filled her nose and mouth.
“Look at all these herbs!” Snowkit squeaked.
Bluekit stretched her eyes wide, adjusting to the dim light filtering from the entrance, until she saw Snowkit sniffing among the piles of leaves and seeds along the wall of the den.
Snowkit pawed out a dark green leaf. “I wonder what this is for?”
Bluekit sniffed at it gingerly, wrinkling her nose at the sour smell.
“Bet you wouldn’t eat it,” Snowkit goaded.
Bluekit stepped back, blinking.
“Scaredy-mouse!”
“I’m not a scaredy-mouse!” Anything but that…“Okay, I’ll eat it!” Leaning down, she bit into the leaf. It felt furry on her tongue and tasted so bitter it made her gag. Spitting it out, she licked her paws, trying to rub off the taste. “That’s disgusting!”
Snowkit snorted with laughter.
“Okay, smarty-paws! Your turn.” Crossly, Bluekit brushed her paw across a pile of tiny black seeds, sending them spilling across the den floor. “Try one of those.”
“Okay!” Snowkit ducked her head and lapped up two of the seeds, swallowed them, then licked her lips. “Delicious!” she announced, her eyes shining.
“What are you two doing?” Moonflower’s screech made both kits jump. The queen grabbed Bluekit by the scruff and tossed her into the grassy clearing. She dragged Snowkit out after her.
“Did you eat anything in there?” Moonflower demanded, her eyes wild with panic.
Bluekit stared back at her, words sticking in her throat.
“Did you?” Moonflower growled.
“I—I spat mine out,” Bluekit stammered. She glanced nervously at Snowkit as Moonflower’s gaze swung toward her sister.
“What about you?”
Snowkit stared at her paws. “I swallowed something,” she mumbled.
“Goosefeather!”
The medicine cat poked his head out of Smallear’s nest. “What?”
“The kits were in your den, and Snowkit has swallowed something!?
??
Goosefeather blinked. He hopped out from the fern nest and hurried across the grass.
“Find out what it was!” Moonflower spat. But Goosefeather was already in his den. He rushed out a moment later.
“It looks like they’ve been at the poppy seeds,” he meowed. Bluekit hung her head. She should never have dared Snowkit.
“How many did you swallow?” Goosefeather urged, his eyes round and dark.
“Two,” Snowkit mewed in a very small voice.
Goosefeather sat down with a sigh. “She’ll be fine,” he breathed. “It’ll just make her sleep.”
“Just make her sleep?” Moonflower’s pelt was bristling. “Are you sure?”
“Of course I’m sure,” Goosefeather snapped. “Take her back to the nursery and let her sleep it off.”
“You don’t want to keep her here so you can watch her?” Moonflower prompted, flicking her tail.
“You’ll probably do a better job watching her than me,” Goosefeather meowed. “I’ve got Smallear to keep an eye on.”
Moonflower snorted. “Come on.” She nudged Snowkit toward the fern tunnel. Bluekit hurried after.
“She’ll be fine!” Goosefeather called after her.
“She’d better be”, Moonflower muttered darkly.
As Moonflower marched them across the clearing, Bluekit was horribly aware of the fear and anger crackling in her mother’s pelt.
“Stupid tom!” muttered the queen. “How in StarClan did he become a medicine cat in the first place?”
Guilt twisted in Bluekit’s belly. She had dared Snowkit to eat the poppy seeds.
“Don’t ever go into a medicine cat’s den again!” Moonflower scolded. “In fact, stay away from the medicine clearing altogether!”
“But what if—” Bluekit began.
“Don’t argue!” As they reached the nursery, Moonflower picked Snowkit up by the scruff and bundled her through the entrance. Bluekit scrambled after her sister before Moonflower could do the same to her. Why was her mother so angry at Goosefeather? It was Snowkit who ate the poppy seeds!
I dared her. Bluekit sat at the edge of their nest, her pelt prickling with alarm, as Snowkit curled into the moss. Her littermate’s eyes already had a glazed, sleepy look.
Moonflower lay down and began to lap briskly at Snowkit’s fur.
Swiftbreeze stirred in her nest. “What’s wrong?”
“Goosefeather let Snowkit eat poppy seeds!” Moonflower’s eyes were dark with worry.
Poppydawn sat up. “He did what?”
Bluekit felt hot with shame. It wasn’t Goosefeather’s fault. If anybody was to blame, it was her. “Goosefeather didn’t even know we were in his den,” she pointed out.
“He should have known. He should have warned you.” Moonflower sniffed at Snowkit, who was already fast asleep. “Imagine turning your tail on two young kits with all those herbs about.”
“It’s a shame Featherwhisker wasn’t there,” Swiftbreeze put in. “He’d have kept an eye on them.”
Moonflower began washing Snowkit again, this time more gently. Bluekit could smell the fear on her mother’s pelt. Her own fur prickled. “She won’t die, will she?”
Poppydawn padded from her nest and pressed her muzzle against Bluekit’s cheek. “Don’t worry, little one.” The queen glanced at Moonflower. “How many did she eat?” she whispered.
“Two.”
Poppydawn sighed. “She’ll be fine after a good sleep,” she promised.
Please, StarClan, let her be okay. Bluekit’s tail quivered. Guilt pulsed through her as she crouched stiffly at the edge of the nest.
“Don’t worry, Bluekit.” Moonflower drew her into the moss with her tail. “I’ll watch over her. You go to sleep.”
Bluekit closed her eyes, but she couldn’t imagine sleeping until she knew Snowkit was okay. I’ll never let her go into Goosefeather’s den again!
“Let all cats old enough to fetch their own prey gather beneath Highrock!”
Pinestar’s call woke Bluekit. She scrambled to her paws, excited. A Clan meeting! Then she remembered Snowkit and stiffened. Hardly daring to breathe, she sniffed her sister. She smelled okay. And she was snoring softly.
Moonflower’s tongue rasped Bluekit’s ear. “Don’t worry,” she whispered. “She’s fine.” Moonflower’s eyes were glazed, as though she hadn’t slept at all. “I’ve been checking on her.” The queen gently nudged the little white bundle. “Snowkit.”
Snowkit growled and wrapped her paw tightly over her muzzle. “Don’t wake me again! You’ve been poking me all night!”
Bluekit felt a rush of relief. Snowkit was fine. She nuzzled against Moonflower’s cheek and purred.
Poppydawn was stretching her forepaws and yawning. “How’s Snowkit?”
“She’s fine,” Moonflower mewed.
“She won’t do that again.” Poppydawn climbed from her nest. “Are you coming to the meeting?”
Snowkit’s eyes shot open, and she jumped to her paws. “There’s a meeting!”
Bluekit heaved a sigh of relief. Her sister looked so wriggly that the poppy seeds must have worn off, like Goosefeather had said. “Can we go?” she mewed.
Moonflower nodded wearily. “If you behave yourselves.”
“We will!” Bluekit promised.
Moonflower got slowly to her paws and padded to the den entrance.
“Where’s Swiftbreeze?” Snowkit wondered.
Bluekit saw that Swiftbreeze’s nest was empty. “Leopardkit and Patchkit have gone, too.”
“I expect they’re already in the clearing,” Moonflower called over her shoulder as she squeezed through the gap in the brambles.
Bluekit scrambled out after her mother. The early morning sun filtered softly through the trees encircling the camp. The Clan cats were filling the clearing, murmuring excitedly while Pinestar gazed down at them from Highrock.
Goosefeather sat at the entrance to the fern tunnel while Featherwhisker weaved between Tawnyspots and Sparrowpelt. Fuzzypelt and Robinwing sat in the shadow of Highrock. Bluekit spotted Stormtail chatting with Windflight. She tried to catch her father’s eye, but he was deep in conversation with the gray tabby warrior.
The tangle of branches around the fallen tree quivered as Mumblefoot, Weedwhisker, and Larksong filed out.
“Hurry,” Moonflower whispered. She nudged Bluekit and Snowkit past Dapplepaw and Whitepaw, who were jostling for best position on the tree stump.
“Here.” Moonflower sat down behind Speckletail and Stonepelt. “Now sit still and hold your tongues.”
Stonepelt looked over his shoulder at them. “Come to see your first Clan meeting, eh?”
Bluekit nodded, relieved to see warmth in the warrior’s gaze, then glanced at her mother. “Are you sure it’s okay for us to be here?” she whispered. “We’re not old enough to catch our own prey.”
Moonflower nodded. “As long as you’re quiet.” She turned to Stonepelt. “Do you know what the meeting’s about?”
Speckletail turned around, answering before Stonepelt could speak. “I think Pinestar has something planned for two of our kits.”
Cold dread suddenly weighted the pit of Bluekit’s stomach. Perhaps Pinestar was going to scold her and Snowkit for sticking their noses where they didn’t belong! She glanced at her sister, fear bristling her pelt, then looked up at Pinestar. But the ThunderClan leader’s gaze was fixed on two other kits.
Leopardkit and Patchkit were sitting beneath Highrock. The Clan had drawn back, leaving an empty space around them. Were they in trouble? Swiftbreeze sat beside Adderfang at the edge of the clearing. They couldn’t be in trouble. Swiftbreeze’s eyes glowed with pride and Adderfang’s chest was thrust forward, his chin high as Pinestar addressed the Clan.
“Newleaf brings with it new hope and warmth. More important, it brings new kits.” The red-brown tom stretched slightly, peering over the Clan toward Snowkit and Bluekit. “I would like to welcome Moonflower and Stormtail’s kits to
ThunderClan. They are a little young for a Clan meeting…”
Bluekit tensed.
“…but I’m glad they’re here to see a ceremony that they will one day experience.”
Bluekit’s heart quickened with excitement as the Clan glanced back toward her and Snowkit.
“Leopardkit and Patchkit.” Pinestar drew their attention once more, and all eyes fixed on the two young cats beneath Highrock. “You have been with us for six moons and have learned what it is to be a ThunderClan cat. Today is the day you will begin to learn what it is to be a ThunderClan warrior.”
Mews of approval rippled through the crowd as Pinestar went on.
“Leopardkit!”
When her name was called, Leopardkit stepped forward, her eyes raised to where Pinestar stood on the edge of Highrock.
“From this day forward, you shall be known as Leopardpaw.” Pinestar turned his gaze to Robinwing. “You will train her, Robinwing. Mumblefoot was your mentor, and I hope that you will pass on the fine hunting skills he taught you.” Robinwing dipped her head and stepped forward to stand beside her new apprentice.
“Patchkit,” Pinestar went on, “I already see your father’s courage shining in your eyes. From now on you’ll be called Patchpaw, and I give you Fuzzypelt as your mentor. Listen to him carefully because, though he is young, he is clever enough to teach you how to use your courage wisely.”
Pleased murmurs spread through the Clan. “Patchpaw!” Swiftbreeze’s proud mew echoed off Highrock. “Leopardpaw!”
Dapplepaw jumped off the tree stump and weaved her way through the crowd, Whitepaw following.
“We’ve already made nests for you,” Dapplepaw mewed to the new apprentices.
“Using some of my moss,” Whitepaw pointed out.
Bluekit felt a pang. She was losing her denmates. “Won’t Swiftbreeze miss them?” she asked Moonflower.
“Yes.” Her mother’s eyes were glazed, but not with tiredness this time. “Come on,” she meowed huskily. She swept her tail around her two kits and began to usher them back toward the nursery.
“Can’t we congratulate Patchpaw and Leopardpaw?” Bluekit asked, digging her claws into the soft earth.
Moonflower nudged her forward with her muzzle. “They’re busy with their new denmates.”