Tangled: A Lionheartpublishing Contest (FINISHED)

Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Cherry

I watched as the impressive tabby tom padded out onto a ledge and I watched in bewildered awe as the cats below the large ledge gathered without him uttering a signal word, this must be why his name ends in 'star' and this must be what its like to be leader. The cats in the crowd below stared up at him waiting for his words as if they were sacred.

"Squirrelflight" Bramblestar meowed from the ledge, another odd name, the cats parted the crowd so a beautiful, lithe bright ginger she-cat with one white paw could walk through, Squirrelflight I guessed.

She nimbly jumped up and padded to the ledge Bramblestar was standing on, obviously this ledge was important and only certain cats were allowed up onto it, maybe it was souly for Bramblestar's purposes. 

"What is it Bramblestar?" Squirrelflight asked after rubbing her cheek against his, they most have something going on their connection was nearly electric. 

"These two young she-cats are Cherry and Tilly" Bramblestar meowed signalling to us, she bowed formally.

"Hi!" Tilly meowed boldly, she smiled.

"Will they be joining our clan?" Squirrelflight asked. 

"I'm not sure that is something we shall discuss but for now we will offer them kindness and allow them to be treated by Jayfeather and share our fresh kill" Bramblestar meowed kindly, Squirrelflight nodded. 

"Jayfeather?" I muttered then realized I had spoken the other foreign name out loud, Squirrelflight and Bramblestar looked amused. 

"Our medicine cat" Squirrelflight meowed, I tilted my head. 

"A medicine cat?" I prounced. 

"What's that mother never told us about those!" Tilly rambled. 

"I'll let you tell them some of our ways" Bramblestar meowed then he padded away back into his den where our captor, Lionblaze, was waiting. 

"Come with me" Squirrelflight meowed once we were alone on the ledge, we both nodded and she jumped down onto the grassy ground below. 

Me and Tilly leapt down after her, I felt my bones shift and poke even more out of my loose skin, I diffinatly didn't look the part of a healthy warrior. I could feel the burning gazes of multiple cats eyes as we walked through the grassy camp, as much as being here made me feel wonderful I couldn't help but feel unwanted and out of place...an outcast among the rest. 

We pasted a small bush heavily protected with brambles, thorns and thick branches then out of the bushes small entrance five kits came tumbling out, a small ball of bouncing joy and carefree spirit. One kit, a small white tom crashed into my leg and stumbled backwards a few paw steps. He stared up at me with now large amber eyes. 

"Who are you?" he asked bluntly, the other four kits were now hesitantly gathering around me and Tilly. 

"I'm Cherry and this is Tilly" I meowed "Who are you?" I asked matching his tone and bluntness. 

'I'm Snowkit!" he stated. 

"Are they staying here forever Squirrelflight?" a darker grey tom with amber eyes asked, curiously. 

"I'm not sure Dewkit that's for Bramblestar to decide" 

"Cool well we hope to see you sometime!" a very pale ginger she-kit meowed happily. "I'm Seedkit by the way!" 

"Yay! Hopefully" Tilly purred, clearly enjoying the little bundles of fluff. 

"Bye!" a light grey she-cat with white paws called as Squirrelflight lead us away from them.

"They were so sweet" Tilly gushed, Squirrelflight purred. 

"Yes and kits are very important our clan life, without kits our clan wouldn't be able to survive" Squirrelflight recited as if she were reciting some sort of old code past on from generations to generations. 

"And after your kits grow old they become warriors?" I asked. 

"No first they become apprentices and are granted to name 'paw' to the end of their name, for example Snowkit will become Snowpaw then when his warrior mentor decides he is well trainned in our ways he will earn a warrior name fitting of his personality, strengths or special qualities" she meowed. 

"That's so cool!" Tilly meowed giddly. "Will we get new names?" 

"Maybe" Squirrelflight meowed, she then abruptly stopped beside a small cave where the aroma of sweet and bitter smells were coming from, my nose twitched uncomfortably as it was overwhelmed by the scents. 

"This is the medicine cat den" She stated. 

"Your medicine cat..." I trailed nervously, medicine cat seemed to be a pretty big title. 

"Don't be nervous, Jayfeather is a wonderful medicine cat, he will heal you quicker then any medicine cat in the forest" Squirrelflight assured, I stared hesitantly at the darkness inside the cave. 

"What more is their to loose?" Tilly whispered then she plunged into the darkness, I followed behind her with Squirrelflight. 

After a moment of my eyes adjusting to the darkness beyond the bramble wall that protected the den I could make out many different leaves and berries, nests and other caverns that lead in all sorts of different directions and at the very back of the den two cats sat talking. 

"Hello Squirrelflight" a large silver tom meowed. 

"Hello Jayfeather, I have brought you some visitors" Squirrelflight meowed. 

"I could smell that" Jayfeather muttered then sighed and turned to the ginger and white she-cat he had been talking to "Take these and you should be fine, Brightheart" he meowed. 

"Thanks a bunch" she purred then turned around to face us. 

For a moment I was startled her face was shredded on one half, pink flesh, a ripped ear and a missing eye greeted me head on. The she-cat looked shocked and sad but quickly covered it up with a grin. 

"Oh my..." Tilly breathed just loudly enough for the she-cat, Brightheart, to hear. 

Her one good eye flickered back to sadness for a swift second and I felt like smacking Tilly all over again. 

"I'm so sorry" Tilly began. 

"No it's OK, I'm use to it by now" Brightheart meowed. 

"What happened if you don't mind telling" I meowed curious. 

"It happened a very long time ago when I was an apprentice, dogs attacked me and left me like this, I was utterly horrified but I realized that Cloudtail loves me and now that is all that matters!" she purred, at least there was a happy ending for her. 

"This is the mother of Dewkit, Snowkit and Amberkit" Squirrelflight meowed from behind us. 

"Oh your kits are so beautiful" Tilly breathed. 

"Thank you but they are a pawful!" Brightheart joked, I liked her. 

"Yes, yes now go on get rest" Jayfeather, the silver tom demanded from behind her. 

Brightheart rolled her one good eye and smiled at us. 

"I hope I will see you around, I'm positive Bramblestar will let you stay" Brightheart purred and left the den. 

The silver tom muttered something under his breath then padded up to me, Tilly and Squirrelflight up close I noticed something striking about the tom, his eyes. The blue in his eye's were icy, crystal like and filled up his whole eye, no pupil this cat was blind!