I looked around this massive place, trying to take it all in. My sister was beside me, naming off all things, from apprentice's to leader's den. When you are born, you are immediately a 'kit. After six moons, you become and apprentice, and you get a mentor who will teach you everything you need to know to become a warrior.
The clan I was born into is named TigerClan. There are three more in the forest we live. RockClan is full of skinny cats who are nicer and mainly bigger friends to us than any other Clans. OceanClan is the Clan for all cats who are fat and love the water. They spend all of their time swimming, which I've never fancied, and getting their paws wet. And last but definitely not least, comes BoneClan. They are the ones that chill me to, well, the bone. Maybe that is why they have that name. I think it was used as nursery tales to scare little kits long before my leader was born.
Oh, my leader. She is the best leader in all the Clans. Gentle, powerful, and at times, fierce. When Lilystar wants something, she'll get it. That is probably what I admire most about her, how she can get what she wants so easily.
Walking around this strange new place made me happy. This is my home, I thought. With my sister at my side, I trotted a little bit faster and started to make a memory of all the things she was telling me. She was really doing well, showing me around. Like she has been here her whole life. Well, so far I guess she has.
I heard a sudden noise and turned to look in the direction it came. My father was calling out orders and ordering patrols. Patrols are what keep our borders with the other Clans secure. If we didn't have borders, all the Clans would have to share space, and sharing with a Clan like BoneClan doesn't make me feel warm and happy. More like cold and scared.
I was proud to have Duckwing as a father. He was deputy. Deputy is basically a cat who stands alongside the leader and orders patrols, as he was doing right now. When Lilystar dies, the deputy travels to the moonpool for his nine lives and becomes leader, adding 'star' to the last part of his name.
My sister ran up to my father. "Can we go on the patrol, too, Duckwing? Please, please!"
"I'm very sorry, Icekit, but you're going to have to wait a little bit longer until you can go on patrols. You have to be six moons old to be an apprentice. Then you can go on as many patrols as you want," our father said proudly.
"But, Dad, wer'e ready now! Aren't we Scarkit?" my sister looked at me with an expected glance.
I nodded. I didn't want to argue with my father, but I wouldn't leave my sister hanging. I would stick up for her, even at the cost of my life.
"Well, I'm very sorry, girls, but as soon as you become apprentices you will go on patrols. For now, go play with your denmates. Webkit and Pinekit look bored," my father said as he was running out the camp entrance.
"Ugh," my sister groaned. She didn't like being excluded. "I guess we should go play with them. Let's go! I'll race you there!"
"I'll beat you!"
As I finally caught up to her we ran up to our denmates to play with them. "Hey, Pinekit! Look at the ball of moss over there. If you and Webkit can get that ball of moss to the nursery before we do, you guys win! Up for it?" Icekit said with a challenging look in her eyes.Webkit and Pinekit exchanged a glance before bolting to the moss.
"You'll have to catch us first!" Pinekit shouted.
I started running. "Hey, that's cheating. Wehaven't said go yet!"
"Let's get them, Scarkit!" Icekit said while running
As soon as Webkit got the moss, all of us ran into an elder warrior, one I didn't notice. We didn't mean to, but he seemed very angry at us. "What do you kits think you're doing?" he demanded loudly.
"W- we- We were just p-playing," I stuttered and backed away.
"Playing?! You just ran into me." He got lower so I could look at him eye level. "Do it again, and as soon as you're apprentices, I'll have you catch prey for me for a whole moon."
We ran away, scared. All of us went to the nursery, wailing for our mothers to come to us. When Redfeather found us, she immediatly hurriedly came up to us. "What's the matter, kits? You look like BoneClan raided our camp!"
We explained the story to her, wailing out loud as soon as we were done. She told us who the warrior was, a grumpy old cat named Wolfmoon. She told us that he was to be an elder by next moon. She also made us promise to be more careful next time not to run into anyone while playing. We promised, telling her we were sorry, and she said we could go back in play. But by then I was tired. I nuzzled up to her, slowly falling asleep.
