Gingerkit

Because I'm A Kit, Of Course

"Flatten the fur on your shoulder, Smallkit." Thrushtail meowed. "Sit straight, Gingerkit. You're a cat, not a rabbit."

Four moons had passed and Gingerkit, Lionkit and Smallkit were nearly ready to be made apprentices. Thrushtail was taking her two kits outside the camp to explore the important parts of Treeclan's territory.

As their mother lead the two kits through a tunnel of bracken and thorns that served as the camp entrance, Gingerkit stared in wonder. The forest was huge! So much bigger than the nursery or even the Treeclan camp, it stretched as far as Gingerkit could see.

Thrushtail lead them to a large clearing where two cats were fighting. "This is the training hollow," Thrushtail explained. "This is where warriors teach their apprentice how to fight.

"When will we be doing that?" Gingerkit meowed. It looked like fun and she felt a thrill of excitement and the smaller cat, the apprentice, flipped the warrior onto his belly and raked at him with her hind paws. The warrior went limp and Gingerkit feared that the apprentice had killed him, then the warrior surged upwards and flung the smaller cat into the sky.

"Come along, kits," Thrushtail meowed, herding them away with her paws. "Let's keep going before you get swooped by a flying cat."

As Thrushpelt lead Smallkit and Gingerkit back to the camp, they passed a group of warriors heading in the opposite direction. The warriors passed with friendly nods and warm greetings.

"These warriors are going on a patrol," Thrushtail meowed. "They're making sure no cat has crossed our border or stolen prey."

"Mama," Gingerkit mewled. "When will I be a warrior?"

"First you need to be an apprentice, sweet kit. Then, when your mentor feels you have learnt enough, he or she will ask the Treeclan leader to make you a warrior."

"Who's our leader right now?"

"A brave and strong tom called Featherstar leads our clan for now, and his deputy is Grassfoot."

"Which one's Grassfoot?" Smallkit inquired.

"The orange tom-cat with white paws. He looks a bit like a large Gingerkit."

"Oh," Smallkit mewed. "I know him. He sits on the Speaking Tree next to Heatherstar."

Thrushtail purred with amusement.

"Featherstar, sweet kit, not Heatherstar."

"And besides," Gingerkit chirped. "I know him more than you do, Smallkit!"

"Do not."

"Do too!"

"You do not!"

"Do! And besides, how would you know?"

"Because I'm a kit, of course."

"Well I'm a warrior so I'm better than you."

"Are not."

"Are so."

It went on like that for quite a while.