The Burning- Book One: Blossom [DRAFT]

The Yellow Blood

Whitekit nodded, glancing at his littermate. Robinear knew that he was hoping she wouldn't make a sound, but--

"Yep!" mewed Yellowkit brightly, beginning to bounce with excitement again. Robinear fought the urge to tell her kit to stop talking as the yellow she-cat was again fixed with Lilyflower's icy glare. Yellowkit stopped bouncing.

"Well, your true prefix determined by your rank. Flowers or trees for a Lesser Leader, animals for Hunters and Warriors, and just your same colour prefix for Servants. Is that understood?"

The two kits nodded again.

"Good. Now, Whitekit, you and Willowbranch will go to the tree, where he will teach you some basic fighting moves."

Whitekit nodded and jumped up, following his Tester to the aforementioned tree.

Lilyflower turned to Yellowkit. "And you, Yellowkit, will come with me."

Robinear discreetly nodded at Yellowkit, urging her to say the response that she had taught her. "Yes, Leader of the..." Robinear nodded encouragingly "...Lilies?"

Oh no.

Robinear winced as Lilyflower lashed out at Yellowkit; her side suddenly had a gash in it, blood running down. "You will address me as Leader of the Flowers. Is that understood?"

Yellowkit nodded mutely.

"Good. Now follow me."

Yellowkit followed the light grey she-cat out of the den, still trembling, and was led to the rock on the opposite side of the clearing. Robinear sank back into the moss, terror in her eyes.

"What if something happens to Yellowkit?" she wondered anxiously. "She interrupted, said the greeting wrong-- what if..?"

Quailwhisker sighed. "Even if something does happen, there's nothing we can do about it."

Robinear nodded. "I know. I just worry..."

"Whitekit! Yellowkit! It is time for Battle Training!" Willowbranch's call came from the arena.

Already? Robinear padded forward nervously and peered out. They can't have learned much in this short of time. She breathed out a sigh of relief. So they'll be fine.

The two kits walked swiftly towards the circle drawn in the dirt. They paused and looked at each other inquisitively. Lilyflower impatiently walked over and had them stand straight, then walked back next to Willowbranch.

Willowbranch stepped forward. "First and only round, Whitekit against Yellowkit!"

The two kittens stepped hesitantly into the circle, then backed as far away as possible from each other. "Ready...FIGHT!"

The two kits raced toward each other, Yellowkit leaping up and landing on her brother, hissing. He managed to claw her flank, and Yellowkit began scratching him up all over until he flipped her over.

Claw. Hiss. Jump. Slice. Spin. Roll. Kick.

Yellowkit managed to get back up on top of her brother, and raised her paw and prepared to deliver the final blow-- the blow that would knock her brother unconscious.

Suddenly time seemed to slow down, and the colors of the siblings' pelt's shifted- the yellow to a tan and the white to a brown, and Robinear knew exactly what was going to happen.

Her cry of anguish muffled by Quailwhisker's tail, Robinear's muscles tensed, ready to jump in and stop the insanity. I don't want to let this happen again...like poor Tankit.