Crowstar's Mission {COMPLETE}

Chapter 2

"When you learn how to hunt at night, will you tell me how to do it?" Nightkit asked, her amber eyes glittering.

"If your mother lets me," Crowkit purred, he did like the fact that cats wanted to learn from him. Just like he taught Frostkit and Icekit was Silverpool told him about hunting rabbits. "I'll teach you and your littermates."

"Thanks!" She purred. Her exclamation seemed to of roused Badgerkit and Dovekit who let out squeaks of complaint as they sat up with their sister.

"Why are you so loud?" Badgerkit asked with a hefty yawn, twitching his tail in annoyance.

"Because Crowkit just said that when he becomes an apprentice he'll teach us how to hunt at night!" Nightkit explained to her sleepy siblings.

"Really?" Dovekit looked at Crowkit with eager eyes. "That sounds cool! When will you teach us?"

"I have to learn it first." Crowkit explained. "I don't know when apprentices learn how to hunt at night, but when I do I promise I'll teach you."

"Yay!" Dovekit cheered, nearly knocking Nightkit over into Badgerkit. The black and white tom didn't seem as excited to learn about hunting, maybe he was just tired. Crowkit shrugged it off and left the young kits to talk amongst themselves. He stood up, wanting to see if Blacksky was up yet and he poked his out into the camp only to find something much weirder.

Cloudwind, Whiteriver, Ivystone and Sandfur were guiding four strange cats into the camp, a strange scent wafted off of them. Just behind Cloudwind was a brown tabby she-cat, her muzzle lined with gray fur. Why is there a strange elder in our camp? He wondered. Behind the brown she-cat was a golden brown tabby tom, a brown tom and a smaller, red-brown tom with spiky fur. He didn't look much older than Crowkit.

"Why is LichenClan here?" Crowkit heard Breezepaw question his mentor, Thorntalon who had his lip raised at the strange cats. LichenClan? These cats were from LichenClan? Why were they in MoonClan camp? Were they attacking? Questions raced through Crowkit's mind and his fur stood on end.

"Don't be afraid." Cloudwind called to Clanmates. "Birdstar and her followers come in peace, she just wants to speak with Owlstar."

"Why do they want to speak with him?" Stonefoot called from across the camp. "What is so important that it couldn't wait for the gathering?"

"Birdstar claims it's urgent and she has never given us any reason to be wary." Cloudwind's voice was calm as she spoke to her warriors. "If there's an issue I'm sure Owlstar will deal with it. The gray and white she-cat led Birdstar to the leader's den. "He's in here, I'll come with you."

"Jumpheart and Hareclaw, you can come with me. Have Jaggedpaw wait out here, we won't be long." The brown tom, Hareclaw, looked at Jaggedpaw and gave him a nod. The spiky apprentice sat down and watched the leader's den as Birdstar, Hareclaw and Cloudwind slipped inside.

Crowkit looked at Jaggedpaw who sat patiently, ignoring all the uneasy and untrusting glares from the cats of MoonClan. After a few moments, the MoonClan cats continued about their daily business, ignoring Jaggedpaw.

Curiosity pricked at Crowkit's paws, he exited the nursery and padded confidently over to the LichenClan apprentice. Jaggedpaw noticed his presence and looked over at him. "Need something?" He questioned, his tone calm.

"Why are you in my camp?" Crowkit demanded, trying to make himself look bigger. Jaggedpaw wasn't much bigger than Crowkit, but he still looked more muscular.

"My leader needs to talk to your leader. Your deputy explained that pretty well I thought." Jaggedpaw replied, a twinge of amusement in his mew. Arrogant! Crowkit snorted.

"Well you're just an apprentice, why did you have to come?" Crowkit questioned, Jaggedpaw's amber gaze remained steady.

"Because Hareclaw is my mentor." Jaggedpaw looked over Crowkit. "You're just a kit, why are you talking to an apprentice from another Clan?" Crowkit puffed out his black fur in annoyance.

"You're in my camp, I should be able to talk to whoever I want." He stuck his nose in the air. "Plus," He added with a slight hiss. "You're not that much older than me."

"When do you become an apprentice?" Jaggedpaw questioned with a flick of his tail.

"In a few days." Crowkit responded, holding himself high. He wasn't scared of this apprentice, but he wasn't sure what Jaggedpaw was getting at.

"You're right," Jaggedpaw looked back towards the leader's den. "You're not that much younger than me, I've only been an apprentice for a little over a moon." Crowkit snorted, looking back towards the nursery and wondering if he should go back. "What's your name?" Crowkit's attention was pulled back by Jaggedpaw.

After a moment of confusion and hesitation, he replied. "My name is Crowkit."

"Well, Crowkit. I look forward to seeing you as Crowpaw at the next gathering." Jaggedpaw said, his voice kind. Crowkit's tail twitched.

"Crowkit!" A sharp voice made Crowkit jump slightly, he looked over his shoulder to see Riverlight standing outside the nursery with annoyance in her eyes. "Don't you have better things to do than annoy LichenClan apprentices?" Crowkit's ears dropped and he looked at his paws, he shouldn't have came to talk to Jaggedpaw.

"Is that one of your elders?" Jaggedpaw questioned, looking at the annoyed queen.

"No," Crowkit grumbled. "That's my mother." He flattened his ears and turned away from Jaggedpaw.

"Yikes." Jaggedpaw said awkwardly. "I'm sorry, then." While Crowkit walked slowly back to the nursery. "It was nice to meet you Crowkit." He called, but Crowkit didn't look over his shoulder at Jaggedpaw.

When he made it to the nursery his mother was already back inside in her nest and glaring at Crowkit when he stepped inside. Frostkit and Icekit were awake as well, looking at Crowkit with confusion. "Crowkit, you're a kit you have no business getting involved with the other Clans." Riverlight growled. "Whatever reason that Birdstar is here is no concern of yours."

"But, what if it is?" Crowkit lifted his head, arguing with his mother. "What if there's something dangerous that LichenClan needed--"

"Hush!" The tone of Riverlight's hiss cut into him like claws, Crowkit ducked his head and flattened his ears. "Don't argue with me." She growled. "Now stay in the nursery and out of other cat's business."

Crowkit nodded without replying and sat in his nest, a good distance away from his mother. He could feel all the kits in the nursery looking at him but he refused to meet any of their gazes. He didn't want to play anymore, he wanted to hide and he wanted to get away from Riverlight. He didn't think he was doing anything wrong by talking to Jaggedpaw, but Riverlight clearly thought otherwise.

He wanted to become an apprentice so that Clan matters would be his business. He could go to gatherings and meet cats from other clans, he wouldn't be sharing a den with Frostkit or Icekit for a moon, but at least he wouldn't be sharing one with Riverlight for a while. He wouldn't wake up and be pushed away or get yelled at for doing harmless things. Crowkit was ready to be an apprentice, and he would be an apprentice that the entirety of MoonClan could be proud of.