Lurking Evil

Chapter 19

Two sunrises later, when Whisperpaw's soreness had faded, Gravelpelt had put her back on apprentice's duties. She'd been on hunting patrols, border patrols, water-fetching patrols for the elders and queens, and she'd also been changing the moss bedding in all the dens, but they got help from the other apprentices. Whisperpaw and her sister had been working their paws off in their last few days before their assessments; they were exhausted each night, gratefully curling up on her fresh moss.

Whisperpaw and Echopaw were now collecting fresh moss for the elders' den. Then, at sunhigh, they'd have their assessments. Whisperpaw felt worried; what if she didn't pass? What if she messed up so badly that she had to continue being an apprentice for the next few seasons?

Echopaw had told her, "You'll be fine, Whisperpaw. What are you so worried about? You're great at hunting!"

Whisperpaw had replied that she wasn't so sure.

Sunhigh was approaching now, and Whisperpaw and Echopaw were making their final rounds, volunteering to get moss for the queens too. Whisperpaw had a large ball of moss in her jaws, which she was going to take to the nursery, while Echopaw would take hers to the elders.

She passed through the bramble barrier, Echopaw just a pawstep behind her. Whisperpaw turned left to the nursery, and Echopaw continued straight ahead to the low-hanging pine branches where the elders' den was. Whisperpaw passed through the heather bush entrance and saw Needlekit and Pinekit batting at each other on the den floor, becoming more used to walking every day. Pinekit clamped his jaws on is brother's tail, and Needlekit squealed, then pawed at Pinekit, his claws unsheathed.

"Pinekit!" Aspenleaf growled, grabbing her son by his scruff. "No claws!"

Pinekit didn't seem to hear his mother; he was squirming and kicking, trying to get back to the ground.

"Kits," she muttered, putting Pinekit back on the floor by his brother.

"They'll learn," Sagetail soothed, then laughed. "Raypaw did."

"It's fine teaching one kit, but four? StarClan knows why I had four!" Aspenleaf shook her head in exhaustion. It was obvious to Whisperpaw that her four kits, learning to walk, were causing trouble, and were depriving Aspenleaf of sleep. "Of course, I'm glad I had them. I love them all," she purred, yawning.

Sagetail nodded, washing her ears. Then she looked up and saw Whisperpaw, and she meowed, "Hello, Whisperpaw!"

Aspenleaf looked up, saw Whisperpaw's moss, and smiled. "Thank you, these kits are always messing up their bedding." She shook her head.

Whisperpaw smiled, dropping the moss on the floor, and meowed, "Kits will be kits."

"I know," Aspenleaf laughed. "I just hope that soon enough they learn to listen. Sparktail raised you well," she purred, staring at Whisperpaw.

Whisperpaw purred. "Thanks, but I'm sure Echopaw and I caused enough trouble when we were kits, too," she laughed.

Aspenleaf nodded. "I think all kits do," she purred with amusement.

"Where are Rosekit and Tulipkit?" Whisperpaw asked.

"Sleeping," Aspenleaf sighed, sounding relieved. "At least I don't have all four running around, thank StarClan Rosekit and Tulipkit aren't as eager to play as those two," she meowed, motioning at Pinekit and Needlekit, who were trying to chase each other around the den, only to fall over with a huff.

Whisperpaw laughed. She saw the small bodies of Tulipkit and Rosekit in the corner, on their moss bedding. Tulipkit's orange tabby fur pressed tight against Rosekit's cream fur.