Warrior Cats: The Winding Path (Book 1)

Chapter 3 (Nightkit)

"We were looking for Blacknose," Sagekit said quickly, standing up to face the gray warrior.

"And what business do you have with the ThunderClan deputy?" Rattail's dark eyes pierced into the two kits'. But Sagekit didn't flinch, he only straightened more.

"We were going to ask him a few questions about what he was talking to us about yesterday," Sagekit lied. Nightkit was shocked at how easily Sagekit could lie to a warrior. Maybe he had been actually hoping to find Blacknose in the warriors' den to ask him about yesterday.

"Blacknose is busy discussing things with Spiderstar, you'll have to talk to him later," Rattail meowed, his suspicion not yet lifted.

"Okay! Thanks for the help!" Sagekit turned away, nudged Nightkit from her low crouch and the two kits sped away from the scene. They slowed down when they reached the apprentices' den, their breathing coming out in fast pants.

"That was amazing!" Nightkit mewed, looking over at her brother.

"Thanks," Sagekit said. Nightkit could tell he was a bit embarrassed so she looked away and her gaze locked on the medicine cat den. "I wonder what's taking him so long," Sagekit added.

"I don't know, maybe Sweetscent is interrogating him," Nightkit said a bit worriedly.

"Don't worry, he wouldn't tell any cat what we were up to," Sagekit touched her shoulder reassuringly with his tail tip. Nightkit nodded her agreement and the two kits waited.

Suddenly, Timberkit burst from the bramble screen with a small cluster of dark leaves in his mouth. His eyes wandered across the clearing until they locked onto his two littermates. He bounded over and set the herb down by Nightkit's paws.

"Sorry I took so long, when I asked for dock Sweetscent decided to show me how to use it," Nightkit could hear the slightest hesitation in Timberkit's voice as he explained.

"It's okay," Nightkit shrugged. Timberkit lapped up the leaves in his jaws and began chewing. His nose wrinkled in disgust but he didn't stop. He spat out the herb onto his soft pad then spat out the extras onto the ground.

"Gross!" Sagekit lifted a paw in disgust. Nightkit purred at her brother's cringe.

"Stay still, okay? This is going to sting a bit," Timberkit informed. Nightkit nodded and watched as her brother leaned his paw over to her back and started rubbing the herb's juices. A stinging sensation shot through the scratch, making her wince with pain. She straightened and let him finish applying the herb.

"Thanks, Timberkit," she said once he was finished.

He shook his head, "It's no problem." Timberkit wiped his paw along the grass, getting the sticky residue off his paw's pad.

"I'm exhausted from all this running around," Sagekit mewled and he let out a small yawn.

"I agree," Nightkit nodded her agreement to him.

"And I'm starving!" Sagekit's belly grumbled as if on cue. The three littermates laughed as they headed for the fresh-kill pile. They settled themselves beside the pile and chose two mice for all three of them to share. Nightkit and Timberkit gulped down the one while Sagekit was given the smaller mouse to himself.

Nightkit swallowed a bite of mouse before saying, "I wonder what the other Clans are like."

"Well, WindClan lives on the moor-" Timberkit started.

"I know what their territories are of but I mean, I wonder what goes on in the other Clans. What kind of things do they discuss or what problems do face," she explained.

"They probably go through similar things we do," Sagekit shrugged as if he wasn't interested.

"I wonder if there are kits in other Clans just like us," Timberkit chipped in, adding onto Nightkit's thoughts.

"And I wonder if they play the same games and have fun with their littermates," Nightkit said.

"They probably have a few different games since their camp probably looks different and doesn't have the same features," Timberkit commented.

"Well, I'm done," Sagekit rose to his paws and scraped a layer of earth over the mouse's carcass. Nightkit gulped down the last bit of her share and waited until Timberkit was done his.

"Now I'm stuffed!" Timberkit laughed.

The rest of the day the three kits relaxed beside the nursery. Their paws ached too much for them to explore any of the other dens and none of them wanted any cat to catch them sneaking around like Rattail had. After a bit of dozing then playfighting the day began to slip away.

Sagekit's eyes were facing the sky "Hey, look! The sun's setting! I think Spiderstar is about ready to take the cats chosen at yesterday's meeting to the Gathering!"