"Lemonkit, Lemonkit," a squeaky voice came.
Lemonkit groaned as two small paws pushed against her side. She rolled over, only to fill more paws touch her side.
"What?!" she growled.
She opened her eyes, seeing Troutkit standing next to her, her gray eyes gazing into Lemonkit's.
"Are we going to play?" she asked, tilting her head.
Lemonkit rose to her feet, shaking off her pelt. She towered over the little she-cat, and she was almost scared to play with the kits now, afraid she might trample them.
She was nearly six moons. Very soon, she'd be an apprentice of NightClan, fighting battles and assisting the clan! And the best part was that she'd be made an apprentice with her friends.
She had to admit, she would be sad leaving Frostflight and the kits in the nursery, but then she could go on patrols with Hailfrost, and soon, her "siblings"!
"We play a lot," Lemonkit sighed.
"But Mother says you'll be an apprentice soon and leave us in the nursery! Is that true?" Troutkit asked. Her gray eyes flickered with sorrow.
"Oh," Lemonkit said quietly, looking down at her speckled paws. She looked back up at Troutkit, hoping her sorrow had vanished. Unfortunately, it hadn't.
"Well, yes, I'll be an apprentice soon, and I will leave the nursery...But that doesn't mean I'll be gone forever! I'll still visit, of course, and soon enough, you'll join me with training!"
"Being a warrior seems fun!" Desertpaw chimed in.
"Well, we'll see how it is. I can't wait to start training!" Lemonkit purred.
"I remember when I was an apprentice," Frostflight giggled, overhearing their conversation. Lemonkit turned her attention to her mother, hoping for a story.
"It's weird thinking of you as an apprentice," Lemonkit admitted.
The gray she-cat smiled. "Well, I was, and so was Hailfrost! Ah, those were the good days...before we had little kits to worry about," she joked.
"Did Hailfrost have a brother?" Lemonkit asked.
Frostflight nodded. "Yes, but he left to another clan as a young kit. Winterfrost, one of our elders, was heartbroken. But she had a second litter, of course. Still, the family doesn't talk about it."
"Why did he leave?" Desertkit asked.
"Hailfrost claims he felt that he didn't fit in. But I don't know why. He was a normal NightClan cat with a loving family," Frostflight explained. "But hush! I don't want you talking about it!"
Lemonkit nodded.
"What cats are Winterfrost's second litter?" Spotkit asked, confused.
"Leafpaw, Arcticpaw, and Shellpaw."
"Oh, Arcticpaw!" Lemonkit exclaimed. "Mangokit plays with him!"
Frostflight nodded. "Good kits, all of them. Go run off and play now! Your mother needs sleep!"
"So do I," Lemonkit grumbled.
"What should we play, Lemonkit?" Pearkit asked.
Lemonkit sighed. Would the four ever give her a break?
Before she could open her mouth, however, there was a tap on her shoulder, and she turned, seeing Thymekit.
"Hey!" she said, smiling.
He waved his tail back at her, his eyes gleaming with joy.
She always hoped his voice would return, but it hadn't, and by now, every cat had not expected it too. They were beginning to accept that Thymekit would be mute forever.
Raspberrykit came up behind him, a grin on her face.
"Are you excited to become an apprentice?"
Lemonkit nodded. "I can't wait!" she exclaimed.
Behind her, the four kits pouted.
Thymekit pointed his tail behind her shoulder, and she winced, turning to face the four kits.
"Is is true? Do you want to leave us?" Pearkit asked.
"No, never," Lemonkit purred.
"But you just talked about how excited you were!" Desertkit cried out. "Do you not care about us?!"
Lemonkit sighed, turning to face her friends. "I'll catch up with you two later. We," she turned her head to look at the kits, "need to have a talk."
Thymekit nodded, padding off with Raspberrykit into the camp. Lemonkit took the kits outside by the entrance of the den, sitting down against it.
"Sit," she instructed.
The four did as they were told, sitting beside Lemonkit. Each of them looked depressed and sorrowful, not jovial and full of energy like their normal selves.
"You are all going through something most cats don't go through," she admitted. "I mean, usually siblings all become apprentices together. Sometimes, friends join their friends in a moon. But everything is different with us.
"I know I'm not your real sister, but that doesn't mean I can't act like one. But look you four, you'll be apprentices in no time, and you'll join me in training! You can sleep right next to me, and in the morning, we can share prey! Maybe we'll train together!"
The four looked around excitedly at this idea.
"Leaving you will be hard, and three moons is a long time to wait, but it's important to take in your kithood and make friends! You make some great friends in the nursery; I know I have."
"Will you miss us?" Troutkit asked.
"Of course!" Lemonkit exclaimed. "And don't ever pretend like I don't!"
"Will you learn how to battle all sorts of evil cats?" Pearkit asked.
"You bet!" Lemonkit purred. "And I'll tell you all about it! You have to keep Frostflight company too though. She might get a bit lonely without me around," she joked.
"We will," Spotkit purred.
"Good. Everything settled then?"
Slowly, the four nodded.
"Good," Lemonkit purred. "I love you guys. Don't forgot it!"
The four kits giggled then ran off into the nursery towards their mother. Smiling, Lemonkit found Thymekit and Raspberrykit sitting against the den wall.
"Everything going well?" Raspberrykit asked.
"Fine. The kits just didn't want me to leave, that's all," Lemonkit explained.
"You're lucky you're older than them. I'd want three moons away from Windkit and Koikit."
"Stop that. They're your siblings. You should be glad you have some," Lemonkit growled.
"You technically have some too. Don't they annoy you?"
"No, they're so sweet," she purred.
"Lucky you," Raspberrykit grumbled. "So, do you know who your mentor will be?"
Both Lemonkit and Thymekit shrugged.
"I hope mine is awesome."
"Me too," Lemonkit said, imaging her mentor now. She couldn't put a face on the cat, but it'd obviously be a strong cat, a she-cat perhaps, with a soft voice and great teaching skills.
"Lemonkit."
"What?" she asked, breaking free from her daydream.
"Frostflight was calling you," Raspberrykit announced, pointing her tail to the nursery entrance.
"Oh, thanks," Lemonkit said. "I'll talk to you guys later! Bye!"
Thymekit smiled, waving as Lemonkit rushed into the nursery. Frostflight sat with the four kits, smiling.
"You called me here?"
"Just checking where you were. Why don't you rest?"
"But I haven't been up that long!" Lemonkit argued.
"You have a big day tomorrow. Get some sleep," Frostflight purred.
"Oh, all right," she growled, laying down in her nest. Lemonkit couldn't find herself to sleep though. She'd close her eyes, only anticipating what would happen tomorrow when she became an apprentice.
Who would be her mentor? What would she learn? How big was the forest? There were too many questions to ask!
"Come soon," she whispered, gazing into the blue sky.