A Moon Had Passed.
The snow had fully melted, making the grass wet and having puddles in the clearing here and there. Everyone did their tasks as usual while the kits played in the water.
"A bet you can't make a big splash," Minnowkit dared Salmonkit, who just grinned.
"Let's see about that." The red kit took a few steps backward before running straight for a puddle, he leaped as high as he could, landing on the water with a 'splash'. Droplets scattered averywhere, some landing on the two kits who also got a bit wet.
The puddle wasn't deep, so the splash was not that big, it still won because Minnowkit's was small. Salmonkit stuck his tongue out at his sister, "I won," He teased.
"Ugh, watch where you're splashing!"
It turns out, the splash got to the two approaching toms. A calico kit was grinning as he shook his pelt while the other one had a scowl on his face.
"Were you trying to be a fish Salmonkit?" Foxkit shook himself dry. "Because if you are, we can take you to the river."
Salmonkit rolled his eyes, "No, but I'm pretty sure we use water to get ourselves clean or have fun."
The fox colored kit glared at him for his response, "That's what Riverclan cats do, I'm a Shadowclan cat."
The calico kit laughed and nudged his brother lightly, "Oh come on Foxkit, don't you find water refreshing? Also, when we become apprentices you might even decide to swim in the river," his brother joked.
Foxkit lowered his ears and looked away "We're not even apprentices yet even though we should be Thunderpaw.."
Foxkit & Thunderkit were almost 8 moons old. Due to the harsh and cold leafbare Tawnystar decided that she needed to make sure the queens, kits and elders should be healthy. The two were held back only to be safe, with lack of food and more time for hunting no one had the capability to train them during that time. Unlike the other clans, Shadowclan seem to value the young and the old very much that they can even hold back apprentice ceremonies, that is why every gathering the other clans wonder why their apprentices during leafbare were already healthy.
Silverkit smiled shyly at Foxkit, "Well, I think you look like you'll be a very skilled apprentice now."
Foxkit glanced at her with a neutral expression, "Uh..thanks, I guess."
Thunderkit blocked Silverkit's way, "How about me? Do I make a really good apprentice?"
Silverkit just laughed at her friend, "If you're gonna be that jumpy and loud, I guess you'll be a great fighter and suck at hunting." The calico kit just purred in amusement.
"Wait, there's father!"
The three siblings looked at the thorn tunnel that shook wildly, meaning that someone big was coming. Sharptooth & Whitefur appeared with blackbirds and a vole, the others had the usual lizards and mice. Then, a golden furred tom came last, his muscles rippled under his short yet thick fur. He had a darker shade of fur that was very thick, it surrounded his neck till chest, a thick tuft of it even reached his head.
"Hey there little ones," Lionstripe meowed, it was muffled because of the fur of the prey he was holding.
"Dad!" Minnowkit leaped on the back of her father, but only reached his side because he was really big. Salmonkit was the one who reached his back, he bit the scruff of his father, his head buried in the thick fur.
"I got ya!" The red kit said in a muffled voice. Lionstripe exaggerated a grunt of surprise as he dropped his prey and stomped around, Minnowkit squealed in delight as she held on, a purr rumbling in her throat. Silverkit joined in and pushed him to the other side, the kit on the top doing the same. The big tom dramatically collapsed on the ground.
"We won!" Silverkit smiled, tail flicking side to side.
"Great job!" Lionstripe puffed, "You'll all be great warriors one day."
"What is that?" Salmonkit pointed to the brown furred prey on the ground. "Haven't seen that on the fresh kill pile before."
"That's a rabbit," Foxkit mewed. "Windclan mostly hunts these because they are very fast and have a strong kick, but some stray far into Shadowclan because of the berries."
"Is it hard to catch a rabbit?" Minnowkit asked, curious about the big prey that can feed up to three or more cats.
An elder, Plumppelt, had overheard their conversation as he passed "Well, rabbits had broken ribs of cats or blinded their eyes permanently, that's why only Windclan has the speed and strength to do it. So I can say, it's pretty difficult."
"Well, Lionstripe caught one." Salmonkit butted in, "Which means he's a really strong warrior," the kit boasted his father's value.
"That I am my little one." Lionstripe winked at him before carrying the rabbit to the kill pile. Others looked at the golden warrior place the biggest prey that outgrown the sparrows, lizards and mice. They said their praises which made him puff his thick furred chest he calls a 'mane'.
"Well, you just made your father more 'full of himself' than he should have been." The three glanced behind them to see the silver furred queen with a soft smile on her face.
"Mother, father had caught a rabbit!"
Lilypaw chuckled. "I've noticed. But if he can catch a fish, then I'd be impressed.."
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Their Father Joined them as the family played some more. Foxkit just sat at the side while his brother played with them. No one had noticed that it was almost moonhigh until Tawnystar leapt up on her highstone.
"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the highstone for a clan meeting."
Everyone looked at their leader, eager to listen to what she has to say. The deputy, Midnight sat at the bottom of the rocks, her bluish gray eyes gleaming in the moonlight. Silverkit wondered why the deputy didn't have a warrior name before, Lilypaw explained is that because she was a loner before and wanted to keep her name.
"If she'd become leader it would have been Midnightstar," her mother had said.
The tortoiseshell she-cat bowed her head to thank them all for coming. "With every newleaf comes new life, I am grateful of Starclan blessing us with enough prey that fed us this leafbare. Even though they have been here for moons, I'd like to still properly welcome Silverkit, Salmonkit & Minnowkit into the clan."
"Silverkit! Salmonkit! Minnowkit!" The cats called their names, making them lick their fur to avoid gazes. Some however, did not yell and just stared at them, their eyes seeming to glare at them.
What's their problem?.. The silver kit wondered.
Tawnystar raised her tail to silence them. "And when the young youth of today grows to serve the clan, the experienced seniors have the choice to step down and let the young serve them."
Everyone looked around, curious to see who was the one to retire. The warriors had questioning looks, but it was the black she cat from the bottom of the stones who stood up to be in front of the highstone.
"What is Midnight doing?" A warrior asked.
"Midnight," Tawnystar meowed. "Is it your wish to give up your warrior name to go join the elders?"
Midnight nodded, a sad smile on her face "It is."
Tawnystar bowed her head "Your clan honors you and all the service you've given to us. I call upon StarClan to give you many moons of rest."
"Midnight!" The clan yowled her name with happiness, grateful for StarClan in giving them a great deputy who had served them. The elders greeted the she-cat who sat beside them with a purr.
"It's confusing to why Midnight retired early," Silverkit overheard Lizardtongue, a senior warrior had whispered to her friend, Hushbreeze. "She's one of the best trackers I know among all the clans, her senses are really sharp and above average. Her son Nightpelt can be mistaken as her younger brother from a separate litter because of how young she is. I'm even older several seasons than her!"
Hushbreeze shrugged, "Maybe she felt like her senses lose their sharpness. Remember, she's the one who barely slept this leafbare and got a lot of prey more than three patrols could. I even saw her whiskers frozen one time when she came in the den."
Hushed whispers followed before a voice piped up from the crowd.
"Who's going to be our new deputy?" Nightpelt asked.
Tawnystar silenced the clan once again with her tail. "I say these words before StarClan. So that our warrior ancestors, and as well as Midnight may approve of my choice. The new deputy of ShadowClan will be Lionstripe."
All eyes averted to the golden furred warrior at the back of the crowd beside his kits who had decided that eating while a clan meeting occured was a good idea. Lionstripe was too busy nibbling on a rabbit's foot, he stopped and looked up only to see that all cats of the clan was looking at him.
"What?" The warrior licked his lips clean.
The kits tried to hold back a giggle while Lilypaw just shook her head in defeat. Tawnystar cleared her throat, gaining his attention.
"Lionstripe, you're the new deputy of ShadowClan.."
It took a few heartbeats till something clicked in him, he stood up straight, puffing his mane as he bowed his head "I shall do my best to serve the clan."
"Lionstripe!" The cats cheered.
Plumppelt yelled something from the other side of the crowd, "Told ya a rabbit's foot is lucky."
Lionstripe yelled back "Thanks for the advice brother, it was delicious."
When the meeting was over, everyone came to congratulate Lionstripe. Silverkit could no longer see her father's golden fur because they were blocked by the bodies of big cats. She tried to squeeze in but it was no use.
Then someone stepped on her tail, "Ouch!" She glared at the red kit who lowered to the ground in surreder as response.
"Sorry," Salmonkit mewed. "Me and Minnowkit are gonna show you something cool."
"What about Lilypaw?" Silverkit asked, looking for the silver furred queen.
"She's with Lionstripe for now," he pushed her into a different direction. "Quick!"
She followed him into a sort of den as they heard pawsteps pass their way.
"Where are Silverkit and the others?" A voice that sounded like Thunderkit meowed from outside the den.
"I don't know.." Foxkit's voice followed "And I don't care."
How caring, Foxkit really is a friend..
They waited for the sound of pawsteps to fade, meaning they were gone. But then she just noticed a disgusting scent in the air.
"Where is Starclan's name are we?!"
Salmonkit had a coy smile "The dirtplace."
Silverkit used her paw to hit him in the head, "And why did you bring me here?!" she half-whispered, half-hissed.
"Shh, get over here!" A whisper came from the farther part of the den. Minnowkit waved a paw, gesturing them to come.
"Just breathe through your mouth.."
The two kits walked past piles of dirt. Silverkit felt dizzy by accidentally breathing through her nose.
"The warriors said they cleaned this place twice every moon. It would be halfmoon in a few days so it'd be clean." Salmonkit tried reassuring Silverkit who looked like she was about to vomit.
"That actually makes me feel better," Silverkit faked a smile "Its not like we're walking through it anyways when its not even halfmoon right?"
"That's the spirit!" he grinned, moving faster.
Toad brain..
They reached the farthest end of the wall, it had only a few branches of thorns piled so there were a lot of cracks & holes, moonlight seeped through them, giving light to the stinky place.
"So, why did we all gather here?" Silverkit sniffed her pelt, regretting it when all she could smell were 'dirt'
I really need to wash myself in a puddle..
The two kits grinned at each other, moving to the side to reveal a large hole at the bottom of the barrier.
"So, whattya think?" Silverkit crouched low to see what was beyond the wall. All she could see were trees that seemed to go on for miles. Moonlight bathed the top of the forest, only little streams of light went through to the forest floor. The forest looked extremely dark, which was something a ShadowClan cat adores.
"The outside looks...wow."
"I know right? After me and Salmonkit get it big enough we're gonna explore outside!" Minnowkit squeaked, bouncing up and down.
Silverkit was surprised "Outside?"
"Yeah, I heard Midnight saying that Tawnystar is going to hold a clan meeting again, I dunno what about. All I know is that everyone is excited so that means we have time to explore."
She wasn't still really into this idea, "Are you guys sure about this?"
"We'll be fine." Salmonkit assured his sister, "We'll only be a few fox lengths away. If you don't want to go, it's your choice."
The two covered their hole with a big rock nearby, they turned tail to leave, tails up in the air.
"Wait.." Silverkit did not want to be the one left behind, she knew when the two stopped in their tracks they had smug smiles on their faces, knowing they got her interest and decision. It really annoyed her what she was about to do.
"Only a few foxlengths away from camp," she mewed strictly "if we're in danger we go back in."
"Then it's settled," Salmonkit turned his head sideways to glance at her.
"We'll leave once Tawnystar calls everyone to gather.."