It had been a couple moons now since Fawnkit's death, but with her loss came more life as new kits had come into the nursery. Coalkit had to admit, he wanted more kits to play with, but now the nursery was spilling with tiny paws. He was noticeably larger than them, being the oldest. Doekit used to be fun to play with, but he still somewhat enjoyed Deerkit during their play battles. The other kits weren't quite as nice to him, except one, and he felt he liked her the most. Maybe he was just beginning to outgrow them. It seemed like the younger the kits were, the easier it was to get them to agree with whatever he said.
In the clearing, his mother sat next to Jaymoon and her mate, Rockpelt, sharing tongues and passing a lizard between them. Coalkit couldn't help but notice the brightness in Twigleg's face when she was around the two. Coalkit felt like she should be more concerned about her reputation in the clan. He overheard the elders talking about her. He recalled them saying Twigleg had no interest in any of the toms in their clan. At least, not anymore. He wondered what that meant. But they went on, suggesting a few things here and there. They wondered about it being her old apprentice friend, or maybe a tom from another clan. Rockpelt's name was thrown into the mix somewhere, and his head spun. As much as he wanted to intervene and tell them they didn't know what they were saying, he would probably have been scolded for eavesdropping.
Coalkit stood up on a small mound of dirt in the nursery. He managed to get a view of all of the kits from there. "Gather around, my loyal BreezeClan warriors," he howled, puffing out his chest. "I'm your new leader, Coalstar. Mousestar is an old cranky elder now, so I'm in charge." The black spotted tom's eyes glowed and his paws itched with excitement.
Deerkit turned to ee echokit and coalkit playing. Unfair, he thought, I wanted to be the deputy. Jaymoon nudged Deerkit. "Go play with them." He scrambled off and ran over to the two. Jaymoon and Rockpelt spoke is hushed whispers. Doekit bored padded over to hawkpaw who decided to share his fresh kill with her.
It was soft, but Coalkit could swear he picked up on the faint echoes coming from the tunnels. They sounded annoyed. He figured it was best not to return to the nursery anytime soon, at least not until Twigleg was back. "I guess we will have to play something else for a while," he sniffed.
Doekit huffed in annoyance. It wasn't HER fault. He started it. Deerkit glared at his sister knowing full well that coalkit would make echokit deputy. "Thanks a lot... you blew my chances, fox dung." He muttered. Once back at the nursery Doekit got a lecture from Jaymoon on how they don't do unsheathed claws when playing. Jaymoon took Deerkit's side much to Doekit's annoyance. Doekit and Deerkit had long since stopped suckling, as their mother wnated to get them eating fresh kill as soon as possible, Rockpelt padded over to them with a piece of fresh kill. Jaymoon calmly explained in an icy voice what happened. Clearly not forgiving Doekit for her behaviour. Doekit refused to eat with them calling them all "traitors". Doekit sat aadrift to her family, her mother said that if she did not eat with them she wouldn't eat. "Fine!" Snapped Doekit. "I won't eat." She replied in the same icy tone her mother had used to explain what had happened earlier. The three shocked at her sudden outburst at in silence whilst they ate. Doekit padded further away from her family and sat down watching in frustration as echokit and coalkit played. Her tail flicked to visibly express her annoyance and frustration. It's unfair how coalkit blamed her when THEY had started it. She was merely finishing it.
Coalkit watched them scramble after Jaymoon, the tip of his tail twitching with slight irritation. "Good job, getting Deerkit in trouble," he growled at Doekit in a hushed voice that was only for her ears. The black spotted tom looked at Echokit as the two passed. "Well, that makes you the deputy," he announced with a shrug and gave her a short-lived smile.
"I am being thrown into no pit!" She snarled at Coalkit. Deerkit flattened his ears against his head. "Why did you betray us?" He asked her curiously. Doekit looked up at her brother in confusion. "Betray you? I am not even apart of your stupid game!" She spat in his face once again. Deerkit looked revolted at her as she spat in his face again. "I think we should feed her to the crows!" He said snarling in disgust at his sister. Doekit struggled under her brother trying to push him off. Curse his weight, she thought to herself. The stony earth beneath her was cold and unpleasant, doekit did not like her belly being so exposed. Doekit rolled onto her side flinging her brother off. Deerkit landed in an odd position winding himself, Doekit stood up. "Mouse brain!" She hissed at him. "And my name isn't Doebreath!" She turned and hissed at coalkit, or rather coalstar. She glanced at echokit not paying much attention to her. Doekit turned tail and went to run. Since doekit had been talking for a bit it had given deerkit just about enough time to regain his strength. He leaped at his sister pinning her onto the ground again. She squirmed until finally giving in once more to her brother, letting her body go limp. Deerkit put a paw to her throat to show that if she moved she was in danger. She narrowed her eyes into near slits.
Jaymoon noticed how the kits were playing roughly, but before she could say anything the elder behind her started to speak to another elder. The story that the elder was telling momentarily distracted Jaymoon. She turned to her mate to make a statement but his fur quickly passed her and he padded off away from her. In low hushed voices one of the elders mentioned doekit and deerkit and how they weren't the biological kits of rockpelt. Jaymoon froze. Jaymoon had been known to be quite a looker; with her beautiful amber eyes and her sleek silver tabby fur. The she cat barely looked anything like her kits, for starters they were both brown in colour wherea she was silver. Although Doekit had inherited Jaymoon's furry genes, deerkit seemed to be slightly more scruffy but did not resemble Jaymoon in any shape or form. When Jaymoon was a younger warrior she was known to attract a lot of toms, but her stubborn attitude drove them away. Rockpelt was one of the few cats that knew how to handle Jaymoon. She sighed as she watched Rockpelt slip out of camp. They had been drifting apart ever so slowly over the past few moons. Jaymoon was worried he'd try to find out secret that were better left untold. Her thoughts wandered for a moment, but then she was suddenly snapped back to reality by deerkit's cry. She stood up and padded in direction of the cry. Deerkit and Doekit were arguing, it hadn't seemed out of the ordinary until she noticed the red liquid drip slowly down from deerkit's left side of his muzzle.
"You started it!" Doekit hissed at her brother. Jaymoon padded up to the two. "What happened?" She inquired them. "Doekit scratched me!" Whined deerkit feebly trying to act innocent. "Because he started it!" She hissed back at him. The two looked ready to launch into a fight with one another. Jaymoon flicked her tail between the two of them separating them from doing such thing. "That's enough both of you, go to the nursery NOW! And Doekit we do not do claw fighting in here, we keep out claws sheathed!" The two kits looked at one another and exchanged furious glares. Doekit dragged her paws along the ground, furious at her brother for getting her in trouble, he had started it after all not her. Deerkit was annoyed simply at being sent back to the nursery but he couldn't complain he had got his sister into trouble just as he wished too. Jaymoon sighed her kits were becoming quite the trouble makers.
Crouched low to the ground in the best hunting stance he could manage, Coalkit's eyes were locked on the "traitor" kit. He was about to signal to the two to move in with a flick of his tail, but everything was a flash of fur and he soon realized Deerkit was already moving in. "Wait!" he gasped, though a moment too late. Deerkit was already standing over Doekit's form. Coalkit let out a sigh and stood from his position, padding up to the two. "You were supposed to wait for the signal," he mewed, eyes moved to Doekit, pleased to see her struggling on the ground. "But at least we got Doebreath, now. We should throw her in the pit!"
Deerkit listened to his “leader” and followed his actions. They were about to corner them when suddenly Hawkpaw walked out of the camp. Doekit, or doebreath looked disappointed. Deerkit took advantage of this and pounced on her not waiting for coalkit’s signal. She squealed in surprised. He pinned his sister down onto the cold stone. She couldn’t push her brother off he was stronger and bigger than her. Doekit’s slim and fragile body seemed to give up under deerkit. She narrowed her eyes. “Get off!” She hissed and spat in his face. He flicked his tail and wiped the spit out of his eye. “I caught her! I caught her!” He yelled proudly. Doekit rolled her eyes her eyes at her brothers triumph, he was simply upset at how hawkpaw had left and hadn't even consulted her mother. A sorrowful sigh escaped her lips, whilst deerkit gloated in her face.
Rockpelt smiled in amusement at the kits. Jaymoon rolled her eyes. Hawkpaw hadn’t got very far as he padded back in through the entrance, he had heard Doekit's squeal and came to check if she were alright. Deerkit got off his sister and coalkit padded up to her. The two were visibly arguing. at least doekit was looking angry where as coalkit looked triumphant. Out of the corner of jaymoon's eye She noticed the jealous expression on hawkpaw’s face. Rockpelt noticed it too but said nothing of it. The elder behind the two cats mewed, “I told you...” Rockpelt sat silently whilst Jaymoon looked on hatred slowly filling her amber eyes. There was a hidden history behind Jaymoon and Hawkpaw, Rockpelt did not know much of it but he knew it were enough for her to hate him. One day, one day he would find out. But maybe him not knowing would be for the best. After all if he knew he would surely get himself killed, that is what Jaymoon warned him anyways. The real question was could he trust his mate?
Unlike Jaymoon, Twigleg was staring at the two young cats, almost expressionlessly. She just watched through her pine orbs, suddenly blinking as she was snapped back by the elder's mew. A frown depicted among her brows. She sighed. "Well," she mewed, sounding as if she had been holding her breath. "I'm full. Finish the rest." She passed the lizard over to Jaymoon with a paw before getting to her paws and swept past the two, disappearing into the heather that lead from the camp.
Coalkit was distracted by his mother suddenly stepping in front of them at first, blocking his view of Doekit and Hawkpaw for a moment. Once she had passed, his eyes locked back on her again. He brushed Echokit with his tail, still staring down Doekit as if she were prey. "We are going to surround them. Try to keep low," he hissed back. "Her name is Doebreath," he nodded at Deerkit, letting out a purr. "She is a traitor to BreezeClan and decided to be a slimy fish-eater."
He flicked his tail in the air, signalling Echokit circle one way, and Deerkit another. He would move in the attack once they took their places.
Doekit was chatting away to the tabby tom. He was listening with amused interest at the She cat, not noticing the kits Sneaking up on them. “What are you doing?” She finally asked him. “I’m going to get herbs.” He mewed back. Her eyes widened with interest. Doekit started asking about what herbs he would get but before he could answer she bombarded him with more questions and answers to those questions. He chuckled, “I better watch out or you’ll be taking my job!” His eyes glittering with humour. She’s batted his tail playfully. ”Can I come with you?” Her ears pricked with excitement and her whiskers twitched with anticipation. Hawkpaw glanced over at her mum who already looked disapprovingly on at them. He shook his head. “I’m sorry but you’re too young.” Doekit’s tail dropped when she realised that it was a no. Hawkpaw tried to cheer her up.
Deerkit lsitened to coalkit. “Hang on.” He interuppted. “My sister is in reeclan?” He mewed confused at the fact his sister is the enemy. Deerkit wouldn’t mind tackling his sister, they still hadn’t settled their early argument. He flicked his tail in excitement her lowered into a crouch the same as echokit and coalkit.
Rockpelt watched the kits with amusement. Jaymoon‘s tail flicked in anger. She obviously was annoyed about doekit talking to Hawkpaw. An elder mewed behind rockpelt and Jaymoon. “Be careful were your kit is tredding that is fragile territory they’re tresspassing on.” Rockpelt was puzzled by this but Jaymoon and Twigleg knew exactly what the elders meant.
Echokit seemed very excited and she loved her ‘warrior’ name... for the most part, she was just happy to be able to play with the older kits. Even though she was smaller than everyone else, that didn’t curb her enthusiasm... the small silver tabby followed Coalkit closely, seeing as he was the leader, and when he crouched, Echokir did her very best to copy, not really knowing how else to do a hunting crouch. “What’s the plan?” She whispered, turning her head to Coalkit, her amber eyes wide as they looked up at him.
Coalkit's fur stood on end as excitement rushed through him. He exchanged glances with Echokit and Deerkit. He felt a pinch of annoyance at Doekit when he saw her mocking him in the corner of his eye, but he decided to ignore it as she slipped away.
"My two strongest warriors," he purred proudly. "Deerskip and..." He looked over Echokit, struggling to bring a made up name to his tongue. "Echostorm," he decided. The charcoal tom curled his tail around his paws. "ReedClan is crossing our borders and we need to put them in their place!" He announced. "Whichever one of you that can bring a ReedClan warrior to me will prove your strength and become my deputy." He jumped down from the mound and began to lead the way from the tunnel.
Once he reached the opening, he was hit by the oaky scent that carried on the new-leaf breeze. His eyes spotted Doekit and Hawkpaw in the clearing near the three warriors. He dropped into a crouch and hissed behind him, "there."
Doekit and deerkit wrestled with eachother. They were having their “daily quarrel” as their mother referred to it as. Coalkit’s yowl sounded around the cave, bouncing off the walls. Deerkit pushed doekit aside and sprinted to join in the game. Doekit scoffed at her brother and called after him, “Mouse brain!” She padded over to the gathering of kits and sat down at the outskirts. She purred with amusement at the smaller kits as they gazed up in awe at coalkit. Doekit was acting twice her age, like she were an apprentice or a young warrior. She mocked coalkit from the side acting so high and mighty. Doekit only managed to draw the attention from deerkit, who glared at her disapprovingly. Doekit bored of mocking coalkit got rob her paws and bounded away.
Doekit ran into the medicine cat apprentice. Ever since she began walking and moving about she hadn’t been friends with the medicine apprentice. The tom stared down at the kit his pierce blue eyes watching her. She looked up at him and smiled. “Watch were you’re going.” He chuckled. Doekit smiled and started to chat away to the tom.
Jaymoon opened her eyes the talking of hawkpaw and doekit disturbed her peaceful grooming with her mate. Jaymoon stood up to shoo her kit away from the tom when her mate swished his tail in front of her. “Leave them.” He purred. “Look how happy they are, leave them be Jaymoon.“ He smiles at her to reassure her. She smiled cautiously at him and sat back down. Her eyes fixed on doekit and hawkpaw.
Echokit was one of the newest in the nursery, she was eager to be able to play with the other kits, because being the only one in her litter hadn’t meant she‘d been lonesome before her mother had said she was allowed to go and play. Coalkit piquied her curiosity... he seemed strong and bold and Echokit was excited to play with the older kits for a change. She squeaked and went over to Coalkit, her amber eyes blinking up at him. She wasn’t sure how these games worked but was willing to learn.