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Post by Deleted on Sept 26, 2019 22:08:37 GMT
The storyline is true stuff, and lots of the inside content-but quite a bit is filler as well, to move the story along. (It's not very realistic to say 'The day after the little kit was born, his parents were gone' obviously the kit would not survive. So yeah, couldn't do things quite exact)
Fishkit (evilness: 15%)
:::book 1:::
"When you can’t fight the darkness within you… do you just give in?"
Disclaimer:
This story is based on the true events of the life of Fishpaw. The main events that happen are true. But some of this story is filler, and the names of some of his previous leaders were not included because I forgot
. Also, some characters are fake characters, such as;
Tigerstripe—Fishpaw’s older-sister-figure
Twistedfang—An elder
Wrentooth—An elder
Hawkwing—Iceriver’s mentor
Enjoy
Prologue
I’m alive
Dappleclaw panted, her face pale and her fur plastered to her skin from the perspiration. The nursery seemed crowded and stuffy, though the only cats inside besides herself was Flintscar and the medicine cat. Her green eyes showed her pain and she let out a long whimper as her whole body suddenly shuddered.
“Your doing good! Just one more push…” Came the med-cat’s voice above the small wails from Dappleclaw. She obliged, and then let out a piercing yowl as her black and white pelt shuddered once more and a small bundle of slimy fur slid onto the ground. The med-cat rushed over and picked up the newborn kit, carrying it to the queen.
“Lick.” She ordered, and Dappleclaw began to run her tongue over the small sack, and soon the cry of a kit was heard throughout the den. Her mate, Flintscar, breathed a sigh of relief and began to purr, licking Dappleclaw’s ears affectionately.
“It’s a tom-cat.” Dappleclaw breathed, eyes wide with wonder as she looked down at her new responsibility.
“I will give you both some time.” The med-cat purred, and squeezed out of the small opening in the den.
“He’s so little.” Flintscar examined the kitten.
“Well how big do you expect a newborn to be?” Dappleclaw shot back at him sarcastically, and her mate grinned. She stopped licking the tiny kit and began to inspect his coat. “He looks to be a dapple-gray color. Nothing like your pelt, or mine.” She commented, gesturing to Flintscar’s mottled brown fur with her long tail.
He shrugged. “Well, what do you think we should name him?”
Dappleclaw stared hard at the kit for a few moments. “Fishkit.” She decided. “His name is Fishkit.”
Flintscar smiled. “Alright, Fishkit it is.” Then he glanced sidelong at Dappleclaw. “You’ve been through a lot, are you feeling up to some prey?” She nodded vigorously and he slipped out of the den to go and fetch something for them to share.
Dappleclaw stretched out and put the kit in between her paws, resting her chin on his small body. The kit let out a mew and struggled to move. She purred and lifted her head, picking him up by the scruff and placing him beside her stomach. Fishkit wiggled as close as he could get and began to drink her milk. Dappleclaw’s purrs grew louder as she looked down at her new son, and began wondering what his future held.
Flintscar appeared at the entrance to the nursery with a fat squirrel in his jaws. He padded over and lay on the other side of his mate and set the fresh kill down. “Bon appetit!” He grinned and waited until Dappleclaw had eaten all that she could before finishing it off for her.
“You know,” she purred, “Fishkit will love it here, I just know it.”
Chapter One
Fishkit
Fishkit yawned, waking up alone in the quiet nursery. He stood up as best as he could and stretched. He wobbled to the den entrance and sat in the sunlight, purring. His emerald green eyes scanned the camp curiously. Up to the left he spotted a small den where cats older then him lounged lazily, sharing tongues. He looked straight ahead of him and glimpsed a high cliff, where a big tomcat lay, one of his paws hanging over the edge as he watched down below. A few more dens spotted the camp sporadically and many cats older then the ones he had seen first padded into camp, fresh kill hanging from their jaws. I’ve never been out here before. He reminded himself, and then pounced fully out of the den with a new adventurous light in his eyes. No more then a few seconds had passed when he felt himself rise of the ground. He squealed and thrashed, and the cat holding him let out a snort of laughter as it carried him back into the nursery.
“Now, where do you think you are going, Fishkit?” The feline purred, sitting in front of him.
He slumped his shoulders and sat down as well. “Aw, I just wanted to go outside!” He mewed defensively.
The orange tabby’s whiskers twitched with amusement. “You aren’t allowed to go out without someone watching you, remember.”
Fishkit jumped to his paws. “Oh please, Tigerstripe, can you come with me?” He begged, flopping at the paws of the tall she-cat.
The warrior shook her head. “No, Fishkit. I told you already. I have to hunt for the clan. Cometclan has been short on prey, and if we don’t stock up before leaf-bare, we will starve!” She told him sternly.
“But…” He began slowly. “But then mom and dad can come back now, right? They can come home now and watch me, right?”
Tigerstripe’s expression turned grave and she glanced down at her paws. “No. They aren’t coming back, Fishkit.” She whispered.
The three moon old kit stared up at her defiantly. “No, you're wrong! You’re lying!” He hissed, desperation filling his voice. “They will come back for me! They didn’t forget about me!” He yowled and then jumped past Tigerstripe, sprinting away from the nursery as fast as his stubby legs would carry him. He skidded in the sand and sat at the river’s edge, staring into the water, fuming. Tigerstripe started after him, stopped, and then padded away, head down. The rest of the clan avoided him for the rest of the morning and he stayed by the riverbank.
“They love me. They love me. They love me.” Fishkit repeated over and over, eyes starting to sting at the reality. His reflection in the water rippled and the image was distorted from the current. A drop of liquid fell from his face and landed into the water, making his mirrored face even more unrecognizable.
Suddenly, he realized someone was sitting beside of him. He did not know how long they had been there, and shame flooded over him. “What do you want.” He mewed, his tail lashing back and forth behind him.
“I know you are going through a hard time. It has affected all of us, but I wanted you to understand that you aren’t alone. You have your whole clan here with you.” The cat began, and Fishkit recognized him as the leader of Cometclan. He had stopped by the nursery before when he was younger.
“They aren’t coming back, are they?”
“I guess you deserve to know.” Shiverstar curled his fluffy tail around Fishkit and began, “your mother, Dappleclaw, left about the same time as your father. We don’t know what happened, but your dad Flintscar and your mother aren’t together anymore, if you can understand what that means. Something about another tomcat. Ferretfang.”
Fishkit nodded. Ferretfang. He repeated in his head, eyes narrowed. He understood perfectly what that meant.
The big tomcat studied him briefly before continuing. “I don’t know why they didn’t take you…” He trailed off, noticing how the words were like sharp claws piercing Fishkit. He rushed into the next sentence. “But I do know they loved you very much. They will never stop loving you, even from afar.” He looked intensely at the young kit for a long moment, then stood up to leave.
“Where did they go?” Fishkit spoke up suddenly, turning to face his leader with his startling green eyes. “They left, you said, so where did they leave to?”
The leader searched Fishkits eyes, like he was looking for something before he could continue. He must have found it, because he said, “Stormclan.” He meowed. “The last I heard is that they are both in Stormclan now.”
“Fishkit…”
Fishkit sat bolt upright in the nursery. He blinked in the sunlight streaming through the entrance.
“Fishkit.” Came Tigerstripe’s voice again, and the sleek feline padded inside the den. “It’s time to go.”
It hit him suddenly. I’m finally going to see my parents again! I’m going to Stormclan! He jumped up excitedly, spinning in a circle once then hopping energetically after Tigerstripe as she leaded him to the camp clearing. She turned to face him and licked his ears affectionately. “I’m going to miss you, little fish.” She purred, but it choked up in her throat. “Don’t forget me, okay?” She asked him, her voice thick with emotion.
Fishkit stretched up on his hind legs and rubbed his small head under her chin, purring. “Never.” He mewed.
The Shiverstar padded over to them suddenly. “Are you ready, Fishkit?” He asked, head tilted.
Fishkit licked Tigerstripe then padded swiftly over to his leader, afraid if he stayed any longer with his mother-like figure he might never leave. “I’m ready.” He mewed bravely.
“Alright, lets get moving then.” The tall tomcat padded towards the camp exit, Fishkit scampering after him. Curious clanmates watched, eyes wide, as they slowly disappeared from view, away from Birch Hill and Cometclan territory, and to Pony Point, where Stormclan lie.
Chapter Two
Sunlight wafted into the large nursery, and the big opening let in the warmth of the morning sun. Fishkit yawned, and sat up, his kitten fur messy. He licked his paw and drew it over his ear and face a couple of times, trying to make his coat glossy again.
With a groomed coat, Fishkit padded lightly out of the den, head and tail high. It was a new day, a new camp, a new clan! He would be able to see his parents and meet new cats! The day couldn’t get much more exciting then that!
“Fishkit?”
Fishkit craned his head to the left and spotted a very familiar, tall, mottled brown tomcat standing in the camp entrance. Flintscar stared at him, shocked, and Fishkit let out a yowl and barreled into him, almost knocking the warrior down.
“Flintscar!” Fishkit mewed with joy, eyes glistening and rubbing against his dad, purring.
Flintscar stared down at him, then began to purr as well. “Fishkit! I can’t believe it! How did you get here?”
Fishkit sat back, gazing up at his father with pride. He puffed out his chest and mewed, “I found out you guys were in Stormclan! So here I am!” He tried to jump up on his dads head but ended up flopping backwards and flipping over onto his back. He grinned. “So Where’s mom?”
His father’s purring stifled and he was silent. He rolled Fishkit over with his paw. “You are so brave to have come all the way here.” He praised, but the kit’s head was still tilted.
“Where is she, though?” Fishkit dismissed the praise, anxious to see his mother.
“I don’t know, probably sulking off in some corner of the camp.” Flintscar hissed with such resentment that Fishkit was taken aback.
The young kit flattened his ears at the tension that suddenly flared to life in his father. “Okay, I’ll go look for her.” He padded away quickly, now anxious to put a few tail lengths between him and his dad.
A few Stormclan cats watched him curiously as he padded around camp, almost giving up on his search until he finally spotted a black and white pelt. He launched over to the cat who was laying under the shade of a small tree.
“Mom?” He mewed, tail raised. Instantly, the head of the cat shot up, and her startling green eyes met his.
“Fishkit!” Dappleclaw exclaimed, surprised. Her tail twitched uncomfortably, and she sat up, trying her best to smile at him.
“I knew it was you!” Fishkit buried his face in her fur, purring.
His mother gently wrapped her tail around him. “How did you get here?” She queered, looking down at her son.
Fishkit showed his pride once again, grinning. “I figured out where you left to, and the leader took me here!”
Dappleclaw frowned. “Why did you come here?”
He tilted his head, confused. “What do you mean? I came here to see you guys!” He jumped to his paws, spinning in a circle once, trying to show his mother how excited he was to be with her again.
“You shouldn’t have come…” She began slowly, “it isn’t the same anymore. You won’t be happy with how things are between me and your father.”
Fishkit sighed. “I know, some Ferretfang tom, right?” He remembered what the Cometclan leader had told him.
Dappleclaw stood up, taken aback. “What? Who told you that?” She hissed defensively, and Fishkit jumped away from her.
“Our old leader told me. It’s true, isn’t it? That’s why you aren’t with Flintscar anymore, right?” Fishkit pestered, frowning.
His mother’s jaw twitched. “He had no right to tell you that.” She snarled, and Fishkit realized how touchy the whole matter was. But he was caught in the middle of it.
“But aren’t you happy I’m here?” He took a step forward.
Dappleclaw’s expression softened. “Of course I’m happy you’re here, Fishkit.” She smiled. “It’s just, don’t mention that anymore… Things are what they are, and there is nothing you can do to change it.”
Fishkit woke up in the big nursery once more, alone. He yawned and stretched, like the usual routine, and padded outside into the morning sunlight. It had been nearly a moon since he had arrived in Stormclan, and it seemed that every day started and ended the same. Wake up, stretch, eat, play, sleep. I’m now almost four moons old! He reminded himself, excited to become an apprentice at six moons.
“Morning, Fishkit!” An elder called from the Elder’s den, smiling at the young kitten.
“Good morning, Twistedfang!” Fishkit purred back, padding to the fresh kill pile stacked beside a tree . The tall palm tree swayed in the center of the camp. He picked up a small mouse and started to nibble on it. I can’t believe I had been missing this all along! He thought to himself, remembering when all he had ever known just a couple of moons ago was milk.
After swallowing the last piece, something unsettled his stomach. He frowned as the pain increased ever-so-slightly. Fishkit stood up wobbly, and let out a loud mew like when he had used to call for Tigerstripe in Cometclan.
“What’s wrong?” Came Twistedfang’s ragged meow from his den.
“I don’t feel good.” Fishkit grumbled, and the elder laughed.
“Oh, you just have a small stomachache!” He wheezed. “Go see Wrentooth in the Medicine-cat den.” He instructed, then lay his head back down and began to snore. Fishkit sat watching the old cat sleep for a few moments, then stood up and padded over to the small Med-den, ears perked.
“Hello? Wrentooth?” He called into the dark bramble den.
“Fishkit?” A tortoiseshell she-cat stepped into the light. “What’s wrong?”
Fishkit let out a small groan. “I have a stomachache.”
Wrentooth lead him into the den, and gestured for him to lay down on a nest made out of moss. Fishkit flopped onto his side, and immediately regretted the motion, and he let out another moan. “Let me grab a few things.” She told him, and disappeared from view, only to reappear a few seconds later.
“Alright. Eat this.” She rolled a juicy bright red berry to him. “It’s a Juniper Berry.” She purred. “Very delicious, so eat it up. It should help the ache a little, but you can have a poppy seed or two for the pain.” The Med-cat slid two small seeds to him.
Fishkit bent his head and lapped up the seeds, then chewed the berry, swallowing loudly, as it was very big to him. “Okay, now what?” He asked, laying his head back down tiredly.
“I don’t think you have a stomachache,” Wrentooth began, “did you just have something to eat?”
The kit nodded vigorously. “Yes, I had a mouse! It was so good!” He purred, remembering the savory taste. But suddenly, the thought of the fresh kill made him sick.
“Did your stomach start hurting after that?”
He nodded once again. “Yes. And it still hurts.” He complained.
Wrentooth nodded. “I see. So, you shouldn’t eat any more fresh kill. You must stick to your diet of milk, just for a few days.” She instructed, and Fishkit sighed.
“But… I love fresh kill!” He whined, then suddenly, found a loophole. “And there aren’t any queens in Stormclan! And my mom doesn’t nurse anymore.”
Wrentooth grinned at him. “Oh you’re wrong there. The herb I have been feeding Dappleclaw to stop the milk hasn’t been working. So go over there and get that mouse un-digested and ask your mother for something to drink!” The Med-cat laughed and shooed him out of the den, giving him some yarrow to help with the regurgitating part.
Fishkit sat on the grass, his brain working. “Get that mouse un-digested”? He wrinkled his nose in disgust. Oh. Great. His stomach pain vanished as soon as he had hacked up the chewed-up prey, and he buried it so nobody had to see it. That over with, he sighed, time to see mom.
Fishkit purred, laying in the nursery and suckling at his mother’s belly. Dappleclaw watched him, the same wonder in her eyes as the day he had been born.
“I so sorry I wasn’t there for you, Fishkit. I had no idea this would happen.” She spoke up finally.
“It’s okay… you’re here now, and that’s all that matters.” He mewed.
Chapter Three
On the move again
Someone nudged him with their paw.
He batted at it, eyes close. “Go away.”
“Fishkit, get up.” Came a she-cat’s hiss, prodding him again.
“Uhhhh.” He sat up sleepily. “What do you want?” He found himself sitting across from the leader of Stormclan. Her white pelt was sleek and freshly groomed, but her expression was concerned.
“It’s your parents.” She explained. “They’re gone.”
Fishkit’s heart skipped a beat. What? Gone? “No, you’re lying!” The young kit snarled defensively. “They wouldn’t have left again.”
His leader bowed her head, sighing deeply. “I’m so sorry. But I’m not lying. I wish I were.” She led him out into the darkness of the night. “I thought I should I talk with you about it, though.”
Fishkit followed, practically blinded by the tears beginning to form in his emerald green eyes. They wouldn’t have left me again. They wouldn’t have. The leader gestured for him to follow her to the camp entrance, then she sat there, making room for him to sit beside her. He obliged and she wrapped her thin white tail around him. It looked deathly pale in the moonlight. A solemn gray warrior guarded camp further away from them, sitting and staring out into the territory.
“I don’t want to be here anymore. If they’re gone, I want to go too.” He hissed. “Where did they go? I’ll follow them! I will!” Fishkit burst out.
The Stormclan leader sighed. “I’m sorry, little one, but nobody knows where they are. Your father was the first one to disappear, then your mother. Nobody has seen them since. We have sent search parties to look throughout the territory, and have even asked our allies if they had been spotted. I wish we could do more, but we can’t.”
Fishkit bowed his head, tears streaming down his face. He tried to hide them, ashamed. “I still can’t stay here. I need to go and find where I belong.” He cried out, scared of what the future held but knowing that his future was no longer in Stormclan.
She nodded, squeezing him once with her tail then letting go. “I trust you. But I don’t want to let a kit go out on his own, and we don’t know where you are trying to go.”
“Neither do I.” Fishkit admitted, then stood up. “But I’ll find out where I need to be. I’ll get there someday. And I need to find it alone.”
She stood up too. “I can’t let you go off on your own.” Her meow was soft but firm.
She had already planned on keeping me in Stormclan. He figured. I must get out of here and find out where I belong…
—Theme Song: The Distance; Hercules—
He lay, quarantined in the nursery, plotting his escape. The warrior that had been assigned to guard the den was the same one who had been guarding the camp two days ago. Fishkit slid into the shadows and finished digging the hole in the bramble wall he had been working on the past few days. It was finally big enough, and he wasted no time. He slipped out silently, his fur snagging and leaving a few small tufts of his gray coat behind.
The hole let out behind the nursery, and he bounded away from the camp as far as he could in his short burst of energy. He flew over the sandy beach and finally came to a stop and leaned against the rocky cliff that rose up above the river. He panted, exhausted, but he knew he was far enough to be out of sight of Stormclan.
The river made a very small amount of noise, so he set his slow pace so that it would make as little sound as possible, becoming masked by the sounds of the water flowing to his left.
Where do I go now? He wondered… suddenly realizing he was slowly losing daylight as the minutes drug on to hours of wandering along the shore.
Suddenly, a heavy weight smashed his muzzle into the sand, muffled his cry of alarm. He thrashed, and finally managed to throw the small body off him. He rolled onto his back, gasping for breath.
“Ha-ha! Got you!” Came a kittens proud mew, and a gray muzzle thrust over him. The kit grinned broadly, then instantly jumped away from him at the sound of another cat’s voice.
“Ivykit! This is the last time I take you out of camp!” The she-cat hissed angrily. “I had to chase after you all the way to the shore! Do you know where we are? We are trespassing!” She added in a hoarse whisper.
“Don’t sweat over it.” Ivykit rolled her eyes. “I just wanted to have a little fun.”
That’s when the warrior she-cat noticed Fishkit, lying on the sand, eyes half closed with exhaustion. “What on earth?” She rushed over to him, and Fishkit tried to get up, but failed. He was bone-weary from his traveling, and hadn’t eaten in many hours. “Are you okay?” Her voice was soft as she helped the kit to his paws.
“No.” He croaked, his voice sounding like a frog.
Ivykit stared at him curiously. “I found him wandering on the beach, Skyfall.” She explained.
Fishkit glared at the gray kit. “And you tackled me.” He hissed, and the other kit shrugged.
Skyfall glared at Ivykit. “You tackled him? Just look at the state he is in!” She snarled, and Fishkit sighed.
“Look, I came from—“ He stopped himself. If they know I ran away from Stormclan, they’ll turn me in! “I come from no clan. I don’t have a home.”
Ivykit spoke up immediately. “He can come join Meadowclan, right Skyfall? Can he? Then I’ll finally be able to play with someone my age! He can come with us, right? Thawstar will let him, right? Will she?” She blundered, almost exploding with excitement.
Fishkit stared at her. A home in a new clan, possibly with a new friend? That would be… AWESOME! He held his tongue though, and waited for the warrior Ivykit called Skyfall to speak.
“Ivykit, I do not have the authority to make that sort of decision.” She explained, but seeing the expression on both of the young kit’s faces, she smiled at them fondly. “But I don’t see why I can’t bring him to camp and ask Thawstar about it.”
“Yes!” Ivykit yowled.
“Yes!” Fishkit yowled too, twirling in a circle and then bouncing on his new friend. “Got you back.”
She hissed and shoved him off with surprising strength. “Ha. In your dreams.”
Skyfall smiled. “Well, looks like you are full of new energy, little kit. You can walk now, then, and follow us to camp?” She queered.
Fishkit nodded. “Yes. And I’m Fishkit, by the way.” He purred.
“Cool!” Ivykit exclaimed. “Then come on, Fishkit! There is no time to waste! Off to camp we gooooo!” The kit marched off towards a pathway that lead up the rocky cliff wall. Fishkit followed suit, and Skyfall took up the rear, shaking her head at the two tiny furballs.
“Maybe Fishkit is exactly what I need…” She thought, remembering how all her life she had dreamed of adopting. Her mate, Kingpelt, would probably want the same: To adopt Fishkit.
Fishkit padded quietly after Skyfall and Ivykit as they led him into their a camp. Many clan cats gathered around and watched with interest as they guided him over to their leader’s den. Fishkit fluffed up his fur against the prying eyes, grumbling.
“It’s okay Fishkit, they’re just curious, that’s all.” Skyfall whispered, then called into the den. “Thawstar? May I have a word?” Suddenly, a tall, mottled gray she-cat stepped out of the den. That must be Thawstar. Fishkit guessed, eyes wide.
“Thawstar.” Skyfall bowed her head respectfully before continuing. “We found this clanless kit… er… by the river.” She explained, not saying exactly where.
Thawstar turned her sharp blue gaze on Fishkit, and smiled. “Hello, young kit. I am Thaw.star.”
Fishkit stared up at her, then stuttered, “I-I’m F-Fishkit.” He gulped. What did I sign myself up for?
The leader purred. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Fishkit. So they say you have no home, is that true?”
The kit nodded.
She grinned. “Then welcome to Meadowclan.” Thawstar exclaimed, loud enough for the gathered cats to hear as well. It seemed the whole clan had come over to welcome Fishkit, and before he knew it he was sitting in the clan nursery.
“That was…” Ivykit began, and Fishkit realized that she was sitting next to him.
“A Disaster.” He finished, feeling overwhelmed.
“An…” Ivykit searched for her words, not seeming to have heard what he had said. She shrugged. “Adventure?”
Fishkit half agreed. “Yes, but a very rowdy one, at that.” He grumbled, and Ivykit thumped him on the back.
“Hey! That’s Meadowclan for you! Always ready to welcome a new cat with open paws. Of course… the fact that you’re a kit helped.” She grinned, and Fishkit grinned back.
“Oh well. I think I’ll like this place though.” He purred. “I need a fresh start.”
Ivykit studied him… but didn’t pry. “Sounds good to me!”
Fishkit knew if he were to continue with his new life, he would need to release his pain. Sorry I let you down. He told Dappleclaw in his head, though he knew she couldn’t hear. I wasn’t good enough. I’m sorry. But I have a new home now, and a new clan. He took and deep breath and searched deeply inside himself… letting go of Flintscar. Letting go of Cometclan and Stormclan. Letting go of Tigerstripe. A piece of Dappleclaw would always remain inside him… as well as the dark cloud of doubt that had threatened to overtake him after his parents had left.
—Theme Song: Let You Down; NF—
Chapter Four
Annoyances
Fishkit bounded across camp, his stubby legs flying as he chased after Ivykit. His thin tail streaked out behind him as he launched into the air, tackling her. She let out a yowl and they tumbled down the hill, only to come to a stop with switched positions. Ivykit grinned down at him, holding the struggling kit down with her paws.
“Ha. Ha. Ha.” She flicked her bushy tail behind her.
“Getofff.” He huffed, and the she-cat rolled away from him, giggling.
“Nice try, Fishy, but you can’t bring me down that easily.” She trotted away towards a thin, tall tree, and he jumped to his paws to follow.
“I will some day.” He grumbled.
Meadowclan was beginning to feel like home, he thought. His friendship with Ivykit had grown and he felt like he finally had a purpose here. The clan was good to him… and he had even been adopted! Skyfall had welcomed him into her paws from day one, and now she had fallen in love with a tomcat, Kingpelt. It was great, Fishkit realized. He now had a mother and father to care for him again. Now five moons old, he was even more anxious for his apprentice ceremony then ever! He wanted to help the clan as best as he could.
“It’s a pretty tall tree, don’t you think?” Ivykit asked, bringing him back to the present. The gray kit stood, staring up into the leaves of the swaying tree.
Fishkit nodded. “Yeah, I guess so.” Then he grinned. “But not too tall for the mighty Fishscales!” He yowled, jumping up and clinging onto the bark. He clawed his way up steadily to the first branch, his thorn sharp claws digging into the wood.
Ivykit began to climb up as well, hissing loudly. “Oh yeah? Well how about the powerful Ivystar!” She yowled, and jumped up onto the next branch.
Fishkit grimaced. Why didn’t I think of being the leader first? He shook his head, then climbed up to the branch higher than Ivykit’s. “Fine! What is our clan then? I’m the deputy!” He called down to her.
Ivykit shot up to the branch even higher than his. “Hmm. We are in Meadowclan, what’s so wrong with that?” She questioned, then watched as he jumped up to the highest branch.
“Ha. Ha. Ha.” He purred. “I beat you to the top!”
The gray kit hissed with frustration, then leapt up beside him. “I’ll get you for that!” She teased, shoving him with one paw.
Fishkit giggled, then suddenly looked behind him. He was on the tip of the highest branch, and the ground seemed very, very far down. At least to a kit. “Let’s go down now.” He suggested, swaying uneasily.
Ivykit frowned. “What, your not scared-are you?” She purred, then pushed him again with one paw. “I need a brave deputy for Meadowclan!” She huffed in a deep voice.
The dapple-gray tomcat began to loose his balance. “Hey!” He hissed, and suddenly, as Ivykit jumped down to the lower branch, his branch wobbled and he slipped off. Ivykit screeched in alarm as he flew down, terrified and eyes closed.
“Are you okay, Fishkit?” Came a worried voice, and he opened his eyes to find himself on Skyfall’s fluffy back.
Fishkit nodded, and rolled off, shaking out his pelt. “Thanks.”
She nodded. “I’m just glad you both are okay.” She glared at the two kits.
Ivykit was standing a little off to one side, and looked at her paws. “Sorry Fishkit.” She mumbled, and Fishkit shrugged.
“It’s okay.” He purred. “Are you still on for leading Meadowclan?” He asked suddenly to change the subject, growing excited to play their game.
Ivykit’s eyes lighted up. “Yes!” She mewed, and pounced onto him. Skyfall shook her head and watched the two dash off to play.
“We’re making a few big changes.” Thawstar explained, standing on the highrock. Meadowclan was gathered below her, and Fishkit was sitting by the nursery with Ivykit, listening in curiously.
“As some of you already know, many clans know the location of our camp. And there have been quite a few trespassers.” She continued, and many murmurs of agreement rippled through the crowd. Fishkit nodded, remembering the strange cats who had come by the camp a few days ago. “And I have been deeply considering moving camps, as well as territory.”
The cats below were silent. Most of them probably agreed, the dapple-gray kit concluded. Thawstar leapt down from the highrock. “I have already made the arrangements, and our deputies have already found the perfect camp.” She explained, her tail high as she gestured for the clan to follow her out of camp. “We are planning to move in quickly, but quietly. We don’t wan’t anyone to know where we will be moving to.”
“Kingpelt, take someone with you to scout ahead. We wan’t to make sure the new camp is safe before we take the rest of the clan in.” Thawstar ordered, and sat down in the grass near camp. The rest of the clan settled to wait as Fishpaw’s adoptive father picked another warrior and disappeared from view.
“Thawstar?” Came Skyfall’s voice, and Fishkit’s head lifted, ears perked with interest. “Where exactly is our new camp?”
“Hello Skyfall.” Thawstar dipped her head, curling her tail over her paws. “The new camp? We will have a section of the those mountains up there.” She gestured with her tail to the tall mountain range north of them. “Our camp will lie there. As for the rest of the territory…” The leader thought for a moment. “We might keep Birch Hill still, but I think we will drop these acres where our old camp is. Instead, there are some fields at the foot of the mountain that will serve a purpose.”
Skyfall thought things over in her head. “Alright.” She nodded. “Thank you, Thawstar. I trust you.” She padded away and sat near some of the elders, beginning to chat.
Fishkit rested his head on his paws when suddenly…
“Hey, Fishbrain!”
The kit rolled his green eyes, sighing. Oh great. Him again. “What do you want, Stonekit?” He snarled, whipping around to face the whiteish gray prankster that stood behind him. The two kits had hated each-other from the moment Fishkit first joined Meadowclan. And it didn’t help that Stonekit always bragged about being older, and how he was supposed to have already had his apprentice ceremony.
Stonekit’s ears flattened. “It’s not fair how your treated like the little prince. I was here first.” He hissed. “And I’m tired of you getting in my way!”
Fishkit spat at him, tail lashing. “I’ll show you how a little prince fights!” He launched at him and the two kits became engaged in a fierce wrestling match.
“Stonekit! Fishkit! Cut it out!” Ivykit snarled, coming up behind them. The two ignored her and tumbled around, bumping into some of the other clan-mates around them.
“You’ll be crowfood by the time I’m finished with you!” Stonekit yowled.
“Oh yeah? You’re already crowfood!” Fishkit yowled back, biting his ear.
“Get-OFF!” Stonekit twitched his head, his ear nicked. He rolled onto his back, crushing Fishkit underneath him.
Fishkit gasped for air. Then, he squirmed into a set position. “I may be tiny!” He shouted. “But I’m stronger than you!” He spat, using all his strength to throw Stonekit into the air with his hind legs. The whiteish kit thudded onto the ground beside him, and Fishkit jumped to his paws, side heaving. Ivykit stared with her mouth open, and Stonekit sat up, a scowl on his face.
“Get lost, Fishdrool!” He spat, then padded away angrily.
Fishkit flopped onto the ground, exhausted. Ivykit sighed and sat beside him. “Why do we have to fight all the time?” He grumbled.
Ivykit’s ears twitched as she looked down at him. “Why don’t you be the first to apologize. Even though that Birdbrain doesn’t deserve it.” She laughed, and Fishkit grinned.
“I’ll try it your way, but if all I get is a black-eye,” He slid a paw over her throat playfull. “Your dead.”
Ivykit shrugged. “Like you’d ever be able to catch me. But sure, if that’s what you need, go for it.” She stood up and trotted away, tail high.
Fishkit stared after her and sighed… then shook his head. He stood up and searched for Stonekit.
The new camp was amazing! It was better protected and was uphill, so in a fight, they would have the advantage. There was even a large flat rock that many of the clan lounged on in the heat of the afternoon. Fishkit especially liked the spacey yet completely covered nursery. It had a small entrance and there were many comfortable nests the apprentices had lined with feathers.
Life was good. Especially since he and Stonekit had been avoiding each other rather than fighting each other. They kept their distance, and that was all Fishkit ever wanted.
Just as he was thinking about how great things were, his world flipped upside down. Just two kits: Lostkit and Fawnkit. They became his immediate enemies. No matter how hard Fishkit tried to be kind to them, they turned him down with a sneer. They both hid away from everyone, hating the rest of the clan. They always talked about their dead parents, and acted like nobody understood how they felt. They didn’t listen to anyone, not even the warriors. And they talked back to their own leader.
“Well they can hide away and be nasty as long as they like, just as long as they stay away from me.” Fishkit retorted one day to Ivykit, after a bad encounter with the two bullies.
Ivykit sighed. “Same here. I try to be nice, but it’s like they don’t want us to be nice. They just want the whole clan dead, from how they act. And Lostkit won’t stop jabbering about his sister becoming a leader one day.” She growled, annoyed. “Like they would actually care. They don’t even care about the clan that they live in. The one that protects and feeds them!”
Fishkit nodded in agreement, then tilted his head. “But I can’t figure out Fawnkit. Sometimes it seems like she is just following her brother’s lead. He hates us, so she backs him and hates us, too. I think they truly despise us, but I wonder if Fawnkit would be different if her brother wasn’t around.” He explained, and Ivykit nodded.
“Probably.” She mewed, then they both silenced themselves suddenly, hearing a noise outside. Their heads craned to the entrance of the nursery. There, they spotted Lostkit and Fawnkit padding up the hill and to the den. Lostkit spotted them, and scowled.
“Let’s find somewhere without these two.” He hissed, and stalked away.
Fawnkit glared and Fishkit and Ivykit, then padded after her brother.
“Yep. They hate us.” Fishkit mewed.
“Totally.” She agreed.
Chapter Five
Heartbreak and a puppy fight
“No! You’re lying!” Fishkit cried before bolting out of the nursery and past Kingpelt. Skyfall is not dead. He told himself furiously, pelting through the camp. His eyes began to cloud with blinding tears and suddenly he thudded into a large figure.
“What do you want, Fishbrains?” Stonekit growled, shoving the other kit off him.
“Sorry..” Fishkit mumbled quietly, trying to force back the tears. He hopped back up and slipped by him.
“Are you crying?” Came a sudden retort from the bully.
Fishkit hissed angrily but did not stop. He didn’t want to believe Kingpelt, but curiosity was overriding him. He slipped over to hide behind a tree that was beside the Medicine Cat den. He peered around it and felt his breath catch in his throat.
“No…”
There she was, still with the beautiful white fur and gentle blue eyes, but they now stared at nothing. Blank. Dull. Lifeless. She was sprawled in front of the den with a ragged circle of clanmates around her. Kingpelt joined them, and Thawstar stepped forward with a solemn look on her face.
“Skyfall!” Fishkit cried out, and this time couldn’t stop the tears. He padded forward, and the other cats parted to make room.
“Fishkit…” Kingpelt trailed off. He didn’t know the little dapple-grey kit well. He was usually out hunting or hanging with the other warriors.
Fishy pushed Skyfall with one trembling paw. “Wake up.” He whispered. He pushed again. “Wake up.”
“Fishkit.” Thawstar meowed in a voice almost quieter then a whisper. “She’s gone.” She stepped forward to comfort the kit, but Fishy was near breaking point.
“Wake up!” He shoved Skyfall’s dead body, and the shecat’s limp eyelids slid down over her blue eyes. Fishy felt numb and alone again. He wished Ivykit was here. He couldn’t find her at all that morning… His world had started to cave in on him little by little.
“Fishkit.” Stonekit padded forward, a little uncertain. For once, there wasn’t anything harsh in his tone. Just pity. Fishkit didn’t want pity. He didn’t want anyone’s pity. He didn’t need anyone.
“You’re crowfood, Stonekit!” Fishkit yowled suddenly, leaping up and twisting in the air to tackle the grey kit.
“Getoff!” Stonekit snarled, scoring his claws over Fishy’s ears. Fishkit launched forward and gave him a bite on the shoulder to remember.
“Break it up!” Thawstar’s voice boomed, and she was suddenly beside them. She flung them apart.
“Fishkit! We know you’re having a hard time right now, but you do not take it out on your clanmates, got it?” Thawstar growled, and Fishkit stood up, his lowered.
“Whatever.” Then he turned and bounded out of camp, ears pressed against the sides of his head. The others watched him leave, and one of the warriors was about to slip out after him when Thawstar shook her head.
“Leave him.” She meowed simply.
“Won’t he be late for the apprentice ceremony tonight?” Stonekit asked curiously, picking himself off the ground.
“He’s been talking about it none stop for moons, I’m sure he’ll be here.” Thawstar replied curtly before padding away. A few warriors stepped forward and carried Skyfall’s body out, one of them being Kingpelt. They would bury her, and her mate would most likely sit vigil at her grave the whole night.
It was dusk by the time Fishkit stopped running. He had gotten far enough in his mind, and was now dully wandering through the glades, straying towards the old track by the mountains.It was surrounded by a tall black fence with many holes throughout.
He stopped suddenly when a small shadow bolted past him. Fishkit turned in surprise, and all a dark figure prowling in the shade of a nearby tree. He narrowed his eyes and, feeling angry, launched at it. Before he could touch whatever it was, it leapt out at him and they collided in mid-air. This creature was heavier, and landed roughly atop the kitten.
“Hey, get off!” Fishkit yowled, squirming as the animal sat up.
It barked and Fishy froze. It’s a dog!! The puppy growled and leaned its drooling face over the kit’s. Fishkit groaned and with the help of the slobber, slipped out of the dog’s grip.
He backed away, but was still feeling that furious energy coursing through him. Fishy bounded forward and leapt up at the puppy, biting fiercely into its shoulder. It cried out and immediately had it’s sharp jaws locked on the kits shoulder. And so it went, back and forth, for quite some time, until the puppy was weary of the game and Fishkit’s left shoulder was drenched in blood.
The puppy at just finished shaking the brains out of Fishkit when it’s twoleg called it. It bounced off him and bounded away towards the sound. Fishkit whimpered quietly, barely able to walk. He suddenly remembered the apprentice ceremony… and swiftly pulled himself together. He was able to make it back to camp pretty quick considering his wounded shoulder.
When he arrived, the ceremony was almost over, and Stonekit, now Stonepaw, was already hopping down from the High Rock to join the other new apprentices. Fishkit quickly padded below the rock, and stared expectantly up at the leader.
“Fishkit.” Thawstar meowed, not the least bit of surprise in her voice. “Come join me.” It was custom that the apprentice climbed up to joined Thawstar at the top, probably because the rock was more like a cliff.
Fishkit limped on up, yet still nobody noticed his shoulder. Things Fishkit did often went unnoticed… he went unnoticed.
Thawstar continued. “Fishkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Fishpaw. Your mentor with be Iceriver. I hope Iceriver will pass down all he knows on to you.” She spoke the traditional words, then called Iceriver up as well.
“Iceriver, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Hawkwing, and you have shown yourself to be stern when necessary, and gentle when needed. You will be the mentor of Fishpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Fishpaw.”
Iceriver leaned down and touched noses with tiny Fishpaw, and the new apprentice withdrew rather quickly, feeling a sharp pain in his shoulder.
“I am very honored to have these new apprentices in the clan.” Thawstar went on. “Clan dismissed.” Then she turned and disappeared into her den.
Okay, so I’m Fishpaw. Now what? No Skyfall. No Ivykit… wait! She was supposed to be here!
Fishpaw followed Thawstar into her den. The leader turned around in surprise.
“What is it, Fishpaw?”
“Where is Ivykit? She was supposed to be here becoming an apprentice just like everyone else.” Fishpaw meowed flatly, tired from all the blood loss by now. The bleeding had finally stopped, but he felt drained.
“Fishpaw, I hate to tell you this, but I can’t lie to your face.” Thawstar sighed. “Ivykit ran away last night.”
“What?!” Fishpaw gaped. “She was in the nursery with all the other kits last night, not running away!”
“But she did, Fishpaw. We chased her as far as we could, but there was a twoleg and… She’s probably somewhere in a monster by now. I wish I could do more, but we have no power against the twolegs and their territory.”
“But you have to!” Fishpaw cried, more tears streaking down his face. His eyes should be incredibly dry by now.
“Fishpaw, I don’t know what to tell you.” His leader sat down with exhaustion, sighing deeply.
“Forget it.” Fishpaw sniffed, and dragged himself out of the den. He sat in the apprentices den, away from the others in a far corner, and eventually fell asleep. Worst. Day. Ever.
But that wasn’t true either. There would be an even worse one to come.
To be continued…
Fishkit (evilness: 15%)
:::book 1:::
"When you can’t fight the darkness within you… do you just give in?"
Disclaimer:
This story is based on the true events of the life of Fishpaw. The main events that happen are true. But some of this story is filler, and the names of some of his previous leaders were not included because I forgot
. Also, some characters are fake characters, such as;Tigerstripe—Fishpaw’s older-sister-figure
Twistedfang—An elder
Wrentooth—An elder
Hawkwing—Iceriver’s mentor
Enjoy
Prologue
I’m alive
Dappleclaw panted, her face pale and her fur plastered to her skin from the perspiration. The nursery seemed crowded and stuffy, though the only cats inside besides herself was Flintscar and the medicine cat. Her green eyes showed her pain and she let out a long whimper as her whole body suddenly shuddered.
“Your doing good! Just one more push…” Came the med-cat’s voice above the small wails from Dappleclaw. She obliged, and then let out a piercing yowl as her black and white pelt shuddered once more and a small bundle of slimy fur slid onto the ground. The med-cat rushed over and picked up the newborn kit, carrying it to the queen.
“Lick.” She ordered, and Dappleclaw began to run her tongue over the small sack, and soon the cry of a kit was heard throughout the den. Her mate, Flintscar, breathed a sigh of relief and began to purr, licking Dappleclaw’s ears affectionately.
“It’s a tom-cat.” Dappleclaw breathed, eyes wide with wonder as she looked down at her new responsibility.
“I will give you both some time.” The med-cat purred, and squeezed out of the small opening in the den.
“He’s so little.” Flintscar examined the kitten.
“Well how big do you expect a newborn to be?” Dappleclaw shot back at him sarcastically, and her mate grinned. She stopped licking the tiny kit and began to inspect his coat. “He looks to be a dapple-gray color. Nothing like your pelt, or mine.” She commented, gesturing to Flintscar’s mottled brown fur with her long tail.
He shrugged. “Well, what do you think we should name him?”
Dappleclaw stared hard at the kit for a few moments. “Fishkit.” She decided. “His name is Fishkit.”
Flintscar smiled. “Alright, Fishkit it is.” Then he glanced sidelong at Dappleclaw. “You’ve been through a lot, are you feeling up to some prey?” She nodded vigorously and he slipped out of the den to go and fetch something for them to share.
Dappleclaw stretched out and put the kit in between her paws, resting her chin on his small body. The kit let out a mew and struggled to move. She purred and lifted her head, picking him up by the scruff and placing him beside her stomach. Fishkit wiggled as close as he could get and began to drink her milk. Dappleclaw’s purrs grew louder as she looked down at her new son, and began wondering what his future held.
Flintscar appeared at the entrance to the nursery with a fat squirrel in his jaws. He padded over and lay on the other side of his mate and set the fresh kill down. “Bon appetit!” He grinned and waited until Dappleclaw had eaten all that she could before finishing it off for her.
“You know,” she purred, “Fishkit will love it here, I just know it.”
Chapter One
Fishkit
Fishkit yawned, waking up alone in the quiet nursery. He stood up as best as he could and stretched. He wobbled to the den entrance and sat in the sunlight, purring. His emerald green eyes scanned the camp curiously. Up to the left he spotted a small den where cats older then him lounged lazily, sharing tongues. He looked straight ahead of him and glimpsed a high cliff, where a big tomcat lay, one of his paws hanging over the edge as he watched down below. A few more dens spotted the camp sporadically and many cats older then the ones he had seen first padded into camp, fresh kill hanging from their jaws. I’ve never been out here before. He reminded himself, and then pounced fully out of the den with a new adventurous light in his eyes. No more then a few seconds had passed when he felt himself rise of the ground. He squealed and thrashed, and the cat holding him let out a snort of laughter as it carried him back into the nursery.
“Now, where do you think you are going, Fishkit?” The feline purred, sitting in front of him.
He slumped his shoulders and sat down as well. “Aw, I just wanted to go outside!” He mewed defensively.
The orange tabby’s whiskers twitched with amusement. “You aren’t allowed to go out without someone watching you, remember.”
Fishkit jumped to his paws. “Oh please, Tigerstripe, can you come with me?” He begged, flopping at the paws of the tall she-cat.
The warrior shook her head. “No, Fishkit. I told you already. I have to hunt for the clan. Cometclan has been short on prey, and if we don’t stock up before leaf-bare, we will starve!” She told him sternly.
“But…” He began slowly. “But then mom and dad can come back now, right? They can come home now and watch me, right?”
Tigerstripe’s expression turned grave and she glanced down at her paws. “No. They aren’t coming back, Fishkit.” She whispered.
The three moon old kit stared up at her defiantly. “No, you're wrong! You’re lying!” He hissed, desperation filling his voice. “They will come back for me! They didn’t forget about me!” He yowled and then jumped past Tigerstripe, sprinting away from the nursery as fast as his stubby legs would carry him. He skidded in the sand and sat at the river’s edge, staring into the water, fuming. Tigerstripe started after him, stopped, and then padded away, head down. The rest of the clan avoided him for the rest of the morning and he stayed by the riverbank.
“They love me. They love me. They love me.” Fishkit repeated over and over, eyes starting to sting at the reality. His reflection in the water rippled and the image was distorted from the current. A drop of liquid fell from his face and landed into the water, making his mirrored face even more unrecognizable.
Suddenly, he realized someone was sitting beside of him. He did not know how long they had been there, and shame flooded over him. “What do you want.” He mewed, his tail lashing back and forth behind him.
“I know you are going through a hard time. It has affected all of us, but I wanted you to understand that you aren’t alone. You have your whole clan here with you.” The cat began, and Fishkit recognized him as the leader of Cometclan. He had stopped by the nursery before when he was younger.
“They aren’t coming back, are they?”
“I guess you deserve to know.” Shiverstar curled his fluffy tail around Fishkit and began, “your mother, Dappleclaw, left about the same time as your father. We don’t know what happened, but your dad Flintscar and your mother aren’t together anymore, if you can understand what that means. Something about another tomcat. Ferretfang.”
Fishkit nodded. Ferretfang. He repeated in his head, eyes narrowed. He understood perfectly what that meant.
The big tomcat studied him briefly before continuing. “I don’t know why they didn’t take you…” He trailed off, noticing how the words were like sharp claws piercing Fishkit. He rushed into the next sentence. “But I do know they loved you very much. They will never stop loving you, even from afar.” He looked intensely at the young kit for a long moment, then stood up to leave.
“Where did they go?” Fishkit spoke up suddenly, turning to face his leader with his startling green eyes. “They left, you said, so where did they leave to?”
The leader searched Fishkits eyes, like he was looking for something before he could continue. He must have found it, because he said, “Stormclan.” He meowed. “The last I heard is that they are both in Stormclan now.”
“Fishkit…”
Fishkit sat bolt upright in the nursery. He blinked in the sunlight streaming through the entrance.
“Fishkit.” Came Tigerstripe’s voice again, and the sleek feline padded inside the den. “It’s time to go.”
It hit him suddenly. I’m finally going to see my parents again! I’m going to Stormclan! He jumped up excitedly, spinning in a circle once then hopping energetically after Tigerstripe as she leaded him to the camp clearing. She turned to face him and licked his ears affectionately. “I’m going to miss you, little fish.” She purred, but it choked up in her throat. “Don’t forget me, okay?” She asked him, her voice thick with emotion.
Fishkit stretched up on his hind legs and rubbed his small head under her chin, purring. “Never.” He mewed.
The Shiverstar padded over to them suddenly. “Are you ready, Fishkit?” He asked, head tilted.
Fishkit licked Tigerstripe then padded swiftly over to his leader, afraid if he stayed any longer with his mother-like figure he might never leave. “I’m ready.” He mewed bravely.
“Alright, lets get moving then.” The tall tomcat padded towards the camp exit, Fishkit scampering after him. Curious clanmates watched, eyes wide, as they slowly disappeared from view, away from Birch Hill and Cometclan territory, and to Pony Point, where Stormclan lie.
Chapter Two
Sunlight wafted into the large nursery, and the big opening let in the warmth of the morning sun. Fishkit yawned, and sat up, his kitten fur messy. He licked his paw and drew it over his ear and face a couple of times, trying to make his coat glossy again.
With a groomed coat, Fishkit padded lightly out of the den, head and tail high. It was a new day, a new camp, a new clan! He would be able to see his parents and meet new cats! The day couldn’t get much more exciting then that!
“Fishkit?”
Fishkit craned his head to the left and spotted a very familiar, tall, mottled brown tomcat standing in the camp entrance. Flintscar stared at him, shocked, and Fishkit let out a yowl and barreled into him, almost knocking the warrior down.
“Flintscar!” Fishkit mewed with joy, eyes glistening and rubbing against his dad, purring.
Flintscar stared down at him, then began to purr as well. “Fishkit! I can’t believe it! How did you get here?”
Fishkit sat back, gazing up at his father with pride. He puffed out his chest and mewed, “I found out you guys were in Stormclan! So here I am!” He tried to jump up on his dads head but ended up flopping backwards and flipping over onto his back. He grinned. “So Where’s mom?”
His father’s purring stifled and he was silent. He rolled Fishkit over with his paw. “You are so brave to have come all the way here.” He praised, but the kit’s head was still tilted.
“Where is she, though?” Fishkit dismissed the praise, anxious to see his mother.
“I don’t know, probably sulking off in some corner of the camp.” Flintscar hissed with such resentment that Fishkit was taken aback.
The young kit flattened his ears at the tension that suddenly flared to life in his father. “Okay, I’ll go look for her.” He padded away quickly, now anxious to put a few tail lengths between him and his dad.
A few Stormclan cats watched him curiously as he padded around camp, almost giving up on his search until he finally spotted a black and white pelt. He launched over to the cat who was laying under the shade of a small tree.
“Mom?” He mewed, tail raised. Instantly, the head of the cat shot up, and her startling green eyes met his.
“Fishkit!” Dappleclaw exclaimed, surprised. Her tail twitched uncomfortably, and she sat up, trying her best to smile at him.
“I knew it was you!” Fishkit buried his face in her fur, purring.
His mother gently wrapped her tail around him. “How did you get here?” She queered, looking down at her son.
Fishkit showed his pride once again, grinning. “I figured out where you left to, and the leader took me here!”
Dappleclaw frowned. “Why did you come here?”
He tilted his head, confused. “What do you mean? I came here to see you guys!” He jumped to his paws, spinning in a circle once, trying to show his mother how excited he was to be with her again.
“You shouldn’t have come…” She began slowly, “it isn’t the same anymore. You won’t be happy with how things are between me and your father.”
Fishkit sighed. “I know, some Ferretfang tom, right?” He remembered what the Cometclan leader had told him.
Dappleclaw stood up, taken aback. “What? Who told you that?” She hissed defensively, and Fishkit jumped away from her.
“Our old leader told me. It’s true, isn’t it? That’s why you aren’t with Flintscar anymore, right?” Fishkit pestered, frowning.
His mother’s jaw twitched. “He had no right to tell you that.” She snarled, and Fishkit realized how touchy the whole matter was. But he was caught in the middle of it.
“But aren’t you happy I’m here?” He took a step forward.
Dappleclaw’s expression softened. “Of course I’m happy you’re here, Fishkit.” She smiled. “It’s just, don’t mention that anymore… Things are what they are, and there is nothing you can do to change it.”
Fishkit woke up in the big nursery once more, alone. He yawned and stretched, like the usual routine, and padded outside into the morning sunlight. It had been nearly a moon since he had arrived in Stormclan, and it seemed that every day started and ended the same. Wake up, stretch, eat, play, sleep. I’m now almost four moons old! He reminded himself, excited to become an apprentice at six moons.
“Morning, Fishkit!” An elder called from the Elder’s den, smiling at the young kitten.
“Good morning, Twistedfang!” Fishkit purred back, padding to the fresh kill pile stacked beside a tree . The tall palm tree swayed in the center of the camp. He picked up a small mouse and started to nibble on it. I can’t believe I had been missing this all along! He thought to himself, remembering when all he had ever known just a couple of moons ago was milk.
After swallowing the last piece, something unsettled his stomach. He frowned as the pain increased ever-so-slightly. Fishkit stood up wobbly, and let out a loud mew like when he had used to call for Tigerstripe in Cometclan.
“What’s wrong?” Came Twistedfang’s ragged meow from his den.
“I don’t feel good.” Fishkit grumbled, and the elder laughed.
“Oh, you just have a small stomachache!” He wheezed. “Go see Wrentooth in the Medicine-cat den.” He instructed, then lay his head back down and began to snore. Fishkit sat watching the old cat sleep for a few moments, then stood up and padded over to the small Med-den, ears perked.
“Hello? Wrentooth?” He called into the dark bramble den.
“Fishkit?” A tortoiseshell she-cat stepped into the light. “What’s wrong?”
Fishkit let out a small groan. “I have a stomachache.”
Wrentooth lead him into the den, and gestured for him to lay down on a nest made out of moss. Fishkit flopped onto his side, and immediately regretted the motion, and he let out another moan. “Let me grab a few things.” She told him, and disappeared from view, only to reappear a few seconds later.
“Alright. Eat this.” She rolled a juicy bright red berry to him. “It’s a Juniper Berry.” She purred. “Very delicious, so eat it up. It should help the ache a little, but you can have a poppy seed or two for the pain.” The Med-cat slid two small seeds to him.
Fishkit bent his head and lapped up the seeds, then chewed the berry, swallowing loudly, as it was very big to him. “Okay, now what?” He asked, laying his head back down tiredly.
“I don’t think you have a stomachache,” Wrentooth began, “did you just have something to eat?”
The kit nodded vigorously. “Yes, I had a mouse! It was so good!” He purred, remembering the savory taste. But suddenly, the thought of the fresh kill made him sick.
“Did your stomach start hurting after that?”
He nodded once again. “Yes. And it still hurts.” He complained.
Wrentooth nodded. “I see. So, you shouldn’t eat any more fresh kill. You must stick to your diet of milk, just for a few days.” She instructed, and Fishkit sighed.
“But… I love fresh kill!” He whined, then suddenly, found a loophole. “And there aren’t any queens in Stormclan! And my mom doesn’t nurse anymore.”
Wrentooth grinned at him. “Oh you’re wrong there. The herb I have been feeding Dappleclaw to stop the milk hasn’t been working. So go over there and get that mouse un-digested and ask your mother for something to drink!” The Med-cat laughed and shooed him out of the den, giving him some yarrow to help with the regurgitating part.
Fishkit sat on the grass, his brain working. “Get that mouse un-digested”? He wrinkled his nose in disgust. Oh. Great. His stomach pain vanished as soon as he had hacked up the chewed-up prey, and he buried it so nobody had to see it. That over with, he sighed, time to see mom.
Fishkit purred, laying in the nursery and suckling at his mother’s belly. Dappleclaw watched him, the same wonder in her eyes as the day he had been born.
“I so sorry I wasn’t there for you, Fishkit. I had no idea this would happen.” She spoke up finally.
“It’s okay… you’re here now, and that’s all that matters.” He mewed.
Chapter Three
On the move again
Someone nudged him with their paw.
He batted at it, eyes close. “Go away.”
“Fishkit, get up.” Came a she-cat’s hiss, prodding him again.
“Uhhhh.” He sat up sleepily. “What do you want?” He found himself sitting across from the leader of Stormclan. Her white pelt was sleek and freshly groomed, but her expression was concerned.
“It’s your parents.” She explained. “They’re gone.”
Fishkit’s heart skipped a beat. What? Gone? “No, you’re lying!” The young kit snarled defensively. “They wouldn’t have left again.”
His leader bowed her head, sighing deeply. “I’m so sorry. But I’m not lying. I wish I were.” She led him out into the darkness of the night. “I thought I should I talk with you about it, though.”
Fishkit followed, practically blinded by the tears beginning to form in his emerald green eyes. They wouldn’t have left me again. They wouldn’t have. The leader gestured for him to follow her to the camp entrance, then she sat there, making room for him to sit beside her. He obliged and she wrapped her thin white tail around him. It looked deathly pale in the moonlight. A solemn gray warrior guarded camp further away from them, sitting and staring out into the territory.
“I don’t want to be here anymore. If they’re gone, I want to go too.” He hissed. “Where did they go? I’ll follow them! I will!” Fishkit burst out.
The Stormclan leader sighed. “I’m sorry, little one, but nobody knows where they are. Your father was the first one to disappear, then your mother. Nobody has seen them since. We have sent search parties to look throughout the territory, and have even asked our allies if they had been spotted. I wish we could do more, but we can’t.”
Fishkit bowed his head, tears streaming down his face. He tried to hide them, ashamed. “I still can’t stay here. I need to go and find where I belong.” He cried out, scared of what the future held but knowing that his future was no longer in Stormclan.
She nodded, squeezing him once with her tail then letting go. “I trust you. But I don’t want to let a kit go out on his own, and we don’t know where you are trying to go.”
“Neither do I.” Fishkit admitted, then stood up. “But I’ll find out where I need to be. I’ll get there someday. And I need to find it alone.”
She stood up too. “I can’t let you go off on your own.” Her meow was soft but firm.
She had already planned on keeping me in Stormclan. He figured. I must get out of here and find out where I belong…
—Theme Song: The Distance; Hercules—
He lay, quarantined in the nursery, plotting his escape. The warrior that had been assigned to guard the den was the same one who had been guarding the camp two days ago. Fishkit slid into the shadows and finished digging the hole in the bramble wall he had been working on the past few days. It was finally big enough, and he wasted no time. He slipped out silently, his fur snagging and leaving a few small tufts of his gray coat behind.
The hole let out behind the nursery, and he bounded away from the camp as far as he could in his short burst of energy. He flew over the sandy beach and finally came to a stop and leaned against the rocky cliff that rose up above the river. He panted, exhausted, but he knew he was far enough to be out of sight of Stormclan.
The river made a very small amount of noise, so he set his slow pace so that it would make as little sound as possible, becoming masked by the sounds of the water flowing to his left.
Where do I go now? He wondered… suddenly realizing he was slowly losing daylight as the minutes drug on to hours of wandering along the shore.
Suddenly, a heavy weight smashed his muzzle into the sand, muffled his cry of alarm. He thrashed, and finally managed to throw the small body off him. He rolled onto his back, gasping for breath.
“Ha-ha! Got you!” Came a kittens proud mew, and a gray muzzle thrust over him. The kit grinned broadly, then instantly jumped away from him at the sound of another cat’s voice.
“Ivykit! This is the last time I take you out of camp!” The she-cat hissed angrily. “I had to chase after you all the way to the shore! Do you know where we are? We are trespassing!” She added in a hoarse whisper.
“Don’t sweat over it.” Ivykit rolled her eyes. “I just wanted to have a little fun.”
That’s when the warrior she-cat noticed Fishkit, lying on the sand, eyes half closed with exhaustion. “What on earth?” She rushed over to him, and Fishkit tried to get up, but failed. He was bone-weary from his traveling, and hadn’t eaten in many hours. “Are you okay?” Her voice was soft as she helped the kit to his paws.
“No.” He croaked, his voice sounding like a frog.
Ivykit stared at him curiously. “I found him wandering on the beach, Skyfall.” She explained.
Fishkit glared at the gray kit. “And you tackled me.” He hissed, and the other kit shrugged.
Skyfall glared at Ivykit. “You tackled him? Just look at the state he is in!” She snarled, and Fishkit sighed.
“Look, I came from—“ He stopped himself. If they know I ran away from Stormclan, they’ll turn me in! “I come from no clan. I don’t have a home.”
Ivykit spoke up immediately. “He can come join Meadowclan, right Skyfall? Can he? Then I’ll finally be able to play with someone my age! He can come with us, right? Thawstar will let him, right? Will she?” She blundered, almost exploding with excitement.
Fishkit stared at her. A home in a new clan, possibly with a new friend? That would be… AWESOME! He held his tongue though, and waited for the warrior Ivykit called Skyfall to speak.
“Ivykit, I do not have the authority to make that sort of decision.” She explained, but seeing the expression on both of the young kit’s faces, she smiled at them fondly. “But I don’t see why I can’t bring him to camp and ask Thawstar about it.”
“Yes!” Ivykit yowled.
“Yes!” Fishkit yowled too, twirling in a circle and then bouncing on his new friend. “Got you back.”
She hissed and shoved him off with surprising strength. “Ha. In your dreams.”
Skyfall smiled. “Well, looks like you are full of new energy, little kit. You can walk now, then, and follow us to camp?” She queered.
Fishkit nodded. “Yes. And I’m Fishkit, by the way.” He purred.
“Cool!” Ivykit exclaimed. “Then come on, Fishkit! There is no time to waste! Off to camp we gooooo!” The kit marched off towards a pathway that lead up the rocky cliff wall. Fishkit followed suit, and Skyfall took up the rear, shaking her head at the two tiny furballs.
“Maybe Fishkit is exactly what I need…” She thought, remembering how all her life she had dreamed of adopting. Her mate, Kingpelt, would probably want the same: To adopt Fishkit.
Fishkit padded quietly after Skyfall and Ivykit as they led him into their a camp. Many clan cats gathered around and watched with interest as they guided him over to their leader’s den. Fishkit fluffed up his fur against the prying eyes, grumbling.
“It’s okay Fishkit, they’re just curious, that’s all.” Skyfall whispered, then called into the den. “Thawstar? May I have a word?” Suddenly, a tall, mottled gray she-cat stepped out of the den. That must be Thawstar. Fishkit guessed, eyes wide.
“Thawstar.” Skyfall bowed her head respectfully before continuing. “We found this clanless kit… er… by the river.” She explained, not saying exactly where.
Thawstar turned her sharp blue gaze on Fishkit, and smiled. “Hello, young kit. I am Thaw.star.”
Fishkit stared up at her, then stuttered, “I-I’m F-Fishkit.” He gulped. What did I sign myself up for?
The leader purred. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Fishkit. So they say you have no home, is that true?”
The kit nodded.
She grinned. “Then welcome to Meadowclan.” Thawstar exclaimed, loud enough for the gathered cats to hear as well. It seemed the whole clan had come over to welcome Fishkit, and before he knew it he was sitting in the clan nursery.
“That was…” Ivykit began, and Fishkit realized that she was sitting next to him.
“A Disaster.” He finished, feeling overwhelmed.
“An…” Ivykit searched for her words, not seeming to have heard what he had said. She shrugged. “Adventure?”
Fishkit half agreed. “Yes, but a very rowdy one, at that.” He grumbled, and Ivykit thumped him on the back.
“Hey! That’s Meadowclan for you! Always ready to welcome a new cat with open paws. Of course… the fact that you’re a kit helped.” She grinned, and Fishkit grinned back.
“Oh well. I think I’ll like this place though.” He purred. “I need a fresh start.”
Ivykit studied him… but didn’t pry. “Sounds good to me!”
Fishkit knew if he were to continue with his new life, he would need to release his pain. Sorry I let you down. He told Dappleclaw in his head, though he knew she couldn’t hear. I wasn’t good enough. I’m sorry. But I have a new home now, and a new clan. He took and deep breath and searched deeply inside himself… letting go of Flintscar. Letting go of Cometclan and Stormclan. Letting go of Tigerstripe. A piece of Dappleclaw would always remain inside him… as well as the dark cloud of doubt that had threatened to overtake him after his parents had left.
—Theme Song: Let You Down; NF—
Chapter Four
Annoyances
Fishkit bounded across camp, his stubby legs flying as he chased after Ivykit. His thin tail streaked out behind him as he launched into the air, tackling her. She let out a yowl and they tumbled down the hill, only to come to a stop with switched positions. Ivykit grinned down at him, holding the struggling kit down with her paws.
“Ha. Ha. Ha.” She flicked her bushy tail behind her.
“Getofff.” He huffed, and the she-cat rolled away from him, giggling.
“Nice try, Fishy, but you can’t bring me down that easily.” She trotted away towards a thin, tall tree, and he jumped to his paws to follow.
“I will some day.” He grumbled.
Meadowclan was beginning to feel like home, he thought. His friendship with Ivykit had grown and he felt like he finally had a purpose here. The clan was good to him… and he had even been adopted! Skyfall had welcomed him into her paws from day one, and now she had fallen in love with a tomcat, Kingpelt. It was great, Fishkit realized. He now had a mother and father to care for him again. Now five moons old, he was even more anxious for his apprentice ceremony then ever! He wanted to help the clan as best as he could.
“It’s a pretty tall tree, don’t you think?” Ivykit asked, bringing him back to the present. The gray kit stood, staring up into the leaves of the swaying tree.
Fishkit nodded. “Yeah, I guess so.” Then he grinned. “But not too tall for the mighty Fishscales!” He yowled, jumping up and clinging onto the bark. He clawed his way up steadily to the first branch, his thorn sharp claws digging into the wood.
Ivykit began to climb up as well, hissing loudly. “Oh yeah? Well how about the powerful Ivystar!” She yowled, and jumped up onto the next branch.
Fishkit grimaced. Why didn’t I think of being the leader first? He shook his head, then climbed up to the branch higher than Ivykit’s. “Fine! What is our clan then? I’m the deputy!” He called down to her.
Ivykit shot up to the branch even higher than his. “Hmm. We are in Meadowclan, what’s so wrong with that?” She questioned, then watched as he jumped up to the highest branch.
“Ha. Ha. Ha.” He purred. “I beat you to the top!”
The gray kit hissed with frustration, then leapt up beside him. “I’ll get you for that!” She teased, shoving him with one paw.
Fishkit giggled, then suddenly looked behind him. He was on the tip of the highest branch, and the ground seemed very, very far down. At least to a kit. “Let’s go down now.” He suggested, swaying uneasily.
Ivykit frowned. “What, your not scared-are you?” She purred, then pushed him again with one paw. “I need a brave deputy for Meadowclan!” She huffed in a deep voice.
The dapple-gray tomcat began to loose his balance. “Hey!” He hissed, and suddenly, as Ivykit jumped down to the lower branch, his branch wobbled and he slipped off. Ivykit screeched in alarm as he flew down, terrified and eyes closed.
“Are you okay, Fishkit?” Came a worried voice, and he opened his eyes to find himself on Skyfall’s fluffy back.
Fishkit nodded, and rolled off, shaking out his pelt. “Thanks.”
She nodded. “I’m just glad you both are okay.” She glared at the two kits.
Ivykit was standing a little off to one side, and looked at her paws. “Sorry Fishkit.” She mumbled, and Fishkit shrugged.
“It’s okay.” He purred. “Are you still on for leading Meadowclan?” He asked suddenly to change the subject, growing excited to play their game.
Ivykit’s eyes lighted up. “Yes!” She mewed, and pounced onto him. Skyfall shook her head and watched the two dash off to play.
“We’re making a few big changes.” Thawstar explained, standing on the highrock. Meadowclan was gathered below her, and Fishkit was sitting by the nursery with Ivykit, listening in curiously.
“As some of you already know, many clans know the location of our camp. And there have been quite a few trespassers.” She continued, and many murmurs of agreement rippled through the crowd. Fishkit nodded, remembering the strange cats who had come by the camp a few days ago. “And I have been deeply considering moving camps, as well as territory.”
The cats below were silent. Most of them probably agreed, the dapple-gray kit concluded. Thawstar leapt down from the highrock. “I have already made the arrangements, and our deputies have already found the perfect camp.” She explained, her tail high as she gestured for the clan to follow her out of camp. “We are planning to move in quickly, but quietly. We don’t wan’t anyone to know where we will be moving to.”
“Kingpelt, take someone with you to scout ahead. We wan’t to make sure the new camp is safe before we take the rest of the clan in.” Thawstar ordered, and sat down in the grass near camp. The rest of the clan settled to wait as Fishpaw’s adoptive father picked another warrior and disappeared from view.
“Thawstar?” Came Skyfall’s voice, and Fishkit’s head lifted, ears perked with interest. “Where exactly is our new camp?”
“Hello Skyfall.” Thawstar dipped her head, curling her tail over her paws. “The new camp? We will have a section of the those mountains up there.” She gestured with her tail to the tall mountain range north of them. “Our camp will lie there. As for the rest of the territory…” The leader thought for a moment. “We might keep Birch Hill still, but I think we will drop these acres where our old camp is. Instead, there are some fields at the foot of the mountain that will serve a purpose.”
Skyfall thought things over in her head. “Alright.” She nodded. “Thank you, Thawstar. I trust you.” She padded away and sat near some of the elders, beginning to chat.
Fishkit rested his head on his paws when suddenly…
“Hey, Fishbrain!”
The kit rolled his green eyes, sighing. Oh great. Him again. “What do you want, Stonekit?” He snarled, whipping around to face the whiteish gray prankster that stood behind him. The two kits had hated each-other from the moment Fishkit first joined Meadowclan. And it didn’t help that Stonekit always bragged about being older, and how he was supposed to have already had his apprentice ceremony.
Stonekit’s ears flattened. “It’s not fair how your treated like the little prince. I was here first.” He hissed. “And I’m tired of you getting in my way!”
Fishkit spat at him, tail lashing. “I’ll show you how a little prince fights!” He launched at him and the two kits became engaged in a fierce wrestling match.
“Stonekit! Fishkit! Cut it out!” Ivykit snarled, coming up behind them. The two ignored her and tumbled around, bumping into some of the other clan-mates around them.
“You’ll be crowfood by the time I’m finished with you!” Stonekit yowled.
“Oh yeah? You’re already crowfood!” Fishkit yowled back, biting his ear.
“Get-OFF!” Stonekit twitched his head, his ear nicked. He rolled onto his back, crushing Fishkit underneath him.
Fishkit gasped for air. Then, he squirmed into a set position. “I may be tiny!” He shouted. “But I’m stronger than you!” He spat, using all his strength to throw Stonekit into the air with his hind legs. The whiteish kit thudded onto the ground beside him, and Fishkit jumped to his paws, side heaving. Ivykit stared with her mouth open, and Stonekit sat up, a scowl on his face.
“Get lost, Fishdrool!” He spat, then padded away angrily.
Fishkit flopped onto the ground, exhausted. Ivykit sighed and sat beside him. “Why do we have to fight all the time?” He grumbled.
Ivykit’s ears twitched as she looked down at him. “Why don’t you be the first to apologize. Even though that Birdbrain doesn’t deserve it.” She laughed, and Fishkit grinned.
“I’ll try it your way, but if all I get is a black-eye,” He slid a paw over her throat playfull. “Your dead.”
Ivykit shrugged. “Like you’d ever be able to catch me. But sure, if that’s what you need, go for it.” She stood up and trotted away, tail high.
Fishkit stared after her and sighed… then shook his head. He stood up and searched for Stonekit.
The new camp was amazing! It was better protected and was uphill, so in a fight, they would have the advantage. There was even a large flat rock that many of the clan lounged on in the heat of the afternoon. Fishkit especially liked the spacey yet completely covered nursery. It had a small entrance and there were many comfortable nests the apprentices had lined with feathers.
Life was good. Especially since he and Stonekit had been avoiding each other rather than fighting each other. They kept their distance, and that was all Fishkit ever wanted.
Just as he was thinking about how great things were, his world flipped upside down. Just two kits: Lostkit and Fawnkit. They became his immediate enemies. No matter how hard Fishkit tried to be kind to them, they turned him down with a sneer. They both hid away from everyone, hating the rest of the clan. They always talked about their dead parents, and acted like nobody understood how they felt. They didn’t listen to anyone, not even the warriors. And they talked back to their own leader.
“Well they can hide away and be nasty as long as they like, just as long as they stay away from me.” Fishkit retorted one day to Ivykit, after a bad encounter with the two bullies.
Ivykit sighed. “Same here. I try to be nice, but it’s like they don’t want us to be nice. They just want the whole clan dead, from how they act. And Lostkit won’t stop jabbering about his sister becoming a leader one day.” She growled, annoyed. “Like they would actually care. They don’t even care about the clan that they live in. The one that protects and feeds them!”
Fishkit nodded in agreement, then tilted his head. “But I can’t figure out Fawnkit. Sometimes it seems like she is just following her brother’s lead. He hates us, so she backs him and hates us, too. I think they truly despise us, but I wonder if Fawnkit would be different if her brother wasn’t around.” He explained, and Ivykit nodded.
“Probably.” She mewed, then they both silenced themselves suddenly, hearing a noise outside. Their heads craned to the entrance of the nursery. There, they spotted Lostkit and Fawnkit padding up the hill and to the den. Lostkit spotted them, and scowled.
“Let’s find somewhere without these two.” He hissed, and stalked away.
Fawnkit glared and Fishkit and Ivykit, then padded after her brother.
“Yep. They hate us.” Fishkit mewed.
“Totally.” She agreed.
Chapter Five
Heartbreak and a puppy fight
“No! You’re lying!” Fishkit cried before bolting out of the nursery and past Kingpelt. Skyfall is not dead. He told himself furiously, pelting through the camp. His eyes began to cloud with blinding tears and suddenly he thudded into a large figure.
“What do you want, Fishbrains?” Stonekit growled, shoving the other kit off him.
“Sorry..” Fishkit mumbled quietly, trying to force back the tears. He hopped back up and slipped by him.
“Are you crying?” Came a sudden retort from the bully.
Fishkit hissed angrily but did not stop. He didn’t want to believe Kingpelt, but curiosity was overriding him. He slipped over to hide behind a tree that was beside the Medicine Cat den. He peered around it and felt his breath catch in his throat.
“No…”
There she was, still with the beautiful white fur and gentle blue eyes, but they now stared at nothing. Blank. Dull. Lifeless. She was sprawled in front of the den with a ragged circle of clanmates around her. Kingpelt joined them, and Thawstar stepped forward with a solemn look on her face.
“Skyfall!” Fishkit cried out, and this time couldn’t stop the tears. He padded forward, and the other cats parted to make room.
“Fishkit…” Kingpelt trailed off. He didn’t know the little dapple-grey kit well. He was usually out hunting or hanging with the other warriors.
Fishy pushed Skyfall with one trembling paw. “Wake up.” He whispered. He pushed again. “Wake up.”
“Fishkit.” Thawstar meowed in a voice almost quieter then a whisper. “She’s gone.” She stepped forward to comfort the kit, but Fishy was near breaking point.
“Wake up!” He shoved Skyfall’s dead body, and the shecat’s limp eyelids slid down over her blue eyes. Fishy felt numb and alone again. He wished Ivykit was here. He couldn’t find her at all that morning… His world had started to cave in on him little by little.
“Fishkit.” Stonekit padded forward, a little uncertain. For once, there wasn’t anything harsh in his tone. Just pity. Fishkit didn’t want pity. He didn’t want anyone’s pity. He didn’t need anyone.
“You’re crowfood, Stonekit!” Fishkit yowled suddenly, leaping up and twisting in the air to tackle the grey kit.
“Getoff!” Stonekit snarled, scoring his claws over Fishy’s ears. Fishkit launched forward and gave him a bite on the shoulder to remember.
“Break it up!” Thawstar’s voice boomed, and she was suddenly beside them. She flung them apart.
“Fishkit! We know you’re having a hard time right now, but you do not take it out on your clanmates, got it?” Thawstar growled, and Fishkit stood up, his lowered.
“Whatever.” Then he turned and bounded out of camp, ears pressed against the sides of his head. The others watched him leave, and one of the warriors was about to slip out after him when Thawstar shook her head.
“Leave him.” She meowed simply.
“Won’t he be late for the apprentice ceremony tonight?” Stonekit asked curiously, picking himself off the ground.
“He’s been talking about it none stop for moons, I’m sure he’ll be here.” Thawstar replied curtly before padding away. A few warriors stepped forward and carried Skyfall’s body out, one of them being Kingpelt. They would bury her, and her mate would most likely sit vigil at her grave the whole night.
It was dusk by the time Fishkit stopped running. He had gotten far enough in his mind, and was now dully wandering through the glades, straying towards the old track by the mountains.It was surrounded by a tall black fence with many holes throughout.
He stopped suddenly when a small shadow bolted past him. Fishkit turned in surprise, and all a dark figure prowling in the shade of a nearby tree. He narrowed his eyes and, feeling angry, launched at it. Before he could touch whatever it was, it leapt out at him and they collided in mid-air. This creature was heavier, and landed roughly atop the kitten.
“Hey, get off!” Fishkit yowled, squirming as the animal sat up.
It barked and Fishy froze. It’s a dog!! The puppy growled and leaned its drooling face over the kit’s. Fishkit groaned and with the help of the slobber, slipped out of the dog’s grip.
He backed away, but was still feeling that furious energy coursing through him. Fishy bounded forward and leapt up at the puppy, biting fiercely into its shoulder. It cried out and immediately had it’s sharp jaws locked on the kits shoulder. And so it went, back and forth, for quite some time, until the puppy was weary of the game and Fishkit’s left shoulder was drenched in blood.
The puppy at just finished shaking the brains out of Fishkit when it’s twoleg called it. It bounced off him and bounded away towards the sound. Fishkit whimpered quietly, barely able to walk. He suddenly remembered the apprentice ceremony… and swiftly pulled himself together. He was able to make it back to camp pretty quick considering his wounded shoulder.
When he arrived, the ceremony was almost over, and Stonekit, now Stonepaw, was already hopping down from the High Rock to join the other new apprentices. Fishkit quickly padded below the rock, and stared expectantly up at the leader.
“Fishkit.” Thawstar meowed, not the least bit of surprise in her voice. “Come join me.” It was custom that the apprentice climbed up to joined Thawstar at the top, probably because the rock was more like a cliff.
Fishkit limped on up, yet still nobody noticed his shoulder. Things Fishkit did often went unnoticed… he went unnoticed.
Thawstar continued. “Fishkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Fishpaw. Your mentor with be Iceriver. I hope Iceriver will pass down all he knows on to you.” She spoke the traditional words, then called Iceriver up as well.
“Iceriver, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Hawkwing, and you have shown yourself to be stern when necessary, and gentle when needed. You will be the mentor of Fishpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Fishpaw.”
Iceriver leaned down and touched noses with tiny Fishpaw, and the new apprentice withdrew rather quickly, feeling a sharp pain in his shoulder.
“I am very honored to have these new apprentices in the clan.” Thawstar went on. “Clan dismissed.” Then she turned and disappeared into her den.
Okay, so I’m Fishpaw. Now what? No Skyfall. No Ivykit… wait! She was supposed to be here!
Fishpaw followed Thawstar into her den. The leader turned around in surprise.
“What is it, Fishpaw?”
“Where is Ivykit? She was supposed to be here becoming an apprentice just like everyone else.” Fishpaw meowed flatly, tired from all the blood loss by now. The bleeding had finally stopped, but he felt drained.
“Fishpaw, I hate to tell you this, but I can’t lie to your face.” Thawstar sighed. “Ivykit ran away last night.”
“What?!” Fishpaw gaped. “She was in the nursery with all the other kits last night, not running away!”
“But she did, Fishpaw. We chased her as far as we could, but there was a twoleg and… She’s probably somewhere in a monster by now. I wish I could do more, but we have no power against the twolegs and their territory.”
“But you have to!” Fishpaw cried, more tears streaking down his face. His eyes should be incredibly dry by now.
“Fishpaw, I don’t know what to tell you.” His leader sat down with exhaustion, sighing deeply.
“Forget it.” Fishpaw sniffed, and dragged himself out of the den. He sat in the apprentices den, away from the others in a far corner, and eventually fell asleep. Worst. Day. Ever.
But that wasn’t true either. There would be an even worse one to come.
To be continued…
