Firestorm's Dream (Fan Fiction)

Deep in the mists that clung onto leaves as the rain tried in vain to unsettle them, in the forest where no man walked, and a land of cats began, in a territory vast and proud, in a clearing where a few cats waited eagerly for the arrival of their new clanmates, was a den. And in that den lay Mirrorpelt, a beautiful blue she-cat with a silver sheen, and glowing, tired amber eyes, with her four new kits, each special in their own, darling way.

The first, and the only boy, was Firekit, a rambunctious little orange tom with blue eyes, the colour of the night sky, when lovely, picturesque things happen. The second was a sweet, coy she-kit with a soft downy the colour of a pale, spring rose, and eyes of grassy green. She was named Sorrelkit. The third was Fawnkit, a beige coloured kit with large eyes of melting amethyst. The last, and the smallest of the litter, was Cinderkit, a white kit with patches of orange and beige over one eye, her back and belly, paws and tail. Her eyes were a deep, meaningful shade of forest green, and she was the quietest, sweetest little kit of the nursery. Except for maybe Siphenkit.

Lilypetal, another Queen, gave Mirrorpelt a lick on the head, trying not to wake her own young, who had been born only a few moonrises ago, “They’re beautiful,” she murmured, signalling with her tail to Echoleaf, their medicine cat, to go get the father.

Adderleap, Mirrorpelt’s mate had been too afraid to enter the nursery while Mirrorpelt was having her kits, and instead went into the forest to catch a pigeon, his beloved mate’s favourite fresh-kill. He didn’t even want to enter when they were being washed and named; he was too scared that he’d get in the way.

And so now, he walked guiltily in, regretting his decisions to stay away, but proudly because of his young and because in his jaws, he held the largest pigeon any Thunderclan cat had ever caught.

He began to purr when he saw his four gorgeous kits nuzzling their mother’s belly for milk, and he licked Mirrorpelt’s muzzle, “You did well, love.”
Mirrorpelt gave him a playful nip on the neck, and invited him to lie beside her and the kits. And so, as night fell, their even breathing became one.

“Firekit! Wake up!” a loud squeal interrupted Firekit’s dream. As he sleepily blinked his eyes open, he saw Fawnkit’s gaze on him. She saw the irritable look on his face and taunted him, “Were you dreaming of Siphenkit again?”

Firekit leapt up and pounced on her, and they rolled out of the nursery and into the clearing, where Cinderkit and Sorrelkit stood, swishing their tails playfully. He had struck up a nice friendship with Russetkit, and a little one with Jaggedkit, both of whom were Lilypetal’s kits along with Siphenkit and Brownkit. Among his litter; he was closest to Cinderkit, who needed him to look after her.

As he licked himself clean again, once Fawnkit had run off to Brownkit, Siphenkit and Sorrelkit, he looked up to see Russetkit snapping his head to look at him, ashamed. Firekit was puzzled, what was Russetkit hiding from him? He got distracted by Jaggedkit, let it be, and never found out about it until many moons later.

Cinderkit never took part in any of the Mossball games, she mainly followed Moonpaw around camp (when she was there) and helped with the apprentice duties. She had also befriended Echoleaf, and spent a lot of time in the medicine cat den.

“Be careful you don’t throw it in the Elder’s den again!” Mirrorpelt called from the Nursery, “Redscar wasn’t happy the last time you did, and only thanks to Tuskwater and Duskymoon, he didn’t shred you.”

Jaggedkit stifled a mrrow of laughter as he flung up the mossball to start the game. Brownkit, who had obviously taken a liking to Sorrelkit, was tailing the she-kits’ group to the brook, where they would sometimes try to catch small fish like minnows, but they could never catch any.

“So,” Russetkit panted, “Been dreaming of Siphenkit, eh?”
Everyone had noticed Firekit’s admiration of his pretty denmate. Siphenkit was beautiful with her long cream fur and those beautiful, twinkling, emerald eyes. She was also quite shy around Firekit too, so everyone took up teasing the two kits, until they just tried their very best to avoid each other completely.

“Kits!” a voice called, Adderleap appeared from the entrance to the clearing, to add two mice and a vole to the fresh-kill pile that was overflowing, being spring. His apprentice, Darkpaw followed, proudly carrying a large rabbit. His eyes scanned the entrance to the apprentice den, but no-one had walked out and seen him. Disappointed, he carried his prey to the elders den, where a ravenous Tuskwater devoured it appreciatively.

Firekit gasped, “Look!” He flicked his tail in the direction of the rock where Silverstar made her announcements. For the first time after three moons of waiting, the kits were finally going to see a real clan meeting!

“Could all cats who can catch their own mice gather beneath the Great Rock to hear what I have to say.”

“Look!” Firekit hissed as softly as he could, pointing his nose at the side. Jaggedkit and Russetkit saw Moonpaw and Darkpaw along with their mentors, Adderleap and Birchthorn (Lilypetal’s mate) proudly purring as everyone crowded beneath their Leader.

“Darkpaw and Moonpaw, you have been wonderful apprentices for 6 moons, you have helped feed the clan during leaf-bare and have worked hard every day to help the clan thrive. It’s time for you two to become warriors.”

The apprentices purrs became so loud that poor Duskymoon in the elder’s den thought a Two-leg monster had entered the camp.

“Adderleap, Birchthorn, do you believe your apprentices deserve their warrior names?” Silverstar was meowing with happiness in her eyes and her voice had a tremor in it.

As the meowed their approval, Silverstar lifted her muzzle to speak to Starclan and yowled, “I say this beneath Starclan, and hope they approve when I give these apprentices their warrior names. Darkpaw, you will now be known as Darksun. Wear this name with pride and loyalty, and remember to always be faithful to your clan. Moonpaw, I now give you your warrior name, Moonwhisker. Be as gentle and as loving as any Queen, and fight as well as a dozen badgers!”

As if carried on a breeze, Thunderclan began to yowl their new warriors’ names, and it beat like a pulse through their territories as if telling them the news.

“You will sit vigil tonight after you have helped your clanmates. Go alone for these few hours before you join the other warriors in their duties tomorrow,” Silverstar’s eyes twinkled joyfully, but as everyone’s attention shifted from her to their new warriors, Firekit noticed a glimmer of unease, and worry in her eyes, and his confusion remained long after she went on a hunting patrol with Thornwhisker, her mate.

“Isn’t it exciting?!” Fawnkit exclaimed, rubbing his side, “Soon, we’re going to be apprentices! The best apprentices the clan has had!”

He didn’t reply, he had noticed Cinderkit sitting with Echoleaf, and both of them had knowing looks on their faces as they murmured softly to each other. He felt a pang of jealousy seeing his sister exchange secrets to a cat not him. They had always been so close, but since stupid Echoleaf started inviting her into the medicine cat den, she had hidden certain things from him, and he didn’t like it.

Russetkit followed his gaze, “I’m betting she wants to be a Medicine cat, so she’ll have to get used to being secretive I guess.” Firekit looked at him in surprise; sure that he had detected a tone of longing in his friend’s voice.

“Do you want to be the medicine cat apprentice?” he asked.

His friend turned away, pretending he hadn’t heard.

“Shove OVER, Sorrelkit!” Firekit snapped. Since they had all become six moons, and Moonwhisker had Morningkit and Icekit with Stonestorm, a tom made a warrior four moons before her, the nursery had become crowded, and stuffy and no-one seemed to get their own space anymore.

Sorrelkit, offended, jumped out of the nursery to grab a piece of fresh-kill. All of the other 6-moon-old kits ran out after her, realizing they were hungry after they had scented the lovely, warm scent of mouse and vole.

Siphenkit had stayed behind, and she and Firekit walked out together, pelts brushing ever so slightly.

“Lilypetal was looking secretive this morning,” she announced softly, “I think we are getting our apprentice ceremony today.”
Firekit hurriedly rubbed his muzzle on her shoulder before any of their denmates saw and joined Cinderkit in eating a Starling.

Since one day a moon ago, Cinderkit suddenly stopped visiting the Medicine cat den, and became close to her brother again, which made him happy. There was no more Echoleaf to interfere in his relationship with his favourite littermate.

Leopardclaw, the clan deputy was gathering a few warriors, and the kits, bubbling up in excitement, tried to see who their leader wanted to talk to, but they all moved to fast, and soon they were just sitting dejectedly in the middle of the clearing, with the remains of their fresh-kill around them.

“Cheer up, everyone, just think! By the end of today, we’d have completed day one of our warrior training!” Brownkit meowed enthusiastically, pouncing on Jaggedkit’s tail. They tumbled around the clearing until Redscar burst out of the elder’s den.

“How can I sleep?!” he shrieked, “With you RATS yowling away outside?”
Dazzleleaf, a pretty, elderly warrior, and Redscar’s mate, mrrowed with laughter and pushed him gently back into the elder’s den with her never-ending love for the cranky tom.

Just then, all the hunting and border patrols returned, and in frenzy, the kits realized that their mothers were hurriedly licking the grime off their pelts.

“Oh, you must look perfect for your apprentice ceremony!” Mirrorpelt fussed around with a tuft of fur on Firekit’s head before pushing him into the line.

Silverstar leapt onto the border, looking as passionate as she did before, and giving one odd, sideways glance at Moonwhisker’s kits, who were mewling excitedly outside the nursery, she broke into excited meows, “Under Starclan, I wish to name eight very special kits apprentices to learn to become a warrior of Thunderclan!

“Siphenkit, please step forwards. Do you promise to honour and obey the warrior code?”

“I do!”
“Then from now, you shall be known as Siphenpaw, and you shall have Feathersky as your mentor.”

Siphenpaw touched noses with her young, quiet mentor, and stepped aside, bristling with anticipation.