"Shouldn't she have opened her eyes by now?"
"Shush Emberflight. She's only a few days old. She will open them when she's ready, I promise.
Amberkit felt the rasp of her mothers warm tongue on her pelt and muzzled her head on Swiftstrike's belly, searching for milk.
"Echokit opened hers as soon as she was born and Lichenkit opened hers this morning." Emberflight reminded Swiftstrike. " And my kits had theirs opened from the minute they were born. Ah, they are definatly true warrior material." The she-cats tail swished around her bedding of soft moss.
A soft purr came from a third queen. "Oh Emberflight, we all know that no other kit can compare with yours. Yours are always going to be the best warriors." Grasswing teased gently.
A small paw poked Amberkit in the side.
Echokit?
And another smaller paw prodded her.
Lichenkit?
Amberkit mewled in protest and wriggled closer to the warmth of her mother's belly.
"Come on Amberkit!" Echokit protested. "There is so much things to look at outside but Swiftstrike won't let me until you open your eyes." She whispered in Amberkit's ears.
"Echokit, let Amberkit sleep. She'll open her eyes in her own time." Swiftstrike said gently.
Yes. In my own time is when I'll be ready. Amberkit agreed as the soft purring of her mother lulled her to sleep.
Waking, Amberkit could feel the weight of both of her sisters on top of her flank. Swiftstrike's belly rose and fell rhythmically beside them. Emberflight was snoring and Grasswing was breathing heavily.
Amberkit heard Emberflight's two kits, Sweetkit and Duskkit, playing outside the nursery.
"You be the squirrel, and I'll be the hunter, coming to get you!" Duskkit was saying.
"I was the squirrel last time, and the time before that!" Sweetkit argued.
"Were not!"
"Was too and you know it!"
An argument broke out, followed by squeaks of victory from Sweetkit.
"Watch where you're playing!" came the cross mew of an older sounding tom, making the nursery silent for a moment.
"Okay. You be the hunter." Duskkit mewled. "But honestly, you can't catch me!" Duskkit started running away, Sweetkit following.
"It'll be much better when they start training to become warriors. No more running around." Came a she-cats voice from the other side of the clearing.
Training to be a warrior!
Amberkit wriggled out from underneath her sisters, Lichenkit struggling from on top of Echokit. A newleaf breeze drifted through the bramble thickets of the nursery. It chased away the stuffy smell of moss and milk and warm, sleeping lumps of fur.
Excitement and curiousity made Amberkit's claws twitch. I'm going to be a warrior!
For the first time, Amberkit stretched open her eyes, blinking out the dirt that was swept into it by the warm breeze. The nursery was huge! Before she had opened her eyes, the den had seemed small, warm and cozy but now that she could see it, the brambles hung high overhead and the nursery seemed quite empty.
Grasswing lay on her side near a wall, a ginger she-cat with short whiskers. Amberkit recognized her from the scent she carried, because she smelt different from Swiftstrike and Emberflight. There was no milk scent on her yet, she had not had her kits yet. Emberflight was in a nest beside her, hardly visible, curled in a tight ball with her paws under her nose, her black pelt blending in with the dark floor.
The most familiar scent came from behind. Turning around, Amberkit gazed at her mother. Sunshine filtering through the holes in the walls made Swiftstrike's black-and-white pelt shine. Her black face was narrow and her ears ended in gentle points. Do I look like her? Amberkit looked over her shoulder at her own pelt. It was fluffy, not sleek and shiny like her mothers, and it was the colour of amber, not black-and-white. Nothing like her. Amberkit thought.
Amberkit gazed back at her sisters, sprawled in little heaps. Echokit was fluffy too, but had a silver pelt and Lichenkit was a sandy coloured she-cat. We look nothing alike.
"Echokit." Amberkit whispered. "Lichenkit."
"What is it?" Echokit blinked open her eyes. They were purple.
Are my eyes purple? Amberkit wondered.
Lichenkit staggered up to look at Amberkit. "You've opened your eyes!" She gasped and leapt to her paws, wide awake. "Now we can go outside the nursery!"
Amberkit spotted a hole in the bramble wall, just big enough for three kits to squeeze through. "Duskkit and Sweetkit are already outside. Let's surprise them!"
Grasswing raised her head to look at the three kits. "Don't go too far and don't annoy anyone." She mumbled sleepily, before putting her tail over her nose.
"Where are Grasswing's kits?" Amberkit tipped her head to one side.
"They won't arrive for another moon." Echokit whispered back.
Arrive? Amberkit tipped her head to the other side. Where do they arrive from?
Echokit had already jumped over her mother, Lichenkit closely behind, heading for the hole. Amberkit tumbled after them, scared as she slide down Swiftstrike's flank, landing in the soft moss.
The nest rustled and Amberkit felt a paw clamp her tail to the ground. "Where are you going?"
Swiftstrike was awake.
Amberkit turned and faced Swiftstrike. "We're going outside, to see the world!" Amberkit replied.
A loud purr came from Swiftbreeze and her eyes glowed. " You've opened your eyes." She sounded relieved.
"I decided it was time for me to open them." Amberkit said proudly.
"There Emberflight. I told you she would open them in her own time, when she was ready." Swiftbreeze woke the black queen up with her satisfied mew.
"Of course. I was just thinking of Duskkit and Sweetkit-they opened theirs sooner." She swiped a paw across her ears, cleaning them and smoothing them.
Swiftbreeze turned back to her three kits. "So now you are going to see the world, hey?"
Amberkit stared at her mother. "Why not? Duskkit and Sweetkit are out there. They've been out there for ages!"
"Yes but they are nearly five moons now." Swiftbreeze reminded her. "They're much bigger than you so they're allowed to play outside, before they're made apprentices at six moons."
Amberkit stared at her mother in shock and horror. "Is it dangerous to play out there?"
Swiftbreeze started to purr again. "Not in the camp." She reassured Amberkit.
"Then we can go?"
Swiftbreeze let out a given-in sigh. Then she leaned down to smooth Amberkit's fur with her tongue. "I suppose you have to leave the nursery sometime." She studied Echokit and Lichenkit. "Smarten your whiskers Echokit. Wash your ears Lichenkit. I want you to look your best when the Clan meets you for the first time."
Echokit swiped a licked paw over her whiskers.
Lichenkit looked up at her mother. "Are you coming outside with us?"
"Did you want me to?"
Amberkit shook her head. "We're going to surprise Duskkit and Sweetkit."
Swiftstrike's whiskers twitched. "Your first prey. Off you go then, be careful!"
Amberkit bounced around and sprinted for the gap.
"Don't get under cat's paws! And stay together!" Swiftstrike called after them, as Purplekit barged ahead.
Brambles scraped Amberkit's pelt as she tore through the entrance. When she skidded to a halt outside the nursery, sunlight stung her eyes.She blinked away the glare, and the camp opened out in front of her like a good dream. A vast, sandy clearing stretched out to a ledge that cast a shadow so long it almost reached the nursery. Echokit and Lichenkit looked up in wonder at the ledge. Two larger cats sat beneath the ledge, enjoying the shade, sharing fresh-kill beside a clump of nettles. Farther than them, lay a fallen branch, its entangled branches on the ground like a heap of skinny, hairless legs. Several fox-lengths away was a yew bush, that spread branches over the ground.
Excitement thrilled through her. This was her place, her territory! How would she ever learn her way around?
"Shush Emberflight. She's only a few days old. She will open them when she's ready, I promise.
Amberkit felt the rasp of her mothers warm tongue on her pelt and muzzled her head on Swiftstrike's belly, searching for milk.
"Echokit opened hers as soon as she was born and Lichenkit opened hers this morning." Emberflight reminded Swiftstrike. " And my kits had theirs opened from the minute they were born. Ah, they are definatly true warrior material." The she-cats tail swished around her bedding of soft moss.
A soft purr came from a third queen. "Oh Emberflight, we all know that no other kit can compare with yours. Yours are always going to be the best warriors." Grasswing teased gently.
A small paw poked Amberkit in the side.
Echokit?
And another smaller paw prodded her.
Lichenkit?
Amberkit mewled in protest and wriggled closer to the warmth of her mother's belly.
"Come on Amberkit!" Echokit protested. "There is so much things to look at outside but Swiftstrike won't let me until you open your eyes." She whispered in Amberkit's ears.
"Echokit, let Amberkit sleep. She'll open her eyes in her own time." Swiftstrike said gently.
Yes. In my own time is when I'll be ready. Amberkit agreed as the soft purring of her mother lulled her to sleep.
Waking, Amberkit could feel the weight of both of her sisters on top of her flank. Swiftstrike's belly rose and fell rhythmically beside them. Emberflight was snoring and Grasswing was breathing heavily.
Amberkit heard Emberflight's two kits, Sweetkit and Duskkit, playing outside the nursery.
"You be the squirrel, and I'll be the hunter, coming to get you!" Duskkit was saying.
"I was the squirrel last time, and the time before that!" Sweetkit argued.
"Were not!"
"Was too and you know it!"
An argument broke out, followed by squeaks of victory from Sweetkit.
"Watch where you're playing!" came the cross mew of an older sounding tom, making the nursery silent for a moment.
"Okay. You be the hunter." Duskkit mewled. "But honestly, you can't catch me!" Duskkit started running away, Sweetkit following.
"It'll be much better when they start training to become warriors. No more running around." Came a she-cats voice from the other side of the clearing.
Training to be a warrior!
Amberkit wriggled out from underneath her sisters, Lichenkit struggling from on top of Echokit. A newleaf breeze drifted through the bramble thickets of the nursery. It chased away the stuffy smell of moss and milk and warm, sleeping lumps of fur.
Excitement and curiousity made Amberkit's claws twitch. I'm going to be a warrior!
For the first time, Amberkit stretched open her eyes, blinking out the dirt that was swept into it by the warm breeze. The nursery was huge! Before she had opened her eyes, the den had seemed small, warm and cozy but now that she could see it, the brambles hung high overhead and the nursery seemed quite empty.
Grasswing lay on her side near a wall, a ginger she-cat with short whiskers. Amberkit recognized her from the scent she carried, because she smelt different from Swiftstrike and Emberflight. There was no milk scent on her yet, she had not had her kits yet. Emberflight was in a nest beside her, hardly visible, curled in a tight ball with her paws under her nose, her black pelt blending in with the dark floor.
The most familiar scent came from behind. Turning around, Amberkit gazed at her mother. Sunshine filtering through the holes in the walls made Swiftstrike's black-and-white pelt shine. Her black face was narrow and her ears ended in gentle points. Do I look like her? Amberkit looked over her shoulder at her own pelt. It was fluffy, not sleek and shiny like her mothers, and it was the colour of amber, not black-and-white. Nothing like her. Amberkit thought.
Amberkit gazed back at her sisters, sprawled in little heaps. Echokit was fluffy too, but had a silver pelt and Lichenkit was a sandy coloured she-cat. We look nothing alike.
"Echokit." Amberkit whispered. "Lichenkit."
"What is it?" Echokit blinked open her eyes. They were purple.
Are my eyes purple? Amberkit wondered.
Lichenkit staggered up to look at Amberkit. "You've opened your eyes!" She gasped and leapt to her paws, wide awake. "Now we can go outside the nursery!"
Amberkit spotted a hole in the bramble wall, just big enough for three kits to squeeze through. "Duskkit and Sweetkit are already outside. Let's surprise them!"
Grasswing raised her head to look at the three kits. "Don't go too far and don't annoy anyone." She mumbled sleepily, before putting her tail over her nose.
"Where are Grasswing's kits?" Amberkit tipped her head to one side.
"They won't arrive for another moon." Echokit whispered back.
Arrive? Amberkit tipped her head to the other side. Where do they arrive from?
Echokit had already jumped over her mother, Lichenkit closely behind, heading for the hole. Amberkit tumbled after them, scared as she slide down Swiftstrike's flank, landing in the soft moss.
The nest rustled and Amberkit felt a paw clamp her tail to the ground. "Where are you going?"
Swiftstrike was awake.
Amberkit turned and faced Swiftstrike. "We're going outside, to see the world!" Amberkit replied.
A loud purr came from Swiftbreeze and her eyes glowed. " You've opened your eyes." She sounded relieved.
"I decided it was time for me to open them." Amberkit said proudly.
"There Emberflight. I told you she would open them in her own time, when she was ready." Swiftbreeze woke the black queen up with her satisfied mew.
"Of course. I was just thinking of Duskkit and Sweetkit-they opened theirs sooner." She swiped a paw across her ears, cleaning them and smoothing them.
Swiftbreeze turned back to her three kits. "So now you are going to see the world, hey?"
Amberkit stared at her mother. "Why not? Duskkit and Sweetkit are out there. They've been out there for ages!"
"Yes but they are nearly five moons now." Swiftbreeze reminded her. "They're much bigger than you so they're allowed to play outside, before they're made apprentices at six moons."
Amberkit stared at her mother in shock and horror. "Is it dangerous to play out there?"
Swiftbreeze started to purr again. "Not in the camp." She reassured Amberkit.
"Then we can go?"
Swiftbreeze let out a given-in sigh. Then she leaned down to smooth Amberkit's fur with her tongue. "I suppose you have to leave the nursery sometime." She studied Echokit and Lichenkit. "Smarten your whiskers Echokit. Wash your ears Lichenkit. I want you to look your best when the Clan meets you for the first time."
Echokit swiped a licked paw over her whiskers.
Lichenkit looked up at her mother. "Are you coming outside with us?"
"Did you want me to?"
Amberkit shook her head. "We're going to surprise Duskkit and Sweetkit."
Swiftstrike's whiskers twitched. "Your first prey. Off you go then, be careful!"
Amberkit bounced around and sprinted for the gap.
"Don't get under cat's paws! And stay together!" Swiftstrike called after them, as Purplekit barged ahead.
Brambles scraped Amberkit's pelt as she tore through the entrance. When she skidded to a halt outside the nursery, sunlight stung her eyes.She blinked away the glare, and the camp opened out in front of her like a good dream. A vast, sandy clearing stretched out to a ledge that cast a shadow so long it almost reached the nursery. Echokit and Lichenkit looked up in wonder at the ledge. Two larger cats sat beneath the ledge, enjoying the shade, sharing fresh-kill beside a clump of nettles. Farther than them, lay a fallen branch, its entangled branches on the ground like a heap of skinny, hairless legs. Several fox-lengths away was a yew bush, that spread branches over the ground.
Excitement thrilled through her. This was her place, her territory! How would she ever learn her way around?
"Shouldn't she have opened her eyes by now?"
"Shush Emberflight. She's only a few days old. She will open them when she's ready, I promise.
Amberkit felt the rasp of her mothers warm tongue on her pelt and muzzled her head on Swiftstrike's belly, searching for milk.
"Echokit opened hers as soon as she was born and Lichenkit opened hers this morning." Emberflight reminded Swiftstrike. " And my kits had theirs opened from the minute they were born. Ah, they are definatly true warrior material." The she-cats tail swished around her bedding of soft moss.
A soft purr came from a third queen. "Oh Emberflight, we all know that no other kit can compare with yours. Yours are always going to be the best warriors." Grasswing teased gently.
A small paw poked Amberkit in the side.
Echokit?
And another smaller paw prodded her.
Lichenkit?
Amberkit mewled in protest and wriggled closer to the warmth of her mother's belly.
"Come on Amberkit!" Echokit protested. "There is so much things to look at outside but Swiftstrike won't let me until you open your eyes." She whispered in Amberkit's ears.
"Echokit, let Amberkit sleep. She'll open her eyes in her own time." Swiftstrike said gently.
Yes. In my own time is when I'll be ready. Amberkit agreed as the soft purring of her mother lulled her to sleep.
Waking, Amberkit could feel the weight of both of her sisters on top of her flank. Swiftstrike's belly rose and fell rhythmically beside them. Emberflight was snoring and Grasswing was breathing heavily.
Amberkit heard Emberflight's two kits, Sweetkit and Duskkit, playing outside the nursery.
"You be the squirrel, and I'll be the hunter, coming to get you!" Duskkit was saying.
"I was the squirrel last time, and the time before that!" Sweetkit argued.
"Were not!"
"Was too and you know it!"
An argument broke out, followed by squeaks of victory from Sweetkit.
"Watch where you're playing!" came the cross mew of an older sounding tom, making the nursery silent for a moment.
"Okay. You be the hunter." Duskkit mewled. "But honestly, you can't catch me!" Duskkit started running away, Sweetkit following.
"It'll be much better when they start training to become warriors. No more running around." Came a she-cats voice from the other side of the clearing.
Training to be a warrior!
Amberkit wriggled out from underneath her sisters, Lichenkit struggling from on top of Echokit. A newleaf breeze drifted through the bramble thickets of the nursery. It chased away the stuffy smell of moss and milk and warm, sleeping lumps of fur.
Excitement and curiousity made Amberkit's claws twitch. I'm going to be a warrior!
For the first time, Amberkit stretched open her eyes, blinking out the dirt that was swept into it by the warm breeze. The nursery was huge! Before she had opened her eyes, the den had seemed small, warm and cozy but now that she could see it, the brambles hung high overhead and the nursery seemed quite empty.
Grasswing lay on her side near a wall, a ginger she-cat with short whiskers. Amberkit recognized her from the scent she carried, because she smelt different from Swiftstrike and Emberflight. There was no milk scent on her yet, she had not had her kits yet. Emberflight was in a nest beside her, hardly visible, curled in a tight ball with her paws under her nose, her black pelt blending in with the dark floor.
The most familiar scent came from behind. Turning around, Amberkit gazed at her mother. Sunshine filtering through the holes in the walls made Swiftstrike's black-and-white pelt shine. Her black face was narrow and her ears ended in gentle points. Do I look like her? Amberkit looked over her shoulder at her own pelt. It was fluffy, not sleek and shiny like her mothers, and it was the colour of amber, not black-and-white. Nothing like her. Amberkit thought.
Amberkit gazed back at her sisters, sprawled in little heaps. Echokit was fluffy too, but had a silver pelt and Lichenkit was a sandy coloured she-cat. We look nothing alike.
"Echokit." Amberkit whispered. "Lichenkit."
"What is it?" Echokit blinked open her eyes. They were purple.
Are my eyes purple? Amberkit wondered.
Lichenkit staggered up to look at Amberkit. "You've opened your eyes!" She gasped and leapt to her paws, wide awake. "Now we can go outside the nursery!"
Amberkit spotted a hole in the bramble wall, just big enough for three kits to squeeze through. "Duskkit and Sweetkit are already outside. Let's surprise them!"
Grasswing raised her head to look at the three kits. "Don't go too far and don't annoy anyone." She mumbled sleepily, before putting her tail over her nose.
"Where are Grasswing's kits?" Amberkit tipped her head to one side.
"They won't arrive for another moon." Echokit whispered back.
Arrive? Amberkit tipped her head to the other side. Where do they arrive from?
Echokit had already jumped over her mother, Lichenkit closely behind, heading for the hole. Amberkit tumbled after them, scared as she slide down Swiftstrike's flank, landing in the soft moss.
The nest rustled and Amberkit felt a paw clamp her tail to the ground. "Where are you going?"
Swiftstrike was awake.
Amberkit turned and faced Swiftstrike. "We're going outside, to see the world!" Amberkit replied.
A loud purr came from Swiftbreeze and her eyes glowed. " You've opened your eyes." She sounded relieved.
"I decided it was time for me to open them." Amberkit said proudly.
"There Emberflight. I told you she would open them in her own time, when she was ready." Swiftbreeze woke the black queen up with her satisfied mew.
"Of course. I was just thinking of Duskkit and Sweetkit-they opened theirs sooner." She swiped a paw across her ears, cleaning them and smoothing them.
Swiftbreeze turned back to her three kits. "So now you are going to see the world, hey?"
Amberkit stared at her mother. "Why not? Duskkit and Sweetkit are out there. They've been out there for ages!"
"Yes but they are nearly five moons now." Swiftbreeze reminded her. "They're much bigger than you so they're allowed to play outside, before they're made apprentices at six moons."
Amberkit stared at her mother in shock and horror. "Is it dangerous to play out there?"
Swiftbreeze started to purr again. "Not in the camp." She reassured Amberkit.
"Then we can go?"
Swiftbreeze let out a given-in sigh. Then she leaned down to smooth Amberkit's fur with her tongue. "I suppose you have to leave the nursery sometime." She studied Echokit and Lichenkit. "Smarten your whiskers Echokit. Wash your ears Lichenkit. I want you to look your best when the Clan meets you for the first time."
Echokit swiped a licked paw over her whiskers.
Lichenkit looked up at her mother. "Are you coming outside with us?"
"Did you want me to?"
Amberkit shook her head. "We're going to surprise Duskkit and Sweetkit."
Swiftstrike's whiskers twitched. "Your first prey. Off you go then, be careful!"
Amberkit bounced around and sprinted for the gap.
"Don't get under cat's paws! And stay together!" Swiftstrike called after them, as Purplekit barged ahead.
Brambles scraped Amberkit's pelt as she tore through the entrance. When she skidded to a halt outside the nursery, sunlight stung her eyes.She blinked away the glare, and the camp opened out in front of her like a good dream. A vast, sandy clearing stretched out to a ledge that cast a shadow so long it almost reached the nursery. Echokit and Lichenkit looked up in wonder at the ledge. Two larger cats sat beneath the ledge, enjoying the shade, sharing fresh-kill beside a clump of nettles. Farther than them, lay a fallen branch, its entangled branches on the ground like a heap of skinny, hairless legs. Several fox-lengths away was a yew bush, that spread branches over the ground.
Excitement thrilled through her. This was her place, her territory! How would she ever learn her way around?
"Shush Emberflight. She's only a few days old. She will open them when she's ready, I promise.
Amberkit felt the rasp of her mothers warm tongue on her pelt and muzzled her head on Swiftstrike's belly, searching for milk.
"Echokit opened hers as soon as she was born and Lichenkit opened hers this morning." Emberflight reminded Swiftstrike. " And my kits had theirs opened from the minute they were born. Ah, they are definatly true warrior material." The she-cats tail swished around her bedding of soft moss.
A soft purr came from a third queen. "Oh Emberflight, we all know that no other kit can compare with yours. Yours are always going to be the best warriors." Grasswing teased gently.
A small paw poked Amberkit in the side.
Echokit?
And another smaller paw prodded her.
Lichenkit?
Amberkit mewled in protest and wriggled closer to the warmth of her mother's belly.
"Come on Amberkit!" Echokit protested. "There is so much things to look at outside but Swiftstrike won't let me until you open your eyes." She whispered in Amberkit's ears.
"Echokit, let Amberkit sleep. She'll open her eyes in her own time." Swiftstrike said gently.
Yes. In my own time is when I'll be ready. Amberkit agreed as the soft purring of her mother lulled her to sleep.
Waking, Amberkit could feel the weight of both of her sisters on top of her flank. Swiftstrike's belly rose and fell rhythmically beside them. Emberflight was snoring and Grasswing was breathing heavily.
Amberkit heard Emberflight's two kits, Sweetkit and Duskkit, playing outside the nursery.
"You be the squirrel, and I'll be the hunter, coming to get you!" Duskkit was saying.
"I was the squirrel last time, and the time before that!" Sweetkit argued.
"Were not!"
"Was too and you know it!"
An argument broke out, followed by squeaks of victory from Sweetkit.
"Watch where you're playing!" came the cross mew of an older sounding tom, making the nursery silent for a moment.
"Okay. You be the hunter." Duskkit mewled. "But honestly, you can't catch me!" Duskkit started running away, Sweetkit following.
"It'll be much better when they start training to become warriors. No more running around." Came a she-cats voice from the other side of the clearing.
Training to be a warrior!
Amberkit wriggled out from underneath her sisters, Lichenkit struggling from on top of Echokit. A newleaf breeze drifted through the bramble thickets of the nursery. It chased away the stuffy smell of moss and milk and warm, sleeping lumps of fur.
Excitement and curiousity made Amberkit's claws twitch. I'm going to be a warrior!
For the first time, Amberkit stretched open her eyes, blinking out the dirt that was swept into it by the warm breeze. The nursery was huge! Before she had opened her eyes, the den had seemed small, warm and cozy but now that she could see it, the brambles hung high overhead and the nursery seemed quite empty.
Grasswing lay on her side near a wall, a ginger she-cat with short whiskers. Amberkit recognized her from the scent she carried, because she smelt different from Swiftstrike and Emberflight. There was no milk scent on her yet, she had not had her kits yet. Emberflight was in a nest beside her, hardly visible, curled in a tight ball with her paws under her nose, her black pelt blending in with the dark floor.
The most familiar scent came from behind. Turning around, Amberkit gazed at her mother. Sunshine filtering through the holes in the walls made Swiftstrike's black-and-white pelt shine. Her black face was narrow and her ears ended in gentle points. Do I look like her? Amberkit looked over her shoulder at her own pelt. It was fluffy, not sleek and shiny like her mothers, and it was the colour of amber, not black-and-white. Nothing like her. Amberkit thought.
Amberkit gazed back at her sisters, sprawled in little heaps. Echokit was fluffy too, but had a silver pelt and Lichenkit was a sandy coloured she-cat. We look nothing alike.
"Echokit." Amberkit whispered. "Lichenkit."
"What is it?" Echokit blinked open her eyes. They were purple.
Are my eyes purple? Amberkit wondered.
Lichenkit staggered up to look at Amberkit. "You've opened your eyes!" She gasped and leapt to her paws, wide awake. "Now we can go outside the nursery!"
Amberkit spotted a hole in the bramble wall, just big enough for three kits to squeeze through. "Duskkit and Sweetkit are already outside. Let's surprise them!"
Grasswing raised her head to look at the three kits. "Don't go too far and don't annoy anyone." She mumbled sleepily, before putting her tail over her nose.
"Where are Grasswing's kits?" Amberkit tipped her head to one side.
"They won't arrive for another moon." Echokit whispered back.
Arrive? Amberkit tipped her head to the other side. Where do they arrive from?
Echokit had already jumped over her mother, Lichenkit closely behind, heading for the hole. Amberkit tumbled after them, scared as she slide down Swiftstrike's flank, landing in the soft moss.
The nest rustled and Amberkit felt a paw clamp her tail to the ground. "Where are you going?"
Swiftstrike was awake.
Amberkit turned and faced Swiftstrike. "We're going outside, to see the world!" Amberkit replied.
A loud purr came from Swiftbreeze and her eyes glowed. " You've opened your eyes." She sounded relieved.
"I decided it was time for me to open them." Amberkit said proudly.
"There Emberflight. I told you she would open them in her own time, when she was ready." Swiftbreeze woke the black queen up with her satisfied mew.
"Of course. I was just thinking of Duskkit and Sweetkit-they opened theirs sooner." She swiped a paw across her ears, cleaning them and smoothing them.
Swiftbreeze turned back to her three kits. "So now you are going to see the world, hey?"
Amberkit stared at her mother. "Why not? Duskkit and Sweetkit are out there. They've been out there for ages!"
"Yes but they are nearly five moons now." Swiftbreeze reminded her. "They're much bigger than you so they're allowed to play outside, before they're made apprentices at six moons."
Amberkit stared at her mother in shock and horror. "Is it dangerous to play out there?"
Swiftbreeze started to purr again. "Not in the camp." She reassured Amberkit.
"Then we can go?"
Swiftbreeze let out a given-in sigh. Then she leaned down to smooth Amberkit's fur with her tongue. "I suppose you have to leave the nursery sometime." She studied Echokit and Lichenkit. "Smarten your whiskers Echokit. Wash your ears Lichenkit. I want you to look your best when the Clan meets you for the first time."
Echokit swiped a licked paw over her whiskers.
Lichenkit looked up at her mother. "Are you coming outside with us?"
"Did you want me to?"
Amberkit shook her head. "We're going to surprise Duskkit and Sweetkit."
Swiftstrike's whiskers twitched. "Your first prey. Off you go then, be careful!"
Amberkit bounced around and sprinted for the gap.
"Don't get under cat's paws! And stay together!" Swiftstrike called after them, as Purplekit barged ahead.
Brambles scraped Amberkit's pelt as she tore through the entrance. When she skidded to a halt outside the nursery, sunlight stung her eyes.She blinked away the glare, and the camp opened out in front of her like a good dream. A vast, sandy clearing stretched out to a ledge that cast a shadow so long it almost reached the nursery. Echokit and Lichenkit looked up in wonder at the ledge. Two larger cats sat beneath the ledge, enjoying the shade, sharing fresh-kill beside a clump of nettles. Farther than them, lay a fallen branch, its entangled branches on the ground like a heap of skinny, hairless legs. Several fox-lengths away was a yew bush, that spread branches over the ground.
Excitement thrilled through her. This was her place, her territory! How would she ever learn her way around?