"Achoo!" Lilykit sneezed loudly as she shuffled through an assortment of dusty leaves in the dry darkness of the cave. She was in the back of the Medicine den, which Mintfur had been too big to squeeze into. "How long have these herbs been back here again??" The calico she-kit called, her voice bouncing off the cold stone walls.
"Not sure. My mentor, Smallstep, used to keep them back there incase of emergencies. It was a safe place, and he and I were small enough to fit back there." Mintfur's voice came through the tiny entrance into the main cavern of the Medicine cat den. "He was a very small tom and I was just an Apprentice so we could easily fit back there, but now I'm older."
Lilykit shoved a bundle of dusty gray leaves through the small opening. She say Mintfur's blue paw stick in and sweep them away. Lilykit couldn't imagine a tom so small he could fit into the tiny cave. Its so dry, dusty, and c-cold! More than anything, the young kit just wanted to get back out into the green-leaf sun and sit by the river. She loved watching the dark waters swirl through the gorge of camp. Swanfeather was always reminding her that it was dangerous to get too close. I'm a Rainclan cat! I shouldn't be afraid of water. Yet, after Lilykit's trip outside of camp and after falling into the small stream and nearly drowning she wasn't in such a hurry to learn how to swim.
"I think thats all of them!" Lilykit meowed loudly, examining the cave one more time.
"Alright then, come out of there and get some fresh air. Then you can help me with organizing."
Lilykit shoved her head through the crack in the wall, having an easy time pushing her shoulders and hips through. I hope I'm not this small forever! In the Medicine Cat den, Lilykit stretched her legs out till her claws scratched the stone floor. "I hope I never have to go in there again!"
"Don't worry, I wont be storing any herbs back there....for now." Mintfur's blue eyes watched Lilykit in amusement. Lilykit liked Mintfur. She was sweet and yet had a great sense of humor. This isn't punishment at all... Lilykit felt sorry for Fishkit. Her sister always came stomping back to the Nursery everyday, stinking of mouse-bile and complaining she couldn't get the taste of flea out of her mouth. Swanfeather would always remind her that if she hadn't lied about leaving camp then she wouldn't have such harsh punishment.
Fishkit would arch her back and hiss, "Lilykit made me leave camp! I didn't lie!" Lilykit peeked outside the den to see what was happening. Reedwhisker was arranging sun high patrols, calling out to Whitewater, Rippleclaw and Pebblesplash to go on a hunting patrol. Starkpaw was with his mentor, Torrentpelt. Drizzlepaw was just coming back to camp with his mentor, Darkstream.
"Lilykit! Pay attention now, herb sorting can get messy. You remember what I taught you? These light blue berries are juniper. These golden flowers are marigold. These purple flowers are lavender." Mintfur recited a few herbs, then began pulling out everything in her store.
Lilykit fought to remember everything the Medicine cat had said. Her white paws were soon stained with a green tint by the time they had gotten through half the pile. By then Lilykit was especially bored. Mintfur blinked clear blue eyes at the young kit.
"Having fun?"
"Uh...yeah, lots...."
Mintfur purrred, "Alright, you've worked hard all morning. Go ahead and play." Lilykit bounced up happily, licked Mintfur's shoulder, and raced out of the den. The day was warm and clear, and she could just imagine what it was like in the forest. Whispering of prey and new things....No! You can't sneak out again! You want to be Wildstar's apprentice so behave! Lilykit looked around for the great gray tabby tom. It had been a moon, which had slid by painfully as she had woken up early every day and worked with Mintfur on whatever it was the blue she-cat needed. Lilykit was ready to be act like a kit again.
She spotted her leader by the fresh-kill pile, eating a large trout. He was talking with a brown tom, Volefur. Lilykit wanted to speak with Wildstar, but knew she should probably not bother him. Deciding to go see if her mother was in the Nursery, she walked towards the Elders bridge. As she leaped onto the smooth bark and padded across the den, the river swishing bellow her, she heard Fishkit.
"Look here buster! If you keep moving around that tick is not going anywhere!! Sit still and let me put some mouse-bile on it!"
An old tom growled inside retorting back, "So I can stink for a whole moon?! I'd rather take the tick."
Lilykit leaped off the log, sticking her head inside to see what was going on. It was Swiftriver who was being stubborn. Fishkit was clinging to his back as he spun around and bucked, trying to kick her off. Finally she took her ball of stinking moss, and dabbed on the mouse bile. Swiftriver hissed, sitting down in defeat and wrinkled his nose in disgust.
"At least the tick wont bother you," Lilykit mewed in amusement. Swiftriver sent her a glare, turning his dark gray back on her. Fishkit jumped down, flinging the mouse-bile moss at her sister. Lilykit mewled, ducking out of the way.
"Watch where your throwing that!" She hissed, but her amber eyes were playfully bright.
"Why, you stink already!" Fishkit retorted, leaping at her and going into a tussle. The two kits rolled on the smooth pebbles, a ball of black and white with calico flashes. Lilykit felt excitement fill her up. Fishkit was finally talking to her! She had been stand offish and irritable since Wildstar had given the black and white kit longer punishment. Maybe things will go back to normal...
"Reow!!" Lilykit screamed as water sunk into her fur. It was cold and caught her breath in her throat. Fishkit's yowl echoed her own as the two kits rolled right into the river, falling off the short drop. Lilykit's memories flashed through her of her time outside camp, when she had fallen into the stream. This water was much faster, darker, and powerful. It immediatley pulled the two kits down, slamming them against the shore, then tearing them downward. Lilykit thought she felt Fishkit, and tried to grab for her, but she got tangled up in some slimy grass. I'm going to die!
Writhing and trying to claw of her capture, Lilykit suddenly felt claws reach her scruff. Just when her lungs were about to explode, air filled then as her head broke surface. Amber eyes blinking fiercely to get the water out of them, she looked around at the blurry world.
"You two are more trouble than a pack of badgers!" The voice was familiar and comforting. Swanfeather had already wrapped her tail around the two shivering kits, licking them with quick strokes. Mintfur was at the Queen's side, holding leaves in her jaws.
"We didn't mean to...."
"Yeah, we were just play fighting."
Lilykit's eyes had cleared and she looked around her. Fishkit's black and white pelt was sleeked to her sides, show the little kit's ribs. Lilykit noticed she was bigger than her sister, even though her own pale calico pelt was also clinging to her body. Wildstar was nearby, watching the two from narrowed eyes. Maybe he thinks neither one of us should be his Apprentice! We're causing so much trouble... Mintfur told Lilykit to eat some bitter smelling green leaves, and she chewed then down painfully.
"Yuck!" Fishkit spat out the herbs, kicking at them with her hind paws. "Are you trying to poison me!"
"You must eat them unless you want to catch white-cough!" Mintfur hissed, her fur bristling and her blue eyes fierce. Lilykit had never seen her that way.
Fishkit's ears flattened and she growled, "Then get me some more...I'll eat them."
"No. Your not going to waste herbs. You'll eat the ones you kicked at." Swanfeather scolded her kit, pushing the herbs toward Fishkit with a snow white paw. Lilykit watched with sympathy. Why did her sister have to make things so difficult?
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