Whiteclaw's Tale - Chapter 1

"Whitekit play nicely with your brothers Blackkit, and Brownkit." said Whitekit's mother, Dawnpetal. "I'll be an apprentice soon and then you won't be able to boss me around." squeaked Whitekit. "You won't be an apprentice for another 4 moons." said Dawnpetal gently. "That is the warrior code, no kit can be apprenticed before 6 moons old." Whitekit snorted and shook his head, impatiently. He turned and padded towards the center of the camp where he saw his father Rushclaw, leading the hunting patrol out of the camp. "Father, Father, can I join you?" Whitekit called. His father looked amused and said, "When you're an apprentice I promise I will take you hunting." He said. Whitekit turned around and padded back to the nursery. Dawnpetal, turned and scooped him into the nest, to join his siblings. Dawnpetal looked at them and then she curled up in the nest and told them to go to sleep. "I will wake you when the patrol gets back with some food. You are old enough to have some of the food from the fresh kill pile now." she said. "No Milk?" The kittens looked at her in disbelief. "Yes Brownkit, the milk is drying, you can each take some mice from the fresh kill pile, no birds unless I pluck the feathers." she reminded them. The kittens nodded. Instead of curling up in the nest Whitekit turned and with his brotheres following behind him they padded back into the camp. "Brownkit and Blackkit, always think they are better than every other cat." muttered Whitekit to himself. "Hey Whitekit," called Darkpaw and Hollypaw the only two clan apprentices. Whitekit nodded in their direction. "Where are Brownkit and Blackkit?" asked Hollypaw. Whitekit nodded in the direction of the elders den, "They always like listening to Hawkeye's stories." he said. Hollypaw gave her thanks and padded away. "Do you want me to take you to outlook ledge?" asked Darkpaw. "That's out of camp though, I am not allowed out until I am an apprentice though." Darkpaw considered. "They won't know then, besides you are the oldest of your siblings and the keenest to learn. No warrior can object." Whitekit nodded and followed Darkpaw. "Watch for the paw holds," called Darkpaw as he gave Whitekit a boost up the rock. "Darkpaw! What are you doing out here and with a kit under 6 moons old." scolded Cattail the clan deputy. "Whitekit wanted to see outlook ledge, so I agreed to take him." said Darkpaw defiantly. "You agreed to take a kit out of the camp?" Darkpaw nodded. "That was very irresponsible," she said. "Whitekit is the oldest kit though. He is oldest the keenest to learn new skills, I figured that any warrior would want there to be new warriors in the clan. To have warriors then the kits must learn skills." he argued. Cattail considered before nodding. "Fine, I will take him to Outlook ledge as I am the clan deputy, you will go back to camp and you will go out training with Darkenberry." She said before beckoning with her tail for Whitekit to follow.