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Goosefeather's Judgment--Ch. 7

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The sound of voices echoed over the ThunderClan territory, even though the air was brittle with frost and wind. It was a time of great honor for three cats in the Clan—for they had earned their warrior names.

"Mumblefoot! Weedwhisker! Larksong!"

The names carried high on the bitter wind. Even though it was icy cold out that evening, most of the cats had gathered beneath the Highrock anyway to celebrate the apprentices becoming warriors. Goosekit listened from the nursery—kits weren't allowed to come to the meetings. He scowled, folding his paws and resting his chin on them.

He could just imagine how Mumblepaw looked right now—sorry, Mumblefoot. What a fitting name for the clumsy tom. He would have his chest puffed out and his scraggly fur fluffed up, grinning as though he was becoming Clan leader. Goosekit's scowl deepened. He disliked the mean-spirited tom. He was rarely nice, and especially not to kits. I pity his kits someday. He thought, then grinned. That is, if he can ever get a she-cat to like him.

But then he thought of Larksong. The pretty tortoiseshell was probably sitting beside him now, head held high, exulting in her new name and the honor it meant. Goosekit was observant, for a kit, and he knew lots of things about all the cats in the Clan, things they probably didn't realize that a kit would notice. Things like how Yarrowtail disliked sparrows, or how Lightfur got up at dawn every morning to watch the sun rise. He also noticed how much Mumblefoot liked Larksong. Liked liked.

It was obvious. He went hunting with her, they trained together, shared prey together. He acted like Rockpelt to Silverheart around her. He was all smiles and laughter when Larksong was around, which was fine with Goosekit. He preferred him that way. But Larksong didn't seem to return his affection. Goosekit got the feeling that he was just her friend. For some reason, he liked that too. Larksong's too nice to be mates with a jerk like him. The thought gave him great satisfaction.

"Mumblefoot! Weedwhisker! Larksong!"

And what about Mumblefoot's brother Weedwhisker? He was nicer than his brother. A little stiff, though. He must be just as pleased to get his warrior name.

Goosekit pricked his ears. Moonkit was sitting on Silverheart's back, staring eagerly out of the den at the gathered cats. "That's going to be me, soon!" She chirped. "That's going to be me!"

Silverheart purred, pulling her down into her folded front paws. "Yes, and you'll be the best warrior."

"Hey!" Goosekit frowned.

"And the best medicine cat." She purred, licking Goosekit's ear. "I'm very proud of you for making such a grown-up decision, Goosekit." She hesitated, then mewed, "Are you sure it's what you want?"

The little gray tom's brow furrowed, then he nodded. "I still don't have to decide, until I become an apprentice. But I want to be a medicine cat, more than anything. I want to know stuff, all sorts of useful stuff, and help cats get better!" He flicked his tail excitedly, and Silverheart laughed again.

Pretty soon the ceremony ended, and cats drifted off to their duties again. Rockpelt padded over to the nursery carrying a shrew, his playful blue eyes shining. "How're the two best kits in ThunderClan?" He purred, dropping the shrew in front of Silverheart.

Moonkit slid down Silverheart's back and bounded up to her father. "Hi, Rockpelt!" She chirruped. "Want to see a move that Poppypaw taught me?" She sank down onto her belly, tail lashing, and then sprang, batting at his whiskers. He chortled loudly, batting gently at her ear.

"You'll be a great warrior someday, with moves like that!" He rolled onto his back and Moonkit leaped onto his belly, giggling in delight. He roared like a wounded badger, crying, "Oh, no, the terrifying Moonkit has got me! She's got me!"

Goosekit jumped over, eyes bright, and cried, "I want to play too!"

Rockpelt laughed, scooping up Goosekit with a big spotted paw. "Grr, now I've got you! Moonkit, I'm taking your brother hostage!"

"Not if I can help it!"

The kits giggled and squealed as they played with their father. Silverheart watched, smiling happily, purring with laughter whenever Moonkit or Goosekit grabbed his ear or tail. They jumped on him and batted at him, valiantly fighting the "badger".

They played until Lightfur came over and told Rockpelt that he was needed for the dusk patrol. He licked his kits affectionately and then padded after the deputy. Goosekit watched him walk off, smiling. "Aw…" mewed Moonkit, her ears drooping. "I was hoping he could play with us a little more."

"We'll play more later." Goosekit said. He stood up, tail held straight up. "Now we can go see the new warriors!"

"Yeah!"

They bounded over, Silverheart warning them not to get underpaw. Larksong, Mumblefoot and Weedwhisker were chatting with Rookflight and Yarrowtail. Rookflight was talking to Larksong. Yarrowtail looked at Mumblefoot and Weedwhisker, puffing out his tabby chest. "You've made Honeypelt and me very proud." He rumbled with a smile. "You'll be the best warriors."

Mumblefoot nodded, smiling. "Thanks, Yarrowtail." Weedwhisker echoed him, his eyes shining. Yarrowtail and Honeypelt were their parents. Suddenly it occurred to Goosekit—what would it be like, when he and Moonkit became apprentices? Would they be able to play with Rockpelt or spend time with Silverheart anymore?

"So, how does it feel to be a warrior?" Rookflight asked. The dark tabby she-cat smiled, licking a cream paw.

"Not too different." Said Larksong with a chuckle. "Really, it feels like yesterday that I was just a kit. But I want to serve my Clan the best I can."

Goosekit bounded up to her, Moonkit right beside him. "Congratulations, Larksong!" He chirped.

"Now that you're a warrior, will you still show us battle moves?" Moonkit said hopefully.

Larksong looked down at them and laughed good-naturedly. "If I have time. Branchstar's going to have Mumblefoot, Weedwhisker and I working our fur off now that we're warriors."

Weedwhisker lifted his chin with a grin. "But we can handle it. We're ThunderClan warriors now, and ThunderClan is the best."

"Yeah!" said Moonkit. "I can't wait until I'm a ThunderClan warrior!"

Goosekit smiled too. He looked at Mumblefoot, lifting his head to meet the warrior's gaze. Mumblefoot curled his lip in a look of distaste. "And what about you?" He asked the little gray kit. "Excited to be a warrior?"

He opened his mouth to reply, but Moonkit butted in, "He wants to be a medicine cat instead."

A look of delight flashed in Mumblefoot's eyes, and Goosekit's hackles raised. "A medicine cat? Ho ho, let me know when that happens. I'll steer clear of the medicine cat's den. With him in it, it'll be a disaster area!"

Goosekit sprang to his paws, snapping hotly, "Oh yeah? Well, I hope the Clan doesn't rely on you too much to be fed. Unless you happen to trip and squash the mice to death."

Mumblefoot went rigid. His clumsiness was a sore spot for him, and Goosekit got a delicious satisfaction from rubbing his fur the wrong way. Then the brown tom was standing, looming over Goosekit, and snarling, "Listen, you little toad, I'll—"

"Enough of this!" Yarrowtail stepped between them. Weedwhisker's tail shot out, blocking his brother from moving forward. Yarrowtail looked at both of them, his face stony. "Mumblefoot, this is no way for a warrior to behave." He said finally, looking at his son. "You ought to be ashamed."

Mumblefoot's fur lay down, and he looked at his paws. "Yes, Yarrowtail." He grumbled.

Rookflight nodded approvingly at Yarrowtail, then looked down at Goosekit. "And as for you, Goosekit," she said sternly. "You need to show some respect to a warrior."

He looked at his paws, but said nothing. The fur along his spine was still on end in anger.

Larksong looked at them, and finally stepped over to Goosekit. "Come on, Goosekit, say you're sorry." She said gently.

He looked up at her, blinked, and then nodded grudgingly. "Sorry." He muttered.

"Good." Yarrowtail blinked. "This is no way for Clanmates to act. You can both shred some enemies someday, rather than each other." He looked at Goosekit and glared again. "And you can bet I'll tell Silverheart how you've been acting, young kit."

As he walked away and the others drifted off, Mumblefoot walking close beside Larksong, Goosekit's pelt burned. Moonkit laid her tail across his shoulders, smiling sympathetically. "Don't let Mumblefoot get you so worked up." She mewed. "He's just a mousebrain."

He looked at her, scowling. "I know." But he was still angry.

I'll show him. I don't need to be all big and strong to earn respect. I'll be the greatest medicine cat ever. I'll show him.

That night, as Moonkit and Silverheart slept and the moon rose high over the camp, Goosekit at alone near the entrance of the nursery. He watched the shadowy outlines of Mumblefoot, Larksong, and Weedwhisker, taking their vigil as new warriors. Then he looked up at the swath of stars that lay glittering across the sky.

Soon, they seemed to say. Soon, Goosekit, you'll be an apprentice. And then the stars themselves will be opened to you.
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This is a fun chapter. Our favorite apprentices are now warriors, and Goosekit and Moonkit get to spend some time playing with their Dad. Rockpelt's a good dad. :)

Warriors (c) Erin Hunter. Not me. But I own the story and a handful of the characters.

Crazy thought for the future--but I went through my story and figured out how many chapters I'll need to tell it, and this BOOK is going to be around 50 chapters. ^^" Craziness...so I hope y'all enjoy it. XD
© 2011 - 2024 DragonwolfRooke
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Mushroomfern's avatar
When I finished the prologue, I was thinking, is this going to be about Goosefeather in Starclan?

I'm glad its about him and his kithood instead. I'm really enjoying the story!