Chapter One
Nightkit yawned and opened her eyes. It had been a few sunrises since she had first opened them. According to her brother, Hailkit, they were green. She sat up and gave her chest fur a few licks. She felt a paw prodding her side, and turned around. Hailkit was looking at her happily. He was always happy! Nothing made him upset.
“Patchwing’s sleeping. Let’s go patrol the borders!” Hailkit whispered excitedly.
“Race you!” Nightkit squealed and dashed off. She heard her brother calling that she had a head start, but she didn’t care. She got to the middle of camp and stopped. She flopped down and curled up, trying to camouflage herself. She heard Hailkit purring and looked up. He was standing over her, his whiskers twitching in amusement.
“What’s so funny?” Nightkit demanded.
“Oh, nothing. Just the fact that you think you can hide yourself on bare ground.” Hailkit told Nightkit, through purrs.
“Well I bet you can’t do better than me.” Nightkit huffed. But Hailkit was already gone. She saw him stumbling to the camp entrance and raced after him. Hailkit was waiting for her at the camp entrance.
“You’re so slow.” He told Nightkit.
“Am not!” Nightkit protested and prepared to spring into the forest. Just as she was about to leap, she felt a paw on her tail. She whirled around to see Coalheart, her father, holding down her tail so she couldn’t get anywhere. She managed to pull her tail free and she sat down.
“You know you aren’t supposed to-” Coalheart began.
“ShadowClan invasion!” Nightkit yowled as she hurled herself at Coalheart. Hailkit clumsily pounced on his tail and clawed at it. Coalheart flopped down and pretended to be defeated as Nightkit rose a tiny paw and squealed in triumph. She relaxed her grip on her father’s shoulders and Hailkit climbed up onto Coalheart’s shoulders to join her. As the two kits were chatting about their victory, Coalheart sprang up. Nightkit and Hailkit tumbled off his shoulders onto the ground.
“That didn’t count.” Nightkit announced. “We already won.”
“Yes, you did.” Coalheart purred. “You were wonderful.”
“ShadowClan better watch out!” Hailkit squealed.
“Now, what are you doing so close to the forest?” Coalheart asked, suddenly serious.
“We wanted to patrol the borders!” Nightkit explained.
“And protect the camp.” Hailkit added.
“That is very thoughtful of you, but I’m afraid you’re too young. When you become an apprentice you’ll be able to patrol with your mentor. When you become-” Coalheart started.
“But that’s a whole six moons away!” Nightkit protested.
“I don’t mind.” Hailkit mewed as he gazed at the forest happily.
“You’ll just have to wait, then.” Coalheart mewed softly.
Nightkit sighed and turned around. She beckoned Hailkit with her tail and trotted back to the nursery. Patchwing was waiting for them. Nightkit curled up by Patchwing, too tired to see what Hailkit had done.
“Patchwing?” Nightkit mewed sleepily.
“Yes, Nightkit?” Patching mewed.
“Will you be my mentor when I’m an apprentice?” Nightkit asked through a yawn.
“I’m afraid it doesn’t work like that.” Patchwing told Nightkit.
“Well it should.” Nightkit mewed.
“It’s all part of the warrior code.” Patchwing mewed gently.
“Will you always be my mother?” Nightkit asked.
“Yes, always.” Patchwing replied.
“Even when you’re in StarClan?” Nightkit mewed.
“I won't be in StarClan for a long time." Patchwing mewed. She saw Nightkit's eyes go round.
"Yes, even when I’m in StarClan.” Patchwing told Nightkit.
Nightkit felt her mother’s tail wrap around her as she drifted off to sleep.