Just an FYI: I changed Starlingkit's name to Snowkit, since she's white and a starling is black. Which is unfortunate because I really liked that name. Oh well. Enjoy!

Over the next moon, the kits spent a lot of time with their father. He was their Idol, their hero! They would DIE for him! But there was one itty-bitty problem...

"Oh c'mon, Dad!" Nimblekit whined. "We can't protect you if we aren't Warriors!"

Quailfoot sighed and looked at the kits. "You have to be an apprentice first for six moons," He said, "And for the last time, to become an apprentice, you have to be six moons old before Nightstar can even think of letting you out of camp."

"But she can make an exception, right? Cause we're the kits of the future deputy?" Breezekit protested.

Nimblekit butted in beside her. "Don't forget that we're all-powerful and handsome!"

"But I'm a girl, I can't be handsome! Only beautiful!"

It was early morning in WindClan camp. Where the sun should have been shining, clouds covered the sky and instead rain was pouring hard on the roof of the nursery. The kits, due to their parents insistence, were stuck in the nursery. The small space was so chaotic that some kits even had to leave. Wolfkit went off to visit the elders along with Gorsekit and Falconkit (StarClan only knows what torture he was going through), while Nimblekit, Breezekit, and Snowkit stayed back in the nursery with the queens and Quailfoot.

"Would you keep it down, Nimblekit?!" Snowkit yowled over from a few nests down. "I'm trying to sleep!"

Nimblekit, who had been opening his mouth in a retort, quickly snapped it shut. He was being kind of loud, louder than Breezekit. Wait, why am I listening to another kitten? Nimblekit thought. And a She-kit of all cats!

"Okay, but still! We really want to be warriors so we can go to the gathering and keep you safe, Daddy." Nimblekit said, lowering his voice.

"Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeaassee?" Nimblekit and Breezekit both pleaded, giving the cutest kit looks they could muster.

Quailfoot sighed. Is he gonna let us?! Nimblekit wondered. I hope so. I really really wanna see the other clans! It would be so much fun! Maybe we could play Hunters and Mice, or Moss B—

"No. And that's final."

"B-b-bu-" Breezekit stammered.

Appletail looked up from her nest, saying, "No buts. Listen to your father, kits."

Nimblekit was aghast. Clearly, he was old enough to go to just one silly gathering! He was a WHOLE MOON OLD!!

Suddenly, Grasswind burst in the nursery. "Quailfoot! Thank StarClan I found you— There's another badger near the ThunderClan border! I can't find Nightstar, and Jaggedstep is busy being treated for his back pains. You gotta help!" She paused for a moment to take a breath and said, "Hawkclaw is already th—"

Grasswind never finished. "I'm on it. Sorry kits, I gotta go," said Quailfoot. Before he left, he muttered, "Gah, I'll get that Hawkclaw one day." Hawkclaw was Quailfoot's rival. Jaggedstep, the deputy, was growing old, and would retire soon, which was well known throughout the clan. Most cats were content with staying normal warriors, but two— Quailfoot and Hawkclaw— wanted to rise up to be the deputy, which caused an even greater rivalry. It didn't help that they had been enemies since kithood, when Hawkclaw stole Quailfoot's favorite feather to sleep with for himself.

Grasswind ruffled her long, silver fur after Quailfoot left. "Toms. Always so rude," she said rolling her eyes.

— ✧ —

Around sunhigh, the rain cleared up— which meant the kits were finally free. Nimblekit raced to the exit of the den as soon as the queens gave the word, shoving and pushing to get past his sister. Finally, after a good shove in the face, Breezekit slowed down, and Nimblekit was free to take the lead. He stepped outside, feeling the soggy ground with his kneading claws. The birds chirped in the trees as water dripped into puddles on the ground from the leaves, and cats emerged from around camp to clean up after the small storm from the morning. Clouds drifted away to make room for the sun, and the air— oh the air! What a wonderful scent it had!

Nimblekit was about to go worm hunting when all of a sudden he was mocked over. Looking up at his attacker, he saw Breezekit.

"I got you now, brother!" She yowled gleefully.

Nimblekit spat the mud out of his mouth. "Oh no you don't!" He said, shoving his sister off and into a puddle.

"Hey, what'd you do that for?!" Breezekit said. After she shook the water from her fur, she scooped her paws and splashed at Nimblekit. "Take this!"

Nimblekit squinted as the water sprayed at him. "Your gonna have to try harder than that!"

The two kits were about to have a showdown when Wolfkit appeared, strutting towards them with his tail held high. This was unusual for their brother— he was normally a shy little kit! What was up with him?

"Someone seems to be in a good mood," commented Breezekit.

Wolfkit day down next to them. "Yup!" He said. "The elders gave Gorsekit and Falconkit an earful when those bullies said I was too lazy to be a warrior— now Sharpnose is even gonna talk to Nightstar about making them check the elders for ticks for a whole quarter moon!"

"Serves then right," Snowkit said as she sat down next to the other kits.

"Oh hey Snowkit!" Breezekit mewed.

Snowkit looked at her friend happily. "Hi!"

"No longer grumpy about how loud I am?" Nimblekit said jokingly. Inside he was nervous— it was so strange talking to a she cat (other than his sister and mother)!

Snowkit gave him a withering look. "No, I'm awake now, of course."

"Oh, 'Kay. Got it." Nimblekit shuffled his paws.

The group of kits talked for a little while, before Snowkit had to go off to change her nest. Once she was finally out of earshot, Nimblekit spoke up. "Hey guys— you wanna sneak out of camp tonight, to go to the gathering?"

Breezekit and Wolfkit looked at Nimblekit with shocked faces. "But we're not allowed to!" Exclaimed Wolfkit.

"I know, but Quailfoot won't let us, and we're a moon old! We deserve to meet the other clans!" Nimblekit argued.

Breezekit stepped up. "He's got a point," she said to Wolfkit.

"See? Breezekit agrees," Nimblekit said.

"...Okay."

— ✧ —

The day seemed to drag by slowly as a snail. By the time sundown came, Nimblekit was almost about to burst out with excitement. He was gonna we the other clans! Finally, he'd see the other leaders, and what other cats were really like!

However, a smidge of doubt hung at the back of Nimblekit's mind. Quailfoot and Appletail probably wouldn't like this very much. What if their apprenticeships were delayed because they got caught?

The time for doubts is over, Nimblekit thought. The clan was about to leave, and both Appletail and Quailfoot were going.

"Now, you kits stay put." Appletail said sternly. "Don't get into any trouble while I'm gone!"

Quailfoot stepped up alongside his mate. "Listen to Jaggedfur well, ok?" he said.

"We'll be fine!" Said Breezekit.

"Bye mom! Bye dad!" They all said as their parents left.

The trio waited until the others were distracted enough before they went to the entrance of the nursery. Once out, they stalked across to the dirtplace and exited through there— it was basically a rite of passage for all kits to do this by that point.

Once out, Wolfkit shifted uneasily. "Are you sure we shouldn't stay here?" He asked.

Truthfully, Nimblekit shared his brother's worries. But he wasn't about to show it. "I'm sure." He said, looking Wolfkit in the eyes. "We'll be alright."

"O-ok, Nimblekit," Wolfkit replied.

"The real question is, how exactly do we get to the gathering island?" Breezekit piped up. The three looked around. Gah, I completely forgot about this part! Nimblekit thought. Maybe I should sniff for their scent trail— just like Dad talked about! Raising his head, Nimblekit tasted the air. Heather.... gorse.... Quailfoot... wait! Quailfoot!

Nimblekit stopped sniffing. "It's this way!" He said, starting to run.

"How do you know?" Asked Breezekit with a tiny hint of annoyance in her mew.

"Sniff the air!" Nimblekit said.

"I smell Quailfoot!" Wolfkit said as they ran. 

Breezekit looked away. "Ok, ok, your right!"

The kits ran on, certain it was the way their parents went. Eventually they started to see trees. "Woah, that must be RiverClan territory!" Wolfkit said as they approached. "I thought there were  less trees though... and I thought it was more swampy..."

Nimblekit looked around. Wolfkit was right, this didn't look like what Quailfoot had described about RiverClan territory! There were way too many trees!

"Wait!" Said Breezekit "I hear a stream! It must be the one that the RiverClan island is in!"

"You're right!" Said Nimblekit. "It must be the one!"

The three were heading closer to the stream sound, when they smelled something... different.

"Ew! What's that smell?!" Breezekit mewled loudly.

"I don't know, but does not smell good!" Nimblekit replied.

Wandering farther into the small patch of woods, the kits grew scared. What was this thing? Was it a cat? Or something else? They reached the stream, but when they got there, they saw the stream was too tiny to hold an island. 

"This... this isn't the RiverClan border!l" Nimblekit realized. "This is the ThunderClan border!" They had followed their father's old scent to the place with the...

Wolfkit whimpered. "I-I'm scared," he whispered. "I wanna go back home!"

"Me too!" Said Breezekit. "The forest is really scary..."

Nimblekit nodded, worried. "Yeah, me three. Let's go," he said. Only when he turned around, he couldn't tell which way was home! "Uh, guys?" 

Suddenly, that bad scent came flooding back. Only this time, Nimblekit knew what it was. "Run," he whispered. "Run!"

Sorry its been a while! This chapter was 1,675 words, so I hope that made up for it ;)

Rushwing- OUTSKIDOODLES