The stars sparkled overhead sne womehere overhead cried an owl, its haunting cry sending chills up Owlkit's spine. She wished that she could she this owl that was constantly filling her dreams, but suddenly, Owlkit's world shattered as something heavy jumped on top of her. She opened her eyes as a bundle of brown tabby fur tumbled to the nursery floor. The kit landed on his back, his nose a mouse length away from Owlkit's.

"Oakkit." Owlkit grumbled at her brother. "What are you doing?"

"Sorry, Owlkit." Another voice spoke from behind Owlkit and Oakkit. "We were just playing." Two kits ran around to face Owlkit. Her oldest brother, Rushkit, and her only sister Blossomkit.

"Are you okay?" Rushkit questioned, helping Owlkit to her paws.

"Yeah I'm fine." Owlkit shook a stray peace of moss from her white pelt.

"Wanna go outside?" Oakkit questioned, jumping to his paws. "I wanna see the camp!"

"If Briarrose lets us." Blossomkit mewed, staring at her paws. "She doesn't want us going outside.

"That's when were small and sick." Oakkit countered. "We're not small or sick--" He cut himself off as she caught Owlkit's eyes. Oakkit flattened his ears. "W-Well most of aren't'

Owlkit began feeling insecure once again, she cast her gaze away from her littermates. Owlkit and her littermates and been born early and were also unexpected. Owlkit had been born last and had been told many times that whens he was born she had been as small as a mouse. Before the cold season had even hit, when they're were barley a moon old they all came down with an illness that killed their brother, Firekit.

Owlkit didn't really remember her brother, she didn't remember anything from that time but her dreams. She had heard stories, how she and Firekit had been the sickest. Firekit died and so had she, Pbebblestep explained how she was able to bring breath back into her body.

However, despite surviving the illness and her siblings rapidly grown into normal sized kits for their age, Owlkit was the size of a moon old kit and had a cough that she just couldn't shake. Pebblestep, Honeyfrost and Briarrose always looked at her like she was a brittle leaf, at risk of crumbling at the slightest misstep. I'm stronger than I look. Owlkit always had to remind herself.

"Owlkit is just as capable as the three of us are." Rushkit spoke, stepping beside Owlkit. She glanced up at her brother gratefully, Rushkit was always there to support her.

"We'll talk to Briarrose about it." Blossomkit mewed. "She can't keep is trapped in the nursery forever. We'll be apprentices in three moons."

"She should come back soon." Rushkit mentioned. Briarrose was off on her of her regular check-ups with the medicine cats. Briarrose had nearly died giving birth and had been struggling ever since.

The four kits waiting in the nursery until Briarrose returned, usually Heatherflight and Squirreltail were in the nursery btu Squirreltail was with her family and Owlkit was uncertain of where Heatherflight had gone.

Briarrose stepped into the nursery smelling strongly of herbs, herbs that Owlkit knew all too well. She made visits to the medicine cat at least once a moon, and anytime her cough would act up. She had continues died of coltsfoot, tansy and juniper berries.

"Briarrose!' Oakkit ran up to her, circling around Brairrose's legs.

"Hi there." Briarrose purred with amusement. "I wasn't gone to that long." She chuckled.

"Well..." Oakkit stepping backwards, getting in line with his siblings. "We were wondering if...."

"If we could go outside and explore the camp." Ruskkit stepped forward, finishing his brother's sentence.

Immediately, Briarrose' expression shifted., Her eyes filled with fear and concern, turning her amber gaze towards Owlkit. Owlkit stood her ground, puffing out her chest and trying to look bigger.

"I don't know..' Briarrose shifted her paws.

"Please." Blossomkit pleased. "We're three moons old, she should've been exploring the camp last moon."

"But Owlkit--"

"I'll be fine!" Owlkit urged. "I'm small but i'll be okay, I promise!"

"Rushkit wrapped his tail around Owlkit's shoulders. "Plus, we'll take good care of her. Owlkit held her tongue, wanting to make a remark on how she could take care of herself, but she knew it would convince their mother.

After a long moment of silence, Briarrose sighed. "Fine, you can go outside."

Owlkit and her siblings ran out of th e nursery, letting out squeaks of excitement. Owlkit skidded to a stop behind Blossomkit, taking in the SunClan camp. She had seen it before but only the short distance between the nursery and the medicine cat den.

But now she was getting to explore the entire camp with her littermates, on the condition that they behaved and if Owlkit started feeling sick, the would go back. Owlkit didn't feel sick though, she had never felt more alive!. "What should we see first?" She questioned her littermates.

"I wanna see the apprentice den." Oakkit mewed. "Sinc we will be moving in there in three moons."

"I agree." Blossomkit mewed and together, the four kits marched towards the apprentice den. It wasn't too far from the nursery.

As of right now, SunClan had five apprentices, Maplepaw, Bramblepaw, Bluepaw, Windpaw and Snowpaw but they were all out training. It wouldn't be long before Bluepaw, Windpaw and Snowpaw were warriors. Rushkit and Oakkit rean ahead of Blossomkit and Owlkit. Rushkit poked his inside as the two she-cats approached. "It's bigger than the nursery." Rushkit reported.

Owlkit peered inside the den, Rushkit was right it was vert spacious. Several nests were made neatly in the back of the den. Owlkit was excited to become an apprentice.

She wouldn't have Briarrose looking over her shoulder every moment of the day, or be prodded and poked because her breathing looked slow.

"What should we do next." Blossomkit asked. "See the warriors' den?"

"Sounds like a plan to me." Oakkit agreed and the kits rushed to the neighboring den. Owlkit spotted Cherrylead and Cloudspots.

"Hey there kits!' Cherryleaf greeted cheerfully. "Briarrose finally let you out of her sights?"

"Rushkit nodded. "It took some convincing."

Cloudspots eyes rested on Owlkit. "How are you doing?"

Owlkit tensed. "I'm fine." She stuck her nose into the air, she hated how the Clan looked at her.

"Relax kit." Cloudspots chuckled. "I know what it's like to have countless cats fret over you."

"Really?" Owlkit tilted her head curiously. "Why?"

"My mother died giving birth to me and my two siblings didn't survive." Cloudspots explained. "Dawnstar was especially always looking over my shoulder."

"I thought Yarrowtail, Cinderflame and Pebblestep were your siblings." Oakkit questioned.

"They were born in a different litter, we had two more siblings before that who died."

"Thats sad." Blossomkit mewed sadly,

Cloudspots shrugged. "It was along time ago, and I never got to know them."

"We never got to know Firekit either." Rushkit mewed. "I don't even remember him." There was a long moment of silence, Owlkit felt uncomfortable and kind of sad as well. I wish I got to know him.

"Well," Cloudspots stretched out his claws, breaking the silence. "You kits have much more exciting things to do, I'm sure. Why don't you see if Dawnstar is in her den, maybe she'll show you the inside. She's pretty kind to kits."

"That sounds like fun!" Oakkit boasted, holding his head high. "I'd be happy to call that den my own some day." He puffed out his chest.

"Only if you can get over your own ego." Blossomkit playfully poked Oakkit in the shoulder with her paw. The tabby tom replied by snorting at her. Together, Owlkit and her siblings ventured across camp to Dawnstar's den. The leader was not inside her den, but as her siblings stuck their noses in for a moment, Owlkit couldn't help but feels eyes burning into her pelt.

She turned her head towards the medicine cat en, spotting Pebblestep. The medicine cat was picking up a pile of dried out leaves, her blue eyes were watching Owlkit closely. She started to feel uncomfortable and walked around, behind Rushkit, out of Pebblestep's line of sight. Can't I go one day without someone looking over my shoulder? Owlkit flicked her ears in annoyance.

A low rumble sounded overhead, Owlkit glanced towards the sky, it was turning into a pale gray with dark, threatning clouds moving in overhead.

"We should go back." She mewed to her siblings. "It looks like it's going to rain."

"It's just rain." Oakkit argued, flicking his tail. "Rain never hurt anybody."

"Yeah but Briarrose won't see it that way." Owlkit pointed out. "And if she's that we're responsible enough to come in at the sight of rain she'll let us come back outside sooner and more often."

"I guess." Oakkit sighed reluctantly. "We'll have to see more tomorrow."

Owlkit and her siblings arrived at the nursery, much to their mother's delight. The night went on as the kits settled down for the night. The rest of the nursery's inhabitants were sound asleep except for Owlkit. She struggled to find sleep, there was a slight rattle in her chest and her mind was wandering. She noticed how her Clanmates stared at her with pity and sympathy in their eyes. Her three siblings were strong and healthy, but she was sick, small and weak. Maybe they're right about me. Maybe I won't ever be a warrior.

At the thought, a storm began to rage inside of Owlkit's head. No. She declared silently. I'll prove them all wrong. I'll become the greatest warrior I can be, no matter what.