Lightstar's Life by Crystal Chen (beach books TXT) 📕

“Isn’t she awake yet?” a small mew sounded just above my head.

“I’m afraid not.” came a deeper meow. “She’ll wake when she’s ready.”

I’ll be ready. I thought before letting myself be engulfed into a sleepy darkness.

Light shone through my closed eyelids. I blinked and struggled to my paws. “Yay!” my sister, Frostkit, mewed happily. “The sleeper awakes!”

“Don’t be rude.” My mother, Echoflower, scolded. I shook my pelt clean of stray bits of moss. “It’s okay. I am awake, anyway.” I mewed. “Hey Frostkit, want to go play?”

“Sure, Lightkit!” Frostkit mewed in reply, already bounding toward the bright entrance to the nursery. I stumbled over nests of moss after the gray kit, “Wait up!”

“Don’t go far!” Echoflower meowed from inside, “And stay away from the warriors’ den!”

The warriors’ den? I wondered, following Frostkit out into a wide clearing. Huge trees loomed and sliced into the clear blue sky, and the sun was so bright that it made me squint just to gaze at the wispy cirrus clouds.

Then suddenly I spotted a little hill, and perched on top was a den, like the nursery, but just outside it stood an orange-with-black-stripes tom, chin thrust forward with dignity and pride.

“Who’s that?” I whispered to Frostkit, indicating the tiger-cat with a flick of my tail.

“That’s Flamestar, our leader.”

Leader! I thought in awe, “Someday I’m going to be leader.” I mewed to Frostkit. My den mate let out a mrrow of laughter. “Ha, Lightkit. Fat chance; we aren’t even apprentices yet, if not warriors.” With that she padded away and turned to join the other two kits, Darkkit and Lightningkit.

Yeah, right. I thought angrily. I’ll show Frostkit. I’m gonna be leader someday.

The overwhelming atmosphere started to make me feel dizzy, that is, until I saw my father padding slowly in my direction. I quickly gave my ruffled chest fur a few licks and sat straight and tall, hoping to impress the pale brown tom.

When he only acknowledged me with barely a nod, I couldn’t resist the urge to attract more attention from him. “Shadeblaze?” I mewed softly, just so I could be heard by him. The MoonClan deputy spun around with a hard look in his amber eyes. But when he saw it was me, his gaze softened and he meowed curtly, “What is it, Lightkit?”

I looked uncomfortably to the ground, kneading the earth with my forepaws. “Oh, nothing, really.” I mewed slowly.

“Then please can you leave me to my duties unless something important happens?”

My face burned with embarrassment, “Yes, Shadeblaze.” I mumbled into my chest fur. My father swung around and padded swiftly away. With a sigh, I walked toward Frostkit, Darkkit, and Lightningkit. “Frostkit?” I mewed carefully, sticking my head into their tight little circle. “What?” she mewed excitedly, “Did you talk with Shadeblaze? You know, he’s the deputy. When Flamestar dies, our father is gonna be leader!”

I puffed out my chest in pride, “Yeah, and someday, I’ll take his place! And when that leader dies, I’ll be leader!”

My den mates stared at me in surprise. “Uh…Lightkit?” Darkkit mewed slowly, “I’m older then you, and so it Lightningkit. Chances are, I’ll be leader first.”

I shook my head stubbornly. “No way am I gonna let you. I can fight better then you, I bet.” Darkkit narrowed his eyes, nostrils flaring in anger. “You wanna bet?” he snarled, “Well, I’ll give you a bet!”

“No!” Frostkit’s cry came a heartbeat too late. Darkkit lunged, and all I could do is squeal and dart out of the way. The jet black tom shook himself and turned on me again, this time unsheathing his claws. I stood defiantly, my own thorn-sharp claws out and ready. With a loud yowl, he leapt. But just a heartbeat on time teeth bit into his scruff and held him back.

“Now, now, Darkkit.” His mother, Snowsong, scolded through clenched teeth. “Don’t be violent, there.” With that, the white-gray queen padded off with Darkkit wriggling in her grasp.

“Lightkit!” Frostkit mewed, worry edging her tone. Lightningkit had wandered off, not wanting to get involved with fights. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah.Lightewed, licking my ruffled pelt down. “I’m fine.” I was thankful since she really cared, but after all, we were kin.

“Well, be careful next time.”

“I was being careful!” I snapped. Then in a softer tone, “Darkkit is just…bad-tempered.”

“He was jealous.” Frostkit mewed with a giggle. I gave a mrrow of laughter and padded back to the nursery with Frostkit, wishing I could starting training soon.

I was almost a moon old when the first Gathering happened in my lifetime.

“Echoflower?” I mewed to my mother, “Where are Flamestar and those other cats going?”

“They are going to the Gathering,” the striped gray and white she-cat meowed, “it takes place every moon. It’s when both Clans—SunClan and MoonClan—meet at Twinstones, where they have a meeting. The warrior code commands that there be a temporary truce between the Clans at that time. No fighting may take place.”

“But those snake-hearts deserve it!” I snarled, bouncing around in the moss nest with tiny thorn-like claws unsheathed.

Echoflower laughed, “Whatever you say, Lightkit, but remember, when you yourself have to go to the Gathering, don’t pick up any fights. Punishments aren’t taken lightly when a cat breaks the warrior code.” I stopped jumping and nodded solemnly, “Yes, Echoflower.”

The group of cats that went to the Gathering returned shortly after they left. “Frostkit!” I mewed to the light-gray kit, “Come and see! The warriors are coming back!”

Frostkit bounded out of the nursery and plopped down beside me. “I wonder what happened!” she mewed with excitement.

Darkkit snuck up behind us. “Hey, mouse-brains.” He mewed casually, “Snowsong told me all about the Gathering. I’m guessing you don’t want to hear about it?”

My neck fur bristled, “Oh, hush, Darkkit. It’ll be long before you’ll get to experience a real Gathering yourself.” The black kit flattened his ears just as Lightningkit padded up next to him.

“Hi guys.” He mewed, “Want to play warriors?”

Frostkit turned to him, eyes lighting up. “Sure, Lightningkit!” she mewed happily.

I caught her eyes and shrugged. “I call leader!” I yowled before anyone claimed the spot.

“What?” Darkkit hissed, “I want to be leader!”

“But you were it last time.” Frostkit mewed patiently. “Come on, Darkkit. It’ll be fun. You can be deputy.” Darkkit’s fur flattened a bit and he muttered, “I don’t want to be led by a mouse-brain.”

I ignored the insult and mewed, “Darkkit, send Frostkit and Lightningkit on patrol!”

The black kit mumbled something under his breath but did as he was told. Turning back to me, he mewed sarcastically, “So what next, Your Great Majesty?”

“It’s, Lightstar, mouse-brain.” I mewed back hotly. “Now you can just lie in your den and sleep all day.” Darkkit bristled, “Fine. I’ll just run away instead. I don’t wanna be led by a snake-heart!”

“Fine!” I spat, “Go ahead. It’s not like I wanted you on my Clan!” The black kit shot me an angry look and slunk away.

“What happened?” Frostkit mewed as she and Lightningkit returned.

“Darkkit quit.” I muttered, “That short-tempered mouse-brain.”

“It’s okay.” The light gray she-kit soothed. “We can always play next time. Lightningkit, thanks for coming. We’ll see you in the nursery!”

Frostkit led me back to our soft moss nest, where, snuggling next to Echoflower, my eyes drooped shut and I fell fast asleep.

Moons passed like days. Being a kit was quite boring, actually. No duties, just play, play, and play all day. But soon enough it was time to become an apprentice. Darkpaw and Lightningpaw already became apprentices, about half-a-moon earlier. Lightningpaw was mentored by Sunfang, an experienced warrior, while Darkpaw  was mentored by Thorntail, a young warrior. But now it is my, and Frostkit’s, day to become apprentices. Echoflower messed with us, licking our ruffled pelts infinite times.

“Seriously, Echoflower?” I complained as she ran her tongue over my chest for the millionth time.

“Yes, Lightkit.” She meowed, “You must look sharp as your sister does in front of Flamestar, as well as the whole Clan.” I quivered with excitement at her words. Glancing at Frostkit, I saw that, she too, was trembling with anticipation. Then finally, like a victorious declaration:

“Let all cats old enough to hunt their own prey join here beneath Highrock for a Clan meeting.”

I scrambled out of our nest and tripped over myself trying to get there before Frostkit. “Now, Lightkit.” Echoflower’s voice sounded just above my head, and I felt her teeth sink into my scruff and lift me off the ground. Frostkit was bounding along just beside her. My mother dropped me right by my den mate and we waited patiently as all the cats hurried out to hear their leader speak.

“I can’t believe it!” I whispered excitedly to Frostkit, “We’re actually going to become ‘paws!”

“I know, right?” she mewed back, eyes gleaming.

Soon all the cats of MoonClan were assembled, and Flamestar began his speech:

“We have two kits among us today, both six moons old, and old enough to be made apprentices.” He paused and swept the crowd with his emerald gaze, suddenly locking with mine. “Lightkit and Frostkit, come forth.”

The whole Clan was dead silent as we nervously stepped up to our leader, each paw step nearly echoing against the soft grass. Echoflower smiled with encouragement and lent me strength.

“These two young kits are both, as I said, six moons old, and old enough to be made proper apprentices, as the warrior code commands.” Flamestar’s gaze never left mine and it made me twitch with nervousness. “From this day forth, these two apprentices will be known as Lightpaw and Frostpaw, until they are given their full warrior names, and we hope that they will train hard and serve their Clan well.” The orange and black tom took a breath and met my gaze steadily again. “Thrushthorn, come forth.” The striped gray tom stepped beside Frostpaw. “You will mentor Frostpaw. MoonClan wishes that you share all your knowledge and skills to this young apprentice.” Thrushthorn lowered his muzzle to Frostpaw, and she gently touched noses with him. Then the two turned to join the crowd behind them.

I stood alone, facing our leader and that piercing gaze that made my shift uncomfortably. I ran through all the warriors in our Clan, picking out ones I’d like to have as my mentor.

“Shadeblaze, come forth.” Flamestar meowed. “Like Thrushthorn, we hope you will share your skills, wisdom, and knowledge to this young apprentice.” Mouse dung! I thought with disappointment. My father was one of the last warriors I’d want