Maplestar's Destiny

[OwlLover]

From the Warriors ll thread.

Prologue

In ShadowClan, yowls erupted from the nursery as a crowd began to form. "Move along! Nothing to see here!" Snowwhisker yowled, poking her head out of the entrance. Some went about their business, while others insisted on staying. After a couple moons of heavily expecting, a queen's kits were finally coming on this beautiful morning.

"Is she alright?" a light brown tabby tom, Falconheart, asked anxiously as the medicine cat came back in, setting down a bundle of herbs. "She's been like this for hours now."

"She's fine, Falconheart. This is perfectly normal, especially for a large litter. And I think we all know this litter's going to be huge..." Snowwhisker nudged a stick towards Firestripe. "Bite on this when the pain comes," she mewed kindly. "Here's some raspberry leaves, too." Firestripe nodded weakly, gingerly chewing the leaves and taking the stick in her jaws.

The other queen's kits in the nursery watched with wide eyes. "What's happening, Stormflower?" Fennelkit inquired with eyes as big as full moons.

"Hush, Fennelkit!" Stormflower ushered. "She's having her kits."

"Did you go through that with us?" Flamekit asked, his eyes equally as wide as his sister's.

"Yes. Now hush!" Stormflower shushed them, putting her tail over their mouths.

Firestripe let out a loud yowl, biting down on the stick so hard her gums began to bleed. Snowwhisker gently prodded her belly to get the kits moving. Firestripe writhed. "Try to stay still, Firestripe," Snowwhisker said gently. "You're doing great."

"No, I'm not!" Firestripe snapped. She let out a whimper, growing into a howling yowl as a massive shudder racked her body, and a tortoiseshell she-kit was born. Snowwhisker licked the kit firmly, breaking the membrane gently and stopped when it squealed. Firestripe grimaced in agony, letting out another throaty yowl as another kit was born. A tom.

Snowwhisker looked back expectantly at Falconheart, who was just standing there with wide, worried eyes. "Well, don't just stand there! Lick it!" Snowwhisker snapped. Quickly, Falconheart rushed over, licking the tom frantically. It squealed, and Snowwhisker put her tail between them to tell him to stop. Firestripe let out a whimper as a third was born. A fourth and a fifth were born, before Firestripe's labor ended. Snowwhisker was right: it had been a huge litter.

Firestripe's stomach felt like a bag of sand, but she forced herself to rasp her tongue across each of her kit's heads. "Welcome to ShadowClan," she murmured.

Falconheart laid beside his mate, gazing down at his kits with wonder, pride, and love. "Meet your kits, Falconheart," Firestripe purred lovingly.

Falconheart couldn't suppress a loud, rumbling purr. "Have any names for them yet?"

"Only one, so far. I know what we'll call this one." Firestripe rasped her tongue across the first-born's head.

"What?"

"Maplekit."

 

[Nightwish]

Wow keep going! XD

 

[OwlLover]

Chapter 1

"Come on, Maplekit!"

All the kits in the litter had opened their eyes, except Maplekit. "Firestripe won't let us play until you've opened your eyes too!" Sparrowkit whined.

"I'm trying!" Maplekit retorted indignantly. She tried and tried to open her eyes, but they were stuck.

"Let her sleep all day if she wants to," their other sister, Eaglekit, muttered.

"But then we can't play!" Windkit, their brother, argued.

"All I want to do is get more than two seconds of sleep," Eaglekit snapped.

Maplekit staggered as her eyes snapped open. Her eyes were the prettiest sapphire blue. "Yay!" Sparrowkit shouted, tackling her sister. Maplekit flew back with a yelp.

"Hey, now," Firestripe said sternly, pulling them apart, "go play outside, and don't be too rough on one another."

"Yes, Firestripe," mumbled Sparrowkit as she trudged out of the den. "We know." Eaglekit watched her siblings leave, before letting out a snort and going back to suckling on Firestripe's belly.

Maplekit blinked in astonishment as she went outside. A cool breeze ruffled her fur, and the sun shone in her eyes. Giving a yelp of glee, she slammed into Windkit, who gave a yelp of surprise. She wrestled with him playfully, letting out a yelp as Sparrowkit and their other brother, Stormkit, joined in. Firestripe got up and padded out of the den, watching her kits with a loving smile. Eaglekit sat by herself, scowling. Maplekit lifted her head, "why don't you come play with us, Eaglekit?"

"I don't want to," Eaglekit mumbled. She padded off into the ShadowClan camp by herself, sulking. Maplekit cocked her head with confusion. She never understood why Eaglekit was always so grumpy and standoffish. Shrugging, she dove back into the wrestling match with her siblings, flinging mud all over the place.

But Firestripe was much more concerned as she watched Eaglekit pad away. Eaglekit had always tried to be the dominant one from birth, and she gave off a strange vibe, almost as if there was evil, tucked beneath her fluffy kit pelt. It was strange and mysterious, and Firestripe didn't know how to explain it. She shook her head fiercely, as if trying to shake off a twig. Eaglekit was a kit; how could she be evil? She was probably just the outcast of the litter.

Maplekit let out a squeal, hopping away from Stormkit and sending clumps of dirt into the air. Stormkit tackled her again, and they rolled in a flurry of fur and paws. Eaglekit came padding back, rolling her eyes at her brother and sister. Maplekit lifted her head, "come on, Eaglekit, it's fun!"

Eaglekit let out a kit growl. Firestripe nudged her forwards, "go on, Eaglekit."

"If I have to," Eaglekit rolled her eyes, padding towards her siblings. Maplekit tackled her, and they wrestled. Eaglekit was noticably fiercer, almost as if she was actually fighting. Firestripe's ears lifted as Maplekit let out a squeal; not a squeal of excitement, but pain.

"Hey, you're hurting me!" Maplekit yelped as Eaglekit bit down on her paw. Maplekit tried to jerk back, letting out a cry of fear as a scarlet ribbon welled up around Eaglekit's teeth.

"EAGLEKIT!" Firestripe roared, yanking her away by the scruff. "What did I tell you this morning about playing with your teeth?!"

"Sorry, Firestripe," she mumbled.

"You tell that to her!" Firestripe snapped. Eaglekit just rolled her eyes, and padded away. Firestripe blew out a sigh. "Are you alright, Maplekit?"

"Fine," Maplekit muttered, trudging into the nursery after Sparrowkit. Firestripe shook her head, going inside after her kits.

As Firestripe lay down, she called to her kits. "Come on, it's time to go to sleep!" The sky was darkening, and the moon rose, bathing the ground in moonlight. After a few minutes, Maplekit's eyes opened again. When Firestripe opened her eyes, she saw that Sparrowkit and Maplekit were quietly wrestling with one another. "Hey!" She growled quietly. Maplekit and Sparrowkit froze. "Go to sleep." They did as they were told, but after a few more seconds Maplekit opened her eyes and snapped playfully at Sparrowkit's ear. "Heyyy." Firestripe growled. Maplekit lowered her head, giving way to sleep for real.

 

[OwlLover]

Chapter 2

"Give me that!"

All of the kits were out playing together this morning... and they had argued the whole time. Stormkit chased Maplekit as she stole the mossball from him for the umpteenth time. "Give it back!" he yowled angrily, "It's my turn to play with the moss!" He chased her past the nursery and the warrior's den, stumbling and yelping all the way. Maplekit snickered, tearing the moss in her jaws.

"Gah!" she yelped, choking on the soft pieces. She spat them out and shook her head.

Stormkit glared at her. "Look, It's ruined now. You tore it apart."

Windkit, who had been watching them the whole time with a smile, rolled his eyes at his two siblings. "That was no fun anyway. Let's do something else."

"Follow me!" Stormkit popped up immediantly. "I'll play leader. We can be a Clan. My Clan!" Windkit fell behind him like a deputy, but Maplekit went off on her own. She was tired of Stormkit being the leader.

She spotted Stormflower's two moon old kits over at the other side of the denning site. The first was a pretty brown tabby she-cat named Fennelkit. The other was Flamekit. Curious, Maplekit scampered behind a bush and watched what the older kits were doing.

Stormflower padded over to her kits. Maplekit heard her say something to Fennelkit and Flamekit. Her words were lost as Maplekit rolled around to find a more comfortable spot. Flamekit and Fennelkit eagerly ran after their mother as she left. Maplekit's ears pricked as she heard Windkit and Stormkit running around closer to her. She turned around and watched them from her spot in the bush. Stormkit was chasing after a butterfly. Everytime he got within a few feet of it, it would fly away suddenly. Windkit bounded dutifully after him, much slower than his bolder brother.

Suddenly, Maplekit was knocked off her feet by a heavy, furry shape. She let out a sharp cry as she tumbled to the ground. Fennelkit stood over her, laughing at her own cleverness. "I caught you! I caught you!" she exclaimed.

Maplekit glared at her with eyes like fire. "That wasn't fair."

Flamekit trotted over. "Fennelkit! Fennelkit! Oh...hi kit! Let's play mossball with the others!"

Fennelkit jumped up and down. "But Maplekit is going to play with us, right?"

"No!" Maplekit rolled herself onto her feet and stomped off. Her soft pelt bristled. It would be fun to play with them- as long as she wasn't the prey!

"Maplekit, Sparrowkit, Windkit, Stormkit!" Her mother called from the nursery. "You're all FILTHY!"

"Aww...here comes the licking," Sparrowkit complained. Maplekit pelted after her siblings towards the nursery.

***

"I'm bored," Sparrowkit complained as she trotted into the nursery. Outside, Windkit and Stormkit played tug of war with a twig. The kits were now three moons old, while Fennelkit and Flamekit were four.

"Not my problem," Eaglekit snapped, pointedly turning her back to Sparrowkit.

"Come play with us, Eaglekit!" Maplekit begged.

"You're boring," Eaglekit growled. "There's a million other things for you to do. Maybe do something useful, like hunt."

"But Firestripe says we're too young to hunt!" Maplekit protested.

"Who cares what she says?" Eaglekit rolled her eyes. "She's so overprotective, anyway."

"No, she's not! She wants to keep us safe!" Maplekit retorted, remembering the earlier incident a couple moons ago when she had been playing with Eaglekit and her sister had drawn blood.

Eaglekit snickered, "you just want her to hover over you and protect you like a baby kit, huh? You couldn't catch a mouse to save your life."

"Wanna bet on that?" Maplekit shot back.

"I already did."

"Just watch, mousebrain!" Maplekit snapped over her shoulder as she padded out. "I'll catch more mice now than you will in a lifetime."

"Oh really?"

Maplekit rolled her eyes, racing into the forest. She pressed her nose to the ground. Mouse! Quietly, she followed the trail, crunching twigs and ferns. The scent grew stronger, and Maplekit's tail swished back and forth in anticipation. Her first kill! Firestripe and Falconheart will be so proud! And Eaglekit won't know what to say! Her heart quickened as she saw the mouse, stretched out comfortably in the velvety grass. Just a bit closer... She sprang. The rabbit was instantly alert, its ears shooting up in alarm. Maplekit landed beside it, snapping her jaws wildly. It bolted away, and Maplekit chased after it. "C'mere, you idiotic worthless furball!" It ran under a holly bush, and Maplekit tried to follow, but the branches were too thick. "Mouse dung!" she cursed. A bird who had been perching on the bush flew onto a nearby oak and let out an alarm call. "Foxheart!" She yelled at the bird.

"Yelling at the bird's not going to do anything," Eaglekit's voice said from behind. Maplekit rolled her eyes. Can I do a single thing without her looking over my shoulder?

"Shut up, would you?" snapped Maplekit. Eaglekit snickered.

"No. Why should I?"

"Because a bad string of luck made you my sister. You're the most obnoxious sister I could have ever had!"

"I think you are the worst." Eaglekit shot back.

"If you're so great, then why don't you go get that mouse and that bird?" Maplekit challenged.

"Sounds like a plan," Eaglekit snickered. She slunk down and began trying to push her way through the holly bush. Through the branches, she could see the mouse crouching down, watching the two kits with bulging eyes. Maplekit looked up, and saw the bird perching on a high branch. It began singing a song. Maplekit stifled a growl, it's like it knows I can't climb that high!

"I can't get it," Eaglekit spluttered as she backed away from the holly bush. "It's a nice fat one, too. Nice going, Maplekit!" Eaglekit's voice was dripping with sarcasm. Maplekit was about to shoot back a stinging retort, when she realized just how dark it had gotten. She hadn't even realized that they had been leaving when the sun was sinking below the trees. They were supposed to be in the nursery going to sleep now. Firestripe would be furious!

The two of them froze when they heard the bracken rustle and a twig snap. "What was that?"

***

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!"

Maplekit looked down at her paws shamefully, unable to meet her mother's furious gaze. A fox had attacked them, but luckily, Falconheart had been leading a patrol to look for them. When they were returned to camp, Firestripe had been waiting for them angrily.

"We were out hunting," Eaglekit replied bravely, meeting her mother's eyes almost stoically.

Firestripe looked back down at her daughter almost scrutinizingly. At first she thought Eaglekit was just the alpha of her litter, a kit-bully whose aggressive personality would gradually fade as she matured. But there was definitely something deeper going on; something almost... evil. "I told you that you all were too young to be hunting!" Every hair on her pelt bristled, and her eyes blazed. "You disobeyed the warrior code, and almost got eaten by a fox!"

"It won't happen again," Eaglekit replied again in the same stone-cold voice.

"Good. Get inside." Maplekit and Eaglekit hurried in, and Eaglekit leaned over to Maplekit.

"Way to go," she hissed.

"It was your idea in the first place!" Maplekit shot back. Eaglekit just rolled her eyes.

As Maplekit and Eaglekit settled in the den, their siblings looked at them owl-eyed. "What are you looking at?" snapped Eaglekit. They immediately whirled around and went back to sleep. Maplekit realized just how tired she was, too, and crouched beside them, giving way to blissful slumber.

***

"Flamepaw! Fennelpaw! Flamepaw! Fennelpaw!"

The Clan yowled the two newest apprentices' names. Maplekit was one of the loudest, being Fennelpaw's best friend. She was so happy for her, but at the same time, felt a pang of sorrow. Fennelpaw would now spend most of her day working, and wouldn't get to talk or play nearly as often as they had before. But, on the bright side, Maplekit thought cheerfully, I'll be an apprentice next moon! But Maplekit's mood was soured as she thought of Eaglekit. Eaglekit's such a grump. She makes everything worse!

"Maplekit!" Fennelpaw purred, rushing over to brush her muzzle against her friend's cheek.

"I'm really happy for you, Fennelpaw," Maplekit purred. This wasn't a time to be disappointed about two less playmates in the nursery, or sulk about Eaglekit.

"I'm so excited! I'm going to finally see the territory, hunt, fight, go to Gatherings..." Fennelpaw was ecstatic. "This will be you next moon!" Maplekit was about to reply; however, their conversation was cut short as Hawkwing, Fennelpaw's mentor, padded over.

"Fennelpaw! Come on; we're going to check out the territory with Flamepaw and Icewhisker," he called.

"Gotta go! I'll see you later, Maplekit!" Fennelpaw turned and pelted after her mentor, leaving Maplekit behind. Maplekit sighed, then opened her eyes determinedly.

"A moon isn't terribly long. I'll be an apprentice soon enough."

 

[Chickenfan4life]

Don't let this thread die! DX

 

[OwlLover]

No worries! I'm updating the story here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/maplestars-destiny