Chapter One

The first thing I remember about my kithood was my mother's face. Why it was the thing I remember most, is because it was the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes. I was confused, a little scared. All of the scents and sights overwhelming my senses, but her face smiling down at me made everything feel alright.

Her fur was long and swept over the moss-covered ground like a weeping willow. It was pale gray with darker stripes along her back, the top of her tail, and head. Although her fur was long, she herself was small with delicate features. Her tail was also short, and plumed like a big fluffy feather. Her muzzle was pure white, like she had dipped it in a snowdrift. Her eyes were very pale blue and seemed to be drenched with kindness, care, and protecting motherly nature. She welcomed me with a purr and a lick on the forehead, snuggling me close to her soft fur.

"Welcome to RiverClan, Frostkit," she mewed. I wasn't really listening at the moment, as I was in awe from this whole new world that had opened up to me.

There was a soft rustle in the rushes. The sound was followed by the black face of a tom. Mother didn't retaliate or growl, so I thought he was okay. Turns out he was my father, Nightheart.

"Cloudfeather, Frostkit opened her eyes!" he mewed. His voice was strong and confident, with a soft edge of pride and excitement. He nuzzled mom's cheek, and the purring noise was confusing at first. But I was soon nuzzled myself, a gesture of comfort.

"None of the others have though. Coalkit and Moonkit are still sleeping away, although I expect they'll have their eyes open later today," mewed Cloudfeather.

"Moonkit, so you finally found a name for the gray and black she-kit. Is it because of her gray color?" Nightheart looked down at the kit, the smallest of the litter.

"No, although that does fit. She was crawling around the other day and something sharp near the den gave her this." Cloudfeather lifted the she-kit's cheek with a paw, revealing a crescent shaped cut. "It's too small for Mudstripe to treat, but it'll leave a scar, so the name will stick."

There wasn't much I could do at that moment, just gaze around at this new world and maybe mewl a bit. It seemed big at the time, but the nursery was just only the beginning. So this part of my life was pretty important. Opening my kit-blue eyes and gazing all around me. It was then I noticed my siblings.

I had known they were there, but now, like everything else, I was seeing them for the first time. Moonkit was tiny and fluffy, with gray and black fur. Of course she had that signature cut just below her unopened eye, her namesake. Then there was Coalkit. His fur was sleek and black, with ginger paws, ears and tail tip. He was bigger than the both of us, and was always wriggling around.

It was just a few moments after Nightheart had left when Coalkit blinked a few times and opened his eyes. He had stopped squirming around just to do that, and then he went back to being hyper again. Can you believe it; a kit just opening his eyes for the first time, and not bothering to take a look around? I can't, but it happened, so I guess I had to believe.

It was then I noticed the rushing water outside. It was coming from the back of the den, through the thick brambles. I stumbled towards the back, my legs were still unsteady and it was mostly crawling.

"I see you've found the river, Frostkit," meowed Cloudfeather. "RiverClan camp is on an island, you know. Very safe."

I mewled softly. An island! Wow! I started getting back up on my feet and collapsed flat on my stomach again. Walking for the first time is much harder than it looks, trust me. But I wasn't giving up that quickly. I got up again, only to be startled by a sharp mew.

"Oh, look kits! Your sister opened her eyes!" Squealed Cloudfeather. I waddled unsteadily over to Moonkit, whose kit blue eyes were wide and full of wonder, just like mine were. She blinked with shock, probably thinking if this was real.

I was just making it over to my sister, when the babbling of the river called to me once again. It seemed to say my name, Frostkit, Frostkit come play, come over Frostkit. I realized my quest and started to run over to the back.

The burbling had come to its loudest. I was just about to crawl through a gap in the brambles when I felt a tug on my scruff. Cloudfeather lifted me up and away from the stream and tucked me by her stomach along with my littermates.

"No, Frostkit," she mewed in a soothing tone. "You'll have to wait to go in the river. When you're an apprentice and you can swim you can go in."

I huffed with frustration. RiverClan cats were known for swimming, and why not start now? I could be the best swimmer in all of the Clans if I got a head start.

The brambles rustled again as a sleek furred brown tabby walked into the den with his mouth full of leaves. It was Mudstripe, the medicine cat.

"Ah, so the kits have opened their eyes," he purred.

Cloudfeather nodded and puffed out her chest fur slightly with pride for her kittens. "Just a few moments ago. They're all healthy and strong."

Mudstripe set the leaves down at Cloudfeather's paws. "It's borage, to get the milk coming. It'll help a lot, even though it's greenleaf and the prey is running well."

Cloudgaze lapped up the leaves and stuck out her tongue at the bitter taste. While Cloudgaze was eating the herbs, I took the time to study Mudstripe.

He was older, with silver hairs tingeing the edges of his muzzle and around his whiskers. His fur was short and sleek, clean of any scars and cuts but flaked with bits of leaf and pollen from moons of work. His ears were tall and slim, same with the rest of his body; Long legs and tail, slim figure. His green eyes were deep like pine trees, full of wisdom but slightly dulled with age. He smelled like flowers and a bit like mud. There was an air of knowledge and care all around him.

With a flick of his tail he left the den and headed back towards the medicine cat's den. I noticed that Coalkit had stopped squirming, and was instead watching Mudstripe with rapt attention. My brother ran out behind Mudstripe, but Cloudfeather grabbed his scruff and pulled him back in.

"Soon, Coalkit. You can't leave the nursery just yet, you have to wait a few more moons," she mewed. Coalkit was plopped down beside me. Moonkit had fallen asleep through all of this. Clearly she'd had her fill of the den.

It was so unfair that we couldn't leave the den! "A few more moons," Cloudfeather would meow every time we tried to leave. I didn't want to wait, and no kit ever would! There was more out there than just the nursery, and I needed to know what it was.

I sat beside the entrance for a few moments, gazing out at the activity around camp. Warriors were bringing in prey, apprentices were sloshing across the river behind their mentors, and elders were telling stories and sunbathing outside in the warm sunlight.

Just looking at them was making me sleepy. I looked back over to my littermates. Both were sleeping peacefully, nuzzled up against Cloudfeather's soft tabby fur. A nap sounded great now.

I crept over to Cloudfeather, and climbed up into the crook of her feathery tail. The bright sunhigh sunlight warmed my fur. I blinked sleepily a few times, then closed my eyes for a long sleep. Going outside slipped my mind for now. As long as I was nestled here, I could wait.