Chapter 1:Making Stones Fly

Instructions

Chapter 1 of The Prophesied Litter:Making Stones Fly "Catch me if you can!" Dawnkit's gleeful cry made their father,Songstar,purr with amusement. "Firekit,run around her!"he instructed. The ginger she-cat did so,cutting Dawnkit off.Her other littermates tackled her from behind,mewing with laughter. "Got you!"Oceankit,the youngest of their litter,meowed. Dawnkit smiled. "Like every time." Dawnkit loved it when her little sister could act triumphant.As the youngest,she was the weakest,but never let her littermates do ANYTHING without her. The sound of thundering paws drew near the barrier.Songstar frowned.Scarwhisper hurried over and swept her kits close to her. The dawn patrol urgently raced into camp.Dawnkit had a sinking feeling in her chest.Whatever was wrong,it wasn't good. Bladesky announced, "There's fox scent on our territory,and it's closing in!" Gasps and whispers raced around the clearing.Songstar rose to his paws. "What?" Rustpaw,who'd went on the patrol with Flametail,panted, "We think it's a vixen!And maybe her mate,too!" Songstar didn't look pleased. "So there could be cubs.We need to warn the other Clans." Firekit buried her face in Scarwhisper's fur.Oceankit looked mildly annoyed at the fact that Almondkit had now rolled over and was swatting at her when she wanted to listen. Dawnkit was leaning forward for more,just like Oceankit. <We're almost old enough to be apprentices...maybe they'll send us to help chase them out!> Songstar glanced around his Clan. "Take Stoneflicker and Maplepaw,"he mewed. "Try to find the foxes' den.If you can't find it by sundown,return to camp.All of you are going to the Gathering tonight." Almondkit lashed his tail. "Maplepaw's barely started her training!How come she gets to go and we don't?" Scarwhisper cuffed her son's ear. "You're kits,"she reprimanded. "Blame the warrior code,but life is life.You'll go to future Gatherings,I'm sure." Dawnkit's head drooped. "But I wanna go with Dad!" "You'll be here with me,and you know what Gathering Night means," Scarwhisper meowed. Oceankit perked up. "Game Night!" Game Night,or Gathering Night,was the time when Scarwhisper challenged her kits to gather different things for her.First Place winner got to eat the best fresh-kill,while the last-ranking kit got milk,which was still a pleasing treat. "I can't wait!"Firekit meowed. 0o0o0o0 "Find me fresh moss,a mouse,two sticks,and a butterfly!" The four kits scattered,each after something different. Firekit watched a blue butterfly on a tree stump,stalking it.Almondkit started carefully sifting through the fresh-kill pile,looking for a mouse. Oceankit slipped into the medicine den to ask for moss,and Dawnkit gnawed at the branches of the gorse shield,pulling away two. <That wasn't so hard,>she thought,cheerful.She added the sticks to the pile marked "Dawnkit" and went towards the medicine den. "Thanks,Oceankit,"Lavenderflight was saying. "You're a natural medicine cat.Do you want to be my apprentice?" Oceankit sounded absolutely enchanted. "Of course!" Dawnkit picked up some moss and added it to her pile.Firekit had caught her butterfly,and Almondkit had found his mouse.Firekit was heading over with two sticks in her mouth,while Almondkit seemed to be chewing at a particulary tough branch. Dawnkit nosed through the pile,searching for her mouse.Oceankit joined her after a little bit,grabbing the tail of the mouse Dawnkit had just picked up and then realizing what she'd done and let go.The gray kit burst into laughter.Her gradient sister looked so embarrassed. Dawnkit placed the mouse next to her sticks and moss.One more item left-the butterfly! She headed to her spot-an area where butterflies were abundant,a place in camp her littermates didn't know about.She glanced at the three stones in the area. <I wish I could use those stones to catch the butterfly,>she thought wistfully. To her surprise,a strong breeze rustled her fur as the stones raised into the air and gently carried the butterfly to her.Dawnkit won,but she couldn't get the wish-and the granting-out of her head.