Silent~1

Instructions

Rushkit faced the oncoming Shadowclan warriors, paws thundering toward her. Holding her ground, she prepared to pounce, her tail lashing on the ground. She lept toward them with such ferocity, all rocks within thirty fox-lengths split in two. Rushkit sunk her teeth into the battle-scarred flesh- Or rather, her littermate's haunches. "AUGH! Rushkit!!! I'M supposed to attack, not YOU!" "Sorry, Wolfkit! Looks like you got POUNCED," Rushkit said with a mischevious grin. "I can't STAND you!" Wolfkit growled, trying not to grin. He suddenly spun and grabbed her tail. "OW. WHY?!" "Looks like you got POUNCED," Wolfkit said in Rushkit's voice. They both fell over giggling. "/QUIET/, you two." They both shrunk back. From the other corner of the nursery glared Cobraeye, the angry calico queen rising from her nest. "My kits are due in TWO /DAYS/." "We're sorry, Cobraeye." Rushkit apologised in a quieter voice." "As you should be. I hope my kits aren't HALF as nasty as you two." Cobraeye growled. The nursery entrance rustled. "/WHAT did you just say to them?" A glossy white queen growled from the door. "Mama!" Wolfkit and Rushkit ran to her. "I- uh..." "Do /NOT/ talk about my kits like that, EVER AGAIN. They are WONDERFUL kits, and you'd better hope yours are barely as wonderful as they are. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?" "...y-yes," The calico queen stammered "Good. Kits!" She motioned for the two to follow as she exited the nursery. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> "Now, Wolfkit, what did I say about climbing the trees?" Rushkit's mother, Iceleaf asked as she made her way over to the large maple. "Uhhh... to make sure to keep your claws in the wood?" "Good boy. Rushkit, keep your tail straight and you'll stay on balance." Their mother clawed up to a branch just below them. Rushkit scrambled up to a higher branch. "Mama, how do I climb like you? "It takes a lot of practice, dear." "Why- why did you yell at Cobraeye?" Iceleaf stiffened. "She was being quite rude to you kits. Someone has to remind her to... watch her mouth." Iceleaf resumed climbing, signaling to Rushkit that she was done discussing the angry queen. /why does she hate us?/ Rushkit wondered. She repeated the question over and over in her mind as she climbed higher and higher in the tree. "Rushkit! come down!" Her mother's voice sounded distant. She ignored her and kept climbing. "RUSHKIT!" Rushkit looked back and almost toppled over. She was further up than Highrock, further up even than a robin's nest, nearly at the top of the tree. Rushkit froze with fear. Her brother sat next to her mother far below, begging her to come down before she hurt herself. /I'm not some helpless thing!/ Rushkit thought angrily. /I know how to climb./ But she was still couldn't force herself to move. The wind shifted and the branch she was on swayed. Rushkit dug her claws in further and tried to stop herself from whimpering. More warriors were gathering under the tree below her, drawn to the commotion by Wolfkit's wailing. /I will not cry in front of the whole clan. I will NOT cry. I will not cry, I will not cry Iwillnotcry.../ Rushkit repeated the command to herself as she inched her way down the bark. And then it all happened at once. The wind shifted. Branches swayed. Rushkit lost hold. Rushkit fell. Her mother screamed. And everything went dark.