Episode 3, Season 1 // The Foxes Are Back

Instructions

"I shall not eat your rubbish! Who knows what diseases they have!" growled the rogue. "Foxdung, eat it! We've been eating it forever and haven't gotten sick." hissed Brokenheart. Featherkit watched the action from the Snowclan nursery. "Why is a rogue here, mom?" Snowfall looked at the orange spots on her kits pelt. "Featherkit, she was injured so we had to help her. We're not mean, but protective." 'Protective.' That word ringed in Featherkit's head like a bell. "May I go out?" Snowfall looked at him. "Just be careful. Orange spots doesn't really help you in the snow so your a easy prey for owls and foxes. But yes, your father would like to see you as well." Featherkit gave his mother thanks and trotted off into camp. "Hi, Brokenheart!" he purred at the deputy. "What do you want?" he growled. Featherkit stepped back from the large cat. He wasn't the nicest cat in Snowclan, but he was an amazing deputy and soon an awesome leader. "Have you seen my father? Snowfall said he wanted to talk to me." The deputy sighed and pointed his tail tip to the apprentice den. He turned back to the Clan entrance. Featherkit padded over to the empty apprentice den, his father sitting at the entrance. His father turned his head at his son. Featherkit saw the star on top of his forehead. Graystar. The best leader is the world! He helped the past leader take down rogues when he was a kittypet! "Featherkit. It's good to see you. I called you here for something important." Featherkit sat down next to Graystar's white and gray pelt. "So I called you here because you know that you're becoming a apprentice. The only apprentice, until the Clan haves more kits. But I was thinking...if you'd like to have Brokenheart as your mentor." Featherkit gulped. "Da-Graystar! I don't think he'd be the best mentor. He's not the nicest cat. I don't even think he should be deputy!" he shouted. Graystar pinned his ears at his kit. "Now that's foxdung! His role to deputy is rock solid! Snowclan hasn't been around for many seasons, and he's helped me alot. Do you know any other cats who could be deputy AND be loyal to me plus the Clan? No. Everyone is busy. We have many elders. One medicine cat. And your mother is a queen so she can't be deputy. Brokenheart is a wonderful deputy and he will be leader after me." hissed Graystar. A big dark gray cat approached the leader of Featherkit. "Did I hear fighting over here?" asked Brokenheart. Graystar stared at him. "Featherkit thinks that your not a reliable deputy. What punishment do you think would suit this situation?" Brokenheart glanced at the kit, flicking his tail. "Two days worth of changing the elder bedding. That should suit him for thinking that." Snowfall walked up and rubbed her head into Graystar's flank. "Something wrong with Featherkit?" she asked. "Our son thinks that Brokenheart isn't a great deputy, so he has to do two days worth of changing the elders bedding." Featherkit just sat and listened to his parents talk. "It's not fair! I'm just stating my opinion. Who knows what he'll do to the Clan when your gone!" Featherkit yowled. "Enough!" yelled Graystar. "I don't want to hear peep out of you. And don't cause any trouble. The gathering is in one moon and I don't want any trouble with the other Clans." Featherkit bounded out of the apprentice den. Graystar turned to his deputy. "Do you think we should tell the Clans that we're helping a rogue or wait until next time?" Featherkit ran more farther away from his father. "How could he do this to me! I just said what I wanted to say! It's not my fault!" Fringewhisker walked up the the young cat and gave him a like on the ear. "Something wrong?" Featherkit stepped away from the she-cat. "I-it's nothing. I just want to be alone. Maybe before the gathering, Graystar will give me my apprentice name. But that's a moon away." Featherkit ran to the nursery and laid in his moss bed. "Darling? I want you to know that your not in trouble." Snowfall came in and laid next to him. "Hmpf. Then why did father yell at me?" Brokenheart poked his head in the nursery. "Featherkit. Your father said to get to work." Featherkit starred at the deputy. -I don't care what you say. Your not my leader.- growled his mind. "All old enough to sneak in the snow, gather beneath the Snow Slope for a Clan meeting!" meowed Graystar. Once his word got around camp, Snowfall and Brokenheart walked away from Featherkit and towards the Snow Slope. Brokenheart took his place on a small rock next to where Graystar stood. Most of the elders stayed in the warmth of their den but two of them joined the rest of the Clan. "Fringewhisker has something she would like to tell us." Featherkit snuck to a nearby shrub and crouched. Everyone looked at the she-cat, even her mate, Brokenheart. "I was out patrolling on my own when I came across the scent of fox." Brokenheart looked at her in surprise. "Where did you smell the fox scent?" asked Graystar. Fringewhisker continued. "Near the old fox den.