Swiftkit burst into the nursery, sending scraps of moss flying through the air.

"GUESS WHAT? GUESS WHAT?" She yowled excitedly.

Troutkit lay down and covered her ears with her paws. Beside her, Applekit tilted her head.

"What?"

"I just overheard Shatterstar! He was talking to Rushnose about making some of us apprentices soon!"

Troutkit's ears perked up from beneath her paws.

"Really?" Pigeonkit asked.

"Yeah!"

"Did he say when?" Inquired Applekit.

Swiftkit shrugged. "In a moon or two."

Pikekit gasped, then groaned in frustration. "What? That's in, like, forever."

"Fear not!" His sister exclaimed, "I have a plan."

"For what?"

"Becoming an apprentice sooner!"

"A plan?" Asked Cloverkit.

"Yes."

"You have a plan," mewed Pigeonkit.

"Indeed."

"On a scale of one to ten," Pikekit scoffed, "how stupid is this plan of yours?"

"I'd give it about an eleven," answered Pigeonkit with a smirk.

"No, no it's perfect!" Swiftkit mewed, fur prickling with hostility.

Applekit sighed. "What even is it?"

"Duh! We're gonna break out of camp and catch lots and lots of fresh-kill."

"I–I'm sorry," started Cloverkit, "but isn't that against the rules?"

The white she-kit shook her head. "No one will care about rules once we feed the whole Clan."

Pigeonkit rolled his eyes and lay back down on his side. "Sounds boring."

"Oh, come on!" Swiftkit's voice rose into a shrill cry. "Guys, they'll be so impressed with us that they'll just have to make us apprentices early."

"I... I d-don't want to d-do t-that," Troutkit whispered shyly.

Swiftkit appeared taken aback. "Whatever, I didn't invite you anyway."

"Not fair!" Applekit interjected. "You need to invite everyone."

"No, it's my plan, so I can invite whoever I want!"

"Not fair!'

"What's 'not fair'," Swiftkit snarled, "is that I have to share a den with you."

"Shots fired," Pigeonkit muttered.

Despite her habitual apprehension, Troutkit took a step forward and frowned. "T-that's not... v-very nice."

Swiftkit shrugged, trying to play off the situation. "Not my fault Applekit smells."

"I do not!" Applekit retorted.

"She's right," Pigeonkit added. "The stink comes from Pikekit. He always reeks of fish!"

"At least I actually know how to swim, mouse-brain," Pikekit shot back defensively.

"GUYS!" Swiftkit shouted to regain everyone's attention. "The plan? Aside from Troutkit, who's with me?"

"Not me," Cloverkit answered.

"Sounds boring," replied Pigeonkit.

"You're too mean," Applekit mewed with a pout.

"I want to swim instead," said Pikekit.

She scowled at the bunch. "Ugh, you're all lame. I guess that leaves me with... Furzekit."

Pigeonkit couldn't help but laugh. "Psh, have fun."

"Oh, we will! And when we become apprentices before all of you, don't say I didn't tell you so."

Before anyone could respond, Swiftkit beckoned Furzekit with a flick of her brown-tipped tail and spun around to race out of the nursery. After a shove from Pigeonkit, Furzekit slowly followed suit.

Swiftkit snuck by the sleeping figures of Squirrelsight and Ambertail, who were snoozing in the afternoon sun, and winced when Furzekit accidentally stepped on Squirrelsight's tail. The dark ginger she-cat raised her head and blinked at the kit drowsily.

"...Sorry," Furzekit said slowly, "I... sneak... prey for... apprentices... want to catch..."

Swiftkit facepawed (totally legit) herself and rushed over to the dumb tom.

"Uh, please excuse him. He's not the brightest."

"Whatever," Squirrelsight replied, resting her head down once more to continue napping.

Swiftkit shot Furzekit a dirty look before resuming her stealthy journey towards the dirtplace. Once her companion clumsily stumbled in after her, she dropped into a crouch and crept toward a tiny gap in the thorns that surrounded the camp. Scrunching up her nose against the stench, she wriggled through the opening and turned around, waiting for Furzekit to follow.

The tomkit tried to copy her, but his fuzzy gray fur got caught on the thorns.

"Stop there," Swiftkit told him. "I'll help you get out."

If he heard her, he didn't show it and continued to attempt to push his way through the hole. The sharp prickles raked against his skin, drawing blood. Swiftkit grimaced as red oozed off his pelt and dripped onto the ground. A few more long, excruciating moments passed before Furzekit was finally freed of his spiky prison. He stood and shook his fur like a dog, splattering her face and muzzle with blood.

Swiftkit pouted and used her paw to try to wipe the blood off her face. Shaking her head to clear it, she began to trot through the undergrowth, fully intending to leave Furzekit behind.

Before long, she spotted a mouse rustling in the bushes. She dropped into a sloppy hunter's crouch and tried to move forward silently, only to step on a twig. The mouse perked up, then dashed toward a small hole at the foot of a tree.

Swiftkit rushed forward as well, chasing the creature with extreme determination. She caught up easily, and just as she was about to swipe at it with unsheathed claws, it disappeared into the hole and she slammed face-first into the tree.

She blinked several times, cursing loudly. When her vision finally cleared, she realized that Furzekit had materialized next to her with the mouse in his mouth. His gray pelt was matted with mud and had several rocks sticking out of it.

"Did you crawl into that hole?" She asked, disbelief in her tone.

Furzekit opened his mouth to reply, dropping the mouse in the process. Slowly, with much confusion in his movements, he looked around in search of it.

"It's by your paw," Swiftkit told him.

He looked up at her, tilting his head. "What's... a paw?"

Swiftkit rolled her eyes and turned. "Come on, let's look for more."

She wandered into the forest once more, ears perked and ready to detect any other signs of life. Her gaze brightened when she spotted a squirrel, but before she could react, it squealed and died as another paw scraped at it with unsheathed claws. The paw belonged to Thornshine, Swiftpaw's angry-looking mother.

"And just what do you think you're doing out here, young lady?" She asked, definitely able to understand the meaning of the human word lady.

"Uh..." Swiftkit trailed off.

"Are you alone?" The light brown tabby demanded.

Swiftkit ducked her head. "No."

"Who else is with you?"

"Furzekit."

"Where is he–" suddenly, the tomkit appeared in front of the two conversing cats, once again holding the mouse in his jaws. "oh! Nice job, Furzekit."

Swiftkit gasped at her mother's praise. "But–"

"Now," Thornshine cut her off, "back to camp with you. You're in for a lot of punishment."

"What about Furzekit?" The she-kit asked with a frown.

Thornshine contemplated for a heartbeat. "Well, I'll have to talk to Brightdust, but seeing that he actually caught something, he'll probably get off easy."

Muttering a variety of obscenities under her breath, Swiftkit slowly trailed her mother who led her and a proud, yet bewildered Furzekit back to camp. 

Hope you enjoyed! Furzekit is such a bean; I love him.

~ Feather