Chapter Text
"Hey! Thats not fair!" Hollykit squeaked, trambling after Lionkit, who was running around the nursery with the black she-kit right on his tail.
"Is too fair!" Lionkit squealed, dodging Hollykit around the nest where Jaykit laid.
Jaykit grumbled "I can't rest with these lousy badgers shaking the whole nursery." He sighed, standing up and stomping away with Hollykit and Lionkit staring at him in confusion. He felt their gaze burn his pelt.
Jaykit stumbled clumsily out of the gorse den and out into the clearing. He sniffed the air as the wind blew his fur the wrong way. The scent of the moor carried over into the camp and hit Jaykit's nose, along with the scents of some of his clanmates. He recognized a few, especially Crowfeather, his father.
Another scent caught Jaykit's attention, drifting from one side. It smelled like the earth, yet had a distinct herb-like scent. He smelt the herbs sometimes, when Barkface or Krestelpaw treated the queens in the nursery with them.
Jaykit padded carefully into the medicine den, and the strong smell of the herb store smacked against him. He wrinkled his nose at the scent, finding the smell close to that of dirt. And no cat enjoyed the smell of dirt.
"Well hello, Jaykit," The old medicine cat, Barkface, rasped to the young he-cat. "What brings you here?"
Nosey, much? Jaykit thought to himself before he replied "I could smell the herbs from right outside."
"Thats cool, Jaykit!" Harespring called from the store, sniffing out the herbs that seemed stale. "I can never tell herbs from one another, they pretty much smell the same."
I always see Harespring helping in here. Is he a medicine cat too?
"That, Harespring," Barkface let out a mrrow of amusement "is called being a rabbit-brain and not having as much experience as your medicine cat. Jaykit, your nose is sharper than most." Barkface noted.
Next he'll tell me that fresh prey tastes better than stale prey! Jaykit rolled his eyes.
"Can you tell me what this is?" Barkface slid something to Jaykit.
Jaykit sniffed it, immediately recognizing the scent. "Parsley." He mewled "You gave it to one of the queens once." He explained.
"You are one keen kit, I'll say that." Barkface praised. "What path are you considering taking?"
What is he saying? "Warrior, of course." He meowed, feeling very sure of himself. "What else?"
Barkface and Harespring exchanged looks.
"Well, Jaykit, it's not the best idea to let you on the moor..." Barkface rasped. Jaykit immediately knew where he was going with this.
"I'm not being a medicine cat! I'm gonna be a warrior, and you will never change my mind ever!" Jaykit snapped, scampering out into the clearing.
What does that furball know? Jaykit wondered angrily. Hes just a weird, old cat!
Jaykit, so caught up in his anger, rammed into a cat. His nose hit their leg, bumping Jaykit's snout.
"Watch where you're-" Jaykit stopped his rude snarl, recognizing the scent.
"Hello to you too, Jaykit." Onestar chuckled, clearly unupsetted by the hiss. "How has your day been?"
Jaykit kicked the dirt beneath his paws. "Not good."
Onestar hummed. "Well that's no good. Want to talk about it?" He offered, putting his tail-tip on the blue-gray kit's shoulder.
"I guess." He muttered as Onestar guided him to the leader's den.
It smells really nice in here, Jaykit thought to himself as he entered the den. Warm, and inviting.
"So what's troubling you?" Onestar prompted as he sat down.
Jaykit sat down angrily infront of the leader. "Everyone keeps annoying me!" Jaykit grumbled. "Lionkit and Hollykit are like badgers the way they lumber about the nursery, and Barkface thinks I can't be a warrior!"
Onestar nodded, staying silent for a few heartbeats. "Why do you think they treat you differently?" Onestar questioned. "Barkface and other cats, that is."
"Because im blind." Jaykit said the word like a swear, his teeth gritting. "I can see just as well as any other cat!"
"You know, Deadfoot had a permanent twisted paw? That didn't stop him from being deputy." Onestar reminded him.
"I know! I wish other cats would remember that. I don't want to be a medicine cat with old Barkface, I want to be a warrior."
"Well, rest assured Jaykit, you can be whatever you'd like. Whether that be a medicine cat or warrior, its up to you to tread the path." Onestar meowed, putting his tail behind the kit. "You should go talk to Lionkit and Hollykit." He pushed Jaykit out of his den, much to the toms dismay.
Outside, Lionkit and Hollykit stared at Jaykit with wide eyes. Eventually, Lionkit scrambled over to the other tom.
"Did you get in trouble?" Lionkit squeaked, his eyes as wide as moons.
"No, he asked me to talk to him." Jaykit replied dryly, walking over to the fresh-kill pile.
"I heard you talking about Deadfoot before Ashfoot pushed us to the nursery." Hollykit mewed.
"Why's it any of your business?" He snapped at the black she-kit.
"I'm just saying!" She defended herself, fur bristling.
Maybe you should stop saying anything! Jaykit growled to himself, picking out a little vole from the fresh-kill pile.
"Are you kits playing nicely?" Jaykit recognized the voice of Nightheart, and the scent of rabbit that never stopped clinging to her no matter what she ate that day.
"Jaykit is being mean!" Hollykit whined.
Jaykit snapped his head around. "I am not! I'm only being honest, and they were spying in on my conversation with Onestar!" He snarled. And before anyone could say anything back, he stomped away with his vole into a little corner, away from any other cat.
Slowly, he ate his small vole, chewing each piece slowly and staring at the prey like it could come alive and claw his eyes out. It won't, I know it wont! He added to himself, tail lashing behind him.
He finished his vole and buried it into the earth infront of him. And then, for a few heartbeats, he simply sat there. Listening to the rest of the clan share tongues amongst themselves.
I wish someone would share tongues with me. Jaykit thought sadly. They're all either angry with me or treat me like crow-food because I can't see. Well that's a load of fox-dung! He growled to himself. I'll prove I'm a good warrior. Better than any cat in the clans!
I will become a warrior!