Crookedstar’s Promise

Chapter 5

“Can I sleep in Crookedkit’s nest tonight?” Oakkit mewed to Rainflower. His eyes glistened in the moonlight that filtered through the walls. “It’s my last night in the nursery.”

“No.” Rainflower climbed into her nest and circled, ready for sleep. “How many times have I told you? He’s used to sleeping alone. You’ll stop him from getting a good night’s rest, and he needs as much sleep as he can get if he’s ever going to grow.”

Crookedkit flinched. A long moon of sleeping in his own nest had deepened his pain, not eased it. Volepaw, Petalpaw, and Beetlepaw had received their apprentice names and moved to the apprentices’ den, and Echomist had returned to the warriors’ dens. Crookedkit curled into his nest and tucked his nose under his paw. If only he hadn’t broken his jaw, Rainflower would still love him. Instead she acted like his ugliness was contagious. He’d tried to please her, to make up for his accident. He’d fetched her prey from the fresh-kill pile until she asked him to stop. He’d offered to clean out the stale moss from her nest, but she’d shaken her head.

“Clean out your own nest,” she’d told him. “Softpaw can do ours.”

Crookedkit shoved his nose tighter under his paw. His belly rumbled; his jaw ached. He’d only managed to eat a fish tail earlier before pain had stopped him from chewing. If he couldn’t eat, how would he even grow big enough to get his apprentice name?

“Crookedkit!”

Volepaw was calling. Crookedkit blinked open his eyes. Hot greenleaf sun shone through the reed walls. Rainflower’s nest was empty. Had he missed Oakkit’s naming ceremony?

“The dawn patrol brought fresh-kill!”

Crookedkit struggled groggily out of his nest, his legs trembling as he stumbled out of the nursery.

Volepaw was bouncing around Shellheart. “Look what he caught!”

Shellheart held a fat trout in his jaws. He dropped it at Crookedkit’s paws. Crookedkit jumped back; the fish was almost as big as he was. Shellheart purred. “One day you’ll be catching fish like that.” He tore a lump from the shimmering fresh-kill. “Eat this.” He tossed it beside Crookedkit. “I’ll give the rest to the elders. Tanglewhisker won’t believe his eyes.”

Crookedkit watched his father carry the fish away, then looked down at the piece at his paws.

Volepaw was watching him.

Crookedkit ignored the trout, even though its fresh river smell was making his mouth water. He sucked back the spit that was threatening to spill over his twisted jaw. “Has Hailstar given Oakkit his apprentice name yet?” he asked.

“Not yet.” Volepaw glanced toward Hailstar’s den. A pale gray tail twitched between the trailing moss covering the entrance. “Rainflower wanted to talk to Hailstar before the ceremony.”

Perhaps she’s asking Hailstar to make me an apprentice, too! Hope flared in Crookedkit’s belly.

“She told Echomist that there’s only one warrior good enough to train Oakkit,” Volepaw went on. “And she’s going to make sure Hailstar chooses him.”

“Oh.” Disappointment dragged at his pelt. “Which warrior is it?”

Volepaw shrugged. “Who knows?” He glanced at the piece of trout. “Are you going to eat that?”

Crookedkit hesitated. He was hungry but there was no way he was going to eat in front of Volepaw. He still drooled like an elder. “You have it.” He kicked it toward Volepaw.

“Thanks.” Volepaw crouched and started eating. Crookedkit’s belly growled.

“Let all cats old enough to swim gather in the clearing!” Hailstar was padding from his den, his wide shoulders sleek and freshly groomed.

Cedarpelt slid out from the sedges. A dead frog dangled from his jaws. Fallowtail jumped down from the ancient willow. She turned and called up to Softpaw. “We’ll practice diving later.”

Softpaw slithered clumsily down the trunk. “I don’t know why we have to learn to climb. It’s not natural.”

Tanglewhisker poked his head out of the elders’ den. “A ceremony already? The sun’s barely up!” he grumbled, but he padded down the slope with Birdsong and Troutclaw ambling after him.

Piketooth hauled himself out of the reed bed, clasping a bundle of stems between his jaws. River water streamed from his tabby pelt as he laid the reeds on the ground. Shimmerpelt followed him on to dry land, another bundle dripping between her teeth. She dropped the reeds and shook out her glossy black fur. Lakeshine, who was dozing nearby, leaped to her paws as water sprayed her.

“Sorry.” Shimmerpelt flicked her tail. “I didn’t see you.”

Lakeshine’s mottled gray pelt made her look like dappled shadow beside the shore. “It’s okay.” The she-cat licked her wet fur. “It’ll cool me down.”

Brambleberry emerged from the medicine den and sat beside Softpaw. The apprentice was lapping at her chest where mossy willow bark had turned her snowy white fur into another patch of tabby.

Whitepaw came hurtling from the dirtplace tunnel. “Did I miss anything?” He circled his mentor.

Timberfur sat down. “Not yet.”

Crookedkit wondered where to sit. Shellheart was beside Hailstar. Rainflower stood apart from her Clanmates, Oakkit at her side. Oakkit’s eyes sparkled. Crookedkit wanted to race across the clearing and wish him luck. But he knew Rainflower would send him away with a snarl.

Brambleberry flicked her tail toward Crookedkit. “Sit with me.” She stroked Crookedkit’s spine with her tail as he reached her. “It’s nice and cool here.”

As he settled beneath the willow beside her, Echomist joined him. “I bet you’re proud of your brother.”

Crookedkit purred. Soon Oakkit would be the strongest and bravest apprentice in the Clan. “He’s going to be a great warrior, like Shellheart.”

Echomist’s scent touched his nose and nursery memories rushed back. When a bad dream woke him, she’d let him creep into her nest and bundled him among her own kits. She always gently pushed him out before dawn so he could go back to his own nest before Rainflower woke up. “It’s best not to cause trouble,” she’d whisper, licking his ears.

“I think Oakkit’s trying to get your attention.” Brambleberry nudged Crookedkit from his thoughts. Oakkit was staring at him, mouthing something. Crookedkit tried to guess what he was saying. It looked like “Crookedpaw.” He’s wishing I was getting my apprentice name, too. Warmth flooded him. It won’t be long, he silently promised.

Hailstar dipped his head. “Oakkit, come here.”

As Oakkit padded forward, Hailstar called another name. “Shellheart!”

Crookedkit blinked. Hailstar was making Shellheart Oakkit’s mentor! Fathers never mentored their own kits. He stared at Rainflower. Her eyes glowed. She had planned this. Crookedkit felt suddenly cold.

Hailstar’s gaze swept the Clan. “Shellheart and Oakkit share courage, strength, and loyalty.” He dipped his head to his deputy. “Strengthen those talents in your apprentice, Shellheart, and make Oakpaw a warrior who will lead RiverClan to greatness.”

“Oakpaw!” Rainflower was the first to raise her voice in praise of RiverClan’s newest apprentice.

“Oakpaw!” Volepaw and Petalpaw joined in. Timberfur and Brightsky lashed their tails enthusiastically as they called out Oakpaw’s new name.

Crookedkit scanned the reeds, looking for a glimpse of orange-and-white pelt. The StarClan cat had come before. Would she come now to remind him of his destiny? Or was Oakpaw going to get that, too?

“Join in!” Crookedkit felt Brambleberry’s breath in his ear and realized he hadn’t called his brother’s new name.

“Oakpaw! Oakpaw!” he yowled to the wide blue sky. Oh, StarClan, let him be a great warrior! As the plea flashed in his thoughts, Oakpaw padded toward him.

“Thank you.” Oakpaw bent his head and rubbed his jaw along Crookedkit’s. “I hope we get to train together soon. You’re my littermate and I’ll always be there for you.”

Crookedkit purred, his jealousy melting. He loved Oakpaw too much to want anything less than the best for him. He just wished Rainflower loved them equally.

Oakpaw’s eyes shone as he turned back to Hailstar. “I promise I will train hard to become the best warrior I can be.”

Rainflower crossed the clearing. “Well done, my dear,” she purred to Oakpaw.

Shellheart pushed in front of her and touched Oakpaw’s head with the tip of his muzzle. “I’ll expect you to train harder than any other apprentice,” he warned. “I don’t want anyone saying I’m going easy on you because you’re my kit.”

“Neither do I!” Oakpaw puffed out his chest.

Shellheart glanced at Crookedkit. “There’s no reason I can’t show you some of the moves I teach Oakpaw,” he promised. Excitement fizzed in Crookedkit’s paws.

“Don’t be silly.” Rainflower sniffed. “He’s too small.”

Crookedkit stared at her, his twisted jaw gaping. He shut it quickly and swallowed. Was she right? He was eating as much as he could, and he had nearly outgrown his nest in the nursery.

Pelts brushed past his nose as Petalpaw and Volepaw crowded around his brother. “Well done, Oakpaw!”

Crookedkit backed away.

“Yeah.” Beetlepaw nosed past his littermates, his shoulders stiff. “Well done. Now I understand why I didn’t get Shellheart as a mentor.”

“Oh, Beetlepaw.” Petalpaw nudged her brother’s cheek with her muzzle. “Aren’t you over that yet? Just because you’re Hailstar’s kit doesn’t mean you get the deputy as your mentor. You know Hailstar matches us with who he thinks will train us best.”

Beetlepaw snorted. “Then why’d he give me Ottersplash?”

“Shhh!” Volepaw hissed.

Beetlepaw stared blankly at his denmates’ frozen faces. “What?”

Ottersplash had crossed the clearing and was standing right behind her apprentice, her white-and-ginger coat shining in the sunlight. “Maybe he thought you needed to learn a bit of respect?” she suggested.

Beetlepaw spun around, his pelt ruffled. “Sorry!”

Ottersplash looked steadily at him. “I think you’d better spend the afternoon cleaning out the elders’ den instead of learning battle moves.”

Beetlepaw’s face fell, but he didn’t argue. “Okay.” He padded away, dragging his paws.

Petalpaw hurried after him. “I’ll help!”

“Perhaps you should help, too,” Shellheart meowed to Oakpaw.

“My first apprentice duty! Great!”

Crookedkit watched him charge away, envy pricking. His mother’s sharp mew made him jump.

“Aren’t you going to thank me?” Rainflower was glaring at Shellheart.

Shellheart narrowed his eyes. “What for?”

“Who do you think arranged for you to be Oakpaw’s mentor?”

“You?” Shellheart blinked.

“Hailstar understood it made sense for the strongest warrior to train the strongest apprentice.”

Echomist’s anxious mew sounded in Crookedkit’s ear. “Why don’t you go and see if Oakpaw needs help?” She nudged him toward the slope. “Go on.”

He padded away reluctantly, glancing back at Shellheart and Rainflower as they faced each other, hackles high. If he’d never had his accident, they’d still be happy.

“Oakpaw?” Crookedkit stuck his head through the neatly woven entrance of the elders’ den.

Petalpaw looked up from Tanglewhisker’s nest. “Oakpaw went to gather moss.”

“I’ll go and help him,” Crookedkit offered.

“He’s outside the camp,” Petalpaw told him.

“Oh. Then can I help you?”

A bundle of stinking moss hit him on the nose.

“You’ll just get in the way.” Beetlepaw was clawing through Troutclaw’s nest, his nose wrinkled against the stench.

“Why don’t you go and play?” Petalpaw mewed kindly. “We can manage here.”

Tanglewhisker was patting his nest back into shape. “He’s got to learn sometime,” the elder croaked.

“Well, he can come back and learn by himself.” Beetlepaw tossed another ball of moss toward the entrance. “This is bad enough without having a kit underpaw.”

Crookedkit bristled. “I’m only a moon younger than you!” he snapped.

“And four moons smaller,” Beetlepaw answered back.

Growling, Crookedkit ducked out of the den and stomped down the slope. Perhaps Piketooth and Shimmerpelt needed help. He’d gathered reeds two moons ago. There no reason he couldn’t do it now. He hadn’t shrunk.

“Can I help?” he called from the edge of the reed bed. The water lapped at his claws, cool and refreshing.

Piketooth backed out of a thick swath of reeds. “Don’t fall in!” he warned.

“You could teach me how to swim, then I could help better,” Crookedkit pointed out.

Piketooth shook his head. “You’re a bit small for that.”

“So are minnows!” Crookedkit felt like jumping into the clear patch of water and teaching himself how to swim.

Shimmerpelt waded out of the river and dropped a mouthful of reeds on the shore. “I know you’re bored,” she meowed sympathetically. “There aren’t any more kits to play with.” She glanced around the camp. “Maybe you could practice stalking by yourself?”

Crookedkit felt his tail droop. Didn’t anyone want him around?

Brambleberry was watching him from outside the medicine den. “Do you want to help me sort herbs?” she called.

“I’m going to be a warrior, not a medicine cat!” Crookedkit snapped. He turned and padded across the clearing. Oakpaw was trotting into camp, a wad of moss between his jaws.

Shellheart hailed him. “Oakpaw, when you’ve delivered that, I’ll take you on a tour of the territory.”

Crookedkit pricked his ears. “Can I come?” he called hopefully.

Shellheart sighed. “One day.” He watched as Oakpaw raced up the slope, dropped the moss, and dashed back down. “Ready?”

Oakpaw nodded. Crookedkit sat down and watched them disappear through the entrance tunnel.

Rainflower was lying in the shade of the sedge wall, sharing fresh-kill with Lakeshine. She lifted her head and stared at Crookedkit. “I’m moving back to the warriors’ dens tonight.” She turned her fresh-kill with her paw. “Lakeshine’s letting me share her nest until I build my own.”

You can’t! Crookedkit’s heart began to race. That meant he’d be alone in the nursery. His Clanmates would all be sharing tongues and snoring together while he lay on his own, like an outcast. Maybe Rainflower would stay if he did something to impress her. Maybe he could get her to love him again. He raced for the fallen tree and scrambled up the trunk. Claws stretched, he skittered along the jutting branch he’d climbed moons ago.

“Look, Rainflower!” He reached the end and stretched up, legs trembling, heart pounding, tall enough that the whole Clan could see him—the bravest kit in the Clan. “Look at me!”

Rainflower twitched her tail. “Get down before you fall!” she called wearily, and turned back to her meal. “And stop showing off. You’ll be an apprentice when you’re ready, not before.”

Somewhere in the woods, a warbler shrieked. Crookedkit sat up in his nest. The Clan was asleep. Even through the walls of the nursery, he could hear snores and snuffles and the rustling of nests as his Clanmates stretched and rolled over. Crookedkit felt wide awake. His heart ached in his chest too fiercely to sleep. He trailed around the empty den, breathing in the scents of Rainflower and Echomist.

Perhaps the orange-and-white StarClan warrior would come now. He scanned the shadowy edges of the nursery, straining to see through the half-light. Was this loneliness part of the destiny she’d promised? StarClan is watching over you. He remembered Brambleberry’s words. This is part of a destiny only they understand, but you must believe that they are guiding all of us, and that they care about you just as much as any cat in RiverClan.

If StarClan wouldn’t come to him, then he’d go to them. He’d visit the Moonstone where Brambleberry shared tongues with their ancestors. When he was in the medicine den, she’d described her journeys there. He just had to head upstream and get through WindClan territory without being spotted. After that Highstones would be easy to find. It was bigger than Sunningrocks. It makes Sunningrocks look like a pebble. That’s what Brambleberry had told him. Butterflies fluttered in his belly but he ignored them. He had to know whether this was part of his destiny. Padding to the nursery entrance, he peered out. The clearing was deserted, silvered by moonlight. Crookedkit slid out of the reed den and padded quietly across the clearing to the entrance tunnel.

The sedge whispered around him as he headed out of camp.