⤴

⤴This is Codpear⤴

Puddlekit couldn't sleep. He was having nightmares about the river and being sucked underwater forever. He had just leapt up out of his nest, gasping for the eleventh time when he heard a rustling sound. He turned over to see if his mother was awake but she was snoring, softly.

Of course, Puddlekit thought. Codpear's such a deep sleeper, the even me leaping a mouse length in the air and almost landing on her can't wake her up.

He lay back down and closed his eyes. But the paw steps continued to pad across the clearing. Trembling with fear, he peeked out of the nursery. He saw a figure of a cat, walk out of camp. The moonlight slanted into the clearing, just as the cat disappeared from the camp. But Puddlekit had seen the ginger fluffy tail as it swished around the corner. He knew it ANYWHERE.

That was Carrotpaw! But what had his sister been doing sneaking out of camp? As the moonlight faded, another figure slipped after Carrotpaw. Puddlekit couldn't see this one clearly enough to tell who it was but assumed it was a warrior going to bring Carrotpaw back. He slid back into his nest and cuddled up to Codpear, trying to forget his dreams and Carrotpaw.

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Puddlekit woke up to sunlight slanting into the nursery. He looked around for his mother but found an empty nest. She must have gone out on dawn patrol. Puddlekit knew Codpear didn't like staying in the nursery with Puddlekit. He was six moons old and supposed to be in the apprentices' den. But he was too nervous to leave his mother at night.

Looking out of the den, Puddlekit saw Carrotpaw and Potatopaw whispering to each other. Weird. They aren't close friends. Do they know something I don't? Is it about last night? Puddlekit had so many questions flying through his head he didn't see Yellowpaw coming up behind him.

"Hi," he mewed. 

Puddlekit jumped. "H-hi," he stammered. 

Yellowkit continued. "I heard there was a fox on the border. Do you want to help me chase it away?"

Puddlekit didn't like the idea of that. He shook his head, hard. "No."

"Whatever," Yellowpaw shrugged. "I'll catch the fox myself," he mewed and walked off.

Puddlekit was about to tell his father about Yellowpaw's quest to find the fox when Carrotpaw walked over to her.

"Um, hi," she mewed. "Oaksky, Clamheart and Woodpelt are going to take me, Potatopaw, and Currentpaw battle training and we were wondering if you would like to come." She blinked, hopefully.

Puddlekit didn't know what to say. He had never liked the idea of fighting or battle, but he really didn't want to be left in camp without his family and Potatopaw. "Uh, okay," he finally mewed.

"Great!" yowled Carrotpaw. "Let's go now!"