Firestar’s Quest

“I was a kittypet too, you know, and I felt the same when I joined my Clan. But you’ll get used to it,” Firestar told him.

“Soon you’ll wonder how you ever managed to sleep without your Clanmates around you.”

“Maybe,” Shortwhisker meowed, though he didn’t sound convinced.

The tabby cat stared into the river, and Firestar got the sense that he wanted to be alone. He jumped down from the rock and returned to the den, wondering what he could do to make Shortwhisker feel more comfortable with Clan life.

Perhaps pride in his hunting achievements would do the trick.

A couple of days after his talk with Shortwhisker, Firestar returned from a hunting patrol with Sparrowpaw and Leafdapple to find the camp almost deserted. The warriors’ cave was empty, and when the patrol padded down to the riverside, the only cats they found there were Clovertail and her kits.

“Come back, Bouncekit!” Clovertail called, wrapping her tail around the adventurous ginger kit and pulling him back from the edge of the water. Glancing at Firestar, she added, “They’re getting so strong and active. And if they get into trouble, you can be sure Bouncekit is at the bottom of it!”

“They’re doing really well,” Firestar told her. “They’ll soon be ready for mentors. And we’re so short of warriors,” he went on, “that you might have to mentor one of them yourself. It’s not ideal for apprentices to have their mother as a mentor, but—”

Clovertail’s eyes widened in dismay. “I’ve no idea how to mentor an apprentice.”

“Maybe it’s time you started to join the patrols,” Firestar suggested. “I’m sure you’ll learn quickly.”

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly!” Clovertail exclaimed. “My kits still need me. Who would keep an eye on them, if I weren’t here? Rockkit, come down off there!” she added, raising her voice to the black kit who had started to scramble up the Rockpile. “You’ll fall into the water!”

Looking at the three mischievous kits, Firestar supposed she had a point. “Where is every cat?” he asked. “The whole gorge seems deserted.”

“They went with Sandstorm,” Clovertail replied, pointing up the gorge with her tail. “She said she was taking them for a training session.” With a glance at her kits to make sure they weren’t misbehaving, she padded over to the newly stocked fresh-kill pile and chose a mouse for herself.

Firestar left her with Sparrowpaw and Leafdapple, and padded up the gorge. A few tail-lengths farther on, the cliff curved inward to leave a wide, flat space with a sandy floor.

Firestar reached it in time to see Cherrypaw pounce on Sandstorm; the two she-cats rolled over and over in a fierce tangle of paws and tails. Sharpclaw, Shortwhisker, and Patchfoot were looking on.

At last Sandstorm broke free and stood up, shaking sand from her pelt. “Well done,” she meowed. “You’ve got that leap and claw action just right. If I were a fox, I wouldn’t fancy meeting you.”

Cherrypaw’s eyes glowed.

“Shortwhisker, you have a go,” Sandstorm went on.

“Pretend I’m a fox that’s trying to get into the Clan nursery.”

Shortwhisker hesitated, glancing around at the other cats, while Sandstorm crouched, her tail tip flicking impatiently.

“Come on,” she urged. “I’ve had time to eat a couple of kits by now.”

Shortwhisker hurled himself across the sandy space, his claws extended, but he had misjudged his leap. He fell short, just in front of Sandstorm, who cuffed him over the ears with both her front paws. Shortwhisker let out a growl of frustration, his tail lashing.

“Don’t worry,” Sandstorm meowed. “Try again.”

“No, I’ve had enough for now.” Shortwhisker backed away.

“I’ll practice on my own for a bit.”

For a heartbeat Sandstorm gave him a questioning stare, then nodded. “Okay. We’ll have another session tomorrow.”

Shortwhisker padded around a curve in the gorge and out of sight. Firestar exchanged a glance with Sandstorm and went after him. Before he caught up with Shortwhisker, the tabby tom realized that some cat was following him, and stopped to wait.

“I’m sorry,” he meowed, not giving Firestar a chance to speak first. “I know I messed up.” He blinked miserably. “I’m never going to get it right. I just feel so awkward, trying to train with all those other cats watching.”

Firestar suppressed a sigh. It was the same problem that Shortwhisker had spoken about before, on the rock by the river. He was finding it hard to adjust to living among a large number of cats.

“Well, it’s the same for every cat,” he began. Shortwhisker tried to interrupt, but Firestar flicked his tail for silence. “I can understand how you feel, but for StarClan’s sake, why didn’t you tell Sandstorm that? She’s not unreasonable. She would give you a one-on-one session if you asked her.”

Shortwhisker’s forepaws shuffled on the sandy ground. “I don’t like to give her any trouble. She works so hard already.”

“I know, but it’s no trouble, honestly. I’ll tell you what,” Firestar went on. “Would you like to practice with me, now?

No cat is watching us.”

Shortwhisker’s eyes brightened. “Would you really?”