Brighter Than A Blue Sky[C]

Heatherkit hadn't been in the medicine cat's den long at all. She was strong-willed and easily able to prove that with how quickly she had begun healing up. It was just the tip of her ear, after all, and it certainly wouldn't slow her down from becoming an apprentice anytime soon. The way that Daisyfang and Sootstorm attended to her made her feel like a fragile kit. As much as she wanted to complain about the overly sensitive treatment, it did not change how much the she-kit looked up to her father.

She looked up to see him approaching the makeshift area that was being treated as the medicine cat den. The journey had been hard on them all. Heatherkit, being one of the youngest of the clan and the deputy's daughter, was well-cared for despite the hard conditions. Her long legs had quickly gotten used to trekking the rough terrain. However, the fact remained that cats from their clan still got injured, were sick, and were not fairing well without any constant shelter. Shaking out her recently groomed pelt, the kit jumped up and ran over to Sootstorm.

"Dad! Dad!" Heatherkit butted her head into the underside of his jaw in a friendly greeting. She blinked gratefully for the mouse he'd brought along but there were more pressing matters at paw, "I'm ready for my apprentice ceremony! I think it should happen soon. Please? I'm almost as big as Eveningpaw and I can heal up quickly too. I bet the other apprentices can't handle wounds this well."

Heatherkit's heart sank at his dismissive words. Every day he said someday. When would that day finally be today? Dismayed, her head lowered to press into the soft down of his chest. It was frustrating to have to resign herself to kit-like versions of training and pretend fantasies about becoming deputy under Sootstar. Her little teeth clenched slightly. If only she could will Starclan to let her grow faster. While her mind was wandering down a rabbit trail of the great many things that she'd one day become, her father's words shook her back to reality.

Of course. Her ear. The pale-furred she-kit ducked under his stomach and weaved between his legs. It had already been decided that the last thing she would do was share the truth. No cat needed to know that Crakekit had done this to her, for both of their sakes. Her purring became a tad softer and she meowed simply, "I just caught it on a rock. It doesn't even hurt now. I promise. I can take wounds just like a warrior!"