One-Spark

by Lily

"Mist!" I called to my sister. "Are you coming to the Star Assembly?"

   Gentle Mist ran forward. "Of course! We're finally old enough, and you think I'm going to stay home, Spark?"

   I grinned. "And you'd never miss a chance to stay awake at night."

   "You'd never miss a chance to show off your fur!" Mist retorted playfully.

   "Kits, coming or not?" My mother, Bright Leaf asked. "Gentle Mist? Fiery Spark?" Fiery Spark was my full name.

   "Race you!" I squealed and the we bounced to Leaf's side. I saw Mother roll her eyes before starting on her way to the Assembly. The assembly occurred every time a golden star shone in the night sky. It was when Star, the cat goddess, would speak to the cats, and cats from every family would come in peace to the Assembly area. 

   "Hey, cut out the excitement, won't you?" Vine, one of my older brothers said.

   "Talking about excitement, when you're the one that's bouncing up and down in anticipation to talk to White Feather again? When's she having your kits?" Swift, another brother teased.

   Vine blushed and shoved his brother, who shoved him back.

   Spotted Fawn sighed. "Ignore them, girls," she advised. She was my only older sister, the littermate of Swift and Vine.

   The last brother, Jay, was quiet, walking alongside our father, Falcon. Father was explaining something to him.

   We reached the edge of the lake, and Mother looked around at us. "All right, swim or walk?"

   "Ooh, we can swim to the Assembly?" I blurted. Mist shrunk back uncomfortably. She had fallen into a puddle once as a small kitten and still had nightmares about water.

   "I think that we should walk this time. We don't want to present Spark and Mist for the first time with messy, wet fur," Mother reasoned to Father. "And we don't usually take our kits across the lake unless it freezes older."

   "Cold!" I pretended to shiver, and Mist giggled.

   Father shrugged and ignored us. "It'll be a good first impression if the other families know that they can swim already."

   Mist looked up at Mother with scared eyes. "I don't want to swim," Mist said in a small voice.

   "You've only been in water once," I pointed out, too excited to at the idea of being in water again to worry much. "And swimming isn't that bad."

   "I'll help you," Mother said. She turned her head and looked at her mate.

   "We'll swim," Father decided. Me and Swift cheered. Jay didn't say anything, but stepped into the pond's water. Vine didn't look so happy but followed, and Mist's expression was pure terror as Mother guided her towards the water.