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Post by nem on Nov 16, 2016 21:22:31 GMT -5
DIRECTORY
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Post I - Synopsis | Introduction | Links
Post II - Directory | Allegiances | Prologue
Post III - Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five
Post IV - Chapter Six | Chapter Seven | Chapter Eight | Chapter Nine | Chapter Ten
Post V - Chapter Eleven | Chapter Twelve | Chapter Thirteen | Chapter Fourteen | Chapter Fifteen
Post VI - Chapter Sixteen | Chapter Seventeen | Chapter Eighteen | Chapter Nineteen | Chapter Twenty
Post VII - Chapter Twenty-One | Chapter Twenty-Two
Post IIX - Fans | Announcements | Trivia ALLEGIANCES
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ThunderClan
Leader: Firestar: Ginger tabby tom with green eyes.
Deputy: Brambleclaw: Golden tom with amber eyes.
Apprentice: Berrypaw
Medicine Cat: Leafpool: Pale tortoiseshell and white she-cat with green eyes.
Warriors: Addertooth: Tawny-colored tabby tom with dark copper eyes.
Webwhisker: White she-cat with one blue eye and one amber eye.
Rockclaw: Gray tabby tom with white and pale yellow eyes.
Dustpelt: Black tom with amber eyes.
Apprentice: Hazelpaw
Sandstorm: Pinkish-gray tabby she-cat with green eyes.
Apprentice: Honeypaw
Shorttail: Long-furred, thick-furred, cream-colored she-cat with white, pale hazel eyes and a strangely short tail.
Cloudtail: Fluffy white tom with blue eyes.
Apprentice: Cinderpaw
Brackenfur: Golden-brown tabby tom with amber eyes.
Thornclaw: Golden-brown tabby tom with amber eyes.
Apprentice: Poppypaw
Brightheart: Ginger-and-white she-cat with a blue eye.
Ashfur: Pale gray tom with darker flecks.
Mapletail: Cream-and-brown calico with white and yellow eyes.
Boragewhisker: Cream tabby tom with white and hazel eyes.
Juniperfang: Gray-and-cream tabby she-cat with golden eyes.
Sorreltail: Gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes.
Spiderleg: Black tom with amber eyes.
Apprentice: Mousepaw
Hailfur: White she-cat with amber eyes.
Brook Where Small Fish Swim(Brook): Brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes.
Stormfur: Dark gray tom with amber eyes.
Whitewing: White she-cat with green eyes.
Birchfall: Light brown tabby tom with amber eyes.
Apprentices: Berrypaw: Cream-colored tom with icy-blue eyes.
Hazelpaw: Pale calico she-cat with hazel eyes.
Mousepaw: Cream and white tom with icy-blue eyes.
Cinderpaw: Gray tabby she-cat with amber eyes.
Honeypaw: Honey-brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes.
Poppypaw: Black she-cat with blue eyes.
Queens: Ferncloud: Pale gray tabby she-cat with darker flecks and green eyes. Mother of Dustpelt's kits: Icekit(white tom with blue eyes), Foxkit(dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes) and Nightkit(black tabby tom with yellow eyes).
Daisy: Long-furred cream she-cat with icy-blue eyes.
Squirrelflight: Calico she-cat with green eyes. Mother of Brambleclaw's kits: Lionkit(golden tom with gold eyes), Jaykit(gray tabby tom with white mitts and blue eyes), Hollykit(black she-cat with green eyes) and Swankit(gray she-cat with white and blue eyes.
Elders: Longtail: Pale gray tabby tom with black stripes.
Mousefur: Dark brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes.
ShadowClan
Leader: Blackstar: White tom with black paws and a van pattern on his ears.
Deputy: Russetfur: Dark ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes.
Medicine Cat: Littlecloud: Small, brown tabby tom with light blue eyes.
Warriors: Whitewater: Long-furred white she-cat with amber eyes. Blind in one eye.
Kinkfur: Gray tabby she-cat with long fur that sticks out at all angles and green eyes.
Oakfur: Small dark brown tabby tom with hazel eyes.
Smokefoot: Black tom with a white undercoat and yellow eyes.
Apprentice: Owlpaw
Snaketail: Dark brown ticked tabby tom with hazel eyes and a long striped tail.
Snowbird: White she-cat with hazel eyes.
Ratscar: Dark brown tabby tom with yellow eyes.
Rowanclaw: Dark ginger tom with green eyes.
Apprentice: Ivypaw
Tawnypelt: Pale tortoiseshell she-cat with yellow eyes.
Toadfoot: Dark brown tom with amber eyes.
Applefur: Mottled brown she-cat with yellow eyes.
Crowfrost: Black-and-white tom with green eyes.
Apprentices: Ivypaw: Calico she-cat with hazel eyes.
Owlpaw: Light brown tabby tom with hazel eyes.
Queens: Robinflight: Pale tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes. Mother of Redkit(pale ginger tabby tom with yellow eyes), Scorchkit(dark gray tom with golden eyes), Olivekit(pale tortoiseshell she-cat with hazel eyes), and Shrewkit(gray tom with white mitts).
Elders: Cedarheart: Dark gray tom with copper eyes.
Tallpoppy: Light brown tabby she-cat with golden eyes.
WindClan
Leader: Onestar: Light brown tabby tom with amber eyes.
Deputy: Ashfoot: Gray she-cat with copper eyes.
Medicine cat: Barkface: Dark brown tom with a short tail and lemon-yellow eyes.
Apprentice: Kestrelpaw
Warriors: Nightcloud: Black she-cat with amber eyes.
Tornear: Gray tabby tom with hazel eyes.
Apprentice: Harepaw
Crowfeather: Black tom with blue eyes.
Apprentice: Heatherpaw
Owlwhisker: Light brown tabby tom with yellow eyes.
Apprentice: Sagepaw
Whitetail: A small white she-cat with amber eyes.
Apprentice: Breezepaw
Wrensong: Light brown tabby she-cat with copper eyes.
Gorsetail: Pale gray-and-white tabby she-cat with blue eyes.
Weaselfur: Ginger tabby tom with white paws and copper eyes.
Leaftail: Dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes.
Dewspots: Spotted gray tabby tom.
Antpelt: Brown tom with amber eyes.
Emberfoot: Dark gray tom with copper eyes.
Apprentices: Kestrelpaw: Mottled brown-and-white tom with dark yellow eyes.
Heatherpaw: Light brown she-cat with amber eyes.
Harepaw: Brown-and-white tom with dull orange eyes.
Sagepaw: Black she-cat with amber eyes.
Breezepaw: Black tom with yellow eyes.
Queens: Willowclaw: Gray tabby she-cat with hazel eyes. Mother of Leaftail's kits: Finchkit(Gray tabby she-cat with amber eyes) and Weedkit(Dark brown tabby tom with hazel eyes).
Galefoot: Tan-and-cream tabby she-cat with white and amber eyes. Mother of three kits: Buzzardkit(brown tabby tom with amber eyes), Alderkit(tortoiseshell and white tabby she-kit with golden eyes), Butterflykit(tortoiseshell she-kit with golden eyes).
Elders: Morningflower: Light tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes.
Webfoot: Dark gray tabby tom with hazel eyes.
RiverClan
Leader: Leopardstar: Tortoiseshell she-cat with an unusual spots and amber eyes.
Deputy: Mistyfoot: Gray-blue she-cat with icy-blue eyes.
Apprentice: Dapplepaw
Medicine Cat: Mothwing: Light brown tabby she-cat with a dark brown tail, dark brown ears, dark brown paws, a dark brown face and blue eyes.
Apprentice: Willowpaw
Warriors: Dawnflower: Very pale gray she-cat with amber eyes.
Blackclaw: Black tom with yellowish-green eyes.
Voletooth: Small brown tabby tom with hazel eyes.
Apprentice: Minnowpaw
Mosspelt: Tortoiseshell and white she-cat with blue eyes.
Apprentice: Pebblepaw
Heavystep: Brown tabby tom with golden eyes.
Reedwhisker: Black tom with icy-blue eyes.
Apprentice: Pouncepaw
Icewing: White she-cat with amber eyes.
Ottersplash: Very light brown she-cat with a dark face, ears, tail and paws and aqua-colored eyes.
Mintfur: Light gray tabby tom with dark yellow eyes.
Ravenclaw: Glossy-furred black tom with copper eyes.
Fennelspots: Sleek, light gray tabby she-cat with hazel eyes.
Beechfur: Light brown tom with yellow eyes.
Rippletail: Dark gray tabby tom with green eyes.
Otterheart: Dark brown she-cat with dark copper eyes.
Pinefur: Reddish-brown tabby she-cat with copper eyes and very short fur.
Rainstorm: Mottled blue-gray tom with lemon-yellow eyes.
Duskfur: Brown tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes.
Apprentices: Dapplepaw: Mottled gray she-cat with copper eyes.
Pouncepaw: Ginger-and-white tom with golden eyes.
Pebblepaw: Pale gray mottled tabby tom with hazel eyes.
Minnowpaw: Gray-and-white she-cat with amber eyes.
Willowpaw: Dark gray tabby she-cat with green eyes.
Queens: Graymist: Pale silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes. Mother of three kits: Sneezekit(gray and white tom with hazel eyes), Mallowkit(light brown tabby tom with yellow eyes), and Shoalkit(gray tabby she-kit with pale yellow eyes).
Pigeonfoot: Mottled brown she-cat with white and pale yellow eyes. Mother of Ravenclaw's kits: Duckkit(mottled gray tom with golden eyes), Goosekit(gray tabby tom with copper eyes), Starlingkit(grayish-brown tabby she-cat with black stripes and amber eyes), and Eaglekit(mottled brown tom with yellow eyes).
Elders: Swallowtail: Dark brown tabby she-cat with green eyes.
Stonestream: Gray tom with blue eyes.
PROLOGUE
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Firestar couldn't control his own paws as he edged a steep cliff. Panic swept over him, this dream again? He ducked under a few brown roots into a cave, whose only light source was a hole in the ceiling. A cat with a gray pelt that resembled a rock laid where the sunlight pooled on the cave's floor. He stared at Firestar with a hard gaze. Firestar froze at the sight of the elderly cat. His pelt tingled with anxiety. "You called me. Who are you? What do you want? Why do you need me?" "Hush, your curiosity will do nothing but stall what I have to say." The gray cat rasped. Firestar sat down, curling his tail around his paws and looking down. His gaze darkened with shame. "I was thinking that you deserved to be the one that learned this first," the elderly tom rasped. "You rebuilt the lost Clan, and you're a fine leader of ThunderClan." Firestar nodded. The cat stood up on thin, wobbly legs and walked towards Firestar. The only thing visible was his bright amber eyes that glittered in the darkness. "Bad things are coming, worse than any cat has seen before. It won't just affect ThunderClan, it'll affect every single cat in the Clans. Though it may not come into play for many moons, I must tell you this. Four will hold the power of the stars in their paws." Firestar tilted his head, "Elaborate?" The cat shook his head, "I cannot." He walked past Firestar and out of the cave. Firestar's surroundings started to fade to darkness as he started to wake up. He opened his eyes quickly. He looked around at the smooth, stone walls of his den and the sunlight directly outside. He got up to his paws and went out of the den. Smelling the fresh air, he saw Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw with their four three-moon-old kits, Hollykit, Jaykit, Swankit, and Lionkit. Then, it clicked. The four are here. |
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Post by nem on Nov 16, 2016 21:25:22 GMT -5
CHAPTER 1
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Jaykit's breath went up into the air in puffs of white from his nose. The ground was like a piece of ice. Hollykit walked parallel to him, touching his side. She froze when a gust of wind blew through camp. Frosted tree branches hung over them, along with any leaves that still remained on them. Angular bluffs towered over three sides of the camp. They cast a dark shadow across Camp.
Jaykit turned around to look at the nursery, which had a visible hole on the outside of it. Berrypaw dared Juniperfang to walk through the nursery wall yesterday, and so she did. It had caused a draft that let cold air gust into the nursery. Shorttail, a large cream-and-white she-cat with long, wispy fur and a short, stubby tail, and Sorreltail, a small, pretty gray tabby she-cat with petite paws and a long tail, were working their hardest to mend it. Shorttail had been the one to tell them to leave the nursery while they work, so they conformed.
"It's cold!" Swankit whined, "Why did we have to go out?"
Jaykit took a few steps further from the nursery, the white grass and dead leaves crunching under his paws. "I'm not sure," he meowed.
Swankit sighed, before looking around at her surroundings. "Could we play?" She asked her siblings. "It might heat us up, and it's rather boring if we don't."
"Play what?" Lionkit let of waves of excitement.
Swankit hit the side of Lionkit's face with her paw and held it there. "This!"
Lionkit tore Swankit's paw away from his face with a single swipe of one of his large, golden paws. He stood back, placed his chest onto the ground, and wiggled his haunches before launching himself off the ground and square onto Swankit's back. He held her shoulders down onto the ground, letting her face kiss the grass.
Swankit grunted as she pushed herself up to her paws, swayed side to side, and balanced while Lionkit fell off of her. She fluffed up her fur, growled playfully, and crouched so her belly barely touched the ground.
Jaykit turned his head to look at them. Temptation pricked his pelt, but his stiff muscles didn't allow him to move.
Swankit's eyes narrowed onto Hollykit. The black she-kit wasn't standing too far from Lionkit. Swankit flung herself onto her.
Hollykit squeaked, loudly, and allowed herself to be attacked. She never does know quite what to do when she is attacked, Jaykit remembered.
Lionkit was watching Swankit and Hollykit with a stiffly flicking tail when Jaykit felt a burst of shock come from him. He won't expect this! Jaykit thought to himself, getting ready to pounce. After a single wag of his backside, he threw himself at Lionkit. Jaykit made them tumble across camp until they end up in front of Whitewing.
"Are you two okay?" Whitewing asked with a cocked head. Her head was a bit fuzzy, as Jaykit could tell.
Jaykit rolled back up to his paws and fluffed up his fur. He opened his mouth to reply but struggled to get anything out. The words were on the tip of his tongue, however.
"Caught your own tongue?" Whitewing joked.
Lionkit shoved his paw into Jaykit's face, and Jaykit instinctively tried to bite it. However, Lionkit pulled back his paw before Jaykit got the chance. "We're fine! Just playing," Lionkit purred. He got back up to his feet and darted back to his littermates.
"Sorry, Whitewing," Jaykit meowed before running after Lionkit. He noticed the focused gaze of Squirrelflight burning against his pelt.
"Can you at least bring me a little mercy?" Hollykit grunted as she struggled to knock Swankit off of her.
"Alright," Swankit mumbled, jumping off of Hollykit and letting her get back up to her paws. As soon as Hollykit was stable and standing, she pointed her hind legs towards her and threw one of them backward, into Hollykit's flank.
Hollykit was launched across the camp, landing near a craggy part of the cliffs around camp. She clumsily stood up, a deep growl rumbling in her throat. She took a step forwards, but she tripped over a rock poking out of the ground. Her shoulder slammed across a sharp, cold stone jutting out of camp's walls. Hollykit trotted back over to her littermates.
Jaykit could see dark, sticky blood starting to gush out of her shoulder and trickle down her leg, flattening her fluffy fur and turning the green grass crimson.
"Your shoulder!" Lionkit pointed out.
Hollykit sniffed her left shoulder. "Mom?" She said with a rather distressed tone. A dash of ginger and black ran across Jaykit's field of vision, going over to pick up Hollykit with its strong jaws. He watched Squirrelflight disappear into the medicine den.
❄ Leafpool chewed together horsetail and marigold in her mouth, then applied it onto Hollykit's shoulder. They were in the medicine den, a dark place with light dappled across the ceiling and ground. The entrance was covered up by a bramble bush that kept the den a little bit warmer than it could be. A little pool of water resided in the corner of the den.
"Is she okay?" Squirrelflight asked, her voice shaky. Hollykit laid at her feet, her head down and eyes closed. A piece of cobweb was stuck to her shoulder.
"I think so," Leafpool purred, licking the top of Hollykit's head.
Squirrelflight's gaze softened. "Thank you, Leafpool." She stood up and walked out of the den, brushing by Jaykit and Lionkit who stood near the entrance.
The scents of herbs flowed all around them as they took a few steps further into the den. They watched Leafpool zoom past them as they approached Hollykit.
"Want to play?" Lionkit asks into Hollykit's ear.
"Leafpool told me to not to," Hollykit said, not opening her eyes or moving her head. "Or risk hurting myself more or reopening the cut."
A silence swept over the den. Nobody spoke a word until Lionkit's whine broke the silence. "How about now?"
"Nothing's changed," she growled. She seemed edgier than usual, and Lionkit seemed more impatient.
"How long will you not be able to play?" Jaykit asked.
"I don't know. I'm not even sure that I'll be able to leave the den today."
Jaykit glanced at Lionkit's glittering golden eyes, awaiting him to exit the den. A few moments later, Lionkit turned around and went back out to camp. Jaykit came with him.
CHAPTER 2
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The air was cold and soggy. Water pattered down from the sky outside the nursery. Jaykit cuddled up in between Swankit and Hollykit, who were both balls of heat. The sky was gray, and the camp was darkened. They could see the bright-colored pelts of Brambleclaw and Berrypaw through the rain.
Swankit looked at her littermates curiously. "Who do you think our mentors will be?"
I don't want it to be Shorttail or Juniperfang, Jaykit thought, wincing when a chilly raindrop fell on his nose.
"I want it to be Squirrelflight!" Lionkit purred. Jaykit looked behind him to see Squirrelflight, who had turned her head to look at them.
"I would much rather have her over whatever else I would get," Jaykit said, head still pointed backward.
"I'd want her as a mentor," Swankit added, "But Firestar is who I'd really want to have as a mentor."
Jaykit nodded in agreement. His neck felt minorly sore once he veered his head forwards again.
"He's such a great leader! He saved the Clans!" Lionkit exclaimed, "He would be a good mentor to me."
"But we can't all have Firestar as a mentor," Swankit pointed out.
"We split him equally across all of us," Jaykit suggested.
Squirrelflight stood up and took a few strides to sit behind them. She towered over them, like a tree to a bush. "I don't think any of you could have me has a mentor, and you definitely cannot share Firestar as a mentor. He couldn't deal with three apprentices at the same time. He already does have a Clan to look after."
"Do we have to fight to the death for him?" Swankit asked her innocently.
"There's no way I am going to allow you to kill each other!"
"But- it's either that we all get him or that none of us gets him."
"That means that none of you gets him as a mentor."
Swankit gave off a long sigh. "Realistically then," Swankit mumbled, "Who would you want to have as a mentor?"
"Someone devoted to the Clan, giving it their all each day. I'm not too sure, Brackenfur?" Lionkit said.
Hollykit bounced in, "Sorreltail's nice."
"Well, I want someone devoted to the code and willing to fight when the time is right, like Mapletail," Swankit said.
"Mapletail? She's cruel, and she follows the code a bit too much." Hollykit said, sitting down and curling her tail around her paws.
"I wouldn't want her, or any of her siblings, I mean family, as a mentor," Jaykit said. "Shorttail is impatient and very rude. Juniperfang is very much like Shorttail, but she would probably harm us, physically, through the little challenges she's constantly daring herself, and others, to do. Boragewhisker is always distracted. Mapletail is strict and stern. Rockclaw is also strict and stern. He may be a bit looser than Mapletail, but he's distant and shy."
"What about Whitewing then?" Swankit said sharply, tail the fur on her tail bristling.
"She's nice," Lionkit said.
Hollykit yawned and leaned against Squirrelflight, "Wouldn't she be overprotective of us?"
"Maybe," Lionkit yawned as well.
Jaykit leaned next to Hollykit and closed his eyes. Faint thunder boomed from behind them as the rain started to soften.
❄ That evening, when the sun dipped against the horizon and the storm clouds had moved far away, Jaykit opened up his big blue eyes. His gaze darted around for a moment before he got up to his paws. He shuddered for a moment, now being away from his source of heat.
Jaykit exited the nursery, the sun warmed his tabby-patterned pelt. His paws turned damp and brown from the mud the rainstorm had created. Glancing at his siblings, huddled at the entrance of the nursery, he wondered, what is he to do? Playing with them isn't an option unless he wants to wake them up. Maybe he could talk to someone.
Jaykit scanned the hollow around him. Webwhisker gossiped with Addertooth under the highledge.
"I hear that Ferncloud is going to have kits soon!" Webwhisker purred.
"Another litter? You know, I couldn't imagine us having more than one litter," Addertooth replied.
"She's not us," Webwhisker reminded him. "Plus, I would like to have another litter some day soon."
They weren't having a conversation he was interested in.
On the other side of camp, Brightheart was leaving through the thorn tunnel. She was a wonderful, diligent warrior who was bound to have something interesting to talk about. Jaykit bounded up to the white-and-ginger she-cat.
"Hi, Brightheart!" Jaykit purred.
Brightheart pulled herself out of the tunnel, her blue, one-eyed gaze seemed rather curious. "Hi, Jaykit. Why aren't you sleeping with your siblings?"
"I was bored," Jaykit quickly explained. He was staring that the wretched scar that masked half of Brightheart's face. She probably would've been rather pretty if she never got it.
"Did you want to talk to me about anything?"
"I-I-" Jaykit choked on his words. He didn't have anything to say. Maybe he could ask about her scar? No, he already knew about that. Remembering the conversation he had earlier that day, and that Brightheart is bound to have had an apprentice, he asked, "I want to know, she what's it like to be a mentor?"
"I don't know," Brightheart sighed in response. "I've never been one."
"Why?"
"Must have something to do with my scar," she pointed out. "A half-blind cat can't train a normal cat, unfortunately." Her voice was tinged with disappointment. "I'm hoping to get Hollykit, but I've heard rumors that she's taking an alternative path."
"Oh."
"I know what it's like to be a mentor," Dustpelt buds in. "It's fun. Training your apprentice is the most. And, I've always liked the satisfaction of when your apprentice becomes a warrior."
Jaykit nodded, still staring at Brightheart. "Thanks, Dustpelt," He meowed, eyes flicking to him for a moment. Was it fair that all these cats had apprentices, but Brightheart hasn't?
CHAPTER 3
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"I want it!" Lionkit yelled across the nursery. Ferncloud had a litter of three kits, Foxkit, Icekit, and Nightkit, about two moons ago. Foxkit was hesitating to slap a moss ball placed in between his paws. Yet, a moss ball did whisk past Hollykit's ear and land somewhere behind her. Lionkit pounced onto the ball, making a thump when he slammed into the ground.
Lionkit, who now had the moss ball under one of his big paws, shot it across the nursery. It landed not very far from Icekit and Foxkit. So, Icekit swiftly lunged for it and seized it under her paws.
Foxkit tried to shove Icekit aside, but the brawny she-kit pushed him away. Icekit flung the moss ball through the air. It wasn't very well directed since it hit Swankit's head instead of landing near Lionkit.
Swankit's tail flicked as she quickly got the moss ball into her grasp. She batted the ball so it skidded across the sandy floor and to Jaykit's paws.
Nightkit hurtled headfirst towards Jaykit. He slammed across Jaykit's legs, causing him to fall over. However, Jaykit tightly clenched the ball under his paw as Nightkit tried to steal it. He softly pushed the tiny kit Nightkit to the side.
Hollykit felt something small and soft brush against her side. Had Jaykit given the ball to her? Did they want her to play? She stood up from the sitting position she was in and walked out of the nursery. When she was out, she felt the colder air of the outside blast around her. Also, she could smell the many scents that mingled in ThunderClan camp, but only one of them was easy to discern- some fresh-kill.
Hollykit dragged herself to the fresh-kill pile, though her belly wasn't growling, she was tempted to eat. She searched through it with her nose, finding a scrawny rat, a lean robin, and an old mouse. She pushed the mouse aside, not wanting to deal with its dry, stringy meat. She had to pick between the robin and the rat now. Deciding that she really wasn't hungry, she left the two pieces of prey alone and traveled over to the Apprentices' Den.
She stuck her head into the den, familiarizing herself with its scent. Soon, this would be the place she would spend her nights in- maybe. Her claws dug into the stone ground as she reminded herself that she was going to be a medicine cat, no matter if she wanted to or not. There wasn't anything that she could do, though. She went out of the den and came out to the center of camp.
Hollykit felt warm breath against her neck. Jumping, she turns around and asks, "Swankit? Why are you out here?"
"I got tired of playing," Swankit meowed. Her head turned to survey camp. "Nice day, isn't it?"
Hollykit noticed the sun heating her thick pelt, and she had to agree, "It is, despite it being a bit chilly."
"Are you excited about becoming an apprentice tomorrow?"
"No," Hollykit sighed, shaking her head, "becoming an apprentice means having new responsibilities piled on you. I don't think I'm ready for that."
"I've never thought of it like that."
"I don't think many cats do."
"Hm, since we'll lose our freedom tomorrow, do you want to go into anarchy?"
Hollykit tilted her head. "Elaborate?"
"Break a few rules, mess up the elders' den, that kind of thing!"
"I'd like to mess up the elders' den, but aren't rules important?"
"Well- they are. But, it's always fun to break them. Do you want to climb to the top of the hollow as well?"
Her blood turned ice-cold when she was reminded of the cliffs surrounding the camp. "What if we fall? Or we knock something off of them that hurts someone in camp?"
"What's the likelihood of that?" Swanpaw asked. "I bet it's nearly zero."
"I'm sure it's much more likely than that. How about we ask someone?"
"No, no cat can know about that we were considering it."
Hollykit sighed. "Let's just go into the Elders' Den."
Swankit nodded in response, then turned to it and started to walk. Hollykit followed the noise of her pawprints as they scuffled through the grass. Soon, Hollykit could feel thorny vines strewn above her, creating a den. Mousefur and Longtail were snoring on their nests, next to an empty third one. Goldenflower had died recently, but no cat has decided to remove their nest.
"I was thinking that we should tear apart their nests," Swankit suggested. She walked up to Longtail's nest and placed her mouth onto some fluffy moss that comprised it. "Go to Mousefur's nest."
Anxiety trickled through Hollykit's veins. What if Mousefur aggressively lashed out at her? What if she was caught, and punished. She shook off her fear and went over to Mousefur. Hollykit grabbed the sleeping cat's nest and waited.
Hearing a sharp ripping sound, Hollykit knew what Swankit had done, so Hollykit did it too. She tugged at Mousefur's nest. Hearing the ripping sound once again, the clump of moss she held in her jaws came loose and she fell over. Rolling back up to her paws, she heard Mousefur's aggressive voice.
"What are you doing?" Mousefur growled. "Tearing apart my nest?"
Swankit briskly shook her head. Hollykit's muscles were frightened stiff.
"I can tell that you're both lying," Mousefur eyed the two kits. "Leave, and I won't report you to Firestar or your father."
Quickly now, Hollykit scrambled to get out of the elders' den. Swankit came out shortly behind her.
"Want to climb to the top of the hollow?" Swankit suggested.
Annoyance twitched Hollykit's tail. "No!" She snapped at her.
"Why not?"
"It's dangerous and mouse-brained," Hollykit sighed. "I really don't want to fall and get hurt."
"Hm, alright. Bye Hollykit!" Swankit walked away from the irritated kit with rapid steps. CHAPTER 4
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Firestar was on a ledge that jutted out of camp's stone wall next to Brambleclaw, the deputy. He stared out onto his Clan with a cold, business-like gaze and sat with his tail curled around himself. Cats were gathering for a ceremony- Jaykit's apprentice ceremony. The camp was warm for an early leaf-bare day with still air that complimented it.
"It is time for four of our Clan's kits- Swankit, Lionkit, Jaykit and Hollykit -to become apprentices." Firestar announced, "They have reached the age of six moons fairly recently, and they can handle the responsibility that will come with being an apprentice."
Hollykit put her nose down. Her eyes were dark, and one of her ears were back. Jaykit felt worried. Why? Shouldn't he feel excited?
"Swankit, Lionkit, Jaykit, and Hollykit, step forwards."
Jaykit took a step forward along with his three siblings.
"Swankit, Lionkit, and Jaykit, do you promise to help your Clan and work hard to gain the skills necessary to become a warrior?"
"Yes," Lionkit mewed.
"I do," Swankit meowed.
"And so do I," Jaykit felt excitement tingling in his paws, but anxiety churning in his belly.
"Then, by the power of StarClan, Lionkit, your name until you receive your warrior name shall be Lionpaw. Hailfur, I trust you to train this apprentice to the utmost using all you have learned through the seasons."
Hailfur, who was bathing herself to pass the time, froze. She got up onto her paws and slipped through the crowd with sticks for legs. When she reached her new apprentice, she touched noses with him and then sat next to him.
"Swankit, your name until you receive your warrior name shall be Swanpaw. Addertooth, train Swanpaw with your hunting and fighting techniques."
Addertooth was not very far behind Swanpaw, so it was a short walk up to her. He softly touched noses with her and sat down.
"Jaykit, your name until you receive your warrior name shall be Jaypaw. Sorreltail will be your mentor."
Sorreltail stood up, she was at the edge of camp, then tread through the sea of cats to Jaypaw. A shiver went down Jaypaw's spine when he touched his nose to Sorreltail's cold one.
"Hollykit, you are becoming a medicine cat. Are you sure you want the responsibilities of caring for your Clan?"
"I-I do," Hollykit meowed.
"In that case, Hollykit, your name, until you receive your full name, shall be Hollypaw. Leafpool will train you in the ways of medicine."
Leafpool was already sitting behind Hollypaw. So, Hollypaw was the one who turned around and touched noses with her.
"Lionpaw! Swanpaw! Jaypaw! Hollypaw!"
"Lionpaw! Swanpaw! Jaypaw! Hollypaw!"
The Clan chanted.
"Clan dismissed!"
The crowd gathered at the ledge started to separate. Some cats went outside the camp, some cats went to their nests in dens, and a couple just stayed in the clearing. Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight came over to their kits.
"Congratulations," Squirrelflight purred. She licked Lionpaw's head and left as if she was freed from a prison.
"I expect a lot from you four," Brambleclaw purred before running after Squirrelflight.
Sorreltail, Hailfur, and Addertooth traveled to the thorn barrier in camp, awaiting their apprentices to join them. Sorreltail beckoned them with her tail.
Jaypaw bolted over to them. Swanpaw and Lionpaw did as well.
"We're going to take you out to explore the territory," Sorreltail explained to them.
The fluffy black she-cat Hollypaw rushed up to the group of cats, "I'm coming."
"You're welcome to join," Sorreltail purred.
The seven cats crawled through the thorn tunnel, one of the few entrances and exits in camp. They soon entered the forest. They started their trek to wherever they were going to.
The thin trees of the forest towered above Jaypaw with sharp branches spreading out from the trunk. Shrubs and bushes grew at the feet of the tree, though they looked deathly. The forest wasn't very cheerful, to Jaypaw's surprise. He had expected it to be lively, with prey constantly running across the ground and lush undergrowth.
"I'd like to start training with you tomorrow," Hailfur's meow was nervous, but smooth, "What would you like to do?"
Lionpaw twisted his head to look up at the white she-cat. "I'd like to fight!" He chirped.
"I get that you're a pugnacious, energetic cat."
Lionpaw tilted his head, "I think so."
A sheer cliff stood a few fox-lengths from them. Exposed stone making up its face was weathered and brown, though it had patches of rock that reminded Jaypaw of camp. A tree was barely hanging onto the cliff, half of its roots were sticking out of the cliff. Lichen covered its hard, lifeless, woody branches that dipped down sorrowfully.
They went down a gentle slope on the cliff's edge to a clearing in the forest. A large, thick-trunked tree that seemed a little chubby compared to the others around him stood in the center. It was tall as well, exceeding the height of the other trees he's seen today by at least three fox-lengths. It was surrounded by peaty earth with a layer of brown leaves resting on top of it.
Addertooth took a few steps to get ahead of everyone else. "Does anyone here know anything about this tree, better known as the sky oak?"
Jaypaw had heard the words "sky oak" before, probably when listening to Brambleclaw organize patrols, listening to cats deciding where to hunt, or listening to reports about the territory. But he didn't know much of anything about it.
Swanpaw's head turned from side to side, eyes scanning each of her siblings. She took a step forwards. "When Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw were first discovering the territories, they slept in the rabbit burrow that is under this tree. Also, it is thought to be the largest tree in the forest."
"Correct," Addertooth purred.
"It's not thought to be the largest tree, it is the largest tree," Hailfur corrected her. Swanpaw's ears flattened.
Looking around some more, he noticed a pile of water-worn rocks under the tree half-off of the cliff. Curious, Jaypaw wandered over to them. There was nothing special about the rocks, it was just a plain, boring pile. He noticed something behind the pile, a cave.
If there was a cave, right there, then why did Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw sleep under the tree? Maybe because of the musty aroma of rotting leaves drifting out of it or maybe that it was as dark as night.
"What is it?" Hollypaw asked him.
Jaypaw glanced back at the green-eyed apprentice, who was between his body and the cliff. "It's a cave, I think."
"Only a cave?"
"That's what it looks like. Nothing special." Jaypaw turned away from the cave and joined the cats looking around the Sky Oak. Hollypaw followed him several heartbeats after he went back to join them.
Addertooth had already started leading Sorreltail, Swanpaw, Hailfur, and Lionpaw away when Jaypaw caught up with them. Where would they be going next? Hopefully the moonpool. It's gorgeous,- as Jaypaw's heard -a sight to be seen.
"Were you two checking out the cave back there?" Sorreltail inquires.
"Do you know anything about it?" Hollypaw asked.
"It's a cave, that's it."
The cats snaked around trees and bushes until the trees abruptly stopped and rolling hills were all that the eye could see afterward. A few shrubs grew on it, though they often weren't noticed inside the jungle of tall, wheat-colored grass that dominated the plains.
"Are we in WindClan territory?" Lionpaw asked.
"Are we going to the moonpool?" Jaypaw questions.
"No and no," Hailfur said, "You'll know when you're in WindClan territory."
"When are we going to the moonpool?"
"We aren't," Addertooth explained, "and you may never go to the moonpool. Apprentices got to visit the moonstone back in the old territories before they became warriors. Apprentices now don't get to go the moonpool for some reason."
Jaypaw felt his heart sink. Would he never go?
Hollypaw sighed and slashed her tail from side to side, "I'm a medicine cat apprentice, I'll be going soon."
"Oh, you're right," Addertooth said.
Jaypaw noticed the ground starting to gently slope downwards. Not far from his paws, a stream flowed. It was shallow with oddly clear water that made the rocks it ran across shimmer.
Jaypaw stuck a paw into the water. Cold felt like spikes in his body as he jerked backward. Seeing that the rest of the cats had gotten far ahead of him, he dashed after them.
Sorreltail was at the head of them now, leading them upstream. Her sleek gray tabby pelt shined in the sunlight, and her long, elegant tail was still.
A few cats on the other side of the stream walked past them. There was four of them, a gray tabby tom, a light brown tabby tom, a white she-cat, and a small black she-cat. They had an obscure scent of rabbit and grass. These cats were definitely WindClan.
As they approached, Jaypaw felt his muscles tighten up. Would they attack them? Hurt them? He diverted his eyes from them by looking down. Don't make eye contact with them.
Three of the cats ignored them and carried on. But, the fourth one stopped and stared at them, particularly at Lionpaw.
"Hi!" She bubbled, "I'm Sagepaw, you are?"
Lionpaw hesitates for a moment. The shock had paralyzed his body. "Lionpaw," he said sharply.
The gray tabby tom turned around and growled at Sagepaw. "Get over here, Sagepaw! We still have things to do. Those are our enemies, not our friends."
Sagepaw puts her hears back, muttering, "We should be." She zoomed after her patrol.
Jaypaw looked at the other cats who were following Sorreltail and Sorreltail. Their startled faces soon fading back to normality. They picked up their travels where they left off, following the stream upwards. CHAPTER 5
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