A shadow moved through the grass, gray fur blending with the swaying patterns of darkness hiding from the morning sun as the animal slowly stalked a pair of much smaller creatures that moved in an open patch a few tail-lengths away. The shadow paused as it reached the edge of the grass, lowering further and rocking its haunches from side to side as it prepared to pounce. Its quarry continued to move about unsuspecting that it was being hunted, and as one of the creatures paused to scratch at the root of a bramble bush, the hunter saw its opening. Launching itself from the grass, it landed on the dirt in front of the larger of the two creatures, who let out a surprised squeak.
“Ashkit!” the smaller kit exclaimed disdainfully as the ‘attacker’ rolled onto his back, laughing at the frightened look on the younger kit’s face.
“I gotcha!” the gray kit meowed, rolling playfully and digging the claws of his white paws into the dirt as he looked between the two younger kits. “Neither of you suspected a thing!”
“To be fair, it wasn’t like we thought we needed to keep an eye out,” the larger of the younger kits- a jet-black she-kit who was surprisingly sleek and slender for her young age- retorted, bending her head to lick the white patch of fur on her chest in embarrassment.
“A warrior always stays alert,” Ashkit replied coyly, rolling onto his stomach and flicking a few shreds of decaying leaf from his ear. The smaller of the two younger kits- a small she-kit with pale golden-ginger fur and faint tabby stripes- opened her mouth to reply in defense of her sister, but before she could, another shape launched out of the brambles.
“Vengeance!” the fourth kit- another she-cat who resembled the tabby in most ways, though her fur was much darker and much redder- shouted as she landed squarely on Ashkit’s shoulders, earning a surprised huff from the older kit and guffawing laughter from her sisters. Both recovered from their amusement quicker than Ashkit did from his surprise and joined the darker tabby in her attack on the older kit, burying the gray tom in a mound of soft fur.
The group struggled for a few moments before Ashkit managed to untangle himself, hopping away with disheveled fur and a disdainful look. “That’s not fair! There’s more of you than me!” he complained, his tail-tip twitching.
“And you’re bigger than us,” the lighter tabby she-kit replied, shaking the sand out of her fur and sitting neatly, her expression amused as she looked at the older kit.
“That’ll teach you to mess with she-cats!”
The new voice surprised the others, and the black she-kit whirled around with her fur bristling slightly, as if expecting another sneak attack. However, the newcomer- a brown and white she-cat about the same age as the tom- walked up to them calmly, her whiskers twitching in amusement.
“Yeah, what Rainkit said!” the darker tabby she-kit meowed, sticking her tongue out at Ashkit. Rainkit let out another amused purr, flicking the younger kit on the shoulder with her tail. Then she returned her gaze to the gray tom, excitement suddenly visible in her eyes.
“I just overheard Cinderclaw and Pineleaf talking,” she meowed. “They said Briarpaw passed his assessment, and Sandstar’s going to give him his warrior name at sunset.”
Ashkit blinked. “That’s cool. I wouldn’t think you’d be all that excited about that though,” he meowed, tilting his head. “I assume there’s more?”
Rainkit nodded, casting a glance at the younger kits, who were listening in on the conversation curiously. “Yeah. It’s a surprise though, for them at least,” she meowed. “Larkkit, Nightkit, Tigerkit! You should go play with Sunkit and Snowkit for a moment while I talk to Ashkit.”
“Aaaw, but I wanna know the exciting news!” the ginger tabby complained.
“It’s alright, you’ll see soon enough, Tigerkit,” Rainkit replied. “Go on. You should go tell Sunkit and Snowkit about Briarpaw. That’ll be the first warrior ceremony they’ll ever see!”
Tigerkit looked like she wanted to protest, but her the paler tabby she-kit- Larkkit- cut her off by flicking a fluffy tail across her sister’s muzzle. “Yeah, let’s go find them. I would hate for them to miss the ceremony.”
“Uuuuuuugh, fine,” Tigerkit groaned. “Come on, Nightkit.” The black she-cat, who had been watching the exchanged with amusement from the sidelines, got to her paws and trotted after her sisters as they headed brushed past the older cats and out of the fern glen. Beyond the small, secluded patch among the ferns was a much larger clearing, filled with many cats. Most lazed around in the sun, as it was the warmest part of the day and, for the time being, all the patrols were completed. A few, however, appeared to be busy: a pair of adult cats padded entered the clearing carrying prey, which they dropped in a pile in the shade of a large boulder, while a large brown tabby stood lecturing a younger gray-and-white tom- perhaps a few moons older than Rainkit and Ashkit- while a trio of elderly she-cats helped each other to groom in a patch of sunlight nearby.
“Where do you think they are?” Tigerkit asked, surveying the clearing with curiosity in her yellow eyes.
“Probably napping with Frostface,” Nightkit replied, heading towards a dense bramble bush and flicking her tail for the others to follow. “They’re only a moon old, so you know how quickly they tire.”
“Yeah, you can barely play with them because they’re so squeaky and fragile,” Tigerkit muttered, rolling her eyes. “I don’t know what Rainkit’s thinking.”
“But they’re so cute,” Larkkit purred, bouncing a little. “Do you think we were that cute when we were their age?”
“Of course we were!” Tigerkit replied, looking affronted at any suggestion they might not have been.
“I don’t know what you two are talking about,” Nightkit put in with a flick of her tail and a gleam in her eye. “I’m still cute!” By now, the trio had reached the nursery- a large, dense bramble bush woven with other twigs and leaves, as well as soft down, to insulate and protect it from the outside. Nightkit squeezed through the narrow entrance, while her two sisters waited outside, shuffling their paws with boredom.
“What do you think that Rainkit wanted to tell Ashkit?” Larkkit meowed to Tigerkit as they waited, her voice colored with both curiosity and concern. Tigerkit shrugged in response.
“Who knows?” She let out a mischievous purr. “Whatever it was, it was secret… maybe they snuck out of camp and something happened!”
Larkkit’s pale green eyes widened at the suggestion. “Rainkit would never do something like that!” she gasped. “It’s against the rules!”
Tigerkit shrugged again. “Maybe just Ashkit did. Maybe he’ll get in trouble.”
Larkkit blinked, considering that suggestion. "Maybe….”
“Will you two stop gossiping like a pair of queens?”
Nightkit’s voice from the entrance of the nursery made both of them start in surprise. Neither of them had realized she had returned, as her black fur blended perfectly with the darkness within- only her yellow eyes, and the tiny white patch on her chest, were visible.
“We were just talking about what Rainkit was trying to tell Ashkit,” Tigerkit replied. Nightkit twitched her whiskers.
“I know exactly what you were talking about, I could hear from inside.” She shrugged. “Either way, I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough.”
Then she glanced at the nursery. “Anyways, we were right about Sunkit and Snowkit. Frostface said she’ll tell them when they wake up. She doesn’t want them to miss the ceremony either.”
Tigerkit nodded, then glanced at the sky. “It’s only just after sunhigh now,” she meowed. “We still have a while before dusk. What should we do until then?”
“I wanna play badger!” Nightkit replied, let out a growl and leaping on her sister. “And you’re it!”
The two she-kits tumbled around for a few moments, let out fake snarls as they batted at each other with soft paws. Larkkit watched with amusement, before turning her attention to the ferns at the edge of the camp. A dark tunnel led beneath them, to a sunny clearing on the other side.
“I’ll be back in a bit,” the pale tabby told her littermates. “I wanted to talk to Maplefrost about something.” Nightkit stopped wrestling for a moment- Tigerkit still swiping at her fluffy tail and letting out low growls- and stared at her sister curiously.
“About what?” she asked, tilting her head.
“Just, something!” Larkkit replied, trotting towards the ferns.
Sunset couldn’t come soon enough for the Clan, which had awaited eagerly from sunhigh to see Sandstar make the newest warrior of ThunderClan. Without an announcement, most of the cats had gathered in the clearing, surrounding the massive boulder which dominated one side of the camp. As the sun dipped well below the treeline and painted the sky with pinks and yellows, finally a massive light ginger tabby emerged from the cave below the rocks, brushing aside the lichen before leaping to the top of the stone with one powerful jump.
“All cats old enough to catch their own prey should join us here beneath the Highrock for a meeting!” he yowled, his voice thundering through the camp. Most cats were already gathered, but a few more slipped from the deepening shadows, their eyes glittering with excitement, to join their Clanmates. Tigerkit, Nightkit, and Larkkit waited just outside the nursery, their mother Goldenheart by their side. Frostface waited just inside the entrance, two tiny pale-colored toms peering out with uncertainty.
“Most of you have heard by now why it is we are gathering tonight,” he began, looking around the clearing until his gaze fell upon a young brown tom, who sat proudly at the edge of the clearing next to an older, smaller smoky gray tom. “Briarpaw, come forward.” The brown tom got to his paws, the gray cat giving his a friendly flick on the shoulder with his tail, and made his way through the crowd to the base of Highrock. Behind them, Frostface let out a loud purr; Larkkit remembered that Briarpaw was also her son from an earlier litter.
“Today, you proved beyond doubt that you are ready to become a warrior.” Turning his gaze to the sky, Sandstar called out: “I, Sandstar, leader of ThunderClan, now call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. He has trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to a warrior in his turn.” Now, he turned his gaze back to Briarpaw, who waited below with his chest puffed out with pride, but a nervous glint in his eyes.
“Briarpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend this Clan even at the cost of your life?”
“I do.” Briarpaw’s voice wavered with emotion as he said so.
“Then by the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Briarpaw, from this moment forward, you shall be known as Briartooth. StarClan honors your bravery and honesty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan.” With that, Sandstar slid down from the rock to land surprisingly lightly on the dusty ground below. He rested his head on the newly-named Briartooth’s, who licked his shoulder respectfully before stepping back.
As Briartooth turned to face his Clanmates, they began to cheer his name. For a moment the young warrior looked shy, but then he raised his head proudly, basking in the praise. Frostface called loudest of all, even from the confines of the nursery.
As their voices faded, the cats began to disperse, going back to their fresh-kill and conversations from before. As some cats got to their paws to resume their duties, Sandstar raised his tail, letting out a yowl to get their attention once more.
“Wait! Before you go, there is one more thing to see to.”
Cats sat back down, looking curious as to what it could be. Murmuring spread through the camp as cats speculated, and a few cast glances towards the nursery as Sandstar hopped back onto the Highrock. Larkkit, who had been wondering where Ashkit and Rainkit had been throughout the ceremony, suddenly realized what it was Rainkit had wanted to tell her brother earlier.
“Now that Briartooth has left the apprentices’ den, it is time to invite to more young cats to take his place,” Sandstar meowed. “Rainkit, Ashkit, come forward.”
Larkkit craned her neck to see as the other cats’ heads turned toward one edge of camp, where the two kits had been waiting with their parents, Pineleaf and Cinderclaw. Ashkit trotted forward proudly, his chest puffed out, while Rainkit came forward looking far more self-conscious. They stopped in the shadow of Highrock, and as they gazed up at the powerful figure of Sandstar perched on top, even Ashkit managed to find his humility, lowering his blue eyes to his paws.
“Ashkit,” Sandstar began, beckoning the young tom forward with his white-tipped tail. Ashkit cast a quick glanced upwards at Sandstar, looking surprised that he was to go first, and took a step ahead of his sister. “You have reached your sixth moon, and are ready to begin your training as a warrior of ThunderClan,” the tabby tom continued, fixing his gaze firmly on Ashkit. “From this day forward, until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Ashpaw. Eaglepelt, you will mentor Ashpaw,” Sandstar meowed, finally looking up. A golden-brown tom had been waiting eagerly on the sidelines, and now padded forward to stand by Ashkit, who looked very tiny next to the massive cat. “Silverstripe taught you well, and I know you will pass on your courage and loyalty to this young apprentice.”
Eaglepelt dipped his head to Sandstar before turning to touch noses with Ashpaw. The young gray tom looked terrified as he stretched his neck to greet his new mentor, and the two stepped back to allow Sandstar’s attention to focus on Rainkit.
“Rainkit, you have reached your sixth moon, and are ready to begin your training as a warrior of ThunderClan,” Sandstar echoed, now gazing intently at the tiny brown-and-white she-cat. “From this day forward, until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Rainpaw. Ambercloud, you are ready for your first apprentice. Oaktail trained you well, and I hope that you will pass on your wit and selflessness to this apprentice.”
A slender she-cat- who looked remarkably like Larkkit and her mother, Goldenheart- got to her paws and happily trotted over to Rainpaw, ducking her head to touch noses with the young she-cat, who looked relieved at who her mentor would be. The two stepped back, looking up at Sandstar.
“Briartooth,” Sandstar meowed, looking across the clearing at the newly named tom. “You will begin your vigil now, and will not speak until dawn. That is all; the meeting is over.” With that, the powerful tom leaped back down from Highrock, and his Clanmates began to get to their paws and disperse. Briartooth nodded proudly as his Clanmates congratulated him, though as Sandstar had ordered he did not speak.
“So that’s what you were keeping secret all day!” Tigerkit exclaimed as Ashpaw and Rainpaw bounded over to them excitedly.
“I wanted it to be a surprise,” Rainpaw meowed, twitching her whiskers at Tigerkit’s offended expression.
“It’s too bad we won’t be sharing a den anymore, though,” Larkkit put in, ignoring the way Tigerkit continued to glower pettily. Rainpaw shrugged.
“You’re only two moons younger than us. We’ll be in the same den again before long,” she reassured her. Larkkit shuffled her paws uncertainly.
“Yeah, well… I have a surprise too,” she admitted. “Remember how I went to talk to Maplefrost earlier?”
“No,” Ashpaw replied, earning a glare from Nightkit.
“Yeah, I do remember that. Is it about what I think it is?” the black she-kit asked, her eyes round.
Larkkit nodded. “Yes. She agreed… I’m going to become a medicine cat apprentice instead of a warrior.”
“That’s so cool!” Rainpaw purred, giving Larkkit a friendly nudge. “I would never be able to learn all those smelly herbs, or deal with warriors whining about thorns in their paws. But, to be able to speak with StarClan themselves….” she let out a wistful sigh.
“Yeah, congratulations,” Ashpaw put in, though something in his tone told Larkkit he wasn’t as happy about it as Rainpaw seemed to be. Before Larkkit had time to ponder why that could be, however, Tigerkit spoke up.
“Well I’m going to be the best warrior ThunderClan has ever seen!” she boasted, puffing out her chest. “And I’ll have a really cool warrior name, like… like….” She scrunched her face for a moment, thinking hard. “Like Tigerroar!”
“Well I’m going to be the leader of ThunderClan,” Nightkit replied smugly. “And then I’ll have an even better name because I’ll be Nightstar.”
“Not if I become Ashstar first!” Ashpaw interjected playfully.
“Now now, I’m sure you’ll all do great things someday,” Goldenheart meowed with an amused expression, giving Nightkit a gentle nudge. “StarClan has brilliant paths laid out for all of you, I can already see.”
“Even me?” Rainpaw meowed, her amber eyes wide.
“Even you,” Goldenheart purred. “Now go on, I’m sure Eaglepelt and Ambercloud want to talk to you about your first day of training tomorrow.” She flicked Rainpaw on the flank with her tail, and nudged Ashpaw with her nose towards where their mentors were waiting patiently on the other side of camp. As the two new apprentices bounded away, Goldenheart called to her own three kits.
“Come on, darlings, we should get some sleep.”
“But it’s barely after sunset!” Tigerkit complained. “I’m not sleepy yet!”
“You’ll be able to sleep once you lay down,” Goldenheart replied, nudging the kits into the den. “It’s been a long day.”
Larkkit nodded, stifling a yawn as they entered the warm interior of the nursery. Yes it has been. And I’m sure there are plenty more long days to come.
