BrambleClan Story: Book 2 EP. 1- Six Moons Later
It's been six moons since a major threat to the forest was eliminated. I don't know the specifics; nobody seems to want to tell me, but I do know their names. Spottedstar and Birdsong. My mother, Icefall, tells me that since they're gone, I don't need to worry about what they did. For some reason I feel as if they aren't actually gone. My parents may be lying to me, but for now, I don't care.
My name is Leafkit. I have two siblings- Breezekit and Spiderkit. My parents' names are Icefall and Wind. Wind and his sister, Eagle, are the last two surviving members of the Tribe of Rushing Water. Wind told me about how he and his sister were to-bes in the Tribe and were training to become prey-hunters when something disasterous happened and half the Tribe was wiped out. He and Eagle escaped together and were living alone for about three moons when my mother and her siblings came across them near this cave. I really admire my father; one day, I'm going to be as good a hunter as he is.
Everyone in the clan says I'm a very special cat, but I don't feel any different. They say my emerald-green eyes with golden flecks mean something. I don't like everyone making a big fuss about me. I just want to be normal.
Today is a very special day- My siblings and I are going to become apprentices! Hopefully I get a noble warrior like Foxtail or Sandstar as my mentor. Icefall licked all our pelts clean before the ceremony.
"Will all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the ledge for a clan meeting," Sandstar shouted. Everyone emerged from their dens to find a spot beneath the ledge. I sat at the very front. "Today is a good day for BrambleClan," Sandstar proclaimed, "We will have our very first litter of kits become apprentices. I'm sure we all know the turmoil we've gone through as a new clan, but today, we overcome those challenges." My pelt started tingling with excitement. Me first!, I thought to myself.
"Breezekit," Sandstar called out, "Come up please." Obediently, the tortoiseshell and white muzzled tom with blue eyes climbed the ledge to face Sandstar. " Breezekit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Breezepaw. Your mentor will be Foxtail. I hope Foxtail will pass down all he knows on to you. Foxtail, come up please." Doing as told, Foxtail climbed the ledge to face Breezepaw. I was kind of hoping to get Foxtail as a mentor...
"Foxtail, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have shown yourself to be diligent and brave. You will be the mentor of Breezepaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Breezepaw." Foxtail touched his nose to Breezepaw's, and Breezepaw licked his shoulder. The two stepped down from the ledge to let Sandstar call the next kit.
"Spiderkit, come up please. Spiderkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Spiderpaw. Your mentor will be Redstripe. I hope Redstripe will pass down all he knows on to you.
"Redstripe, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received... excellent training from Spottedstar, and you have shown yourself to be loyal despite your previous influence. You will be the mentor of Spiderpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Spiderpaw." The two greeted each other as Foxtail and Breezepaw did before and stepped down. Now it's my turn! I started to get butterflies as Spiderpaw and Redstripe stepped down.
Soulfire rose from her spot in the crowd, climbed up the ledge, and stood beside Sandstar. What's going on? Isn't it my turn now?
"Cats of BrambleClan," Soulfire started, "as you know, I will not be around forever. So it's time I took an apprentice. I have chosen a cat who has shown great wisdom despite her young age. Your next medicine cat will be Leafpaw." What?! Medicine cat? But.. How?
"Leafpaw," Sandstar said, "do you accept the post of apprentice to Soulfire?"
"I-I do," I stammered. This has to be a mistake. Why am I a medicine cat apprentice? This isn't fair. There must have been a glitch in the system.
"Then at the half-moon, you must travel to the Moonpool to be accepted by StarClan before the other medicine cats." Soulfire said.
"The good wishes of all of BrambleClan will go with you!" And with that, the ceremony was over. When the crowd stopped cheering our new names, I padded into the previously empty apprentices' den where only two moss beds were waiting. I plopped down into one of them and sobbed.