Mosskit felt a cool leaf-bare wind ruffle her brown fur. She spotted the hole in the nursery and stuffed it with some leaves. Turning around in her nest to go back to sleep, she suddenly remembered. Today was the day she would become a warrior apprentice! She would be sleeping in the apprentice den with the other apprentices tonight! She thought of Berrypaw, a handsome brown tabby tom. He was so strong, and was fastest of all the apprentices. When he had still been a kit, they had been best friends... She squealed with joy, and jumped on her three siblings. Badgerkit was first up. Then Foxkit blinked his eyes open and turned over to wake Mintkit. Mintkit was last up, a calm look on her face as usual. It was hard to get her attention because she seemed to always be in another world. Her white fur and blue eyes looked peaceful even in a moment of pure panic or extreme wind, and were extra calm now. Foxkit was almost the opposite. His fur would never calm down, and his yellow eyes were always wide and energetic. Badgerkit cuffed her over the head,
"We'd better get out of here, we don't want to wake Kestrelfur's kits" his voice was so thoughtful, you would never know he was so tuff in battle. Well, play fight.
"You've already done that" Came Kestrelfur's tired mew. You could hear her young kits, Thornkit and Robinkit, mewling behind her. They had opened their eyes just yesterday.
"Let's go outside" she suggested. Foxkit and Badgerkit raced out into the Thunderclan camp. Just as she was about to chase after them, she turned around. Mintkit wasn't there, and she hadn't seen her leave the nursery. Oh well, she thought, she wouldn't go far.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Highledge!" yowled Icestar, the leader of Thunderclan. Mosskit, Foxkit, and Badgerkit ran from their game to the Highledge. Mosskit spotted Mintkit already there, and led her brothers over to her.
"Where have you been?" She whispered in Mintkits ear.
"Honeytail wanted to talk to me..." She replied. "I'm going to be a medicine cat apprentice!"
"Wow" Mosskit was shocked. She had always imagined doing training with her only sister. But it made sense. Mintkit had a very caring personality. She would make a great medicine cat.
"And guess what?" Asked Mintkit."Tomorrows half moon, I'll be going to the Moonpool tomorrow!"
"Cool!" Mosskit was excited for her sister. Maybe Mintkit would tell her what happened at the Moonpool. It was a mystery to everyone. Even leaders, who went to the Moonpool to be initiated as a leader, never knew what happened to medicine cats when they met with Starclan.
"Foxkit!" Icestars yowl woke her from her thoughts. Foxkit nervously walked up to the front of the crowd.
"This is a proud day for Thunderclan. By naming apprentices, we show that Thunderclan is strong. From this day on, Foxkit, will be known as Foxpaw!" An excited squeak came from Foxpaw. Icestars whiskers twitched.
"Runningpelt, you are ready for an apprentice. You will be Foxpaws mentor. I know you will pass your strength down to Foxpaw, and teach him the skills he will need to become a great warrior of Thunderclan" Icestar finished her speech with a comforting look to Foxpaw. He had been shaking like a leaf in the wind, but now held his head high while he touched noses with Runningpelt.
"Foxpaw! Foxpaw!" Mosskit yowled. Badgerkit, and even Mintkit joined in, until finally the whole clan was cheering. The same routine speech was carried on for Badgerpaw, and a special medicine cat speech was used for Mintpaw. Finally, after much fussing over the state of her fur by her mother, Mosskit was called.
"Mosskit!" Came Icestars yowl. Icestar was becoming elderly, and her voice cracked. Mosskit confidently trotted up to the front of the crowd, eager to know who her mentor will be.
"From this day on, Mosskit will be known as Mosspaw!" Mosspaw stood proudly, feeling her mother's proud gaze on her pelt.
"Ashcloud, you are ready for another apprentice. You will be Mosspaws mentor. I trust you will pass down your thoughtfulness and wisdom to Mosspaw, and teach her the skills she will need to become a great warrior of Thunderclan!" Mosspaw would be mentored by the clan deputy! Ashcloud walked up proudly. Mosspaw touched noses with the light gray she-cat, noticing her strong muscles ripple in her hind legs as she bent down. Mosspaw wanted to be just like her when she grew older.
"Mosspaw! Mosspaw!" Mintpaw started the cheer this time, which was surprising.
The clan meeting was over, and Mosspaw found herself walking with her new mentor.
"I think I'll show you the territory first" suggested Ashcloud. Mosspaw heard Runningpelt telling Foxpaw the same thing, and Spidertail telling this to Badgerpaw.
"Can we go with Foxpaw and Badgerpaw?" she asked. Runningpelt, Spidertail, and Ashcloud all looked at each other.
"I think it will be okay" Ashcloud put in.
"It would be good for them to get to know the territory together" Spidertail said, her sleek black pelt glistening in the sun.
"I guess that'll be okay" mewed Runningpelt with a grunt.
Yes! It would be so much fun to explore the territory for the first time with her brothers. Too bad Mintpaw wouldn't be there to explore with her. Right after Mosspaw had been named, Mintpaw had been whisked away by Honeytail, the cheerful Thunderclan medicine cat, to the medicine den.
They explored the entire territory, from the Sky Oak to the abandoned twoleg nest, all the way to the border with Shadowclan and Windclan. They starred across the lake to the island (used to hold gatherings every full moon) and Riverclan territory.
She made took one of the empty nest, nestled next to Berrypaw. Foxpaw took the nest o her other side.
Mosspaw was shaken awake early in the morning by Ashcloud.
"Were going on dawn patrol. Wake Badgerpaw and Berrypaw." she was about to walk out of the den when she added,
"You can eat after the patrol, then we'll go down to the training hollow". Her first real patrol! Her first real apprentice duties! She practically jumped on Badgerpaw and Berypaw, flinging the moss from her nest everywhere. Badgerpaw wasn't nearly as excited as she was, and Berrypaw looked too tired to show emotion. His fur was a disaster. He still looks great to me, she thought
"Come on guys, it's not that early!" she said. Sparrowpaw groaned. Why was he so tired? She leaped out of the apprentice den and raced over to Ashcloud, who was talking by the Highledge with Icestar. Badgerpaw and Spidertail joined, and eventually, so did Berrypaw and her his mentor Brindlestripe.
"Isn't this a little big for a patrol?" asked Mosspaw.
"Well, we've been having a little trouble with Windclan lately. They've been getting awfully close to the border, and yesterday we found a dead rabbit lying on our side of the border" replied Icestar.
"But, I'm not coming. I think you will do fine on your own, and I can't imagine Windclan attacking us" added Icestar.
"Well, aren't we going to attack?" asked Badgerpaw. He must be excited for his first battle, thought Mosspaw.
"We don't need to attack yet. I think we should at least talk to them first" meowed Ashcloud, as they began to walk.
"Icestars going to confront them at the next gathering, but we'll need to keep our border markings strong until then" added Spidertail.
They slowly walked to the Windclan border. Ashcloud and Spidertail reinforced the border markings. Mosspaw suddenly got a strong whiff of Windclan scent. She saw a Windclan patrol coming up to them of mottled brown and grey pelts. Two smaller cats looked like apprentices, and three larger cats looked like warriors.
"Did you like our little gift?" sneered the largest of the Windclan cats.
"That's Tornface, Windclans deputy" Ashcloud whispered in her ear. Tornface? But as Mosspaw looked closer, she saw a big, painful looking scar from his cheek, through his eye, and up to his forehead. She shivered.
"He was mauled by a dog when he was only was only a kit" Ashcloud informed her, still whispering.
"Get off our land" yowled Runningpelt. Each Windclan cat took one step further into Thunderclan territory.
"I warned you!" shrieked Brindlestripe, as he charged at Tornface. Spidertail hurled herself at a tortoiseshell she-cat, and Ashcloud raced at a sleek black tom. Berrypaw (who now seemed full of energy) raced to the apprentices.
"Mosspaw! Badgerpaw! Get back to camp! Tell Icestar to send more cats!" yowled Ashcloud and Spidertail together. Mosspaw and Badgerpaw turned to each other. They would not get to fight in the first battle, because they had no fighting training yet.
"Mosspaw! Look out!" Badgerpaw warned her. Just in time, she dodged out of the way of a brown apprentice racing at her. He wobbled as she dodged, and fell head first into a tree.
"Nice" Badgerpaw commented. They dashed away from the border together, dodging bushes and trees. They arrived at camp, panting.
"Icestar!" they both yowled together.
"Windclan has attacked!" she screeched. Icestar charged out of her den. She started calling out warriors she wanted at the battle.
"To the Windclan border!" Icestar called out.
Yikes, this is kind of scary. Mosspaw was guiltily happy that she was not yet battle trained. The warriors Icestar had called charged out of the clearing, and Icestar herself followed. Isn't Icestar a bit old to be going into battle? she thought.
"I wish we could fight, it's not fair!" complained Badgerpaw.
"I know" Mosspaw lied. She headed to the fresh kill pile. It was pitiful. One scrawny mouse, and a skinny squirrel. Her stomach growled.
"I guess now that were apprentices, were not supposed to eat until the clan has been fed" she commented.
"I would guess it hasn't been fed" meowed Badgerpaw. A chilling breeze whirled into the camp. The freezing wind ruffled her brown fur.
"I'm tired, I'm going to have a nap" meowed Badgerpaw.
"I'm going to visit Mintpaw" she turned away from Badgerpaw and climbed up the slope into the medicine den.
"Oh, hi Mosspaw!" Mintpaw greeted her.
"We were just heading out. We heard about the battle and thought we should fetch some more herbs." she added
"And while Ashclouds not here, make yourself useful and clean out the elders bedding. They have been complaining about ticks all day" Honeytail mewed. Mosspaw sighed. The worst part of being an apprentice is cleaning out the elders den. And starving yourself. Just as she stepped outside the medicine den, the warm scent of prey hit her nose.
"The preys running, I assume?" she mewed to Foxpaw, who must have left for a hunting patrol while she was at the Windclan border.
"YES! I caught a mouse on my very first day hunting!" yowled Foxpaw. He dropped his mouse in the fresh kill pile. Runningpelt dropped a skinny vole and a sparrow in the pile, Mousepaw dropped a bony robin, Hazelfoot flopped down a scrawny srew, and Jaggedstripe plopped down a fat mouse.
"I found the only fat mouse around the whole lake" boasted Jaggedstripe.
"Right" Hazelfoot was sarcastic.
"There's a battle with Windclan happening right at the border" she informed Foxpaw.
"What?" Foxpaw was very surprised.
"What did we do?" he asked.
"Nothing, they want our territory" she mewed.
"Well, then, Foxpaw, we'd better head down to the training hollow, so you can fight if they come back" mewed Runningpelt.
"Okay!" Foxpaw was excited. Mentor and apprentice walked away. Mosspaw grabbed the fat mouse and a Robin for the elders.
"Oh, thank you" croaked Bluestripe, one of Thunderclans two elders. (Most of the elders had been wiped out in a greencough infestation during leaf-fall) . Pebblewhisker, the other elder, grabbed the skinny robin, and pushed the mouse over to Bluestripe. She quickly stuffed it down.
After dealing with the elders ticks and fleas, and refreshing their nests, she came out of the elders den, and realized the warriors who had been in battle were back. Mintpaw and Honeytail were rushing around, tending to the wounds of the cats. And there were wounds. Lots, and lots, of wounds. Berrypaw was lying in the middle of camp, covered in blood.
"How are you?" She asked
"I'm fine, Mintpaw's coming" he panted, while he stood up to show her a nasty wound on his flank. She hissed.
"Does it hurt much?"
"Yes, but I'll deal with it" She touched noses with him and left him in Mintpaws paws.
She overheard Ashcloud telling some of the warriors what had happened.
"We had to turn tail..." she wimpered.
"There were too many of them. After the second line of warriors came, they sent in more. And then more, and then more..." she continued.
"And Icestars DEAD!" she finally wailed. Then she sank into sobbing. Shocked looks appeared on everyone's face.
"Icestar?" asked Jaggedclaw. Somehow, he didn't sound sad. Almost excited, really. Hazelfoot went over to comfort Ashcloud. Suddenly, Ashcloud seemed to get over herself.
"Honeytail, who's most fit to go get Icestars body?" asked Ashcloud.
"Hazelfoot, I think, but she'll need someone to help her... Mosspaw, your all well, will you go with Hazelfoot to fetch Icestars body?" Honeytails voice whimpered at the end.
"Yes" Mosspaw agreed. Her and Hazelfoot headed out of camp.
"So, is Ashcloud going to be leader now?" asked Mosspaw.
"Yes, deputy is supposed to become leader after the death of a leader" Hazelfoot told her.
"Now she'll have to choose a new deputy... Do you think she'll choose you?" asked Mosspaw.
"Being deputy would be great, especially with such a great friend like Ashcloud, but I do not believe I'm the right one for the job... This is just my opinion, but I think Spidertail would be a great deputy" Hazelfoot told her.
"I see your point" Mosspaw agreed with her. Spidertail was strong and level-headed. They reached the scene of the battle. Blood covered the ground, and the pungent smell of Windclan, mixed with mud of the last rainfall and blood, filled the air. Mosspaw spotted a muddy white blob pushed up to a bloodied bush. When Mosspaw walked over, she found it was Icestar. She saw brutal wounds across Icestars face, and a severe bite mark on the back of her neck. That must be the one that killed her. Thought Mosspaw.
"I found her" she croaked. Her throat seemed to have turned to sand, and she couldn't say any more. Icestar had been leader her entire life. Hazelfoot padded over.
"You grab her legs, I'll get her shoulders" Hazelfoot told her.
When they got her back to camp, Mosspaw was exhausted. Her and Hazelfoot plopped Icestar down in the middle of the clearing, ready for the night vigil. The sky was orange and red from sunset, casting shadows that made the evening look scary.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highledge for a clan meeting!" yelled Ashcloud. Kestrelfur and her kits Thornkit and Robinkit poked their heads out of the nursery. Pebblewhisker and Bluepelt stood just out of the elders den. The warriors and apprentices stopped their duties and came to join the crowd. Everyone, even the kits, were solemn.
"Today, we honour the life of a great leader. Her bravery and courage was honoured greatly by her clan. Let Starclan receive her as Icestar!" Ashcloud yowled. There was such a strong emotion coming from her it was hard to read. Anger, sadness, regret? Only Starclan knows.
"Are you staying for the vigil?" Mintpaw asked.
"No" she replied. Mosspaw said goodnight to her sister, and turned to the low bush that served for the apprentices den. Before entering, she turned around. Ashcloud, Hazelfoot, and Spidertail had already gathered for the vigil. Honeytail was just coming down from the medicine den, and Bluestripe was stumbling out of the elders den. Mosspaw fell into her nest, and slept instantly.
She woke to a yelp. Foxpaw shook her.
"Wake up!" he whispered.
"I am, I am" she said in a tired voice.
"Shhh! Windclan has invaded our camp!" Foxpaw sounded terrified.
"What are you talking about?" she was exasperated. She was tired of Foxpaws childish jokes. She poked her head out of her nest, and almost jumped out of her skin. Weedstar was standing in the middle of camp. The moon shone on the clearing, lighting it up. Mosspaw spotted Spidertails dead body lying in the clearing, and everyone who had kept vigil standing, not knowing what to do.
Suddenly, Mosspaw was pushed back into the den.
"Get back, you nosy kit!" Tornface, the Windclan deputy, yowled.
"Spidertails dead!" she told the other apprentices. Berrypaw was back in the apprentices den after his trip to the medicine den yesterday. His flank was covered in cobwebs, to stop the bleeding.
"How do you feel?" she asked him.
"Alright, I guess, but I want to tear of the ears of every cat in Windclan" he joked. She purred.
Mosspaw and the other apprentices sat shivering with fear until sun high in their den. Eventually Ashcloud snuck into the den to speak with them.
"Okay, we've been invaded by Windclan" she mewed in a hushed voice.
"But you can all come out now" she finished.
"Are you sure?" whimpered Mousepaw.
"Yes, you all must be hungry, though the fresh kill pile isn't very full. You'll have to share"
Mosspaw and Foxpaw stumbled out of the apprentice den together. When he faltered, she helped support him. The light blinded them, but once they got used to it, they noticed everything looked different. There weren't many Thunderclan cats around, just Windclan cats, and the soil in the clearing was drenched with blood.
"There are some Windclan warriors all over, so try and avoid unfamiliar cats" Ashcloud mewed in her ear. The freshkill pile was pitiful. Two rabbits, a mouse, and a sparrow. The rabbits must have been brought by Windclan. Mosspaw thought. Mosspaw trotted to the freshkill pile, avoiding the gaze of the Windclan apprentices, who starred. She grabbed the mouse and walked it over to Foxpaw, so they could share. Mosspaw noticed Mousepaw and Berrypaw laughing, and felt a pang of jealousy. Couldn't Berrypaw see that she adored him?
Before she had even taken her first bite, Tornface padded up to her.
"What do you two think you're doing?" he demanded.
"Ummm... well, I haven't eaten all day, we were just sharing..." she stuttered.
"NO!" he yowled.
"You must hunt for yourself, and since you're not allowed out of camp, you will starve!" shrieked Tornface. Foxpaw took a rebellious bite into the mouse, and swallowed.
"I warned you!" yowled Tornface. He charged himself at Foxpaw, slicing his ear and pushing him down. Foxpaw bled from his ear, but Tornface wasn't done. He lashed out with his back legs, forcing Foxpaw into the sharp bramble that guarded the camp. Tornface gripped Foxpaws scruff, shook him vigorously, and threw him back into the brambles. Foxpaw wailed. Windclan cheered. Windclan apprentices joked about how helpless Foxpaw was. Mosspaw had had enough. While everyone was distracted with the fight, she dashed out of camp.
No one had noticed! She was free! She would run to Shadowclan for help! But Thunderclan didn't have the best relationship with Shadowclan, would they even believe her? Suddenly she was woken from her thoughts with a scent of Windclan. Where was she? She recognized the Sky Oak in front of her. But what was the Windclan smell?
A twig snapped behind her. A Windclan cat must be behind her! She raced up the Sky Oak, jumping from branch to branch. When the branches started to get thinner, she stopped and starred down. Weedstar, Windclans leader, was right underneath her! But the hadn't noticed her! Mouse-brain! She thought. He's not used to the forest! Suddenly she saw something glint in the sun. A fox trap!
Mouse brained two legs had left fox traps all over the territory. They could harm cats. But this one could be useful! She raced down the tree, and thumped down on the ground right in front of Weedstar.
"You silly little cat!" He yowled. Mosspaw jumped back, and positioned herself so that the fox trap was between her and Weedstar. He hadn't noticed it. There were no fox traps in the moors of Windclan territory.
"Come on! Can't you take an apprentice!" She yelled. She would usually be against the statement, but she knew how Weedstar thought.
"Of course I can!" he yowled. He leaped at her. Oh no! He's going to miss the trap! Weedstar slashed at her face, slicing her forehead so blood poured into her eyes. But then he stopped. He yowled in pain. He must have caught the trap with his back legs! She blinked blood out of her eyes, and saw Weedstar caught in the fox trap. I've defeated Weedstar! She thought. He sliced at her ankles, and again, blood poured out. She wanted to leap with joy, but her legs stung, and she had a massive headache. She limped back to camp, and entered. People started to swarm in on her, and she fell.
Blinking her eyes open, she found herself in the medicine den. It smelt of herbs and flowers. Mintpaw was starring down at her.
"You saved Thunderclan!" Mintpaw yowled with pure happiness. Mosspaw turned over in her nest. She felt fine, so she stood up, and noticed Foxpaw lying in the other end of the medicine den.
"Is Foxpaw okay?" she asked Mintpaw.
"Well, he'll recover, but it will be a few days" she replied. Mosspaw heard someone enter the den, and turned around. Berrypaw had entered the den, his amber gaze glinting in the sun.
"Are you okay?" he mewed.
"I'm fine" she answered. There was a moment of silence, and he purred.
"What's so funny?" she asked.
"Nothing" he replied. She purred. Berrypaw ran towards her, and they entwined their tails. They walked out of the medicine den, pelts brushing.
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