This is another "what if" story from Squirrelflight's perspective. What if Juniperkit and Dandelionkit lived and became apprentices? I plan on writing two more stories for the two off of this one. Hope you enjoy!
I sat in the clearing, looking over at my kits who sat in front of my in the circle among our clanmates. Their fur has silky and shimming in the warm sunlight. Bramblestar, my mate, stood in the middle of the circle, his head held high and his eyes shining with pride and love.
"Cats of Thunderclan, we have gathered today to make four new apprentices. Sparkkit, come here please." I watch my daughter bounced towards her father, her fur fluffed in excitement.
"From this day forward," Bramblestar meowed, touching his tail-tip to her shoulder. "This apprentice will be known as Sparkpaw. Cherryfall, you will be her mentor. I trust that you will share with her your dedication to your Clan, your quick mind, and your excellent hunting skills." Sparkpaw bounded over to the ginger she-cat and touched noses.
"Sparkpaw! Sparkpaw!" The clan cheered. Sparkpaw bounced happily at the cheers.
When the yowling died away, Bramblestar looked at Alderkit. He flicked his tail for him to come forward. "Your turn." he said calmly.
Alderkit slowly walked forward, his pelt prickled with apprehension. I purred with a small laugh as he padded to the middle of the circle.
Bramblestar laid his tail-tip on his son's shoulder. "From now on," he spoke with certainty and pride. "This apprentice will be known as Alderpaw. Molewhisker, you will be his mentor. You are loyal, determined, and brave, and I know that you will do your best to pass on these qualities to your apprentice." Alderpaw walked over to his mentor nervously. Molewhisker was Cherryfall's littermate, but the cream-and-brown tom was quieter than his sister and hadn't shown much interest in the kits. His gaze was grave as he touched noses with Alderpaw.
"Alderpaw! Alderpaw!" The clanmates yowled. Alderpaw licked his chest fur a couple times in embarrassament. Sparkpaw was the first to yowl Alderpaw's new name.
The cheer's died down and Bramblestar looked at the kits sitting in front of me. "Dandelionkit, come forward." the pale-ginger-and-brown tabby she-kit padded forward into the middle of the circle, each step filled with confidence, her yellow eyes bright with excitement.
Bramblestar laid his tail-tip on her shoulder. "From this day on, this apprentice will be known as Dandelionpaw. Dovewing, Lionblaze taught you well and you are ready for an apprentice. You have proven yourself to be brave, loyal, and determined even when in the face of doubt, I know you'll teach Dandelionpaw everything you know."
Dovewing stood and dipped her head. "I promise I will." Dandelionpaw padded over to her new apprentice and touched noses.
"Dandelionpaw! Dandelionpaw!" The clan cheered.
Bramblestar beckoned the last kit with the flick of his tail. The dark ginger-and-brown tabby tom walked confidently forward, his tail kinked over his back and his head held high. "And last, but most certainly not least, Juniperkit, from this day on, you will be known as Juniperpaw. Ivypool, Cinderheart trained you well to be a strong, confident, and fearless warrior who knew what was best for her clan. I know you'll teach Juniperpaw all that you know." Ivypool dipped her head.
"You will not be disappointed." she said, her dark blue eyes gleamed with joy as her new apprentice walked up to her and touched noses. Bramblestar flicked his tail and the meeting was over. I padded straight to my kits and nuzzled them affectionately. "Be good and listen well to your mentors, you hear me?" Dandelionpaw placed her paw on top of mine.
"Don't worry, mom. We'll be fine and we promise to behave." I looked into my daughter's calm and reassuring yellow eyes. Then I looked at Sparkpaw, who had calmed down, but her fluffed fur said otherwise, Alderpaw, who looked more nervous than any of them now looked relaxed, and Juniperkit, who nodded in agreement with his sister. I sighed.
"You kits grow up too fast if you ask me." I murmured before touching each of their noses with my own. I sat and watched as my four kits followed their mentors out of the camp.
Starclan, please keep them safe. I thought nervously.
"They'll be fine, Squirrelflight, they have each other and their mentors now." Leafpool's soothing mew said behind me as she walked up. "Remember when Lionblaze, Jayfeather, and Hollyleaf's apprentice ceremony?" I thought for a moment and purred in nostalgia.
"Yes, how could I forget. Firestar apprenticed Hollyleaf to you, Jayfeather to Brightheart, and Lionblaze to Ashfur." Leafpool purred in amusement.
"Remember how angry Jayfeather was when he was given Brightheart as his mentor?" She meowed. I laughed a little.
"He was so young, so eager to prove himself. Thankfully, he now knows where he is strongest and best helping his clan." I spotted the blind tom going into the elders' den to check on them, his tail swishing absently and his gaze focused straight ahead as if he almost could see.
I remembered the first apprentice ceremony. Then making Jayfeather a medicine cat apprentice and Hollyleaf a warrior apprentice, then their naming ceremonies, then the fire, then the Great Battle against the Dark Forest, and now Lionblaze had a mate, and Jayfeather was an excellent healer and both were accepted among the clan while Hollyleaf watched them from above alongside their ancestors.
"You have four healthy kits who are now apprentices, Squirrelflight. We mustn't dwell on the past when the clan needs a future." Leafpool licked my shoulder encouragingly. "I need to restock the den, would you like to join me?"
I shook my head. "No thanks, I should go hunt, the fresh-kill pile is getting low." I flicked my plumy tail to the circle of stones where a meager mouse lay. I turned back to my sister. "But when I'm done, I'd love to join you. I feel like it's been so long since we've spent some quality sister time together." Leafpool purred and nodded.
"I'll wait for you in the medicine den." She flicked her tail before padding away to the hidden den in the shadows of the stone.
As I walked to the bramble tunnel, I turned and sighed. I wish there were more days like this where we can just relax and watch our youth grow. I walked into the forest. But, I have a feeling this season of peace won't last long.
As if to confirm my fear, a shrill yowl rang through the forest. I whipped my head around to the Shadowclan border and bounded away.