Burningkit tilted his ear back, and heard the wind blowing through the grass, all seemed calm, but he knew his enemy could come out in a heartbeat. His muscles tensed as he heard light pawsteps padding through the grass. He ducked down, just in time for his enemy to pounce right over him, and land with a thud. But then she turned around, lunged at him again, and nipped at Burningkit's neck gently with small teeth.
"Let me go, Splashkit!" Burningkit squealed, pushing his sister off of him.
Burningkit is a large orange tabby kit. His fur is fluffy, but not too long. He has a white throat and underbelly, and white on the tip of his tail. His eyes are dark amber. His face is broad, and he has good hearing. Burningkit is mostly calm, but can be irritated by his sister.
The other small kit stopped the playfight. Splashkit was a silver tabby. Her darker stripes were twisted in curly shapes around her lithe body. Her eyes were a gentle blue color. Her paws and claws were large, which helps her grip the ground as she runs. Splashkit has a very bouncy personality, and can be very annoying at times. She looks like her dad, Rainheart, but her body is built for speed, like her mom's, Goldenstar, the leader of FieldClan.
Goldenstar was appointed deputy before she knew she was expecting kits. When she found out, she decided to give the kits to a foster mother instead of having a new deputy taking her place. Smallpetal was the foster mother chosen to nurse Burningkit and Splashkit. She was the mother of Mousepaw and Nightpaw, before they became apprentices.
As Burningkit thought of Mousepaw and Nightpaw, he remembered that today was the day he was going to become an apprentice. Excitement rose in his chest, and he suddenly felt stronger. He wondered who his mentor could be. There was Marshtail, a strong deputy; he would love to have him as his mentor. He would also have liked Lightwing, a she-cat who was smart, and could keep calm in tough situations.
As Burningkit went over all the possible mentors in his head, he realized he would like all of them. But then he saw another cat amongst the grass, and thought, all except one.
The cat was hardly bigger than he was, very small for a full-grown she-cat. Her ragged black pelt wasn't well kept, and her gray eyes were slightly dull. Most of the time she would stare at the mountains and mutter to herself with a misty expression on her face. She had a scar running across her head, and that is why she was named Talongash. She was said to have been found, lying down, with a deep bleeding wound on her head. She wasn't clan-born. Most thought she was crazy, and didn't go near her. They all said that she was extremely sensitive to changes in the air, and could tell when a storm was approaching just using her whiskers.
"Hurry up, Burningkit!" hissed Splashkit, "It is time for our apprentice ceremony, Goldenstar will be calling the cats to the clearing any heartbeat now!" and she bounded off, her tail held high in the air. Burningkit felt suddenly very enthusiastic, and darted after his sister, purring slightly.
"All cats old enough to catch their prey join me in the Great Clearing!" A soft voice called out.
It's time! Burningkit thought happily, and felt more anticipation boil in him.
He saw Goldenstar standing at the front of the clearing. She was white with golden patches, and was lithe and agile like Splashkit.
"I
have called us together to name two new apprentices. Come forward!"
Goldenstar flicked her tail to urge the kits over. Splashkit bounded
over, with Burningkit trailing after her. "From this day on, until
she has earned her warrior name, this apprentice will be known as
Splashpaw!"
Splashpaw gave a small mew of happiness.
"Marshtail," Goldenstar continued, "you are ready for your first apprentice. You will be responsible for Splashpaw's training! I hope you pass on what our deceased warrior, Frogstalker, taught you to her..." Splashpaw bounded over to Marshtail and touched noses gently with him. Marshtail was a thin gray tabby tom, with big paws and a long tail.
"And this kit," Goldestar dipped her head at Burningkit "will be known as Burningpaw until he receives his warrior name." Burningpaw resisted letting out a mew like her sister, "Talongash, you have good knowledge that needs to be passed on." Goldenstar meowed, slightly uncomfortably, "you will mentor Burningpaw."
What!? Burningpaw thought, his happiness diminishing at once. What did his mother have against him to give him such a horrible mentor? How would he learn anything with a mad cat like Talongash teaching him? She hardly knew how too hunt. Burningpaw looked for his mentor in the clearing. She looked as surprised as him, and the other cats in the clearing were murmuring to each other.
"Burningpaw, can I talk to you in my den?" Goldenstar asked, beckoning him forward with her tail.
"Yes." Burningpaw replied. He then trotted after his mother into her den, still feeling the boiling anger in him at his mother's decision to give him Talongash as his mentor.
His mother's den was a burrow, like the other dens. It was smaller than the nursery, but it was comfortable for a cat to rest in. It used to be Graystar's den, before old age claimed his last life.
Now alone with his mother, Burningpaw suddenly blurted out, "Why did you give me that cat as my mentor? Do you have something against me?"
"I
don't have anything against you," meowed Goldenstar, trying to
keep calm even though she was obviously frustrated, "Marshtail and
I discussed Talongash's…issue, and he suggested that she became a
mentor. He wanted to see if it would…clear her head a bit. He told
me he could handle two apprentices as well. Marshtail will be the one
mostly looking after you."
Burningpaw sighed slightly, feeling
a bit relived, but still not very happy with the setup. "Okay, but
if this doesn't work out, can you give me another mentor?" He
asked.
"Yes." Goldenstar replied, "You can leave now. It is time for you to explore the territory with Marshtail, Talongash, and Splashpaw."
Burningpaw nodded and then padded out, feeling slightly better than when he had entered the den.