SNAP! Airkit whirled around to find her much larger brother, Dripkit, padding along the path. "Could you be any louder?"
"Well not everybody is the size of a flea" he retorted. "You could have chosen a bigger path."
"Well you weren't complaining at the camp!"
"That's because the trail wasn't this small!"
"Well, just be quiet or we'll attract all of the patrol from here to sun-drown place!"
This successfully got him to quiet down. A second later, Airkit pricked he ears and flattened herself to the ground. She motioned for Dripkit to do the same. They both opened their mouths to smell. "Yuck! Do you know what that smell is?" Dripkit meowed.
"I don't know, but I've smelled it on Shadowcall after the gatherings before."
"Good nose, Airpaw, but why are you out here?" Dripkit and Airkit whirled around to see Leafpaw and his mentor, Stickpelt, slide up.
They hung their heads shamefully and answered. "We were just exploring the territory! We will be apprentices tomorrow!"
"Yes, But not yet." Mewed Stickpelt. "You aren't allowed out until you are apprentices."
"I'm sorry!" Wailed Dripkit "This won't affect our ceremony will it?"
"I don't know. That's up to Sparkstar. But we should get you to back to camp before we all get in trouble"
As the four cats padded into the camp, they were immediately swarmed by Dripkit and Airkit's littermate, Shadekit, and their parents, Shadowcall who is the deputy, and Robinwing.
"Where were you? Are you okay? Are you hurt? Did any other clans attack you? You smell like Shadowclan, did you trespass by accident? What were you to thinking?" They were instantly bombarded by questions. Before they could even answer, they were covered in a shower of licks.
"Robinwing! Stop! I need to talk to our kits" Shadowcall ordered. "Airkit, Dripkit, join Sparkstar and I by the old beech tree." They padded after the gray tom with their heads bowed. We just wanted to explore! It's not like we were trespassing, and now our apprentice ceremony will probably be delayed.
"You kits are almost apprentices. You know you aren't allowed out of camp." Sparkstar started. "If you can't even follow these simple rules, how do we know you are ready to become an apprentice?" He paused for a second, then continued. "Well I guess we will find out. I decided not to delay your ceremony. In fact, I decided to move it to today. With the threat of Riverclan, we need as many fighters as possible, and must start training our young cats. It will be held at sunhigh."
As the yellow leader padded away, Robinwing came over and started to wash them, for she was listening to the conversation.
Shadekit, Airkit, and Dripkit all sat by each other, with the sun gleaming on their freshly groomed pelts, waiting for the ceremony to start. Their future mentors, though they didn't know who they are, could probably guess. Blossommoon was talking excitedly to Ravencry. Iceclaw was pacing from anticipation, and they all knew that Shadekit was going to train as a medicine cat, so that explained why Whitewillow was practically bursting with excitement.
"Let all the cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the highledge for a clan meeting!" Wow! This is my first clan meeting! Thought Airkit. Most of the cats were already in te clearing, but the call brought the elders out of their den and froze Leafpaw and Creekpaw who were in the middle of play-fighting. "We are gathered here today to do one of the most important ceremonies a clan leader can do-the naming of new apprentices. Three of our kits have recently turned six moons old. Please step forward." Shadekit walked up calmly, while Airkit, barley containing herself, did a little jump. Dripkit, however, ran up and tripped over his own paws. When the three of them were standing in a line, Sparkstar jumped down from the highledge. "Dripkit please step forward. From this day until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Drippaw. Blossommoon will be your mentor. Blossommoon, you are very young, but I hope you will use all of your energy and strength to teach Drippaw." They touched noses and walked back to their places.
"Airkit please step forward. From this day forward until you own your warrior name, you will be known as Airpaw. Iceclaw, please step forward. You will be Airpaw's mentor. I trust you to pass on you strength and your loyalty." They touched noses and stepped back.
"And last of all Shadekit, please step forward. From this moment until you earn your full name, you will be known as Shadepaw. You have chosen the path of a medicine cat over a warrior. Whitewillow will be your mentor. Whitewillow, I trust you to pass on all of your knowledge and compassion." They touched noses and stepped back.
The clan took up the cheer, "Drippaw, Airpaw, Shadepaw!" "I can't believe it!" Mewed Airpaw. "We're finally apprentices!"