The Life Story of Fallenstar

CHAPTER ONE

Apprenticeship

"Fallenkit!"
I hear the hiss of my mom as I pounce on the head of my brother, Birdkit, and
roll him over. I look over at her, "Sorry, momma." I mew, my ears down and my
crystal blue eyes wide in embarrassment. My mother sighs, "This is no
time to be playing." She says sleeking Birdkit and mine's fur back down,
"Today is a very special day. I just can't believe you and your brother
are already being apprenticed!" With that, I hear our leader call
together the meeting. Birdkit and I scamper from the Nursery to the
Ancient Oak in the center of our camp clearing. Once all the cats of the
clan had gathered, our leader, Oceanstar, begins with the oldest kit, me.
"Fallenkit, you
have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be
apprenticed. From this day on, until you have received your warrior
name, you will be known as Fallenpaw. Your mentor will be Duskfoot. I hope
Duskfoot will pass down all she knows to you." Oceanstar calls out. She
then turns to Duskfoot, who had now found her way to the front of the
crowd of cats, "Duskfoot, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had
received excellent training from Mousetail, and you have shown yourself
to be courageous and loyal. You will be mentor to Fallenpaw and I
expect you to pass on all you know to Fallenpaw." I was shaking so much
in excitement; I thought my pelt would fall off as I touched noses with
Duskfoot. All around me I heard the clan chanting and greeting me by my
new name, "Fallenpaw! Fallenpaw! Fallenpaw!" I look around with a smile. I
pad into the crowd beside my mentor and sit down. I watch as my brother
is apprenticed into Birdpaw and he gets his mentor, Raccoonpelt. Soon the
clan meeting is over and the crowd breaks into groups, "Fallenpaw." I
hear Duskfoot say, "First thing tomorrow is our first training. But for
now, go get some fresh-kill, clean the elders of their ticks and get some
rest." She pads off and I sigh, "Great," I mutter, "just apprenticed and
I already have to do the worst jobs." I pad to the fresh-kill pile
and pull out a fish. Our clan was on the coast of the ocean, with a lush
forest around us. So we could catch just about anything that was out
there. I take a bite and savor the juices that flow through my mouth as I
swallow, "Mm." I say. I finish it and pad to the Medicine Cat's Den,
"Crystalfang?" I ask. Crystalfang was a silvery she-cat with a white fang
shape on her chest, although, it seemed to change colors in the sun,
"Yes?" I hear the soft reply. I come forward; I look into her purple
eyes. It was a shame she chose the path of a Medicine Cat, most toms would
find her beauty and elegance to make her a most suitable mate, "I need
some mouse bile to remove the elders' ticks." She nods and looks through
her supplies, "Ah, here we go." She gently picks up a leaf, the stench of
mouse bile making me want the wretch. I took the leaf from her and
scrunch up my nose, as I turned to leave she said, "Make sure you go to
the Fresh Water Waterfall to wash up. You wouldn't want that in
your mouth." I flick my tail to show I had heard her. I pad to the
Elders' Den and go inside, "Finally!" I hear a grumpy voice, no doubt
Badgerclaw, meow, "These ticks are driving me crazy, I'm about to chew my
own fur off!"
"Don't mind him dear," came the sweet voice of
Halftail, "He's also as grumpy as a badger, hence his name." I hear a rough mrrow of laughter come from her. I nod and pad to Badgerclaw. I search his
fur for ticks, and when I find one, I rub a little bit of mouse bile on
it and pick it off. Once I was finished with him I pad over to Halftail
and do the same. Once I was finally finished, I grab the leaf of leftover
mouse bile and head out, "And could you get your brother to change out
our moss?" I hear one of them call. I sigh through the leaf and stench
and pad back to the Medicine Cat's Den; I give Crystalfang the mouse
bile. I turn and pad to the entrance to go to the waterfall when I hear a
meow from behind, I turn to see Darkpaw's older brother, Waterpaw, pad up
to me with his mentor, "Fallenpaw," He says as he pads up, "Jetwhisker and
I were about to go hunting, you want to come?" I smile, "Sure, but I got to
wash this mouse bile from my paws first." He nods with a smile and we
head out, stopping at the waterfall for me to wash my paws then we head
into the woods.