AN: Here's the second chapter! I don't really have much to say right now other then I hope you enjoy it! - Song
The air smelled of rain the morning of Minkkit and her sisters' apprentice ceremony.
The sky was overcast, and even as the cats slid out of their dens to start the new day, the clouds seemed to darken, promising that there would soon be showers. Because of this, Cindercloud swiftly washed her kits, wanting them to look their best.
"Oh, my little loves." She said, her voice soft and low. "It feels like just yesterday you were opening your eyes, and now look at you! You're becoming apprentices!"
"I know, right?" Rainfur mewed as she fiercely licked the fur on Duskkit's head smooth. He'd been born the same day as the other three, his birth brought on by the sudden stress of needing to assist Cindercloud with her labor. He'd been a tad early, but it didn't seem to matter now; he was already promising to be a good sized cat. "I can't believe it's happening!"
"And I can't believe that I'll be stuck in here with these two mouse-brains." Dappleflower said, affectionately flicking her kits, Minnowkit and Maplekit, with her tail.
"I can feel the love, Mother." Minnowkit said, rolling her eyes.
"Yeah," Maplekit agreed. "So much love to be felt."
Cindercloud purred, finishing up on Smokekit and motioning for Eelkit to come and get her wash. "Don't worry, it'll only be a half moon until yours are apprenticed, and then the three of us can hunt and patrol together again!"
Eelkit struggled in her mother's grip, batting at her muzzle with gentle paw swipes. "I can wash myself, you know."
"She wants you to look good, Eelkit." Duskkit mewed to her, and then, with amusement in his voice, he added, "Not like you just came out of a river."
"He's right, so don't argue." Cindercloud said, cutting her daughter off before she could speak. "You do it so quickly that you don't get all the dust or dirt off. I hope you groom better as an apprentice!"
Eelkit groaned loudly, though she ceased struggling. "I will, I will. Don't worry, Mother, I'll be the best apprentice around!"
"Or I will!" Smokekit mewed in a rare show of boldness.
"Or I will." Minkkit said, washing herself some so that her mother - hopefully - wouldn't need to lick her as much.
"I know you will." She purred. "I'm just so proud of you!"
"As am I." A deep voice said, and Minkkit and Smokekit leaped to their paws excitedly. Eelkit stayed put, knowing full well that Cindercloud would cuff her over the ears if she moved.
"Father!" Minkkit bounded up to him, winding around his legs. Cedarstripe's dark tabby fur spiked up in pretend fear and he leaped back, feigning fear.
"Not the monster! Anything but her!" He begged, his yellow eyes looking fondly at his daughter.
"Daddy, please." Minkkit laughed, wanting to play with him but not wanting to mess up her fur - she'd finally gotten a bit on her head to lay flat. "I'm going to be an apprentice today! We can't play games right now."
He laughed with her. "I know, I know. I'm going to miss playing with you and your sisters, though. It was always good fun!"
"You're nothing more than a kit yourself, aren't you?" Rainfur muttered loudly enough for everyone to hear. Almost all the cats - save for Cedarstripe himself, who huffed good naturedly at her - burst into fits of giggles.
"Yes, Rainfur! I am the biggest kit there is. Perhaps I'll stay up crying all night in the warrior's den like kits do when they're tiny, just to annoy you." He said, winking at her.
"It wouldn't phase me, really. I'd be worried about your mate, though - she has to sleep next to you, and if you wake her up with your racket, she'll claw your ears off!"
"She's right, you know. I will!" Cindercloud growled, though her whiskers twitched in amusement. She let Eelkit go, finally, and Minkkit padded over to her so that she could smooth her fur in the places she couldn't reach as well. Almost as soon as she was done, a yowl sounded from the clearing.
"That's Reedstar!" Eelkit gasped excited, bouncing on her paws. "Let's get going, guys!"
"Hold on, Eelkit!" Cindercloud mewed, rolling her eyes in Cedarstripe's direction. The little brown she-cat was always rushing headlong into things. "We'll go when he gives the cue."
"What is the cue?" Duskkit asked, looking up at Rainfur.
"You'll know, dear. Just wait." She purred, giving his head one last swift lick.
From the clearing, Reedstar's strong voice drifted into the nursery.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the High Mound for a Clan meeting!"
All of the other RiverClan cats moved hurriedly, excitement buzzing in the air like bumblebees. The news of the apprenticing had spread through the Clan like wildfire, apparently.
"We'll be watching from outside the nursery. Good luck!" Dappleflower mewed, sliding easily out of the den. Minkkit watched her go, breathing in deeply. This was it. This was when she'd finally be able to start doing things for the Clan.
"It is with great honor that I perform one of the greatest ceremonies that a leader is allowed - the making of kits into apprentices!" The Clan cheered at Reedstar's words, and Minkkit felt her siblings and Duskkit tense around her. "Smokekit, Eelkit, Minkkit and Duskkit, please come forward to stand beneath the High Mound!"
"That's the cue," Rainfur whispered from behind them with a tiny laugh, and Duskkit hissed lightly at her.
"Gee, you think, Mother?" He said, and then they were all being ushered out into the already bright morning sunshine.
The RiverClan cats sat in a rough semicircle around the High Mound, though several tail lengths back so that the kits could stand in the space left behind. They watched them approach, some moving aside so that they could take their places. Rainfur and Cindercloud gave them all one last quick lick before melting into the front of the crowd.
Reedstar looked down upon them as they came to a stop below him, warmth and pride evident in his expression. "You have all reached your sixth moon, and it is time for you to be apprenticed!" His gaze raked over the crowd of warriors, searching for someone, before they fell upon their target. "Otterclaw! You are ready for an apprentice. You have received excellent training from the late Troutfur and shown yourself to be a formidable opponent in battle and a loyal Clanmate. You will be the mentor of Eelpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her."
"I will not let you down, sir." The dark brown tom promised, moving between cats to reach his new apprentice. Eelpaw was trembling in sheer excitement, and when she and her mentor went to touch noses, she accidently bumped him too hard, causing him to rub his nose. Chuckles erupted from the crowd, and she looked rather embarrassed.
"Minkkit, please come forward." Reedstar commanded. Minkkit gulped, looking down at her paws. They were as small and boring as ever, and they didn't look like what she thought an apprentice's paws should. Was she even ready to be one? Without really thinking about it, she'd walked forward anyway and now stood apart from Smokekit and Duskkit.
"Minkkit, from this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Minkpaw. Your mentor will be Frostfoot. Frostfoot, I know that you only gained warrior status about four or five moons before Minkpaw was born, but I have faith in your skill and hope that you will pass on all that you learned from Rushfang to your new apprentice."
Minkpaw wondered if he would be a good mentor, being a warrior for only eleven moons. He sauntered toward her, and though he generally looked at ease from the outside, she could've sworn that she saw a hint of fear and uncertainty flash within his eyes.
They touched noses without incident, then moved to the side so that the ceremony could go on. Frostfoot did not look at her again as Reedstar carried on.
"Waspwhisker, you received excellent training from Goosefur, and we all know that you can be patient when needed. We also know that you have an outgoing side like no other. I would like you to mentor Smokepaw in the hope that you can, perhaps, give her the proper amount of kindness while still keeping her training rigorous!"
Minkpaw saw Smokepaw exhale in visible relief. She knew her sister's worries of getting a cat that wasn't very patient for a mentor - like Mudstripe, for example. He was a nice tom generally, but Duskkit's father, Stormclaw, had been his apprentice, and he said that his training had been very difficult. With how flustered she could get sometimes, that would've been a bad match.
"Rushfang, you are also going to be taking on another apprentice." Minkpaw glanced behind herself to look at the older tom. He didn't look surprised to be getting an apprentice - Reedstar would have spoken to him about it - but he did look excited about it. "You will be mentor to Duskpaw. You were mentored by Swanclaw, and I know that you will pass on all that you learned to your apprentice."
"Eelpaw! Minkpaw! Smokepaw! Duskpaw!" The Clan began to cheer, over and over again, the words washing over Minkpaw like a warm wave. Excitement began to fizz deep within her belly.
I've made it! She thought to herself, getting over her past indiscretions easily now that thoughts of training filled her mind. I'm going to be a warrior!
"It's still early in the day, new mentors. Why don't you all take your apprentices out to see the borders and allow them to learn the territory some?" Reedstar asked them. All of them nodded - all except Frostfoot, who sat without looking at their leader. Minkpaw was sure she could smell a hint of fear on him, but he couldn't figure out why. What did he have to be scared of? All she wanted to do was prove herself worthy of her Clan. She didn't want to claw his ears off!
The others gathered quickly while the Clan dispersed, dividing themselves into the patrols that the deputy, Cloudface, was making. She nudged Frostfoot's shoulder tentatively, wanting to get going.
"Shouldn't we join them?" Minkpaw asked.
The pale gray tom turned to face her, his eyes narrowed slightly. He did nothing but watch her for a few moments before letting out a grunt. "I suppose. Let's go." Without so much as a flick of his tail, he began to stalk towards the rest of the group, leaving Minkpaw confused.
Perhaps I'm not the one that isn't ready to train… She thought, padding after him slowly.
Perhaps it's Frostfoot.
AN: Frostfoot is a good cat, so what could be making him this way...?
