CHAPTER 1:
SADNESS AND DEATH
Jaykit's jade green eyes softened with sadness. She thrust her muzzle into Mudkit's cold, lifeless fur. She looked to Thorntooth, her "mother." Thorntooth nodded, and she retreated to the nursery to grieve alone.
Later Thorntooth came in and said, "I know you are suffering the death of your brother, but it is time you become an apprentice.
An apprentice? Jaykit thought. She had forgotten she was six moons old. The title she had been waiting for. Now she didn't care.
Thorntooth nudged the stubborn kit. "You must move on."
"I don't wanna."
"Come on." Thorntooth mewed, fiercer this time, and gave Jaykit a rougher shove. She looked up at a yowl from Icestar. "Come on." she said softly, and together the pair walked slowly toward the central clearing.
"Jaykit, you have reached your sixth moon. The time is ripe you become an apprentice. Jaykit, from now on, you shall be known as Jaypaw! Tigerbreath, you have experienced battles and love, grief and disloyalty. You are ready for another apprentice, and I am sure you shall teach Jaypaw the ways of a warrior." Icestar yowled.
"Of coarse, Icestar." Tigerbreath meowed eagerly. She leaned down and touched Jaypaw's nose.
"Do you want to start now?" Tigerbreath meowed, as if she wasn't aware that Jaypaw had just lost her brother.
"Not really." Jaypaw mumbled.
"Come on!" Tigerbreath growled. "I'll show you the territory."
Icestar came up behind them, his crystal blue eyes shining bright. "What a good idea!"
With a sigh, Jaypaw followed her mentor.
"This is the gorge." Tigerbreath meowed to the gasping Jaypaw. "Come on, hurry up, there's the bridge yet to see!" And took off.
Jaypaw had never known a cat could be so fast and swift. She felt hot and sticky under her thick coat. "Can… You… Slow… DOWN?!" Jaypaw gasped, her sides heaving.
"No." Tigerbreath meowed with a laugh. "We can take a break at the bridge."
Eager to get to the bridge, where she guessed would be shaded from the burning sun, Jaypaw increased her pace. But at the same time, she didn't want to go to the bridge. A sort of… Sixth sense told her something bad had happened there.
Her father! Yes, she had been told as a kit that her father had died there. She sniffed, slowing down.
"What's wrong?" Tigerbreath asked.
"D-d-d-d-da-ad."
Her mentor shook her head. "You still have to go there, and will for other occasions." she growled.
"I-I'd rather go to the river." Jaypaw stammered.
With a sigh, Tigerbreath led them past the bridge.
At camp Jaypaw sighed in the apprentice's den. A small fish was what she was permitted to eat, but she didn't want to eat it. Instead she pawed it to Spottedpaw, who had been apprenticed a few moons before herself. She sighed and lay down, ignoring her stomach's growl.
Poor Jaypaw. :'( I is so evil.