Cloverkit woke in the nursery. She could feel her sister Maplekit beside her as she moved to get closer to their mother, Olivewhisker. She was almost six moons old, and Olivewhisker told had told them to expect their apprentice ceremony anyday now. Cloverkit wondered who her mentor would be, there was so many good warriors, like Bumblewing, her father. Her was a very important cat, she knew because he always ate with Redstar and always lead the patrols. She wanted to be just like him.
"Maplekit, come explore with me" she mewed to her sister.
"What?" Maplekit opened one eye.
"Explore?" Cloverkit asked again, and as if almost at once, Maplekit leaped up from her nest and followed Cloverkit out of the nursery. "Let's go to the Hightree" Cloverkit suggested. They soon got to the Hightree, and Cloverkit knew that it was where Redstar sat to summon the clan together for a clan meeting.
"Someday, when I'm leader, I'm going to sit up there" meowed Maplekit.
"If you're the leader, can I be your deputy?" Asked Cloverkit.
"Of course silly, who else would I choose?" Responded Maplekit. Together they played until they saw Bumblewing emerge from the warriors den, with Clawear, Torntail and Gooseberry, the newest Squirrrelclan warrior, behind him. Of course! Thought Cloverkit. This must be the dawn patrol. Without waiting for Maplekit, she hurried towards her father. She knew Maplekit was following her, because she felt her warm breath on her tail.
"Bumblewing, wait!" Called Cloverkit.
"Can we come with you?" Asked Maplekit.
"When you're apprentices, but you're only kits right now, it's too dangerous, stay in the camp where your mother can watch you" replied Bumblewing. Even though his words were kind, his tone was final and Cloverkit sensed that he wouldn't change his mind. He never did when he set his mind on it.
He left and the kits watched their father until his tail tip disappeared over the tunnel where the entrance to the camp was.
"Let's go to the warriors den" meowed Maplekit, her eyes sparkled with mischief.
"But..." Cloverkit never finished her objection, Bumblewing had told them to stay in camp, and the warriors den was still in the camp. "Okay," She could feel her paws tingling with excitement. They had never been allowed to go in the warriors den before, but it was too irresistible to wait any longer. They turned and ran toward the holly bush where the warriors made their den. Slowly, they crept into the den, and at first, Cloverkit thought that the den was completely empty, until she trod on the tail of Mouse-ear.
"Oww, watch where you're going!" He snapped. Then fell back into sleep without realizing that the kits were there.
They kept going, making a game of 'which warrior is which' pausing to guess the names of each sleeping warrior until finally, Leapardstorm, perhaps the oldest warrior in the den woke and looked straight at the kits. Cloverkit froze, and felt Mapplekit stiffen beside her aswell.
"Well, well, look who it is. Not even apprentices yet and already making nests for themselves in the warriors den" meowed Leopardstorm. She blinked at the kits a moment longer before adding, "Come, Olivewhisker might be looking for you. The warriors den is for warriors only. It's for sleeping, not for games, when you're warriors, you'll be here." Then led them out and back into the nursery.
"Cloverpaw, Maplepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this clan, even at the cost of your life?" Asked Redstar.
Cloverpaw looked straight at her leader, her eyes sparkling. "I do," she promised.
Maplepaw echoed her, her voice strong and meaningful. "I do."
"Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior names: Cloverpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Cloversplash. Starclan honours your spirit and your loyalty, and we we welcome you as a full warrior of Squirrelclan." Redstar steped foward and rested his muzzle on Cloversplash's head, and she licked his shoulder politely then padded away to join her clan. Cloversplash watched as her sister became a warrior, a proud glint in her eyes, not only for herself, but for her sister and get clan aswell.
"Maplepaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Maplefoot. Starclan honours your thoughtfulness and your courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Squirrelclan." Redstar then went over once again to touch the new warrior's head, and received a polite lick on the shoulder before Maplefoot left to join her sister. They were warriors now, and it seemed like forever since Cloversplash and Maplefoot were kits, exploring the warriors den. Now, all she wanted to do was sleep, but she knew that all new warriors must keep a silent vigil on the night that they were made warriors. So much had changed since they were kits, Leopardstorm, Torntail and Clawear had all died of greencough, and Bumblewing died as deputy in his sleep, killed by Sunstorm in his ambition to become deputy then leader. Thankfully, he was found out and exiled, and patrols had reported that twolegs had captured him and had turned him into a kittypet. Cloversplash never stopped grieving for her father, and it didn't help when Olivewhisker died when a monster hit her. But she knew that her parents were up in silverpelt, watching as their daughters became warriors at last. I won't let you down, she promised.
