First Catch:
Birchkit trembled with excitement, staring up at the Great Pine. In only a few minutes, he would no longer be a kit, but a ShadeClan apprentice! Flowerkit, Lionkit, and Robinkit sat near him, all quivering, but it seemed like he was the most excited, giving small jumps and making swift runs in circles. "We're gonna be apprentics!" he breathed, before repeating it more loudly. "We're gonna be apprentices!"
He slowed for just a moment when he noticed the warriors were flashing somber glances in his direction and whispering about. What's wrong with being excited? Waspwhisker, I saw your warrior ceremony and your apprentice ceremony. Watching you was halairious! The thoughts distracted him, and he toppled over, landing in a bundle of fur on the dusty ground.
"You messed up your fur, Birchkit! Come over here." His mother, Paledawn, mewed fiercely. Sighing, Birchkit heaved himself to his paws and padded to her, letting his mother groom his fur while his littermates laughed at him. Birchkit was usually the victum of teasing, so he always made sure to hang around cats who would try and stop it, but Paledawn was focusing too hard on his fur and couldn't hear their remarks.
"Aw, the wittle baby kittypet messed up his precious little fur!" Flowerkit cooed. Robinkit nodded, snorting, "It can't get any worse for him already, though, can it? We should keep off him for a few days, let him get used to the fact that he's too loud and clumsy to be a good warrior." Birchkit narrowed his eyes. I'll show you! As soon as I can, I'll show you. He was just as good- better, even- then his littermates. He was sure of it.
He whipped his head around and pulled away from Paledawn as Yellowstar began to speak, her golden pelt shining in the sunlight. "Today, ShadeClan gathers for a very important ceremony- the making of not two, not three, but four apprentices! Come forwards, young kits." The clan parted to let them through as Lionkit led them as a peaceful walk to the tree. Well, he didn't lead Birchkit. He bounded ahead, letting out excited squeals before skidding to a halt a moment too late, banging his little brown head into the trunk.
Yellowstar waited for a moment, staring down at him, before speaking. "Flowerkit, before you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Flowerpaw. I trust your mentor, Waspwhisker, though he is young, will teach you the importance of thinking before you act and passion towards all your clan mates. His mentor, Minnowdapple, taught him curiosity and determination, and I'm sure he will pass on all of these valuable skills to you." Birchkit watched as Flowerpaw touched noses with Waspwhisker. No fair! I kinda wanted him to be my mentor! Oh well. Bumblestorm and Skyshimmer were good, too.
"Robinkit, you will be known as Robinpaw until you are awarded your warrior name. Skyshimmer is brave and courageous, and I know that Troutstream passed on to her his loyalty and swiftness. With Skyshimmer as your mentor, I know these qualities and more will pass on down to you." Robinpaw stepped forwards, touched noses with Skyshimmer, and padded off into the crowd, leaving just Lionkit and Birchkit.
Birchkit shuffled his paws, scooting away from Lionkit as he was called up by Yellowstar. "Your name is to be Lionpaw while you are an apprentice. I hope your mentor, Bumblestorm, will share intelligence and his light paws with you, just like his mentor shared her wisdom and devotion with him." Lionpaw and Bumblestorm touched noses and padded away, leaving Birchkit cursing silently. Fox-dung! None of the mentors who I want are available anymore! His anger quickly turned to worry. Who's Yellowstar going to make my mentor? Please, don't choose Stormfall or Rosehop!
"Birchpaw, I thought long and hard about who would be your mentor, and eventually I decided that I would like to train you myself." Silence. Silence and shock. Yellowstar was going to be mentor? Birchpaw could hardly believe it! "I hope that I am a smart and resourceful cat, and I know that my mentor, Owlfeather, was strong and sensible. I wish I will pass these qualities on to you as well as he passed on his qualities to me." Yellowstar leapt down, off the Great Pine, and into the clearing, where she touched noses with Birchpaw almost reluctantly. But why? She chose to mentor me!
The clan broke up, with Flowerpaw and the others leaving camp to explore the territory while Yellowstar sent Birchpaw to gather bedding for the elders. He agreed, not wanting to explore with his littermates, anyways. He left the camp, careful not to get lost, and by dusk, he had finished his duty and was lying in his nest near the entrance of the apprentice den. Birchpaw listened to his littermates exchanging goodnights, and he wished they would say it to him, too, but he had the tough luck. He was the outcast of the four- the runt.
Next morning, when the mentors called for the four of them, Birchpaw was sure that they were taking him with them. "What are we doing today?" Lionpaw asked eagerly. "Battle training?" Bumblestorm shook his head, but Skyshimmer responded for him. "Nope, we're hunting. And Birchpaw?" He tilted his head at them, still positive he was hunting, too. But her next words told him more then he wanted to know. "Yellowstar wants you to do the queen's bedding." Birchpaw nodded and trudged off, listening to the six talk about hunting and how amazing it was and how the first one of them to catch some prey would get the first pick of the pile. And then? Then they talked about him, and 'how weak he was, and how dumb and annoying he was'. All six of them, even the warriors!
Birchpaw gritted his teeth, stalking out of the entrance to camp and into the forest. Glancing around, he wasn't sure where to look for moss without getting lost. Yellowstar should have showed me the territory! I should be learning to hunt with my sibling! I'm not puny and weak! He narrowed his eyes, sniffing the air.
And then he scented it. There was a squirrel, plump and healthy from the smell of it, not too far away. If he could catch it... Birchpaw dropped into a sloppy crouch, trying to be still as he located the exact spot where the squirrel was nibbling on a nut in the shelter of some leaves. He placed one paw in front of the other a few times until he was about three fox-lengths away, stopping because of a twig in front of him. I'm not skilled enough to go over it yet, he decided, thinking carefully. I'll go around. Scooting to the side, he accidently brushed a fern.
He froze, praying to StarClan that he hadn't scared off the squirrel. One moment, two moments, there! The squirrel was nibbling on the nut again. Birchpaw would have to be fast. Using his sloppy stalking technique, he proceeded until only a tail-length stood between him and the mouse. Got you! Birchpaw lunged, killing the squirrel neatly. "just what do you think you're doing?" A voice interrupted his silent cheering. Skyshimmer and the others entered the clearing.
"I-I was going to gather the moss when I smelled this squirrel and decided to catch it to help feed the clan," Birchpaw stuttered. "How was your hunting? Did you catch anything?" "Robinpaw has a horrible leap. Lionpaw is a horrible stalker. Flowerpaw doesn't even try. She just teases her littermates." Bumblestorm snorted. Birchpaw barely held back a smirk as his siblings lowered their heads in shame. "You did a wonderful job catching that squirrel, though!" Waspwhisker mewed. "Wanna join us for the rest of the session? Flowerpaw can go do the bedding, since she was being mean to her siblings."
"Yeah," Birchpaw mewed, nodding. "Yeah, I'd love that!"