A shout-out to Ghostpaw Is Dead, HeatherDiamond128, and Azureflower for reviewing!
Thanks to Azureflower for favoriting the story!
Next chapter will be Allegiances.
Icekit squirmed away from her mother's tongue. "Stop it! My fur is perfectly fine!"
Obviously, Snowcloud didn't agree. "Nonsense," the pale gray tabby queen hissed. "You look like you just rolled into a gorse bush!" She only licked Icekit's fur harder, until the white kit was sure her fur was shining clean. Then Snowcloud grabbed her next victim, Leafkit. Leafkit squirmed, too, but it was hopeless to fight back.
"Well," Icekit's father ventured. "I think they look perfect. Why don't you-" Hawkfall's voice was immediately cut off when Snowcloud shot him her "famous" glare. Rumor had it that it could make a full-grown fox tremble in terror, and he was no match for that glare.
When Snowcloud finished harassing Leafkit's tortoiseshell fur, Brightwillow's three kits bounded over to them. "I can't believe you're going to be apprentices!" squeaked Pinekit.
"Yes," agreed Blackkit. "That's really great!" He bounced on his paws in excitement.
Blossomkit, however, looked wistful. "But now who's going to play with us?"
Icekit comforted the tiny gray-and-white she-kit, placing her tail on Blossomkit's eartip. "Don't worry, Leafkit and I will still come and visit you. And in three moons, you'll be joining me in the apprentice den!"
Blossomkit immediately brightened up. "And Birdfoot's kits are due soon."
Leafkit nodded solemnly. "Then you will have plenty of friends to play with."
They were distracted by a warning from Hawkfall. "Icekit, Leafkit, Graystar is starting the meeting. You should get ready to go outside."
The sisters rushed over to the entrance of the nursery and stuck their heads outside. Graystar was already on the Highledge. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" she yowled.
Cats began the appear from every den. Rockstripe, Brackenclaw, and Ivyfrost sat down near the the nursery; Icekit could hear them talking.
"What's this about?"
"I think it's an apprentice ceremony for Snowcloud's kits."
"It's about time! The Clan needs more apprentices."
"Who do you think is going to be the mentors?"
Addernose, the deputy took his place at the bottom of the Highledge. The medicine cat, Flowerspots, sat with her apprentice, Thornpaw, settled down with the elders, and the apprentices sat clumped together. Icekit sneaked a look at Shadepaw. He was looking mildly interested, much to her disappointment.
Graystar began to speak. "As you all probably know, Snowcloud and Hawkfall's kits are now six moons old and ready to be apprenticed." Icekit swallowed as every cat's gaze trained on the nursery. "Icekit, Leafkit, come up here, please."
The two kits trembled as they padded through the cats to the Highledge, more from excitement and fear than the early newleaf chill.
They stopped when they reached Graystar. The mottled gray she-cat seemed to study them with her dark blue eyes.
"Leafkit," Graystar continued. "From this day on until you receive your warrior name, you will be called Leafpaw. Your mentor will be Ottertail. I hope he passes down all he knows onto you."
Ottertail, a brown-and-white tabby tom, padded up to Graystar and his new apprentice.
"Ottertail," Graystar went on. "You are ready to take on an apprentice. You have been a warrior for only a moon, but you have received excellent training from Rowantail, and I know you are ready to take on this responsibility. I trust that you will pass on everything you have learned from Rowantail to Leafpaw."
Ottertail bent his head down and touched noses with the trembling Leafpaw.
"Now, Icekit, you are ready to be apprenticed, and you will be known as Icepaw from today until you complete your training. Your mentor will be Pebblenose."
The dappled gray she-cat padded up to them. "Pebblenose, you have been taught the ways of a warrior and the warrior code by Dapplepelt, who I hope is watching us now from StarClan. You have done a fine job with Rockstripe, and I believe you will do the same for Icepaw."
As Icepaw and Pebblenose touched noses, her new mentor whispered, "I will teach you how to become a fine warrior."
Icepaw was pleased to have Pebblenose as her mentor. She was one of the most patient and skilled warriors in the Clan!
The cats began to chant the apprentices' names. "Leafpaw, Icepaw, Leafpaw, Icepaw!"
Leafpaw lifted her head proudly taking in the chants, but Icepaw was searching for a certain black apprentice. Locating Shadepaw, she saw him chanting her name with the other apprentices. Happiness blossomed in her chest. Shadepaw was proud of her!
As the cats dispersed, Icepaw found herself with Pebblenose. "Get a good night's sleep. I'll show you the territory tomorrow with Ottertail and Leafpaw."
Leafpaw's fur was bushed out from excitement. "We're finally apprentices!" she mewed, as though she couldn't quite believe it. They met their parents, who beamed with pride.
"I'll work my very best to make the Clan proud." Icepaw vowed.
"No, I'll work harder than you!" protested Leafpaw.
"Let's see about that!" growled Icepaw. She launched herself at the tortoiseshell, and tussled with her on the ground.
Snowcloud swept toward them at once. "Now look what you've done!" she sighed. "I'll have to groom you again!"
Seeming to have the same thoughts, the sisters broke up immediately and made a run for it across the camp, their frustrated mother following close behind.
Once they had escaped from Snowcloud, Icepaw and Leafpaw headed into the apprentice den. Shadepaw, Cloudpaw, and Jaypaw were waiting inside.
"We made nests for you," Cloudpaw purred in welcome. "They are made of moss and bracken."
"Thank you," Icepaw purred back. "It's nice to be an apprentice." She looked at Shadepaw again, and this time, he met her eyes. His dark green eyes met her blue ones, and he nodded at Icepaw.
Icepaw felt elated. He looked at me! Actually welcomed me! She stared happily at Shadepaw again, but he turned away and climbed into a nest.
Still feeling pleased, Icepaw climbed into her own nest and slowly settled into sleep.