Hello. - It's time for the first (After the Prologue) glorious chapter of Kits of the Storm of Ginger!
-0-
"Fernpaw, you've
been training for a long while now. It's been moons since we've
came home after the flood," Graytail mewed, giving a sidelong
glance at his apprentice. "You'll probably be made a warrior
soon."
"Only because my mother is leader of the Clan,"
Fernpaw meowed bitterly. "If it was any other leader they'd
probably hold off as long as possible."
"Fernpaw," Graytail mewed, sighing. "Your mother told me something."
"What is it?" Fernpaw asked quietly.
"She told me she's having you and your siblings' warrior ceremonies tomorrow. I wasn't going to tell you, but you seem down today, more than usual." Graytail stopped when he heard pawsteps
"It's Stormpaw, Reedpaw, and Patchpaw, with their mentors." Fernpaw looked unfazed, and Graytail looked proudly at his apprentice.
"Hi, Fernpaw. Heard us, did you?" Stormpaw asked.
"You were clomping around; if I didn't, then you'd know my hearing was going and retire me with the elders." Fernpaw nuzzled her brother.
"Hey, do you want to train all together?" Patchpaw questioned Fernpaw.
"Only if Graytail will." Fernpaw glanced at her mentor out of the corner of her eye, and he nodded curtly.
"It'll be a battle of the apprentices," Graytail announced, leading the way to the training hallow, taking quick, eager pawsteps.
-x-
Fernpaw sat near the entrance to the DreamClan camp, and talked quietly with Patchpaw. Out of the day of training, Patchpaw won against Reedpaw, and Fernpaw won against Stormpaw. In the final battle where Patchpaw faced Fernpaw, Fernpaw had claimed victory. And the mentors had to admit that Graytail had trained her well.
Graytail was talking to Gingerstar, and Dewstorm was calling the winner of a fight for Reedpaw and Stormpaw.
Fernpaw put her tail gently over Patchpaw's shoulders. "I'm going to go to sleep. It's been rough, especially training when leaf-bare is coming so soon." Patchpaw purred a goodnight to Fernpaw, and walked over to Rosepetal, talking something about warrior names.
Fernpaw walked over to her nest of heather and moss, and settled down comfortably. She glanced over at Reedpaw's nest; it was of reeds and moss.
-0-
"Fernpaw?" Reedpaw mewed quietly, nudging her sister. "Wake up! Mom has a surprise for us all."
Fernpaw blinked sleep from her eyes, then lifted her head. Patchpaw and Stormpaw had already left the den, and Reedpaw, obviously, as well.
She jumped up and scrabbled after her sister, who was already running towards the Bigstream where Gingerstar was sitting with Patchpaw, Stormpaw, and now, Reedpaw. She looked amusedly at Fernpaw, who halted next to Stormpaw.
"It's time for your warriors ceremonies, children." Gingerstar turned to her Clan, and called out the words to start a Clan meeting. "Cats of DreamClan, it is my honor to give my own children their warrior names."
Mews of approval rose.
"I, Gingerstar, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her as a warrior to you in her turn. Fernpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Gingerstar mewed.
Fernpaw looked up at her mother, and leader, then to the crowd of Clan cats. "Of course I do." Fernpaw's tail lifted high, as did her head.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Fernpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Fernclaw. StarClan honors your skills and kindness and we welcome you as a full warrior of DreamClan."
The Clan chanted Fernclaw's warrior name.
"Fernclaw! Fernclaw! Fernclaw!"
Fernclaw touched the ground with her tail-tip, then nosed Patchpaw on. She purred, then stepped away from the Bigstream to sit next to her mentor, Graytail.
Gingerstar decided to say a few words about Fernclaw before she started Patchpaw's ceremony. "Fernclaw had done nothing but train her hardest. She's done nothing but shown you all that she is not her father, and she never will be. I want DreamClan, all the Clans, to remember that and that alone. She is a ray of moonlight; she is not in the shadow of Reedstar."
Mews of agreement.
"I, Gingerstar, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him as a warrior to you in his turn. Patchpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Gingerstar mewed.
"I do," Patchpaw purred. He was looking fondly at Rosepetal from where he stood in front of the Clan with two of his siblings and his mother. Rosepetal was looking fondly back, and Gingerstar caught the exchange. She remembered young love, and its consequences. But Gingerstar knew her son, and she knew Rosepetal well; neither would cheat on each other. Rather, they'd have a long and happy relationship.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Patchpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Patchflame. StarClan honors your cunning and compassion and we welcome you as a full warrior of DreamClan."
"Patchflame! Patchflame! Patchflame!"
Patchflame ran immediately over to Rosepetal, and he nuzzled her warmly. Purring, he sat down next to her.
"Patchflame is a name I've thought about for Patchpaw ever since he was born. This next apprentice's name was thought out long in advance as well.
"Reedpaw, come here."
Reedpaw approached her mother carefully.
"I, Gingerstar, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her as a warrior to you in her turn. Reedpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Gingerstar asked.
"I do, Gingerstar," Reedpaw meowed enthusiastically.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Reedpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Reedwater. StarClan honors your bravery and courage and we welcome you as a full warrior of DreamClan."
"Reedwater! Reedwater! Reedwater!"
"One more warrior ceremony left before we can all celebrate with some fresh-kill!" Stormpaw purred, letting out a mrrow of laughter.
"I, Gingerstar, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him as a warrior to you in his turn. Stormpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Gingerstar purred
"Of course," Stormpaw purred back.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Stormpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Stormheart. StarClan honors your hunting and fighting skills and we welcome you as a full warrior of DreamClan."
"Stormheart! Stormheart! Stormheart!"