APPRENTICESHIP

"Stormkit," Dovestar called, " Do you promise to live by the warrior code, and risk your life for the Clan?"

"I do."

"Then, by the powers of SkyClan, you shall be known as Stormpaw," Dovestar announced. "Your mentor will be Bluetail." Stormpaw smiled proudly. Dovestar thought there was no point in waiting for Ravenkit to reach six moons because he was only two days younger than her. "I trust you to pass on your knowledge and skill to Stormpaw," Dovestar told Bluetail. "I will," Bluetail promised. Stormpaw touched muzzles with Bluetail.

"Ravenkit," Dovestar meowed, "Please step forward." Ravenkit felt worms in his belly. "Do you, Ravenkit, promise to live by the warrior code and risk your life for the clan?"

"I do."

"Then, by the powers of SkyClan, you shall be known as Ravenpaw," Dovestar mewed. "Your mentor shall be Stonewing." Stonewing smiled from below. He was a broad shouldered solid grey tom. Dovestar called him up. "I trust you to pass on your courage and strength to Ravenpaw." Stonewing nodded. "More like speech lessons!" Waterpaw whispered. Ravenpaw ignored them. He touched muzzles with Stonewing. Lunarmoon was nowhere to be seen.

...

"Let's have a look outside camp," Stonewing meowed. Waterpaw was with his mentor, Rowanflight. The orange she-cat was his mother's sister. Stormpaw was padding beside Bluetail. Waterpaw glared at Ravenpaw with narrowed eyes. "Yeah. That would be nice," he smiled. Waterpaw was expecting him to mess up. Well, this time, Ravenpaw didn't. He was pretty much a pro at talking now. Not like that was anything to be proud of. But Ravenpaw WAS proud of himself. His speech did get better. He'd reached his goal it took him all his kithood to master. Outside the camp was the most beautiful thing Ravenpaw had ever seen. The pond beside their territory was filled with ducks, it's surface glistening.

Ravenpaw loved being an apprentice already. He liked helping the elders out and hunting. He liked to patrol outside and protect camp. He liked battles and protecting the clan. He loved everything there was about being an apprentice. Lunarmoon couldn't bother him anymore. Everything was perfect. Except that. The two didn't even have a close father-son bond. They hardly ever spoke to each other. Ravenpaw just wished his father loved him as much as he should've.

...

It was Ravenpaw's second moon as an apprentice. "Ravenpaw! Waterpaw! Bluetail!" Dovestar meowed. She told them to go on a hunting patrol. Ravenpaw narrowed his eyes. Really Dovestar? Waterpaw? The cat who will never let me forget about my disorder? Dovestar might think this is a good idea, but I don't! He padded to Bluetail. "See you later," Stormpaw mewed. "Yeah. See ya."

...

The scent of prey filled Ravenpaw's nose. He flicked his tail to the clearing. "I think this might be a good spot," he told Bluetail. Bluetail nodded. "Waterpaw, go hunt with Ravenpaw." Ravenpaw rolled his eyes. "You mean the baby kitty? The one who is one week old?" Waterpaw teased. Bluetail bristled. "GO!" he hissed to Waterpaw. Ravenpaw sneered. "Haha," he whispered.

Waterpaw narrowed his eyes. Ravenpaw did the same. "I bet baby kitty can't catch more mice than me," Waterpaw sneered. "This baby kitty can catch a billion more mice than you!" Ravenpaw hissed. "Wanna bet?" Waterpaw jeered. "Why not?" Ravenpaw chuckled, preparing his hindquarters.

Ravenpaw pounced. He'd caught six mice in two minutes. Waterpaw came back with five mice. "See I told you-" He counted Ravenpaw's mice. "Y-you won." Ravenpaw sneered, "And you lost." He would never let Waterpaw forget he lost the bet. Not ever.

...

It had been three moons since Waterpaw lost the bet. Ravenpaw reminded him every day. Ravenpaw padded into the camp center. Beekit had been born two moons before, and since then, Ravenpaw had felt a close connection with her. He didn't know why. Just then, Dovestar called Lunarmoon over. "Go hunting with Stonewing." Lunarmoon nodded. "May I speak with Ravenpaw first?" he growled. Dovestar nodded. "Weakling!" Lunarmoon hissed. "I saw you let that kittypet go! You should have teared it to shreds!" Ravenpaw was scared. He'd never seen his father like this. "T-there was no point!" he insisted. Ravenpaw had a flashback:

Ravenpaw lashed out at the kittypet. He pinned him down, the kittypet defenseless and miserable. Ravenpaw suddenly felt a pang of sympathy. What would it have been like to see your cat torn to shreds? The cat that you loved? Ravenpaw thought about it. He let the kittypet go. "Thank you."

Lunarmoon smacked his son. He growled and turned away.

...

"Lunarmoon! Ravenpaw!" called Dovestar. "Go border patrol." The leader was turning frail. Ravenpaw bristled. Lunarmoon? Like that so-called-father would want to see Ravenpaw! Lunarmoon nodded.

They padded into the forest. Lunarmoon walked blankly, without emotion. "Did you ever love me?" Ravenpaw choked out. Lunarmoon turned around sadly. "Of-" A shadow loomed above. "Fox!" Ravenpaw jumped in front of his father. He slashed out at the fox. It just made the fox angrier. The fox lashed at Ravenpaw's muzzle. Scarlet blood trickled down Ravenpaw's muzzle. Anger bubbled up inside Ravenpaw. He bit the fox's back. The fox clawed at Lunarmoon's throat. "NO! Please dad, wake up," Ravenpaw pleaded. "Oh, my brave son. What a terrible father I've been. I'm so sorry. I'll always love-" Lunarmoon went limp. "No! No! No!"

"Lunarmoon's death was a tragedy for all of us," Dovestar meowed. "We will bury him tonight." Stormpaw was crying. "I-I never even spoke to him," she cried. "Stormpaw," Ravenpaw soothed. "It's okay. He's watching down on us from SkyClan." Stormpaw looked at the stars. "I see him." A single bright star shone in the sky. "I see him too."