Duskkit woke up with a start. He looked around the nursery walls filled with natural cracks that the cave was filled with. Duskkit wondered why he had seen the FlowerClan medicine cat being raped by the leader. He started to think about the dream he had just had but his thoughts drifted as he remembered what was happening today. Duskkit looked at his sister Bluekit, who was smiling as she twitched in her sleep. Duskkit got up and padded outside and into the the middle of the IceClan camp, the damp air clung to his hazy brown fur.
He looked at the warriors den across from the nursery cave and then the apprentice's den next to the warriors. Duskkit padded in front of the elder's den and looked up to the leader's den at the top of the cavern ridge. The entrance was hidden by snow from Duskkit's position. Duskkit traced the ridge that led from the leader's den to Stonepile at the end of the trail. Stonepile was boulders that had fallen from the top of the cavern long before the clans had been established, and where the leader made important announcements and hel cermonies.
"That's where I'll be today," Dukkit whispered to himself. He was seven moons old and was more than ready to become an apprentice. Duskkit had had to wait an extra moon because his sister, Bluekit, had run off to another Clan's camp without permission or reason to. Duskkit sighed at the memory of Shadestar giving him the same punishment for not informing her or trying to stop Bluekit. He couldn't wait for his apprentice ceremony.
"What are you doing out here so early Duskkit?" a sleepy voice asked. Duskkit turned to see Coldpaw and Heartpaw standing behind him. The two she-cats were the same age as him but because of Bluekit they had been apprenticed while he had to wait another moon.
Duskkit looked at the two she-cats. Coldpaw was half awake, her white fur with silver splotches was puffed out from the cold. Coldpaw's light brown eyes were half shut as she tried to stay standing. Heartpaw's light brown tabby fur was shining from the sun's rays hitting it. Heartpaw's ginger paws and black tail contrasted greatly against the frozen stone floor. Duskkit shrugged a she looked into Heartpaw's amber and brown eye.
"Why are you two up so early?" Duskkit asked.
"We were suppose to be on dawn patrol but it seems that Hollowwind isn't even awake to lead it," Coldpaw explained and then yawned again.
"So, why up so early Duskkit?" Heartpaw asked again.
"Today is when I'm made an apprentice," Duskkit said proudly.
"That's great Duskkit! You will be joining us in the apprentice den from now on," Heartpaw happily said.
"At least now it won't be so empty with Goldpaw leaving," Coldpaw said. Duskkit thought he saw a trace of sorrow in Heartpaw's eyes but when he looked at them again he saw only happiness radiating from them.
"Duskkit!"
Duskkit looked towards the nursery where the shout had come from. In front of the nursery, Sapphirestream stood looking angry mixed with concern.
Sapphirestream started padding towards Duskkit rapidly, Tulipkit following her as she always did. Sapphirestream's beautiful silver fur shined as one of the rays of light illuminated her. Her black paws touched the stone floor soundlessy and her white legs looked like a blurr as she walked.
"Are you going to stay there chatting like elders all day?" Sapphirestream asked, her amber eyes glaring at him.
"No," Duskkit shook his head. Sapphirestream lifted Duskkit by the scruff and returned to the nursey.
Inside the solid walls of the nursery cave, Bluekit was waiting for him, along with his other brothers and sister. Although Duskkit knew that Bluekit was his only true sister, her still felt a brotherly and sisterly bond with Sapphirestream's kits. Duskkit noticed that Bluekit's black pelt was amazingly clean. Sapphirestream dropped Duskkit onto the mosscovered floor.
"Now, it's your turn," she said and started cleaning him.
"You look funny,' Bluekit laughed at his face, her brown eyes twinkling.
"That's a mean thing to say," Creamkit said in a gentle voice. Creamkit sat still careful not to mess up her smoothly arrange light silver fur, but her black tailtip quivered a bit. Duskkit's quiet brother, Thornkit, just watch the conversation hoping for some conflict.
"You're becoming a medicine cat apprentice right, Creamkit?" Bluekit said, obviously trying to change the subject.
Creamkit nodded her light silver head. her dark blue eyes stared at Duskkit as if pleading for approval of her choice. Duskkit flinched a little from the intensity of Creamkit's eyes. He never had much of an interest in herbs or paid much attention to them.
"I guess that's pretty cool," Duskkit muttered the same time Sapphirestream finished cleaning him.
"Now, you look much more presentable," she purred.
"It doesn't matter on how you look, as long as you can fight," Hazelkit said, puffing out his gray chest.
"True to that," Duskkit batted his favorite brotehr.
"It's better to go in front of the Clan clean than filthy," Sapphirestream countered.
Duskkit rolled his eyes at his false mother's comment. He wondered why she had taken Duskkit and Bluekit in when they were found near the IceClan border, and if he would ever meet his real mother. Sapphirestream stood still for a moment and pricked up her ears. Duskkit did the same.
"....gather beneath...." Shadestar's voice was faintly heard through the nursery walls.
Sapphirestream's eyes widened and she rushed the six kits out of the nursery. The whole clan was already gathered at the bottom of Stonepile, many sleepy. Duskkit saw Coldpaw and Heartpaw and guessed that dawn patrol had been postponed.
"I apologize for the early awakening, but today is a proud day for IceClan, Shadestar proclaimed. Duskkit saw Goldpaw near the calico leader. His mentor, a light yellow she-cat with ginger tabby markings, sat next to him proudly. Duskkit saw, as he moved towards the leader, that Goldpaw had groomed his light brown fur perfectly. Shadestar began the warrior ceremony as Goldpaw stepped foreward.
"I, Shadestar of IceClan, 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 comend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Goldpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code to protect and defend your clan even at the cost of your life?" Shadestar clearly cited the begining of the ceremony.
"I do," Goldpaw replied.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name, Goldpaw from this moment on you will be known as Goldpelt. StarClan honors your courage and determination and we welcome you as a full warrior of IceClan." Shadestar finished and rested her muzzle on Goldpelt's head. Goldpelt licked Shadestar's shoulder with respect.
"Goldpelt! Goldpelt!" IceClan members chanted with his mentor, Groundfall, the loudest.
"Now there is one more ceremony to take place and add new ranks to our numbers," Shadestar said after Goldpelt jumped off Stonepile. Sapphirestream pushed her kits and Duskkit and his sister to Stonepile.
"Tulipkit, Thornkit, Hazelkit, creamkit, Bluekit, and Duskkit please come up. This is a fine day for IceClan, by naming apprentices we show IceClan will survive and remain strong." Duskkit puffed out his chest in pride.
"It is time to add six apprentices to the clan. Tulipkit, Thornkit, Hazelkit, Bluekit, and Duskkit, from this day until you receive your warrior names, you will be known as Tulippaw, Thornpaw, Hazelpaw, Bluepaw, and Duskpaw. i ask StarClan to watch over and guide you until you find the paws, strength, and courage of a warrior. Silentshadow to Hazelpaw, Riverlegs to Tulippaw, Nightsky to Duskpaw, Hailflower to Bluepaw, and Yellowpelt to Thornpaw, you will be mentors to these apprentices and I hope you will pass this knowledge to your new apprentice."
After Hazelpaw and Tulippaw touched noses with Silentshadow and Riverlegs, Duskpaw touched noses to Nightsky and waited for his sister and Thornpaw to finish.
"Hazelpaw, Tulippaw, Duskpaw, Thornpaw, Bluepaw!" The IceClan cats chanted.
"Now, Creamkit has chosen the path of a medicine cat," Shadestar said after the chanting quieted down. Hayclaw, the medicine cat climbed up to Stonepile.
"Cats of IceClan as you know I will not be around forever. So it's time I took an apprentice. I have chosen a cat willing to learn the herbs and dreams of becoming a good medicine cat. Your next medicine cat is Creampaw." Hayclaw said.
"Creampaw, do you accept the post of apprentice to Hayclaw?" Shadestar asked Creampaw.
"Yes, Shadestar," Creampaw replied.
"Then as half-moon you must travel to Stargate, to be accepted by StarClan before the other medicine cats." Hayclaw explained.
"The good wishes of all Iceclan will go with you" Shadestar said. Hayclaw then touched noses with Creampaw. The IceClan chanted Creampaw's name with the same enthusiam as they had throughout the ceremonies. After Creampaw had finished being congratulated, Duskpaw headed towards Nightsky. The black tom with tiny white spots and brown eyes was crowded by happy warriors that congratulated him for getting an apprentice. Duskpaw managed to get through the small crowd and sit next to his mentor, waiting for the tom to take notice of him. Eventually the crowd of warriors thinned out, remembering their duties for the day, and Nightsky looked at Duskpaw.
"We will start your training tomorrow," was all the tom said to his apprentice for the day and then left Duskpaw alone.
