Thanks to FalconFlight9 and Withered Rose for your OC's! They will appear soon :)
The moon seemed to dissolve like the snow. The grass was now green and the sun was warm. Prey was plentiful, so ThunderClan was well fed.
Dawntail had been right, Scorchkit had grown. She was the same size as Snowpaw now.
It was only dawn, but Scorchkit's paws itched for sleep, she could finally train with Dawntail.
Over the past moon, Scorchkit had been working hard. She had run laps around the camp for long periods of time, while Mosskit simply scoffed and rolled her eyes.
She had also practiced hunter's crouch, leaping, and a few simple battle moves she had learned from observing the apprentices. It hadn't been hard to sneak out off camp without anyone noticing.
As a result, she was much stronger now, and she had lost most of her kit-fluff. Her black fur was sleek, and her claws shone in the Newleaf sunlight.
"Good morning, Scorchkit!" Crowpaw called across the clearing.
"Morning!" she replied.
She had even become friends with Graypaw, who had apologized for being so rude as a kit.
"Crowpaw! Want to race?" She meowed challengingly, the older apprentice smirked, "You are going down!"
The two lined up beside the apprentice's den. "Three laps around camp" Crowpaw meowed, bunching his muscles.
"Ready, Set, Go!"
Scorchkit took off, paws pounding on the ground. Cats had gathered to watch.
Seedfoot, Graypaw, Rosie, Sparrowsoar, Lightpaw, Dovepaw, Falconpaw and even Redstar!
Crowpaw was ahead of her, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mosskit, Tigerpaw and Snowpaw scoffing.
Baring her teeth, she pushed forward, passing Crowpaw.
Most of the Clan was watching now, and they gasped as Scorchkit began the second lap in the lead.
Her legs were throbbing, but the whole Clan was watching, and she refused to let Crowpaw win.
She was almost on hr last lap, when Tigerpaw leaped in frost of her. "Just give up, loser" he smirked.
Without thinking Scorchkit leaped into the air, twisting and landing on all four paws before continuing to sprint at full speed.
Tigerpaw stood there, astonished. Scorchkit didn't bother hide her pride as she continued, and by now many cats were chattering among themselves, clearly surprised at Scorchkit's athletic abilities.
Crowpaw was on her tail as the third lap began, and her legs were burning.
However she refused to give up, and with a yowl she leaped across the finish line.
Some cats were cheering; others were staring at her in disgust.
"She probably cheated," Snowpaw mumbled to her brother, who nodded in agreement.
"Wow," Crowpaw panted, "You sure are fast, for a five moon old kit. You have a talent".
"Indeed she does," Scorchkit nearly jumped out of her fur at Redstar's voice, and turned to see her leader beaming down at her.
"I have noticed you, practicing every day," she meowed, "You have certainly improved, you have the skill of a new apprentice"
Scorchkit beamed with pride, "I have been sneaking to the apprentice's practice's" she admitted, "I just want to be the best warrior ever!"
Redstar tilted her head, "and I believe you will be a very great addition to ThunderClan" she leaped up to the highledge, and summoned the Clan.
"Cats of ThunderClan! Today I am appointing a new apprentice".
"Mosskit, it must be you!" Tigerpaw squeaked.
"Scorchkit, step forward"
Enraged yowls sounded from most of ThunderClan,
"She isn't old enough!"
"If anyone should be an apprentice, it's Mosskit!"
"Quiet!" Redstar snapped, "Scorchkit shows a rare talent, and she has the skill of an apprentice. It would be foolish to waste so much young blood"
"And how did she learn those moves?" Honeyfern demanded, glaring at her youngest daughter.
"She admits, she did sneak out to watch the apprentice's train" the ginger she-cat meowed.
"So she should be punished, not rewarded!" Nightgaze yowled. Many nodded in agreement, but some exchanged glances that said Scorchkit should be an apprentice.
"Scorchkit is a murderer!"
"Scum!"
"She doesn't deserve to be an apprentice early!"
"Shut up!" Scorchkit cried, anger burning inside her, "I am a living, breathing creature that has feelings! I am a part of ThunderClan, whether you like it or not! And the sooner you accept me as one of you, the better!" She snarled, casting glances from Honeyfern, to Nightgaze, and then to Mosskit.
Redstar smiled, summoning her forwards.
The Clan was silent as Scorchkit padded forward, except Mosskit, who was growling.
"Scorchkit, you shall now be known as Scorchpaw. Sparrowsoar shall mentor you, he did a wonderful job mentoring Raggedsoul, and I expect him to pass down all of his knowledge to you"
"Scorchpaw! Scorchpaw!"
Scorchpaw didn't care that only Lightpaw, Crowpaw, Graypaw, Redstar, and the elders called out her name.
Her heart was pounding, and even though her parents were clearly mad that it wasn't their '"perfect" daughter receiving her apprentice name, Scorchpaw had proved she had talent, and that was all that mattered.
"Come on, Scorchpaw, it's time for me to show you the territory" Sparrowsoar said.
Scorchpaw glanced on last time at Mosskit, who was angrily talking to Honeyfern and Nightgaze.
"Alright" She meowed, following her mentor out of camp.
It was Sunhigh by the time they reached the stream that bordered WindClan.
With all the melting snow, the water was lapping at Scorchpaw's paws.
She leaned down, sticking her tongue into the brisk water and taking a few sips, before Sparrowsoar summoned her downstream.
She padded beside her mentor, staring at her reflection in the water.
"Watch out!" Sparrowsoar placed his tail across Scorchpaw's path, and embarrassment washed over her as she realized she had nearly walked into the lake.
"S-sorry" she stuttered, scuffling her paws in the dirt.
Sparrowsoar chuckled, "It's alright, when I was first apprenticed, I chased a squirrel into a tree!"
Scorchpaw couldn't help but laugh, it just felt so nice.
"Come on, this way" he meowed. They followed the shoreline until they reached a huge tree, and Scorchpaw had to strain her neck to get a glimpse of the very top.
"This is the Ancient Oak. It is ideal for hunting because many squirrels make their nests here" Sparrowsoar explained.
Scorchpaw made a mental note, and they continued on along the shoreline.
"What is that smell?" She demanded, wrinkling her nose.
"It's the Thunderpath, we are nearing the ShadowClan border" He replied.
Heartbeats later, they reached the hard black stone, which stunk of twolegs and monsters.
"Look, here one comes"
Scorchpaw gasped, she had never seen a monster before. It had huge, circular paws, and a shiny black pelt.
There was a trail of stinky cloud left behind the monster as it passed, and Scorchpaw cringed as it stung her eyes.
"There is a ShadowClan patrol," Sparrowsoar said, flicking his tail towards four cats, a white and gray tabby tom, a small pale brown she-cat with darker brown speckles, a ginger tom with black paws, and a pale gray she-cat.
The patrol spotted them, "Hello, Sparrowsoar, is this a new apprentice?" The pale gray she-cat asked.
Sparrowsoar nodded, "Yes, Cloudfoot, this is Scorchpaw".
Cloudfoot dipped her head. "How is hunting?" the gray tabby tom asked "Good, Stormstripe, and yourself?"
"Better than ThunderClan!" The small brown she-cat squeaked.
"Specklepaw! Show some respect!" the ginger tom snapped.
Specklepaw coward down, "Sorry, Firepelt".
"We best be on our way. Goodbye, Sparrowsoar, Scorchpaw," Cloudfoot meowed.
Scorchpaw's mentor dipped his head, and she did the same.
"Why are you smiling?" Scorchpaw asked when she noticed Sparrowsoar's mouth twitching.
"Nothing, just, when Specklepaw was a kit we rescued her from a fox, when we asked her what she was doing she said she was hunting, and then showed us the beetle she had caught" He replied, shaking his head.
Scorchpaw let out a little chuckle, and then followed Sparrowsoar back towards camp.
Her paws were buzzing with electricity when they returned. It was sundown, and there wasn't much longer until she trained with Dawntail.
She emerged into camp, being met with glares from most cats. Crowpaw, beaming at her, padded over.
"I made you a nest beside me," he purred, licking her ear. Scorchpaw blushed and started towards the nursery.
"Where are you going?" He asked.
Scorchpaw turned, "There is something I have to do, be right there" she promised.
Crowpaw shrugged and then disappeared into the apprentice's den.
Scorchpaw took a deep breath and then padded into the nursery.
Sandfoot, who was expecting Beeclaw's kits, was sleeping peacefully in the corner.
She had finally moved into the nursery after Falconpaw had taken his Warrior Assessment, and Redstar had announced that his ceremony would be tomorrow, along with his sisters.
"Honeyfern?" She called.
"What do you want, filthy scum" her mother's reply came from the shadowed back corner of the den.
Scorchpaw held back a growl, and walked towards her.
"Tell me, are you proud of me yet? I was made an apprentice before your dearest Mosskit, after all" she hissed.
Honeyfern laughed, "I will never be proud of you, or anything you do! Sweetkit is dead because of you! I hate you, and I always will!"
Scorchpaw flinched slightly, and then took a deep breath and leaned in close, so her muzzle was at her mother's ear.
"One day, when I am a strong warrior, I will prove to you, that the only filthy scum in ThunderClan, is you".
Wow! That was a long one. Please review! I love reviews! And don't forget to do leave OC's!
QOTD: What do you think of Honeyfern?