Chapter two
"Can I help?" Icekit asked.
"No, your not an apprentice yet, so your not aloud out of the camp." Spottednose answered.
"But I'm almost six moons old!" She complained.
"Yes, Icekit is right, I have made arrangements for your kits to be made apprentices tomorrow, but one day early will not hurt. Is that okay Spottednose?" Firestar asked.
There was a long pause between the two cats until Spottednose spoke. "Yes, I will let you make them apprentices, but let me know who their mentors are going to be first."
"Don't worry, I will." Firestar said with a smile.
It seemed like a whole day until Spottednose and Firestar stalked out of his high ledge den and stayed at the top.
"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the high ledge for a clan meeting." Firestar called.
Icekit raced out of the nursery, without checking to see if Clawkit and Ashkit were following, but soon was stopped in her tracks by Spottednose.
"Your not going any where until I clean you kits up." Their mother said.
"But Spottednose-" Icekit complained. "I can clean myself!"
"Yes but your not an apprentice yet and your still my kit." Spottednose said stubbornly. Icekit's mother licked her until she felt like there was nothing left on her skin.
"You are gathered here today because we have three kits that are eager to become apprentices. They have reached six moons and are ready for their mentors. Ashkit, step forward. From this moment on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Ashpaw, and your mentor will be Graystripe. Clawkit, from this day forward, you will be known as Clawpaw and your mentor will bee Brambleclaw. Last but not least, Icekit step forward. For your courage and brave heart, from this day forward until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Icepaw and I will be your mentor."
All three apprentices licked their mentors shoulders and stood next to them proudly.
"Ashpaw! Clawpaw! Icepaw! Ashpaw! Clawpaw! Icepaw!" The clan chanted their names and
Icepaw felt as if she would explode! The clan leader was her mentor!
"Ashpaw, Clawpaw! Come over here!" Icepaw called out.
" I can't believe we are apprentices already!" Ashpaw called out." And we get to train!"
"No duh, if we become apprentices then we can train!" Icepaw said matter of factly.
"Hey Firestar, what are we going to do today? Hunt, battle train?" She asked her leader.
"First, we are going to battle train, just because of the war that is happening in Starclan. Okay, we are going to start with the swift claw. So when you are smaller than your opponent, you should try to make a move and then back away. Here try it like this." Firestar dove in and swiped the bottom of the tree as if he was trying to unbalance it.
"If you were in battle, you would use your claws, but we are just training so keep them sheathed. Try it on me now."
"Are you sure?" Icepaw questioned.
"Yeah, come on , give me your best shot." Firestar replied.
Icepaw shrugged her shoulders and started to square him up. She went to swipe his left paw, but changed directions to swipe his right. Firestar crouched down so when Icepaw went to nip his hind leg, she was squished and couldn't get up.
"Again." Firestar demanded. Icepaw tried to swipe his front paws and then his hind paws. She backed up and went to swipe at his paws, but jumped over him and batted his ear, and Firestar fell limp.
"FIRESTAR! Are you ok?" Icepaw asked. Firestar didn't answer, so she shook him with her paw. Firestar jumped to his paws and pinned her down.
"Oldest trick on the leaf. You pretend your limp so they either leave you alone, or they let their guard down." Firestar scoffed at Icepaw.
The rest of the day, Icepaw spent battle practice with Firestar and by the end of the day, she felt like she could sleep for a moon.
"Good job today, Icepaw. Go eat and rest up. We're going to explore the territories tomorrow." Firestar told her.
"Thanks Firestar, today was really fun." Icepaw replied. And then she was off to sleep.