Chapter 6: Apprenticeships

At six moons old…

Mousekit blinked open her eyes, glancing around. She felt as if something was nagging her, telling her that she needed to know something. But it was too early to try to remember anything.

Just as Mousekit put her head down and tried to sleep again, she heard the sound of a cat pushing through the entrance of the Nursery. Mousekit felt her mother, sleeping beside her, being shaken awake. Mousekit hissed and leapt to her feet, suddenly defensive. The unsettling blue eyes of Flakefrost looked up to meet hers.

Mousekit instantly relaxed. So it wasn't ThunderClan cats. Ever since she had spied on the two ThunderClan queens, Mousekit's dreams were plagued with nightmares, with exception of the StarClan dream. Her nightmares were waking her up much earlier than she would like them to, and so she frequently was awake before her mother and sisters.

Mousekit glanced back at the nest she shared with her sisters and mother. Applekit was stirring, causing Wildkit to jerk awake and get out of the nest as fast as she could. Wildkit, with heavy paws, drowsily made her way over to where Mousekit was standing.

Wildkit took one look at Flakefrost and, with suppressed excitement, whispered to Mousekit, "I bet he's here to wake our mother up so we can get ready for our apprentice ceremony! Oh, I can't wait…"

Mousekit snorted. Of course Wildkit would think nothing bad of any cat, or their motives for being or doing anything. Suddenly, Mousekit remembered that nagging thought.

Of course! Cold dread filled Mousekit's stomach. She and her sisters were going to be apprentices now. Soon Mousekit would have to tell them, after Bluekit's first Gathering…

Whenever Mousekit and her sisters had complained about how they were 'old enough to be apprentices', their mother would tell them that six moons isn't that far away, and that if they enjoyed their time together, it would seem much shorter.

Mousekit felt as if six moons later was the next dawn.

Applekit blinked open her warm amber eyes, and scrambled out of the nest, purring.

"I heard Ivyleaf and Lilypool talking about our apprentice ceremony yesterday! I bet it's today. Oooh!" Applekit seemed to just notice Flakefrost, who was waiting patiently for Lilypool to stop stretching and wake up fully. "Flakefrost must be waking up our parents so we can get ready! I can't wait! Who do you think our mentors will be?"

Applekit dropped her voice considerably. "I think I want to be medicine cat," she said shyly. "Do you think Flakefrost will let me?"

Mousekit snorted again. "You? A medicine cat?" Applekit was much too happy-go-lucky to be a proper medicine cat, in Mousekit's opinion. "You'd probably kill all your patients with your happiness."

Applekit glared, a rare sight. "Well, I'm going to ask him." she huffed and stalked over to Flakefrost.

"Well, she obviously had her mind stuck on being medicine cat for a while now." Mousekit grumbled. Why hadn't Applekit told them earlier?

Wildkit seemed to contemplate the thought of Applekit as medicine cat. "She'd do a good job; she has a good memory, don't you think?" When Mousekit didn't reply, Wildkit went on. "Her overly-happy personality might encourage people to get better."

At Mousekit's incredulous glance, Wildkit hurried to add, "I mean, keep trying to get better by following what Applekit says. Besides, by the time Applekit would become medicine cat, she might mature more, and be able to calm herself down enough to give enough attention to the patient's wounds, and less to the patient itself."

Mousekit considered that. Maybe Applekit would grow up and see that everything isn't all 'I'm happy, so everyone else must be, too!' in the Clans.

Applekit, after a long talk with Flakefrost, with Lilypool looking on proudly, stalked back to where Mousekit and Wildkit were standing.

"Flakefrost agreed to train me as medicine cat." Applekit declared triumphantly. "He says he'll tell Snowstar and she'll announce it when she makes us apprentice today."

As Flakefrost moved toward the door, Lilypool came up to them, eyes shining. "Let's get you ready for your apprentice ceremony." She purred.

Soon, Mousekit, Wildkit, and Applekit were standing before the hazel branch, called the Highbranch, used for Clan meetings, with sleek, shiny pelts.

As Mousekit tried to refrain from itching herself and ruining her smooth pelt, Wildkit and Applekit chattered excitedly.

Mousekit saw Snowstar emerge from her den. As she approached the Highbranch, Snowstar gazed at the three kits.

Mousekit hissed quietly, "Wildkit, Applekit! Snowstar's watching us, and she's about to call the Clan meeting for our apprentice ceremony. Be quiet for once!"

Applekit and Wildkit silenced themselves, but Mousekit could see they were nervous. Mousekit's dread overpowered her nervousness.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highbranch!" Snowstar called, and the space beneath the Highbranch began to fill with the Clan cats.

Lilypool and Ivyleaf stood at the entrance to the Nursery, looking proud of their kin. Foxfur and Berrystone joined them. All the other cats gathered around the three kits, who were closer to the Highbranch than any other cat.

Mousekit shifted her paws. Great. Now the whole Clan was watching her every move. As if she needed any more attention.

Berrystone, Frostnose, Starlingtail, Duskpelt, and even Foxfur and Grayfoot were looking at them weirdly. Mousekit was sure It was because of the prophecy. She huffed and turned her head away from them. At least Snowstar seemed to consider them as normal cats.

Snowstar leaped down from the Highbranch and approached Wildkit.

"Wildkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Wildpaw. Your mentor will be Marshbird. I hope she will pass down all she knows on to you."

Marshbird stepped out of the crowd, and she and Wildpaw touched noses. After conversing with Marshbird for a moment, Wildpaw happily ran to Lilypool, who scolded her for running. Mousekit took a deep breath. It was her turn now.

Snowstar took a step towards Mousekit.

"Mousekit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Mousepaw. Your mentor will be Duskpelt. I hope he will pass down all he knows on to you."

Out of the corner of her eye, Mousepaw could see Duskpelt step out of the crowd. He thinks he's got my destiny all figured out because of the prophecy.

Duskpelt looked unsure whether or not to be happy he had gotten a cat who was part of a prophecy, or to be nervous because it was up to him to ensure that Mousepaw has what she needed to fulfill her prophecy. As he stepped towards her, Mousepaw quickly stepped up to briefly touch noses with him.

"I'll start teaching you about the borders tomorrow. You can meet me at sunrise near the Highbranch. Today, I need to teach you how to collect moss so you can make a proper nest in the Apprentice Den. After the ceremony, meet me back here so we can start your training. For now, you can stay with your parents." Duskpelt whispered. Mousepaw nodded and hurried over to where her parents were standing.

Lilypool's eyes were shining. Ivyleaf was purring gently. Foxfur had his chest puffed out, looking tall and proud. Berrystone stood by Ivyleaf, looking happy for the three kits. Wildkit looked excited. "We're so proud," Lilypool whispered softly, and Foxfur pulled Mousepaw, Wildpaw, and Lilypool together, wrapping his tail around them.

Mousepaw turned to watch as Snowstar beckoned to Applekit. Applekit looked more nervous now that Mousepaw and Wildpaw were not by her side. As Applekit walked forward, Flakefrost walked out of the crowd. He looked happy, as if he couldn't have chosen a better medicine cat apprentice. Mousepaw wasn't so sure about that.

"Applekit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Applepaw. Your mentor will be Flakefrost. I hope he will pass down all he knows on to you." Snowstar swished her tail towards Flakefrost, signaling for him to begin.

"Cats of ShadowClan, as you know, I will not be around forever. So it's time I took an apprentice. I have chosen a cat who has shown determination and strong will. Your next medicine cat will be Applepaw." Flakefrost looked at Snowstar.

"Applepaw, do you accept the post of apprentice to Flakefrost?" Snowstar turned her gaze to Applepaw, studying her.

Applepaw managed to squeak out an, "I do."

Flakefrost's gaze bored into Applepaw's. "Then at the half-moon, you must travel to the Moonpool to be accepted by StarClan before the other medicine cats." Applepaw nodded hesitantly.

Snowstar ended the ceremony with, "The good wishes of all ShadowClan will go with you."

Applepaw touched noses with Flakefrost, and the entire Clan began an uproar.

"WILDPAW! MOUSEPAW! APPLEPAW!" The Clan cheered, repeating the words over and over.

Applepaw had a brief discussion with Flakefrost, then bounced over to her family. "I'm a medicine cat now!" she squealed.

"You mean a medicine cat apprentice." Mousepaw corrected. "Try that first, and then we'll see about medicine cat."

Applepaw looked hurt. "I meant that," she said, softly.

Wildpaw stepped in. "Mousepaw, stop being mean to Applepaw." She glared at Mousepaw angrily. "And while you're at it, why don't you apologize."

Lilypool looked at them, worried, but she said nothing.

"You know what?" Applepaw said, trying to ease the tension. "Maybe we should, um, have a talk."

Those words did not have the desired effect.

Wildpaw narrowed her eyes at Mousepaw. "Yes," she said, "We should 'have a talk'."

Mousekit took a step back. 'Have a talk' didn't seem so friendly anymore. And Mousepaw had a feeling that she know what they really wanted to 'have a talk' about.

"Not now," Mousepaw managed to choke out. "Um,...Duskpelt's waiting to train me." All three 'paws glanced back at the Highbranch, where Duskpelt and Marshbird were gazing at them coolly. The crowd had dispersed. Flakefrost was waiting patiently in front of the medicine cat den.

Mousepaw watched as Wildpaw's expression began to change.

"All right," Wildpaw grudgingly admitted. "We've all got to go and start training. But maybe we can talk later." She had cooled down, but that was a problem; she was calm and could think clearly.

Wildpaw gazed coolly at Mousepaw.

Applepaw chirped, "We sure will!"

Mousepaw groaned. Trust Applepaw to ignore the hostilities and assume they would just be forgotten if someone didn't acknowledge them.

The group of three split up. As she glanced back at her mother, Mousepaw saw pain and concern her Lilypool's eyes, as if she couldn't bear to see her children drifting apart; but couldn't turn away, either.

END OF CHAPTER

No, I'm kidding.

I'm not that mean...or am I?

Mousepaw stalked back into camp, exhausted, but managing to maintain her dignity. As she passed, the other apprentices, whom she had yet to meet, looked condescendingly at Mousepaw, mocking her for trying to keep her pride intact.

There was only one apprentice, a pure white tom with a light blue-gray stripe spiraling around his tail, who didn't mock Mousepaw; she hoped that that same tom hadn't mocked her sisters either.

Mousepaw had spent all day collecting moss, and when she was done preparing her nest, she was forced to clean and bring back new moss for the rest of the Apprentice Den, then the Nursery, and then the Elder's Den.

Of course, she had Wildpaw's help, and Applepaw did the occasional moss-collecting job, but they did nearly all of the dens. They only got off doing the Warrior's Den, partly because there were so many Warriors, they were responsible for their own nests, and it was getting dark.

Mousepaw had never felt so tired and exhausted in her life. Her short, not-really-long life, anyways.

Mousepaw hoped to avoid her sisters, so she headed straight for the Apprentice Den to get some sleep. She hadn't seen either of her sisters yet, and she hoped it would stay that way until she got to sleep.

As soon as Mousepaw stepped inside, she was ambushed.

Her sisters herded her out of the Apprentice Den, and steered her between the Apprentice Den and the dirtplace tunnel. Hopefully no one would bother to come so close to the dirtplace tunnel without actually having to go.

Wildpaw's eyes glowed with smug satisfaction, and Applepaw's eyes glittered with triumphance. Once Applepaw and Wildpaw had made sure Mousepaw could not escape, they began to interrogate.

"Explain." Wildpaw said simply.

"What?" Mousepaw replied nervously.

"What really happened at that warrior meeting!" Applepaw exclaimed, leaning closer.

Mousepaw gulped. "You're still onto that? It was so long ago."

Something flashed in Wildpaw's eyes. "Long ago, it definitely was," she hissed, eyes glinting. "So now you'll tell us all of it."

"You don't understand!" Mousepaw stumbled back, only to bump into the Apprentice Den. "I can't tell you!"

"Can't tell what?" Wildpaw growled, and suddenly Mousepaw was pinned against the Apprentice Den. "Who told you that you couldn't tell anyone?"

"It'll only raise more questions!"

"Try me!"

"You'll have to promise to stop questioning me and wait until I'm allowed to tell you." Mousepaw said through gritted teeth.

"When will that be?"

"Our first Gathering."

Wildpaw paused for a moment. "Fine," She was evidently trying to sound nice to Mousepaw. Unfortunately, Wildpaw ruined it with her next sentence. "Now answer my question!"

"StarClan," Mousepaw blurted. "StarClan told me not to."

Wildpaw looked stunned. Applepaw's eyes had lost it's gleam, and she looked a little jealous.

"I don't believe you. Give me proof." Wildpaw tightened her grip on Mousepaw.

Mousepaw felt smug. "You promised not to question me," She reminded them, trying to ignore Wildpaw's grip.

Wildpaw looked frustrated, and Applepaw looked slightly disappointed. Nevertheless, Wildpaw released her hold, and she and Applepaw retreated, leaving Mousepaw behind.

How long to I have to deal with this, Mousepaw thought, until they finally get it out of me?