*Days pass, the Gathering approaches, and with it came a tense air through the camp.*
Ivyleaf padded through the camp entrance, carrying two mice in between her teeth. They had been easy kills, though hunting grew more difficult with each day, as Leafbare was almost upon the clans.
She set the mice down in the freshkill pile, noting it was almost full for the day, before padding quickly to the Warrior's den, hoping she could warm herself before her next shift. Her breath danced in clouds in the air around her, watching it dissipate. She shivered, fluffing her fur out. The den was barely any warmer, and few cats currently in it, having most hunting. The nests had been pushed together, in a far corner, and the cats there huddled for warmth.
Leafbare in Windclan was difficult, many cats had nearly died from the cold, there was barely any shelter against the snow and icy winds.
Ivyleaf plopped down in a nest near the center of the clump, cats stirring slightly, before returning to their original position. Wrapping her tail close to her nose. She peered through the thick roots making up a one of the walls. The clan was almost completely empty, most cats were hunting, but would return soon, before it would start snowing. Ivyleaf cast her eyes towards the Nursery. Several furry blurs bounced near it. Foxkit had been moved to the Nursery, and the kits had been ecstatic, often sneaking out of their own nests to join Foxkit's near empty one.
Neither of the queens had opted to let Foxkit into their nests, still concerned of his origin.
Ivyleaf huffed in amusement, before closing her eyes, hoping to fall asleep quickly to escape the cold.
'I win!' Lightkit yowled, jumping to his feet. He was on a tall boulder, with a moss ball haning in his teeth. Foxkit had thrown it up there by accident, from being startled, it was a complete accident, but Foxkit still felt guilty. They had decided to race, who ever got the moss ball picked from the freshkill pile first. 'Aww, I was so close!' Honeykit whined, but she was smiling. She slid down the rock, and flopped onto her back.
'But not close enough!' Lightkit gloated, leaping down from the boulder and joining his sister. Foxkit and Deerkit quickly joined them, plopping down.
'Remind me to never climb again.' Deerkit panted, unused to climbing. 'Don't climb ever again.' Foxkit joked. His voice had grown more confident, and his accent was fading bit by bit every day, though still thick with the words of fox. 'I meant later Foxkit!' She swatted him with a paw, making him chuckle.
As they recovered from their climb, cats had begun to trickle into the camp, feet dragging, tired from their trip.
After a little while, all the cats in the clan had returned from hunting and other various tasks. Foxkit dozed, basking in the weak sunlight. His fur was thicker than the cats, so he wasn't as bothered by the cold. Slowly, he fell asleep, a content feeling burrowed deep in his chest.
*The day wore on slowly, the sun slowly starting to set.*
Foxkit was roused by a paw on his flank. 'What is it?' He muttered, barely discernible through his half asleep state and his thick accent. 'You need to get yourself proper, Larkstar is gong to Apprentice you.' Foxkit's was still for a moment, processing the words, before his eyes shot open. 'What?' He said, sitting up abruptly, searching for the cat that had woken him. Ivyleaf was a few steps away, watching him in amusement.
'A Apprentice sweetheart, make yourself presentable.' Ivyleaf turned, padding off to sit next to Larkstar.
Foxkit hastily licked his fur, smoothing it down and pulling specks of dirt and moss from it. He glanced up, noting that his friends were doing the same, hoping to be clean before Ivyleaf called them again.
Larkstar cleared his throat, making cats look up. They hadn't noticed him jump up to the Announcer. 'Today, I am Apprenticing the current kits in the clan.' Cheers went up, but a few cats looked to Foxkit, suspicion in their gazes. Foxkit quickly looked away, upset.
Larkstar gestured with his tail for them to sit below him, under the tree. As they did so, the clan gathered, happy mummers from some, angry whispers from others.
'Today, these to-be Warriors, will start their lives, and we have the honor of guiding them.' Larkstar looked to a short grey cat near the back of the crowd. 'Meadowfur, I grant thee the honor of teaching Lightkit. Show him the ways of being a Warrior.' He looked down to Lightkit, who was fidgeting in excitement. 'Lightkit, as of now, you shall be known as Lightpaw, untill you have been Granted.' Lightpaw bowed his head, keeping it down.
Larkstar looked to a brown cat in the very center of the clan cats, and called down to him. 'Flyfoot, I grant thee the honor of teaching Honeykit. Show her the ways of being a Warrior.' He looked to Honeykit, slightly surprised at how calm she was.
'Honeykit, as of now, you shall be known as Honeypaw, untill you have been Granted' She bowed her head, matching her brother.
Deerkit excitedly scanned the crowd, wondering who her mentor will be. Several curious gazes swept over her, Grasskit and Foxkit.
'Skyeye, I grant thee the honor of teaching Deerkit. Show her the ways of being a Warrior.' Deerkit watched the light grey cat in front of her, tail twitching in excitement.
'Deerkit, as of now, you will be known as Deerpaw, until you have been Granted.' She quickly lowered her head, twitching excitedly. After a moment, the mentors touched their heads, and lead them away.
The clan started muttering, wondering who Grasskit's metor would be, and what Larkstar would do about Foxkit.
Quickly, the clan discovered that Hallowswoop would mentor the white kit. 'Grasskit, as of now, you will be know as Grasspaw, untill you are Granted.' She bowed her head, and was led away quickly.
The clan held it's breath, eager to find out whether Foxkit would be mentored. 'Ivyleaf, I grant thee the honor of teaching Foxkit. Show him the ways of being a Warrior.' Protests broke out, but Larkstar ignored them. 'Foxkit, as of now, you will be known as Foxpaw, until you are Granted.' Foxpaw lowered his head, feeling cats gaze burn on his thick fur.
Ivyleaf padded up to the pup cautiously, glancing at the cats around her. Some had angry stares, while some wore merry expressions. Others just didn't care. "I wish I had that attitude." Ivyleaf thought, turning back to the pup. He was already almost as big as her, surprising her slightly.
She touched his head gently, and turned, beckoning him with her tail.
They hurried out of the entrance, and caught up with the other Apprentices quickly. 'Wow! Can you believe we're Apprentices? I can't, it seems like yesterday when we were three months old! But now we're six!' Foxkit could hear Deerpaw speaking excitedly.
'I'm so excited! Oh hi Foxpaw! Isn't it so weird to be called a paw? I think it's kinda weird.' Deerkit meowed, finally noticing Foxpaw behind her. After a few minutes of talking and walking, Meadowfur stopped, and the new Apprentices quieted, eagerly watching her.
'So, today we're going to go through the territory. Tomorrow we're going to train, then hunt. We will be repeating this until you can hunt and defend yourselves. Make sure you stay alert.' With her last words, she started them all in the eyes, making them shift, uncomfortable.
She turned, and started striding off, making the small cats scramble to keep up.
The other mentors fell in behind them, talking amongst themselves. The Apprentices gazed in wonder, even though it was just the moor, they had never been outside the camp like this.
They went through the moors, barely getting back before nightfall. By the time they were back, the five of them were dragging their feet from exhaustion. They started to head to the Nursery, but quickly realized they would be staying in the den next to it. The Apprentice den had been building up dust from being unused for so long.
Foxpaw plopped down in a nest near the entrance, too tired to continue farther in. His friends quickly joined him, forming a haphazard circle of nests around the cub.
He shifted, curling into a tight ball, hoping to keep some of his warmth with him. Even he was cold
He let out a content sigh, and quickly fell asleep.
Like it? Sorry for that late upload, I'll make sure I'm on time next time!
Review any thoughts!
Bye!
o/ *Waves*