Chapter Twenty-Seven
"Dapplekit, 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 Dapplepaw. Your mentor will be Tigerfrost. I hope Tigerfrost will pass down all she knows on to you," Foxstar's words echoed through the sunlit clearing, her ginger fur bright like flame. "Tigerfrost, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Snowfoot, and you have shown yourself to be resilient and patient. You will be the mentor of Dapplepaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her."
The small apprentice approached Tigerfrost timidly, touching her nose to theirs. Bluepaw, who was made an apprentice moments before, stood beside her mentor—Lynxfang. As they stepped back, the Clan cheered their names, Ivyfrost and Snowfoot watching with proud expressions nearby.
As the Clan broke up, Foxstar began to pad back towards the nursery—where her kits were being cared for by Redfur, having just given birth the night before to her own litter of kits. Foxstar's own kits were named Poppykit, Nutkit, and Mintkit; while Redfur had Fernkit, Sparkkit, and Honeykit. The tiny squeals of the kits could be heard from the nursery, and Shadowheart felt warmth towards his Clan for the first time in a moon. Half a moon had passed since Leopardstrike's death, and the Clan began to move on; Shadowheart included.
Newleaf had finally sprung upon the forest, seemingly overnight, as the trees began to bud and flowers began to bloom. Shadowheart relished in the warmer weather, finding a nice patch of sunlight in camp to bathe in. Purring contentedly, he closed his eyes and began to doze. Suddenly, he felt tiny claws in his tail and let out a yelp. Swishing his tail away, he turned to see Minkkit mischievously pouncing after it. Daykit was on Shadowheart's other side, tugging at his ear with her teeth.
Rolling over, Shadowheart heard them both squeak. "Ugh, I'm being attacked by tiny badgers!"
Minkkit pounced on his belly, digging his claws in. "That's right! The mightiest badger ever!"
"You can't beat us!" Daykit chimed in, tugging at Shadowheart's ear more.
Shadowheart winced at their sharp teeth and claws, and just flopped. "Oh no, I died."
"Ha! We win!" Minkkit cheered, sliding down onto Shadowheart's face.
Daykit leaped at Minkkit, knocking him over and the two rolled around squealing with delight. Shadowheart rolled back onto his belly, watching them with amusement. Almost three moons old, and the two kits were full of energy. With every day, Shadowheart saw more and more of Blackflame in his two kits.
"They sure are energetic, aren't they?" purred Sandpool, who was watching nearby.
Shadowheart gave a nod. "Quite a pawful."
"Snowfoot, Brownclaw, and I were the same way as kits," Sandpool mewed, coming to sit beside Shadowheart. "It's nice to have some peace after a harsh leaf-bare."
Sitting up, Shadowheart murmured his agreement. With Newleaf, brought a calming peace for the time being. No one had seen Hawk or his rogues, and the Clan had been thriving under the warmer weather. With a nursery full of kits, Shadowheart was grateful for the peace.
"Haha, I got you now!" yowled Daykit, as she leaped onto Minkkit's exposed belly.
Minkkit pushed her away with his hind legs, and rolled back to his paws. "Not this time!"
Tackling his sister to the ground, Minkkit pinned her. Daykit struggling under his weight, but Minkkit was larger than the dainty little she-kit. After a few more attempts to knock Minkkit off, she gave up and the little tom let out a yowl of victory. Huffing as she sat up, she sulked over to Sandpool, who began grooming her fur.
"Minkkit is no fun!" she complained.
Sandpool purred. "Don't say that," she chided. "You'll win next time I'm sure."
Daykit rolled her eyes at her mother. "But he's so much bigger than me!"
"That's when you use your head, not your body," came Firelight's voice.
Looking over, Shadowheart saw his friend padding over after being on patrol. Her eyes gleamed as she spoke to Daykit.
Daykit looked up at her. "My head?"
Nodding, Firelight sat beside Sandpool, curling her tail neatly around her paws. "When you're smaller than your opponent, you have to think of ways to beat them other than brute strength. In battle, any mistake can cost you."
Shadowheart glanced at his friend in surprise. He had always known Firelight to be head-strong and reckless. However, now that he thought about it, she was also a skilled fighter despite her smaller size. Perhaps this was just the confidence boost Daykit needed.
"So what can I do to beat Minkkit?" the little tabby asked.
Firelight purred. "Well, when he has you pinned, a good trick is to make him think he won. When he lets your guard down, use all the strength you have to throw him off and get the upper paw."
Listening attentively, Daykit stared at the ginger warrior wide-eyed. Shadowheart suppressed a purr of amusement as he glanced at Sandpool; who was listening with a glimmer in her eye. Minkkit came running over then, yelping as Softstep followed, tail tip twitching with annoyance.
"Minkkit, what is it?" Sandpool asked, shooting a questioning glance at Softstep.
The gray-and-white she-cat was heavily pregnant now, and her blue eyes were sharp with irritation. "I caught him trying to sneak into the medicine cat den," she started. "And when I caught him, he nearly knocked Timberfall over running away!"
Sandpool frowned and looked down at Minkkit. "Minkkit! You know better than that!"
Minkkit looked up defiantly. "I wasn't going to go in! I swear!"
Shadowheart twitched an ear as he listened. The past few days had been rough on the older warrior, as he became sick with an unknown illness. Softstep was right to be annoyed with a rambunctious kit getting under her sick mate's paws. Most cats in the Clan whispered that Timberfall may be due for retirement, as he was too sick to join any patrols. Shadowheart couldn't imagine how hard that must be on Softstep, who was expecting the brown warrior's kits any day now.
Shaking her head, Sandpool nudged Minkkit towards Softstep. "Apologize to Softstep this instant, Minkkit."
Head down, Minkkit scuffed his paws across the ground. "Sorry," he mumbled.
Softstep's gaze softened, and she touched her nose to Minkkit's head. "I forgive you. But remember to stay away from the medicine cat den, okay?"
Nodding sulkily, Minkkit turned and walked back to Sandpool. Softstep left them to go back towards the nursery, while Sandpool groomed Minkkit's head.
Firelight lowered herself to Minkkit's level. "You know, I used to get in trouble all the time when I was a kit."
Minkkit looked up at her. "Really?"
"Oh yes," Firelight purred. "I kept the warriors on their paws all the time! Don't take it so personally when they get cross with you, they mean well."
Shadowheart gave an amused snort at the thought of a young Firekit running around causing havoc. He wondered what life was like when he and his own littermates were young kits. Was Blackflame or Cinder rambunctious? Did their mother often have to scold the three of them? As he tried hard to remember, Shadowheart thought he could faintly see another cat in the depths of his memory.
A sudden chill ran down his spine. Did his mother not raise them alone before Hawk took them? Was there another cat who helped Silversky hide her secret? The more he thought about it, the more he was certain. Silversky was not the only cat to raise Shadowheart and his littermates during that short time. But who would help a former Clan cat raise her three kits? He certainly knew from his experience with rogues that they only truly looked after themselves. So then who? Shadowheart shook his head. There was so much he didn't remember from his time with his mother, as he was too young. Perhaps he would never know who the mysterious cat was.
Shadowheart was snapped from his thoughts as a small black tom came bursting into camp. His pelt was slicked back with water and blood, and his yellow eyes were wide with terror.
"Help us! Rogues have ambushed our camp!"
