Chapter 25
Jaysong got to her paws and shook small pieces of moss from her pelt. Jaysong looked around the nursery until she saw Rabbitkit and Rushkit curled up next to Brackenkit. Jaysong felt her heart swell with pride at the thought of her two kits becoming apprentices. Jaysong approved of Cloudtail and Sorreltail for mentors, but she still wished that the kits could stay a little long in the nursery where she was the one who taught them everything. Padding over to the three sleeping kits, Jaysong murmured gently, "Wake up, you three." Rabbitkit and Rushkit opened their identical green eyes and Jaysong purred, "Good morning my loves."
Rushkit blinked at Jaysong for a couple moments and then squealed, "We're going to be apprentices!" Jaysong purred as Rushkit jumped onto Rabbitkit's back and her brother shrugged her off so that the black-and-white kit toppled onto Brackenkit. The black kit jumped to her paws and then recognizing Rushkit let her fur lie flat. Soon Rabbitkit and Brackenkit remembered what day it was and the two of them leapt to their paws with their tails waving excitedly. There was noise coming from near them and Jaysong saw Ferncloud blinking her eyes open. Jaysong blinked apoletgetically and Ferncloud just shrugged as though she was used to it.
"I'm going to be the best fighter! The other cats won't dare come near us when I'm a warrior!" Rabbitkit boasted, swiping his paw playfully on Rushkit's ear. Jaysong purred with amusement as Rushkit ducked and then lunged at Rabbitkit, pinning her brother down. Determinednot to be outdone by Rabbitkit, Rushkit mewed, "Well, I'm going to be the best hunter. ThunderClan will grow fat on all the prey I bring back." Rushkit flexed her claws on Rabbitkit's chest and her brother pushed her off. Brackenkit who had remained silent through everything, mewed, "Well I bet I'll be ThunderClan's next leader!"
"Oh yes, great Brackenstar!" Rabbitkit teased while Rushkit skipped around Brackenkit, cheering, "Brackenstar! Brackenstar!" Brackenkit looked embarrassed by her denmate's jokes so Jaysong meowed, "Let them have their jokes now, Brackenkit. When you are a warrior while their still cleaning out the elders' den, we'll see whose laughing." Rabbitkit and Rushkit were silenced. Their silence didn't last forever though because Rabbitkit found a piece of moss and tossed it at Rushkit. The two of them began to scuffle which Brackenkit joined in. Jaysong purred, remembering her own naming ceremony.
Stripepool padded over and picked up Brackenkit bu the scruff, carrying her to her nest. Placing her kit on the ground gently, Stripepool scolded Brackenkit, "You should know better than to be fighting on such an important day. Look at your pelt! It's sticking up all over the place and your tail! Great StarClan, cats will think I haven't raised you properly!" Stripepool exchanged a glance with Jaysong and rolled her amber eyes. Jaysong knew that Stripepool was just excited that Brackenkit was becoming an apprentice. Watching Stripepool bathe Brackenkit, Jaysong suddenly realized she should be doing the same.
Jaysong gave Rushkit's ear a gentle lick, flattening some hair, but other than that she looked good. Rushkit had Blackstar's short fur while Rabbitkit had Jaysong's long pelt that always clumped together. Jaysong licked at Rabbitkit's neck fur which always stuck up. When that was lying flat, Jaysong began grooming the rest of his pelt. Once Rabbitkit looked presentable, Jaysong purred, "Okay you're done, but don't roll around with your denmates! I don't want to clean you twice!" Rabbitkit flicked his ear to show he had heard and padded over to where Rushkit was watching Bramblekit and Turtlekit scuffle.
Suddenly Jaysong heard Firestar yowl, "All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather underneath Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Rabbitkit, Rushkit, and Brackenkit shot out of the nursery so fast that it seemed like they had wings for paws. Bramblekit and Turtlekit stumbled behind excitedly while Icestorm gave them a helpful nudge. Ferncloud and Daisy followed them and Jaysong shared a proud glance with Stripepool before pushing her way out of the nursery. There Jaysong saw her Clan, ThunderClan, get ready to welcome three more apprentices to it's swelling ranks.
Brambleclaw was sitting next to Leafpool and Applefrost, all their heads close together as though they were discussing something important. Bumblethroat was sitting next to Blossomwhisker, Squirrelflight, and Foxfang, his ear twitched as he talked to everyone. Dustpelt was talking to Sandstorm while Ashpaw sat proudly next to them. With a jolt, Jaysong wondered if Ashpaw was becoming a warrior. Cloudtail and Sorreltail sat close to Highledge and Jaysong wondered if she should join them since she was becoming a mentor as well. Making sure Stripepool and Icestorm were watching the kits, Jaysong padded over to Cloudtail and Sorreltail.
Seeing Jaysong arrive, Cloudtail dipped his head and meowed, "Excited for your first apprentice?" Although Cloudtail already watched an apprentice become a warrior, there was a proud gleam in his blue eyes as he was being given another apprentice. Sorreltail was looking happier than she had in days and Jaysong was relieved that she had picked her mother to be a mentor. With Rushkit to mentor, Sorreltail would definatly spend less time grieving for Brackenfur. Jaysong felt her fur prickle with sadness, but pushed it away as Firestar began to speak, "Today we welcome a new warrior. Ashpaw, step forward." Ashpaw obeyed, Sandstorm flanking her. "Ashpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend your Clan even at the cost of your life?" Ashpaw nodded and Firestar paused for a moment before continuing, "Then from now on you will be known as Ashgaze. StarClan honors your justice and your loyalty and ThunderClan welcomes you as a true warrior."
"Ashgaze! Ashgaze!" Jaysong cheered along her Clanmate's and saw every congratulate Ashgaze. Birchfall stared proudly at Ashgaze while Whitewing twined herself with her daughter, happy that her kit became a warrior at last. Ashgaze bounded over to Sandstorm and was still mewing something when Firestar continued, "We also have three kits who have reached their sixth moon. Rabbitkit, Rushkit, and Brackenkit, please come forward." The kits obeyed. "Cloudtail, you were a good mentor to Cinderheart and she is now a great warrior. I trust you to teach everything you know to Rabbitpaw."
"With pleasure," Cloudtail meowed, touching noses with Rabbitpaw and padding away. Firestar watched them and continued, "Sorreltail, you had a fine mentor in Sandstorm and you took over the training for Foxfang well when you were asked to. You will mentor Rushpaw." Sorreltail nodded and touched Rushpaw's nose before padding towards Cloudtail and Rabbitpaw. It was now only Jaysong and Brackenkit, "Jaysong, you were Squirrelflight's apprentice although you learned stuff from many cats. Every single one of your teachers and every single one of your lessons has made you a fine warrior. It is only right that you train Brackenpaw."
Jaysong touched noses with Brackenpaw and saw her own excitement in the black she-cat's eyes. It was one of the happiest moments of Jaysong's life.
