Thank you all for your patience! I'll have you know I'm MUCH farther ahead than I anticipated with the writing/editing portion of this, so we should have available updates for a while. Enjoy it and feel free to leave reviews!
Rainheart stretched his forelegs out in front of him, reveling in the feeling of his tight muscles being loosened. Back when Gorsebreeze was alive, they'd shared to a nest, but always slept back to back. Rainheart liked to curl up in a tight ball, occasionally shifting to the other side to relieve the weight on his shoulders and hips. Gorsebreeze, on the other hand, liked to sleep sprawled out, sometimes jabbing Rainheart in the back with one or more of her paws.
Now he'd given that double nest to Smilecloud and Houndwhisker. They were cute curled up together, comfortable looking, and Rainheart was happy with his little nest in the corner of the den. It was easier to use the smaller nest now that they had so many new warriors.
"Nice day, huh?" Sabortooth said, padding up to stand next to him.
Rainheart looked at the one-eyed warrior. "It's pretty warm for this late in the season."
"I guess," the warrior shrugged. "Did you hear the Maizestar's doing the apprentice ceremony today?"
"Really?" Rainheart asked with interest, looking over to the nursery.
"Yeah," Sabortooth said. "Wolfmask had to postpone the sunhigh patrol."
"Great," Rainheart muttered as Sabortooth padded away. He was supposed to be on that patrol. Now he'd have to wait for the snobs to become even more arrogant.
Now that wasn't entirely fair of him to think. After all, three of those kits could have become warriors on time if they'd wanted to. They'd chosen to stay behind, even after Sedgeclaw moved back into the warrior's den.
One time, during a late frost, the kits had traveled out of the camp when they shouldn't have, and fallen in the river. They had just barely rescued them in time. While Drykit, Milkkit, and Bronzekit were perfectly fine, Stillkit had been injured in an irreparable way. There wasn't anything noticeably wrong with him, but over half his face he couldn't feel, or move. It must be embarrassing, Rainheart thought to himself, to be drooling almost all the time.
However it didn't seem to slow the kit down any. He could still eat, and smell, and see from that side of his face. He could even hear, although he'd told Auburnmist that he couldn't taste very much. It had taken some time for him to learn how to control the muscles in his face so he didn't bite his tongue every time he ate.
The injury, while not apparently life-threatening, was an unknown with vast consequences. It had taken a while for Auburnmist to begin to figure out how to help him, and even longer for her to release him back to regular duties. By then there was no doubt he'd be very delayed in his apprenticeship.
His brother and sisters should have been made apprentices ages ago, but they fought and pleaded with their father, eventually winning the heart of their leader and having their apprenticeships delayed as well. They'd been diligent about waiting for their brother.
Apparently Auburnmist must have decided it was time. Or Maizestar had grown impatient.
Rainheart padded over the elders den. Since there was only one apprentice in the Clan, he'd volunteered to help with apprentice duties. Most warriors wouldn't want tasks like that, but Rainheart didn't mind. He liked listening to the elders' while he worked.
Today they were talking about the soon-to-be apprentices, of course. Rainheart listened carefully, wondering if they felt similarly to him about the young cats.
"…and he looks just like his sister," Smallscratch was saying, Galecoal nodding agreeably.
Not this topic again… Rainheart thought to himself with an internal groan.
Frondsplash had been Maizestar's first kit, with a she-cat named Velvetfur. Both had long since gone to join StarClan, but the Clan had yet to stop talking about them since Sedgeclaw's kitting. Apparently Frondsplash had looked just like Maizestar, and Bronzekit reminded many of the senior warriors of her.
Pale-eyes, who had gone to join the elders after the sickness had left her too weak to keep up with patrols, rolled over in her nest and sat up. "Spitting image of her. I wonder who Maizestar will give to be his mentor."
Bronzekit. Rainheart didn't want to say he loathed the kit, but that was only because he didn't want to say he loathed any kit. The golden tomkit was arrogant beyond reason, and the Clan indulged him. Rainheart hoped he got the toughest mentor. Runningstorm or Tigerwhisker, who were certain to be very hard on him. Or Echospring, who had proven herself a very bold, no-nonsense she-cat.
The other three were all humble, and bright. Bronzekit however was just nasty. He'd once called Rainheart an old grump. Rainheart had been extremely offended. The kit was beyond proud of his heritage, and was determined to be the best in everything. He showed off every chance he got.
And instead of chastising him or trying to correct the behavior, the entire Clan let him get away with it! Even when the kits had left the camp and nearly drowned in the river, they had not been punished. Maizestar had said that their near-death experience was lesson enough. Most of the Clan had agreed! Every single cat except Rainheart was wrapped around the kit's toes! It was beyond frustrating.
Rainheart had just rolled up all the old moss when the call went out. Walnutpaw, who was going to rebuild the nests, dropped the new bedding onto the ground. He would have to finish the job later.
They padded out side by side to watch the ceremony.
Sedgeclaw had already gone to join the warriors again, so there was no point in her presenting them to the Clan anymore. But she sat near the front, watching with pride gleaming from her eyes. The four kits sat on either side of Maizestar instead, sitting tall and nearly wiggling with excitement.
"Today is the day we perform one of my favorite ceremonies," Maizestar began, his voice near bursting delight. "Despite the many trials they have faced, my kits are ready to become apprentices and join in Clan life."
The leader stepped forward, beckoning with his tail for his kits to rise. "Milkkit," he began. "From this moment on until you have received your warrior name, you shall be known as Milkpaw."
The newly named Milkpaw quivered with joy as Maizestar continued. "Crowswoop, you are ready for another apprentice." Rainheart winced. Crowswoop had been Pearlshine's mentor. But Maizestar did not mention that now. "You have demonstrated dignity, and self-assuredness. Pass these skills on to Milkpaw."
New apprentice touched noses to wizened mentor, and both cats stepped aside.
"Bronzekit," Maizestar said next, his chest puffing out as his near miniature stepped forward. Even from so far away, Rainheart could see the similarities. It really was looking like a tiny copy of the leader. "From this moment until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Bronzepaw.
"Beetlewing," Maizestar said, making Rainheart's ears twitch in frustration. Beetlewing was a well-respected senior warrior. Choosing him as Bronzepaw's mentor would only heighten the young cat's ego. "You are free to take another apprentice now that Flutterwing is a warrior. You trained her to be strong, and rigid to the warrior code. Now pass these skills on to Bronzepaw."
The two cats touched noses and departed.
Next Maizestar turned to Drykit. "Drykit, from this moment until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Drypaw."
Maizestar was really pulling out the fancy wording for his ceremony. Usually he just pronounced the new name when he announced the mentor. That's what he'd done with Walnutpaw. Now, probably because it was his kits, he was using all the proper ceremonial words.
"Flamethistle," he said. "You are ready for your first apprentice. In your time, you have shown yourself courageous and bold. Teach these skills to your new apprentice, Drypaw."
Finally he turned to Stillkit. This was the one most in the Clan would be curious about. "Stillkit, from this moment until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Stillpaw."
Jealousy ripped through Rainheart as he continued. "Sabortooth. You are ready for your first apprentice. You have shown that, despite what nature has taken from you, nothing can hold you back. I trust you to teach these skills to Stillpaw, and help him grow into a fine young warrior."
Sabortooth touched his nose to Stillpaw's, and the two cats stood together, each looking as excited as the other, while the Clan welcomed the new apprentices. It wasn't fair, Rainheart thought, that Sabortooth would get his first apprentice before him. Sabortooth was younger than Rainheart. A lot younger. Rainheart had been waiting for his turn a long time.
Although it made sense for Sabortooth to get Stillpaw. Both cats had face injuries that could potentially weaken them. Blind in one eye, Sabortooth had to look out extra for the side of his face he couldn't as easily protect. Although Rainheart doubted Stillpaw would have the same caliber problem, it would still be difficult for him to keep up. Because he couldn't feel over half his face, that opened up to many possibilities for problems the tom could encounter. Any serious injury could result in blindness. If an animal got him, (like a fox), he could end up losing that ear. A wasp could sting him, or many, poising him and he would never know until it was too late.
Sabortooth could teach him to carefully avoid all these things, as the warrior himself had to.
"What are we doing first?" Rainheart heard, shaking him from his reverie. He turned to see Beetlewing padding out of camp with Bronzepaw in tow. He seized his chance.
"Beetlewing," he called. "Walnutpaw could use some help with this bedding, and I'm due on the sunhigh patrol."
The brown tom gave Rainheart a dirty look, as if he didn't like being told what to do with his apprentice. Rainheart probably wouldn't either if he were in Beetlewing's paws.
"I was actually planning on taking him out," Beetlewing admitted hesitantly. "But if Walnutpaw needs help, I guess we can go out tomorrow."
Bronzepaw flashed Rainheart an angry look, Clearly the new apprentice didn't want to clean bedding when he could be out on the moor. Rainheart couldn't help but feel smug as his new mentor rerouted him towards the elders' den to help.