Fireheart was getting used to waking up curled around Sandstorm, but that didn't mean he didn't love it whenever he woke. The addition of his sister three nests away, however, was something that shocked him at first when he opened his eyes.
"Morning." He mewed when he had woken up enough to remember the events of the previous night.
"How do you sleep so well with so many cats?"
"It's something you get used to. I had the same problem; now it's disconcerting to be without my Clanmates. I'll gather the Clan for your naming ceremonies. I'm not going to give you full warrior names just yet if that's okay."
"Alright... "
"You'll get an apprentice name each and a mentor. Once you've learned hunting and fighting skills, you'll gain your true names."
"Oh, okay."
"So, anyway. I think your kits need a wakeup call."
"Right!"
"Come on, time to get up..." When neither moved, she sighed exasperatedly at Fireheart.
"Hang on. I've got an idea." He leant down, softly barking "Fox!" in their ears. The two jumped up, bristling, only to relax a heartbeat later. "You two have good reflexes!" He praised.
"Did you have to do that?"
"Well, do you want your names or not?"
"Alright." The small party travelled to the river, where Fireheart leapt up onto the rock and called the Clan.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Rockpile for a Clan meeting!" Featherkit and Stormkit burst out of the nursery, followed by an exasperated Silverstream.
"Not you."
"But we wanna watch!"
"Yeah, and I caught a trout!" Stormkit mewed.
"Not now. You'll have plenty of Clan meetings in your life." She herded them back to the nursery and sat just beyond the boulder.
"Princess, Nami and Taylor, you are all ready to become apprentices. From this day on, until you become warriors, you will be known as Doepaw, Branchpaw and Stonepaw. Your mentors will be Graystripe, Snowfur and Bluestorm, and I expect them to pass on all they know to you."
"Touch noses." Sandstorm whispered to the ex-kittypets, who did so gingerly.
"Doepaw! Branchpaw! Stonepaw!"
The three seemed surprised to have their names chanted, but quickly smiled.
"Now what, Fireheart?" Doepaw asked.
"You train with your mentors and learn all about hunting and fighting, performing duties such as helping the elders with bedding or ticks or bringing prey to the queens or elders."
"That seems like a lot."
"Trust me, it'll seem better once you're actually doing it."
"Alright then." Branchpaw mewed.
Doepaw noticed Cloudtail padding over to a ginger-and-white warrior, scarring prominent on her face.
"Is that..." she asked.
"Yes, that's Brightpaw."
"This is the life of a warrior. Much as we try, we can't keep everyone safe. We just need to move on and adapt with whatever it takes." Graystripe commented to his new apprentice.
"...So, what're you doing to adapt?"
"Cloudtail and Whitestorm are going to work on some moves with her. Matter of fact, I think they're starting now."
Cloudtail waved his tail at his mother and led Whitestorm and Brightpaw up the slope to the training hollow.
"I think your mentors are trying to get your attention." He smiled as Bluestorm and Snowfur beckoned their apprentices to them, moving over to Frostfur.
"Are you ready to visit the rogues?"
"Sure! I was going to go hunting but I think Lionheart and Dustpelt have that covered." She gestured to the two, who were heading off into a bush which led to a prey-rich neck of the woods.
He called to Sandstorm, who eagerly bounded over.
"Great, we're recruiting!" She swished her tail. "I could do with a good excursion, just let me assign Brackenpaw to the elders." She raced over, talking to the apprentice. He nodded and headed towards the Shining Cave as Sandstorm padded back.
"Are we all ready?" Frostfur asked. At their nods, she started up the slope, leaving them to follow.
At the forest, she stopped. "Alright. We'll visit Mouse first."
They came to a hollow trunk, where a brown pelt could be seen gnawing on a vole.
"Hi, Mouse!"
"Frost! I haven't seen you in ages!"
"I was taken by that Twoleg. You know the one?"
"Some cat oughta teach him a good lesson! Him and his dogs!"
"Dogs?" Fireheart asked.
"Yes! He got a new one, didn't you hear? Vicious brute was looking all pleased a couple sunrises ago. Wonder which unfortunate creature got in its way."
Frostfur suddenly bristled with anger. "That dog... I bet you anything that it was what caused Brightpaw's injury and Brindleheart's death."
"Wait, what?" Mouse asked.
"We obviously have a lot to catch up on. This is Fireheart and Sandstorm. They belong to a Clan, and so do I. Do you remember the legends of ThunderClan?"
"Any kit with one working ear remembers that story."
"It turns out they're real. They took my kits in after I was gone and Lionheart – or Leo as you know him - was out, for obvious reasons. Then they got together to rescue me."
"From the odd names, did he join?"
"Yep. I'm Frostfur now."
"And what do these Clans do?"
"We're holding a meeting on precisely that in a moonrise. Long story short, a Clan cares for its members and tries to live honorably."
"Hmm, protection, you say. I could get into that. 'S been awhile since I protected anyone."
"Since Sparrow died and Speedy was taken?"
"Precisely." A small amount of hurt came into her eyes, quickly fading. "I'll be there." She nodded to them as they turned tail to visit another.
"This next one is Thistle. He's not very friendly, but maybe..."
"What are you doing here?" A spiny-pelted gray tom loomed above them.
"We were going to extend an invitation." Fireheart mewed.
"For what? I have no reason to talk to you scum."
"Well, if you're going to be like that." Frostfur snarled, moving away. "Oh, and by the way, Whitestorm would say hello, but he still hates your mangy pelt."
"You dare bring my son into this?"
"I dare." Frostfur challenged. "It's three versus one. Do you really want a clawed ear?"
He reared up, but Frostfur was faster, leaping onto his back. Fireheart and Sandstorm raced to join. Fireheart scratched his muzzle while Sandstorm raked her claws down his exposed stomach. Frostfur, true to her word, nicked his ear severely.
Thistle scowled at them, before padding away, blood streaming from his ear.
"Sorry you had to see that. As you probably heard, Whitestorm's his son. Snowfur caught him picking on a kittypet a bit after his birth and she broke up with him. I'll never forget their battle."
"You were there for it?"
"Once Thistle fights, everyone's there for it. He is not the most well-liked cat. I think cats just want to see him clawed down a notch."
True to her word, a pair of cats walked out of the bushes.
"You got him good!"
"Ah, that flea-pelt just needed a few insults before he was blinded by rage."
"You always were the fighting one, Frost."
"Hey, what can I say, Speckle? When a good portion of respected cats hate my mate, claws are often a big factor in the equation."
"I wish I could've jumped in!"
"Well, Lavender, perhaps he'll come for round two so you can eat your heart out!"
"Yeah. Who are the cats with you? They've got some sharp claws."
"I'm Fireheart."
"Sandstorm. We're from a group called the Clans, and we're recruiting. Come to the big gorge at moonrise tomorrow and we'll tell you more."
"Alright." Speckle mewed. "It'll be good to sharpen my skills and have someone there to look out when I can't. Especially with..." She stopped short, as if she had revealed too much already.
Fireheart decided not to push. "We'll hopefully see you at the gorge then. As well as anyone here who's watching." He addressed the trees. A rustling copse in the left gave away the position of one cat; Sandstorm nodded to the bushes and padded away with them.