Chapter Eleven

"It's happening, it's happening!"

The excited shrieks woke Fawnkit, and she groggily raised her head. "What's happening?" She asked, sleep making her feel foggy.

Cloverstem purred happily. "You're becoming apprentices today," she told Fawnkit, looking proud. She flicked her tail towards Pebblekit and Thistlekit, who were bouncing around the den. "The others are getting quite worked up. Now come here, I need to groom you."

Her brothers looked as though they had already been cleaned, their gray fur looking tidy and neat. They bounded outside, chattering happily to one another.

Near Fawnkit, Willowleaf looked relieved. I hope they didn't wake her kits, Fawnkit thought worriedly. They're so young, they need their sleep. She obediently stumbled over to her mother, sitting down and letting her roughly lick her gray and white pelt. When she had finished, Cloverstem nudged her towards the entrance.

"Go outside with your brothers," she meowed. "I'll be out soon."

Fawnkit walked purposefully outside, joining her brothers where they sat at the center of the clearing.

"When do you think the ceremony will happen?" Pebblekit kneaded his claws into the ground.

"Soon, probably." Thistlekit wrapped his tail around his paws, looking at the fallen tree hopefully. "I wonder who our mentors will be?"

Fawnkit felt a pang of guilt when she thought of Vinepelt, who had originally been set to be her mentor. If I had just agreed to be a medicine cat, maybe Flowerpaw wouldn't be stuck there, she thought. She hoped fervently that the calico she-cat wasn't angry with her. She hadn't had much of a chance to speak with her since the incident with the coyote, and she didn't know if Flowerpaw blamed her for her new place in the Clan.

As her guilty thoughts threatened to overwhelm her, Sparrowstar emerged from the camp entrance at the head of a hunting patrol. "Kits," she greeted them. "I see that you are ready to become apprentices."

"Yes!" Thistlekit stood, tail fluffed out with excitement. "We want to learn everything that we can!"

Fawnkit, not one to be outdone, stood next to him. "I'm going to train as hard as possible, and then I'm going to get the coyote that killed Hazelkit!"

Sparrowstar's eyes glittered, but Fawnkit wasn't sure what the emotion behind them was.

Pebblekit sat quietly behind them, and Fawnkit turned to see why he wasn't saying anything. He looked hurt. "I'm sorry, Pebblekit, did I upset you?"

"No!" He whipped his head up, his eyes burning with anger. "I'm going to help you kill that coyote, if it's the last thing I do."

Sparrowstar dipped her head solemnly. "I'm glad to know that our future warriors are so dedicated to their Clan. Now…" She leapt onto the fallen tree. "RainClan, gather beneath the fallen tree for the naming of our newest apprentices!"

Cats trickled out of the dens, Robinwing and Cloverstem coming to sit proudly by their kits. Fawnkit knew that she and her brothers were her parents' first litter, and that they must be feeling extra proud of them.

"Pebblekit," Sparrowstar meowed loudly, "come stand beside me on the fallen tree."

Pebblekit moved slowly, almost disbelievingly to stand facing his leader. Fawnkit could see his paws trembling slightly.

"Pebblekit, you have faced great troubles in your young life, and have made it through them with your bravery and resolve. Do you promise to obey RainClan and your mentor, and work hard to become the best warrior you can be?"

"Yes," Pebblekit meowed, clearly and powerfully. Fawnkit felt pride in her brother.

"Then from now on, you will be known as Pebblepaw. Your mentor will be Sumactail. May she pass on to you her quick thinking and hunting prowess."

The fluffy reddish she-cat made her way up to the tree to touch noses with her new apprentice, looking excited. They made their way down from the tree together, pelts nearly brushing as they murmured quietly.

"Thistlekit," Sparrowstar announced, and the gray tabby kit scrambled to get to the fallen tree as quickly as possible. She dipped her head to him. "You are determined and smart, and have the potential to do great things for this Clan. Do you promise to obey RainClan and your mentor, and work hard to become the best warrior you can be?"

"Of course," Thistlekit meowed confidently.

"Then from now on, you will be known as Thistlepaw. Your mentor will be Finchstripe. May he pass on to you his intelligence and fighting skills."

Looking smug rather than excited, Finchstripe strode up to touch noses with Thistlepaw.

I don't like him, thought Fawnkit. I don't think he's a good cat.

"Fawnkit." As the other two cats made their way down from the tree, Fawnkit walked as carefully as she could to the base, timing her jump carefully and widening her stance as she made her way up it.

"Fawnkit, you have faced unique challenges that no other cats can claim to understand. However, you are hard-working and trustworthy, and I am honored to name you an apprentice of RainClan. Do you promise to obey RainClan and your mentor, and work hard to become the best warrior you can be?"

"Yes," Fawnkit squeaked, cursing herself for letting her worry show in her voice.

"Then from now on, you will be known as Fawnpaw. Your mentor will be Sundapple. She may be a young warrior, but she has proven herself to be loyal and courageous, and I hope that she will pass this on to you."

The golden tabby she-cat made her way out of the crowd, leaping effortlessly onto the tree to brush noses with Fawnpaw. They made their way down together, Sundapple steadying her when she almost lost her balance.

"When will we leave camp?" Fawnkit looked at her mentor, her head feeling light. I can't believe I'm actually a warrior apprentice, she thought. I didn't know if this day would ever come.

Sundapple purred with amusement. "We can go now, if you'd like. I'll ask Sumactail to come with us. We can work on your hunting crouch."

Fawnpaw puffed out her fur proudly. "I've already been working on it with Robinwing! He says I'm getting good."

Sundapple dipped her head approvingly. "Good, I'm glad that you've already started. Just tell me if something that I'm trying to teach you is too hard for you with your balance issues, and I'll try to adapt it."

"Thank you," meowed Fawnpaw. "I really appreciate it."

"Of course," meowed her mentor. "Now come on. It's time for the first day of the rest of your life!"