Chapter four
Silverpelt glittered in the sky while StarClan gazed down upon HawkClan. Cats poked their way in and out of their dens. Outside of the warrior's den, Oceanflight shared tongues with Stormflash while gossiping. Hawkstar laughed happily at her mate's thoughtfully cracked joke. Sagepaw batted playfully at Lightningkit's soft ears while his mother carried a plump vole to Lichenspark.
"Fawnpaw! Pass it over to me!" Ripplepaw shouted. Gathering the wad of moss in her claws, Fawnpaw forcefully chunked it at Ripplepaw. It was nearly a mousetail-length away from her face when Antpaw swatted it away, and shuffled it between his paws.
"Hey! That wasn't fair." Fawnpaw complained, cuffing the fluffy brown apprentice's ear.
"Oh well." Antpaw said before tossing the ball of moss back at Ripplepaw."Sagepaw, come and join us. I could use another cat on my side."
The white tom was mid-pounce when Lightningkit slid under his paws. Fawnpaw watched as a plume of dust flew into the night air when Sagepaw's fave hit the ground.
"Ouch, I bet even StarClan felt that." Antpaw chuckled. Sagepaw slowly rose to his paws and shook the dirt from his fur.
"I think I scratched my nose." He paused to give his nose a lick."Would you mind checking it out, Ripplepaw?"
"Of course! Come with me." The two cats ambled into the medicine den, their tails rustling the honeysuckle. Fawnpaw opened her mouth into a yawn and smacked her jowels.
"Well, I think I've had enough mossball for one night. I'm going to the apprentice den." Antpaw nodded as well, and followed her into the den. The apprentice den was a simple den, a semi-circle made from rocks and boulders. Ferns plastered with mud keep the rain and cold air out. Fawnpaw chose a nice, soft nest near the front of the den and settled into a ball.
"Goodnight Fawnpaw. See you tomorrow."Antpaw put in before tucking his head under his tail.
"Yawgh! Goodnight Antpaw." She yawned. It was only a moment before she too slipped into a comfortable slumber.
A blanket of heavy snow covered the ground. Chilled blasts of wind ate away at the bark of all the pine and oak trees. Fawnpaw crouched, prepared to pounce on a small bird that was pecking away at a seed. Suddenly, the snow beneath her paws crunched like a dry twig in green-leaf, alerting the bird of her presence.
"Mouse dung!" She spat while huffing. The bird flew away into the distance. As she moved on and began to stalk another bird, the fur on her neck began to bristle.
"Hello Fawnpaw."
She whipped around, utterly spooked. Her hard blue gaze observed every last detail of her surroundings.
"Who's there?" She called quietly. There was no response.
"Fawnpaw? Are you okay?" A voice called. Grumpily opening her sleepy eyes, Fawnpaw was greeted by a pair of yellow eyes.
"Lightningkit? What are you doing in here? You should be with your mother." Lightningkit dropped his head and fiddled with his paws.
"Well, I know that. But my mother says Hawkstar is making me an apprentice in the morning. I'm just so excited...so I thought I'd tell you about it." Beside her, Antpaw began to stir.
"Come with me. We might as well get up."Her legs popped as she stood. The two cats made their way slowly to the fresh-kill pile where they sat. The sun had yet to rise and the forest was dark.
"Now, what was all that talk of becoming an apprentice?"
"Deerleap told me that Hawkstar was going to make me an apprentice! I have reached my sixth moon you know." His voice was proud. Fawnpaw let out a gentle purr. She was indeed proud of the brown kit's progress in life. Just a few moons ago he could not even stand. Deerleap had to drag him by his scruff everywhere they went. But StarClan has their eyes on him, and blessed him.
"I suppose if you are to be made an apprentice, you will need your fur groomed." She giggled as Lightningkit vigorously set to work grooming his brown pelt. Orange streaks glittered in the sky, showing the first signs of dawn."You better hurry, Lightningkit. The sun is rising."
...
"Cats Of HawkClan! Gather here beneath the leader's ledge." Hawkstar's voice rang loud through the hollow. The sun warmed Fawnpaw's pelt as she slowly woke from her nap. The cats had gathered together and gazed up at their leader. Fawnpaw rose to her paws and found herself a spot next to Antpaw." Lightningkit, please step forward." The brown kit stepped forward with shaky paws. His yellow eyes blazed with excitement, but hidden deep within was a sense of worry. Fawnpaw was suddenly sent back to the day she was made an apprentice. A pair of brilliant blue eyes stared up at Hawkstar with glee. She had waited for this moment from the time she opened her eyes. As she watched Lightningkit, her heart beat with affection. Deerleap, who was sitting by her mate, pressed her side into his pelt.
"Aren't you proud of our son? He will make a wonderful apprentice." She whispered into his ear.
"Lightningkit, you have reached the age of six moons and it is time for you to take on the responsibilities of an apprentice. Do you promise to abide by the rules of the warrior code, and listen to the words of your mentor until the day you earn your warrior name?"
"I do." He promised, brushing his hind leg with his tail.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your apprentice name. Lightningkit, from this day forth until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Lightningpaw. May StarClan guise this young cat's paws."
"Lightningpaw! Lightningpaw!" The Clan chanted.
"As for your mentor, I , Hawkstar will teach you the ways of a Clan cat. I intend to guide you and show you the ways of a true Clan cat. This meeting is dismissed." The spotted she-cat jumped down from her rock and disappeared into her den beneath the leader's ledge. Deerleap and Oceanflight congratulated their son and together, they shared a plump rabbit. Antpaw shuffled his paws and gave his shoulder a good licking.
"So, Tallsky woke me up this morning and said he needs Stormflash and I for a patrol. Apparently some cats from BreezeClan have been acting odd lately." Fawnpaw inhaled deeply remembering the toe cat's she had helped the day before. I hope Dark is alright.
" I'm not surprised. Oceanflight and I were out replenishing the scent markers along the tree line by the river yesterday. We spotted Meadowstar and that fluffy she-cat, Mossyglow. They were out...alone." The fur on the back of Antpaw's neck bristled.
"Those bird-brains had better not be planning an attack. They would not even stand a chance." Fawnpaw nodded blankly, her mind still stirring with the thought of a patrol discovering Dark and Shadow. The wind blew gently in the hollow. Antpaw grunted in annoyance.
"I hate leaf-bare. I swear to StarClan if it snows."
"Antpaw, lets go. Tallsky is bringing Sagepaw along with us for safety measures." Antpaw nodded his head and flicked his tail, saying goodbye.
Sunhigh had been peaceful. Tallsky's patrol returned with the news of intruding cats on HawkClan's territory. Fawnpaw paced back and forth near the apprentice den. What have I done? Here I am thinking I was doing the right thing. Hawkstar will surely punish me. Do I deserve it?
"Fawnpaw? Are you feeling alright, you look spooked." Breaking from the pacing, she found Fadingwhisper padding towards her. The rythmic sound of her paws grinding against the sand put her mind at ease.
"I'm quite alright. I just seem to be a bit...shaken up. About the intruding cats, that is." The gray medicine cat smiled with white teeth. Her haunches bunches as she lowered her aback side and sat.
"I understand. When I was just a kit, two cats from DeathClan invaded our camp. They came into the nursery and demanded that all kits be surrendered to DeathClan."
"Well that's a horrible thing to ask for! Why would they do that?"
"You see, that Clan was never very big. Oh but they were greedy and wanted more cats. But that's beside the point. Dawnstar had ordered them to leave, but they refused. So being the rambunctious little kit I was, I charged one of the cats and bit down on his leg. He yowled in pain and I let go. And it was at that moment that I knew I wanted to be a medicine cat. I could not bare to see a cat in pain because of something I did."
"And what was the point of that story?" Fadingwhisper huffed and rolled her eyes.
"The point is that HawkClan can care for itself. No matter who attacks, they will be there to help a Clanmate in need. You have no need to worry. Now, go and get something to eat." She stood and began to walk of just as Fawnpaw called her name.
"Fadingwhisper, who was Dawnstar?" A flash of grief pooled in her eyes. For a few heartbeats, she hesitated to reply.
"Dawnstar was Hawkstar's mother."