Wow, this will be my longest yet chapter! In the meanwhile, reviews:
Fourcherries: Yeah, in the beginning I sort of sucked with my grammer. But thank you for all your feedback and I love the names! I sadly can't use all of them, but one was extra awesome so I'm using that (and don't be surprised if you see a Skybramble later in the book)
Bilbz: Thank you for your feedback again! I'm glad you like the inner voice, it does add flavor to Rowankit's personality. And yes you will see more facts established before they get apprenticed (but when will that be, hehehe).
"All cat's who are old enough to catch their own prey, gather near the Grand Stump!" A ringing cry echoed through the camp. Ugh, Rowankit thought groggily. It was so early. But… it was probably around time for the dawn patrol, so it couldn't be too early for the other cats.
"Come on kits, we're going." Roseflower said sternly as she herded them out of the nursery.
"But, but…" stammered Rowankit, trying to come up with an excuse. "We're not old enough to catch our own prey!"
"I'm sure that Flashstar won't mind that fact," her mother meowed with a glint of amusement in her eyes.
Flashstar was standing on top of the Grand Stump with purpose, while the Clan's deputy Nettlecloud stood off to the side of the stump, digging his claws in the ground. As Rowankit looked around, she noticed that some other warriors were growling, clawing up the dirt, or thrashing their tails. Even a couple of apprentices had similar behavior.
"I know that it is early," the silver tabby leader started. "But there is important news from last night's gathering."
The gathering! Rowankit thought. So that's why everyone is so agitated.
"What happened?" Pearwhisker called out.
"SunClan, that's what!" cried Heronflight, and the group of senior warriors next to him yowled with agreement.
"SunClan has demanded that they have hunting rights in the other cat's territory," Flashstar said in a calm voice, though his flaring eyes gave away his anger. "Even though we are on the opposite side of the Birch Clearing, they still demanded the rights. When pressed, the only reason they gave was that they don't have enough rabbits, or birds, or fish."
Everyone knew that SunClan was the most lazy and demanding Clan. Their territory consisted of thick woodland where they would clumsily stalk and catch mice, squirrels and voles. However, they coveted the rabbits that MoonClan chased on their territory of mostly moor, and probably drooled about the talk of the healthy birds in StormClan's clear forest. Most of all, since every LightClan cat was so talented (and perfect, Rowankit thought scornfully, the word perfect always goes around) that they hunted all types of prey.
"Are the other Clans giving in to this?" She heard her father demand angrily.
"MoonClan seems resigned to their fate," their leader said in a low, angry tone. "However, if given a chance they might be willing to help rebel against SunClan's cruelty. StormClan has not said anything yet but it seems like Shiningstar is considering a similar idea as ours."
"We can't let them do this!" Protested Rabbitfur.
"We can beat those scumbags in a fight," growled Blackbirch.
"SunClan will not get away with this!" Sleetstone yowled as she dug her claws into the ground.
"Fight! Fight!" The younger warriors started chanting. Rowankit looked around wildly. What had happened to her Clan? They were acting like rogues. Even her father was joining in, his voice among the others.
"Silence!" Yowled Flashstar, and suddenly everything was deadly quiet. The silver tabby glared at the warriors. "We will not let them get away with this, but we must control ourselves! StormClan appears to be our allies and later we will send a patrol about the predicament. I predict a battle occuring in a moon, if everything goes according to plan. In the meanwhile, we will step up on border patrols, and no cat should hunt alone. I do not expect that lazy Clan to attack us but we must keep our guard up."
"Actually," meowed Nettlecloud as he stepped forward. "I would like to have Pondwillow, Rainpaw, Petalfrost and Hazelbreeze check the borders, and make sure to keep an eye out for SunClan."
"Aw!" Rowankit heard the apprentice complain. "Why do I have to go on patrol?"
"We can do a hunting challenge afterwards," Pondwillow reassured her.
The meeting started to disperse as different cats went off to do their duties. Mistystorm and Herblight led hunting patrols. Sagepaw, Riverpaw, and Bluepaw went to get moss. Beamheart was working with Ivorystorm and a few others to seal the few cracks in the warriors' den.
The day passed agonizingly. The weather was hot and humid, so Roseflower repeatedly kept pulling her over to groom her fur. Ugh, Rowankit thought. I'm not getting apprenticed yet. Soon though, she promised herself, soon I'll be the best apprentice in all of LightClan. And the other cats better realize that.
"Rowankit, will you play with me?" she heard a tiny voice ask. She looked down and saw Moonkit. Right, the insecure brown ball of fluff, she remembered.
"I'm an apprentice soon, I don't have time to play with little fuzzballs," she responded rudely. When she saw he looked dismayed, she glared at him. I'm being terrible, she thought to herself, and she could feel the voice in her head vigorously nodding.
"O-o-ok," he stuttered. "It's just that… well, Glowingkit always plays mossball with me."
"I think you should learn this," she said, and stared harshly at him. "I'm not my sister." She turned around and put her butt to him. He was being so annoying. Yes, her mother would probably say she was just in a grouchy mindset. What did it even matter anyways what Roseflower would say?
"You're not!" Moonkit stuttered again, and then stuck his head defiantly up. "Because you're not perfect!"
Rowankit wildly turned around. "Don't you dare ever say that!" She hissed.
"But it's true," the young kit announced, gaining confidence. Rowankit hissed again.
"It's not."
"The most important thing in LightClan is being Elegant, Graceful, Pretty, Perfect." Moonkit quoted. "Lionstar, the founder of LightClan was the first cat to realize that all misfortune came from those cats who weren't quite enough. So he broke apart from the group of cats to set out and create the first Clan, a Clan where there would be no strife."
"I've never heard that second part!" Rowankit meowed, taken aback. "Lightstar was the leader of our Clan."
"No, Lionstar saved us all," Moonkit protested again. Rowankit shook her head and bounded off before the young cat could have a chance to tell any more lies. He must've gotten it from some weird thing Ashtail had mentioned, or maybe Otterstream was planting silly ideas in his mind. It seemed like something the horrible elder would do.
Lightstar was the leader of the Clan, and he knew that the Clan had to be perfect. She recited in her mind.
But who knows, the voice drawled with a hint of menace. Maybe that little furball was right, and you are wrong. Maybe everyone has been lying to your face this whole time.
No! Moonkit was wrong. As much as I hate it I know why this Clan is perfect.
And why is that?
Rowankit paused, shocked for a moment. She had always learned Lightstar was the leader of the Clan and he... just had the answer. What was it? Surely there must've been a huge and important reason for the Clan to be perfect. She racked her memory but she couldn't think of anything.
You see? The voice continued.You've never known anything.
I'll figure it out then! Rowankit declared. I'll figure out what really happened. I don't need to hear from you again.
The voice became quieter until the last she could hear of it was a little faint murmur. She felt a pange of satisfaction. I only wish that I could do this every time, she thought sadly.
But what was the deal with her Clan's history. She couldn't not now. She just couldn't. She needed to know why she had to be perfect. But how do I figure it out? She wondered. Pearwhisker always knows these stories, if I ask her I'm pretty certain she'll tell me.
Rowankit padded over to the elders' den and peaked in. Otterstream was nowhere to be seen. Good, she was probably getting some freshkill, which meant that she wouldn't be gone for too long, but she'd be gone for long enough. However, Pearwhisker was talking with Bluepaw and Sagepaw.
Rowankit leaned in to hear the discussion. It was a bad habit, a non-perfect one to be blunt. Lavenderstripe had chastised her about it, which had always infuriated her because the silver she-cat wasn't her mother. But she couldn't help it. It was natural to go in and learn things from listening to others.
"So Lightstar took the very best from SunClan, MoonClan, and StormClan and created his own Clan," Pearwhisker was saying. Rowankit couldn't believe her luck, the tortoiseshell had chosen right then to talk about the creation of LightClan.
"LightClan," Sagepaw put in.
"Yes, and from there the Clan was so perfect that our life could be perfect," Pearwhisker continued. "But every once in a while, there was a kit or apprentice that couldn't be perfect so…" she leaned in ominously. "They threw him in the river!" All three apprentices and Rowankit, who was out of sight, froze, and the elder burst out in a creaky laughter. "I'm just kidding, don't you youngling's worry. This Clan make's sure that you'll be perfect."
Rowankit scampered off, having heard all she needed to. She wasn't positive if she believed this new version, but she sure didn't trust that Pearwhisker was kidding. She used to have nightmares about being thrown in the river, and now she wasn't quite sure they wouldn't come true.
They will come true, The voice crooned. They will throw you in the river, you're not a cat, just an imperfect scum.
I told you to go away! She yelled at the voice. It silenced, but she still felt it lurking there, ready to jump out and terrify her once more. It would happen again at some point, but then again, it would always be there. She needed to focus on what was important.
She had three versions of the same story now. Roseflower's one, Moonkit's one, and Pearwhiskers one. So what's mine? She thought. Which one do I believe? Do I believe any of them?
She thought about the different stories. Moonkit was absurd, but it just sounded so plausible. Pearwhisker's was similar to the version she had always known. And Roseflower's made sense to her, but there were so many gaps, almost like the russet she-cat was holding back.
Argh! She thought. I have no idea! This is just too frustrating. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if there was no answer at all.
"All cat's who are old enough to catch their own prey, gather near the Grand Stump!" Rowankit heard the yowl again. Inwardly, she groaned. One Clan meeting per a day was enough for her. But Roseflower was already hustling them out into the beautiful sunset.
"I'm so excited!" Lemonkit whispered to her as they were going.
"About what?" She replied crankily. Her sister looked at her as if she were crazy.
"Our apprentice ceremony of course!" Lemonkit told her. "It has to be now!"
Rowankit's eyes widened as she remembered. She'd be an apprentice today! Tomorrow she'd wake up in the apprentice den. This Clan gathering was worthwhile. She and the others pushed through the crowd so they could get a good view of Flashstar. He flicked his tail and everything quieted, then he started with the meeting.
"We all know that here in LightClan it is important to have the most perfect warriors, and in order to do that we must see our young cats step up to take more responsibility. I have no doubt that as warriors these cats will do much good for our Clan."
Rowankit shared another excited glance with Lemonkit, then with Glowingkit, Robinkit, and Sunkit.
"Elmpaw, Aspenpaw, and Skypaw, please step forward." Rowankit looked around shocked. Lemonkit was still. Larkkit glanced at her questioning, Maplekit was looking around in confusion. Sunkit and Leafkit were both glancing around, and Glowingkit's head drooped sadly. Robinkit was gaping, and the three apprentices called upon were happily bounding towards the Grand Stump, their parents Flurryfire and Burdockleaf purring happily.
"I, Flashstar, leader of LightClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices," the silver tabby declared. "They have trained hard to understand the ways of your code and our noble Clan, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn.
"Elmpaw, Aspenpaw, Skypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and your Clan customs, and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"Y-yes," the gray apprentice stammered, though his eyes were glowing with pride.
"Yes!" Squealed Skypaw.
"Of course," Aspenpaw meowed in a hard and determined tone.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. From this moment on you will be known as Elmfang, Aspenfrost, and Skyblaze. Elmfang, StarClan honors your bravery, skill, and perfectness, and we welcome you as a full warrior of LightClan. Aspenfrost, StarClan honors your determination, intelligence, and perfectness, and we welcome you as a full warrior of LightClan. Skyblaze, StarClan honors your courage, enthusiasm, and perfectness, and we welcome you as a full warrior of LightClan."
"Elmfang! Aspenfrost! Skyblaze!" the Clan chanted, and in a daze Rowankit joined in. She didn't fully understand what was happening. Of course she was happy for the new warriors. But it was wrong. Everything was wrong.
She wasn't an apprentice.
How's everyone liking it so far? You all like some of the extra words Flashstar decided to use in the ceremony :)
I hope I'm making this a great story for you all and I'll try to get Chapter 4 done as soon as I can.