Blackkit padded through a dense fog, unease coursing through her. "Hello," she called searching through the gray clouds in front of her for signs of life. A lithe black tom appeared from the fog, his amber eye glittering with malice.
Breezepelt! Blackkit thought fear freezing her limbs.
Blackkit jerked awake as someone landed on top of her, "Wake up" Firekit growled tugging on her ear, "You're going to miss our naming ceremony,"
Blackkit sat up, trembling with fear from her dream. A quarter moon had passed since Windclan's attack and Blackkit and Firekit were beginning their warrior training.
"Are you alright Blackkit," Squirrelflight asked her green gaze gleaming with concern.
The small she-kit gave herself a shake, "I'm fine," she mewed. Why was this strange Windclan tom haunting her dreams? Blackkit began grooming her pelt as her dream melted from her memory, "I hope I get Lionblaze as my mentor," Firekit mewed as Squirrelflight groomed him.
"I would like to have Dovewing," Blackkit licked her white paw and ran it over her ear.
"I'm sure your father chose well for both of you," Squirrelflight purred, "Now come along it is time," Blackkit padded out into the bright sunlight, her head and tail high, she was finally going to be an apprentice.
Bramblestar sat on the Highledge, his tabby pelt sleek and amber gaze glowing, "Cats of Thunderclan," he yowled, "Firekit and Blackkit are ready to be apprenticed," yowls of joy rose from the cats all around Blackkit, warming her from nose to tail. She padded alongside Firekit as they approached their leader, Firekit's flame colored pelt glowed in the sunlight. "From this moment on until they receive their warrior names these two kits will be known as Firepaw and Blackpaw," Bramblestar paused a moment to scan the gathered clan, "Firepaw your mentor will be Cinderheart," Firepaw puffed out his chest proudly as the fluffy gray she-cat padded forward, blue eyes bright. "Cinderheart you are ready to take on another apprentice, you received excellent training from Cloudtail" Blackpaw craned her neck to see the muscular, white tom who was sitting beside Brightheart. "You have made Ivypool into a strong and loyal warrior," there was a small snort of disagreement from someone in the crowd, but Blackpaw couldn't tell who, "You have also shown yourself to be determined and patient, I expect you to pass on all you know to Firepaw,"
Firepaw touched noses with his mentor and the ceremony continued, Blackpaw felt a nervous excitement wriggling through her.
"Blackpaw your mentor will be Lionblaze," Bramblestar announced. The earth seemed to lurched beneath Blackpaw. Lionblaze was the strongest warrior in the clan and the best fighter. The golden tabby blinked up at Bramblestar in surprise, Cinderheart shook her head affectionately before shoving her mate forward. Lionblaze looked a little sheepish as he padded through the group of cats, Blackpaw admired the way his muscles rippled beneath his glossy pelt. "Lionblaze, you are ready to take on another apprentice. You received excellent training from Ashfur and have shown yourself to be loyal to the warrior code," Lionblaze flicked his ears uncomfortably, "and eager to serve your clan. Dovewing is a noble warrior thanks to you and I know you will train Blackpaw to be just the same,"
The black and white apprentice took a step forward and touched noses with Lionblaze, she noticed that his amber gaze was glowing with pride, "You'll do fine," he purred.
"Firepaw, Blackpaw" the clan yowled.
"Come on Blackpaw," Lionblaze mewed, "I'm taking you to see the territory,"
Eagerness made Blackpaw's paws itch, "Are Firepaw and Cinderheart coming too," she looked over her shoulder at Firepaw. The flame colored tom sat listening while Squirrelflight spoke with Dovewing and Cinderheart.
"If they want to," Lionblaze answered scratching his ear. Dovewing bounded over with Firepaw and Cinderheart.
"Squirrelflight wants us to patrol the Windclan border," Dovewing told the two of them, "She wants us to renew the scent markers and make sure that they haven't crossed the border,"
Unease fluttered in Blackpaw's belly, she really didn't want to go anywhere near the Windclan border, she gave herself a shake, Get it together.
"Let's go then," Firepaw was dancing excitedly.
"Alright," Cinderheart purred following after Dovewing through the thorn tunnel.
Blackpaw followed Lionblaze and took a deep breath of the forest air, it smelled of prey making Blackpaw's mouth water. "Can we hunt," she asked.
"Not today," Lionblaze mewed as they padded through the undergrowth. Blackpaw's tail drooped in disappointment, "I'll take you hunting tomorrow," Lionblaze flicked the tip of her ear with his tail.
"Let's take the route that goes past the lake," Cinderheart suggested, "I know the apprentices want to see it,"
Dovewing nodded and padded off into the undergrowth. It wasn't long before Blackpaw's legs began to grow tired, "How much farther," Firepaw asked looking as tired as Blackpaw.
"Not much we're almost there," Lionblaze told the younger tom. The patrol left the shelter of the trees and Blackpaw stopped short, mouth hanging open.
In front of her was a huge expanse of water, its surface rippling gently in the breeze, "It's huge," she turned to Lionblaze, "May I get a drink," the golden tabby nodded and Blackpaw slowly padded forward over the small stones of the shore. She lowered her head to lap at the water, it was cool and fresh. Suddenly she felt a pair of paws shove her and she fell, thrashing into the water. Spluttering she got to her paws and saw Firepaw watching, mischief and laughter dancing in his green gaze, "Hey," she growled playfully as she splashed her brother.
"Okay you two that's enough," Cinderheart mewed sternly "We still have a long way to go," Blackpaw shook the water from her pelt, splattering the rest of the patrol.
"Hey we don't want to be wet either," Lionblaze mewed leaping away from his apprentice. Blackpaw thought she had made him angry, but his gaze was bright.
The patrol padded along the shore for a while, "Do you see that small island over there," Lionblaze pointed at the smudge of land with his tail, "That is where the Gathering is held every full moon,"
Blackpaw looked across the water and tried to imagine cats from all four clans sharing tongues on that small island, "I bet it is crowded," she muttered
"Nah it is bigger than it looks," Lionblaze said with a flick of his ears.
"Wouldn't we have to cross Windclan's territory to get there?" Firepaw asked as he looked across the waves at the island.
"Yes we do," Cinderheart answered
"But it's against the warrior code to cross another clan's land," Blackpaw pointed out.
"As long as we stay within three tail lengths of the water we are allowed to travel around the lake," Lionblaze explained.
The patrol padded along the shore stopping when they reached a small stream that flowed into the lake. "This stream marks our border with Windclan," Dovewing meowed. The patrol turned and followed it into the trees. "It flows down from the Moonpool," Cinderheart informed them.
As they traveled deeper into the forest Blackpaw noticed something strange about Windclan's territory along their side of the stream. It was covered with trees. "Lionblaze I thought Windclan only hunted rabbits out on the moor,"
The undergrowth on the other side of the stream rustled as a small Windclan patrol appeared, in the lead was a small, lean mottled light brown tabby tom. He was followed by dark gray tom, a light brown tabby she-cat and a ginger tom. "We used to only hunt on open moors in the Old Forest," the mottled light brown tabby tom meowed, he rested his amber gaze on Blackpaw.
"Greetings Onestar," Lionblaze dipped his head in a respectful greeting. Blackpaw noticed her mentor's gaze stayed on the light brown tabby she-cat a moment longer than the others, "Heathertail, Crowfeather, Crouchfoot,"
"Hello Lionblaze," Heathertail mewed politely. Cinderheart stepped to Lionblaze's side, her tail bristling slightly, "Is this your new apprentice," Heathertail's smoky-blue eyes glowed warmly as they fell on Blackpaw. Heathertail's scent seemed oddly familiar, but the apprentice didn't know why.
"Yes this is Blackpaw," Lionblaze answered a little tensely, "And her brother Firepaw," he gestured to the flame colored tom.
I wonder why Lionblaze is acting so weird around Heathertail, Blackpaw thought.
"He looks just like Firestar," Onestar's voice was quiet and his eyes clouded with grief, "I still miss him,"
Dovewing stepped forward, "Well, we need to finish our patrol. It was nice seeing you all"
Lionblaze, who had been staring at Heathertail gave himself a shake, "Yes you're right," he mewed, "See you at the next gathering," he turned and led the patrol upstream.
That was odd, why was Heathertail staring at me like that and why is her scent so familiar, Blackpaw wondered as the patrol trotted through the undergrowth.