Main Authors: A Twinkling Flame and ExplosionsAreFun
(this chapter is really long :P)
"Ice!" A yowl made the pair freeze in their tracks. Smolder had only just recovered enough to meet Ice once again, and who ever the shout had come from had chosen this time, of all the times, to catch them. Ice widened her eyes at Smolder and opened her muzzle, mouthing 'hide'.
"Yes?" she called sweetly towards the shadows.
"What are you doing out so late? You know kits are prohibited to be outside of the cave, principally not in the middle of the night. You're disregarding curfew. I am exceedingly disappointed in you." The figure stepped out into the moonlight and Smolder could see the pale shape of Starling, outlined in silver.
He didn't turn and hide, though. If Ice was to face a punishment, he would do the same.
"And who is... Smolder! You... you're with this blighted... this nefarious archfiend? You're going to be in a remarkable about of trouble! Come with me, instantly!" She paused, and Ice took this moment to glare at her "chaperone" wholeheartedly. "Savage... I mean, Smolder... go back to your den. Now!" She padded off into the cave, and Ice shot one last mutinous look at Smolder before following her. He hung his head and closed his eyes. He wouldn't dare look after the two she-cats as they padded back —Starling walking at more of a brisk trot than padding— to the cave entrance. After a while of sitting in silence, Smolder opened his eyes trudged back to where the to-bes slept. Greatly abashed, he curled up in the bed of moss and lichen and curled his tail around himself as he laid down, getting the sleep he was sure he'd need for another tomorrow with Thunder.
"GET UP!"
Smolder jumped awake and stood up. "I'm ready for training, sir!" he yelped, quickly adding the last word after remembering other times that he hadn't and held back a wince.
"Good. I was beginning to think I had taken a newborn kit as a to-be." Thunder calmly licked a paw and drew it over his ear.
Suddenly a faint yowl of pain was heard. Both mentor and to-be paused, pricking their ears. Several heartbeats later, Starling dashed in. Quite unlike her usual dignified pose and sleek pelt, her fur was ruffled and she was panting. "Thunder! River is giving birth to your kits!" Thunder gave a brisk nod and padded out of the den with some hesitance, as if he didn't want to visit his mate. Starling turned to look at Smolder. "Stoneteller said you had to clean the elder's den before you begin your training today." She turned and padded away. "Try not to curse any of our progenitors while you're at it," she meowed saccharinely over her shoulder as she left the den, perhaps knowing that Smolder had no idea what 'progenitors' meant. Smolder ducked his head and headed for the elder's den with a sigh, wishing he didn't have to listen to her. He thought about sneaking into the nursery to see River's kits, but decided against it, since he'd probably curse the newborns unwittingly.
He arrived at his destination. Hawk was the only one awake, and his glassy green eyes lingered on Smolder for a moment before he went back to staring off into space. Hawk that soars through sky was once one of the tribe's greatest cave-guards, but he was now old and weak. Smolder began to remove the old bedding- a mixture of moss and feathers- and pushed it aside. When he neared Hawk, the old tom moved over so he could reach what was under him. Smolder wondered if Hawk thought he was cursed. If he did, the elder didn't show it, until suddenly, out of the blue:
"Yer ain't cursed, young 'un." The elder snorted, and Smolder wondered if he'd heard right. "Them tribish fools, they got no blood in them veins. Scurry 'round like mice. Yer ain't cursed, long as you believe that then yer ain't. My name's a Hawkclaw, Hawkclaw it is, and long as I believe that I am, so should be same for yer." He went on to mutter under his breath.
Smolder blinked at his sudden outburst. "But...Isn't your name..."
"Oh, my name's Hawkclaw," Hawk said loudly, "and yer better 'lieve it 'cause I am Hawkclaw from RiverClan, and I know that Icy gal, she's Icekit of RiverClan too and her mother Silverstar gonna name her Icefall when she grow up. Yes, her mother says she gonna—"
"Er... okay," Smolder meowed, wondering what 'RiverClan' was, only to be interrupted.
"Ye 'ont believe it do ye," Hawk"claw" meowed, a tinge of bitterness in his voice. "But one day ye will, young 'un, ye will."
Smolder opened his mouth to respond, but then he heard a call. "Cats of the Tribe, gather around and hear my words..."
He made a mental note to come back and finish cleaning the elder's den- and to interrogate Hawk"claw" on what he had said. Padding out of the cave, he sat down by himself to hear the great and wise Stoneteller's words.
"Today is a glorious day. The Tribe of Endless Hunting has spoken to me, and they say it is time for Ivy, Snake, and Mouse to become full-fledged members of our beautiful tribe."
Smolder found himself almost hearing Hawk snort at the mention of their "beautiful" tribe. Now I'm hearing things, he thought.
"Ivy that clings to cave wall, please step up beside me." The black-and-white to-be silently padded up beside the rock, head ducked, though a smug expression on her face was visible as she passed by.
"You have served us all well as a to-be, and it is now time for you to serve your Tribe even more as a full member. The Tribe of Endless Hunting has spoken to me, and I speak in their place today. Eagle that soars at dawn, is this young she-cat ready for the honour of becoming one of our Tribe's protectors?"
"She is most certainly ready," Eagle meowed in response.
Stoneteller gave a brisk nod. "Then you are no longer Ivy that clings to cave wall, the to-be, but Ivy that clings to cave wall, proud cave-guard of the Tribe of Rushing Water." Stoneteller spoke with all the authority and dignity of a leader as she proudly named the former to-be.
"May The Tribe of Endless Hunting bless you with the strength to serve our Tribe for as long as you remain!" she called before touching her nose to Ivy's forehead.
"I accept this great honor that our ancestors bestow upon me, and I promise to serve my Tribe for as long as I live," Ivy meowed humbly. The Tribe began to cheer for their newest cave-guard.
Stoneteller dipped her head to the younger she-cat, and the gesture was returned. Ivy walked down and took her place with the other cave-guards.
"Snake who spits at stones, plea-" The old, mottled gray she-cat began, but was interrupted as Snake, a brown tabby to-be, raced up beside her.
He's gonna get it, Smolder thought. His thoughts were echoed as whispers picked up throughout the tribe. "How rude!" from Moon, apparently forgetting that her kits were rude as well. "Oooh..." from Boulder and Cloud —Smolder had no idea where Ice was, but he knew she would've joined in if she were at the meeting. "Who does he think he is?" from the caveguards and prey-hunters.
But just a quiet sigh from Stoneteller, and Smolder was reminded that Snake was under the protection of being related to the next Stoneteller, as Starling and Snake were from the same litter.
"You have caught much prey to feed our Tribe-"
"Get on with it! I don't have all day!" Snake smirked with the knowledge that he'd be safe.
"Young tom! For your impudence, you will not become a full prey-hunter for another moon!"
Snake gasped. "Bu-but...I'm sure Starling has something to say about that!"
"I do, actually," the she-cat said, stepping out from the crowd and sitting beside Stoneteller on the rock. "I think your punishment should last for two moons. Maybe three."
Snake's briefly smug look faded. "Wha..."
"Indeed. Now go and clean the elder's den. You can take the cursed one's job."
Stoneteller nodded in approval. Snake sighed and stomped off. His footsteps could be heard echoing through the main cave. Smolder felt a small flash of disappointment; he'd wanted to finish cleaning to ask Hawk about things, but surely no cat would let him in the elders' den now. It was downright unnatural for any cat to want to clean a den, especially the filthy elders. They'd probably think he wanted to curse them, and that would lead to only bad events.
"That was handled well, Starling," Stoneteller said with a purr. "Now, Mouse. Please step up beside me."
Mouse looked down to the ground as he walked up, though Smolder could tell he was nervous, not proud.
"You have caught much prey to feed our Tribe during your time as a to-be, and it is now time for you to serve your tribe even more as a full member. The Tribe of Endless Hunting has spoken to me, and I speak in their place today. Beetle that climbs cave walls, is your to-be ready to become one of our tribe's providers?"
"With all due respect, Stoneteller, no," Beetle said.
"Excuse me?"
"He's not ready. He still has more to learn, and he needs to stop being a follower and become his own cat."
Stoneteller looked taken aback. "Well... well, you're his teacher. If you feel like he's not ready, then I suppose he's not ready. Please notify me when he is."
"I will, Stoneteller," Beetle said, bowing his head.
"That's all of the ceremonies then. But before you are dismissed, there is one more thing to announce. River has given birth to Thunder's kits. It was a litter of three, two she-kits and a tom. Their names are Blue petals of soft flower, Daisy who sprouts in warmth, and Night owl who strikes his prey. May they be blessed by The Tribe of Endless Hunting as they grow and learn." She flicked her tail. "Dismissed." Jumping down, she padded into the cave.
As soon as she was gone, an angry screech was heard. Snow, the tom who was Snake, Starling, and Mouse's father, had pinned Beetle onto the ground. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN, NOT READY!? HE'S AN EXTREMELY TALENTED YOUNG TOM! IF HE'S NOT READY, IT'S YOUR FAULT FOR BEING SUCH A TERRIBLE TEACHER!"
Most of the Tribe backed away from the two, except for Fish, who was Snow's mate, and Starling.
"Snow that covers rock, you must-" Starling began.
"AND YOU!" Snow left Beetle to scurry off and turned on his daughter. "YOU HUMILIATED YOUR OWN BROTHER IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE TRIBE. HOW COULD YOU? HAVE YOU NO SENSE OF FAMILY LOYALTY?"
"Now, now! Is that any way to speak to your future Stoneteller?" Starling said, not even flinching when her father yelled at her. She looked almost bored.
Stoneteller walked out of the cave again, an angry look on her face. "Snow! If you are going to act like a to-be, you will be treated like one! You are to clean the nursery. Immediately!"
"I'm not acting like a to-be! You are! Make my kits prey-hunters, now!" Snow's voice was a high whine.
Stoneteller walked closer and closer to Snow until they were so close, a mouse's whisker wouldn't fit between them. The leader of the Tribe growled something in a low, low voice, not to be heard, and Snow stepped back.
"I apologize profusely, Stoneteller! I will certainly do what you asked." Snow dashed to the nrusery without looking back.
Stoneteller nodded, satisfied, and walked back into the cave. Smolder smirked inwardly, though it seemed he didn't hide it well enough, as Starling caught him and fixed her angry gaze directly at him, until he shrank back to the cave wall. Starling turned and walked back into the cave after her mentor with a slight nod of approval.
Smolder relaxed as Starling padded away. He suddenly spotted Ice —the latter stomping towards the nursery— and tried to make eye contact, but once he succeeded he was immediately met with another glare and Ice walked away, looking more fearsome than he'd ever seen her. Shocked and slightly hurt, Smolder sighed and turned away as well, musing.
I should've listened to Red when she gave me a lesson on how to make a legit apology...
Because now the only other that cared about him besides his mentor hated him (probably), and Smolder didn't know what to do about it.
Feeling tired, even though it was still morning, Smolder decided to head back to the to-be's den for a short nap. He couldn't go and talk to Hawk, Ice was mad, Red was pregant and he couldn't go near the nursery. Thunder would be too busy with his kits to train him.
Or so Smolder thought, but he was quickly proven wrong when Thunder walked out in front of him as he was padding towards the cave. "Where are you going?" The gray tom hissed, yellow eyes narrowed.
"I'm- I'm going to the to-be's den," Smolder said, silently cursing himself for stuttering.
"Why? We still have training today, you know? Did you think the ceremony somehow exempts you from doing anything?"
"Er..." Smolder winced. Exempt?
"Answer me, then!" the cat snapped. His fur looked ruffled.
"Well..."
Smolder felt stinging claws rake across his cheek. Even more downcast now, he plodded out of the cave to follow his furious mentor outside of camp.