~~Chapter Five~~
The next day goes by smoothly, with me mainly just being a nuisance around camp and playing with Whitekit and his siblings. Soon the day comes to and end. And another day starts. Soon those days turn to moons, about six moons to be exact.
"All cats old enough to climb a pine tree, gather beneath the High Branch for a Clan meeting!" Adderstar calls from his perch on the High Branch.
"Crowkit. Please step forward. You have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Crowpaw. Your mentor will be Mossfur. I hope Mossfur will pass down all he knows on to you.
"Mossfur, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Darkpelt, and you have shown yourself to be cunning and fast. You will be the mentor of Crowpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Crowpaw." Mossfur beams at Crowpaw.
"Redkit, please step forward. You have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Redpaw. Your mentor will be Hardpelt. I hope Hardpelt will pass down all he knows on to you.
Hardpelt, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Redclaw, and you have shown yourself to be strong and smart. You will be the mentor of Redpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Redpaw."
Hardpelt nods at Redpaw, who shook on his paws.
"Whitekit. Please step forward. You have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Whitepaw. Your mentor will be Softfeather. I hope Softfeather will pass down all she knows on to you.
"Softfeather, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Frostheart, and you have shown yourself to be agile and enduring. You will be the mentor of Whitepaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Whitepaw." Whitepaw practically leaps up to Softfeather, who keeps her cool but I can tell she's excited.
I notice Rainheart perched on the High Branch. She beams at me proudly. I start purring softly.
"Falconkit. Please step forward. You have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Falconpaw. Your mentor will be Greyshadow. I hope Greyshadow will pass down all she knows on to you.
"Greyshadow, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Blazeheart, and you have shown yourself to be agile and enduring. You will be the mentor of Falconpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Falconpaw."
Adderstar finishes. I step up beside Whitepaw. Greyshadow's light grey pelt steps in front of me. I stretch out my neck to touch noses with my mentor. Whitepaw's tail lands on mine. I feel a spark run through my fur and I accidentally ram my face into Greyshadow's. Oops!
Finally we break away. "Redpaw! Crowpaw! Whitepaw! Falconpaw!" RavenClan calls.
"Cloudcurl! I'm an apprentice!" Redpaw meows at his mother. "Me too!" Crowpaw pounces on him. "Hey! I am too!" Whitepaw pounces on Crowpaw.
"Greyshadow, may I go collect moss for my nest?" Greyshadow nods. "She can come with me, I've got to get moss for the elders anyway." Rainheart offers. She begins to walk towards the entrance hole. She motions with her tail for me to follow.
"Falconpaw...can I come too?" My ear flicks to the noise. I turn. Whitepaw stands behind me. Nodding, I squeeze my haunches under the hole and pull myself up through the other end. Whitepaw follows, stopping to nudge the leaves back over the entrance hole.
"Where's Rainheart?" Whitepaw asks. "Uhh..." I reply. Whitepaw begins to sniff the dirt. I follow, picking up multiple scents, like maple tree sap, a mouse, and rabbit.
"Umm...this way!" I call, nose to the ground. He bounds after me.
"Falconpaw! Watch out!" I look up and meet face-to-face with a tree. "But the trail ends here!" Whitepaw gazes up.
"There!" I hear a familiar purring. "Here's your moss, Falconpaw!" I'm met by a huge clump of moss hitting my face, followed by three more. "Rainheart!" I plop down, gathering all the moss into a huge ball and grabbing it in my jaws.
"Wait, Falconpaw...I want to try something." Whitepaw sticks his claws into the tree. A sticky sap greets him. "Having fun, lovemice?" Rainheart leaps onto the ground, flicking he tail for us to follow. "Hey- we are not!" Whitepaw yowls. Under his breath I just barely hear him add, "-yet." Surprised, I dart ahead, eyes wide. He didn't just say that...right? We aren't together like that, right? I'm too young for that. But my heart flutters quickly and I know I'm wrong.