"Featherpaw!" called a farmiliar ginger she-cat. Bouncy as ever, a pale gray apprentice came rushing in seconds after the call from her mentor. With a few gasps to catch her breath, Featherpaw looked up at Squirrelflight.
"Ready!" she mewed joyfully as she watched her brother Moorpaw go off to find Bramblestar, his mentor. "Can we train with Bramblestar and Moorpaw today? Please?"
Squirrelflight purred and looked over to where Bramblestar was talking to Moorpaw. Moorpaw, Featherpaw's brother, had a light tabby pelt like Leafpool's, but a thin structure like Crowfeather, his father. Featherpaw was almost the opposite. She had a pale but dark gray pelt with a body like Leafpool.
"So?..." mewed Featherpaw impatiently. She stared into Squirrelflight's eyes, trying to read her expression. Something in them seemed wary as the ginger she-cat stared over at Icepaw and Foxpaw. Featherpaw followed her gaze, her belly flittering when she saw Foxpaw.
Her mentor seemed to snap back to her. "Uh, sure, wait here, I'll go get Bramblestar," she mewed in a hurry. Featherpaw gave a little huff and sat down.
She searched camp to see what everyone was doing. Cinderstep was with her sisters, Honeypelt and Poppypelt, as Poppypelt's kit played around his mother's paws. Crowfeather was with Icepaw, his apprentice, as she seemed to be asking him questions worriedly. Warrior ceremony's tonight, thought Featherpaw. She wondered what it would be like when it was her day. Meanwhile, Mousewhisker trotted over to Honeypelt and mewed a few words to her. Her face lit up in the morning light. Wondering suspiciously, Featherpaw narrowed her eyes before they snapped wide open again. Whitewing's kits, Cardinalkit and Finchkit, were going to be apprenticed soon and she was sure Mousewhisker and Honeypelt would be the new mentors. She had overheard Leafpool talking about it with her sister Squirrelflight. And Squirrelflight would know; after all, she was the leader's mate.
"Ok, Featherpaw, Bramblestar wants to hold Icepaw and Foxpaw's apprentice ceremony now so we'll go later," mewed Squirrelflight who seemed to have just appeared at Featherpaw's side. Featherpaw nodded, and tried to keep back fresh disappointment as she heard Bramblestar's very farmiliar yowl. With a sigh, she joined Moorpaw, her mother Leafpool, and her two younger siblings, Blackkit and Thymekit, below the Highledge.
"Icepaw and Foxpaw have been in training for many hard moons," began Bramblestar proudly. This was his first warrior ceremony. "The death of our great leader-" he bowed his head "-has delayed the ceremony. Now I think it is time we hold it. Crowfeather, are you satisfied with Icepaw's training?"
"Yes, I very well think I am," mewed Crowfeather, raising his head as Icepaw glowed with happiness.
"Good, Spiderleg, are you satisfied with Foxpaw's?" mewed Bramblestar. He turned to Icepaw after Spiderleg had nodded his agreement. "StarClan, I call you to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to learn the ways of your code. Foxpaw, Icepaw will you protect and serve the clan even at the cost of your life?"
"I do," both cats mewed together. It was strange for the 'I do' to be pronounced as one when two cats were having the ceremony. Featherpaw narrowed her eyes.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you each your warrior names," called Bramblestar. "Icepaw, you shall be know known as Icelake. The clan honors your quickness and loyalty to your clan. And Foxpaw, you shall be known as Foxtail. The clan honors your intelligance and courage. We welcome you both as full warriors of ThunderClan.
"Foxtail, Icelake, Foxtail, Icelake!" chanted the clan happily. Featherpaw purred and raced over to give both her friends congratulating purrs. Once the ceremony died down, Featherpaw realized she was right. Mousewhisker was the new mentor of Cardinalpaw and Honeypelt was the new mentor of little Finchpaw. Featherpaw blinked as she watched both tom apprentices, Cardinalpaw a deep tortoiseshell red, and Finchpaw, a dark golden tabby, stare happily at their knew mentors. She sighed and looked for Squirrelflight now. But the only cat who she was was Leafpool.
"Sweetie, what's troubling you?" asked her mother quietly. Featherpaw shook her head as she searched the clearing.
"Trying to find Squirrelflight and Bramblestar," she murmured. "Said they'd take me and Moorpaw out training."
Leafpool flicked her tail sympithetically. "Squirrelflight is helping Bramblestar mantain the clan this moment. He's been put under a lot of pressure since the last gathering, expecially when Foxtail and Icelake got into the incident. How about I ask if Ashfur can take you both out hunting. He's still pretty put down about Lionclaw and the row they never got over."
Featherpaw thought for a quick second before muttering, "Yeah, ok, Mother. I'll get Moorpaw and we'll ask Ashfur. There's no need for you to leave Blackkit and Thymekit."
Leafpool blinked in reply as her gaze softened even more. She looked down at Blackkit, the scrawny young tomkit and Thymekit, the she-kit who looked like Spottedleaf reborn. But of course, Spottedleaf was in StarClan with Firestar which meant she would never be recarninated.
Featherpaw bounced over to her brother and mewed a few quick words in his ear. Nodding, he raced with his sister over to Ashfur. The tom's gray pelt seemed to be dulling more and more now, and Featherpaw couldn't bear to see the brave warrior join the elders. She smiled at him as her brother started to talk with him.
"Ashfur," Moorpaw mewed. "We were wondering if since Bramblestar is busy-" Featherpaw saw the slightest jerk in Ashfur's body and the slightest hint of something deep in his eyes "-you maybe could take us hunting. Leafpool told us to ask you." He added the last part hastily incase he thought the warrior might reject them.
Ashfur nodded but he didn't say anything. With his gaze fixed ahead, he swished his tail along the air indicating for Featherpaw and Moorpaw to follow him. Grinning, Featherpaw rushed across to her brother and Ashfur. Finally! She was out of camp at last.
But what if Callie or Kendra or Cissy or Angel were out? That was the group of petty little kittypet she-cats that had been see throughout ThunderClan territory. Worse, Featherpaw knew there was a prophecy involving them.