Two moons had passed since Rockthroat and Turtlefoot's journey to retrieve the catmint, and nearly all of their clanmates had fully recovered barring the occasional coughing fit. Their leader Shellstar, who had also fallen partial victim to the nigh fatal plague, arose from his den lined with smooth stone. He walked hurriedly towards the heated sands of the shore, jumping strongly onto a light grey rock which faced the full force of the ocean's onslaught. The morning sun peeked over the horizon and rested upon Shellstar's broad, faded shoulders as he prepared to call out to the Clan.
"Let all cats old enough to brave the ocean's waves, gather beneath the Seastone for a clan meeting!"
The Clan began to congregate around the smooth, sea-stricken stone. The younger kits, including Shorekit and her brother Foamkit among them, erupted from the nursery to watch the ceremony unfold while secretly yearning for it to be their turn. A line of kits, six moons in age, paraded towards their clanmates, their heads held as high as storm-borne waves. The nursery seemed a trifle more barren with the exodus of these four apprentices-to-be. They came to rest in front of the collecting Clan, waiting restlessly to hear the words of their pale ginger leader. The queens also emerged from the nursery, Cloudshade and Mudstripe included. Mudstripe gave Cloudshade a friendly nudge, silently congratulating the apprenticeship of her litter. She took to her kits' sides, Rockthroat greeting her upon arrival. As the Clan settled, Shellstar moved to speak.
"Cats of CoastClan! These four kits who stand before me have reached the age of six moons, and thus it is time for them to begin their apprenticeships. Cloudshade's kits, please step forward."
Three kits, one tortoiseshell-and-white, another golden, and the final one brown and white took a single step forward, never breaking their gaze upon the faded ginger tom. Cloudshade looked on from the front of the gathered warriors, a smile as bright as the still-rising sun across her pure-white face. Shellstar beckoned three warriors to the front with swirling blue eyes, one of which was his deputy, Cedarfrost.
"Leafkit, Tigerkit, and Rabbitkit, from this day onward, until you receive your warrior names, you shall be known as Leafpaw, Tigerpaw, and Rabbitpaw." Cedarfrost, you have proven your worth in the mentoring of young warriors. I give you Leafpaw as your new apprentice, and may Minkpaw look down from StarClan and approve my choice. Teach her to focus her energies on serving her Clan well."
Cedarfrost's eyes began to mist for a split second at the mention of his old apprentice, but stood proud to touch noses with the mostly white she-cat. Her green eyes shown with the same whimsical youthfulness of Minkpaw, and at this gaze he couldn't help but smile. Leafpaw's brothers, Tigerpaw and Rabbitpaw, rose to receive their mentors a well. Tigerpaw's mentor's coat shone with a harsh shade of ginger, and he towered over his small yet ferocious apprentice. Rabbitpaw shuffled over to his mentor's side, her gentle, lilac stare keeping him as calm as his siblings. The remainder of the Clan erupted into praise and cheers for the new apprentices.
"Leafpaw! Tigerpaw! Rabbitpaw!"
The remaining kit, hearing the thundering cheers for his denmates, smiled and cheered along with them. The black tom felt a familiar scent surround him, calming him and allowing him to return his focus to his leader. Having not forgotten about the remaining kit, Shellstar turned towards the small black tom, lashing his tail swiftly to the side to quiet the rest of the Clan.
"Duskkit, StarClan looks proudly upon you for facing this day with your denmates. From this day onward, until you have received your warrior name, you shall be known as Duskpaw. Turtlefoot, even though you have become Duskpaw's motherly guide throughout his final two moons of kithood, I trust you can train Duskpaw with a steady gaze and firm paws. "
Turtlefoot was shocked to be chosen as Duskpaw's mentor. After she comforted him and treated him as if he as her own kit, she expected Shellstar would surely think Duskpaw would be coddled as her apprentice. Nonetheless, she padded towards Duskpaw and touched his black nose to hers. As he heard the joyous cries of his clanmates, Duskpaw returned with a sincere, if not slightly nervous smile.
"Duskpaw! Duskpaw!"
With the final apprentice named, the group disbanded to commence their warrior duties. Leafpaw could barely contain her excitement as Cedarfrost gathered a group of warriors for morning border patrols. He called to Turtlefoot who walked hurriedly to join the group, Duskpaw not too far behind. Leafpaw repeatedly leaped over Duskpaw in pure anticipation for the miniature journey ahead.
"Calm yourself, Leafpaw," Cedarfrost sternly growled. "We don't want any other Clan or creature catching wind of us on patrol." He placed his paw, firm yet painless, on the colorfully flecked fur of her back, forcing the green-eyed apprentice to sit. "Now, since the greencough we have been neglecting our border with ForestClan, and considering what little forest territory we have, we must make sure our border markers are well defined."
Cedarfrost disappeared into the thick brush deeper into the forest, the patrol following after. They passed through a small section of dense wood, littered with a mix of perpetually green pines and the flashes of red and orange distinctive of most forest trees in leaf fall. Towards the tail-end of their patrol towards the ForestClan border, Leafpaw raced ahead of the group, bounding noisily through the leaf-covered ground, her equally leaf-like, sleek fur catching the cool breeze. She passed through the trees into a clearing lined with soft grass and moss, the CoastClan-ForestClan border. It was marked by a large, claw-marked stone, which she nearly smacking into during her stop. Cedarfrost came rushing, much more silently than his new apprentice, behind her. The remainder of the patrol group followed suit.
"Leafpaw, I know it is your first day out of camp, but you should never stray away from the patrol group! You don't know the territory and you could easily pass over Clan borders."
Leafpaw slumped her small shoulders and cried, "But the other Clans wouldn't hurt a new apprentice."
"The Clans have agreed not to harm kits who happen to wander into other territories. Apprentices and warriors are not afforded the luxury; we are expected to respect the Clan boundaries. "
Leafpaw snorted and slinked away from the clan-marking boulder towards Duskpaw, who gasped for air after his first high-impact run through the forest. Cedarfrost cleared his throat and turned towards both apprentices.
"This is the Clawed Rock. It serves as an important boundary between CoastClan and ForestClan territory. Beyond this clearing is a surprisingly thick part of the forest, which suits the lithe physique and light paws of the ForestClan cats. If we ever have any Clan business with them that cannot wait for a Gathering, no matter how rare that situation is, this is where we meet. Because this part of the forest is open it makes for an easy entry point into CoastClan territory, thus it is a location that must be patrolled and marked often. There's almost always a ForestClan cat peeking out through the underbrush, just waiting for an unwitting apprentice to chase prey over the border. I shouldn't have to tell you two what happens if they catch one."
Leafpaw's head sunk to her paws and took a few steps back. "I'm sorry, Cedarfrost."
Cedarfrost returned Leafpaw's apology with a stern gaze, and turned the party east along the ForestClan boundary, taking them towards a gushing river, forming the final portion of the border with the pine-dusted Clan. This is the same river that eventually feeds into Coastclan's invaluable ocean territory.
The patrol returned to camp at sunhigh, the sun reflecting off the shimmering sands and glittering, foamy sea illuminated the whole camp. Cedarfrost and Turtlefoot went their separate ways, apprentices following behind.