Chapter Two
The sun shone brightly over the quarry, warming everything from rocks to the sand. The sky was spotted with fluffy clouds. Greenleaf is so nice every day! The kit perched on a small boulder thought as he sunned himself on the warm rocks. His dark brown fur fluffed as he saw the pale brown-grey pelt of his sister, Heatherkit.
"Volekit! Mama's looking for you!" Heatherkit yowled to her brother, who flicked an ear. So much for sunning myself today. The dark brown tabby rolled his eyes as he leapt down the rocks and ran alongside his sister. Heatherkit was so much taller than him.
The two kits walked into the nursery; a think bramble bush with extra leaves piled on top to keep the hot sun out. "Heatherkit, Volekit." The soft voice of their mother rang out as the two kits saw the bright white furred she-cat lying in her nest, blue eyes glinting in the sunlight.
"Hey Mama! You should come outside, it's so warm!" Volekit squeaked, playfully biting his mother's ear. The white she-cat smiled lightly, before nudging her kit off her ear. Volekit landed on his paws, and smiled up at his mother. Her blues eyes where so calming.
"I wanted to talk both of you about your apprenticeship, since you will both be apprentices in less than a moon." Their mother, Icepelt, meowed to her kits. Volekit cocked his head to the side. "Don't we learn everything about this when our mentors are?" The kit asked.
Icepelt chuckle softly to herself, before she wrapped her fluffy white tail around Volekit and Heatherkit. "Brackenstar is trying something new; he wants to see if the new kits of the clan would like to choose their mentors or suggest mentors for themselves," The she-cat paused, "So Birchwhisker and I want to show you two some of the warriors who are willing to train you, that's all. But it is kinda a big deal, choosing who will make you into a warrior."
Heatherkit lifted her chin, and mewed, "Who are the cats that we can choose from? Do we know any of them well?"
"Well, your father's littermate, Cinderboulder, is a choice. The others are Featherfoot, Firestorm, Lavenderleaf, and Mossfeather." Icepelt meowed, as Volekit blinked. Mossfeather was the clan's deputy; if he was her apprentice, he would become the best warrior!
"I might choose Cinderboulder or Firestorm. Silverpaw said he's really nice to cats, but so is Cinderboulder." Heatherkit squealed, as the pale furred she-kit swished her tail in excitement.
"I might choose Mossfeather, since she is a deputy. I could learn everything from her!" Volekit meowed, as Icepelt nodded.
"Well, we should meet them now, so that you can choose."
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Volekit had never been in Brackenstar's den, and he was surprised at how big it was. His den was above highledge, hidden in the rocks that lined the camp. It was cold, but it had a large amount of room to walk around.
Heatherkit sat beside Volekit, flicking her ears in excitement. Icepelt and their father, Birchwhisker, were sitting quietly near Brackenstar's nest, meowing to each other. Birchwhisker turned, the dark brown tom flicking his whiskers, and meowed, "I wonder where Brackenstar is."
As if he had summoned him, a tall, long legged brown tabby tom walked into the den, bright eyes seeming to illuminate the den. He nodded to Birchwhisker and Icepelt, as he sat down next to them. Volekit turned and saw a few cats walk into the den as well. He recognized the short legs of Cinderboulder, as she walked over and pressed her muzzle against Birchwhisker. She was followed by a fluffy, jet black tom, a ginger tom with white paws, an older grey tabby she-cat, and a tortoiseshell she-cat.
"Now that everything is settled, we can introduce the kits to each warrior." Brackenstar meowed in his deep voice, as he flicked his tail to Cinderboulder.
Cinderboulder nodded to him and walked over to the kits. The grey she-cat smiled at both of them. "You both know me well. I'm Cinderboulder, and I have already trained an apprentice, who is also one of your choices. I am also a guard of the camp at night, so you can also learn that. But, I don't care if you choice me. I'll still help you." The grey she-cat meowed, before walking back.
More cats went, the fluffy tom, Featherfoot, the ginger tom, Firestorm, and the older she-cat, Lavenderleaf.
The last cat was Mossfeather. She was a very complex cat, her voice was rough and cold, but her blue eyes seemed nice. The tortoiseshell she-cat turned and sat back down next to the other warriors, and Brackenstar stood up. His eyes locked with the two kits, as he sat down in front of them.
"You two can tell me who is your choice, if you have one." The brown tabby tom meowed quietly, as Volekit flicked an ear. Heatherkit bounded up beside the leader and whispered into his ear. He smiled before nodding to the tiny she-kit and turning to Volekit. "Volekit."
The leader bent his head down, and Volekit walked to his ear. "Mossfeather or Firestorm, Brackenstar. They are my choices." The tom-kit whispered, as the brown tabby nodded and smiled at the kit. He turned to Birchwhisker and Icepelt, and whispered to them quietly. They nodded, and the leader turned to everyone else.
"It has been decided. Now we wait for half a moon until they are ready to be apprenticed." Brackenstar meowed, as the cats dispersed out of the den. Excitement bubbled in Volekit's stomach as he padded into the den. He could not wait to be apprenticed.
-Half a moon later-
Volekit sat right next to Heatherkit, excitement running down his spine. Today was the day! He could not wait, he felt like running around with excitement. He was finally going to learn how to train to be a warrior! He was simply waiting for everyone to gather and Brackenstar to walk out of his den.
Lifting his muzzle, Volekit looks around for more cats. He saw the elders making their way out of their den, muttering to each other as always. Cinderboulder and Birchwhisker walked out of the warriors den, both talking to a brown tabby tom with short legs. More cats drew out of the dens, and some leapt down from rocks leading to the entrance of the camp. Volekit's eyes lit up. They are all coming for Heatherkit and I!
Once every cat had settled, Brackenstar emerged from his den, Mossfeather flanking him. He flicked his tail, and the clan fell silence.
"Today is an important day in this clan; we are welcoming two new apprentices, who have been chosen to try out the new system I and the other leaders have decided upon. The system of choosing a mentor based off the kit's choice." The leader meowed, as mutters softly filled the camp. One of the elders, Ashpool, yowled, "When we were young, we didn't get to choose! This is mouse-brained!"
Ignoring the meows of the cats, Brackenstar landed his powerful gaze on Volekit and Heatherkit. His gaze never left the kits as he yowled, "Silence! This is just an experiment! It may stay, and it may not. We have to except this." The cats fell hushed, but Volekit could feel Ashpool's blue eyes gazing through his pelt, along with many other cats. Hopefully this will work. If it doesn't, maybe they will rip of Brackenstar's pelt.
"Heatherkit, step forward," Brackenstar meowed, tone changed from powerful to soft. Heatherkit bounded forward, her green eyes wide with excitement and fear. Brackenstar smiled down at the kit, who weakly smiled back. "Heatherkit, you wish to become a warrior; to serve your clan at all costs. Am I correct?"
Heatherkit nodded, all the fear in her eyes gone. She was just bubbling with excitement now. "Yes, I am!" She meowed energetically.
Brackenstar nodded, as he lifted his eyes and stared out across the camp. "Firestorm. You are a young warrior, but I have seen potential in your skills since you were a kit. You are a smart cat with great abilities. I hope you pass on these abilities on to Heatherpaw the best you can." Brackenstar meowed.
Firestorm drew out of the group of cats. He was a tall cat, with a flame colored pelt and white paws. His dark eyes where bright as he smiled at Brackenstar. "I will try my best, Brackenstar." He meowed in a deep voice, before padding over to Heatherpaw and touching noses with her. The ginger tom whispered something to her before sitting down next to her.
"Volekit, you also want to be the best warrior you can and serve your clan?" Brackenstar continued, as Volekit padded up beside his sister. He smiled widely, energy sparking through his paws. "Yes, I will serve my clan!"
"Mossfeather, you are his mentor. You are my deputy, and I expect nothing short of a fine warrior out of Volepaw. Train him with your excellence." Brackenstar dipped his head to the she-cat who stood proudly next to him. Mossfeather leapt down high ledge and stopped in front of Volepaw. She bent her head forward and touched noses with Volepaw. She whispered silently in his ear, "You'll be the best cat in this clan when I'm done with you!" She smiled to her apprentice and sat down beside him.
Brackenstar looked back across the clan, and yowled, "Welcome Volepaw and Heatherpaw! Our newest apprentices!" Yowls of happiness sounded through the camp as both of their names where chanted. Volepaw smiled at his sister; he could not wait to become a warrior.