Chapter Six
"Tribemates! Today I gather you for a task I enjoy like the best piece of fresh-kill! The making of To-bes!"
The cats gathered around the base of the great Aspen tree erupted in cheers, pushing and shoving for the best places to watch.
Then, they split right down the middle and four cats entered the center of the circle.
"Sight on Misty Morning and Thunder on Stormy Night have informed me that their kits are ready to begin their training.
"I have decided to take on a to-be." Her bright-blue gaze raked across the cats, daring one of them to challenge her decision.
"Light That Shines on Bloodstained Grass, come forward." the tiny gray she-cat looked at her father for encouragement, and he bent his lightning-striped head to nudge her forward.
"You have reached your sixth moon, and it is time to begin your training so that you may take your rightful place among our Tribe.
"Your namesake, Blood That Sustains All Life, was a brave, loyal cat, and I hope you are the same. I will be your mentor." The snowy-white she-cat leapt from the tree, and padded over to the young cat. Touching noses, both cats raced back to the tree, to-be leaping for the roots, Healer clawing her way up the trunk.
"And now, my final task. Snow on River's Ice, as your namesake, I will tell you personally. I expect nothing of you, just do your best. Frog That Sits on Lily, your time is going quickly, so train this young cat well. She is your last to-be. I expect a great prey hunter out of her."
A huge gray-green tom padded from the circle of watching cats, over to the young white to-be. Touching noses, they padded back to the circle.
Jumping back to the ground, Snow bounded to her new follower. The young she-cat raced over, tail sticking straight up in the air.
"We're going hunting. Are you ready for your first lesson?"
"Oh, yes! When do we leave?" her pale green eyes were shining brightly, and she was kneading the ground with still kit-sharp claws.
"Right now. Follow me, and stay close until you get to know the territory a little better."
Then, pelts brushing, the two cats padded toward a great bramble tunnel and to the open world outside.
"Remember, stay low to the ground. And don't move your tail. Even out your weight, put it on all four paws. Great! Now, set your paws down light as feathers. Just like that! Now, can you find the prey?"
The young gray cat nodded, her ears pricked and mouth open. Silently, she began to creep forward, towards a rustling fern.
Pricking her own ears, Snow heard the faint beat of a tiny heart.
Mouse!
She crouched down and flattened her ears before remembering,
No! This is her hunt!
Sitting back, she looked at the young gray tabby who was preparing to spring. Suddenly, there was a great crashing noise, and the brambles began swaying wildly.
Leaping out of her hunter's crouch, the to-be unsheathed her claws, and her tail began to snap back and forth like a dancing snake.
Then, a cat burst into the clearing, and two cries became a single one.
"Thunder!" both she-cats raced to his side and stared at his bloodstained pelt.
Taking command, Snow straightened up. "Who did this?" Her voice did not waiver and her expression was blank.
"It...came from the hills... out of nowhere... attacked camp..." His breathing was ragged and his eyes began to close.
"Thunder, stay with me! Light, go get me cobwebs. This is your first lesson as Healer."
Nodding, the young cat raced off into the roots of a beech tree.
Stalking over to a great, leafy plant, snow began stripping leaves.
The two she-cats bent over the great tomcat.
"I'm going to chew this into a pulp. It's horsetail, good for shock, fever and infection. After I press this on, put the cobwebs over it so it will heal."
The to-be nodded, and Snow began to chew up the leaves.
The three cats stood at the edge of the clearing, the great black tom in the middle supported by a smaller white she-cat and an even smaller gray one.
A fierce determination clouded the she-cat's eyes as they began to pad forward, their injured Tribemate between them.