Chapter Three
Duskkit padded forward, her paw steps almost like a regular cat's. After three moons of being blind, she was pretty much used to not seeing anything and recognized things and locations by smell alone. However, she always longed to be able to see her mother and littermates. Duskkit stopped and dug through the fresh-kill pile, finally selecting a shrew for her mother. "Duskkit! How are you today?" Duskkit sniffed the air, and recognized the scent of milk that was a bit dull.
"I'm fine, Splashwhisper. How are Rosekit, Darkkit, and Bramblekit?" Duskkit replied, turning towards the voice. Splashwhisper leaned over and grabbed a piece of prey, a sparrow, and sat down beside the kit.
"Bramblekit is as energetic as ever, bouncing around and annoying your father. Darkkit is listening to the elders' stories, he's a very intelligent one, if I do say so myself. Rosekit is playing around with your littermates, she'll make a great mother, I'm sure. They're going to be apprenticed today!" Duskkit murmured congratulations in response, before turning around and heading back towards the nursery. To be a mother? I wonder how that would be….
"Hey! Watch it, pathetic kit!" Duskkit sniffed the air and immediately recognized the scent of Talonflame. Duskkit shrunk under the amber gaze of the intimidating warrior.
"S-sorry, Talonflame. I didn't know y-you were there!" Duskkit squealed. Talonflame hissed in annoyance, unsheathing his claws.
"Stay away from me, you bad excuse for a warrior! I can't believe any cat as beautiful as Snow-," Talonflame snarled, before being pushed forcefully away. Duskkit immediately recognized the scent of warm milk and moss. Snowblossom!
"I don't know what you we're saying to my daughter or about me, but I saw your claws unsheathed, Talonflame!" Snowblossom hissed, wrapping her tail protectively around her daughter.
"I'm sorry… Snowblossom, I was just cleaning my claws on the ground. I would never hurt Duskkit, I promise!" Talonflame replied. Duskkit yowled in disgust, her eyes glistening with anger.
"He… he…. was calling my worthless! He also called me pathetic! He called me a bad excuse for a warrior!" Duskkit squealed indignantly. Snowblossom gasped, and she curled her lip in the beginning of a snarl.
"Stay away from my kit, worthless fox-dung. If I see you by her anytime, I will shred you," Snowblossom growled, nudging Duskkit back into the nursery. Duskkit stumbled into the warm milk scented den, and flopped down at her nest. "It's okay, Duskkit. Just get some sleep, and when you wake up, it will all be better by then. You might even wake up to watch Bramblekit, Rosekit, and Darkkit get apprenticed." Duskkit closed her eyes, lulled to sleep by her mother's comforting warmth.
"Duskkit! Wake up! It's my apprentice ceremony! You're not allowed to miss it," Rosekit whispered, her eyes gleaming brightly. Duskkit stretched open her eyes, before sighing as she was greeted by darkness once more. What's the point? Duskkit stumbled to her paws, quickly pressing her flank against Rosekit to stay balanced and find her way around. "Come on, this way. I hope I get a good mentor!" Duskkit nodded, and trotted at a brisk pace to keep up with Rosekit. Suddenly, a tail swept across her paws.
"Where do you think you're going without my permission?" Duskkit turned around, and could sniff out the scent of milk.
"I'm watching the apprentice ceremony. You said I could, right?" Duskkit replied, dipping her head to her mother.
"Of course you can. Just stay safe, okay?" Duskkit nodded in excitement, before slowly following Rosekit out of the den. A breeze caught her fur, and she knew that the sun had already set upon the clan. Rosekit guided her towards a spot where Featherkit and Lionkit were already sitting.
"Okay, see you later! I'm about to become an apprentice!" Rosekit squealed, quickly hopping over to join her brothers. Duskkit turned over to where Featherkit was, and felt her soft feathery tail brush along her muzzle.
"Aren't you excited for them? Their already apprentices!" Featherkit purred, waving her tail around, and making Duskkit sneeze. "Oops, sorry! I'm just so ex-." She broke off as Thornstar padded over to the ledge, and let his gaze sweep among the assembled cats.
"Cats of ThunderClan, you join me here for a very special moment in ThunderClan. Rosekit, Bramblekit, and Darkkit, please step forward!" Thornstar yowled. The three kits padded forward, and she could hear their paws jumping around. "Bramblekit, 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 Bramblepaw. Your mentor will be Sunstep. I hope Sunstep will pass down all she knows on to you." Bramblepaw padded forward, and touched his nose lightly against his mentor's. Bramblepaw stepped back, his eyes gleaming with pride.
"Congratulations, Bramblepaw," Shadowpaw whispered, nudging his new denmate. Dovepaw shot her brother a glare, and he fell silent, awkwardly shuffling his paws.
"Rosekit, you have reached the age of six moons, and you shall be apprenticed. From this day on, and until you earn your name, you shall be known as Rosepaw. Your mentor will be Russetclaw, and I'm sure he'll teach you well," Thornstar purred. Rosepaw trotted forward, her tail wagging, and touched her mentor's nose. Rosepaw stepped back to where her brother was, and she was prideful as well.
"Nice to have you join me, sister," Bramblepaw whispered softly, a low purr rumbling in his throat.
"Darkkit, you are old enough to be apprenticed. From this day on, and until you become a warrior of ThunderClan, you shall be known as Darkpaw. I am positive Shadefrost is ready for another apprentice, and you will be his. I hope that he passes down all that he knows to you," Thornstar announced. Darkpaw dipped his head, and reached up to touch his nose with Shadefrost. The three new apprentices stood shoulder to shoulder and raised their heads proudly into the air.
"Bramplepaw! Rosepaw! Darkpaw! Bramplepaw! Rosepaw! Darkpaw!" the clan cheered into the darkening sky. Duskkit cheered, her blind eyes glinting with happiness for her friends. She headed back towards the nursery, and almost bumped into Darkpaw on the way back.
"Sorry! I didn't know you were there," Duskkit mewed, bowing her head.
"It's fine, Duskkit. I'll see you tomorrow," Darkpaw replied, and she heard him disappear into the apprentices' den. Duskkit shrugged, before heading back into the nursery. She found Snowblossom waiting for her, and Duskkit collapsed into her nest, exhausted once more. She heard the tiny scampering of paws towards the nursery, and Featherkit and Lionkit bundled up beside her.