Hey guys! Thanks for the reviews, and don't forget to check out my poems, The Warrior Inside. I love y'all! Please critique! I want to make this better for you guys!
"Birdkit!" Rang out a shrill squeak. Birdkit cracked open one eye, and found her self staring right into a clear, blue eye. Just as always, Sleetkit had woken up early to play with Birdkit. Birdkit groggily stood, and shook her fur out.
"Good morning, Sleetkit," she mewed. The small pale silver she-cat was very peppy, and Birdkit had grown fond of her and her two brothers, Thrushkit and Littlekit. Only half a moon had passed, and the three kits were already too active. Sleetkit ran in circles, attempting to catch her tail.
"Birdkit, will you play moss-ball with me?" The silver kit pleaded.
"Sure," shrugged Birdkit, scooping up a ragged ball of moss from the nursery floor. She launched it forwards gently, making sure not to accidently step on any stray tails or paws. Ever since Frostfoot's litter had been born, the nursery was always crowded. Nine kits and three queens were crammed into the cave, but thankfully, Mossfeather's litter was to be apprenticed soon.
Sleetkit giggled in delight and flicked the wad of moss back to Birdkit. Usually, after only a few rounds of moss-ball, the other kits would wake up, and Frostfoot's litter would scuttle to the warrior's den to pounce on stray tails, or head to the elders' den to listen to stories. Today, being ordinary, was the same. Soon enough, Littlekit and Thrushkit left with Sleetkit to visit Splashtail to finish a story. Birdkit's whiskers twitched with amusement as their eyes shone ever so brightly with delight. She had already listened to every one of Splashtail's stories, but they were still very fun to listen to.
Ryekit, Morningkit, and Thornkit also left the nursery to get some fresh air, and to probably practice their hunting crouch. They were very excited to become apprentices. With only Brightkit and Sandkit left, the three kits left to explore camp. Of course, they all knew the camp well enough, but every time they played in camp, they found new things. Once, a small "river" was trickling behind the elders' den, and another time, they discovered a large crack in the nursery wall. It was big enough for a kit to squeeze themselves in if they tried hard.
"Honeystream?" called Birdkit, "We're going to explore camp!"
"Alright!" she replied. Then, the three kits exited the nursery. The camp was large, and two sides of the camp were made of stone, with the back of camp made up of a dense stand of trees, and the front another tiny "forest". A large gap in between two maple trees allowed for a nice entrance, which was lined with brambles. A secret exit in the back of camp provided a quick escape route. Birdkit headed right for the secret entrance. A tunnel carved into the stone on one side of the trees lead right outside of camp. The trio carefully padded into the entrance of the tunnel.
"Wow!" exclaimed Brightkit, "It's a lot darker than I imagined!" It was dead silent in the tunnel. The only sound that the kits heard were the sounds of their breathes, and the pitter-patter of their own paw steps. Soon enough, a faint light appeared at the end of the stone tunnel. When they reached it, they stopped.
"Do you think we're allowed to be in here?" asked Sandkit.
"Sure," shrugged Brightkit, "but we're not allowed out of it, since we're not allowed to step out of camp until we're apprenticed."
All of a sudden, a booming voice echoed through the tunnel, "You sure aren't allowed to be out of camp!" The kits squeaked in surprise as a dark ginger face appeared at the end of the tunnel. It was only Buzzardfire. He was on the other side of the tunnel keeping guard.
"Buzzardfire!" purred Birdkit and Sandkit.
"Are you kits getting in any trouble?" he chuckled. All three kits vigorously shook their heads. "Well then. I guess you should head off. There's nothing exciting in that tunnel!" He then exited the tunnel without another word.
"I guess we should leave," mewed Sandkit. Brightkit and Birdkit nodded, and the three padded out of the tunnel.
A little after sun-high, Mossfeather cried out, "Kits! Come here right now!" Her litter scuttled over, and the golden queen began to groom their messy fur energetically. They squirmed and whined, but they each left their mother with a sleek, well-groomed coat.
"What was that for?" squeaked Ryekit.
Mossfeather smiled, "You'll see." Then, as if right on cue, Thistlestar appeared on the high-ledge. His silver fur flashed in the harsh sunlight, slightly ruffled by the frosty wind.
"All cats who can run Thunder Gorge gather beneath Jagged-ledge for a clan meeting!" His voice rang out across camp, clear and hearty. Mossfeather's four kits widened their eyes. Slowly, the cats of Stormclan trickled into the shallow dip in the ground in front of high-ledge. Ripples of whispers traveled throughout the cats, but they soon died down.
"Cats of Stormclan! There are four kits ready to take on the responsibilities of an apprentice," Thistlestar proclaimed, "Thornkit, Ryekit, Brightkit, and Morningkit, please step forwards." All four kits scampered to the high-ledge, leaping onto the overhang below Thistlestar. Brightkit procceded with confidence, thought she twitched her whiskers with clear excitement. Thornkit and Ryekit both looked as though they couldn't contain themselves, but Morningkit padded forwards with composure. Thistlestar turned to Thornkit, and declared, "Thornkit, 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 Thornpaw. Your mentor will be Ashheart. I hope Ashheart will pass down all he knows on to you." Thistlestar turned to the gray warrior, who was beaming with pleasure, and said, "Ashheart, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Addersrike, and you have shown yourself to be courageous and loyal. You will be the mentor of Thornpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him." The newly named apprentice smiled and touched noses with Ashheart.
Thistlestar then turned to Ryekit, saying, "Ryekit, 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 Ryepaw. Your mentor will be Finchstreak. I hope Finchstreak will pass down all she knows on to you." Again, he turned to the shocked warrior and continued, "Finchstreak, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Softfur, and you have shown yourself to be clever and swift. You will be the mentor of Ryepaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her." They touched noses as the silver leader continued.
"Brightkit, 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 Brightpaw. Your mentor will be Ivywhisker. I hope Ivywhisker will pass down all she knows on to you." He smiled at the tortoise-shell warrior, "Ivywhisker, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Amberflight, and you have shown yourself to be kind and strong. You will be the mentor of Brightpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her." The two touched noses.
The leader stated, "Morningkit, 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 Morningpaw. Your mentor will be Oakblaze. I hope Oakblaze will pass down all he knows on to you." Then, facing the ginger tom, he declared, "Oakblaze, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Ripplenose, and you have shown yourself to be confident and honest. You will be the mentor of Morningpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her."
"Thornpaw, Ryepaw, Brightpaw, Morningpaw! Thornpaw, Ryepaw, Brightpaw, Morningpaw!" the clan chanted. Birdkit raised her voice with the others as her eyes shined with happiness. When will I be an apprentice?
