Coalstar looked down at his clan as they assembled under the Great Rock. He looked at his sister Rainpatter , and his daughter Maplekit. He was so proud of her. "Today we have a couple announcements. Leafbare is coming soon, and our hunting patrol this morning reported that there was less prey caught today than lately." Worried murmuring rippled through the crowd. "Also, Woodstripe reported scenting Shadowclan on our side of the border. I will need some cats for a patrol after this clan meeting. Oakgrass and Sandpaw, along with Heatherfire, you can go.
"Also, the Gathering is coming up soon. I'm deciding who gets to go, and should let those cats know by tomorrow at nightfall. Now, for something very special. Something two certain kits have been waiting for." All the cats turned to look at Maplekit and Cinderkit. Cindertkit looked proud and strutted to the top of the Great Rock, followed by a nervous Maplekit. Coalstar looked down at Cinderkit and could tell she would train very well. Her black fur would be handy for camouflage and fighting at night. He remembered giving her the "Cinder" prefix for her jet-black fur, and flame-orange eyes. He began to recite the ancient words.
"Cinderkit, 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 Cinderpaw. Your mentor will be Riverblossom. I hope Riverblossom will pass down all she knows on to you." Cinderpaw looked down at his subjects and found Riverblossom. She was a small blue cream who was the mother of Cedarpool, a newly appointed warrior.. Riverblossom looked surprised, and slowly walked to the top of the Great Rock. Coalstar addressed Riverblossom with dignity:
"Riverblossom, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Junipersky, and you have shown yourself to be stealthy and clever. You will be the mentor of Cinderpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Cinderpaw." Coalstar stepped back to allow Cinderpaw and Riverblossom to touch noses. Cinderpaw eagerly stretched out and met Riverblossom gratefully. The two cats stepped down and sat below the Great Rock. Cinderpaw saw her friend looking nervously at her father as he prepared to make her an apprentice. "Daddy, I-" she began quietly. "Hush, Maplekit." He hissed.
"Maplekit, 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 Maplepaw. Your mentor will be Heatherfire. I hope Heatherpaw will pass down all she knows on to you." Heatherfire was an orange cat with brown feet, resembling plants on fire, hence the name Heatherfire. She confidently strolled to the top of the Great Rock and stared at the cowering Maplepaw. Coalstar didn't seem to notice.
"Heatherfire, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Shorttooth, and you have shown yourself to be courageous and strong. You will be the mentor of Maplepaw, and I expect you to pass on everything you know to Maplepaw." Coalstar stated. Heatherfire touched noses with her apprentice gruffly. Maplepaw seemed disappointed for reasons Cinderpaw couldn't imagine. Was it because of the mentor she got? Heatherfire was strict, but she wasn't necessarily mean. Why would Coalstar pick out a bad mentor for his own daughter? Maybe Maplepaw was disappointed because she was made a Warrior, but why would that be disappointing? As Coalstar dismissed the Clan Meeting and the cats dispersed, Cinderpaw waited to talk to her friend, but Maplepaw had been dragged away by her new mentor.