Chapter 4 – Unknown Feelings

"May all cats old enough to mate with one another, gather here beneath Moss Rock to hear what I have to say." Hazestars voice echoed around the small clearing. The mating hips of cats ceased, and unmounted, making their way over to Moss Rock. Tumblecloud was one of them, though of course, he wasn't able to mate, like the others. He was too shy, his mentor apparently hadn't taught him well enough… He sat next to the other warriors, looking down at his paws nervously.

Hazestar stood tall and proud atop Moss Rock, that has his claw marks etched into them. It was tradition that with every new leader to lead RapidClan, they would make their mark upon the rock. Once, Heatkit tried to etch his mark into the rock, and Hazestar cast him into the nursery for a moon, never to come out until his time was up. For warriors, they were to be banished. Fortunately, none ever did.

The many heads of RapidClan looked up at their leader, Auburnkit was now a part of that group since she was old enough to mate. She sent a gaze back to her siblings, who watched from the entrance of the nursery. She smiled at them, and then turned her head back to Hazestar.

"Today, we enter on a new warrior, and an apprentice into our ranks." He paused, letting an uproar of joy ripple through the clan. "First, our dear warrior. Nettlepaw, please step up."

"WOO! GO NETTLEPAW!" Echopaw blurted out through the silence, sending many eyes back to gaze at her oddly, she blushed and covered her mouth with her tail.

Nettlepaw gulped, his legs stiff and heart pumping fast. He pushed himself to walk up to Moss Rock, until he eventually stopped before Hazestar.

Moss Rock was much like a podium, the top was flat and easy to walk across, and made it easy to overlook the clan. Nettlepaw did so with worried eyes, all those eyes were fixated on him… He forced himself to look back towards Hazestar, who had an amused look in his eye.

"Nettlepaw, you have trained hard to seduce every shecat in RapidClan, and impressively, you are one of the first warriors to have done it so quickly. I, and all of our ancestors, honor you by making you a full fledged warrior of RapidClan. Nettlepaw, do you promise to uphold all of the laws of RapidClan, and never to betray?"

"I do…" Nettlepaw answered, blessed by not having his nerves show through in his voice.

"Then by the power in me, I dub you Nettleshade." A smile lit the leaders face, and Nettleshade brightened.

"Nettleshade! Nettleshade! Nettleshade!" The voices echoed through the camp and rang in his ears, blossoming his heart.

"You are also granted an apprentice, Nettleshade." Hazestar purred. "I would gladly want to pass your skills on to this young kit. Auburnkit, come up please."

Terrified beyond words, Auburnkit slowly made her way through the crowd of people, and atop Moss Rock, until she stood beside her leader, and her friend, head lowered nervously.

"Auburnkit, you have succeeded by mating, and now it is time for you to learn the ways of RapidClan, are you ready to receive a mentor, to teach and guide you through these ways?"

"Yes…" Auburnkit mewed quietly.

"Then I grant you the apprentice name, Auburnpaw, and your wise and skillful mentor, is Nettleshade." Auburnpaw looked up at Nettleshade with bright, joyous eyes, her heart beamed in her chest. Nettleshade felt the same. He lowered his head down, touching noses with his apprentice, his friend, his lover, Auburnpaw.

"Auburnpaw! Auburnpaw! Auburnpaw!" The voices cried joyously. The two looked over to the crowd and scanned over them with their eyes, never before had the two of them felt so proud.

The next morning

Auburnpaw felt a little bit uncomfortable moving into thje apprentices den. She missed her siblings, but she soon found that Petalpaw and Echopaw were very kind to her, and she soon settled in like family.

Meanwhile, Nettleshade didn't fit in too well. His nest was next to Poisionstream, who prodded him in the middle of the night constantly, whether it was on purpose, or accident he had no idea, but he was getting close to swiping at her. Loudheart slept beside him, and he snored all through his sleep.

When dawn arrived, spilling it's creamy pink skies across the horizon, Nettleshade left his den. The morning wind was very cold, and dew still flanked the blades of grass. He always wondered how the dew got there in the first place, it hadn't rained the night before…

Everyone was asleep, so Nettleshade sat here pondering that. Unexpectedly, Auburnpaw appeared beside him and poked him with her tail. He jumped, straightening and gasping, just keeping back a yowl. Auburnpaw shyly giggled, appearing in his vision and sitting before him.

"Not funny." He snapped, but managed a smile himself. They fell into a silence, not wanting to wake up the many warriors of RapidClan, who weren't really 'morning cats'.

"What're you going to teach me first, Nettlep- I mean, Nettleshade?" Auburnpaw asked, playing with a leaf that had dwindled down. It was a bright orange, she could tell that fall was just around the corner.

"Good question." Nettleshade chuckled, he personally had no idea what he'd teach her first. He tried to reflect back on what Poisionstream taught him, but that was all just how to seduce shecats… He supposed this wouldn't really work for Auburnpaw…

He tried to think of how to seduce a tom, it was quiet easy ocne he thought about it. Just act really sexy and needy, that was it really… Though, he cringed when he imagined Auburnpaw doing that, that wasn't her… She was happy and bubbly, and pure, she needed to mate for love…

Actually, the thought of Auburnpaw mating with anyone else felt like an icy knife stabbing him in the chest. Was it jealousy? He had no idea, but it closed up his throat and made it heart to breathe. He pushed the thought out of his head.

"I suppose I can teach you the basics of mating, it's quiet easy." He purred.

"Okay!" Auburnpaw lashed her tail happily.

"Shh, keep your voice down, they're still asleep, do you want to get your pelt skinned?" Nettleshade teased, cuffing her lightly over the ear.

Auburnpaw giggled and pushed her head into Nettleshades flank lovingly. "I'm really glad you're my mentor, I wouldn't want anyone else." She smiled, burying her face into his side.

Nettleshade felt her words touch his heart. He paused, eyes welling in emotion. He licked her head and purred. "I'm happy too…"

It was so strange… Nettleshade wasn't like this with any other shecat he had ever mated with. It was all just pointless sex to reach his goal and get his warrior name… But, with Auburnpaw, he felt so different… He breathed in her scent and sighed it out, all his chills releasing, and being replaced by Auburnpaw warmth.