Yay to my newest story! So, right now I only have up to chapter 7, though I have 10 completed. Unfortunately, chapter 8 is at school, and I have not been in the class I can send it to myself in. So, this is what you get for now! I might add in allegiances soon. Maybe take a break from chapter 10 and write it instead. So, please R&R!
I do not own Warriors or the characters used in this story.
I watched in silence as my siblings played. How could I show them I could be a warrior? When I was very little, I had been attacked by a fox that had sneaked into the nursery. Our mother was killed, and I was lucky to live. Unfortunately, one of my back paws had been broken and twisted. It would never heal completely. To help me feel better as I grew older, the old medicine cat, Leafpool would tell of her mentor, Cinderpelt, who became a medicine cat after her leg had been hurt as mine had, except she was hit by a monster as an apprentice. It didn't help as much as she wanted it to. I didn't want to be a medicine cat like Cinderpelt. I wanted to be a warrior, like Fernkit and Bramblekit.
"Jayfeather!" I perked my ears at Fernkit's call. The medicine cat, who had been Leafpool's apprentice before she died, was padding over.
"Morning. I brought some poppy seeds and comfrey for Beechkit." His blind eyes locked on me.
"When are you going to get an apprentice? You seem really busy." Bramblekit mewed. Jayfeather continued to stare at me as I took the herbs and chewed them slowly, letting the juices flow into my belly. I could feel it working. My paw, which was bothering me just moments before, began to feel much better.
"I don't know. Maybe one of you three will be my apprentice." He mewed. I ruffled my pelt in anger.
"Well, I'm not going to be a medicine cat." Bramblekit puffed out her chest. Fernkit hissed playfully and pounced on her, the two she-cats becoming a mass of white, gray and brown fur.
"Me neither." I growled, low enough that only he could hear. He flicked his ear and slipped out the entrance. I watched him go before turning back to my sisters. I could feel the poppy seeds beginning to work, my mind turning sleepy.
"Let's go eat with Eaglepaw and Robinpaw!" Fernkit mewed, bounding over. I shook my head.
"Sleepy. Going to take a nap." I didn't give her the chance to say anything. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see her shrug. I sighed and slipped into my nest, curling my tail around my nose. It wasn't long at all until I fell into a deep sleep.
When I woke, I was being prodded in the side with a sharp claw. I flicked the large paw away bitterly.
"What do you want Fernkit?" I asked.
"Guess what?" She mewed with excitement dotting her voice. I grumbled and put a paw over my head.
"What?" I moaned.
"We are becoming apprentices today!" I shot to my feet. Apprentices? Finally, my chance to show I was not worthless had come! I could train as a warrior and fight for and feed my Clan! Of course I was excited. I bounded up to Whitewing, whose three kits were sleeping in a ball nearby. Bramblekit was between her paws, reluctantly being cleaned.
"Hello, Beechkit. You ready to be an apprentice?" Whitewing was one of the few who actually believed I could be a warrior. Her mother, Brightheart, had a face that was torn on one side from a dog attack when she was an apprentice. Her and a friend had gone to chase them off to prove they were ready to be made warriors after the leader, Bluestar, had denied them their warrior names. Her friend had died, but she had managed to get away with just half of her face missing. Now, she continued to be a warrior, and would in fact soon e joining the nursery with her second and probably last litter of kits, even though she was blind on one side.
"Of course I'm ready." I mewed with a smile. Goldenkit, her smallest kit, had begun to stir.
"Go back to sleep. I will wake you up before the ceremony." Whitewing mewed to him. He blinked at her.
"I'm not tired." He mewed, quiet enough not to wake his siblings. Whitewing rolled her eyes and signaled he could join her. The kits were about three moons old. Old enough to walk and talk, but not quite old enough to go outside.
"Does anyone want some freshkill before the ceremony?" I asked, wanting to do something to get my energy out. Fernkit shook her head.
"We should wait. Hollystar has been cutting down everyone's amount of fresh-kill. Prey is starting to hide in its burrows for leafbare, she said. I think we should wait until after we are settled as apprentices. Our mentors might take us out or we might be finding nests in the apprentices' den." She pointed out, her tail twitching at the thought. I shrugged in agreement. She had a point.
"All done Bramblekit. Now we just have to do Beechkit." She mewed. Bramblekit stood up, her fur sleek and shiny from the cleaning. I wanted to do it myself, but the sympathetic looks from my clean sisters told me any attempt to say so would be pointless. I took Bramblekit's spot and shifted my weight, getting comfortable. I was finished pretty quickly. I guessed Bramblekit had struggled a lot more before I woke up.
"We should go outside and wait." Bramblekit mewed. Her dancing eyes told me she was as eager as us all. Fernkit followed her out in a few excited bounds. I followed more slowly, mad my leg kept me from following their footsteps exactly. By the time I got outside, Hollystar was saying the familiar call from the Highledge.
"Hurry up or you will never be Beechpaw!" Fernkit teased from halfway to the highledge. I flicked my tail playfully and padded as fast as I could, a normal walk for most cats. I considered it bounding. It took as much energy.
"I ask upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these kits. They wish to become warriors, but must first become apprentices. Fernkit, from this moment forward, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Fernpaw. Birchfall, you are ready for an apprentice. You will mentor Fernpaw. Bramblekit, from this moment forward, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Bramblepaw. Icestorm, you have waited long for an apprentice. You will mentor Bramblepaw. Beechkit, from this moment forward, until you earny our warrior name, you will be known as Beechpaw." She tensed. Jayfeather seemed ready to go forward. Had she thought at all about my mentor? I would shred her if it was Jayfeather. Finally, she turned to the ginger tom, who was whispering congratulations to his sister. "Foxcatcher, you are ready for an apprentice as well. If you will accept, you will emntor Beechpaw." Foxcatcher nodded his approval and touched my nose as the others had doen to my sisters. I glanced at Jayfeather. Hollystar was exchanging an apologetic glance at him, leaping down to speak with him. His eyes were angry and disappointed, but something else stirred that I didn't understand. He was worried. About my leg, or was there something else?
"I didn't expect to get an apprentice. Hollystar usually talks to cats she is going to make mentors before the ceremony. I wonder why this was any different." Foxcatcher mewed. He seemed to notice me staring over at Hollystar and Jayfeather. "What is wrong? Did you want to be a medicine cat?" I noticed his fur ruffle in surprise and disappointment. This was the first part of his speech that I had actually paid attention to. I whirled around.
"Of course not. I'm going to be a warrior, like Bramblepaw and Fernpaw." I vowed. A small flicker of doubt flashed in Foxcatcher's eyes, but it was quickly gone. I felt my fur ruffle as his went flat. He didn't believe in me!