It had been more than half a moon since the battle. Thunderclan had become used to Icefur being deputy, and Thistlefern had recovered from the battle. And, despite what Whitewhisker had expected, Patchclaw was still alive. Life in Thunderclan was back to normal.
"May all those old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the high rock for a clan meeting!" Shadestar yowled. The clan gathered around, and Darkheart knew why. It was time for Nightkit and his adopted littermates to become apprentices.
"Thunderclan," Shadestar began, "kits keep this clan strong. They become apprentices and then warriors. Some of those warriors become deputies and even leaders. That is why naming new apprentices is my favorite and most important ceremony in the clan. Silverkit has chosen to follow the path of a medicine cat." This did not surprise Darkheart; she had been hanging around Whitewhisker's den for a while. "Lionkit," Shadestar mewed, and the kit stepped forward, "you are now known as Lionpaw. Bluetail shall be your mentor."
"Owlkit," Shadestar mewed, and Owlkit jumped excitedly forward, "until you are given a warrior name, you shall be known as Owlpaw. Darkheart, Stonecloud mentored you well, I want you to mentor Owlpaw." Darkheart was surprised. He hadn't even had his warrior name a moon, and now he had an apprentice. Darkheart dipped his head to Shadestar, and then the leader continued the ceremony, "Nightkit," Nightkit ran up to the high rock, and stared up with anticipation, "You are now known as Nightpaw. I shall mentor you." Darkheart was even more surprised by that. Shadestar, the longtime leader of Thunderclan, had taken a rogue kit as her apprentice.
It was still early in the day, so Darkheart decided he could begin training Owlpaw today. He padded up to her and mewed, "Ready to star training?"
"Yes!" the apprentice squeaked.
"Hold on." Darkheart heard a voice from behind him. He turned around to see Shadestar. "My apprentice and I would like to join you today."
"Alright." Darkheart answered.
$^*^$
Darkheart was giving Owlpaw a tour of the territory, and Shadestar was adding in points on occasions, but was mostly listening to Darkheart. "Over there is the training hollow," he mewed, "where you will soon learn how to fight like a warrior."
They were reaching the cliffs now, and Darkheart remembered what happened last time. "We are coming up to the cliffs, where the forest ends and the beach begins." Darkheart turned to Owlpaw, "Watch out for swans." Shadestar's whiskers twitched in amusement.
"In order to get down to the beach," Darkheart mewed, "you must scale down the cliff. To do this," he began, climbing down the cliff, "you must keep your claws in the moss that is on the rock. Nightpaw, you try."
Nightpaw began climbing down the cliff, as Darkheart had showed him, and then got to the bottom. "Excellent!" Darkheart praised. "Owlpaw, you try." Owlpaw climbed down with as much skill as Nightpaw had. "Impressive. Have you two been practicing?"
Shadestar then scaled down the cliff and shook herself off. Darkheart then continued his teaching, "This is the beach. There are very rarely Twolegs on our side, especially during leaf bare, but they come around on the Riverclan side of the beach a lot in green leaf." Darkheart was leading them towards the border. "This is the border between us and Riverclan. It could use a refresher." Darkheart scented the border.
"Down here is the great river." Darkheart mewed.
"Mudpelt told me that no cat has crossed it and lived." Nightpaw mewed.
"Mudpelt." Darkheart hissed.
"That is not true." Shadestar mewed.
Darkheart looked up. The sun was almost gone. "We should be getting back to camp." He mewed.
As they began walking towards the cliff, Darkheart felt a sense of pride for himself and for Nightpaw.