Chapter 9
Another Naming Ceremony

"May my kit named Mosskit climb up here so I may give him his new name." Mosskit walked up proudly to me. "May my friend Husktooth climb up here so I can give him new responsibilities." As Husky came up, he looked puzzled. Of course, I didn't tell him because I wanted to give a surprise. "Husktooth, are you ready for new responsibilities of mentoring Mosskit?"

Husky gave me a look a surprise and then puffed out his chest with pride. "Yes, I am ready for the responsibilities of mentoring Mosskit." His voice was about to burst with pride and happiness.

I turned to Mosskit. "Mosskit from this day forward, shall you become a warrior, you will be named Mosspaw." I rested my chin on Mosspaw's head.

"Mosspaw! Mosspaw! Mosspaw!" Me and Husky's voice's were the closest to being the loudest but Mousekit's voice broke all boundaries of being proud for Mosspaw. Her voice echoed throughout the hollow. Mosspaw smiled proudly at Mousekit as if it was going to be her turn soon which it was. Mosspaw gave both Husky and me a grand old smile and walked down the ledge.

Husky followed close behind but not before he looked at me. His eyes were full of tears, pride tears. "Thank you." he whispered before he turned to go down the ledge. I turned back to the crowd of cats below. They looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to say something. I took a deep breath, saw Mosspaw whisper something in Mousekit's ears and then spoke.

"May my kit's friend named Mousekit climb up here so I may give her her new name." Mousekit walked up the ledge and then sat down, smiling at me. "May my friend Leafdapple climb up here so I can give her new responsibilities." Leaf smiled warmly at me mixed with something but it wasn't pride. It was happiness. "Leafdapple, are you ready for new responsibilities of mentoring Mousekit?"

"Yes, I am ready for the responsibilities of mentoring Mousekit."

I turned back to Mousekit now. She had stood up. "Mousekit from this day forward, shall you become a warrior, you will be named Mousepaw." I rested my chin on Mousepaw's head.

"Mousepaw! Mousepaw! Mousepaw!" All of us cheered but it was nothing compared to Mosspaw's cheering. If seemed he trying to make up for the rest of us. The hollow was starting to shake and pebbles were falling by the time he was finished. Mousepaw was so happy she ran down the ledge without even a glance at Leaf.

"Sorry." I mumbled.

"She's gonna be hard, I like it, her eagerness for Mosspaw, if only she can give it to her training." Leaf chuckled and went down the slope. Before everybody went to do something, I caught Sarah's glance, it was a mixture of sadness and happiness. I quickly vowed to give her one of the next kits and went down the slope myself.

A few days later when me, Leaf, and Sarah were hunting, I heard crying. All of us ran to see what the noise was. It was Starspoke. She was in a small clearing, sitting on a rock and crying. I walked up to her and said softly "What's wrong?"

"I'm going to have kittens!"

"What is so bad with that?" I asked.

"I just figured it out, when me and Spottedpelt were hunting, she told me I looked plump and inquired me if I felt any slower than before. I said I started to feel slower weeks ago. She was shocked! She said 'Starspoke! You're going to have kittens and very very soon!' I went to get Sharptooth and tell him the good news but he at this very spot asked why I didn't tell him earlier. I said I didn't know till just a few minutes ago. He said he didn't believe me. Then he ran off and you know what happened since."

"Oh, you poor thing!" Me, Leaf, and Sarah all said at the same time.

I told her my story. "Wow."

"So I really don't think you have to tell the husband right away.

" Starspoke rolled her eyes and laughed. "No wonder!"

"Would you like to go back to camp?" Leaf kindly asked Starspoke.

"Sure."

Ten days later, I was racing into camp at the news of Starspoke having her kittens. "Starspoke. Where is she?"

"Don't worry. Mosspaw is with her but she said she wanted you to come."

I raced into the cave. "Goldenflower! You're here!"

She was laying down on the floor. A thought occurred to me. I raced outside and looked for a stick. I grabbed one and went back into the cave. I gave the stick to Starspoke and said "When one of the kittens come, bite down on the stick, it helps the pain."

Spottedpelt walked over and said "Thank you Emma. I was about to send Mosspaw for one myself."

I was shocked. "H-how did you know my past name?"

"The stars." I was going to ask her what she meant but then I heard a gasp of pain from Starspoke. Spottedpelt raced over to Starspoke and rubbed her flank. "One of them is coming!" Mosspaw flew out from one of the corners.

"Do you need any help?" Spottedpelt whispered something in his ears. I ran and grabbed the stick and gave it to Starspoke. Starspoke chuckled and whispered "If you are close and you perk up your ears and listen, you can hear them."

Starspoke gasped. "One is coming." Starspoke said in my ear with a strangled sort of voice. I handed her the stick. She grabbed in her teeth gratefully.

"Spottedpelt! Starspoke feels one coming!"

Spottedpelt went to a corner and handed Mosspaw a herb. "You know what it is. Don't give it to her till the kittens are safely asleep."

Spottedpelt walked over to Starspoke and said "Keep going girl. You can do it! You know you can." Starspoke bit down hard. The stick almost shattered. A kitten was on the floor. I gave it to Starspoke to lick. She licked it and the little yellow kit curled up next to her mom. Starspoke bit down on the stick suddenly and it shattered. There suddenly was another kit. It was black. I handed it to Spottedpelt. After a few minutes another plopped out. It was almost deathly cold. I licked it furiously till it took it's first breath. I licked a little more till I was sure it was safe. I gave it to Starspoke. Spottedpelt walked out and yowled "Three she-kits!"

Mosspaw handed the seed to me and said "Poppy seed. Helps sleep. Give it to her after every kit falls asleep." Then Mosspaw walked out.

I curled up next to Starspoke. "What are you going to name them?"

"You get to name one, the one you saved from the brink of death." I tried to hide that from Starspoke.

"I had to. I lost a kit before when I was having mine. Same situation only I was ignorant and didn't know what to do."

"Name it. Go on."

I thought and found the name Fawnkit stored in my unconscious mind somewhere. "Fawnkit. Fawnkit is her name." Fawnkit was an orange-brown kit.

"Good choice. I shall name these Sunkit and Sparklekit."

I nodded and said "I like it."

Then Starspoke leaned in and whispered in my ear. "Take Fawnkit as your apprentice. I owe you one."

"You let me name her."

"Think of Fawnkit. She owes you a favor too. Do it Emma. Come on." How do all the cats know my old name?

"I know your name from Spottedpelt." Oh.

"Would you like this poppy seed?"

"Nah. I'm alright." I walked out and went to seek Spottedpelt.
I couldn't find her anywhere. I went to go see if she was at the rock. Surprisingly, she was!

"Brave thing to do, saving the kit like that."

"You know too?" She nodded.

"Did you come here to ask me something?"

I nodded. "Here's your poppy seed." I gave her the poppy seed. "How did you know my past name?"

"Like I said before, the stars." I shot her a puzzled look. "We need a medicine cat. A medicine cat is someone who has knowledge of herbs and can speak with the stars. Stars are our warrior ancestors watching upon us from above. They chose me and a apprentice named Mosspaw." What?!

"You can assign different mentors you know. Leaders are granted 9 lives and they can speak with the stars too. We need a leader Emma, and that's that."

"I think Leaf should be the leader."

"Think what you think but can Leaf speak with the stars?" Spottedpelt suddenly ran away saying the same thing, "Think what you think but can Leaf speak with the stars?"

As I went to sleep, I asked the stars 'Is it me? Am I the leader or not? Please tell me soon.'