Skysong: Okay, I really wish more peoples reading this story would review. Yes, I can tell if you do read and not review or not. It even says what country you're from! But not who you are. There are people from New Zealand, UK, Australia, Canada, United Arab Emirates, Finland, and U.S. that are or have read this and have not reviewed, so yeah… THANK YOU again Icefire and Kudomeya for reviewing. You two are the ONLY two *hint hint* that have read it.
Wightshadoo: So basically PLEASE! review.
Morningsky: It will help her write.
Skysong: Yes. It gives me inspiration to write and not wait for more reviews.
Moonglow: Remember we ACCEPT anonymous reviews!
Morningsky: That being said, here's chapter three.
Skysong: Oh, and Next chapter when it comes after I get at least 1 more review, Moonglow, Morningsky, and Wightshadoo will be in it as apprentices along with the cats on the allegiances with * next to their name.
Wightshadoo: Yay! I am no longer non existent!
Skykit yawned, stretching out her paws in front of her. Then she remembered her dream. So it was a dream, she thought, taking in her familiar surroundings.
The soft, gray tabby fur of her sister rose and fell as she slept like a rock.
A furry rock, Skykit purred in her mind. Memories from her slumber resurfaced, and Skykit was angry with herself for trusting Tigerstar.
"I should have known he was evil," Skykit sighed to herself, hanging her head in shame.
A soft voice made her spin around.
"Hey, what're you so down about?" Streamkit was sitting up, blinking sleep out of her eyes. She tilted her head sideways, studying her sister. "We're apprentices today, remember?"
Skykit had completely forgot about the ceremony.
"Oh yeah!" she exclaimed, brightening up. "I totally forgot!"
Streamkit snorted. "How do you forget something like that?"
The white and gray kit shrugged. Streamkit rolled her eyes. "Let's go get some breakfast."
Out in the clearing, Minnowtail and Snowfire were sharing a rabbit.
"Hi Minnowtail! Hi Snowfire!" Streamkit called, bounding over to the warriors. Skykit followed in a more conceded fashion. Unlike her sister, Skykit was quiet and polite. Streamkit was a ball of endless energy.
Skykit grabbed a shrew from the top of the pile and dragged it over to Streamkit, who was in the middle of a conversation with Minnowtail. Almost immediately she took a bite, unable to resist the delicious scent. As she ate, Skykit listened to her sister's conversation.
"We're going to be apprentices today Minnowtail!" Streamkit was practically bursting with happiness. "I'm so excited! I want to learn to fight!" The tabby kit immediately went into a wobbly attack pose. Minnowtail laughed.
"That's very good! You'll make a great warrior!"
Streamkit looked up at the older cat.
"I want you to be my mentor! Can you? Please?"
Skykit hoped for Streamkit's sake, Minnowtail would be her mentor. She still hadn't told her sister she didn't want to be a warrior.
Meadowflower had always fascinated the young kit. She always knew what herb did what, and was so gentle and compassionate. Skykit wanted to be just like her. Fighting had never interested Skykit like it did to her sister; Streamkit loved battle stories the elders told; but Skykit was different. Maybe that was a good thing.
"Who do you want to be your mentor, Skykit?" The gray and white kit noticed Streamkit was talking to her. Skykit swallowed her mouthful of shrew.
"I…I…" Streamkit was looking forward to training together. What could Skykit tell her?
"I…I don't want to be a warrior, Streamkit," Skykit finally got out.
Streamkit was shocked. "What? But… we were going to train together!"
Skykit sighed. "It's just not right for me," she explained, hanging her head.
"It's all right, young one," Snowfire spoke, looking up from where he was sitting. "You should do what makes you happy. Not something that will hold you back from being your best."
Skykit lifted her head. "You're right, Snowfire," she said, brightening up, "Thank you!" The fluffy kit felt sorry she had let down her sister, but being a warrior would make her unhappy.
Streamkit still looked crestfallen, but Skykit knew she would be happy again after a while. After all, who could be sad when they were becoming an apprentice?
As predicted, Streamkit was practically bursting with excitement by the time of the ceremony.
"Yay! Now Pebblepaw, Cinderpaw, and I can train together!" exclaimed the gray tabby, referring to her friends. Pebblepaw and her brother had been made apprentices half a moon earlier, and Cinderpaw and her siblings two moons before that.
"Hold still," came the muffled order of the sister's mother, Rainbowsky. The tortoiseshell queen was currently grooming Streamkit's pelt. Streamkit stepped away from her mother.
"Mo-om! I can groom my own pelt!" she proved this by vigorously licking her gray tabby pelt.
Skykit suppressed a chuckle as she watched her sister. She would really miss her when she went to live in the Medicine Den. The kit recalled her and Meadowflower's conversation a quarter moon ago. She was helping the Medicine Cat sort herbs, as she had done many times in the past moon.
"Where do these poppy seeds go?" asked Skykit, nodding to a wrapped up leaf of black seeds.
Meadowflower didn't look up from what she was doing, but casually flicked her tail toward the crack in the wall that opened up to a small den.
"Put them in one of the cracks in there. You'll be able to fit through."
Skykit brushed past the medicine cat and stepped carefully into the rock wall. Blinking her eyes as they adjusted to the darker surroundings, she became aware of many carefully stacked remedies for all types of injuries. Skykit spotted an empty space, and set down the bundle, making sure not to knock over anything. Stepping back into the middle of the small den, she breathed in the sweet and tangy scents of herbs.
'There's dock…' Skykit recognized the huge furry leaf. Then, the kit realized some didn't seem as fresh as the others.
"Hey, Meadowflower!" she called out.
Meadowflower's tortoiseshell face appeared at the entrance to the den.
"What is it Skykit?" she asked. "Do you need something?"
"Should we sort through some of these herbs in here?" Skykit asked, "Some of them are kind of losing their power."
Meadowflower grew thoughtful. "How can you tell they need to be replaced?"
The kit thought for a moment. "Well, the dock over there is losing its scent, and…" She realized Meadowflower was staring at her. "What?" she asked curiously.
The medicine cat hesitated. "Well, it's just… you recognized the dock."
"So?" Skykit was growing confused.
Meadowflower was growing excited. "Skykit, do you like working here with me?"
"Yes, why?"
"Well," Meadowflower explained, "I need an apprentice, Skykit, and I thought maybe you might want to fill that position."
Skykit's eyes grew wide. "Me? A medicine cat?"
Meadowflower nodded. Skykit thought about it. Now that it was mentioned, she realized she didn't really care for fighting and hunting like Streamkit did. And, like Meadowflower had said, she did like working with the medicine cat…
"You know what?" Skykit spoke, a grin spreading across her face. "I think I'll try it!"
Since then, the kit had worked hard to please her future mentor. She didn't want to disappoint her at all.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the high- rock for a clan meeting!" Stormstar's familiar call brought Skykit into the present. She often drifted off into her own thought, then snapping out of it and realizing someone was talking to her.
Rainbowsky nudged Skykit and Streamkit forward. Moonheart, her father came up to the three cats.
"You two are growing up so fast…" he spoke wistfully, gazing at his two children. "Next thing you know, you'll be warriors!"
Skykit felt uneasy as she approached Stormstar with her sister.
"Today, we have one of my favorite ceremonies to perform," he spoke while gazing out over the sea of cats. "Especially since they are my own two grandkits!"
"Don't claim them all for yourself, Stormstar," Grayshadow spoke from the back of the crowd. "Their mine too!"
Chuckles emitted from the crowd at the elder's joke, and Skykit felt less nervous.
Stormstar's attention turned toward the kits.
"Now then, these kits have reached their sixth moon, and are eligible to become apprentices. Streamkit, step forward."
Skykit's sister proudly acknowledged Stormstar's speech.
"Streamkit, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Streampaw. Minnowtail, you are ready for your first apprentice. Teach this young cat everything you know."
Minnowtail stepped forward out of the crowd of cats, and touched noses with her new apprentice. So Streampaw had gotten her wish.
"Skykit, step forward."
The soon-to-be-apprentice obeyed.
"Skykit, until you receive your full name, you will be known as Skypaw."
The apprentice was grateful Stormstar didn't say 'warrior name'.
"Meadowflower. Skypaw wishes to be your apprentice. Teach her in your ways, and I trust you will take her to the Moonpool at half-moon for her ceremony."
Something flashed between the two; a secret it seemed; and the medicine cat nodded, and stepped forward to touch noses with Skypaw.
Skypaw saw kindness in her eyes, and felt confident she could be a medicine cat.
"Streampaw! Skypaw! Streampaw! Skypaw!" The cheer rose into the air and echoed against the walls of the camp.
Skykit took no notice of the whispers that went through the clearing after the clearing had ceased. Apparently the other cats of ThunderClan didn't know she was to be a medicine cat apprentice.
"Come on, and I'll show you some of the basic herbs." With that, Meadowflower walked back to the medicine den.
Skypaw took a glance back at her sister who was conversing with the other apprentices, then, with a wistful sigh; half sad, half happy; she turned and followed her mentor into the den.
Skysong: Well? How do you like it? I know I'm not that good at writing, but hey! Whatever makes me happy, right?
Wightshadoo: La la la la…
Morningsky: Review please!
Moonglow: La la la la…
Skysong: What the shoozleflurg are you two doing?
Morningsky: They're insane! What do you honestly expect?
Skysong: So true. Anyway, just click the blue button below! It only takes a minute… or less… It will mean the WORLD to me. Thank you to anyone who has reviewed or read Sky of Lightning.