When Firestar finally awoke he walked to the opening in his den and saw a line to the medicine cats den. He could vaguely remember Jayfeather asking to see him when he woke.
"Okay, Thornclaw your turn!" Jayfeather called.
Firestar, knowing that the medicine cat had asked to see him, walked into the medicine den and sat to wait as Jayfeather put poultice on Thornclaw's wounds. Firestar shivered at the thought of the battle against the Darkforest. Quickly he pushed the thought out of his head.
"Jayfeather you wanted me?" The Thunderclan leader piped up.
"Yeah I…I Need something." Jayfeather awkwardly turned to Firestar as he replied.
"Okay, what do you need?"
"A big stick." Jayfeather replied.
"What!?" Firestar almost yowled in surprise.
"Yeah, it sounds crazy… I-I just need it."
"Okay who is uninjured so I can take them with me?" Firestar stood.
"I would take Dustpelt, Sandstorm, Cloudtail, and Lionblaze." The medicine cat refocused on what he was doing, applying more poultice to Thornclaw's injuries.
Still surprised that Jayfeather needed a stick he called the suggested cats together. As they walked Firestar tried to explain the unusual request from Jayfeather but it only raised more questions.
"A stick?" They chorused together, except for Lionblaze who walked quietly behind the others. "Okay let's split up Lionblaze and Sandstorm, you come with me." Firestar was determined to learn what Lionblaze knew about the stick. The leader paced himself with Lionblaze.
"What's with the stick?" Firestar asked, trying to sound as level as possible. Lionblaze looked surprised like a kit being caught playing with things they shouldn't, but he obviously knew what Firestar meant.
"When the… When we found the kits from Windclan we lied about where we found them. They were actually found deep in the tunnels. And Jayfeather had seen a cat that had lived down there for a long time, he put claw marks on the stick for the cats who died but he wouldn't tell me much else."
"Okay… Thank you" Even more confused than ever Firestar kept walking.
"Hey! Why does Jayfeather need this stick?" Sandstorm asked.
"I'm not sure." Firestar lied, well sort of lied… He still wasn't sure himself.
"I know you too well don't lie to me. Why does he need it?" Sandstorm pushed.
"Well… I still don't understand myself but an ancient cat scratched a similar stick for the cats who died." Firestar explained.
"Cats who didn't live through what?" Sandstorm asked.
"I don't know." Firestar answered, spinning around as he heard some rustling in a nearby bush.
"Is this big enough?" Thornclaw asked in a muffled voice which was blocked by a medium sized stick a little too big for the cat's mouth.
"I suppose that will do." Firestar answered
FL*
"Thank you." Jayfeather mewed then scratched the stick multiple times.
"So what is this for?" Firestar asked, still a little bewildered.
"Knowing Lionblaze you probably already know." Jayfeather said, amused then continued. "For every death during the battle we will remember their names by these scratches."
"Okay." Firestar meowed, still a little confused though the concept seemed nice. He walked out of the medicine den towards his own where Sandstorm met with him.
"So what did you find out?" Sandstorm asked
"Nothing." Firestar answered as he continued to his den but paused at the opening to listen. He now realized how much he would have missed the birds chirping happily to one another, the wind rustling the leaves, even the bickering kits. If he had chosen to go with Starclan he wondered what he would be doing right then. No, he made the right decision. He was meant to stay here. He stayed there listening to Brambleclaw set up patrols and other cats spread the gossip, probably of Jayfeather's stick which he had leaned on the great rock. Firestar decided he would have every apprentice memorize all the scratches and who they resembled, it might even help them bond as a clan. After a few minutes of listening the clan leader yawned and retired to his nest, slowly slipping into sleep.
When he woke he remembered that Amberkit and Dewkit were six moons old and as such they could become apprentices. He stretched, stood, and walked out to Brambleclaw. Firestar quickly explained the age of the kits and asked for his deputy's opinion on who should mentor them.
"Millie would be a great mentor to Amberkit." Brambleclaw announced without hesitation and pointed his tail toward Millie throwing a moss ball and attacking it to help sharpen her skills, as well as her claws. "They have a lot in common. As for Dewkit…" There was a slight hesitation this time as the cat fell into deep thought "Hazeltail." He stated finally.
"Thank you" Firestar mewed he padded over to Daisy. She'd been taking care of the kits since their mother died in the great battle against the Darkforest cats, who attacked and tried to wipe out all the clans. The kits looked as if they'd gotten over it but Firestar knew it wasn't that easy. Anyone who knew death like that understood how horrible it truly was.
"Daisy." Firestar called into the nursery. "Can I talk to you alone?"
"Sure" The cream furred she-cat walked out and Firestar guided her into the forest.
"I wanted to tell you that Amberkit and Dewkit wil-"
"They'll have their apprentice ceremony!?" Joy flooded into her gaze and happiness sounded in her mew as she cut off the leader's sentence.
Firestar chuckled but nodded at her all the same.
"That's great!" She exclaimed before running toward the camp.
When Firestar walked into the camp he went straight to the great rock.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the great rock for a clan meeting." Firestar roared and waited for all the cats to crowd around below him. "We have gathered here to make two kits into apprentices. Amberkit from now on until you become a warrior you will be known as Amberpaw, your mentor will be Millie." Firestar waited for the kit to join her new mentor. "Dewkit from now on until you become a warrior you will be known as Dewpaw, you mentor will be Hazeltail." Dewpa also rushed over to Hazeltail.
"Amberpaw! Dewpaw!" The crowd of cats yowled.
The newly made apprentices sidled up to their mentors, obviously both were very excited. "Can we start now please?" The kits asked in unison.
"I don't see why not." Hazeltail answered with a chuckle.
Firestar left them to their planning so he could get the people for the gathering then he went to his den.
FL*
"Hello?" Firestar looked up and saw Amberpaw standing at the entrance of his den. "I thought you might be hungry." She mewed softly
"Thank you, you want to share?" Firestar motioned for the young cat to sit.
"Sure." The apprentice mewed as she nervously sat down and waited for Firestar to take the first bite of the mouse then took a bite for herself.
"So, how's being an apprentice?" Firestar asked
"Oh it's amazing! I love being able to go through the camp and do more than throw a moss ball around. I can do more things like go into the forest and the new den if huge! I love it." Firestar thought back to when he was an apprentice that stuff got old fast but it seemed like for Amberpaw it would be an adventure forever. "So how's being a leader?" Amberpaw asked cutting into his thoughts. Firestar thought for a moment no one had ever asked him this.
"It's great, but it's a big step from deputy or warrior. You get a den big enough for six cats all to yourself. It is really nice." Firestar admitted albeit sheepishly.
"Do you ever get lonely?" Amberpaw lowered her head but looked at her leader through her questioning eyes.
"Yeah, but Sandstorm sometimes comes to join me." Firestar answered. When the mouse was finished Amberpaw said goodbye and carried on with her duties.
Firestar smiled, it wasn't often he got to spend time like that with the apprentices or any of the clan for that matter. With a stretch the leader walked out of the den and down to the clearing.
"Brambleclaw, I'm going on the sunhigh patrol tomorrow." Firestar told him.
"Even though the gathering is tomorrow?" Brambleclaw asked. "You'll need your res-"
"I'll be fine." Firestar interrupted
"Hey Firestar." Sandstorm called. "You want to go hunting?"
"Sure but not too late I need rest for the gathering tomorrow." Firestar answered, ignoring Bramblecaw's huff of annoyance.
"Okay." As they left the clearing he and Sandstorm talked until they scented prey.
"You go around and I'll flush the mouse out to you." Firestar mewed softly.
"Okay." Sandstorm went around quietly and signaled she was ready. Jumping out of the bush he yowled scaring the mouse right to Sandstorm. She quickly caught it, skillfully administering the killing bite. Sandstorm dug a small hole next to a bush then they carried on with the hunt.
When they got back they had caught two voles and a mouse.
"Let's take this to the fresh kill pile." Firestar meowed. They had gotten to the camp by sundown so Firestar went to his den to get some sleep.
Firestar was woken by a pebble landing on his face. He looked up and squinted because of the bright light. He looked around for Sandstorm but she was gone, probably on patrol. He walked out of his den and headed to the fresh kill pile. He grabbed a squirrel from the pile as but he was going to take a bite an apprentice ran up to him.
"Would you come and teach us some stuff. You know, Hazeltail said it would help us learn things they couldn't teach us."
"Sure." Firestar answered picking up his squirrel and followed the apprentice into the training hollow.
"This is something Bluestar taught me but I need one of you to do it."
"Me, me, me!" The two kits volunteered in unison.
"Amberpaw, as thanks for the prey you can be my volunteer."
"Yes! Okay, what do I do?"
"I will stand here and you run at me and catch me before I dodge. Dewpaw you do it with Hazeltail."
"Okay!" The young kit jumped excitedly into position.
Firestar stood as Amberpaw ran at him slowly, he easily dodged.
"Try to be faster. Try with Millie." Firestar watched from a rock bordering the clearing from the forest. Eating the prey he brought because he didn't eat it at the before.
When it became time to go to the gathering they went back to camp and got all the cats assigned to go and left.
Beta on this chapter was FandomAffairs.