Chapter 5- Apprentices
Beepaw's warrior ceremony had been nothing unusual. Moonstar said the words powerfully and proudly, gave him his warrior name, Beesting, and he had sat vigil that night.
Two moons had passed, and nothing else had really happened, other than Lightkit deciding he was a stone and Redkit going to do her dirt on him like she was a pigeon. So ensued a mad dash to a large puddle just outside the camp entrance and a stern chastising of the two mischievous kits.
Redkit awoke one morning to find herself buried beneath three other kits. She let out a muffled groaned and heaved a sigh. Lightkit, who was the heaviest of the four, was on top. He stirred slightly, but did not wake up. Redkit stuck her tongue out at him. Getting no response, she started mewing loudly. Spotkit cuffed her ear, but he did not wake up either.
Suddenly Shadowstep burst in yowling greetings. All three kits leapt off Redkit, and then the nursery erupted into earsplitting mewls of complaint, Sunkit and Lionkit mewing the loudest of all.
Rushsong and Yarrowpelt sat glaring at Shadowstep. The deputy stood staring at them for a moment, then bolted. The two queens were after him in an instant. Redkit rolled her eyes when she heard Lionmane's startled yowl. She padded out of the nursery, confirming what she already knew.
Lionmane had been lurking outside the nursery, waiting for his turn to jump in. Yarrowpelt had leapt right at him, knocking the golden furred tom right off his paws. Rushsong had Shadowstep pinned down not a foxlength away. He was attempting to soothe the growling she-cat before she ripped his throat out.
Redkit mewed softly and the queens hurried back into the nursery, much to the relief of their mates. She then sat down and began giving herself a thorough washing. Lionmane and Shadowstep sat before her, their heads hung low like naughty kits before their mother, exchanging laughing glances with each other.
Redkit ignored them for a while, and then casually glanced up. "Well?" she mewed, "What have you got to say for yourselves?"
Shadowstep was the first to respond. "We're sorry. We should have known that Yarrowpelt and Rushsong would try and rip our throats out by now."
Redkit continued washing nonchalantly. "Don't be. You may do it every day, but I needed the others off me. Especially Lightkit. He's fatter than a kittypet these days."
Shadowstep and Lionmane glanced at each other and then cautiously slipped away.
Redkit let them go. She didn't feel like telling them how mouse-brained they had been. She just wanted to curl up in a sunny spot and get some proper sleep. She decided to watch what was happening in camp instead.
Cats were already milling about, stretching, eating fresh-kill, and heading off on patrol. Lionkit darted as the nursery and into the medicine den. Lionmane followed right behind. Redkit would have thought they were the same cat if it weren't for size and Lionkit's slightly darker pelt.
Lionkit had spent a lot of time in the medicine den lately. She wasn't sick; she just loved watching Brightwhisker work, and liked to help out whenever she could. Redkit was certain that Lionkit would be made to medicine cat apprentice when she was old enough.
Moonstar's slipped out of her den and leapt onto a large boulder, known to the Clan as The Boulder. She yowled for the Clan to gather.
"All cats old enough to catch their own of prey, gather around and The Boulder for a Clan meeting!"
The cats gathered and Rushsong herded Spotkit, Lightkit, and Greenkit out of the nursery. They were bouncing with excitement as Redkit joined them. Shadowstep and Rushsong's eyes shone as they watched their kits bounce towards the Boulder.
Once every cat was gathered, Moonstar yowled again. "We have four kits to be made apprentices! Spotkit, Greenkit, Lightkit, and Redkit!" The kits bounded forward and crowded onto the Boulder. Moonstar waited for them to settle before she continued. "It is time for them to learn what it means to be ShadowClan warriors. Lightkit, from this day forward you will be known as Lightpaw. Lightpaw's mentor will be Amberclaw!"
At the mention of his name, a young tortoiseshell tom stood up, a mixture of surprise, pride, and anxiety in his amber eyes. He looked up at Moonstar, who nodded encouragement, then continued.
"You have a keen sense for battle and sharp eyes, Amberclaw. I hope you pass these skills on to your first apprentice."
Lightpaw bounded off the Boulder and touched noses with his new mentor.
Moonstar waited for them to finish, then addressed Greenkit. "Greenkit, you will now be known as Greenpaw. Rockfall, I have chosen you to be her mentor. I'm sure she will learn your admirable patience and wisdom."
Now it was Greenpaw's turn to leap of the Boulder and touch noses with her mentor. Their identical stone gray fur shone with excitement.
This time Moonstar turned to Redkit. "Redkit, you shall now be known as Redpaw. Beesting, I believe it is time you had your first apprentice. Lionmane taught you many things, but above all you learned honor and respect. I hope to see these valuable lessons passed on to Redpaw."
Redpaw gently dismounted the Boulder, aware that Moonstar's reference to Lionmane meant that she still believed him to be an honest and loyal ShadowClan warrior. Redpaw, instead of bounding up to her mentor, waited for him to come to her. He padded over silently and they touched noses. Joy flooded through Redpaw. She was an apprentice at last! No more sitting around in the nursery waiting for something to happen. No more getting chided for wanting to go exploring. She would now learn to be a warrior! Redpaw was so absorbed in her thoughts that she had missed Spotkit's naming.
"I have decided to train Spotpaw myself!"
Redpaw's heart stopped. Moonstar was training Spotpaw. "That's not fair!" she almost yowled, stopping herself just in time. How would her outburst have made Spotpaw feel? She had to show full support of Moonstar's decision, for Spotpaw's sake.