Chapter Five
Greykit looked up excitedly at the Highledge where Bramblestar stood. Nightkit and Sunkit sat proudly beside him, their mother fussing over their pelts. Blackfern gazed on proudly at his kits, who were finally receiving their apprenticeship. Greykit quivered with excitement. Yes! I'm almost an apprentice! Finally! The nursurey, which had seemed so big, was no too small to fit them all. At last, it was time.
Bramblestar hopped down from the Highledge. "Today, we have three kits who are ready to begin their training today." Greykit could see Flightkit and Bloomkit watching excitedly from their mother's side. "Nightkit, please step forward," Bramblestar meowed. Nightkit padded up to Bramblestar.
"Nightkit, from this day on, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Nightpaw. Sandyfur will be your mentor." Sandyfur bounded up to Nightkit who respectfully licked her shoulder. Bramblestar raised his tail for quiet.
"Greykit, please step forward," Bramblestar said. Greykit could barely keep from running headlong to the place he was supposed to stand. "Greykit, from this day on, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Greypaw. Muddyear will be your mentor." Muddyear padded up, his eyes shining. Greypaw was bursting with pride. He and his new mentor went to sit beside Nightpaw and Sandyfur. Greypaw anxiously watched his brother as he was called up.
"…Sunkit, from this day on, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Sunpaw. Cloudclaw will be your mentor."
No! Not Cloudclaw! Cloudclaw was a viscious she-cat with a very sharp temper. Sunkit needed someone patient and understanding! Well, maybe Cloudclaw will make him stronger. Greypaw thought hopefully. Cloudclaw padded over with Sunpaw who was still shaking. He looked terrified, but his eyes were shining with happiness.
"I did it!" he squeaked to Greypaw. Greypaw touched his nose to his brother's flank.
"Great job!" he whispered. Cloudclaw glanced down at her new apprentice with distaste. I hope she warms up to him. At that moment, the clan began to cheer.
"Nightpaw, Greypaw, Sunpaw!" Greypaw puffed out his chest.
When the cheering died away and the clan dispersed, Greypaw turned to Muddyear. "When can we go out?" Muddyear purred.
"How about we all go out together and see the territory?" The others agreed and they padded out of the camp. Greykit gasped at his surroundings. The forest was huge, big and green. The trees reached high up into the sky, the thick undergrowth and ferns created mazes. It was so beautiful! The leaves flickered in the slight breeze and sunlight dappled the ground.
They skirted around to the Windclan border. "Take a good whiff. That's Windclan you're smelling," Sandyfur meowed. Cloudclaw pointed out the ancient oak as they padded along the lakeshore. Greypaw felt a strange feeling as he passed a stump. Underneath it looked as though something had shattered. He ran over too it. There were shattered bits of what must have been a very smooth stick. He wondered what had happened. Greypaw felt a sense of foreboding about the Lake. He didn't like it much. Strange memories filled his head of a dark tunnel filling with water, a bright ginger pelt falling away from him into the blackness as someone called him back. Greypaw shivered. As they continued on Muddyear pointed to Riverclan territory and they stopped at the old twoleg nest to see where Darkpool nurtured her catmint.
"It was Jayfeather who found this patch," Sandyfur said. Greypaw flicked his tail. It was so strange; he had never left the camp before, but everything was so familiar. But he'd never seen it before…
A stinky smell brought him out of his thoughts.
"Ew, what's that?" Sunpaw asked.
"Shadowclan," Cloudclaw meowed as they padded away. Muddyear stopped.
"Be careful around here. There are tunnels underneath us that lead to Windclan and beyond. It's easy to get lost forever." More memories of dark places. Two cats playing with him, a black she-cat disappearing forever. Greypaw shook the memories away. They weren't even his!
By the time they got back to camp, Greypaw was thoroughly worn out. He padded to his new nest in the apprentice's den and curled up, asleep in moments. His strange memories were forgotten.