"Get off of me, you great lump!" Sandbreeze meowed as Cloversplash accidentally trod on her tail.
"Sorry." Cloversplash managed to mumbled before returning to her slumber. she ahd grown used to the warriors den having more space since Willowfrost and Brightcloud both moved to the nursery, and now with Cinderheart and Dovewing back in the den, it was squishier than ever. Every night since the training session with Sanbreeze and the apprentices, Cloversplash had begun to have a reacurring dream each night. She dreamed that Blustar, once a leader of ThunderClan, came to her and told her the following.
"Beware the sand that flies in the wind" and "put out the fire before it burns the forest".
she didn't know what the meaning was, but she didn't like the idea of 'burning the forest'. Would the forest burn down because of one misguided cat? and how could she stop it? she didn't even know who it was. Could it be Sandbreeze? She wondered. Bluestar did mention sand, afterall, but what is the fire? and how is it all connected? Still pondering about this, Cloversplash stepped into the open. She decided to go check on Willowfrost, who had kitted the night before, having two she-kits. Both Toadstep and Dewfeather walked around camp with a pride look on their faces, and visited the nursery as often as they could, bringing their mates new moss, feathers and mice.
"Willowfrost, have you named you kits yet?" Cloversplash asked as soon as she entered the nursery, hardly giving either of them a chance to say 'hello'.
"I want to name them with Dewfeather, but yes, I have thought of some names." Willowfrost replied, when a second cat entered the den.
"Neither of you will have to wait much longer because the father is here." Dewfeather announced, and Cloversplash just rolled her eyes. He said that as much as possible nowadays, and it had begun to get on everycat's nerves.
"Yes, Dewfeather, we all know that." Daisy meowed from her nest in the cornor of the den.
"You wanted to name them? What did you have in mind?" Dewfeather asked, ignoring Daisy's comment.
"What do you think of Spottedkit and Mosskit?" Willowfrost asked.
"I think we've found their names." Dewfeather replied.
The names suited the tiny kits well. Spottedkit was a white-silver she-kit with tiny black spots, a black nose, ears and paws, and dark blue eyes. Mosskit on the other hand inherited her grandmother's green eyes, and she also had a light brown tabby pelt. Silverkit and Echokit seemed very interested in the new kits, and alway volunteered to watch them while their mother ate or took a walk. Willowfrost really appreciated the help, saying that she could use a break. The apprentices were coming along great as well, Firepaw especially. Her battle skills now matched Cloversplash and Lionblaze's, and her hunting was very good as well. Redpaw had gotton over his jealousy, and has started a friendly competition with his littermate, as have Coalpaw and Frostpaw, who have grown VERY close. Focusing on her own life, Cloversplash remembered Foxleap. He is so brave, intelligent and handsom, she was lucky to have him. She wanted kits, his kits, she really did, but she felt like she owed it to r apprentice to wait. Brightcloud's kits were now the oldest in the nursery, at four moons old, then followed Ambercloud's at a little younger than four, then Willowfrost's at one moon old. it would be really cool if they could be all i the nursery at the same time, so Cloversplash decided to do everything in her power to train Firepaw so that she became a warrior earlier than she would've, Redpaw and the others too. Padding over to the apprentices den, she called out to the sleepy young cats.
"Everybody up on your paws, we'll be training hard today, dawn 'till dusk."
"Ugh, why do we have to get up so early?" COalpaw moaned from his nest, burrying his head in the moss in attempt to cover up the sunlight that was peeking through.
"You want to become a warrior, right? Or would you rather retire to the elders right away, then you could sleep all day long. I'll ask Bramblestar right now if you want." Cloversplash meowed, and instantly the gray apprentice jumped up and meowed urgently.
"What? No, I want to be a warrior! I really do!"
"Then shut-up, mouse-brain." Frrostpaw meowed teasingly, scrambling up from her own nest as well.
"Okay, now that we are all awake, I have some news to tell you all." CLoversplash started, and news she had indeed. "You all have an assessement today, it won't be the last one, but its a start."
"What? Really? Wow!" The apprentices all meowed at once.
"Okay, settle down. Wait for me by the entrance while I wake Sandbreeze, Dewfeather and Snowstorm." As Cloversplash left, she heard Coalpaw meow jus tloud enough for her ot hear,
"Why do they get to sleep in while we have to get up?" Which Firepaw silenced him by saying,
"Because, mouse-brain. Would you rather stay in camp and sleep the day away while we becaome warriors? Because I think that Cloversplash's offer still stands."
Well that shut him. Cloversplash sniggered silently while she headed for the warrirors den where the rest of the mentors were still sleeping.
"Hey, wake up! We're doing asessements today." She meowed. Sandbreeze and Dewfeather reluctantly stood up and stretched, but Snowstorm remained as still as his apprentice.
"Get up, you great lump!" Sandbreeze meowed as she prod him in the ribs. It seemed to work as he got up and followed the rest of them back towards the entrance where the eager apprentices were waiting for them.
"Okay, today we'll be assessing your hunting abilities. we want each of you to catch a squirrel. We'll be watching your progress, but you won't know it. Keep your ears pricked and your nose sharp. Good luck!" Cloversplash instructed.
"Where will we be going?" asked Firepaw excitedly.
"You decide." Cloversplash replied. "Just remember to stay well inside the borders. We don't want to be caught hunting on another clan's land, we don't want to cause any trouble, understand?" After each apprentice nodded their heads, they sent them off in different directions at first then split up to follow their own apprentice.
Cloversplash caught her apprentice's trail easily. She noticed that she took many twists and turns before settling down at a oak tree with her ears pricked. Then, a large squirrel burst out of the adjoining tree and lept down the trunk practically into Firepaw's paws. Firepaw soon stood up after giving it the killing bite on its spine. She looked quite pleased with herself, because of her luck with the easy catch. She soon added a mouse to her catch then her eye caught the tip of Cloversplash's tail and bounded over to her.
"How did I do? Did I passe?" Firepaw meowed excitedly.
"Firepaw, you're not supposed to talk to your mentor at all unless of an emergency." Cloverspalsh meowed to her ignorant apprentice. "Ooops, sorry Cloversplash." She meowed as she padded away. Before the assignment was over, she managed to catch another squirrel and a mouse. The other apprentices did well aswell. Redpaw had a particularly fat and juicy squirrel in his jaws along with a sparrow, Coalpaw had two squirrels and Frostpaw had a squirrel and a mouse. Depositing their catches on the fresh kill pile, the apprentices flopped down into the dust and stretch their aching bones. They didn't get much time, as Cloversplash was not quite finished for the day.
"Up you get, we are going to the training hollow." She meowed.
"What? But we hunted all day!" Coalpaw objected.
"Yeah!" Frostpaw agreed. Only Firepaw remained silent, her energy and respect for her mentor holding her tongue and readying her for the task ahead.
"We have to work extra hard now if you want to be warrirors by leaf fall." Cloversplash addressed the complaining young cats with a stern gaze.
As they headed for the training hollow, no cat objected any further, but she could feel their tiredness rolling off their bodies. Exiting through the thorn tunnel, they passed Foxleap leading a patrol back into the camp and locked eyes. Would they really be ready for kits after the apprentices warrior ceremonies? Or is this just stalling?
Hey, hope you liked today's chapter (if your actually reading this, that is).
its the longest yet with 1400 words without this little add-on.
Here's a little poll for you:
Who's your favourite character out of the following:
Cloversplash
Willowfrost
Sandbreeze
Brightcloud
Don't forget to review!