Chapter 3
Longpaw led Firepaw to some bushes with white flowers growing off them. A few cats older than Longpaw lay near the bushes sharing fresh kill. A large silver tabby tom with white chest and paws, lay beside a white she-cat with a tortoiseshell tail. The two seemed to be discussing the best place for hunting, now that leaf-fall was fast approaching. Near them lay a black tom with a dark gray muzzle, who was sharing a quail with light silver she cat with bright ice blue eyes. Longpaw pointed toward them with his tail.
"Those two older cats are Silverwind and Mapletail they a great hunters in the clan and know the best spots to catch prey." meowed Longpaw. "Those younger warriors are Spiderfang and Icefeather they just became warriors last moon and Spiderfang likes to make sure that we apprentices don't forget it."
"Those bushes make up the warrior's den. You'll sleep there when you become a warrior." Longpaw meowed with a glance to Firepaw. Firepaw gave him a nod and they continued on their way. They came to a tree stump with a hollow opening and two bushes growing on either side of it. Longpaw led Firepaw directly to the opening of the tree stump.
"This is the elder's den. This is where our elder's sleep. They are former warrior's who have retired and are now looked after by the Clan" Longpaw explained.
"Yeah and along with that retirement comes rest and relaxation which we would be doing if you weren't making so much racket" growled a voice from within the den.
"Shut up Toadleg, Longpaw is obviously showing around our newest Clanmate." meowed a harsh female voice.
"Well he could be quieter, can't a cat get any sleep around here?" growled Toadleg's voice
"Not with you snoring we can't" hissed the feminine voice again
"That's enough you two, your making the young ones nervous" rasped an almost ancient sounding voice. Firepaw nervously glanced at Longpaw who twitched his whiskers in amusement, though he couldn't tell if it was because of him or the elder's antics. The ancient voice spoke up again.
"Come in young ones." Longpaw looked over at Firepaw and gave him a nod before moving into the den. Firepaw quickly followed him in and began to take the sight of the den. It was comfortable sized den for the four elders who stayed in there. Four elderly cats rested peacefully within their nests of moss and feathers. Longpaw made quick introductions.
"Firepaw, meet our elder's: Moonwatcher, Toadleg, Ivyclaw, and the oldest cat in SkyClan Blackbird." Firepaw examined each elder carefully.
Moonwatcher was a dark gray tom with pale blue eyes that seemed to hold a bit of mischief in them. Toadleg, a dark brown tom with golden eyes, glared at Firepaw and Longpaw from his nest and muttered under his breath something about noisy apprentices and elders older than the trees that made up the forest. The only she-cat elder Ivyclaw, a mottled gray she-cat with green eyes, glared heatedly at Toadleg and looked ready to claw out his fur.
"I probably shouldn't get her angry. I'd hate to be under that stare.' thought Firepaw
Firepaw finally let his eyes rest on Blackbird, who drew in Firepaw's attention with his appearance alone. The old tom looked as though he had seen many battles in his time. Blackbird was a large tom with a coat that was black as night, but was also dull and ragged from not having been groomed for so long. Both his ears were littered with scars and he had a nick in his right ear. His muzzle looked as though it had turned silver with age, but what had drew in Firepaw the most were his eyes that appeared to be amber pools of knowledge and wisdom. Firepaw had no doubt in his mind that this cat had probably seen more than most cats would, and felt honored to be in the presence of such a cat.
Blackbird watched Firepaw curiously before beckoning him over with his tail. Firepaw was surprised by the action, but moved closer to Blackbird. As he drew closer, he breathed in the elder's scent. Blackbird's scent was calming to Firepaw who hadn't realized that he had tensed up. Blackbird stared deep into his eyes before giving him a nod of approval.
"I think I can see why Goldenstar excepted you into our Clan, I can tell that you have great potential." Blackbird rasped. Firepaw sat up a bit straighter under Blackbird's praise. Moonwatcher nodded in agreement, while Toadleg merely snorted. Ivyclaw cuffed Toadleg behind the ear and growled low under her breath before softening her eyes on Firepaw. She pushed a chaffinch forward and beckon him over with her tail.
"Come over here young one and have a bite of this chaffinch" she purred gently. Firepaw came over to her and gave her a polite 'thank you' before pulling off the feathers and having a small bite. It was like nothing he had ever tasted before and he liked it a lot more than the pellets his twolegs use to feed him. Ivyclaw seemed to purr louder when she saw how much Firepaw enjoyed the taste of the chaffinch. Toadleg stared at him from his nest before giving a loud snort.
"You better not start complaining that your hungry later Ivyclaw." Toadleg growled. Ivyclaw shot him a look laced with venom.
"It's a wonder any of us get any food with you stuffing your face when ever you can." she hissed, her green eyes flashing. Firepaw was worried that the two elders who leap from their nests and rip each other to bits, but Moonwatcher spoke up and quickly directed their attention away from each other.
"Hey you two don't forget that Thrushfur's and Redflower's kits are coming to visit us today. Do you really want them to see you two fighting?" he spoke calmingly. Ivyclaw let her fur lie down and sheathed her claws. Toadleg huffed before turning his back to everyone and falling asleep in his nest. Longpaw who had been looking a Firepaw in shock, decided it was time to see the rest of the camp. The two bid the elders goodbye before moving back toward the clearing. They headed toward a small rocky cave with a bush with white flowers hiding most of the entrance.
Suddenly three little bundles of fur darted from the den. Two of the furry bundles maneuvered around Firepaw and Longpaw, however the third ran straight into Firepaw and tumbled backwards from the impact. Firepaw moved quickly to stand over the little kit to check to make sure she was alright. She was a small golden and white tabby with light blue eyes. Firepaw gently nosed the kit back onto her paws.
"Hello there are you okay?" asked Firepaw gently. The little kit looked up at him and gave him a shy nod. "That's good what is your name?"
"My name is Sunkit, I'm sorry I ran into you." she mewled softly.
"It's alright I know you didn't mean any harm, I'm Firepaw by the way"
Sunkit opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted by a loud mew.
"Come on Sunkit, I want to hear Moonwatcher's story about the battle SkyClan fought with RiverClan over the Sandy shore. " meowed a loud voice. Firepaw looked over his shoulder and saw two other kit's who looked to be the same age as Sunkit. One was a ginger tom and the other was a brown and cream tabby she-cat.
"Are they your siblings?" Firepaw asked curiously.
"Well Sharpkit is my brother, but Leafkit is just a friend. I should go Sharpkit will just get unbearable if we don't go see the elders soon." she meowed quickly.
"Well I'll let you go then, I'll see you around then?" he asked. Sunkit gave him warm look before nodding and racing over to her brother and Leafkit. Firepaw watched her go before turning his attention to Longpaw who seemed to be reliving his earlier shock.
"Are you okay?" Firepaw asked curiously. Longpaw shook himself a little before answering.
"I'm fine, its just that Sunkit is a very shy kit and rarely speaks to anyone except for her mother, her brother and Leafkit." Firepaw looked surprised at this.
"No one else just them?" Longpaw gave him a nod.
"Yeah, I mean Fallowpelt may be able her to get Sunkit to speak to her every now and then, but other than her and the three I mentioned earlier she doesn't really talk to anyone else."
"Maybe I remind her of Sharpkit."
"Maybe, but I doubt it." Longpaw looked thoughtful for a moment before shrugging it all off. "Anyway this is the nursery. Its where she-cats who are nursing kits or are pregnant with kits sleep." Longpaw moved toward the entrance and beckoned Firepaw to follow him. Their were four she-cats resting with in the den. One of the she-cats a white she-cat with blue-gray eyes had two tiny kits snuggled close into her belly, while the only pregnant female a gray tabby she-cat with a thick bushy tail lay curled up taking a nap. A dark ginger she-cat watch them enter curiously before continuing her conversation with the brown and cream tabby who lay right next to her.
"Hello Redflower, Thrushfur I'm sure your aware of our newest apprentice? " meowed Longpaw giving each a nod. Thrushfur gave a kind gentle look at Firepaw.
"Hello Firepaw and welcome to the Clan" she meowed kindly. Redflower simply shrugged.
"As long as he does his share I could care less" she mewled. Thrushfur looked surprised at her friends nonchalance at having Firepaw join the Clan.
"By the way Redflower are you aware that Sunkit literally ran into Firepaw and actually spoke to him?" meowed Longpaw with an air of indifference. This had both Redflower and Thrushfur shocked. Redflower narrowed her eyes at Firepaw.
"Did she really speak you?" meowed Redflower. Firepaw though nervous never let it show and met Redflower's steady gaze.
"Yes she did. Why?" Redflower looked closely at him and for a moment her eyes seemed to soften, but just as quickly hardened back up.
"I see, maybe she will get better with time then." Redflower muttered to herself. Firepaw looked confused and opened his mouth ask what she had meant, but was silenced by Longpaw's tail.
"Now is not the time." Longpaw murmured in his ear. Firepaw nodded and moved to over to the other queens. The gray tabby looked up from her nest and gave a welcome mewl.
"Hello I'm Squirrelfur and this is Snowfall" she meowed pointed her long bushy tail at the white queen in the nest near hers. Snowfall purred softly at Firepaw when she noticed how curiously he was watching the squirming bundles nestled against her belly.
"Would you like a closer look?" she asked softly.
"I would if you don't mind" answered Firepaw.
"Of course I don't" she purred as she moved her tail giving Firepaw a better view of her kits. One of the kits was brown with white legs and chest. The other was white with brown spots that covered her fur.
"They're beautiful." Firepaw purred as he looked at the two little she-cats.
"Thank you, their names are Cloverkit and Spottedkit." meowed Snowfall.
"Their so tiny" murmured Longpaw. Squirrelfur gave him an amused stare.
"Well of course their small, Snowfall gave birth to them two days ago" She mewled.
After spending sometime with the queens, Longpaw and Firepaw left the nursery and made their way to a tree where small boulders sat on either side of an opening in the roots. As they approached Longpaw continued to explain the warriors and apprentices duty in the Clan.
"This is Goldenstar's den, the leader den." meowed Longpaw. Just as Longpaw finished speaking a gray tom with dark gray tabby stripes emerged from the den. The tom moved to stand in front of the two apprentices.
"I hope you two aren't here to bother Goldenstar." he mewled sternly. Longpaw fur fluffed out in annoyance.
"No, I was just showing Firepaw the leader's den. We weren't going to go in."meowed Longpaw. The gray tom focused his gaze on Firepaw.
"Ah yes greetings Firepaw, I'm Ashstorm the clan's deputy." Firepaw saw a flicker of curiosity in Ashstorm's sharp blue eyes.
"Greetings, are you deciding patrols?" Ashstorm's whiskers twitched in amusement.
"Yes I was, and I understand that Goldenstar is taking you out to see our territory." Firepaw nodded.
"Yes it looks very big." Ashstorm shrugged a little.
"It's big enough and there is plenty of prey." Ashstorm watched as a patrol entered the camp. "And it seems the hunting patrol has returned." Firepaw watched as the four cats placed their catches in the fresh-kill pile before picking out something for themselves. Firepaw heard a low rumble come from hi stomach and only just realized he was hungry. It was getting close to dusk and Firepaw had only had a bite of Ivyclaw's chaffinch. Ashstorm chuckled before sending both apprentices to the fresh-kill pile. One of the warriors a gray tom with amber eyes looked suspiciously at Firepaw.
"Who are you and why are you in our camp?" growled the tom.
(I'm just going to leave it there they should explore the forest in the next chapter.)