Chapter Six

Goldenkit paced around the nursery, her mind buzzing with anticipation and excitement. Lightningpaw had become an apprentice four sunrises ago, and he had been bugging her about not being an apprentice ever since. Irritation ran through her chest as Lightningpaw padded past her, with a smirk on his face. Goldenkit rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at him. A cold breeze passed through her fur and leaves swirled on the ground.

Leaf-fall is here, and soon it will be leafbare.

Scarletpetal was inside the highrock, talking with Owlstar about taking her on, as an apprentice. Goldenkit felt giddy with excitement, and it was surging through her paws like fire. She saw Owlstar nod firmly, before facing the Clan.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own pray gather beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting!" Owlstar's voice rang out loud and clear through the camp. Cats exited from the den and formed a cluster near the base of the boulder. Goldenkit's tail tip twitched back and forth with anticipation. She felt a tongue roughly lick her ears. She whipped her head around, and saw Amethystlight and Flamestorm looking at her, with pride glimmering in their eyes.

"Good luck!" Flamestorm smiled and sat next to Leafstrike, the deputy, closely followed by Amethystlight. Goldenkit's paws trembled with anxiety burning through her fur. Owlstar looked down on the clan, and all traces of conversation vanished.

"I have called you here today for a special ceremony. Goldenkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed." Goldenkit bounced up to the highrock, meeting Owlstar's gaze. She could feel the gaze of her Clan around her.

I hope I look good for the Clan! What if they don't accept me as a medicine cat? Oh well, I'll just have to try!

"From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Goldenpaw. Scarletpetal!" Scarletpetal stepped up, next to Goldenpaw. "I trust that I am putting her in safe, and capable paws. Pass on your wisdom and strength to this young cat." Owlstar called. Scarletpetal dipped her head. "I promise to protect her" Scarletpetal touched her muzzle to Goldenpaw's, and all the cats started chanting her new name.

"Goldenpaw! Goldenpaw!" As the ceremony came to a close, the cats dispersed around the clearing, and Goldenpaw happily padded after her new mentor, towards the gorse tunnel, leaves crunching under her paws.

"You already know most of the herbs." Scarletpetal's eyes gleamed with pride. Goldenpaw nodded. "So all we need to do is explore the territory! There is a gathering coming up soon, and it will be your first one!" Scarletpetal let out a purr of amusement. Goldenpaw's eyes brightened noticeably as Scarletpetal turned and headed out the tunnel, and Goldenpaw quickly followed, eager to get the first glance of the area outside of camp, to which she was once confined to.

The sun was starting to set when the two medicine cats returned. Goldenpaw was weighed down with fatigue, her paws and tail dragging on the ground. She walked into the medicine den and curled up in her new nest. She felt a pang of sorrow, not sleeping in the warm nursery, next to her mother. She cleared her head of thoughts and pictured a young, dark she-cat, with piercing amber eyes, similar to her own.

I need to trust Hollykit! Scarletpetal said so!

Goldenpaw tucked in her paws and laid her tail neatly over them, taking one last glance at her gold fur, before laying her head down and closing her eyes. She knew that she would see the same dark fur as she always had, in her dreams.

A quarter moon later saw Goldenpaw scurried around the medicine den, pushing piles of leaves together and sweeping them aside with her tail. Just a few more piles, and she would be done, and she could leave for her very first gathering!

"Goldenpaw! Have you finished yet?" Scarletpetal's voice echoed through the tunnel, and bounced around the hollow walls and fading in the damp air of the medicine den. She pushed the rest of the herbs aside and rushed outside. She nodded to Scarletpetal, and the cats began to flood into the tunnel. Goldenpaw kept pace with two of the apprentices, Sweetpaw, and Smokepaw.

"What took you so long? Everyone was waiting for you!" Smokepaw remarked. Goldenpaw rolled her eyes.

"I have things to do too you know!" Goldenpaw quickened her pace, catching up to Scarletpetal, who was talking to Berrycloud. Goldenpaw looked up at the moon, shining brightly in the dark, star-dotted sky. She let her mind drift off and as a result, bumped right into Scarletpetal. She pushed Goldenpaw to the edge of a huge boulder in the middle of the Fourtrees. Two other Medicine cats were waiting there, one with an apprentice. Scarletpetal padded up to them, exchanging greetings before pushing Goldenpaw forward.

"Everyone, this is my apprentice, Goldenpaw. Goldenpaw, this is Pebbleheart and Redpaw of ShadowClan, Mintbreeze of WindClan, and Minnowfire of RiverClan" Scarletpetal waved her tail in delight. Goldenpaw dipped her head in greeting to the other medicine cats. Scarletpetal cuffed her ears with a paw and pointed to a clump of cats behind her with her tail, before casually starting a conversation with the other cats. Goldenpaw felt her eyes widen as she scanned the group. There, standing near the edge, was Hollykit. No, Hollypaw.

Both cats locked gazes for no more than a couple of heartbeats. Goldenpaw tore her gaze away and fixated her eyes on the ground. Her mind raced, her heart pounding and before she knew it, Scarletpetal stood up and said her farewells to the other Medicine cats. Goldenpaw's mind was racing with thoughts, that she didn't hear a thing any of the leaders have said. Scarletpetal pushed Goldenpaw up to her paws and padded away. Goldenpaw stared, only at what was directly in front of her, and followed the stream of cats. She felt another pelt brush against hers. She turned her head and saw Hollypaw walking next to her, eyes slightly slanted.

"Meet me at the here, at the Fourtrees. Next moonhigh." Hollypaw whispered in her ear. Goldenpaw gave the slightest nod of her head before Hollypaw fell behind, and Goldenpaw walked ahead, not looking back. She wanted to finally get a chance to talk to the cat she saw in her dreams. Now was that time.