Seven || Foxpaw

"May all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock!"

Fox sighed and walked over to where she smelled many cats. She sat down as the meeting began.

Hopestar began by saying, "I am excited to say that I will be getting a new apprentice."

Confused mews came from the clan. "Rainbowheart's kits are too young!" Clawburn yelled out.

He's like that because he doesn't look like anything but a pile of ashes. A cat thought, but Fox couldn't tell who it was.

"I know, Clawburn, and I'm glad you are worried about your brother's kits. But I am taking none of them as an apprentice."

"Now, " Hopestar started again, "I will attempt to train not only a rogue, but a blind one. If their training does not work out Berrymark has said they will accept them."

Fox could feel cats staring at her.

"Fox please step up."

Fox began to the highrock as Hopestar spoke, "Fox, From now on, you will be known as Foxpaw. I will be your mentor."

Fox heard no cats call out her name like Stripepaw said they would, then suddenly she heard Snowpaw start yowling her new name, and she smiled to herself.

Shadowpaw joined in a moment later but nobody else did.

Snowpaw's scent reached Foxpaw's nose as she walked up. Foxpaw was sitting next to the apprentices' den.

"Congratulations."

"Thank you."

I wish Badger had been there to see it. Foxpaw thought.

I saw it. And so did Mother. A voice said in her head.

"Come and help me build your nest in the apprentices' den." Snowpaw mewed.

Foxpaw followed her scent.

When they reached the den, Foxpaw padded around, feeling where everything was.

"Be careful," Snowpaw warned, "There's a tree in front of you."

Foxpaw found the tree, and felt along the trunk to find where it started, and how wide it was. It had a very wide trunk, large and flat enough for a nest.

When she found it, she walked up the tree carefully, senses alert, and sat down. "Here is where I want my nest."

"You sure? What if you fall off?"

"I want my nest here." Fox intisted.

"At least put some moss down under it. Please? I really don't want you to get hurt."

"Fine." Fox grumbled.

"Let's go get the moss. There's a patch right outside camp." Snowpaw said.

As they walked across and out of camp. Fox could feel the glares.

Once they were outside of camp, Snowpaw spoke,

"Y'know me and Shadowpaw aren't mad at you, right?"

"You aren't?"

"No! You're our friend, and my sister told me what you told her."

"Oh." Fox clawed at more moss, gathering it in a small pile by her side.

"Your dad didn't seem too good, was he?" Snowpaw questioned, "This should be a good amount of moss."

"No, I didn't like him too much." Fox confessed, though Snowpaw could already guess that.

They got up and silently went back to camp, and into the apprentices den, where Snowpaw put a light bit of moss on the floor, while Fox made a nest just the right size for her, and explained to Snowpaw why she liked sleeping in trees. Her mother had been crippled from jumping off a tree when she was little, where she earned the name Bird. Her brother Badger had learned how to climb at a very young age from their father, and taught Fox how to. Bird had been a big cat, taking up extra room with her crippled legs, and had to always sleep in a small cave, her kits couldn't fit and when they were able to, they slept in a tree to stay safe.

"You should probably head to sleep. Training for you'll probably start in the morning tomorrow and you don't want to be tired." Snowpaw suggested.

I hope Stripepaw isn't mad at me. Fox thought as she drifted off to sleep in her new nest.