CHAPTER 2
Stonekit gazed up at the high-tree where his mother Brightstar stood, her thick white fur glowing brightly in the sun; Stonekit stood besides his siblings. He held his head high with excitement growing inside of him like a budding flower, Stonekit glanced at his brother Amberkit; no Amberpaw who had been apprenticed to Aspenfang. Aspenfang was a well respected warrior with dark gray tabby fur and a thick muscular body and dark sage green eyes. Stonekit was nervous to find out who his mentor would be "I hope my mentor is someone fast!" Thought Stonekit; Stonekit had gotten faster as he had grown now Stonekit was tall and long legged with a compact slinky body. Stonekit glanced beside him to his brother Leafkit; who much like Stonekit was long and skinny but shorter then Stonekit. Brightstar smiled down at her children as she spoke, "Bluekit you have reached the age of six moons and are ready to be an apprentice; from this moment onwards until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Bluepaw. Your mentor shall be Mintsong; Mintsong teach Bluepaw to be loyal and kind hearted and be a warrior the whole of Blossomclan can respect." Meowed Brightstar a hint of a purr in her voice. Mintsong came padding over to where Bluepaw was touching noses with her new apprentice, Stonekit smiled softly; he knew Mintsong was a great choice to mentor Bluepaw sense Mintsong was in the nursery when Bluepaw was a kit. Bluepaw's eyes shone with excitement not a hint of nervousness in her eyes, Stonekit giggled at the look on his sister's face; Bluepaw followed Mintsong to sit next to Amberpaw and Aspenfang. Stonekit turned his head back up to his mother, Brightstar's crystal blue eyes shone as she looked down at her children. Brightstar nodded down to Tidekit, "Tidekit you have reached the age of six moons and you are ready to be an apprentice, until you earn your warrior name you shall be known as Tidepaw; Tidepaw your mentor shall be Waterfern. Waterfern share with Tidepaw your courage and skill, make Tidepaw a warrior to inspire future generations to come." meowed Brightstar her eyes glittering with clear love for her kits. Tidepaw reached her head up touching noses with Waterfern; then the two of them joined Amberpaw and Bluepaw. Stonekit watched his brother and sisters swallowing nervously knowing it would be his turn soon; "Please Starclan let my mentor like me!" Thought Stonekit pleading to Starclan that his mentor would be a cat that likes him. At that moment Brightstar turned her attention to Stonekit; "Stonekit you have reached the age of six moons and have been deemed ready to be an apprentice; for this moment until you receive your warrior name you shall be known as Stonepaw. Your mentor will be Clearheart; Clearheart share with Stonepaw your swiftest and compassion. Make Stonepaw a warrior to be cheered for." Meowed Brightstar with a soft smile on her face, Stonepaw's eyes stretched wide in surprise as his father was named his mentor. Stonepaw walked over to his father, swallowing slightly, Clearheart gave his son a comforting smile; Stonepaw stretched his neck up to touch his nose to his father's Clearheart's nose felt a bit cold with a bit of roughness. Stonepaw heard his father give a soft purr as he led Stonepaw to sit beside his litter-mates, Stonepaw watched Leafkit curious to see who his mother would pick as his brother's mentor. Brightstar looked down at her last son, "Leafkit you have told me you wish to be a medicine cat apprentice; for this moment onwards you shall be known as Leafpaw until Starclan grants you your full medicine cat name. Your mentor shall be Swanhollow." Meowed Brightstar smiling with great pride in all of her children. "He's going to be a medicine cat?!" Thought Stonepaw was stunned as he watched Swanhollow gracefully come and touch noses with Leafpaw. Leafpaw's dark sage green eyes sparkled with joy; once the meeting came to an end and the clan departed the clearing only leaving the new apprentices and their mentors. Stonepaw purred as Amberpaw came and nuzzled Stonepaw's cheek purring, "I can't believe we are finally apprentices!" meowed Amberpaw eyes sparkling. Stonepaw purred and nodded with a bright smile coming across his face, Stonepaw nudged Amberpaw's side; Clearheart chuckled softly "yes you kits are finally apprenticed however it's going to be a lot of work." meowed Clearheart nodding down to his children. Stonepaw nodded, feeling determination built up inside him, "I become a warrior the whole clan will be proud of!" Promised Stonepaw to himself. Amberpaw purred heartily "we will be the best warrior the whole clan has ever seen!" meowed Amberpaw nodding sharply at their father. Aspenfang gave a small chuckle, "well in order to become a warrior you'll have to know Blossomclan territory like it's apart of yourself." meowed Aspenfang seriously. Amberpaw nodded suddenly, growing serious "I will!" promised Amberpaw shuffling his paws to appear bigger; Bluepaw came to stand beside Amberpaw and Stonepaw, her bright clear blue eyes filled with happiness. "We're finally paws!" purred Bluepaw beaming widely, Tidepaw nodded as she came over with Waterfern right behind her. Tidepaw seemed more serious then Bluepaw was, "yes we are but it'll be a long while before we are warriors." meowed Tidepaw coming to stop beside Bluepaw; Tidepaw shrugged. Bluepaw rolled her eyes, "I know that mouse brain." meowed Bluepaw nudging her sister with a forepaw; Tidepaw shoved her sister in response Stonepaw chuckled slightly at his sister's little spat. Mintsong sighed softly but there was humor in her amber eyes, "alright c'mon young ones let's go show you the territory." meowed Mintsong with a humor filled smile; Stonepaw glanced behind his shoulder to where Leafpaw was with Swanhollow. The two of them in front of the medicine den, Stonepaw frowned for a moment feeling a tang of sadness that Leafpaw wouldn't be training alongside him. "I am sure Leafpaw wanted to be a medicine cat, he'll be great at it." thought Stonepaw tried to push back his sadness, he tried his best to be happy for his brother. Stonepaw forced himself to look forward following the group of cats out of camp, Stonepaw's eyes widened as he saw the outside of camp for the first time; behind the bracken defenses of camp laid out stretched in front of the group of cats a large blossom meadow. Stonepaw's fur getting was tousled by the sweet smelling breeze, Stonepaw's eyes shone with wonder "it's beautiful!" meowed Stonepaw awestruck. Clearheart stood beside Stonepaw chuckled fondly "yes it is, this is the blossom forest we live in." Meowed Clearheart, he turned his head nodding towards the large petal filled trees in front of them. Clearheart looked up into the branches of the huge blossom tree, "we hunt the squirrels that live in the trees." meowed Clearheart his dark blue eyes full with love for his home, Stonepaw padded over to Clearheart along with Amberpaw; Stonepaw looked up at the tree "The trunk is so huge! How could any cat possibly climb this?!" thought Stonepaw in awe. His claw's itched to try to climb the tree but knew it wouldn't be a good idea, "can I try climbing?" asked Amberpaw swinging his head around to ask his mentor. Amberpaw's eyes sparkling with hope, Aspenfang chuckled softly but shook his head; "it's too soon to try tree climbing yet however…. Soon enough you can try." promised Aspenfang. Amberpaw's ears dropped but nodded a bit glumly "alright." meowed Amberpaw looking down for a moment before cheering up. The mentors led the apprentices away from the camp, Stonepaw glanced behind himself towards the camp exit "I am Stonepaw I am no longer a kit." thought Stonepaw smiling softly as a butterfly fluttering behind him; Stonepaw turned around before racing to catch up with the rest of the group. Stonepaw felt the breeze tug at his ears; it almost felt like someone was whispering in his ears. "When the leaf falls the amber and stone will rise." whispered the strange whispers around Stonepaw; Stonepaw jerked his head around ears flattening to the back of his head, Stonepaw's eyes widened as fog suddenly swirled around him so thick he couldn't see in front of him. Stonepaw could hear whispers all around him. Stonepaw jerked his head around squinting trying to see the owner of the whispers; "who's there?" meowed Stonepaw feeling fear fill his heart making it pound. More whispers followed the first one growing louder but the words still unrecognizable Stonepaw took a few pawsteps backwards fear beginning to fill him. "I said who's there?!" Demanded Stonepaw voice quivering slightly his fur beginning to stand, a whisper of fog came to hover in front of Stonepaw's face; Stonepaw's eyes widened in surprise when words came out of the fog in front of him, "when the leaf falls the stone and amber will rise." spoke the fog, the words seemed to echo around Stonepaw coming from every direction. Stonepaw jerked his head around as the fog that had spoken vanished and the rest of the fog seemed to pull back into the trees themselves. Stonepaw stood there trembling slightly in shock and a hint of fear, "Stonepaw!" called Amberpaw from ahead of Stonepaw. Stonepaw's head jerked around to where Amberpaw's voice had come from, "Coming!" called Stonepaw to his brother. Stonepaw went racing towards where the rest of the cats were not wanting to look back towards where the fog had been. "What was that?" thought Stonepaw as he went to catch up with his siblings.