Maplekit stood nervously beside her sister, Bloomkit, in the center of the Clan meeting hollow. Their mother was there, watching with warm, proud eyes, and Thrushflight, too, and everyone in the Clan, even the newest kits. It was Maplekit's six moon birthday, and it was time to become an apprentice. I hope I get a nice mentor, Maplekit thought. Maybe auntie Goosefur. Or Dapplecreek. Or Foxjump. Just so long as it isn't Jaggedclaw. Maplekit knew just about every warrior in the clan-not by meeting them, of course; Redpoppy told her all the best stories in the nursery. Senior warriors were much too busy with their clan duties to hang out in the nursery. Dapplecreek and Thrushflight always found time to come, though.
Bloomkit didn't look half as nervous as Maplekit, but then Bloomkit was never nervous. I bet she'll be an awesome hunter, Maplekit thought, looking at her sister's much longer limbs, but I'll be the best fighter! She unsheathed her claws and admired them proudly.
"Maple," her mother hissed, "eyes forward. The Ceremony of Paws is about to start."
Maplekit immediately stood up straight and curled her tail around her big, white paws. I'm ready! Fallensnow's kits, Freezekit, Stormykit, and Skykit watched jealously from the nursery entrance. Don't worry! Maplekit thought. In a few moons it'll be your turn, too!
Yellowstar perched proudly above the clan, her green eyes gleaming, her yellow fur catching fire from the sun. On her head lay a crown of flowers and vines, and around her chest lay a necklace fashioned from the bones of sparrows, mice, shrews, and squirrels. At the base of the stone sat two paw wreaths made of ivy and little white blossoms. The deputy, Paletuft, a she-cat with long, white fur and blue eyes, lounged below the meeting rock, looking regal and intimidating with her own smaller crown of roots. Is she… Scowling at me? Or is that how she always looks? She gulped. I take it back. I'd rather have Jaggedclaw than her. A voice in her head insisted it'd be the best thing, really, to be mentored by the deputy-the quickest way to power. She pushed it back. Who cares? I want to be a good warrior. I don't have to be leader or anything.
"FireClan of Thunder forest! May the Ageless Ones bless you!" Yellowstar yowled.
"May StarClan guide you," the Clan meowed back.
"Today we gather for the Ceremony of Paws. Maplekit, Bloomkit, come forward."
Trying not to tremble, Maplekit stepped forward and looked up at her regal leader.
"Dapplecreek," Yellowstar said, "you are a quick and compassionate warrior with moons of experience. It is beyond time to give you an apprentice for your own. Come, and tie your wreath to this apprentice's paw." Solemnly, Dapplecreek stepped forward and picked up one of the wreaths. Maplekit licked her chest fur, and Dapplecreek tied the wreath around her paw. I got Dapplecreek! I can't believe it! The tortoiseshell she-cat purred warmly down at Maplekit. I swear I'm gonna behave! I'll make you proud.
"Maplekit-of-Redpoppy," Yellowstar meowed, "do you swear fealty to the warrior code, to the Ageless Ones, and to FireClan?"
"I do," Maplekit said.
"Then, from now on, you will be called Maplepaw. Welcome, Maplepaw."
"Maplepaw! Maplepaw! Maplepaw!" the Clan cheered. "Maplepaw!" Bloomkit beamed up at her sister.
Glowing, Maplepaw padded over to sit between her mother and her mentor. "Congratulations, little one," her mother purred, and set to grooming Maplepaw's fur.
"Bloomkit, step forward." Bloomkit bounded to sit below the meeting rock. Redpoppy scolded her for being rambunctious, but Yellowstar only laughed. "Paletuft, step forward." Still looking annoyed, the deputy got up and strode over to Bloomkit. Maplekit swallowed back a surge of jealousy. I'm happy with Dapplecreek. I'm happy with Dapplecreek. I'm happy with Dapplecreek… She shook her head, clearing the jealousy away. "Paletuft, you are a fierce warrior, and a loyal deputy. I know you will teach this paw how to follow in the path of the Ageless Ones and their warrior code."
Bloomkit grinned excitedly up at Paletuft, as though she didn't even see her intimidating scowl, licked her chest, and offered her paw. "Bloomkit, do you swear fealty to the warrior code, the Ageless Ones, and to FireClan?"
"I do!" Bloomkit squeaked.
"Then, from now until the end of your training, you will be known as Bloompaw."
"Bloompaw!" the Clan cheered, with Maplekit's voice the loudest of all. "Bloompaw! Bloompaw! Bloompaw!"
"This meeting is at an end. May the Ageless Ones bless you," Yellowstar yowled, and leapt off the meeting rock. Buzzing with nervous excitement, Maplepaw turned to Dapplecreek.
"What should I do first? Clean the elder's den? Fill the waterskins? Fetch herbs for Cloudstep? Remake the leader's necklace?"
Dapplecreek laughed. "There will be time enough for chores," she said. "I thought first we'd take a tour of Thunder forest."
"All of it?" Maplepaw whispered, her mouth hanging open. "Won't that take days?"
"Not quite that long. But we won't see all of it today. Your legs aren't used to that much work. I'll take you as far as the willows by the stream."
Maplepaw looked around for her sister. "Can Bloomkit-er, Bloompaw-come with us? Please?"
Dapplecreek hesitated. "I'm afraid you'll have to get used to doing things without your sister, Maplepaw. But don't worry. You'll see her in the apprentice den tonight, with Wrenpaw, Acornpaw, and Frecklepaw."
Maplepaw grimaced. Frecklepaw. She'd met the apprentice a few times, and each time she'd been a big bully. I hope she leaves me alone.
Maplepaw and Dapplecreek headed out of the Clan hollow; Thunder forest seemed to span forever, an entire world for her to explore. Everything was so big and bright and green with newleaf growth. The sun streamed through maple and oak leaves, warming her fur and making her white patches shine. She had to hurry to keep up with Dapplecreek's longer stride, but it was so beautiful and exciting that she didn't even care how sore her muscles were by the time they reached the stream.
"Wow," Maplepaw breathed, panting a bit. "Wow. I can't even see the hollow from here!"
"If you look past the trees this way," Dapplecreek said, pointing, "you can just make out the TallClan moors. And if you look that way, you can see BlackClan's pines. You can't see the lake, but you can just hear it if you focus."
She was right; the lake's constant burble and crash echoed through Thunder forest.
"Is it true the forest is haunted?" Maplepaw asked, peering with interest through the trees. "Is it true the Deathless stalk this place?"
"Just nursery stories, I'm afraid. The Deathless Dark Ones were destroyed ages ago, back when FireClan was called ThunderClan and Firestar ruled. They can't cross over anywhere, or haunt anyone."
Bummer, she thought. How cool would it be to fight a bunch of evil cats?
They met Bloompaw, who was meowing excitedly to Redpoppy about a squirrel she'd seen that was "as big as her," on the way back to the hollow.
"Maplepaw!" Her sister bounded over to them, her ginger tail held high. "MAPLEPAW. Did you see the trees? Did you see the creek? Was it amazing? Paletuft let me chase a mouse. I was this close to catching it! I bet I catch the biggest mouse in the whole forest next time!"
"I bet you will," Redpoppy said, purring loudly. "And I bet Maplepaw will find the biggest squirrel." Beaming, the sisters both brushed flanks with their mother, who purred and hummed and covered them with licks. Dapplecreek watched them fondly, but Paletuft had a disapproving scowl.
"Bloompaw," the deputy said, "go fill the water skins in the stream, since you're so fond of it. Maplepaw, why don't you clean the elder's den?"
Dapplecreek coughed. "Shouldn't the apprentices have a quick meal before they go out again? It's their first day, after all."
Paletuft's eyes grew wide, as if she genuinely hadn't thought of that. "Erm-yes, right. Go pick something out, Bloompaw. But remember that soon you won't eat until you've hunted for the Clan. You too, Maplepaw."
"Yes, Paletuft," Maplepaw said in a small voice. She picked a mouse from the pile and chewed it next to Bloompaw. Frecklepaw, Acornpaw, and Wrenpaw sat a bit away from them, mumbling with their heads together.
"Hey, Maple!" Frecklepaw yowled. Maplepaw gritted her teeth. Only my mom calls me that! "Did you catch anything today? I got a mouse my first day out of the nursery!" She chittered. "Bet you're too fat to catch anything, Maple!"
Maplepaw bit her lip to keep from yowling back. Just ignore her. Just ignore her.
"Come on," Bloompaw said, nudging her. "Let's check out the apprentice den. Away from her."
The den was much bigger than the nursery, but as soon as Paletuft's much younger siblings-Freezekit, Stormykit, and Skykit-became apprentices, they'd be awfully cramped, Maplepaw thought.
She spent the rest of the day cleaning the elder's den, a task she found delightful; Oaktree told the best stories, while Webclaw had the most amusing complaints. The other apprentices teased her for having to do such an unpleasant chore, and she didn't understand why. The elders held the history of the clans in their paws! They were old and wise! Why not listen to them? Best of all, the elders didn't tease her about not having a proper father. Thrushflight was awesome, and she privately thought of him as her dad, but Redpoppy insisted he wasn't. Beechwhisker even said queens in her time raised kits together, usually without the toms at all, and it was more common for a kit to have two cats they called Mom rather than a Mom and Dad.
"Don't worry about whoever fathered you, paw," Webclaw added. "Could be he died, or already had a mate."
"Or he was in another Clan," Oaktree said, rolling his eyes.
Another Clan? "Isn't that against the warrior code?"
"Actually, no," Oaktree said with a gruff laugh. "The warrior code says you may have friends in other Clans so long as you're loyal to your Clan. But it never expressly forbids half-Clan kits, or even inter-Clan mates. It's happened before, you know, more times than I can count. It's not hardly meeting-worthy news unless the 'friends' insist on making a big, dramatic debacle out of it, and try to become mates. Silverpelt above, I remember when I was a new warrior, every Clan was short on kits and apprentices, so they tried to make a new Gathering on the new moon for cats in every Clan to-"
Webclaw smacked his tail over Oaktree's mouth. "Shh! She's too young to hear about that kind of thing!"
"Too young? She's six moons, isn't she? Why, I was only eight moons when I first-"
"OAKTREE!" Beechwhisker hissed. "You old bees-for-brains! She doesn't want to hear about that! What would Redpoppy say?"
Oaktree huffed and grumbled, but he stopped talking about... that. Maplepaw's pelt felt hot with embarrassment. StarClan above. Is this was elders talk about all day? She forced her fur to lie flat.
"Um, I'm gonna go see if Dapplecreek needs me."
"Oh, you scared her away." Webclaw smacked Oaktree with his tail. "Old codger."
"No, really, it's fine. I'll check up on you guys tomorrow!"
Sleeping in the apprentice den was scary at first, and a bit lonely, but she felt comforted by Bloompaw's warm fur curled up against hers, and Frecklepaw kept her mouth shut-too busy snoring as loud as a badger, thought Maplepaw.
I'm really an apprentice, Maplepaw thought as she fell asleep. Finally. And she was going to be the best warrior she could.
Leader, a voice in her head nagged. Leader. Leader. Leader. She pushed it away.
"No," she whispered. "Not unless StarClan wishes it."