A warm shaft of sunlight, indicating the arrival of newleaf, slanted its way through puffy white clouds that punctuated the pale blue sky. Talonkit looked up, feeling excitement rush through the blood in his veins. Thistlesnow had been preparing him for this day. Today, he and his denmates would become warrior apprentices! Talonkit kneaded the grass beneath his paws, looking over his shoulder to see Shrewkit and Owlkit joining him. Their eyes were shining with excitement.
The season had come and gone, and with it, new changes to the Clan. Snakepaw and Bluepaw were now Snakenose and Bluefeather, to make room for the new kits in the apprentice den. Talonkit wondered if one of them would be chosen to mentor the new apprentices – who did he want? The silent, somewhat brooding Snakenose, or the bright, excitable Bluefeather? Somehow, none of those mentors made sense to him.
"Who do you think our mentors will be?" Owlkit asked, knocking Talonkit out of his shared train of thought. Talonkit looked over at the brown striped tom and shrugged his shoulders.
"I want Copperlight," Shrewkit declared. "I heard that she defeated a fox on her own a few days ago. I want to learn how to do that!" He glanced over his shoulder at the nursery. "Leafkit has been dropping hints about Toadstep."
"The Clan deputy?" Owlkit gawked. "No way. Not unless he's the son of Lionstar. Which you guys aren't."
Shrewkit snorted. "Thanks for the information, Owlkit." He turned to look at Talonkit. "How about you? You're the prime candidate for either Lionstar or Toadstep since you'll be training as one of Lionstar's generals."
Talonkit felt his stomach drop. He hadn't thought about being the apprentice of the Clan leader or deputy. Would he be able to keep up their expectations if he were their apprentice? Talonkit tried to steady his voice as he replied, "I don't know. I guess we'll see."
"Don't act like you're not as excited as the rest of us." The voice came from Hawkkit, who stepped out of the shadows of the nursery with his identical twin brother, Eaglekit, right next to him. Talonkit realized that two kits were missing – Birdkit and Leafkit. Where were they? Talonkit peered into the nursery, spotting the light fluffy gray-and-white pelt of Birdkit, and the dappled pelt of Leafkit. The two kits were talking together, and Talonkit wondered what they were saying. He knew that Birdkit was hesitant about becoming a warrior apprentice – had she made her decision? He glanced over at Shrewkit, wondering what Leafkit's problem was.
"I think he just wants to be as good of a warrior as Fallensnow," Shrewkit meowed, as if reading Talonkit's mind. "He's afraid that he won't be."
Boy, I know that feeling, Talonkit thought. "He'll be fine."
"Your sister, though…" Shrewkit tilted his head. "Is she going to be a warrior apprentice?"
"I don't know," Talonkit confessed. "She's never said anything to me. I might as well go ask." Brushing against Shrewkit's solid pale pelt, he entered the nursery where Leafkit had left Birdkit. The she-kit was now sitting in her nest alone, staring at the bramble roof. Talonkit felt a pang of pity as he settled next to her and twined his tail with hers.
"Are you going to be joining the apprentice ceremony today?" Talonkit asked her.
"Yeah," Birdkit meowed, turning to face him. "But not as a warrior apprentice. I'll be training under Stormbrook."
"A medicine cat apprentice?" Talonkit stepped back, shocked. He had seen Birdkit struggle with her insecurities about being a warrior apprentice – she had been very clear that she did not care for fighting. But as a medicine cat apprentice, she'd be treating warriors and saving lives. That was a perfect solution! Joy for his sister flooded Talonkit's body and he brushed his pelt against hers. "That's awesome! Congratulations!" But the shadows on Birdkit's expression made him step back. "What's wrong?"
"I don't know if I'll be any good," Birdkit confessed, uncertainty wavering in her pale green eyes.
Talonkit tilted his head. "What do you mean?" he asked. "Stormbrook will be a great mentor! You'll be just fine." He pressed his muzzle against his sister's cheek. "Don't worry, Birdkit. Listen to me, I'll settle for being the best warrior, and you just settle for being the best medicine cat, all right? You've always said you didn't want to fight. This is how you serve your Clan – you don't need to fight any cat to be one of the most important cats in ShadowClan!"
A shard of light returned to Birdkit's green eyes, and she straightened herself to look up at Talonkit, who was bigger than her now. She gave him a small nod. "You're right, Talonkit," she meowed. "I want to be a ShadowClan cat, but I can't do it by fighting. If I can do it by being a medicine cat, then that's what I'll do." She leaped to her four paws. "Let's go."
Talonkit followed Birdkit as she trekked out of the nursery, where Leafkit had joined Shrewkit. The kits looked up as Morningmist, Thistlesnow, and Sunstream approached them. Talonkit's heart dropped in the chest at the notable absence of Blossomflower, Owlkit's mother. Talonkit glanced over at the dark brown tabby, but he didn't seem bothered. Even the absence of his biological mother didn't dampen his spirits.
"You're all going to be apprentices today," Morningmist meowed, her blue eyes glowing. "We have taught you the importance of being a ShadowClan apprentice – and warrior – is."
"Keep your head up, listen to your mentors, and protect yourself alongside your denmates," Sunstream added.
"And remember, just because you're sleeping in the apprentices' den from now on does not mean that we are no longer your mothers!" Thistlesnow's tail curled up. "We will always love you." She bent her head down and licked Talonkit and Birdkit's heads roughly. Talonkit groaned in irritation – he was about to be a warrior apprentice, and he was still being treated like a kit! When Thistlesnow leaned back, Talonkit heard the loud yowl of Lionstar.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather underneath the Pinebranch for a Clan meeting!" Lionstar's golden pelt shone in the sunlight as he balanced precariously on the pine branch overhanging the hazel bush that made his den. The ShadowClan warriors heeded his call – Snowsplash and Icefire looked up from where they had just dropped two mice on the fresh-kill pile. Cloudsong and Robinwing exchanged glances before joining Redfeather and Snakenose near the Pinebranch. Fallensnow, who still held a scar on his throat from his injury moons ago, joined Sparrowflight and Featherheart close to the hazel bush. Shiningheart and Dewshine, the two elders of ShadowClan at the moment, were sunning themselves in a bare spot near their den. They lifted their heads lazily.
"New apprentices," Dewshine rasped.
"Good," Shiningheart meowed, scratching the back of his ear. "My pelt is full of ticks."
Oh, no, Talonkit thought. He remembered that being a warrior apprentice wasn't just hunting and battle training – it was taking care of the elders as well. That doesn't bother me, though. I know that the elders deserve to be taken care of for the service they've given the Clan. Despite this, he tried to shake aside the thought of using mouse bile to dab at their pelts. He glanced over at the medicine den. Stormbrook was sitting in front of it, his black-and-gray pelt recently groomed, his tail wrapped around his paws. His amber eyes caught the gaze of Birdkit, and Birdkit quickly looked away. Talonkit frowned – hopefully, his sister would get used to her role soon. If Birdkit didn't succeed as a medicine cat, what would she be able to provide for the Clan?
Lionstar started to speak when the entire Clan was settled around the Pinebranch. His green gaze swept his Clanmates. "Today is a fine day," he meowed, his voice deep in his chest. "We have plenty of new apprentices for the Clan. They have been waiting a long time for this day, and it is time for them to receive their names. Shrewkit, Leafkit, Hawkkit, Eaglekit, Owlkit, Talonkit, and Birdkit."
Talonkit gazed, wide-eyed at Lionstar. The last time he had spoken to the big leader was when he had been caught eavesdropping in his den. Did he still remember? Was he going to hold onto his promise of training him to be one of his great generals? Please, please! Talonkit prayed quietly.
"All of you have reached six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. Shrewkit and Leafkit, come here." Lionstar leaped down from the Pinebranch as the two brothers walked side-by-side to the big golden tabby leader. The ShadowClan leader towered over them as he gazed down at them. "Shrewkit, from now on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Shrewpaw. Copperlight will be your mentor. I have full faith she will pass on everything she knows to you."
Shrewpaw's amber eyes glowed with excitement, and Talonkit felt a flash of relief for his friend. He had gotten the mentor he wanted! The crowd parted to make way for Copperlight as the red-brown she-cat padded over to Shrewpaw and touched noses with her new apprentice.
"I'll make you proud!" Shrewpaw declared.
"I don't doubt it," Copperlight replied, touching Shrewpaw's shoulder with the tip of her tail. She led the pale tom away, leaving just Leafkit in the clearing.
"Leafkit, from now on until you receive your apprentice name, you will be known as Leafpaw," Lionstar meowed. "Your mentor will be Hopflight."
Hopflight! Hopflight was one of the strictest cats in the Clan, but when Talonkit looked over to the jet-black tom, he saw warmth glowing in his amber eyes as he trekked over to meet his new apprentice. Leafpaw crouched down, but he too must have sensed that Hopflight was kinder than he let on and allowed the tom to touch noses with him. Leafpaw followed Hopflight into the crowd, leaving Talonkit, Birdkit, Eaglekit, Hawkkit, and Owlkit.
"Owlkit." Lionstar beckoned the brown tabby tom forward. Owlkit was alone as he walked further into the clearing and stood. Talonkit could see a shudder pass through his body, but if he was afraid, he didn't show it on his face. He looked up at Lionstar calmly. "Your father would be proud of you if he was here today. From now on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Owlpaw. Snakenose, step forward."
"What?" Snakenose gasped in shock, and his own surprise rippled through the entire Clan. The mentors Lionstar had chosen so far were all senior warriors – Snakenose was a brand-new warrior, in comparison to the skilled, seasoned warriors that Lionstar had been picking so far. "Me?"
Lionstar purred in amusement. "We need a change of pace in the mentors I am choosing, you see. Snakenose, you are a new warrior, that is true, but I sense the strength in your heart, and it is my intuition that you will make an excellent mentor to Owlpaw. Use your youth to your advantage."
Snakenose nodded his broad head. "Yes, of course, Lionstar." He touched noses with Owlpaw, whose tail curled up in excitement. The brown tabby tom glanced over at Blossomflower, who was watching from the crowd. Blossomflower gave Owlpaw a nod, and even though there was pride in her eyes, it was shadowed by grief.
Eaglekit and Hawkkit were named Eaglepaw and Hawkpaw and were given Cloudsong and Featherheart as mentors. Only Talonkit and Birdkit remained in the clearing. Talonkit straightened his shoulders and gave his Clanmates a challenging gaze, wanting to prove just how strong he was. But he could feel Birdkit trembling, and for a moment, Talonkit didn't care what his Clanmates thought. He pressed his pelt against Birdkit, hoping that his support would calm her down. Birdkit blinked thankfully at him.
"Talonkit, from this moment on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Talonpaw." Lionstar's green gaze burned into Talonpaw's pelt, so intense that a fire kindled inside of his heart. "I usually do not allow cats to mentor their own kin, but for this apprenticeship, I think I'll make an exception. Sparrowflight, come here."
What? Talonpaw gasped. Sparrowflight was going to mentor him? There was no shock in Sparrowflight's gaze as his father padded forward, and Talonpaw realized that he had known the entire time. Warm pride glowed in Sparrowflight's amber gaze as Lionstar meowed, "Sparrowflight, you will train Talonpaw until he becomes a full warrior. You are his father, but do not go easy on him because of that."
"I won't," Sparrowflight promised. "In fact, I like to think I'll be a little hard on him."
Talonpaw wanted to protest, but he kept his mouth shut. It would only be fair, he thought. He didn't want any cat to think he was getting special treatment because his mentor was his father. He nodded to his father and reached his head to touch noses with him, and he could hear his father's purr. Even if Sparrowflight sometimes felt away emotionally, Talonpaw knew that he loved him, and wanted him to be a good warrior, at all costs.
"It's your sister's turn, now," Sparrowflight murmured, training his amber gaze on Birdkit. Talonpaw watched as Birdkit stood alone in the clearing, her gaze darting from side to side. Lionstar tilted his head, watching her for a moment, before finally speaking.
"Birdkit, you have chosen a different path than your denmates, which I applaud you for. You will be known as Birdpaw, and your mentor will be Stormbrook." Lionstar lifted his head, and Talonpaw looked over at the crowd to see Stormbrook passing through the cats. Birdpaw turned on her heel and touched noses with Stormbrook. Stormbrook whispered something in her ear, and Birdpaw nodded. Talonpaw wondered what they were saying.
"With that, this Clan meeting is at an end," Lionstar declared. "New apprentices, listen well to your mentors, for they will train you to be a ShadowClan cat worthy of leaving your names in history." The golden tabby tom swished his tail, declaring the meeting over, and disappeared into his den. Talonpaw watched him go.
"I'm going to go let you find a place in the apprentices' den and speak to your denmates," Sparrowflight told Talonpaw. "Meet me here once you've finished. I'll take you on a tour of the territory."
"Okay!" Talonpaw shot off from Sparrowflight and searched for Shrewpaw. But the first apprentices that he encountered weren't any of the cats he grew up with. Maplepaw and Daisypaw were staring at Talonpaw just as the brown tabby tom bumped into them. The two she-cats glanced at each other, with Daisypaw rolling her brilliant green eyes.
"There's not going to be any room in the den with all these lumps of fur," Daisypaw protested. She poked Talonpaw's pelt with her front paw. "And you're the biggest of them all!"
"All we have to do is make the den bigger," Maplepaw meowed. She padded over to Talonpaw and touched noses with him. "Take no notice of Daisypaw," she meowed kindly. "She's as prickly as a hedgehog today. She met a ThunderClan cat on patrol and he called her a mouse, so she's been mad about that all day."
"Hey!" Daisypaw's yellow-and-white fur bristled in irritation. "Don't tell him that! He'll think he'll be able to boss me around."
Maplepaw flicked Daisypaw on the ear with her tail. Talonpaw watched the two she-cats in their exchange, his amber eyes wide.
"Come on, Daisypaw." Maplepaw nudged Daisypaw with her nose and brushed her tail across Talonpaw's shoulder. "See you sometime during training, Talonpaw." Then the two she-cats disappeared across the camp. Talonpaw watched them go, baffled. He had been used to living in a den full of tomkits – save for his sister – but now he would have to live with two she-cats as well. I wonder how that'll go?
Talonpaw pushed the two she-cats to the back of his mind and approached the bramble thicket that made the apprentices' den, close to Lionstar's den. He spotted a dead log next to it, marred with the scratches of countless apprentices. Talonpaw entered the bramble thicket to see several patches of moss spread out across the soft forest floor. Several of his new denmates were already picking out their new nests. Talonpaw sniffed at a patch of moss, recognizing Snakenose's faint scent. This must be his old nest that he never took out, Talonpaw thought. I guess I'll sleep in it tonight, and tomorrow I'll get some more bedding.
Talonpaw nodded to Shrewpaw, who had chosen an empty nest next to him. "Is Copperlight taking you out?" he asked.
Shrewpaw nodded. "Yeah. She's showing me the RiverClan border – seems like there's a bit too much activity for Lionstar's liking over there."
Leafpaw sniffed in irritation. "It's as if borders can't even be marked without mistaking it for aggression. Are we afraid of scents?"
Shrewpaw shot a sharp look at Leafpaw, who turned away, as if guiltily. Talonpaw watched the two brothers, puzzled. But he had done what his father had asked – he had picked out a nest in the apprentices' den, met his other denmates, and now it was time to start training as one of Lionstar's generals.