Mapleshade was laying outside the nursery, Birchface sitting beside her as his tail rested on her back. They were watching Larchkit and Petalkit playfully tussling in the small clearing before the nursery, while Patchkit laid at Mapleshade's side. They've grown so much in the last five moons. Mapleshade leaned her muzzle against Birchface's chest and sighed, the gentle breeze ruffling her fur and stirring the warm scents around her.
"Thank you for being here, Birchface," Mapleshade mewed softly, looking up at the tom. He looked at her and nodded, purring as he licked her ear gently.
"Of course Mapleshade," Birchface replied as he looked at the kits tussling. "Patchkit, don't you want to join your littermates?"
The ginger and white kitten looked up at Mapleshade and Birchface, his green eyes rounding. "No, I want to stay here with Mapleshade."
"Is that so my little warrior?" Mapleshade purred, amused by her son's statement.
"I want to be a medicine cat!" Patchkit mewed insistently.
"Did I hear a potential apprentice correctly?" Ravenwing padded over, his eyes bright as he gazed at Patchkit. "You've gifted Thunderclan such wonderful warriors, Mapleshade, Birchface. I cannot wait to see how strong they'll become."
Mapleshade bowed her head and Birchface purred in response. Her kits had been welcomed by the clan thanks to Birchface. I just wish Appledusk had been here... but that foxheart turned his back on us.
"I think Patchkit would make an amazing medicine cat," Birchface looked at the tom-kit with pride and the kitten got up, bouncing on his paws excitedly.
"I'm sure he would. I'd he proud to have him as my apprentice when the time comes. That time is coning soon, isn't it?" Ravenwing purred happily, crouching down to touch noses with Patchkit. "That apprentice ceremony is coming in a few sunrises."
Mapleshade purred as she watched her kits, knwoing soon they'd be out of the nursery soon and she would be returning to her Warrior duties. She would miss having them at her side in her nest, but she knew she had to let go of them so they could continue to grow. They'll be amazing.
"Mapleshade! Look at how well I can pounce!" Larchkit got her attention, crouching and wriggling his hunches as he leapt and landed on Petalkit, her pale brown fur getting dusty from the dirt under the two.
Petalkit squeaked and kicked her brother off with her hindlegs, glaring at him, "That's not fair! I wasn't ready!"
Mapleshade got to her paws and padded over to her son and daughter, licking their ears gently. "Now, now, you both did good. You're both improving quickly. And I'm proud of you."
The two kits exchanged glances and then looked at Mapleshade with excitement in their eyes. Birchface nodded to them and padded over to Beetail while Patchkit sat at the Nursery entrance. Mapleshade herded them back inside and admired how much they'd grown.
Petalkit wriggled away from Mapleshade's tongue with an annoyed hiss, her holly colored eyes flashing in the light that filtered into the den. Meanwhile Patchkit and Larchkit sat tall and proud.
"Stop moving so much Petalkit, it's your apprentice ceremony. You should he excited to get ready," Mapleshade scolded the she-kit.
A ginger head poked in and Mapleshade rose her head. "Are they almost ready? Birchface is waiting out here."
"Almost, Nettlepad," Mapleshade purred as she licked one last piece of fur into place on Petalkit, who huffed.
Larchkit and Patchkit worked their claws into the ground with anticipation, Petalkit joining their side and sitting tall. Mapleshade felt her chest swell with pride as she gazed at her kits.
"Now you're ready. Come now, we mustn't keep Birchface and the others waiting," Mapleshade exited the den and stood beside Birchface, brushing against his side as the kits padded into the clearing.
Birchface's blue eyes brightened with pride as he watched the three young cats walk towards the high rock, raising their heads to Oakstar eagerly. Beetail sat at the base if the rock and blinked at the kits fondly.
"Today is a special day, as it's the first aporentice ceremony in moons. And the apprentice ceremony of my son's kin. Patchkit, Petalkit, Larchkit, step forward," The leader meowed, watching the three step closer with their tails held high.
"Patchkit, it was brought to my attention that you were destined to be a medicine cat, therefore Ravenwing will be your mentor. I trust he will teach you all he knows, from this day on you'll be known as Patchpaw," Oakstar continued.
Ravenwing crouched and touched noses with the young apprentice, his eyes shining excitedly at gaining an apprentice. Patchpaw shivered and flicked his tail happily, staring at his mentor eagerly. Mapleshade felt her chest swelling even more as she watched her son move onto the next step in his life.
"Larchkit, you've shown great promise as a skilled warrior of Thunderclan. I am trusting Nettlepad will teach you his patience in your time as an apprentice. From this day on you will be Larchpaw," The tom rasped.
The young ginger warrior touched noses with Larchpaw, his tail kinked over his back. A good choice for Larchpaw. Nettlepad has always been patient and calm, Larchpaw needs the teachings.
"And young Petalkit, choosing a warrior for your strong spirit was something I had to put deep thought into. Seedpelt, I trust you will teach her your stealth and cunning. From this day on you will be Petalpaw."
Once the warrior and apprenticetouched noses the clan erupted in celebratory yowls, chanting the young cats' new names. Mapleshade and Birchface joined in, "Patchpaw! Larchpaw! Petalpaw! Patchpaw! Larchpaw! Petalpaw!"
Mapleshade hurried over to her kits and nuzzled each of them, purring so hard her words nearly caught in her throat, "I'm so proud of you all already. Work hard, make Thunderclan proud, my kits."
"You'll be amazing, little ones," Birchface joined her side with a rumbling purr in his chest. "Make us proud."
Patchpaw held his head high and worked his paws excitedly into the earth. "Ravenwing has to take me to be acknowledged by Starclan as his official apprentice still, and I have much to learn with herbs!"
"Mousebrain you used to spend so much time in his den watching him you already know more than all of us!" Petalpaw playfully batted her brother's ear with a purr.
Larchpaw let out a mrrow of agreement while Mapleshade and Birchface exchanged amused looks. Ravenwing, who'd been listening a little ways off, purred, "He may know some about herbs but he has more to learn. And I look forward to teaching him all I know."
Mapleshade nuzzled her kits again and leaned against Birchface, his warmth somewhat comforting. The last few moons she confided in him as a close friend as she always had before he was dupposedly dead. It was all for show, and now she was moving back to the warriors' den, her fur prickled anxiously. They were presumably mates and would be expected to share a nest more often than not, and the thought would have made her feel uneasy a few moons earlier but now it was an idea that made butterflies flutter in her stomach.
Her kits padded to their mentors and shared tongues energetically while Mapleshade looked at Birchface. "You'll want your own nest, won't you?" The tom asked quietly, working his claws anxiously.
Mapleshade purred and flicked his flank with her tail, "Don't be so mousebrained, Birchface. We're mates aren't we?" Oddly the warmth she felt for this tom chipped at the ice around her heart left from Appledusk's betrayal.
The brown tom blinked in surprise at her words, his ears pricked, "Are you sure, Mapleshade? It was all just to protect you and the kits..."
Mapleshade tensed, looking around before relaxing, having been worried a nearby clanmate might overhear. "At first yes, but these last few moons you've been an amazing father for those young cats and you've won my heart. I didn't expect it either, Birchface, but I do see you as my mate. You're those young cats' father through and through."
Birchface's gaze softened and he touched his nose to her ear, purring softly. Mapleshade leaned into him completely and intertwined her tail with his. "Thank you, Mapleshade. I've been waiting for this for so many moons. I'll admit it stung when I found out Appledusk was their father, you took that fish breath warrior as a mate over me, but now I know... I have you."
"Yes you do, Birchface. I was foolish to have been with that foxhearted fishface," Mapleshade buried her muzzle in his fur, enjoying his presence beside her. Thank you Starclan.