Warriors: Mooncry's Vision

Chapter One

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"Let me see!" Moonkit squeaked in protest as Redkit and Mistlekit sat in front of her. When they showed no signs of moving, Moonkit forced her way between them. "I said move!" She hissed, clambering over them so she could sit too.

"Sor-ree!" Spat Mistlekit, his dark grey pelt bristling.

"Would you two stop? I'm trying to listen!" Redkit mewled, exasperated with their arguing.

Moonkit followed the red tom's gaze to a great white figure standing on the High-Ledge. It was Stormstar. His broad chest stuck out proudly as he held himself tall over the gathered clan. "I, Stormstar, leader of ThunderClan," He paused, seeming to absolutely relish the words he had spoken, "will do everything in my power to ensure the clan's strength. So today we will name two of our apprentices as warriors." Moonkit felt her heart prickle with a mixture of excitement and jealousy. She couldn't wait for her own warrior ceremony.

Two young toms, brothers, shifted restlessly at the foot of the ledge, eyes bright with excitement. Moonkit could see the their parents watching proudly from the crowd of ThunderClan cats— Ashfall and Mintflower. "Rowanpaw and Hop-paw, come forward." Moonkit watched in awe as the two cats got up and stood beside Stormstar; how tiny they looked compared to him!

"I call upon my warrior ancestors to look down onto these apprentices. They have worked hard to understand the ways of your code, and I commend them warriors in return." Stormstar glanced at Rowanpaw, a striking red tabby. "Rowanpaw, you will now be known as Rowantail. StarClan honors your promising strength and courage."

"Rowantail, Rowantail!" The clan shouted gleefully. Rowantail lapped at Stormstar's shoulder, with some difficulty, mind you, and pulled away pridefully. Moonkit swallowed with impatience. What about Hop-paw? For Moonkit, the best part of a naming ceremony was hearing the names that had been chosen for the new warriors. Stormstar watched in silence as Rowantail stepped back to be beside his brother, who was then called forward.

"Hop-paw, you will now be known as Hopleaf. StarClan honors your quick mind." The brown tabby rasped his tongue over Stormstar's shoulder as the clan called his new name and backed away. Moonkit felt another jab of jealousy. That'll be me someday! She watched ThunderClan begin to disperse. I wonder what I'll be called? What will StarClan honor me for? Somehow the thought seemed impossible to her. What would StarClan honor a little kit for, anyway?

Ashfall, Stormstar's deputy, stepped onto the High-ledge and whispered something in the leader's ear. "Wait," Stormstar called to the scattering clan, "Twigpool had decided she is ready for an apprentice."

The silver tabby medicine cat was sitting gingerly at the bottom of the ledge, fidgeting with her tail. Stormstar's voice rang out once more, "Owlkit, step forward." Moonkit observed hungrily as Owlkit scampered past her, Tigercloud on her tail. Still moving, Tigercloud lapped at her kit's pelt roughly, as though trying to get as much grooming done as possible.

"I wish he would have told me!" The she-cat grumbled between licks, "Why must your fur stick out like that?" She asked Owlkit as the tuft she had flattened moments ago spiked out oddly.

"I don't know!" Owlkit retorted, and wriggled away from her mother. She made her way to the ledge, and Moonkit sighed at Tigercloud's muttering.

"Now she'll look like a porcupine for her ceremony!"

Moonkit saw Stormstar give Twigpool a meaningful glance before saying, "As all of you surely know, the Medicine den has been quite empty these past two moons, with Featherdust no longer there to help out, seeing as she is preparing to have kits." Twigpool looked to be holding a bee in her mouth, and her pelt bristled. "So to help our medicine cat, I present to you, Owlkit." Stormstar looked down at the tiny brown figure. Moonkit could hardly believe that she was old enough to be an apprentice- Owlkit was barely the size of a hare!