𝘼 𝙎𝙃𝘼𝘿𝙊𝙒'𝙎 𝙎𝙊𝙇𝙄𝙏𝙐𝘿𝙀, warriors

──── Chapter One

"KESTRELKIT, FROM THIS MOMENT, UNTIL you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Kestrelpaw."

     The young she-cat could hardly make out the words that her Clan leader spoke, her paws tingling as her mind whirled with anticipation. She was fighting the desperate urge to bounce with excitement, instead keeping her eyes upward, waiting for the next words.

     Ploverstar's green eyes were shining with pride as she stared down at the first of six cats she was appointing apprentices this day, twitching the tip of her tail as though thinking about her next words. "Cindercrow." She meowed, after a moment of hesitation, singling out a senior warrior from the crowd gathered around them. "I have chosen you to mentor this young cat. You are a loyal and strong warrior, and I trust you to pass on all you know to Kestrelpaw."

     Though the new apprentice did not turn around to face her chosen mentor, a she-cat's voice rose up over the rest of the quiet murmuring of the other ShadowClan cats. "I will do my best."

     The patter of heavy pawsteps reached the young cat's ears as her new mentor pushed through the crowd of furry Clanmates to halt a few mouse-lengths away from her. Kestrelpaw twitched her whiskers slightly, turning at last to come eye-to-eye with Cindercrow.

     She had heard her Clanmates speak of the broad-shouldered she-cat long before this day. Well-respected and one of the older warriors among ShadowClan's ranks, the powerful mottled tabby was the last cat Kestrelpaw had expected to mentor her. After all, this was the same warrior who had been her mother's mentor, and who had taken part in mentoring the Clan leader herself.

     Blinking twice, she forced her fur to lie flat despite the surprise, leaning forward to touch her nose to that of the cat who would play the ultimate part in her training.

     A soft murmur of congratulations rose up from the gathered individuals of ShadowClan, and Kestrelpaw noted curiously at how Cindercrow's gaze sharpened as the noise reached her.

     But it was not the unmistakable glare of the senior warrior that ultimately shut the crowd up. Rather, the new apprentice noticed that her Clan leader had lifted her tail as a bid for silence, and the murmuring slowly quieted to a comforting quiet once more. Honestly, Kestrelpaw had been so absorbed with her own ceremony that she had forgotten the fact that her littermates as well as two other cats were beginning their apprenticeship on this day.

     Once the camp clearing had gone silent and the newly named apprentice had taken a seat with her assigned mentor, Ploverstar lifted her voice to speak once again. "Nightingalekit, please come forward."

     Kestrelpaw's sister padded forward gracefully, her smoky brown tabby fur neatly groomed and lying flat before she halted a few pawsteps away from the gray tabby leader, that white mane fluffed out to make her look like a lion.

     "Nightingalekit," Ploverstar meowed, "from this moment, until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Nightingalepaw."

     Golden eyes shining, Nightingalepaw puffed out her chest in pride.

     "Shatterlight," the name cut through the camp like a claw, and all eyes turned toward the mentioned tomcat, who looked just as surprised as every other cat currently present. "I have chosen you to mentor Nightingalepaw, and to teach her everything that I passed onto you."

     "Ploverstar, we never discussed—"

     The ShadowClan leader cut him off with a single flick of her tail. "You are a loyal warrior, Shatterlight. Whatever doubts you may face about your skills are not the echo of who you are. I trust you to train my niece. Believe me, there is no mistake."