Sparks of a Fire

Chapter 54

"Huh? Oh! Hi there!" the sable she-cat greeted them with a bright smile forming on her face. "Congratulations you two! You're finally apprentices now!"

Windpaw blushed and lowered her head, modesty getting the best of her as she shuffled her paws in the dirt.

"Thanks Starlingpaw!" Riverpaw mewed with a wide grin of her own forming on her face. "I can't wait to get started on training! It's gonna be so much fun!" she squealed in excitement.

It was silent for a few moments before Lightningpaw spoke up with an excited wave of her tail. "Wasn't that great?" the dark grey she-cat mewed excitedly, her fluffy black tail lashing rapidly from side to side behind her as she spoke.

Foxpaw had just opened her mouth to start saying something when Redcloud's meow cut through their conversation.

"C'mon Windpaw! I'm going to show you the borders of our territory." Upon hearing those words, Windpaw's excitement grew and she quickly nodded her head toward the older she-cat. The violet-black apprentice waved her tail in farewell to her sister and friends before turning and following her mentor out of camp.

•••

"And this is the gathering place where all four Clans gather for one night of peace, and the truce last's for as long as the moon is full." Windpaw's jaw dropped open in shock, her stormy blue eyes widening in aw as she took in her surroundings.

The Gathering place was in the center of the four Clans. It was surrounded by one oak tree for BreezeClan, a misty pine tree for MistClan, an iceberg for IceClan, and a small rocky hill for StormClan. At the center, a big ancient birch tree sat there, with spots for all the leaders and deputies to sit.

"Wow! This place is so beautiful!" the violet-black she-cat exclaimed, her fur fluffed up in excitement as she turned to face her mentor with pure amazement blossoming across her face.

"When is the next Gathering?" she asked, her blue eyes glinting like crystals in the early-morning light as she continued to stare at the BirchTree that was perched dead smack in the center of the clearing.

Redcloud purred and twitched her whiskers. "The next Gathering will be held at the next full moon, which is in two sunrises from now if I recall correctly."

A comfortable silence fell upon the two SkyClan cats as they patted through the pine forest and back to their own camp.

A few more moments passed before Windpaw spoke up in an attempt to break the ice.

"Is that all of the territory in SkyClan, Redcloud? Or is there more that you still have to show me?" she asked eagerly while shifting slightly from paw to paw in excitement.

Redcloud looked thoughtful for a moment before she finally spoke. "The last part of our territory that I have to show you is Eagle Rock, and then we'll call it a day and head back to camp."

The violet-black she-cat nodded her head with a wide grin spreading across her face and she hastily scrambled over her own paws to try and keep pace with her mentor.

•••

By the time Windpaw and Redcloud finally returned back to camp, it was nearly sundown. Windpaw smiled bright upon catching caught sight of her sister. Before she dashed away though, the violet-black apprentice turned to face her mentor. and excitedly dashed over

Redcloud purred softly and stared down at her apprentice with a warm smile. "You've done really well today, Windpaw." She meowed, purring softly and flicking one of her apprentice's ears with her tail.

Windpaw smiled tiredly up at her mentor, her sapphire blue eyes glowing like icicles in the pinkish sundown light.

"Um hey, Redcloud?" Windpaw meowed in a soft voice. "Is it alright with you if I go and join my sister and friends near the apprentice den?"

"It's okay, you've been working hard. It's sundown, go share tongues with your clanmates." She meowed, waving a dismissive paw and nodding toward the den in question. Windpaw dipped her head politely and dashed away, giving a quick nod of her head to her mentor as she left.

Windpaw walked over to the fresh-kill pile to choose a fat red robin. She was patting over to sit with her littermate and her new friends, who had all just gotten back from their first day of training.

"Heya, Windy!" Foxpaw and Lightningpaw both meowed at the same time. Windpaw laughed quietly to herself at that and twitched one of her ears in amusement.

Windpaw laughed and twitched an ear. "Hey yourself!" the violet-black she-cat purred back with a teasing grin and an amused twitch of her whiskers.

"So, Windpaw, tell me! How did your first day as an apprentice turn out?" she mewed in a friendly tone.

Windpaw replied with a small smile. "It was absolute amazing!" she purred, twitching her tail from left to right in excitement.

After a short pause, Windpaw continued speaking with an excited wave of her tail. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot to you guys that Redcloud took me out of camp and showed me the territory."

"How did you like seeing our super cool territory? Wasn't it great?" Starlingpaw chimed in, her black fur fluffed up and her yellow eyes gleaming with excitement as she gave the violet-black she-cat an expectant look.

Windpaw grinned widely, her purple-black fur fluffed up and her blue eyes shimmering with both amazement and aw as she answered the older she-cats question. "It was absolutely awesome!" she exclaimed cheerfully.