[abandoned] Warriors: Forgotten Clans of the Mountains

Chapter 7 - Flashback: Apprentices - Fallstar; DustClan

Fallkit pounced on Tulipkit, his hind paws pushing on her back. The orange and white she-kit let out a loud mewl that got the attention of their mother. Willowsong raised her gaze from where she was grooming Scruffykit. 

"Fallkit!" The brown tabby grumbled, picking him up by the scruff and dropping him. "Stop fighting like kits or I'll tell Soloswoop you don't get to become apprentices," their mother scolded as she dropped him beside Scruffykit. Her tongue roughly smoothed down his fur before nudging him aside so she could continue on Scruffykit. 

Fallkit sighed and padded away, plopping down beside Smallkit, who was already groomed and patiently waiting beside the Great Ledge where Soloswoop held meetings of their group. Ashpaw padded over to them, the bigger gray tom letting out a playful purr. 

"The other apprentices and I have been getting making room for you in our den," his brother said as she sat down in front of them.

"Why do the apprentices sleep in their own den?" Smallkit asked, tilting her small silver head. "Most cats share dens with their family." Soloswoop, their father, had slept in the same den as they had with Willowsong since they were born. Cats without families made dens with other cats. 

"Arrowpaw," Smallkit rolled her eyes at the name Ashpaw said. "Didn't have any family to share with. So, other apprentices offered to start living in a den with him. All of us share the nest now, besides Lionpaw and Greenpaw, they live with the other medicine cats. Whitepaw, Flashpaw, Spikedpaw, Marvelpaw, Silverpaw, Breezepaw. There's sixteen of us now!" The gray apprentice said proudly. 

Scruffykit left their mother and joined them in front of Ashpaw as Tulipkit started to get groomed, she sighed and wrapped her bushy tail around her paws.

"What are we talking about?"

"Ashpaw made room for us in the apprentice's den," Smallkit informed her.

"That's nice," Scruffykit looked up at him. "Why did you become an apprentice before us?"

"I was born before you," Ashpaw said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I'll be a warrior in a couple of moons, I suspect," he bragged as Tulipkit joined them. Pigeonfur and Skystep joined Willowsong, their kits coming to join the others. As Honeykit, Lightkit, and Jaykit sat down, Ashpaw pushed onto his paws.

"I'll see you after the ceremony," the tom purred before padding away to join the other apprentices across the clearing. Soloswoop padded up to the Great Ledge, letting out a yowl that echoed through the cave and silenced the cats gathered beneath him.

"Even though we are not a Clan, we are a family of cats who follow the ways of the warrior code, and we have the ceremonies of a Clan. Today, seven kits become apprentices. Lightkit, Jaykit, Scruffykit, Fallkit, Tulipkit, Smalkit, and Honeykit, step forward." The kits looked at each other nervously before padding forward, pulling themselves onto the large flat stone below the Great Ledge.

"You all have reached the age of six moons and it is time for you to be apprenticed. Lightkit, from this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Lightpaw. Nighttail, you are ready to take on another apprentice. You have trained several cats well, and have shown yourself to be intelligent and brave. You will be Lightpaw's mentor, and I expect you to pass your knowledge on." The charcoal gray tom padded forward to touch noses with Lightpaw before leading him to sit down at the front of the semi-circle of cats. 

"Jaykit, from this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Jaypaw. Heatherstorm, you are ready to take on your first apprentice. You received excellent training from Badgerface, and you have shown yourself to be a clever and fierce warrior. You will be the mentor of Jaypaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her." The brown she-cat touched her nose to the blue-gray apprentice's nose before joining Nighttail and Lightpaw.