Nightkit opened her eyes, seeing the sun rays streaking the entrance of the nursery. She blinked, trying to get rid of the sleep that fogged her eyes.
Voletuft was still snoring, so Nightkit made sure she didn't wake her mother as she wiggled her way out of the nest. Reedkit was sleeping on his back, snoring loud enough to wake a badger.
Songkit was sleeping on top of Dawnkit, mouth wide open as his snores filled the nursery. Every once in awhile, he'll snort and kick at the air with his hind paws.
Over in Russetbriar's nest, the queen was sleeping peacefully while her kits were scattered around like leaves. Nightkit saw with a bolt of amusement that her kits were sleeping like her siblings.
Swiftkit and Wrenkit were sleeping back to back, Pinekit was sleeping on top of Volekit, and Russetbriar was curled in a ball. Nightkit smiled at the family and turned away, looking at her siblings.
Sighing as Songkit kicked the air again, Nightkit ducked out of the den and peered around the camp. She saw the apprentices, Littlepaw, Honeypaw, and Aspenpaw chatting with a starling between them.
I'll be sharing a den with them any day now! She thought with a wide grin. A moon passed since the ceremony and Nightkit couldn't wait to become an apprentice.
"Someone is up early," meowed a soft voice from behind her and Nightkit spun around, pelt burning as she met the gentle eyes of Voletuft.
"I-I was just thinking of being an apprentice," Nightkit meowed quickly, looking at her paws.
Voletuft purred, sitting down next to her daughter. "It's alright, Nightkit," she meowed. "You'll be one today, you know."
Nightkit nodded, excitement rushing through her once more. "I can't wait!" She squeaked. "I wonder who my mentor will be," Nightkit craned her neck up at peer at her mother, who was smiling.
"You'll know when your littermates wake up and get cleaned," purred the voice of Russetbriar as she stretched her legs. "I wonder how well that will go." She added, sending Voletuft a playful look.
Voletuft rolled her eyes and looked down at Nightkit, her eyes gleaming. "I'll wake them now and give them a wash." She paused. "Why don't you tell Applestar I want the Clan to start gathering?"
Nightkit tensed, the thought of speaking to the Clan leader terrified her to the core. Nonetheless, she nodded quickly to her mother and turned to exit the nursery.
Her paws trembled as she stepped into the camp, glancing around to see if cats were staring or speaking about her in hushed whispers.
She scanned the clearing, timidly padding further to the heart of the camp. Nightkit couldn't see Applestar but she could see most of her Clanmates.
Iceleaf was sharing a rather plump squirrel with Tawnywillow as they talked with Flightclaw and Blueheart. Marigoldscar and Bravebranch were basking in the sun with two mice lying with them, untouched.
At the medicine cat den, Mottlesong was lying out herbs to dry in the sun on a rock while Blackheart's shape could be seen checking the stores.
Nightkit looked at the Tall Tree, the tallest tree in the forest. Applestar would call meetings often from the third branch so he could see the entire Clan.
His den was in the trunk, hollowed out by a huge flood that carved out the tree generations before Nightkit was even thought of. Sure enough, Applestar's yellow tabby pelt appeared in the den as the leader pushed his way into the clearing.
On nervous paws, Nightkit hobbled towards the leader, gulping. What was she going to say? 'My mom wants you to hurry with our apprentice ceremony, you old hag.' Certainly wouldn't please the tom.
Applestar seemed oblivious of the small kit trotting up to him as he began to pad away. Nightkit lowered her ears, following the leader.
Spiderstem, who was speaking with Mistyflake, turned his head as his leader neared. His eyes fell on Nightkit and he smiled. "You have a black follower with you, Applestar." He chuckled, nodding to the she-kit.
The tabby tom looked confused before Nightkit prodded his hind left leg and he peered down at her. "Nightkit," he meowed. "What can I do for you?"
Nightkit forgot how to breathe as her leader addressed her. Speak, mouse-brain! She thought and opened her mouth, her voice coming out as a squeak. "V-Voletuft wants our a-apprentice ceremony to start." She mumbled, looking shakily at her leader.
Applestar nodded and looked at the nursery. "Go to your mother and siblings while I call the Clan together, Nightkit." He told her as he began to trot towards the Tall Tree.
Not needing to be told twice, Nightkit bolted back to the nursery, her heart thudding in her chest. That was scarier than I thought. She thought as she trembled. I'm never speaking to Applestar ever again.
"Just in time, Nightkit." Purred Voletuft as she licked Reedkit on the head. "You look shaken, are you okay?" She asked, worry begining to settle in her tone.
Nightkit nodded, though her throat was tight. "Y-yeah," she stuttered. "I-I'll be okay."
"You better!" Teased Reedkit, bounding over to Nightkit with excited eyes. "I don't want to be an apprentice with you on my back." He joked, making Nightkit laugh.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Tall Tree for a Clan meeting." Called Applestar from outside the nursery.
Reedkit let out a happy squeak and bounded towards the entrance, only for Voletuft to place her paw on his tail. "You will wait and walk out there like a noble apprentice, not a little kit that misbehaves." She scolded.
"Yes, mom," groaned the tom and he rose to his paws, shaking out his fur.
"Don't worry," meowed Russetbriar from her nest. "You'll be out there in a few moments."
Reedkit narrowed his eyes at the queen, his head tilted. "You'll be watching us, right?" He asked.
"Certainly," she replied, looking at the kit. "I've got nothing better to do."
Nightkit rolled her eyes and looked outside, seeing a bunch of cats gathered at their leader's order. That's a lot of cats, she thought with a shudder.
Voletuft nudged Reedkit towards the entrance, her eyes gleaming. "Time to go out, kits." She meowed and looked over her shoulder. "Songkit, Dawnkit, time to go out." She called.
Nightkit froze, forgetting her two other littermates were going to be apprentices with her. I'll have to share a den with them! I'll never escape the bullying! Her head wailed.
As they shuffled out of the den, Applestar cast his blue eyes over to the kits, making Nightkit stiffen in fear. Nightkit looked to her right where Reedkit held his head high, his eyes gleaming.
"In naming apprentices, we are showing the other Clans that OakClan grows in numbers and paws." Meowed Applestar from his branch. "Dawnkit, from this moment on until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Dawnpaw." He paused, looking at his warriors. "Vixenpool," meowed the tom. "You will mentor Dawnpaw. I hope Vixenpool will pass down all she knows on to you, Dawnpaw."
The red and white she-cat rose to her paws and nodded, padding towards the newly named apprentice. Nightkit could see Dawnpaw trembling with joy as her new mentor touched noses with her.
Nightkit watched as Dawnpaw and Vixenpool padded back into the crowd and sat down, watching the ceremony. The kit gulped, knowing she will have to deal with whomever Applestar appoints as her mentor.
"Songkit, from this moment on until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Songpaw." Applestar went on. "Toadpad, you will mentor Songpaw. I hope Toadpad passes on all he knows on to Songpaw."
Songpaw looked disappointed as his black and white mentor padded towards him. He even unsheathed his claws as they both forcefully touched noses.
Nightkit noticed that her brother was tense as they sat down together. I wouldn't want to be training Songpaw, whether I would be getting an apprentice or not.
"Reedkit, from this moment on until you have earned you warrior name, you will be known as Reedpaw." The tabby leader meowed. "Tawnywillow, you will mentor Reedpaw. I hope Tawnywillow passes on everything she knows on to Reedpaw."
Reedpaw looked about ready to burst as the calico she-cat neared him. Nightkit couldn't tell if he was excited about his mentor or being an apprentice at last. It only took three moons.
"Nightkit," the she-cat jumped as the leader practically spat her name. "From this moment on until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Nightpaw." Nightpaw held in her breath, waiting for him to name her mentor. "Halfthroat, you will mentor Nightpaw. I hope Halfthroat passes on everything he knows on to Nightpaw."
What? She thought, in shock as the scarred tom stalked towards her. Why do I get Halfthroat? Not wanting to look rude, Nightpaw leaned up to touch noses with her new mentor, his hot, awful breath wafting up her nose.
As she and Halfthroat sat down, Nightpaw heard every cat cheering the names of her and her siblings. Her name was called the loudest by her mother and father as they sat by Iceleaf.
"Dawnpaw! Songpaw! Reedpaw! Nightpaw!"