The Fox : Beginnings (Ongoing)

Chapter 9

Foxpaw sat in her little moss nest, the musty smell of the medicine den suffocating her. She let out a sigh and lashed her tail.

"This isn't fair!" She cried. There was no cat to hear her complain and wine, for most cats were on patrol and Stonefern needed more protection than he had before. Perhaps Birdstripe would've paid attention to her, if he wasn't torn away from Kestrelflight so the poor she-cat could rest. Foxpaw wondered how Brightpaw and Shadowpaw were doing.

Shadowpaw was going home at sunhigh. Foxpaw heaved herself from her nest and waddled towards the entrance of the medicine den, where the thin lines of sunlight filtered through the lichen. When Foxpaw shifted the leaves and lichen with her paw, a cold breeze ran through her, chilling her bones, as she adjusted her eyes to the relentless sun. She hadn't realised how cozy it was in Stonefern's den. It had been nearly two moons since she had been apprenticed; she had spent half a moon with a wounded paw.

Great. At this rate-

A thought flew suddenly into Foxpaw's head.

Emberkit is going to be apprenticed soon!

As the idea sank in, Lionstar leaped up the rock wall of the hollow, staring the nursery, the bramble filled with little meows and pattering of paws.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the highrock for a clan meeting!" The familiar call warmed Foxpaw's cold bones, and she lifted her head to meet Lionstar's golden gaze. Cats began emerging from their dens, slinking out of the shadows that covered them all when sunhigh came. Even Kestrelflight dragged herself to the edge of the medicine den to watch.

Emberkit, Darkkit, Frostkit, and Twigkit all tumbled from the nursery. Emberkit glanced proudly at Foxpaw with a look that clearly said; I'll be there soon! Darkkit shared his enthusiasm, his broad shoulders and muscles tensing as he moved. He was almost the size of Brightpaw, and Brightpaw was a very large for an apprentice. Mainly because of his pelt, though. He wasn't quite as strong as Marigoldpaw though, she was maybe the strongest cat in ThunderClan. A twinge of sadness hit Foxpaw like a stone.

What will happen to Twigkit? Foxpaw wondered. A blind cat can't be a warrior.

"I have many announcements to make," Foxpaw looked back up at Lionstar as he continued, wrenching her gaze from Oakfur, who was vigorously licking her kits' fur. "First and foremost, we have had Shadowpaw in Thunderclan for two sunrises, and Shadowclan has been very suspicious of our patrols, so it's time he's gone home. Mistclaw and Ravengaze will escort him back to the border." Foxpaw's mentor and mother nodded. It made sense to send them; they were some of the most well-respected cats in the clan. She looked to Shadowpaw, who had his light gray head bowed respectfully. When he lifted it, their eyes met for a moment, a small glimmer of joy in the small cat's gaze.

"Next," Lionstar went on. "I believe Foxpaw can resume patrols, so long as she is supervised. Is that right, Stonefern?"

Stonefern, who had just padded through the thorn barrier and into the hollow, looked up at Lionstar, his pelt shining like the rocks around the camp. "I believe so." He twitched his whiskers. "Only border patrols though, I don't want her hunting."

Foxpaw frowned. Still no training. Not knowing where else she could look, she sent a glance over at Oakfur's kits, who looked impatient. Maybe they weren't going to be apprenticed today...?

"Alright." Lionstar agreed to Stonefern's requirements and returned to his announcements. "It is time for Oakfur's kits to be apprenticed."

Frostkit stepped forward, much to Darkkit's chagrin.

"Frostkit," Lionstar purred at her eagerness. "You have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this moment on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Frostpaw. Your mentor will be Dappleface."

Dappleface wandered to Frostpaw, who eagerly touched noses with her before stepping to the edge of the circle of cats. Frostpaw returned to Oakfur whose tail was kinked over her back and her ears straight in the air. Twigkit stepped forward.

Oh no.

"Twigkit," The clan began to murmur and tails began to twitch as Lionstar looked down at Twigkit. Her pale eyes were fixed above the highrock, almost looking at him. Twigkit's brown and tan pelt shinned beautifully, and her head was held high; she acted so sure that she was normal. So confident. "I'm sorry Twigkit."

She tilted her head and her muscles tensed.

The clan's whispers silenced as Liontar continued with sympathy and regret in his eyes. "I'm afraid you will not have a mentor."

Twigkit's ears flattened to her head and the faint pupils she had turned to slits. With a bristling pelt and a few mouse-length steps back, she stared blankly up at her leader. "Why not?"

Oakfur stared at her kit in shock. Twigkit was always the quiet and calm one.

"What about my name? Will I just be Twigkit forever?" Twigkit twisted her head to glare at the rest of ThunderClan. Her ears pricked at the sound of a hushed mew.

"She can't be a warrior." It was Rainburr, his tail twitching as he meowed to Dovesplash. "Her eyes..."

"I didn't ask for these eyes!" Twigkit snapped, her tail lashing now and her glazed eyes sparking with hatred.

Rainburr's eyes grew wide and Lionstar cut off the argument assertively.

"Darkkit," His voice was deeper, as if he was trying to keep it steady.

"I'm not done!" Twigkit yowled furiously. "I'm not! I'm going to become a warrior even if I have to leave ThunderClan to do it!" Gasps and horrified yowls rippled through the clan cats as Twigkit ran off, tumbling through the thorn tunnel. A few cats chased after her, including Marigoldpaw, Poppyspots, Thrushsong, and Oakfur, who stopped when Lionstar flicked his tail.

"Poppyspots can handle it. Twigkit will come to her senses." Lionstar paused. "Darkkit." He continued on, shocking the cats remaining in the hollow. It was almost empty now, Emberkit, Darkkit, and Frostpaw clustered awkwardly around Oakfur who stood stiff. "You too, have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed."

Darkkit stepped forward, his muscles tensed uncomfortably as he cast worried glances to the thorn barrier with every flick of his long, thin tail.

"Until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Darkpaw. Your mentor will be Thrushsong." Thrushsong was not in the clearing, so Darkpaw padded awkwardly back to Oakfur to wait, trying to hold his head high.

"Emberkit," Lionstar was unphased at this point, in fact, his amber eyes glowed with pride in the kits; mostlikely because they handled their littermates yowls and cries so well. "From this moment on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Emberpaw. I have decided to become your mentor."

"Emberpaw! Emberpaw!" Foxpaw yowled as loudly as she could have, making Lionstar flinch and some cats put their paws over their ears.

"Emberpaw! Darkpaw! Frostpaw!" The rest of the clan joined in.

At that moment, Poppyspots padded through the thorn barrier. No other cats followed her.

"Twigkit is at the abandoned twoleg nest with Thrushsong and Marigoldpaw. They'll be back soon with Brightpaw who is cured enough to return."

"Brightpaw! Brightpaw!" Foxpaw lifted her head and skipped with joy. She missed Brightpaw!

Finally, some good news.

As the clan broke apart, Foxpaw ran to Emberpaw, whiskers quivering with excitement. "I told you I'd cheer so loud StarClan would cover their ears! At least, that was close enough, I think."