The Five Giants - Book 1

Chapter 9 - Swift

"Doepaw! Doepaw! Doepaw!" The grey she-cat disappeared into the crowd with her mentor, Cinderface. 

My turn was coming up. Stagkit was the next one called up by Gorsestar, where the apprentice ceremony process was repeated. Stagki-paw was given Crowear as his mentor. "Stagpaw! Stagpaw! Stagpaw!" I was chanting, but it was quiet. I was having flash-backs of my previous life.

I was trying to sleep, but I couldn't hold my excitement for the next day's events. My apprentice ceremony! 

I could hear my parents talking to each other, whispering so that they didn't disturb anyone.

"Rain, don't you think she's to small? She's barely the size of a 4 moon-old kit!"

"Bramble, don't you remember how small your littermate was? They're basically the same size! And look at your brother now, he's almost bigger than you!"

I was still a kit at the time, so I didn't really process what they were saying. I went up to them, and asked, "Mom? Dad? What're you guys talking about?"

My mother, Rain, responded. "Nothing, Swift. Go on, go back to bed. It's your big day tomorrow!"

My parents continued whispering throughout the night. I barely got any sleep, and slept in well past sun-high the next morning. The previous night's events only came back to me during my Apprentice Ceremony:

"Swift, we're sorry, but your apprenticeship has been delayed by popular request."

I came to surprisingly quickly, just in time to see Finchkit walk up to the rock. What was even more surprising, is that Gorsestar stepped back from the head of the rock.

Blackleaf walked up in place of him. "Clanmates, as many of you know, I am growing old, and I won't live forever. So it is time I took on an apprentice.

"Finchkit, do you accept the position of Medicine Cat Apprentice?"

Finchkit paused here, and took a deep breath. "I do."

"Then, until you become a full medicine cat, your name will be Finchpaw."

The clan shouted out, excited at the idea of a new medicine cat. "Finchpaw! Finchpaw! Finchpaw!"

"At the next half-moon, Finchpaw with travel to the Moonpool, to meet the other medicine cats and be accepted by Starclan." Blackleaf then leapt down to us, where he touched Finchpaw's nose with his own.

Next, Gorsestar turned to Dahliakit. "Dahliakit, you, like your friends, have reached the age of six moons, and are ready to become an apprentice." Dahliakit's eyes gleamed as she looked up to where Gorsestar stood. "From this moment on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Dahliapaw." After taking a quick look around the clearing, Gorsestar returned his gaze to Dahliapaw. "Foxflame, you have been a great asset to the clan, and you are known for your quick thinking. I hope you will pass down all you know to Dahliapaw."

As Foxflame trotted up to touch noses with Dahliapaw, the clan shouted out in excitement, "Dahliapaw! Dahliapaw! Dahliapaw!"

At last, the leader turned to me. "Swiftkit." He gave me a smile. "You have reached the age of six moons and are ready to become an apprentice."

Those few words calmed all of my nerves immediately. I wouldn't be held back, like last time!

"From this moment on, until you have received your warrior name, you will be known as Swiftpaw." There weren't many cats left for taking on apprentices, so Gorsestar didn't have to look around the clearing. "Honeyheart. You have proven yourself to be a compassionate and strong she-cat. I hope you will pass down all you have learned to Swiftpaw."