Being Replaced

Part 8

It had been another day and night before we came across a scent marker.

"So, which clan are we looking for?" Mint asked.

I paused.

"Uhh, I dunno. She didn't really explain." I mewed.

We stopped at the first border, and I sniffed.

"I mean this one smells similar to Mottle. She's bound to smell like her clan, right?" I mewed. Mint shrugged

"Guess we'll see." He responded.

And so we waited. And waited, and waited. Soon the sun rose and Howl fell asleep at my paws.

The sun was still low in the sky when I heard some rustling and turned to look as three cats appeared. 

A yellow she-cat with black dapples, a white tom with tabby patches and a young golden tom.

"Hello." I greeted as they watched me warily.

"Who are you. What brings you here" called the tabby tom from a safe distance.

"I'm returning one of your own. A kit." I mewed.

"We are missing no kit." The molly hissed.

"The kit was borne after the Queen had left. This is Howl, born from Mottle." I mewed, trying to sound confident.

"M-mottle? Are you sure her name was Mottle, not Mottledfur?" The she-cat asked warily.

"I don't know what she went by in the clans, but she introduced herself to me as Mottle." I explained.

"Is...is this the kit?" She asked, padding forward carefully to sniff at it.

"Yes, this is Howl."

"Please, come with us. I'm not at liberty to make this decision." The tom mewed, losing his hostile posture.

I nodded and woke Howl up. She yawned cutely and stretched, before standing and we followed the cats through the leafy woods.

After a bit the small golden tabby fell back and looked up at me excitedly.

"So who are you!" He mewed." I'm Snakepaw, and that's my mentor Acornpelt and that's Wingheart!" He excitedly explained.

"Hello, I'm Mint and this is Maple." He purred looking around me at the young cat.

"Cool! Are you like a medicine cat Mint? Usually only Medicine cats have plant names." He explained.

"I don't know what that is so probably not" Mint purred in response.

"Snakepaw, leave them be." Wingheart meowed.

"Why do you all have double names?" Howl mewed.

"It's a sign of rank. If our leader accepts you, you will also have one. Cats under 6 moons have the ending 'kit' until they are made an apprentice, where they get renamed 'paw' like Snakepaw here. After you are trained you will get your unique warrior name that reflects your personality." Acornpelt mewed.

"What personality trait is 'pelt'" I sarcastically mewed.

"I suppose you will have to find out." He purred.

Before I knew it we stood next to a wall of dense bushes.

"Go and let the watch know what's happening and then Wildstar." Acornpelt mewed.

I watched as Snakepaw and Wingheart slipped through a hole in the bushes that I hadn't noticed till then.

We waited for moment before Acornpelt waved us in, I went first, beckoning Howl after me. I padded through, walking out into a small canyon.