New Horizons

Chapter 12

It was the next day when Mistcloud padded out of the camp, heading towards the WindClan-RiverClan border to meet up with Ashpaw. "Ashpaw!" Mistcloud breathed, racing over to him as he turned around and did the same. "How are you?"

"I'm doing good," he mewed back. "I'm a warrior of WindClan now. My warrior name is Ashpelt!"

"That's amazing. I'm a warrior now as well. My warrior name is Mistcloud."

"Mistcloud, I know we've known each other for a while but I must tell you something," he murmured brushing up against the she-cat and swiping his tail under her nose. "I like you, and I have ever since we met." Mistcloud gasped as she felt the tom-cat lick her cheek. "What do you say? Would you want to be my mate, Mistcloud?"

"Of course I would," she murmured. That's when the two did the Devil's Tango, having fun with each other for a while before both of them had to leave. Arriving back to camp, Whiteclaw approached her, asking where she had been. "To see Ashpelt," she replied. Whiteclaw nodded, a knowing glint in his eyes as he stared down at his former apprentice.

"I'm proud of you, Mistcloud," murmured the white tom before he padded off.

"Let all cats old enough to swim gather in the clearing for a Clan meeting!" Crookedstar called, Mistcloud going to sit beside her father and littermates. "Duskkit, Weaselkit, step forward." They did so. "Weaselkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Weaselpaw. Your mentor will be Feathershade. I hope Feathershade will pass down all she knows on to you." Crookedstar turned to Feathershade. "Feathershade, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Wildwillow, and you have shown yourself to be loyal and have great spirit. You will be the mentor of Weaselpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Weaselpaw." Weaselpaw and Feathershade touched noses before stepping back.

Mudfur stepped forward, looking at the cats around him. "Cats of RiverClan," he called, "as you know, I will not be around forever. So it's time I took an apprentice. I have chosen a cat who has shown resourceful. Your net medicine cat will be Duskpaw."

Crookedstar looked down at Duskpaw. "Duskpaw, do you accept the post of apprentice to Mudfur?" he asked.

"I do," Duskpaw confirmed.

"Then at the half-moon, you must travel to the Moonstone to be accepted by StarClan before the other medicine cats." Mudfur stated.

"The good wishes of all RiverClan will go with you," murmured Crookedstar. Mudfur and Duskpaw touched noses before stepping back as the Clan cheered for them.

"Weaselpaw! Duskpaw! Weaselpaw! Duskpaw!" cheered the Clan, Ripplebreeze and Minnowstripe being the loudest of course.

"Congratulations, you two," Mistcloud congratulated, giving the two a lick on their heads before padding off to where Whiteclaw was sat, sharing tongues with Wildwillow. "Wildwillow, how are you?" Wildwillow nodded to the she-cat, greeting her.

"I'm doing very well, thank you, Mistcloud," Wildwillow thanked. "You must be proud of your siblings, especially Duskpaw. Becoming a medicine cat apprentice and all."

"I am, and I know they'll be the best warrior and medicine cat RiverClan has ever seen," mewed the she-cat as she settled down beside them. "Besides, Weaselpaw has Feathershade teaching her and Duskpaw has Mudfur teaching her so I'm sure they'll both do amazing." Wildwillow hummed before the trio fell into a comfortable silence.

Soon, two moons passed and Mistcloud had moved into the nursery where Ripplebreeze was staying, deciding not to return to her warrior duties and instead helping out queens who needed any help with their kits. Mistcloud mewed in pain, panting heavily as her contractions started. Mudfur and Duskpaw was by her bottom end, waiting to deliver her first kit whilst Ripplebreeze was daughter's side, licking her forehead in a calming manner. "I see a head!" Mudfur exclaimed, Mistcloud whining in pain as she delivered her first kit. "It's a girl, but... it's stillborn. I'm sorry." Mistcloud nodded, Ripplebreeze helping to lick the stillborn kit clean.

About an hour passed before all of the kits were born, two girls and four boys. The first she-kit, unfortunately, being stillborn. "What are you going to name them?" mewed Duskpaw as she curled up beside her mother, tilting her head at Mistcloud. The exhausted she-cat hummed, thinking before looking at the two.

"I'm thinking of naming the dark brown she-kit Morningkit, the dark brown tom Stormkit, the smoky grey tom Lakekit, the solid light brown tom Streamkit, the dark grey she-kit Ripplekit, and the smoky black tom Shallowkit." She mewed. Ripplebreeze gasped, tears in her eyes upon hearing the name Ripplekit.

"Duskpaw, Ripplebreeze, leave Mistcloud to rest for now. She just gave birth to her first litter of six kits. Not only that, but she'll be grieving for a little while," meowed Mudfur before the trio left, leaving Mistcloud to tend to her five surviving kits.