Storm: The Storm That Poured

Chapter 1:

        The nursery was dark. Lightkit laid in her nest with her sister, Mistkit, and her mother, Twilightnose. Her eyes were opened wide. The den filled with silence, the only noise the quiet snores of her mother and Darknight. Her ceremony was today. She and Mistkit would become apprentices. Lightkit had been waiting for this moment for moons, ever since she was born. She had to wait until sunrise. Twilightnose would wake up in only a few moments, wanting Lightkit and Mistkit to get something to eat before being made apprentices. She already knew who Mistkit's mentor would be. She'd been talking about wanting to be a medicine cat for moons, and Icepool was taking her to Moonrock at the next half moon, which would be soon. Faint sunlight was starting to shine through the den.
        Twilightnose's nest rustled, and she got up. She felt her mother's soft, warm nose nuzzle her on her ear. She sprang up, excitement flowing through every inch of her body. Darknight's nest was empty, a strong scent of her told Lightkit that she'd left already. 
        "Well, today is the day," Twilightnose prodded her nest with her paws. "You kits should get something to eat." 
        That would be the last time she'd be called a kit. A warm breeze filtered through the den, blowing her fur softly back. She walked out of the den, the sun absorbing the dew from the leaves. Mistkit came from behind her, bumping into her. 
        "Hey!" She scoffed, coughing out some of the dirt she breathed in. The dirt was dry, and it was like it didn't downpour just days ago. 
        "Oops!" Mistkit came up next to her, brushing off some of the dust with her tail. 
        Her stomach grumbled, and her paws drew her over to the prey pile. She took a big juicy mouse between her jaws, and brought it back over to Mistkit. Lightkit's mouth watered. The juicy smell of the prey filled her nose. She dropped it heartily, taking a big bite of it. She prayed to Starclan, thanking them for the delicious meal. Cloudclaw was coming up to them. She could almost imagine her ceremony. 
        "Kits, Cedarstar has asked me to come get you ready for your ceremony." Cloudclaw looked proud. Twilightnose licked Mistkit's ear, making her squeal. 
        "I can do it myself!" she moved away stubbornly.
        "Then do it," Twilightnose stepped away, letting Mistkit bathe herself.
        Lightkit gave herself a light wash, her fur was always more sleek than her sister. 
        Cedarstar jumped onto the High Branch, cats already gathering beneath it. He looked over in her and Mistkit's direction, his tail flicking back and forth. 
        "Let all cats old enough to run through the sunlight gather beneath the High Branch," he called. Milkeye was led out of the elders' den by Fennelfoot to sit in the back. Icepool sat in the front, so it was obvious who Mistkit's mentor would be. "We have 2 kits ready to be apprentices. Mistkit, 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 Mistpaw. Your mentor will be Icepool. I hope Icepool will pass down all she knows on to you," he took a deep breath before turning to Icepool.
        "Wow," she whispered to herself, before looking at Mistpaw, who was standing seriously next to Icepool. 
        "At the next half moon, you will take Mistpaw to the Moonstream. Lightkit, 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 Lightpaw. Your mentor will be Maplepuddle. I hope Maplepuddle will pass down all she knows on to you,"  Cedarstar looked to Maplepuddle, who was now standing with Lightpaw in front of everyone in the Clan. "Maplepuddle, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Minnowpelt, and you have shown yourself to be dedicated and enthusiastic. You will be the mentor of Lightpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Lightpaw."
        The Clan was dismissed. Maplepuddle brought her over to the camp entrance. 
        "I'm going to show you around our territory."
        Fishclaw and Wasppaw came over. "We'd like to join, I'm going to see how Wasppaw's tracking is coming along.
        Wasppaw was her denmate moons ago before he became an apprentice. He was her best friend, and he still was. His yellow ear, torn up from a skirmish, flopped down lazily. She internally blushed.
        Maplepuddle brought her outside of camp. She took in all the scents. It smelled like dew. The bushes were starting to grow back leaves, and the trees were budding. She felt the warm scent of pollen filling into her nose, and knew it was new leaf.
        "What would you like to see first?" Maplepuddle was already a tail's length ahead of her.
        She never heard of much that happened, all she heard about were the patrols talking about the Moonclan and Sunlightclan border. "I don't really know." Her voice squeaked nervously. She also had heard Fennelfoot and Milkeye saying how big the Fox Log was, but she never knew if the Fox Log existed. They said they'd found foxes bathing in the sun of the log, and it's what it was called from that day on.
        "Well, I know you're probably dying to see the borders, so let's go there. Just a warning though, I want you to stay well away from the Thunderpath. What I mean by that is, just don't go on it unless you have orders to. We'll be looking at the Sunlightclan border." she looked sternly at Lightpaw.
        A strange scent drifted to her. "What's that smell?" she asked Maplepuddle. 
        Her mentor's muzzle twitched. "Rogues."
        Lightpaw stiffened. She'd heard that the rogues killed cats, hurt them horribly, and had no mercy or warrior code to follow. Her ear twitched nervously. She remembered her mother telling her that rogues killed her father.
        "Get behind me." Maplepuddle ordered.
        Sharp claws pounced on her. They were outnumbered, around ten rogues, and only four of them. Lightpaw squealed, fur getting ripped off her back. Panic rose in her chest, she didn't know how to fight, she only play fought with her sister as kits. She started clawing at her opposers nose, feeling flesh rip beneath her claws. She could see out of the corner of her eye that Maplepuddle had been pinned to the ground. She felt a paw land on her throat, making her gag. Fur was ripped off the surrounding area. the rogues had let everyone else in the patrol go, surrounding her making sure no one could get to her.
        "Get off her!" she heard Maplepuddle's voice yowl.
        "Make us!" an older cat growled.
        She gasped for breathe, some of the cats running to Wasppaw.
        "You want these young cats freed? Tell your leader to meet us down here right now."
        Black dots edged her vision, the cat's paw still held onto her throat. It hurt more than anything in her life. She closed her eyes, feeling the paw lift off her throat, but a new pain sharpened where the paw was. She opened her eyes, but everything was going black.

        She opened her eyes, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the light. She looked at her chest, herbs webbed onto her wounds.
        "Icepool! She's awake!" she heard Mistpaw's voice.
        She lifted her head, Mistpaw sitting next to her nest.
        "How're you feeling?" her sister asked.
        Her chest throbbed, and her scratches were sore, but she felt good. Her breath was shaky, and she felt a little lightheaded. "I feel fine," she rasped. 
        She looked around the medicine den, and found Wasppaw asleep in a nest next to her.
        "What happened?" Lightpaw asked, not remembering how she ended up here.
        "Fishclaw came back all bloody, and he said you were attacked. Mother and father went out to help, so did many others. You've been asleep for a day. Icepool wants you to rest for the rest of today," Mistpaw licked her sister's ear comfortingly. "Wasppaw already woke up, but he went back to sleep. I'll ask Icepool if I can take you out for some air."
        Lightpaw rested her head on her paws. Her silver fur was matted as if she hadn't washed in moons. 
        "Icepool said I can take you out, but she wants you to take some herbs." Mistpaw put down a bundle of herbs in front of her.
        She chewed on the herbs, wrinkling her nose at the taste. Mistpaw helped her get up, letting her lean on her shoulder.
        "I'll help you walk, we can get you a nice place in the sun and a juicy mouse." Mistpaw strode next to her. Her sister's tail rubbed her back as she laid down.
        Maplepuddle came up to her, licking her ear. "I'm so happy you're okay! We'll continue training when you feel better," she mewed, walking off.
        Lightpaw looked at the rabbit as Mistpaw set it down in front of her. "Eat up," her sister pushed it closer to her.
        "Thanks," she replied. She nudged the rabbit, sniffing it.
        She looked over at the medicine den, longing to see Wasppaw. She didn't know if her friend was awake yet. Suddenly, the ferns in front of the den swished, Wasppaw and Icepool walking out.
        She pricked her ears happily. "You're like an elder," she teased. "Sleeping throughout the day."
        Wasppaw purred, "You were sleeping, too," he nudged her shoulder. 
        Her heart lurched for the tom she crushed on, his brown eyes stared at her. As he sat down next to her, she pushed the rabbit over.
        "Let's share."