THE BEGINNING OF THE CLANS - STARCLAN'S REQUEST

CHAPTER 11

Snowstar paced back and forth around a tall grey birch tree. What am I to do? I don't know who to appoint as deputy and who StarClan has chosen as a medicine cat! Snowstar seemed to wail in her thoughts. She started to claw the birch tree in frustration. So many things to plan! She flexed her claws and sent her mind into a vision. Stoneshade! Remember to start from the ones you can handle to where you need to recruit cats for help! Stoneshade's words seem to echo in Snowstar's head. She turned around and realized that all her cats are not comfortable in sleeping outdoors. Kits were starving and cats did not know where the best places were for hunting. Of course! We need to send out patrols to discover the territory, and we need to make a camp! Snowstar realized. She hurriedly pounced off to meet her clanmates.

"Get some brambles and pack it in there along with flowers for the nursery! Pad the ground with moss, ferns and flowers! Greydust, Icestorm and Stripedfeather! Please take a patrol and check out suitable and good hunting areas!" Snowstar was surprised and pleased that Nightail had already organized patrols and was starting to build the camp. I trust her with my life... I want her to be my deputy. Snowstar decided. She climbed up a high rock with a very lush tree behind and yowled, "All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath..." She hesitated, what should the rock be called? We are LifeClan, how about the LifeRock? "The LifeRock for a clan meeting!" She continued. Many cats were murmuring in surprise and were wondering what this meeting was about. "It is moonhigh and is time for me to appoint a deputy. I say these words before StarClan so they may hear and approve my choice. Nightail shall be the deputy for LifeClan." Nightail jaw dropped, she looked shocked but pleased she was deputy. Many cats gathered around Nightail and congratulated her. She was an obvious and popular choice for the clan. Nightail's pelt smoothed as she looked up to Snowstar. She meowed solemnly, "I promise to protect LifeClan with all my might even if it means sacrificing myself. Warriors of now and StarClan spirits, guide me to make the right choice." Nightail padded up to the LifeRock as Snowstar dipped her head and touched her muzzle. Nightail licked her shoulder in acknowledgement.

"Now, it is time to make new warriors and new apprentices." The apprentices looked at each other in awe, they were slightly embarrassed as they did not have time to groom themselves. "I, Snowstar, leader of LifeClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn." Turning to the current apprentices, Snowstar continued, "Do you all promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend this clan, even at the costs of your lives?"

The apprentices' voice rang loud and clear, "We do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan," Snowstar declared, "I give you your warrior names, Bravepaw, from now on, you shall be Bravefire. StarClan honors you for your courage and intelligence." She turned to Silverpaw, "From now on, you shall be Silverwing. StarClan honors you for your quick-thinking and loyalty." Now, it was Mintpaw's turn. "From now on, you shall be Mintblossom. StarClan honors you for your intelligence and kindness." Then, she turned to Flashpaw, Lightpaw, Fawnpaw, Acornpaw and Pebblepaw. "Even though you did not have any such kind of prophecy, you showed the values of a true LifeClan warrior. From now on, you shall be Flashstrike, Lightheart, Fawnwhisker, Acornflower and Pepplefur. StarClan honors you for your support for your clanmates and bravery to do what is right." She rested her muzzle on at a time on each newly appointed warriors' forehead. The clan cheered their names out loud, they surely have the support of their clanmates. "Remember, you must keep vigil tonight!" Snowstar reminded.

"I know it has been a long day, but everything we are honoring is a value to the clan." Snowstar meowed. She beckoned Violetkit and Wolfkit forward, they were old enough to be apprenticed. "Violetkit, you are six moons old and can now be apprenticed. From this day forward, until she has received her warrior's name, she shall be known as Violetpaw. Sunfur, you are now ready for an apprentice, you shall be mentor to Violetpaw." Sunfur and Violetpaw touched noses, accepting each other as mentor and apprentice. "Wolfkit, just like your sister, you can now be apprenticed. From this day forward, until he has received his warrior's name, he shall be known as Wolfpaw. Stripedfeather, you are an experienced warrior and had apprenticed many successful warriors. Now, you shall be mentor to Wolfpaw, I expect you to pass down your knowledge and bravery to him. They both touched noses just like how Sunfur and Violetpaw did. Yowls of congratulation filled the air as they settled around to eat fresh-kill appreciatively.