Warrior Cats SERIES 1: North and South (Book 1)

Chapter 1

"I'll be Dappledpelt and you be Riverstar." Northkit meowed and instantly turned around, waving his tail as if he were searching for herbs on a shelf and changed his voice as he attempted to play as the first medicine cat in history. "Riverstar, would-"
"But you're always Dappledpelt, Northkit! Why can't I be Dappledpelt this time - you can be Riverstar." Cottonkit wailed as she watched Northkit pretend to be who she wanted to be.
RiverClan camp was awake and lively, warriors taking time to share tongues with others and ask their deputy, Coralclaw, for patrols. Deputies were in charge of preparing patrols of all sort: hunting and border patrols. Northkit and Cottonkit didn't know which did what, but they would know. They were apprentices soon!
"Because, Cottonkit, I want to be Riverclan medicine cat, and you want to be Riverclan leader! It fits perfectly." Northkit always hated this. Cottonkit had always nagged him to try and be Dappledpelt for at least a moon. He was usually very sharing, but being Dappledpelt made him feel proud.
"But it's not fair! I'm going to Yolktail." Cottonkit padded away swiftly, leaving Northkit to think about his actions.
"Say, Northkit, do you now think it is right to have one role and not share?" An old voice spoke from behind the tomkit and Northkit spun around on the elder and thought about the question before replying.
"I'm sorry, Featherwhisper! I didn't mean to make Cottonkit sad, really. I just really like being Dappledpelt because he was the first ever RiverClan medicine cat." Northkit accepted his defeat - there was no reason why he should be selfish because of a game. He swayed his tail as the elderly shecat smiled.
"Northkit, you must decide what is right." Featherwhisper then frowned. "Yolktail is here. Make the right choice and you will please StarClan."
StarClan, their warrior ancestors! Medicine cats were the closest to StarClan, says the warrior code. Northkit beamed for a second before it vanished at Yolktail's voice.
"Northkit!" The queen meowed. "Cottonkit has come to me because of your games. I say, give her the role she wants, will you? I have better things to do than chase around your tails! My, Goldenkit needs washing!" Yolktail's tone was bitter and Northkit flinched. The queen sighed and calmed down. "I'm sorry, Northkit. You didn't deserve that, StarClan knows." She gave a quick lick at the tomkit's ear and turned around and padded back to the Nursery.
"Cottonkit," Northkit muttered as his best friend came padding up to him. "I'm sorry. You can be Dappledpelt this time, I promise!"
"Okay!" She had seemed to cheer up and her tail was high, a smile wide on her face. The shekit turned around and copied Northkit's movements from earlier. "Hello Riverstar," Cottonkit spun around and her fur ruffled from the sudden movement.

***

Northkit padded out of the Nursery as he heard the clan meeting call and knew that it was his apprentice ceremony. Meltedfur was on the rock next to Rushingstar and he bounded forward into the clearing where many apprentices and warriors were gathering. He had never had a meeting before and was excited as Cottonkit followed him and sat down to his left.
"Do you think we're going to be made apprentices together?" She whispered to him as cats continued to fill the gap in camp. "I really hope we are because I don't want to be standing in front of everyone like a mouse-brain."
"Sorry, but I don't think we will be at the same time this meeting." Northkit sighed as he whispered back. "Apparently medicine apprentices have different ceremonies." He turned back to Rushingstar and Meltedfur and kept his gaze, particularly on the medicine cat.
A tomcat padded up to them.
"What are you kits doing at a clan meeting?" It was Sharpenedclaw. Northkit's hackles sat neatly while Cottonkit's were upright from the rest of her pelt - she was scared of the warrior. It was clear to Northkit now why, as he had never met Sharpenedclaw before.
"Oh, Sharpenedclaw," Northkit meowed. "It is our apprentice ceremony!" He waved his tail and curled it around himself.
"I didn't hear that it was, young kits." Sharpenedclaw spoke harshly. "You are only five and a three-quarter moon old. Kits become apprentices at six moons." The large warrior's dark brown pelt rippled in the dull sunlight.
Northkit glanced at Cottonkit and shook his head.
"I see, Sharpenedclaw." Cottonkit meowed before he could. "We are not six moons and perhaps we have muddled up our apprentice ceremony with a different meeting."
"Cats of RiverClan," Rushingstar called from the Willow Tree Stump. "As some of you know, we have come across badger scents by the halfbridge. Our border patrol has found a large den, which we suppose is where they are making home. It is our responsibility..." The RiverClan leader continued to speak as Sharpenedclaw silently ushered Northkit and Cottonkit back to the Nursery.
"Northkit, Cottonkit, I was wondering where you had been!" Yolktail gasped as Sharpenedclaw told her where the young kits had gone. "You will be told when your apprentice ceremony is." The queen looked disappointed, though Sparrowheart seemed thoughtful.
"You two kits, come here." She meowed with an encouraging smile, "I have something to tell you."