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

Chapter 2

"Cottonkit, Northkit, come here, will you?" Yolktail meowed, waving her tail. Northkit padded forward to the queen with Cottonkit tailing him quietly. "I have some news," The shecat purred and his eyes flashed with hope - was this what he thought it was?
          "Yes, Yolktail?" Cottonkit spoke for him and the shecat dipped her head with a smile, sitting up on her paws.
          "You both will be having your apprentice ceremony at sunhigh. Isn't that great?" Yolktail spoke proudly. "You will finally receive your name and mentor!"
          "Wow, really?" Northkit gasped with sparkles in his grass green eyes. The light brown queen did not answer, only glanced over to Cottonkit and began to talk about training. Northkit lashed his tail in annoyance at the change of subject - he was extremely excited to be hearing he would earn his apprentice name, but Yolktail and Cottonkit were talking about warrior training. He turned tail and squeezed through the opening of the brambles, green eyes adjusting to the bright light of camp.
          Few warriors were in camp and the others must be on patrol, because it was quiet with only the occasional chatter of kits in the nursery and the two apprentices by the fresh-kill pile. Northkit scrunched up his nose as he recognised Runningpaw and Crownedpaw, the two headstrong cats in RiverClan. Even though Runningpaw wasn't as bad as the golden shecat, Crownedpaw, she still had a lot of sarcasm and tended to taunt Northkit and Cottonkit about not being an apprentice yet. They were two moons older than him and his denmate.
          Leaves fell from the trees sheltering camp, one landing inconveniently on his nose. Northkit sneezed, shaking his head as he composed himself and walked over to the elders. How he loved to hear their stories! He reached the elder den and pushed his head inside. Featherwhisper was eating a squirrel while Splashingbreeze was awake, laying in her moss bed with Meltedfur by her side. His nose exhaled sharply as he smelt the scent of mouse bile. Disgusting! he thought, such a horrible smell!
          "Oh, hello, Northkit." He turned his head over to the voice that spoke, spotting Dustkit. Northkit hadn't noticed the shekit before because she was huddled in a small, free moss bed in the corner of the elder den. "What are you doing here?"
          Dustkit was the sister to Verastep, almost identical to her kin except for her single black leg and her black ears. "Uh, nothing. I just came here to speak to Meltedfur!" He lied. Northkit didn't want Dustkit to know he was still interested in Featherwhisper's stories and tales when he was so close to receiving his apprentice name.
          "Okay. Well, Featherwhisper, can you tell me your new story! I haven't heard it before." The shekit meowed to the beige elder who had finished her meal. Northkit's eyes flitted over to Meltedfur, the RiverClan medicine cat, who was glaring at him indignantly.
          "Yes, Northkit? I'm busy trying to take these stubborn ticks off Splashingbreeze." Her ears gestured to the shecat. She went back to parting Splashingbreeze's fur, checking for ticks and, when she found one, pressed some of the mouse bile on to it.
          "Um, well..." Northkit mewed awkwardly, not thinking about what he'd say beforehand when he lied to Dustkit. "I just wanted to know if you'll be my mentor!" He blinked. "Because, you know, Yolktail told me I'll be receiving my apprentice name at sunhigh."
          "Rushingstar makes these decisions. Now, this isn't so important to stop me from my duties, is it?" Meltedfur replied sharpishly. Northkit backed out of the den, his ears tinged with embarrassment. Of course that wouldn't be more important than the shecat's duties!
          He lifted his chin and ears as he heard cats splashing in the river on the camp border. When Stonepatch, Verastep and Cloudchasm appeared in the clearing, prey hanging from their maws. Northkit released the breath he didn't know he was holding. Why was I so scared? He scolded himself. They walked in a group over to the fresh-kill pile on the far side of camp, straight past Northkit. He watched with awe - hopefully he'd be able to catch prey soon. Then he'd be able to serve his clan!
          He looked up in the sky. The sun struck between the gaps in the trees' branches, nearly directly above his head. It was so close to sunhigh! Northkit smiled and bounded off to the nursery to tell Cottonkit. He was so excited that his paws prickled, whiskers twitched and tail swished. He shoved his head through the brambles' opening to see Cottonkit awake, talking to Maplekit, the cream and golden shekit. Maplekit's brother, Goldenkit, sat beside her, gazing with admiration at Northkit's best friend. She was telling the two kits about how she was going to be receiving her apprentice name soon.
          "Cottonkit!" Northkit meowed, interrupting her. "It's nearly sunhigh! Isn't it exciting?"
          "What? Already? I was just telling Maplekit and Goldenkit about how we're getting our names today!" She purred with utter anticipation. Cottonkit flicked her tail and looked back at the two kits who were silently begging for more information.
          "You'll get your name eventually," Northkit said with a mrrow of amusement. Cottonkit giggled.
          "Yes, Northkit's right." She meowed. "Imagine being named Maplepaw and Goldenpaw! You'll be great apprentices." Northkit listened to her and flicked an ear. How was Cottonkit already thinking about future apprentices so eagerly? Maplekit and Goldenkit were only two moons old and weren't even weaned yet.