Echoes Off The Wall - Warriors.

Chapter One

Skykit awoke as early as possible this day. Normally he was a late sleeper - it really wasn't like he was anticipating anything anyway, wasn't like the kits would do anything with him - but this day, this was his sixth moon! It was the day he was to become an apprentice. Not to mention that he was also, of course, hoping that maybe since he was six moons now, the other kits would play with him? Not Bearkit, Badgerkit, Wolfkit, or Foxkit, though, they were apprentices now and would wake up, having to go train, soon.

However, there were still other kits! Take Earthkit and Ravenkit, for example, some of Rosestorm's kits. They were one or two moons younger than him, he wasn't sure, he thought two, though he didn't really care. From what he could tell, they seemed pretty cool, and he would like to play with them maybe today until he had to become more responsible as an apprentice. He eyed them, seeing that they were still sleeping, coddled up next to Rosestorm. However, before he could say a word, he heard a loud voice that made all of the other cats wake up. With no doubt was it his mother and fairly new leader, Loststar.

Skykit bounded out of the nursery and over to the front of the Gathering of the Clan. They were all yawning, though, and most didn't seem as if they would be paying a lot of attention to the Meeting. He really didn't care though as long as they cheered for him whenever he became an apprentice and could take on the roles of learning how to become a warrior - hunting, fighting, climbing, stalking, tracking, patrolling ... so many duties to take care of, but they were awesome, and he didn't care about how much responsibility he'd have to be forced to take on!

Toadleap walked to the front as soon as everyone had gathered, and he stood, underneath the Highrock, right next to Firehawk, the deputy of the Clan and former mate of the so-called traitor he kept hearing about, though, for some reason, could not remember the she-cats name as of now. Normally he had a good memory, so he didn't know why he couldn't remember anything now. Then, it all came down on him. 'Wait, why is Toadleap coming up there next to Firehawk? Normally the medicine cats will stay in the group with the rest of us? What's going on?' He couldn't help but to think.

As Toadleap began to speak, Skykit listened, awfully dumbstruck. "Cats of MapleClan, as you know, I will not be around forever. So it's time I took on an apprentice. I have chosen a cat who has shown spirit, and intelligence. Your next medicine cat will be Skykit." Skykit couldn't believe his ears. Literally - he couldn't. He was supposed to become an apprentice, not some scrawny medicine cat apprentice!

Loststar spoke up, her eyes gleaming as she looked down at her only kit, only son. "Skykit, do you accept the post of apprentice to Toadleap?" She asked her son, watching him more closely now as she noticed he was hesitating, thinking.

"I-I ... no." Skykit spoke his mind. He couldn't help it. What was he supposed to do? Take on the job of something he didn't want to become? No, he wouldn't do that. Not if he was going to do anything about it. Loststar stared at him, blinking several times and flicking her ears, as if she was officially the one who couldn't believe her ears this time.

"I'm sorry, what?" Loststar and Toadleap both said in unision. They glanced at eachother warily before back at Skykit. The whole Clan started murming to eachother and gasping, wondering if Toadleap had depicted something wrong. Maybe Skykit wasn't meant to become medicine cat apprentice, he could hear. He sure hoped he wasn't ... not as if he didn't like Toadleap, he was one of his mother's closest friends next to Pebblerain, he just ... wanted to be a warrior instead of a medicine cat. He was just speaking his opinion, Skykit wasn't aware it would cause this much confusion and distress in the Clan.

"I said no." Skykit said blankly, his whiskers twitching. He knew that she had heard him, why had she asked him what? Then, if he could have, he would have facepawed himself. 'Of course ... she knew what I was saying, just couldn't believe her ears. Hmm ... what if I am possibly making the wrong decision? But Loststar herself always told me to follow my heart, not what the others around me thought I should do! Does that mean I can disobey the will of StarClan? I don't know ... ' He pondered quietly in his thoughts. He has always been a deep thinker, even if he is a kit.

"I ... Skykit, dear, you are supposed to say 'I do,' please. We are both aware that you may not like the decision, and we understand that, though sometimes, we will have to do things that we do not want to do. You may not want to become a medicine cat, and rather a warrior, though please respect mine and Toadleap's decision and oblige. StarClan sent him a message, telling for him to pick you as his apprentice. Please oblige. It is not exactly the best thing to do, disobey StarClan. They will bring their wrath down upon the whole Clan if so." Loststar stated uneasily.

Skykit grunted. "Fine, Loststar, Toadleap. If you want me to become a medicine cat against my own will so much, then I will respect your decisions and oblige, as Loststar oh, so kindly put it. I do." He said, then slumped back down on the ground, flicking his ears unhappily and lashing his short tail. Loststar nodded at him and smiled, so did Toadleap. He wasn't sure if the smile was sincere or if they were just faking it. He smiled, too. That, he was sure of, was a fake with no doubt. He hoped that they could see that - how so unhappy he was with the decision they had made, which he, quite clearly, didn't agree with very much.

Toadleap picked up on his traditional lines now. "Then at the Halfmoon, you must travel to the Starshine Pool to be accepted by StarClan before the other medicine cats." He said. Skykit sighed.

Loststar sp0ke up again now. "The good wishes of all of MapleClan will go with you." She says, then Toadleap walks over to his new apprentice and touches noses with him. Skykit, now Skypaw, though Loststar hadn't mentioned the name change, which he figured was offensive and disrespectful to him, raced through the gasping MapleClan cats after that was over, and straight into the medicine cat's den, which he, of course, would've rather preferred going into the apprentice's den. 'Yeah,' he thought grimly. 'I'm so sure that the good wishes of all of MapleClan will go with me ... trust me, it doesn't seem like it.'