Skullkit is a normal kit set to be a warrior, but when he becomes an apprentice, he sees strange ghosts in the water that lead him farther and farther away from his territory. When cats from all five clans begin to disappear with no trace, these str...
Skullkit woke up to the sound of his mother's scolding. Everything was still a bit confusing since he just woke up, but he could hear his mother's complaining.
"Skullkit, it's already sunhigh! You just woke up! And look at your fur! How much have you turned around in your sleep? I can't believe I didn't come from my patrol earlier and wake you."
Skullkit yawned and then came to his senses. Today was his apprentice ceremony, and he had slept in!
"Oh! Umm.. uh.. It won't be that bad.. Right..?" Skullkit replied with a nervous tone.
Skullkit's mother, Ebonyfoot, sighed and began roughly grooming Skullkit's fur. She muttered inaudible things in between licks. The kit could imagine everyone chuckling and twitching their whiskers. Skullkit was as embarrassed as can be.
Then there was a voice that was all too familiar to him.
"You ruined my apprentice ceremony!" hissed Beetlekit.
Beetlekit. Skullkit was still bitter about the time when Beetlekit knocked him off a tree in a contest, and threatened to do it again if he told anyone.
"Might as well let you sleep in and never become a warrior, but Dappledstar wouldn't let me be apprenticed without you!" ranted Beetlekit.
Skullkit let out an annoyed grumble and shot back with "Why does it matter? It's not like you're skilled enough to even understand your mentor's instructions."
"Skullkit! Don't be mean." scolded Ebonyfoot.
"You too, Beetlekit. Every cat makes mistakes!" chipped in Roseclaw, Beetlekit's foster mother.
"But it's true!" protested Skullkit and Beetlekit in unison.
Ebonyfoot sighed again. "Well, I'm sure we're just grumpy that we're not apprenticed yet. Skullkit, you're all ready to go now."
The mothers ushered the two kits into camp, with Dappledstar and the cats of SkyClan waiting.
"There you are. I was getting worried you were still asleep." meowed Skullkit's father, Birdstep.
"In your dreams!" chirped Skullkit, excited for his ceremony.
"Well then, everybody's here, so let's get started." rang Dappledstar's clear voice, seeming to calm the clan.
"Skullkit and Beetlekit, step up."
Skullkit seemed to walk forward with a bounce in every step, while Beetlekit strided forward calmly and confidently, though his eyes were shining.
How does he manage to do that?, thought Skullkit.
"Skullkit, 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 Skullpaw. Your mentor will be Frostedpelt. Frostedpelt will pass down all he knows onto you."
Frostedpelt raised his head with a bit of surprise.
"Frostedpelt, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Leafstar, and you have shown yourself to be determined and calm in the face of danger. You will be the mentor of Skullpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Skullpaw."
Frostedpelt stepped from the Highroot, touching noses with Skullpaw. Frostedpelt had a warm kindness in his gaze, which gave Skullpaw the feeling his mentor would be a good one.
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After Beetlepaw's ceremony, Skullpaw immediately padded over to Ebonyfoot.
"My little kit has grown up so fast! I'm so happy, Skullpaw!" meowed Ebonyfoot with pride in her eyes.
Skullpaw smiled. "Yeah, I'll become a warrior in no time!"
Frostedpelt padded up to Skullpaw. "Well, I see no fault in starting your training now."
"You got a bright kit, Ebonyfoot." He added quietly.
Ebonyfoot nuzzled Skullpaw's ear and nodded curtly at Frostedpelt. "Well, I don't want to intrude on your time. Run along!"
--+--
"This is ThunderClan territory. A lot of mice reside in the dense trees here."
"Are they yummy? If they are, why does this place smell so yucky?"
"I ate one and it tasted like grass! You'll get used to the smell, though."
Skullpaw turned around and saw Beetlepaw and his new mentor, Spottedshade.
"Do I have to go with him?" whined Beetlepaw.
"It'll be a fun experience. Also, you'll need to know how to work with a team if you want to become a warrior."
"Let's mark this border while we're at it, to show you how it's done." Frostedpelt padded over to a thin tree and rubbed against it, leaving the familiar SkyClan scent behind. "Make sure to mark it on something that'll keep it. Trees are abundant here, and a great place to mark."
Beetlepaw did as told on an oak tree, but then an acorn happened to drop on his head, releasing a surprised yowl.
Skullpaw couldn't help laughing. "Hah, you probably scared away all the prey in the forest, mouse-brain!"
"You would scare away prey so matter how hard you try, with that laugh!" Beetlepaw hissed back.
Frostedpelt twitched his whiskers. "Well, we're not hunting yet, so it's ok. And be nice Skullpaw, Beetlepaw can't control what falls from the tree."
Both apprentices let out a 'hmph' and stayed and looked away from each other, eyes burning with irritation.
"Next is the ShadowClan border. There's always trouble there, be careful." Spottedshade meowed, waving her tail to lead the small patrol.
While walking, Skullpaw dreamed of becoming the leader of SkyClan. He imagined being named Skullstar by StarClan themselves.. All the cats looking up to him...
Distant voices calling his name snapped Skullpaw back to reality. Skullpaw looked around only to see nobody.
'I've wandered off!' Skullpaw thought in panic. Then he heard a deep, cold voice, and whipped around to see the mystery cat.
