Lilystar's Demise

Chapter 5

"All cats strong enough to swim the rivers currents gather beneath the high rock for a clan meeting!" Calicostar's voice rang through camp. Hazelpaw had to go with Snowpelt to train while Lilypaw had to stay and get her new mentor. Lilypaw's eyes filled with tears when cats talked about Muddyoak. "Lilypaw sadly lost her mentor last night due to a battle" Calicostar said looking at the upset apprentice, "Muddyoak was a loyal mentor" he flicked his tail, "Lilypaw your new mentor will be Longclaw and I know Longclaw will train you well." Calicostar said putting his tail on his deputies shoulder. She was excited to train with the deputy. She smiled at the clan leader who smiled back. "Clan dismissed" Longclaw padded up to the apprentice and smiled, "I'm sorry about your last mentor" Longclaw said, "It's fine she is still looking over us." Longclaw flicked his tail as Lilypaw followed him out of camp. She saw Hazelpaw and Snowpelt, Hazelpaw saw that she was with the deputy and tilted her head, "This is my new mentor" Lilypaw said making Hazelpaw's confusion turn into excitement. "Wow!" she said as Snowpelt nudged her. 

"what are we going to do?" Lilypaw asked Longclaw, "I will teach you how to hunt" Lilypaw's eyes grew wide, "Really?" Longclaw wrapped his tail around her muzzle nodding then using his tail to point out a squirrel that had wondered on their territory, "Follow what I do once we find something easier for you to catch" h whispered dropping low. Lilypaw dropped low practicing her hunting crouch. She'd look at Longclaw's hunting crouch, she lifted up her belly from the ground and lifted her tail not moving it and crept closer to Longclaw. she watched as he unsheathed his claws and pounced on the squirrel sinking his teeth into the squirrels skin. "And that's how you hunt" Longclaw said licking his paw. Lilypaw snuck toward Longclaw she didn't unsheathe her claws. She got close enough until Longclaw's tail almost touched her nose, she tensed her muscles about to pounce on Longclaw. Her pelt prickled with excitement knowing that Longclaw didn't heard her. "Lilypaw?" Longclaw had realized she wasn't where he had left her. Her heart raced as she tensed up  and pounced on Longclaw. Longclaw dramatically fell over, "Yay! i was quiet my first time!" Lilypaw flicked her tail as she let Longclaw get up. "Then i guess you're ready to hunt." Longclaw flicked his tail toward a mouse. Lilypaw went into her Hunting crouch and snuck toward the mouse who was chewing on a seed. Lilypaw's muscles started hurting the longer she kept her belly lifted up and the longer she had her tail in the air. She got close enough that she heard the mouse crunch the Leaffall looking leaves under it. Lilypaw waited until it got another seed and started chewing it. Lilypaw unsheathed her claws tensing up the muscles in her hind legs. She watched the mouse as it scampered across the ground. Lilypaw let out a quiet meow as she pounced on the mouse sinking her claws and teeth into its flank. "Good job" Longclaw said, "Surprising when it's Leaffall" Lilypaw's tail twitched, almost like she was forgetting something. Lilypaw looked at Longclaw then remembered, "Honeykit and Spikekit are becoming apprentices today!" Lilypaw freaked out, had she missed their apprentice ceremony? Longclaw calmed her down, "Calicostar is making them apprentices soon but he wants to wait until we get finished with your training" Longclaw took the mouse and the squirrel and walked with Lilypaw back to camp.

Lilypaw took the mouse she had caught from Longclaw. She slid into the water and swam across trying to keep the mouse out of the water. She scanned camp and saw Hazelpaw taking a thrush from the fresh-kill pile. Hazelpaw watched Lilypaw dash to the Fresh-kill pile and put the mouse down on it taking a thrush from the pile and running to her sister. Hazelpaw looked annoyed, "You went hunting?" Lilypaw's tail twitched, "Yes?" Hazelpaw looked upset, "I'm doing that tomorrow" Hazelpaw took a bite out of her thrush. Lilypaw quickly ate her thrush and sat up. "All cats strong enough to swim the rivers currents gather beneath the high rock for a clan meeting!" Lilypaw walked with Hazelpaw, Hillpaw, and Featherpaw to the high rock. Lilypaw and Hazelpaw watched Honeykit and Spikekit gather right beneath the high rock. "Today I will be appointing new apprentices!" Calicostar looked at the two kits, "You two have reached the age of 6 moons and will be starting your training!" Calicostar's tail twitched as he looked at Spikekit. "Spikekit!" Spikekit sat up straight to look tough. Lilypaw saw Stormbreeze looking proudly at her kits. "From this day fourth until you receive your warrior name you shall be known as Spikepaw!" Spikepaw looked fierce as if he has been training for moons. "Fiercepelt, do you promise to pass on what you have learned from your mentor to Spikepaw?" Calicostar waited for the tabby toms answer. "I promise" Fiercepelt replied. Calicostar nodded as he turned his gaze to Honeykit. "Honeykit!" Honeykit's fur rose in excitement. "From this day fourth until you receive your warrior name you shall be known as Honeypaw!" Calicostar scanned camp and looked at Bristletail. "Bristletail, do you promise to pass on what you have learned from your mentor to Honeypaw?" Bristletail nodded as he replied. "I promise" Calicostar flicked his tail as the two apprentices sat by their mentor's. The clan cheered their name, "Honeypaw! Spikepaw!" Calicostar's gaze turned to Hillpaw and Featherpaw. "One more thing, I'd like to make two new warriors" Calicostar's tail flicked as Hillpaw and Featherpaw excitedly made their way right under the high rock. "Hillpaw!" Calicostar's voice was loud and clear. "From this day fourth you shall be know as Hillbreeze" Hillbreeze smiled as the clan chanted his name, "Hillbreeze! Hillbreeze!" Calicostar looked at Featherpaw, "Featherpaw!" Calicostar silenced the cats as Lilypaw and Hazelpaw were excited for them. "From this day fourth you shall be know as Featherleaf!" The clan started chanting the black she-cats name "Featherleaf! Featherleaf!" Calicostar flicked his tail as Featherleaf and Hillbreeze sat by the other warriors. "Clan dismissed!" Lilypaw and Hazelpaw went up to them along with Spikepaw and Honeypaw. "You two are warriors!" Lilypaw mewed, "You two get to sleep in the warriors den tonight!" Hazelpaw's tail was swishing in the air, "Congratulations Featherleaf and Hillbreeze!" Honeypaw mewed, "Yeah... Congratulations..." Spikepaw growled. "Congratulations to you too Honeypaw and Spikepaw" Featherleaf said. "We will miss you in the apprentice den" Hazelpaw mewed. Featherleaf looked at Hillbreeze, "You four better be getting to sleep now you have a long day of training a head of you!" Hazelpaw nodded. "Longclaw?" Lilypaw got the deputy's attention, "May I take Honeypaw out to get moss for her nest?" Longclaw nodded, "Stay near camp though you haven't learned battle skills to protect you and another apprentice yet" Lilypaw nodded as she saw Snowpelt nod and Hazelpaw and Spikepaw left camp. Lilypaw flicked her tail for Honeypaw to follow her. Lilypaw stopped a the water waiting for Honeypaw, "Sorry i was telling Bristletail that you were going to teach me how to swim so we can get me bedding" Honeypaw flicked her tail dipping her paw in the water, Lilypaw rose her paw curving it, "Do this when you're in the water it's like running but in water, and keep your chin up so you don't drown" Lilypaw said sliding into the water and swimming to the other side. Honeypaw looked at the water and slid into the water she struggled for a moment but in a heartbeat got a rhythm in her leg movement and swam across easily. "Okay now lets go collect bedding" Lilypaw said shaking off at the same time Honeypaw did. Lilypaw stopped at a tree near Hazelpaw and Spikepaw. Lilypaw curved her paw and stretched her claws as far as they went and sliced moss from the tree leaving roots and dirt behind. Honeypaw started doing the same gathering lots of moss with roots and dirt at first. "Don't worry it gets easier the more you've done it" Honeypaw tried again this time getting pieces without any roots and dirt. "Good that should be enough for your nest" Lilypaw said taking some and squeezing out the moisture. Honeypaw watched Hazelpaw and Spikepaw walk past with moss dangling from their mouths and chins. "Is that how we have to carry moss it looks funny" Honeypaw asked Lilypaw giggling. "That's exactly how every warrior  carries moss" Lilypaw said also giggling. Lilypaw grabbed moss in her jaws and with her chin and waits for Honeypaw to grab the moss. They make their way back to the river. "Try not to get the moss wet if you don't want a wet nest" Lilypaw mumbled under moss. Lilypaw dropped the moss under her chin  and grabbed it with her tail so she could swim with her chin up and with her tail out of the water so the moss didn't get wet. Honeypaw did the same.

Lilypaw entered the apprentice den with Honeypaw and waited until Honeypaw put the moss where she wants her nest. Lilypaw helped her make her nest then curled up in her own nest. "Good night Hazelpaw" Lilypaw smiled as Hazelpaw answered. "Good night Lilypaw."