Cinders to Flames

Chapter 2

Cinderkit watched as her father Iceleap, and her mother Sootslash fussed over Featherkit. She briskly groomed a tuft of fur on her shoulder, trying to fight her nerves. Then she heard those dreaded words.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather here for a Clan meeting!"

"Are you sure you want to be a warrior?" Iceleap asked her.

"Definitely!" Cinderkit meowed, trying to sound confident.

"You're very stubborn, Cinderkit. Well then, go out there and do your best." He meowed.

Cinderkit nodded, taking a deep breath, and walking out into the sunlight. She saw cats staring at her, and she heard some whispering to each other.

"She won't be able to be a warrior."

Then she spotted Twistfoot and Vinespring giving her encouraging looks, and she continued walking toward the Broad Stone. She put each paw down with such confidence, you wouldn't even notice she had a limp. Cinderkit, Featherkit, Blackkit, and Aspenkit sat in front of their leader, waiting for him to start.

"Featherkit, until your warrior name, you will now be known as Featherpaw. Appleheart will be your mentor."

Featherpaw touched noses with her new mentor, a red-and-white she-cat, and then sat next to her.

"Cinderkit."

Cinderkit stepped forward to her leader. She looked him right in the eye, and for a second, the two pairs of icy blue eyes met.

"From this time forward until your warrior name, you will be known as Cinderpaw. Your mentor will be Mudsplash, he is an older warrior, but I hope he will pass on his wisdom." Cinderpaw touched noses with Mudsplash and sat next to him.

"Blackkit, until your warrior name, you will be known as Blackpaw. Your mentor will be Yellowleaf. Aspenpaw, you have chosen the life of a medicine cat, your mentor will be Goldenstripe."

"Cinderpaw! Featherpaw! Blackpaw! Aspenpaw!" the Clan chanted.

The new apprentices walked over to the other apprentices, Wolfpaw and Heronpaw.

They gave her a disgusted look.

"I can't believe you actually became a warrior." Wolfpaw meowed in a mocking voice.

"I can't believe you are still in this Clan, with your attitude and all." Cinderpaw meowed back, her voice cool.

"Let's see how long you last as a warrior then." Heronpaw hissed.

"I bet she will be a much better fighter than you." Blackpaw snarled.

"Let's go Blackpaw. They're a waste of time anyway. We have battle moves to practice." Cinderpaw meowed, walking off to talk to her parents, Blackpaw right behind her. Cinderpaw looked over her shoulder, spotting Wolfpaw talking into Featherpaw's ear. Featherpaw listened intently. Cinderpaw's tail drooped, but she turned her head away, still keeping her chin held high.

"I guess I will talk to Darkfeather and Aspenpaw." Blackpaw meowed, walking off to meet them. Blackpaw's mother was Darkfeather, and Aspenpaw was his adopted sister. His father was a loner, so he was often cast out because of who his father was. No one knew who Aspenpaw's parents were, but Cinderpaw had decided it was not her place to ask. She approached her parents, who looked deep in conversation. They looked up, noticing her.

"Good job, you did really well up there! I am so glad my little kit is finally an apprentice!" Iceleap congratulated her.

"I'm going to find Featherpaw." Sootslash meowed, turning, and walking away from them.