Super Edition - Lightstar's Wrath

Chapter 7

"Today, it is time for three kits to become apprentices," Duststar howled from the Cold Rock. Her voice was still raw with grief. But, it had only been a moon. It was clear she dearly missed her son.

"Honeykit, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Honeypaw. Your mentor will be Snowfeather." The white warrior puffed out her chest. "Snowfeather, you have received excellent training from Lakebranch. I trust you to pass down your knowledge to Honeypaw." 

"Leafkit, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Leafpaw. Your mentor shall be Whitecrash." The young tom looked up and smiled. "Whitecrash, you have received excellent training from Pebbleheart. I trust you to pass down your knowledge to Leafpaw."

"And Flowerkit, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Flowerpaw. Your mentor shall be Darknose." Duststar glanced away for a moment. Everyone knew she would give all of her kits apprentices. But with Thornmuzzle gone, she'd have to pick another mentor. She cleared her throat and continued. "Darknose, you have received excellent training from Crowsong. I trust you to pass down your knowledge to Flowerpaw."

"Honeypaw! Leafpaw! Flowerpaw!" The clan cheered. Thistlesong howled with pride even when the cheering died down. When the meeting dispersed, Thistlesong ran up to the new apprentices, nuzzling them and congratulating them. Guilt surged inside his chest. The tom then turned to Lightpaw. 

"We should get to training. Your assessment is in a half-moon! Can you believe it?" He purred. "Time really does fly, doesn't it?" He gave his apprentice a friendly shove. "C'mon, we'll work on hunting birds."

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After digging up their catches, the two IcyClan cats trotted back to camp. Lightpaw managed to catch a sparrow. Though it was small, he held it up proudly. Thistlesong and Mothbelly were chatting ahead while Lightpaw and Russetpaw lagged behind.

"A half-moon!" Russetpaw purred. "Our assessment is merely a half-moon away!" Her tail flicked energetically. 

"Yeah! Our apprenticeship flew by fast!" He gave his sister a playful shove. Russetpaw's smile soon faded and she gazed down at her paws. "What's wrong?" Lightpaw tilted his head.

"I just..." She huffed. "I wish Thunderpelt could be here to see us. I know he's watching in StarClan, but it's just not the same." She pressed up against her brother.

"I know how that feels," Mothbelly turned his head around. He and Thistlesong slowed their paces to match their apprentices'. "My littermate Beetlepaw died before we became warriors. He got really sick halfway through our apprenticeship, and..." The golden warrior drew in a deep breath. "He joined StarClan at only eight moons," His voice quaked a little. "I could barely even focus on my duties. I didn't leave my nest for days."

"Then how did you become a warrior?" Russetpaw chimed in, tilting her head.

"Well, Alderstrike helped me recover. She was Alderpaw at the time. She was near the end of her apprenticeship, so we hadn't talked too much before that." Mothbelly's eyes lit up when he began to talk about his mate. "She helped me overcome my grief and I was able to get back to my duties. I became a warrior a little late, but better late than never." He purred.

Soon enough, the four of them reached camp. Leafpaw and Flowerpaw were sharing a robin in the clearing. As Lightpaw dropped his sparrow in the fresh-kill pile, Thistlesong approached the younger apprentices. "Where's Honeypaw?" He mewed.

"Oh, she's resting in the apprentice's den. She says she's tired from training." Leafpaw responded in between bites. Lightpaw, overhearing this, decided to peer into the den. Honeypaw was curled in her nest, but she wasn't resting. Was she... sobbing?

"Honeypaw?" Lightpaw softly mewed, peeking his head in the den. The mottled brown cat lifted her head, meeting Lightpaw's gaze.

"Oh, hey Lightpaw." She gave a half-hearted smile. "I was just resting. Training is difficult." An awkward chuckle escaped her jaws. 

"Honeypaw, I saw you sobbing." The tom sat next to her. She tore her gaze from his and rested her head on her paws. "What's going on?"

"I just..." She struggled to find the right words. "I... I don't..." Her words tripped over each other, her voice fading in and out.

"You don't what?" Lightpaw pushed.

"I don't... I don't feel like a she-cat..." Honeypaw finally admitted. She drew in a breath and let it out slowly. "I've been thinking about it for a while, and it's starting to weigh on me. I don't feel like a she-cat. I feel like a tom."

Lightpaw wasn't quite sure what to say. He had no problem with Honeypaw identifying as a tom. He just wasn't sure what to reply with. Congratulations? Good job? Should he even say anything? "Well, I support you." He finally said.

"You do?" Honeypaw's ears perked up. "How do I tell Squirreldust and Thistlesong? What about Leafpaw and Flowerpaw? What will they think?" The apprentice fretted.

"Thistlesong is such a sweet cat. He'll love you no matter what." Lightpaw suppressed a shudder. He decided to avoid saying "father." They were bound to find out eventually, and he didn't want to lie to them any more than they've been lied to already.

"Okay," Honeypaw drew in a breath. "Could you fetch my family for me?" Lightpaw nodded. He padded out of the den and approached his mentor. Squirreldust had also come over, chatting with Flowerpaw and Leafpaw. 

"Oh, hey Lightpaw!" Thistlesong purred. "What's up?"

"Honeypaw wants to see all of you in the apprentice den." The white tabby mewed. The family stood and shuffled into the gorse den. Lightpaw knew he shouldn't really eavesdrop, but he was curious about how they would react. He peeked through a small gap in the den.

"I have something to tell you guys..." Honeypaw's voice shook as he spoke. "I... I don't feel like a she-cat. I feel like a tom. I would like to be referred to with he/him pronouns." He managed to say. 

"Oh, Honeypaw, that's perfectly okay." Thistlesong placed his tail-tip on the apprentice's shoulder. "We love you no matter what."

"Actually, I've been thinking about it, and I don't want to be called Honeypaw." He added. "The name Honeypaw sounds too feminine. I've been thinking about it, and I want to be called Adderpaw." He concluded.

"Okay, Adderpaw." Squirreldust purred, rubbing her cheek against her son. Leafpaw and Flowerpaw joined in. Adderpaw started purring as well, his eyes lighting up. "If you want, I could tell Duststar so she can hold an official name change ceremony for you," Squirreldust added. "And I could see if Stormshrew has any herbs to help you feel more tom-like." Lightpaw winced at the mention of Stormshrew. He hated bearing their secret.

"That would be perfect! Thank you so much!" Adderpaw smiled. "I'm so lucky to have a family like you guys."