Crossed Pathes [OC]

1 ~ The Ceremony

Bright sunlight shown overhead through the tall pines, leaving sharp shadows bordering the bramble-strewn edges of the Shadowclan camp.
Hawkkit ducked from her mother's tongue as she bounced in excitement.

"Hawkkit, please, you've been acting like a hedgehog with its prickles on backwards!" Rainfall sighed, trying to keep her kit to sit still.

"I'm sorry," Hawkkit sat down with a thump. "Its just been taking forever for sunhigh!" She gazed up at the sky, willing the sun to move just a few whiskers higher.

"Yeah, when you've been awake since dawn!" Her sister Shadekit grumbled, stifling a yawn.

Hawkkit ignored her and gazed around the clearing. Her eyes grew round as moons as she watched Moss-Star emerge from her den, stretching in the warmth of the sun. She watched her leader unblinking, as Moss-Star padded towards the fresh-kill pile.

Picking a pigeon decidedly, Moss-Star strode towards Riotclaw who was sending out patrols. Dipping his head in greeting, he followed Moss-Star to sit beside her den to share the pigeon, engaging in quiet conversation.

Hawkkit swiveled her ears forward, straining to hear their words from across camp, but was unable to hear even a whisper. Sighing, she turned her attention back to her siblings who were both half awake.

"I dunno, training as a warrior seems kinda scary," Woodkit admitted to Shadekit, "I'm not sure if I'll like fighting"

Shadekit shrugged, "Might be fun, besides, we'll be fighting for the Clan!"

"That's right!" Hawkkit straightened up proudly. "We're gonna be the most powerful warriors of Shadowclan!" Maybe even all of the clans, Hawkkit added silently.

Rolling her eyes, Shadekit meowed, "Yeah, if we're even allowed to learn warrior duties. Maybe we'll be changing moss forever!"

Hawkkit fluffed out her fur and sat down. For the past two moons, she and her littermates had been tasked with in-camp apprentice duties as punishment for leaving the clearing, completely taking over the full responsibilities of the other apprentices.

Hawkkit was pulled from her bitter thoughts when Moss-Star looked towards them, flicking an ear. Yes! We're ready Moss-Star! Hawkkit sat up eagerly in an attempt to show her leader she was ready.

Moss-Star rose to her paws, leaping to the branch that overhung her den.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Pinebranch for a meeting!" Moss-Star yowled, summoning her clan for the ceremony.

Cats that were already sitting in the clearing turned their heads, other emerged from their dens. Hawkkit sniffed distastefully as she saw the two other apprentices squeeze out of their shared den.

"Come on, let's sit closer," Rainfall mewed, nosing the three forward.
Hawkkit didn't need any convincing, as she bounded forward eagerly.

"Woodkit, Shadekit and Hawkkit," Moss-Star called warmly, "You have finally reached six moons, and today you will become official apprentices."

Hawkkit's fur felt hot at Moss-Star's mischievous tone.

"Woodkit," Moss-Star addressed the small tom first.

Standing to his paws shakily, he trod forward, but tripped over a rock. Quickly standing up, Woodkit shook his fur out with embarrassment.

Moss-Star's eyes twinkled, but continued, "From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Woodpaw."

A short, pale brown tom emerged from the small crowd of cats, looking up at his leader with wide eyes.

"Finchfoot, you have done much to prove yourself as a strong and worthy warrior, I hope you pass on all you have learned to Woodpaw," Moss-Star continued.

Finchfoot moved forward to touch his nose to his apprentice's. Woodpaw screwed up his eyes and turned his head down, making Finchfoot's nose meet the top of his head.

Without missing a beat, Moss-Star continued. "Shadekit."

Shadekit stepped forward, almost gracefully, avoiding the stone that tripped her brother.

"From this day forward, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Shadepaw," Moss-Star meowed, "Your mentor will be Vipernose."

The powerful tom rose from the edge of the clearing, his tail raised proudly.

"Vipernose you are a proud and shameless warrior. I hope you can teach Shadepaw your unwavering confidence."

Shadepaw approached her mentor to touch noses, managing to sit back down without issue.

Hawkkit's eyes grew rounder and rounder as she watched her siblings become apprentices. I wonder who my mentor will be? She thought, gazing around at the surrounding warriors.

"Hawkkit," Moss-Star finally called to her. Hawkkit bounded forward, puffing out her chest eagerly.

"From now until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Hawkpaw," Moss-Star glowed warmly, "Cherrystrike."

A lanky ginger she-cat peeked out from the cats, approaching with her ears swivelled forward. Hawkpaw hadn't even noticed her despite her bright pelt.

"You are a knowledgeable and intuitive warrior. Please teach Hawkpaw all you have learned." Moss-Star bowed her head.

Cherrystrike approached Hawkpaw to touch noses. At the same time, Hawkpaw bounded towards Cherrystrike and just about headbutted her.

Taking a step back, Cherrystrike shook her head but her eyes were proud.

"Hawkpaw! Shadepaw! Woodpaw!" Chanted her clanmates, as they crowded around the three. Many offering congratulations to them.

Hawkpaw drank in the attention, but peeked out the corner of her eye to see her father Riotclaw standing at the edge of the crowd. From where she was, his expression seemed stoic. Did you call my name too? She pleaded silently.