fallen stars ☆ a warriors fanfiction

the ceremony

Why isn't Cedarkit awake yet?  Fernkit thought, her tail tip twitching in annoyance. It was their apprentice ceremony today! She couldn't wait to take her revenge on those mangy ThunderClan cats for killing her mother's sister, Fernpelt. The grey and white kit could hear the soft breathing of her mother, Dovenose, and her sister, Cedarkit, as they slept. Fernkit glanced at Cherryfeather, and her two kits, Volekit and Pumpkinkit, as they slept. The kit nudged Cedarkit. "Wake up! It's our apprentice ceremony today!" A sleek brown head shot up from the pile of fluffy brown fur. "Dovenose! Dovenose, wake up!" Cedarkit mewed, clambering out of their mossy nest. The grey and white queen raised her head, and glanced at the corner of the nursery, where Eaglefeather was resting.

"I hope you didn't wake Eaglefeather up." Dovenose mewed sternly. "Her kits are going to be born soon." The brown she-cat purred. "They've been as good as the stars themselves. I've been up since sunrise, don't worry." A small black head poked over Cherryfeather's plumy tail.

"Why are you all up so early?" Volekit mewed, clambering over his mother to stand beside Fernkit. "The sun's barely up!" He complained loudly, making his sister Pumpkinkit scramble over to stand next to him. "Fernkit and Cedarkit are being made apprentices, remember?" Volekit blinked. "Why can't I be an apprentice again?" He asked Cherryfeather, who was beginning to wake up. "You aren't six moons yet, mouse-brain!" Pumpkinkit mewed loftily.

"You will be soon. And, besides, we need you to look after Eaglefeather's kits when they're born." Cedarkit nudged him kindly.

"Yeah!" The black tom squeaked. "We won't be the youngest anymore!" Dovenose stood up, ushering Fernkit and Cedarkit out into the clearing.

"We'll watch from here!" Pumpkinkit called as they padded out of the bramble thicket. Fernkit's eyes widened as she spotted Echostar standing on the Tall Tree. Her plumy tail flicked as the two kits sat down next to their father, Yarrowclaw, who purred and curled his tail around them. Cedarkit looked wildly around, trying to guess who her mentor would be, Fernkit thought. I should do that.

Featherheart would be a good mentor. Or Bumblefur. They haven't had apprentices yet. Fernkit half-heartedly licked her ruffled grey and white pelt, twitching her ear as Cedarkit poked her with her fluffy brown tail. She looked up as Echostar called the familiar summons. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Tall Tree to hear my words!" The dark grey leader yowled. Fernkit watched as the deputy, Poppysong, sat on one of the tree roots, alongside the medicine cats Mossheart and Swiftfoot.

"Today, ShadowClan will have two new apprentices." The grey and white kit felt the leaders gaze on her, and breathed a silent sigh of relief as it travelled to Cedarkit. "From now on, these two apprentices will be known as Fernpaw and Cedarpaw. Flickernose, I trust you to pass on your compassion and bravery in battle to this young apprentice." Fernpaw shivered nervously, looking up at Echostar as Cedarpaw and Flickernose touched noses.

"Skullmask." The leader continued. "I trust you to pass on your loyalty and insight to Fernpaw." The grey and white she-cat looked up nervously at her new mentor as they touched noses. To Fernpaw's surprise, the black tom's violet eyes were kind. "I'll do the best I can!" Fernpaw promised breathlessly.

"So will I." Skullmask replied, purring. "Poppysong?" Echostar called to her deputy. "Please organise some patrols." The red and cream tortoiseshell waved her tail in reply and started assigning cats to patrols. "What are we doing first?" Cedarpaw's breathless mew surprised Fernpaw, who turned to look at her. "That's up to our mentors. But I hope we get to practice hunting." Flickernose padded up beside his eager new apprentice.

"First," The grey and white tom mewed, overhearing, "We have to patrol the borders."