An Appearance Doesn't Define Me

Chapter 8: the ceremony and another swimming lesson

Sapphire's PoV

"I... I wanted to ask if..." I turned my eyes to Dropstar, "You would take me in to Riverclan as a warrior apprentice?" A long silence takes place after I say those words.

"You want me, Dropstar, leader of Riverclan, to let you, a kittypet, become a warrior of my clan?" He says.

"Dropstar, my dear leader. Why in Starclan'
s name, would she waste her breath asking you to become an apprentice?" Says Ivypaw, stroking her tail along my spine. Dropstar looks shocked for a second, but it disappears so quickly I almost thought I imagined it.

"I will think about it. Now, Cinnamonpaw, take Sapphire to the apprentice den and make her a nest," Dropstar says.
"Of course, Dropstar. Come along Sapphire,' Cinnamonpaw says, leading me out of the den. She takes me over to the apprentice den. Nutpaw an Apricotpaw we're already in the den.

"Oh, Sapphire. Are you joining us tonight?" Apricotpaw asks. I nod.

"What were you doing out of camp earlier?" Nutpaw asks, eying Sapphire suspiciously. I open my mouth to speak but Cinnamonpaw gets there before me.

"Like I said earlier. It does not concern you. Now budge up we need to make a nest for Sapphire." She say. Nutpaw looks at her annoyed but does so anyway. They make a nest for me between Nutpaw and Apricotpaw. Apricotpaw beckons to me with her tail and I hesitate.

"I don't bite." Nutpaw says, softly. I make my way to the best and get in.

"Thank you." I mumble quietly. I don't think anyone heard me until Nutpaw whispers in my ear.

"No problem Sunshine." I feel my pelt heat up but it quickly fades when I fall asleep next to him.

(Italics: Dream)

It's pitch black. There's nothing here. Just an endless abyss of blackness.

"Greetings, Sapphire." Says a voice behind me. I turn around quickly. An orange cat with green eyes stands there.

"W-who are you?" I tried not to stutter but that obviously failed.

"I'm Firestar. Old leader of Thunderclan. You may have heard of me." He says. The name rings a bell, but I can't think of where I heard it before.

"What do you want from me? And how did you know my name?" I add as an afterthought.

"I've always known your name Sapphire, since the day you were born," 'Uhh creepy much'. "But the thing is. We are related Sapphire," 'Wait what'
.

"How? I mean you're from the clans and well I'm a 'Kittypet' as you lot call me," I ask.

"I had a sister. She was a kittypet. You're from that side of my family," he says. Then cats appear from either side of him. Near the end of the line, on his left, is someone I recognise and after a few minutes I realise it's my mother. She looks like Firestar but with blue eyes. My eyes. "But to answer your earlier question. If you're to join the clans, you must remember something. Something important," he says urgently, padding up to me. "You must remember this: Friendships can pass through borders." he says.

"Why do I need to know this?" I ask.

"Because it might save your life and future lives." He whispers. He disappears and so do the other cats. I run towards Firestar's fading body.

"Wait, come back! What do you mean?" I shout.

I wake with a start. What a weird dream. I open my eyes to see Nutpaw towering over me. I shrink into my nest. He looks like Fred. Standing like that. He backs away quickly.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you. You looked like you were having a bad dream, so I woke you up," He says. I sit up.

"It's fine," I say.

"Let all cats old enough to swim gather to hear my words!" A shout from outside the den reaches us.

"A clan meeting. Come in Sapphire," Nutpaw beckons to me with his tail. I get out of the nest smoothing my fur then follow him out of the den to the clearing.

Outside there's cat filling out of the dens all looking sleepy as they gather around their leader – I hear some muttering in surprise and I catch one cat asking; "Who died, was born, or left?"
to their friend who just tutted.

"Cinnamonpaw! Over here!" I look across to Cinnamonpaw racing across to three older cats and Apricotpaw; right at the front of the crowd, they greet each other before the light pelted cat look toward me and Nutpaw. "What are you guys waiting for?  Get over here!!!"

It takes awhile before Dropstar speaks again. "I've gathered you all to witness an honour that has not happened in a long time." He pauses and gazes through the crowd and stops on me. "Sapphire, come forward please." I do as he says, and he speaks up again. "Last night this young cat came to me with a question, and so I've decided with some help of my advisors," he glanced sideways at Ivypaw almost although he was telling her off – to with she just responds with edging further away form her mentor and sits up straighter – "that I, under our ancestors, shall grant her wish: From this day forward, until she has earned her warrior name, this apprentice will be called Silverpaw." 'Yes!'
"Splashclaw, please come forward."
As he speaks a benglial looking warrior steps out from beside a cat that look like Ivypaw
"Splashclaw, you are a hard-working and inspirable warrior, may your pass down the knowledge you have gained over your life to this apprentice."
He meows, Splashclaw turns towards me and bends his muzzle down before whispering
"You need to touch noses with me to seal the deal."
"Oh."
I say before doing as instructed.  Around us the clan erupts into chanting my new name.

Before I know it there's about 5 cats surrounding me; Nutpaw, Apricotpaw, Cinnamonpaw, Ivypaw, and...
Echotail? They congratulate me before being cut off by Dacestripe ordering patrols.

***

I can't believe it. I'm now an apprentice of Riverclan. I look at my mentor, Splashclaw, she looks strict but calm. I hope we get along.

"Come, we will join the border patrol so you can get an idea of the territory. You have a lot to learn," She mews. I followed her to a small group of cats. I feel a pang of excitement when I see Nutpaw with them. At least there's someone there that I know.

"Congratulations on joining our ranks sunshine." He says. I glare at him.

"Don't call me that!" I say, lashing my tail.

"I'll do what I like."
He says, following the cats as they leave. I follow him.

There's only one word I can think of when we go around the territory.

I'm finally free.

Something I haven't felt in a while.

Later

"Now for a quick swimming lesson before we go back. Nutpaw, can you teach her? We will head back to camp," Splashclaw says. When Nutpaw nods, they turn around and back to camp.

"Looks like it's just you and me Sunshine." He says, when they are out of sight.

"I told you to stop calling me that," I say. He shrugs. He gets into the water.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Come on in." He says. I reluctantly followed him in. Everything was going great till I felt a tug on my neck, and I was pulled under water. I was struggling to breathe as I was trying to get out of my collar then I felt it snap and teeth grab my scruff and drag me out of the water and onto land. I cough up water as soon as I'm laid down.

"Silverpaw? Silverpaw? Are you okay?" Nutpaw asks, worriedly. I just nod. I don't know how to answer him. "Come on, I'll take you to Tallshade." He says. He nudges me to my feet and lets me lean on his shoulder all the way to camp and into Tallshade's den.

***

"Silverpaw? Nutpaw? What happened? Why does Silverpaw look like she's seen a ghost and where's her collar?" Asks Tallshade.
"Slow down. We were swimming and something caught on her collar, so she nearly drowned. The collar snapped just as I managed to grab her and drag her to land," Nutpaw says, as Tallshade leads me to a nest. I sink into it.

"Warm her up as I get her some thyme to help her shock," Tallshade says, disappearing into darkness. Nutpaw comes up to me and presses his pelt next to mine so I can feel his warmth.