Heart Of A Fighter (Book 4): Magic In The Valley

Chapter 4: The Marking

"May all the cryptids old enough to serve please report to the front of the Floral Oak for the day's announcements!"

The call jolted Goslingpaw up from her sleep. Today was the day. She had spent her time yesterday from the afternoon to the evening counting down the moments for this event.

Shortly after the meeting had finished, the head leaders of the separate guilds had taken her friends to be assessed, and later she heard through the grapevine that they had done so well that Glacier Storm had taken them to receive their wings.

Now, she was hurriedly grooming herself to look presentable, and from the corner of her eye she spotted her friends running her way.

To her delight, all four of them had wings like her. They all wore overjoyed expressions on their faces and Stonepaw looked like he was about to explode with delight.

They also had the same sigils on their shoulders, a cross with a small dot in the top. It stood for an element called Anti. Goslingpaw wasn't really sure what it did but she was in no hurry to find out.

As cryptids all flew to their places, Goslingpaw and her friends swiftly scampered to the front of the huge tree and sat down, coiling their tails around their paws and wingtips all quivering with delight.

From the corner of her eye, she could see Azurestar and Aldertrail smiling proudly at her with their tails entwined, and Gustfang and Starlingspirit sitting together and smiling with joy at their sons.

Chanterellestreak, Thornslash and Beechwhisker sat a small distance away, watching the group of five with pride and joy flickering in their eyes.

Goslingpaw was also faintly aware of the glares of jealousy from the other apprentices behind her, particularly her sister.

Silence overcame the entire clearing when the two royal siblings landed on the tallest branches on the tree. "Cats of the Tribe!" Yowled Jagged Slash.

"We are gathered here right now to commence the ceremony of apprenticeship for five young warriors who have proven their worth in their assessments," Glacier Storm began.

"However, the other apprentices shall have to wait until too they show the proper attitude before I assess them to become tribe apprentices." She delivered a deadly glare to Lionpaw, who backed away in fear.

Her one blue eye suddenly flashed over to Goslingpaw, and the smaller she-cat tried not to faint at the intensity of the one-eyed glare.

"Goslingpaw, step forth."

Quickly, she scrambled to her paws and treaded forth until she was only two tail-lengths away from the tree. Hesitantly, she looked up again.

"After conversing your previous mentor and all of your clan's healers, we in the Elemental Council have determined that you are best compatible with the cryptids of the Healing and Astrology Colony," Jagged Slash spoke.

"Your quick wit, sharp memory and desire to learn are precious key values by the members of this guild, and we hope you will carry on this attitude until you become a true tribe warrior."

"I call upon the dragon spirits above to take this apprentice under their care, and grant her a mentor who will teach her the ways of a healer and abide by the Oath of Dragons," Jagged Slash boomed.

"Goslingpaw, until the day you have proven yourself worthy of becoming a fully blossomed healer of the Tribe of the Blooming Valley, you will be known as Wren."

Loud yowls of cats chanting her new name echoed through the entire clearing, and Goslingpaw- no, Wren, puffed out her chest with pride.

Jagged Slash then turned to the healers of the Elemental Circle, who were deciding who her cousin's mentor should be.