CotS #1: The Dark Path (currently being rewritten)

Chapter Twenty

~ three moons later ~

"Hivepaw, step forward." Icestar meowed crisply.

I watched, anguished. He had passed – I had expected him to – but that meant I wouldn't train with him. I should be angry at myself for being so selfish, but once he knew he'd passed, he himself had expressed some sadness that he wouldn't be with me. We hadn't shared a den in four moons, and it was going to be like that for four more.

"Hivepaw, from this moment onwards you will be known as Hiveclaw."

"Hiveclaw! Hiveclaw!"

I cheered him on with the Clan, calling softly, but I'd adapted to a softspoken personality as Silverkit anyway. Hiveclaw looked at the supporting Clan, and his eyes fell on me, quietly chanting his name, and he smiled.

"Silverkit, step forward."

Hiveclaw stepped back. So, he wasn't going to be my mentor. That would be odd, though. Anyway, whoever was my mentor would be ... frustrated, let's say.

"Silverpaw, your mentor will be Swanflutter."

The white she-cat looked up, then took a small step back. "I – I don't think I'm ready, Icestar."

Icestar frowned. "You've been a warrior for a while. I gave Stripetail an apprentice already, and he was in your batch."

Swanflutter was still shaking her head. "I haven't gotten over loss," the white she-cat, my former apprentice, meowed quietly. "I – I can't do this. Not without her. I need her."

I cocked my head in expectance, though I knew the 'her'. Swanflutter couldn't do it without my Stormdawn side, and ... she needed me.

But, there was nothing I could do. I sighed quietly. Swanflutter shot me an apologetic glance and stepped back.

"Well .... Then...." Icestar muttered, clearly at a loss. "Um, your mentor will be Duckstep."

That was certainly random, and I also knew Duckstep was stupid. He'd been Peacewind's apprentice, after all. Couldn't I have gotten Lilypool or something? Well, the stupid tom would be bragging about how good I was with his training. Oh well.

~in the morning~

I woke at dawn, and waited patiently. I always woke at dawn. As deputy, that had become routine for me. I waited and waited. Fallowmist, Cloudysky, Leafshine, Duskypelt, Sunnyheart and Mistfur all came and picked up their apprentices for training, and I continued waiting. Suddenly, Hiveclaw poked his head in.

"Whoa – you're still here?" he asked.

"Sure I am," I muttered dully. "Some mouse-brain isn't keen on showing his face."

"It must be ugly then!" Hiveclaw laughed. "Where's Duckstep?"

"He's that ugly mouse-brain we were just talking about," I said flatly.

Then, under his constant bright smile, my hard expression cracked slightly. His grin widened.

Just then, yawning, probably half-asleep and unsteady on his feet, Duckstep came.

"Oh – uh – hey Silverpaw, you want to go out now?"

"I've been awake since dawn!" I glared at him. "Can you try to wake before sunrise, sleepyhead? I thought I was the apprentice and you were the mentor!"

"Wh-wha?" he asked.

I shook my head furiously. "Come on!"

Duckstep was literally following me around the territory, and kept yawning. Finally, after I passed the Great Sycamore, the Great Redwood, and the Great Oak, he finally thought to point out the Great Banyan to me.