World of Scars

Chapter 5 ~Changes~

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"Oak'Stream, welcome back!" I hear a she exclaim, I look over to see Mother trying to get up, I run over and steady her leg, "Mommy are you ok?" I ask, "Yes, Mud'kit, I'm fine," she smiled licking my head, Mother walks out of the elder's den smelling the air, "Cloudy my love," I hear a tom say, a brown tom walked over and nuzzled mother, "Oak'Stream you're finally back," Mother smiled, she seemed so happy. "Mommy who's this?" I ask, "Mud'kit, go get your siblings and I'll explain," Mother said, "ok!" I smile running to find the others, "Soot! Oak! Mother wants us by the nursery," I say as I look around, I see Thistle near Splattered and Echo'paw, I run over, "Thistle! Splattered! Come on Mother wants us!" I say, Thistle walks over as Splattered says goodbye to Echo'paw, I make my way back to Mother to see the tom with his tail around Mother, "rollcall," Mother says, "Splattered'kit," "Here," Splattered sighs, "Soot'kit," "here," "Thistle'kit," "here," "Mud'kit," "here," "Oak'kit," "here!" Oak smiled, "oh, Cloudy," the tom purred, "five beautiful kits," he smiled, "Kits, this is Oak'Stream, your father," Mother smiled, "Whoa!" Oak'kit gasped, I felt my jaw drop. "This is my dad?" I say aloud, the two chuckle, "He looks rather strong," Soot'kit said, "where have you been?" Soot asked looking at Oak'Stream curiously, "I was sending messages to the other clans," Oak'Stream responded with a smile. 

I sit quietly watching as the warriors talk, "Hey Mud," I hear Twilight say as he sat next to me, "hey Twi," I smile, it has been 3 moons since Twilight and his mother Dusty'Pelt joined the clan and I was now 5 moons old, "you ready for your apprentice ceremony?" I ask, "I'm kind of nervous-" he muttered, "Don't be! The Warriors are great! I know you'll do great!" I smile, "thanks Mud," Twilight thanked me. "ALL CATS OF RIVERCLAN! FROM THE YOUNGEST KIT TO THE OLDEST ELDER, PLEASE GATHER AROUND THE WET ROCK FOR A CLAN MEETING!" Ember'Star yelled out, Twilight looks to me and I nod getting up, we sit with all the other kits, Oak'kit, Night'kit, and Amber'kit sat together snickering about something, Thistle'kit, and Dapple'kit sit near the med, Flaring'kit is sitting with the younger kits, and as me, Twilight'kit, and Moon'kit sit chatting a bit Soot'kit walks over and sits next to me, "Splattered is with Echo'paw like expected..." he mumbled, "he's got her hypnotized..." I mutter with a small hiss, "Mud you alright?" Twilight asked, "yea, I'm fine Twi," I smiled. "Today we have gathered to celebrate growth and new possibilities!" Ember'Star began, "Twilight'kit, Sandy'kit, Moon'kit, and Moss'kit please stand before me under the wet rock," they spoke as their tail flicked happily. "You have all reached the age of 6 moons old, you are all destined to become warriors for our strong clan. You will each receive a mentor who will teach you what it means to be a warrior," Ember'Star smiled, "Sandy'kit, from this day until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Sandy'paw and your mentor will be Fern'Tail, may she pass all her knowledge onto you. Moon'kit from this day until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Moon'paw and your mentor will be Lupus'Eye, may he pass all his knowledge onto you. Moss'kit from this day until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Moss'paw and your mentor will be Toad'Song, may they pass all their knowledge onto you. Twilight'kit from this day until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Twilight'paw and your mentor will be my dear sister, Wishing'Flames, may she pass all her knowledge onto you." Ember'Star nodded, the new apprentices touched noses with their mentors then sat next to them, but Twilight came back over to me, "congratulations," I whisper as he sits, "thanks," he smiled, "I wish I had more to do but that is all for this moon, Clan dismissed!" they said. I turn to Twilight, "so, you happy to get Wishing'Flames?" I ask, "yea, she's nicer than the other warriors," Twilight chuckled, "Come on Twilight'paw, it's time to start training," Wishing'Flames said as she walked over, her pelt was gorgeous, starting at her back as you went down to her paws she had orange markings in a flame like pattern, "I'll see you later Mud," Twilight smiled before padding off with Wishing'Flames, "all the apprentices are going out to train with their mentors, and the deputy is about to send apprentices less cats on patrols, so the camp will be mostly empty," Soot said with a small flick of his tail, "meeting?" I ask, I get a nod in reply from Soot. "I'll get everyone," I say standing up, "not splattered though," Soot whispers, I nod and collect everyone but Splattered who is in the nursery napping with Mother and Ember'Star. "I have noticed that Echo'paw seems to zone out frequently, a lot more lately... he talks to himself, and his negative energy is almost nauseating..." Soot said, "you don't think it's anything like my grandpa's story?" Dapple'kit asked, "I don't believe so-" Soot replied, "I feel off when I'm around him- it's like some force is telling me to get away..." Thistle says, just as Dapple goes to say something Juniper'Snow walks over, "Thistle'kit, may I talk to you?" she asked, "of course, I'll be back," she said before walking to the med den with Juniper'Snow. "Anyway- next moon we all become apprentices and Echo'paw will become a warrior..." Soot hissed a bit, "which hopefully means none of us will get him as a mentor," he finished, "hopefully..." Dapple muttered.

-total word count: 954-