Warrior Cats: Cleardawn's Silence #Wattys2016 [Book ONE]

Chapter 10

A couple of moons have passed since the horrid death of my mother. I haven't been myself lately, and neither has my siblings. We've all been quiet and distant.
Since then Lilyflower has been taking care of us. She's very gentle and considerate, but she could never replace Snowfall...

Glancing up from my thoughts, I watched from the nursery as warriors passed by, padding up to the deputy's rock. Sighing, I turned my head away.
My apprentice ceremony could be any day now, and I wasn't as excited as I should be.
I wish Snowfall could be with me and watch me become a warrior, but it was all in my head now.
Getting to my paws, I strolled out of the nursery. Paw steps behind me alerted me someone was following, and the lingering scent of Reedkit washed over me.
I ignored him, and kept walking. I was padding towards Sandpatch.
The scurrying of paws behind me stopped. I sighed, and turned around.
"What do you want Reedkit?" I hissed, my fur bristling. The black kit's ears flattened. "I just wanted to see it you were alright, and to tell you that Lilyflower is planning on talking to Flamestar about our ceremonies happening today at sunhigh." I snorted. "Great." I meowed, and bolted back around.
Stalking towards my father, I curled my lip in anger as I saw him happily talking to Hawksoar. I came up to him, and scowled softly.
His gaze shifted towards me, annoyance flashed across his face, but quickly faded away and a smile was plastered on his face.
I growled. "You think this is some happy place now?" I hissed, anger seeping through my blood. Sandpatch's smile almost instantly disappeared, and he flicked his tail to dismiss Hawksoar.
The tom glanced at me, and he chuckled and shook his head. "Kits." I heard him mumble.
I didn't care what he thought about my reaction. I was mad.
"I know what you did." I whispered threateningly. Sandpatch rolled his eyes a chuckled sarcastically. "What could I have possibly do that would make you so uncheerful?" He snarled quietly, eyes demanding.
I held my ground, digging my claws in the soil. "You killed Snowfall..." I whispered, so quietly Sandpatch had to lean in to hear what I was saying.
His eyes widened, and he seemed to be purely shocked. Great acting, foxheart. I thought to myself, wishing I was big enough to claw him to shreds.
He shook his head. "What? Why would you ever think that?" I laughed angrily and sarcastically, my small form twice its side with my fur bristling all over the place.
"Don't what me!" I hissed, unsheathing my tiny claws, trying to seem like a dangerous warrior. I failed though, for Sandpatch didn't have a glint of fear in his eyes.
"I'm a very respected warrior of FlameClan, got it?" He started, eyes gleaming. "I would never do such a thing, and I don't want to be sassed around by a small, weak kit!" He hissed.
Flattening my ears, I contained myself from pouncing.
What a jerk... I thought, anger surging through me. Scoffing, I padded away from him, and heard a satisfied grunt come from the ginger tom.
I ignored it, and walked towards Reedkit. He looked at me with a sense of fear, and I sighed. "Sorry for yelling at you earlier." I meowed half-heartedly. The dark kit shrugged. "No worries."
I inhaled a deep breath, and started to pad back to the nursery, when I heard to broad voice of Flamestar echo around the camp. Pausing, I looked up. He was standing on the Pointed Ledge.
The Pointed Ledge was a giant boulder that was sideways with a kind of platform for Flamestar. It had ledges sticking out of the sides, making it easy to get up and down.
I knew what was coming, and I still wasn't excited.
I could hear the squeal of Stormkit and Reedkit, and I chuckled. Glancing around for Featherkit and Dustkit, I saw them eagerly muttering in a small huddle.
I joined them. They smiled half-heartedly at me. I knew they felt the same way, from the way their was bags under their eyes and their fur seemed to sticking out in tufts.
We both padded up in front of the Pointed Ledge, looking up and sitting next to Stormkit and Reedkit. Lilyflower eagerly darted towards us, licking us with careful us and making our fur gleam in the sunlight. She stared proudly at us, and I was sort of surprised she seemed to show love for me and my littermates.
"We gather here today to make five new apprentices." Flamestar meowed, and I could hear the soft cheers of my Clan mates.
Flamestar flicked his tail for us to come up with him, and he stared at me like I was a cat from StarClan.
I padded up onto the Pointed Ledge boldly, the kits eagerly padding up behind me. We sat down in a line, and I went to the back to be appointed last.
Dustkit was first, and he looked at me and Featherkit, his eyes shining now.
This time, I actually smiled full-heartedly. I needed to be a good sport for my friends.
"Dustkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Dustpaw. Your mentor will be Redeye. I hope Redeye will pass down all he knows on to you."
Flamestar called up Redeye, and the warrior seemed shocked, but he obeyed and swiftly made his way up the rock.
"Redeye, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have recieved excellent training from Jumpingjay, and you have shown yourself to be brave and determined. You will be the mentor of Dustpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him."
Redeye dipped his head, eyes shining with pride as he touched noses with his new apprentice. I purred with delight seeing my brother padding down the Pointed Ledge, now officially an apprentice.
Featherkit was next.
She padded up to Flamestar so their fur was brushing.
"Featherpaw, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Featherpaw. Your mentor will be Hawksoar. I hope he will pass down all he knows on to you."
Flamestar called Hawksoar, but the bold warrior was already padding up the boulder, eagerness spread across the warrior's face, and he swiftly bounded up and faced Featherpaw.
"Hawksoar, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have recieved excellent training from me, and you have shown yourself to be loyal and courageous. You will be the mentor of Featherpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her."
They touched noses, and I watched my sister happily trotting down the boulder, her grief and anger seemed to have been forgotten.
Now it was Reedkit's turn.
The kit seemed as if he was about to burst out of his fur in excitement and he held his chin up and his blue eyes shined.
"Reedkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Reedpaw. Your mentor will be Tigerflower. I hope she will pass down all she knows on to you."
Flamestar opened his mouth, but Tigerflower was powerfully and calmly padding up the Pointed Ledge, her eyes shining.
"Tigerflower, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have recieved excellent training from Fallenheart, and you have shown yourself to be hardworking and caring. You will be the mentor of Reedpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him."
The broad-shouldered she-cat nodded and smiled at her leader with thanks, as she gently touched noses with her new apprentice. They made their way down the Pointed Ledge, and towards the new apprentices and their mentors.
Stormkit... Then me. My stomach churned with nervousness as I shuffled my paws, watching Stormkit boasting in eagerness and enthusiasm.
Lionclaw dipped his eyes, coming up to Stormpaw calmly, while the new apprentice touched noses with his mentor. They climbed down the tall rock.
I gulped, knowing it was now my turn. I hesitantly padded towards Flamestar, looking down at the cats below me.
So many... I thought, puffing out my chest slightly in confidence. I sat next to Flamestar, and he looked at me with a glint of pride in his eyes.
"Stormkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Stormpaw. Your mentor will be Lionclaw. I hope he will pass down all he knows on to you."
Flamestar didn't need to say his name twice, for the golden tom was already gracefully making his way up the steps, his muscles tensing as he walked.
"Lionclaw, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have recieved excellent training from Darkgaze, and you have shown yourself to be swift and strong. You will be the mentor of Stormpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him."
"Clearkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Clearpaw. I will be your mentor. I know I will pass down all I know on to you."
I stared up at him, and we seemed to send a message just between our gaze. I knew exactly why he wanted to mentor me, and I didn't need to think of it twice.
I touched my nose to his, hesitated before padding back down, sharing a quick glance with him, before bounding down the rock.
Everyone was silent as they stared in shock, glancing at Flamestar, then to me. Dustkit's mouth was dropped open, and I could tell he was fuming in jealousy.
Sitting down next to Stormpaw and Lionclaw, the golden tom glanced down at me and dipped his head.
"Dustpaw! Dustpaw! Dustpaw!" "Featherpaw! Featherpaw! Featherpaw!" "Reedpaw! Reedpaw! Reedpaw!" "Stormpaw! Stormpaw! Stormpaw!" "Clearpaw! Clearpaw! Clearpaw!"
The Clan cheered, yowling our names with enthusiasm.
I purred happily, relieved that I was finally an apprentice. Flamestar watched his Clan as they gathered around the apprentices and their mentors, his gaze shifting to me.
I stared up at him, ignoring the rambling cats around me.

This will be an interesting journey.

(A/N: Thanks for reading! Please remember to vote and comment for this story! Share it with your friends if they would like this kind of book! Thanks for your support! ~Batman)

(Note: I don't know what happened with the chapter when I posted it before, that was fairly odd. I completed it and I guess it deleted the part I wrote. Oh well)