Choice - warrior cats fanfic

Chapter Three

"My paws are bigger! Mine are definitely bigger!" Strawkit squealed, giving Acornkit a whack on the face with his wildly waving tail.

"That just means you'll be more clumsy in battle because your paws are so big and heavy," Acornkit shot back, glaring at her brother and batting away his tail.

Strawkit ignored her.

"I'm going to be just like Fernfur when I grow up! Or even better, Goldpelt! He's the deputy." He leaned forward, his voice turning to a whisper. "But maybe Fernfur is better than Goldpelt because Goldpelt has a big nasty scar on his back. I wouldn't want that."

Acornkit raked her claws across the ground restlessly.

"But I think scars look kind of cool. What if I got a big one on my shoulder from this super dangerous battle I won? Or wait, what about a torn ear? I would look so scary!"

"I want a scar too!" Cherrykit chimed in, bounding away from Drystreak and joining the siblings, her red-brown fur shining neatly, indicating that Drystreak had just cleaned her.

"Kits! Now is not the time to be worrying about scars. You have an apprentice ceremony to get ready for!"

The familiar, stern voice was Fernfur, their father. His short silver coat was sleek, gleaming in the pale Leaf-bare sunlight. It appeared that he wanted to look just as clean as if he was having a ceremony himself today.

Four moons had gone by quickly, although it was packed with many events. Sickness had arrived early, causing a senior warrior, Falcontooth, to pass away from Greencough. Another warrior, Sleetpath, was currently sick in the medicine den with Yellowcough.

However, the four moons were not just tragedies. Beetlepaw had been made a warrior early and was now known as Beetlepelt. Pigeonpaw and Brookpaw, two apprentices training to be permanent queens, had earned their full names and were now Pigeonsilk and Brookdaisy. Along with that, Brownpaw, who was training to be a mediator, had become Brownsnout.

"Why do we have to look super clean?" Strawkit complained. "It's a ceremony, no one is going to remember!"

Fernfur held a sharp gaze with Strawkit.

"Cats will remember if you look like you just walked out of a badger den for your ceremony! Now come here!"

"Nooooo!" Strawkit squealed, hiding behind Acornkit. "My pelt looks fine!"

All of a sudden, a loud yowl rang across the camp.

"Let all cats old enough to lurk in the shadows gather around Shade Rock for a clan meeting!"

"That's Lakestar!" Cherrykit mewed, voice high-pitched with awe. "Our ceremony is happening right now!"

Drystreak rushed over, her gaze lit with panic. She sprang for the nearest kit, Cherrykit, and began to clean her pelt fiercely, completely ignoring the fact that she had already groomed her pelt several moments ago. Cherrykit let out a wail of protest, wriggling away from Drystreak.

Fernfur sighed, resting his tail on Drystreak's shoulder.

"They'll be fine," he murmured. "What's more important is the fact that this is a very special day for them. All of us. We get to see our kits grow up."

Drytreak's eyes were bright with emotion, although she gave a slight nod, her chest heaving a weary sigh.

By the time they padded to the center of the clearing, the clan seemed to have already gathered. Lakestar was seated on the top of Shade Rock, her white-gray speckled pelt blending in with the frosty hues of Leaf-bare, and eyes shining with the light of Greenleaf sunshine. Sitting on the cluster of boulders a little below her was Goldpelt, the deputy. Around the boulders were Shrikestripe and Chasingfur, seated closely. The mediators sat in their little group, which included Goldennewt, Hazyfall, and Brownsnout. Finally, Honeypelt and Chaffinchflare were seated closely together, while Sleetpath poked her head out of the medicine den, eyes weary with sickness.