The New Light of Hope: Books I to VI.

Chapter V: Receiving Apprentices.

Amethyst:

Date: August 5, 2020.

Today was the day Juniper and Dandelion were to be made into apprentices and I would be named their second trainer to help them with moving on from there past and to turn them into better animals than their father knowing about what he did prior to that. But I would spend the majority of my day mixed with seriousness and a good amount of excitement yet worry as to what everything was going to like when the ceremony came.
…
The afternoon came and I could see Chief DoveFeather climbing the Leader's Rock with Fierce pounce following behind her and I could hear her say: "Animals young and old, gather around!" Then everyone, including LittleFern, Juniper, and Dandelion, came into the front of the rock to listen to what their leader had to say. "Today, we welcome two new apprentices into this Division. Two who have been through a lot as of recently and two who I know will serve this Division well with all their hearts." She said, scanning the crowd before laying eyes on the two cubs. "Juniper. Dandelion, step forward." The two began making their way to the front to meet Chief DoveFeather and as they did, I could looks of distrust, dissatisfaction, disapproval, and downcast on the two as they made their way to the front to meet with their leader, the animal that they have kown since the day they had opened their eyes for the very first time ever since their mother had given birth to them in March of that same, hellish year that we called 2020. "Juniper and Dandelion, both of you have been with us for five months now and as tradition goes, it is time for the both of you to become apprentices. I have talked with the both of you just the month before to find out what the both of you wished to be when the day of your apprentice ceremony came and I can clearly recall that you, Juniper, wish to train to become a fighter. And you, Dandelion, wished to train to become a hunter. Is that correct?"

Dandelion: "Yes, Chief DoveFeather. It is."

Chief DoveFeather: "Very well then. OnyxFur and YarrowClaw, come foward."

As such, the two came up to the front to meet their leader. "OnyxFur, you have proven yourself to be a well respected fighter for the Shade Hunters Division and a loyal one too. And that is why I trust you with training Juniper to become a fighter to protect this Division just like you and the rest of the fighter here and the ones before your time had done for all of us."

OnyxFur: "You can count on me, Chief DoveFeather."

Chief DoveFeather: "And YarrowClaw, I know that you are the most well-known hunter of this Division, you are calm, respectful, patient with others around you, and you have mastered a lot in your hunting skills within the past few years. Which is why I give you Dandelion to be your apprentice, for I know that you will teach her everything that you know."

YarrowClaw: "You can count on me, Chief DoveFeather."

Then they touched noses with their trainers and Chief DoveFeather continued: "But that does not conclude this meeting just yet. Juniper and Dandelion, both of you will be given a second trainer. Your second trainer will be Amethyst. Amethyst, step forward."

I did exactly as she told me and came up to the front to meet her, FiercePounce, Juniper, Dandelion, OnyxFur, and YarrowClaw where she went on to say: "Amethyst, you and I and everyone here all know what happened just one week ago with BlueTuft to which everyone learned about what he had done and since then, the two have never been the same."

Amethyst: "Yes,Chief DoveFeather, I am sure that the entire forest has heard about what he has done by this point and it's anough to see that these have continuously been looked down upon ever since that day just for who their father is and what he had done to all of us before hand; they have been judged for being related to him by blood and nothing more than that and their has also been judged for being mates with him and has tried her best to shelter the two away from everyone's criticism, harsh words, snarky comments, and nasty, bitter remarks about them even when their backs are turned."

Chief DoveFeather: "Correct, and that is why I am given you the honor of becoming the second trainer both of these apprentices until the day their completion ceremony arrives. Are you ready to take on this responsibility? Because I can assure you, it's a big one."

Amethyst: "I am, Chief DoveFeather."

Chief DoveFeather: "Very well then. Amethyst, I hereby name you the second trainer of Juniper and Dandelion. This is meeting is now dismissed and starting tomorrow, these two will began their training. And one more thing: I do not want to hear any sort of hate or resentment towards these two young apprentices when they haven't even had the chance to contribute to this Division just yet. And if I do catch anyone doing just that, then I will resign you from your current position and devote you to a much more lower one."

There was comment there, just silence. But everyone understood what she meant and so from there, everyone left and I was left knowing that tomorrow, I would begin training Juniper and Dandelion alongside OnyxFur and YarrowStem and to prove to everyone that what they said about them was all wrong even if they were in denial about it.