A Spark in the Night, part one: The Spark Ignites

Chapter sixteen

"Heatherkit!" Softcloud heard Shiningkit yowl to her close friend, who was about two moons younger than she was. "Today's my apprentice ceremony!" Softcloud dropped the prey she'd caught onto the fresh-kill pile and padded over to watch the kits. She smiled as Heatherkit stood wide-eyed. "But the apprentices tease you!! They say that you're a filthy rouge and that you'll betray the Clan."

Shiningkit looked at her paws. "You're right. What if they hate me?"

Softcloud padded towards the kits. "Shiningkit, everyone is going to love having you as a denmate! I wish I could sleep in your den." she meowed comfortingly.

As Shiningkit brightened, Emberstar summoned the Clan.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting." he mewed commandingly.

When the Clan had gathered, he began. "We have a kit in the Clan who has come of age." he meowed. "Shiningkit, please step forward."

Shiningkit began to scramble towards the Meeting Rock, but halfway through, she stopped, stuck her nose in the air just enough to look dignified, and kept walking, more slowly. Emberstar watched as she approached. "Shiningkit, it is time for you to become an apprentice. From this moment on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Shiningpaw." He looked up. "Softcloud, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have fought hard, and hunted brilliantly. I hope you will pass on these skills to your apprentice, Shiningpaw."

The Clan had chanted Shiningpaw's new name almost hesitantly, Softcloud remembered. But Shiningpaw hadn't seemed to notice, and Softcloud didn't want to dampen the young she-cat's spirits, and besides, the cats who had doubted the apprentice would be proved wrong when the two returned to camp; it was only her first training session, and Shiningpaw had caught a mouse, with almost no help at all from Softcloud, before much passed sunhigh.

Shiningpaw was padding back towards her mentor, with the mouse they'd caught. As she was burying it, Softcloud looked at her. "Okay, I think it's time to head back, you need to rest so you have energy tomorrow."

Shiningpaw frowned. "Aww, okay."

As they headed back to camp and dropped their prey on the pile, Raindew looked at the prey they had caught, and then Shiningpaw's proud expression, then back at the prey. "Did Shiningpaw catch something?" he asked.

Softcloud smiled. "The mouse."

Raindew nodded. "She's bound to be a great hunter," he mewed warmly. Shiningpaw beamed.