Mutatio

Chapter 5 NightSky

I had thought it was going to be me. I all honesty, I had thought that I was going to be FlamePup's mentor. Or I guess I should say FlamePaw now. His induction into apprenticeship took place early in the morning. The entire pack gathered around the Alpha's tree, where FlamePup and he sat as Alpha spoke the words spoken at every induction for every Wolf Mutatio in the world. FlamePup became FlamePaw, and it was time for him to be given a mentor. The entire pack held there breath, even though we all knew the mentor had been approached the night before, so we knew that it wasn't us. That had surprised me. I didn't exactly want to become a mentor, not with FrostDapple missing and all, but I had suspected that that was why Alpha wanted me to help out at the nursery. Was there some other reason besides keeping my mind off of FrostDapple?

"Will the new mentor of FlamePaw please step foward?" Alpha called, his voice booming across the camp. To my surprise, MistTail got to her paws and walked forward. She crouched down in front of Alpha and FlamePaw, her head ducked. "Do you, MistTail, swear to teach FlamePaw the ways of the Delta to your fullest capability, so that he may take your place when the time comes?" Alpha questioned.

"I swear." MistTail's voice was firm as she pledged herself to the training of FlamePaw. I smiled at my friend as the ceremony finished up. FlamePaw looked almost ready to pass out as he stumbled off the rock and into his group of friends. I noticed that TearPaw stayed away from the group of apprentices and pups that were crowding FlamePaw. Enemies were bad, but they were even worse when they were in the same pack. In a Mutatio pack, you had to be able to trust every single Mutatio with your life. I even trusted OakBite, and that was saying something. I ran up to MistTail and rubbed my muzzle against hers.

"Oh, I am so happy for you!" I exclaimed. MistTail blinked, like she was in shock.

"Thanks, NightSky. I...I was so surprised when Alpha came up to me. I forgot that Delta's get apprentices too, I guess. I could have sworn that he'd pick either you or ShadowChirp." She admitted. I smirked.

"I thought so too. It's too bad you and QuickStep can't train your apprentices together. You could coordinate hunting and fighting sessions." I teased. MistTail rolled her eyes at me. Just then, QuickStep ran up to us. "Well, speak of the devil..." I laughed.

"You were talking about me?" QuickStep asked. MistTail smirked.

"We're always talking about you, QuickStep." She teased. QuickStep tossed his fur and wriggled his eyebrows.

"Is it because of how good-looking I am?" MistTail and I both laughed. It felt good to be with MistTail again. The ache of loss in my heart wasn't as bad now that she was back.

"Of all the Mutatio in camp, you had to be my Socius!" MistTail joked. QuickStep head-butt her playfully.

"Hey!" He laughed indignantly. I rolled my eyes at them and left to go find FlamePaw. He was sitting in one of the back corners of camp, looking up at the sky, a distant look in his electric blue eyes.

"FlamePaw, are you alright?" I asked. He didn't react. I cleared my throat and he blinked, looking at me, startled.

"Oh, I'm sorry, NightSky, I guess I'm just not used to hearing FlamePaw yet." He apolgoized, bowing his head to me. I smirked and sat down beside him. I nudged him with my nose.

"You excited about being an apprentice?" I wondered. He nodded, but his eyes lacked the same light they had had before. "You don't even know what a Delta is, do you?" I speculated. FlamePaw immediately turned defensive.

"I know what a Delta is! It's just..." He trailed off, looking at his paws again. "I thought it was going to be you. I thought that I was going to be training to be an Eta." I sighed and rubbed his small head with my muzzle.

"I thought so too, FlamePaw. I honestly did. I thought that's why Alpha had me helping out with the nursery, to get to know you, or to see how we worked together or something. I don't know..." I admitted, tucking my paws under myself and laying down. FlamePaw looked up at me.

"NightSky?" He asked hesitantly. I twitched an ear to tell him to continue. "I don't think Delta is a very good position for me. I mean...they help keep the peace, right? But...you can't tell me that I won't get into a fight with another pack! What if I start a war? What if I put the entire pack at risk? Why can't I be like the other apprentices, and learn to hunt and fight and defend the pack? I'm not even that fast of a runner!" He exclaimed. I couldn't help but giggle slightly. FlamePaw got to his paws, indignant. "Stop laughing! I'm serious!" He cried. I hushed him gently and touched my tail to his nose.

"FlamePaw, you have nothing to worry about. I know that you will be amazing at whatever you do, okay? And MistTail is an awesome teacher! She'll have you running laps in no time!" I assured him. FlamePaw pursed his lips but said nothing more. Just then, there was a shout.

"Hey, FlamePaw! Come here!" I twitched an ear and smirked at FlamePaw.

"That's MistTail. You'd better hurry up. Don't want to keep your mentor waiting!" I laughed as FlamePaw ran to MistTail, his tail high, his ears perked. FlamePaw followed MistTail out of the camp and I smiled. MistTail was the perfect mentor for FlamePaw.

"Hey, NightSky! Can I speak with you for a moment?" It was WaterStone. She was standing outside her den, watching me from afar. I nodded and got to my feet, then padded over to WaterStone.

"What's up, WaterStone?" I wondered. She smiled warmly at me.

"I see that you and FlamePaw have grown rather close." She noted. I nodded, smiling at the thought of the head-strong apprentice. "Do you wish that you had been his mentor?" I shrugged.

"MistTail's the better fit, but I have to admit that I thought it was going to be me." I said for what had to be the fifth time that day. WaterStone nodded slowly before turning around and entering her den. I followed her in. Soft, grass-filled, bowl-like dips in the ground lined the walls, three on either side of the walkway. Behind a curtain of moss was the herb storage and WaterStone's bed. I sat by the entrance while WaterStone began to sort through her herbs, tossing aside the ones that were no longer good.

"You were Alpha's first choice, you know." WaterStone said. I raised my eyebrows.

"Really? What makes you think so?" I inquired. WaterStone laughed shortly.

"It's the job of the Theta to make sure the Mentor is healthy. Alpha consults me and Beta before making a decision. If the mentor has a medical condition, they are unable to train a pup until the condition has passed. So when he asked about you, I had to say no." I furrowed my eyebrows, then growled slightly.

"If you're referring to my 'obsession' with finding my sister..." I warned. WaterStone laughed again.

"Oh no no no! That's not a medical condition, sweetie, that's normal for someone in your position." She assured me. I covered my paws with my tail, suddenly worried.

"Then...what's my medical condition?" I asked hesitantly. WaterStone turned around and looked at me. She smiled, a hint of pity in her eyes.

"I think you already know."