Adderkit pounced on a leaf and bit it. "Adderkit!" Her foster mother Moonheart scolded. Adderkit looked up at her, startled.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather here beneath the highrock for a clan meeting!" Ravenstar yowled from the clearing. Adderkit looked up at her father. Moonheart lapped at her pelt furiously to clean the dust off. "There are two kits that have been with us for six moons now and are ready to be made apprentices. Adderkit. Windkit. Please step forward.
Adderkit bounced happily to the base of the rock. Windkit padded slowly to her side, head down. Adderkit elbowed her and she looked up at her father. "Adderkit, from this moment on until you've earned your warrior name you will be known as Adderpaw. Your mentor will be..." He stared around the clan and locked his gaze with Thrushstripe. "Thrushstripe." He said and Thrushstripe padded over and touched noses with Adderpaw. "Windkit. Until you earn your warrior name you will be known as Windpaw. And your mentor will be Fawnleap." He said.
Fawnleap padded over and touched her nose to Windpaws. Ravenstar leapt down from the massive grey stone and flicked his tail to dismiss the clan. He turned and padded through the lichen into the den. Adderpaw stretched and yawned. "I made you a nest already." Blackpaw meowed to Windpaw and led her into the den. "I made you one." Hawkpaw said. His mew startled her. She spun around. The the tabby was sitting behind her his sleek pelt glistened in the light of the moon.
"Thanks." She said and touched his muzzle with hers. She turned around and padded into the den. From the sound of the pawsteps Hawkpaw wasn't far behind. Adderpaw sniffed the empty nests. Hers was right next to Hawkpaws and Blackpaws. She curled into her nest as Hawkpaw came in. "Like it?" Hawkpaw asked. "Yes." She mewed softly drifting off to sleep.
***********
"Nice, but you should lower your tail more." Thrushstripe instructed lowering it with his paw. Adderpaw was learning to hunt. "That's great! Your excelling fast." He purred. It was a quarter moon since she moved to the apprentices' den. Thrushstripe was a nice mentor and he pressed her to be a good warrior.
She crouched low her tail hovering above the ground. She lowered her head more and crept slowly towards Thrushstripe. "Perfect!" He meowed excitedly. "Thanks." She said quietly not wanting him to make her sound perfect in front of Hawkpaw. He watched her as she stalked a mouse scuffling about on the roots of a pine tree. She flattened her ears and pounced biting the mouses neck. "Nice catch!" Hawkpaw purred. "Thanks." Adderpaw said feeling her ears grow hot with embarrassment.
