Overshadowed

Apprenticeship

Chapter 2

Graykit stretched, trembling and feeling relieved. Robinstar kept her promise, and she had seen little Feathermist; and only saw Moonkit if they went out for fresh-kill or to hunt or play. Graykit hopped with excitement, she was more than six moons old, getting in trouble with the others and having to wait an extra moon, she would have her apprentice ceremony at sun-high. Frostheart was curled around her, his thick fur making her hot and uncomfortable, even though Leaf-bare was drawing near. She scrambled out of the den, feeling relieved as the chilly air blew through her fur. It was almost sun-high, she could tell, even though the sky was covered by clouds. She saw Moonkit squeal with delight as a snowflake fell in front of her. Suddenly, the white flakes fell through the air, landing of the camp's floor. Soon, there was a light cover of snow of the ground, but the snow stopped soon, and it left Moonkit throwing up clumps at her friends, Bramblekit and Ivykit.

Snakekit might as well have been her only friend, but her father, two warriors, and the medicine cats, Darkflower and Graceflower all liked her, but no one else. She was busy grooming down her gray fur, wincing as she drew her paw over the ragged ear. She had earned a few scars during her kithood, a scratch marks on her forehead for accidentally bumping into Feathermist, and a scar from Firestorm, a grumpy senior warrior, on her front leg. She looked up as Robinstar yowled, "All cats old enough to climb and swim, gather beneath the Skyrock for a Clan Meeting!" The Clan gathered forward, and she felt the other kits standing beside her, all fidgeting with excitement. She noticed her father watching her in concern, and assumed her eyes still had the dull look in them, as they always had.

Robinstar yowled, "Moonkit, Graykit, Snakekit, Ivykit, and Bramblekit have all reached their sixth moon and are ready for apprenticeship. Moonkit, until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Moonpaw, I will mentor you." Graykit scoffed at the look of joy in her sister's eyes. Robinstar continued, "Graykit, until you earn your warrior name you shall be known as Graypaw! Frostheart, I know you are her father, but you have the courage and strength to teach Graypaw!" Robinstar continued the ceremony until there was also Bramblepaw, Ivypaw, and Snakepaw, whose mentors were Blackstream, Dovefeather, and Rowanflame.

The clan started to cheer, "Moonpaw! Graypaw! Bramblepaw! Ivypaw! Snakepaw!"

Robinstar gathered them and headed toward the vines at the edge of the camp. Graypaw was grateful for her short, dense fur that didn't clump up the snow like with Moonpaw's fur. Frostheart told them, "The vines are here to see how far you can scratch, and there are pieces of bark to see how deep you can bite." Graypaw nodded, unsheathing her long, hooked claws. They went from tallest to shortest, Graypaw being last. Moonpaw look both tests, a smug look on her face as all the others couldn't beat her score. But she threw a fit when Snakepaw beat her. Soon, it was Graypaw's turn. Moonpaw sneered in her ear, "Good luck beating me, crowfood!" Glaring at Moonpaw, she turned away. Taking in a breath, and unsheathed her hooked claws. Focusing all her anger in a blow, she cut cleanly and neatly with a hard strike to the vine, cutting it cleanly off its other part. Moonpaw yowled defiantly, "That's not fair! She's stronger than me, not fair. Not fair!" Graypaw growled, shutting out Moonpaw's complaints and yowls. She took the next test, how far she could bite into the bark. She passed with flying colors, cleanly biting the chunk of thick wood off, just like the vine. This caused Moonpaw to get even angrier, she threw a curse at Graypaw, but Graypaw didn't respond, and let Frostheart calculate the results.

Frostheart nodded as Robinstar whispered in his ear, "First, Graypaw! Second, Snakepaw! Third, Moonpaw! Fourth, Ivypaw! Fifth, Bramblepaw!" Moonpaw screeched defiantly, lunging at Graypaw with her claws unsheathed. Graypaw stood still as Moonpaw nicked her ears multiple times over, snarling curses. Suddenly, Graypaw raised a paw and threw Moonpaw down, her muzzle twisted in a snarl.