Ashwing's Regret (ON HOLD)

Chapter 3

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under the High Tree for a Clan meeting." Hawkstar called from the big tree in the middle of the camp.

Ashkit sat in the nursery as her mother groomed her fur flat. Ashkit was wriggling with excitement. 

"Would you keep still, I want you to look good for your apprentice ceremony." Willowstream growled.

Ashkit looked up at her.

"I know, I just can't wait to start my training!" Ashkit frowned and looked back at where her littermates were sitting in the nest. 

She had forgotten that their apprentice ceremonies were held back because of what happened in the forest. 

Willowstream stopped grooming her and sat up. 

"There. Now make sure you don't ruffle it up because of excitement." Ashkit walked to the nursery entrance and looked. All of the cats from the clan were there. Ashkit's heart raced.

Smokefur came over and guided her over to where the cats were gathering. 

"I have gathered you all here to have one of the most important ceremonies in the clan. Ashkit has reached the age of six moons and now it is time for her to become an apprentice." Hawkstar stuck up his tail and beckoned her forward. "From this day forward until she has earned her warrior name, this apprentice will be known as Ashpaw." Hawkstar scanned the crowd and his eyes landed on a brown striped tom. "Jaywing, you will be a mentor to Ashpaw. You are a loyal warrior and you fought bravely against the fox when it attacked many moons ago. May you pass all you know down to your apprentice." Ashpaw walked over and touched noses with her mentor. 

She looked up at him. 

"I promise to try my best, I won't let you down." 

Jaywing looked down at her and smiled. "I'll take your word for it." Ashpaw looked back at they crowd as they chanted. 

"Ashpaw! Ashpaw!" Ashpaw puffed her chest out with pride as they cheered her name. 

I won't let you all down!

Ashpaw padded from the crowd as Crowpaw ran over to her. 

"I'm so glad you're finally an apprentice! Now we can probably train together." 

Ashpaw purred. "Yeah, that'd be great. I'm just upset that Featherkit and Dovekit couldn't become apprentices too." 

Crowpaw looked at her thoughtfully. "Don't worry, they'll join us pretty soon." Crowpaw bent down and licked Ashpaw's cheek. 

Ashpaw felt her cheeks get hot and licked her chest fur. Crowpaw laughed.

Ashpaw ran over to the nursery to greet her siblings. Dovekit walked over to her first. 

"I'm so proud of you. I just wish we could've become apprentices too." 

Ashpaw smiled. "I feel the same way. I'm going to miss sharing a nest with you all." 

Featherkit walked over and flattened his ears. "I'm going to miss you. It's going to feel empty in the nest without you." 

Ashpaw leaned over and touched her nose to his cheek, and then to Dovekit's. 

"I'll miss you all."

"Ashpaw!" 

Ashpaw looked over as she heard her name being called. 

She saw Jaywing standing at the entrance of the heather barrier with Crowpaw and his mentor Ravenwhisker. Ashpaw ran over and stopped just as she was about to run into Crowpaw. Ashpaw blushed and then looked up at Jaywing.