Dappled Shadows

Chapter Four

Dapplekit and her siblings stood in front of Tornstar, their eyes glowing in excitement.  He turned to Shadowkit first. 

"Shadowkit, you have reached the age of six moons and it is time for you to be apprenticed.  From this day on until you earn your warrior name you will be known as Shadowpaw.  Your mentor will be Amberwind.  I hope Amberwind passed down all she knows to you." Tornstar meowed.

Shadowkit looked about ready to burst with pride. 

"Amberwind, you are ready to take on an apprentice.  You have received excellent training from Mistywing and have shown yourself to be a strong and capable warrior.  You will be Shadowpaw's mentor and I expect you to pass down all you know to Shadowpaw." Amberwind looked almost as proud as her new apprentice. 

Amberwind and Shadowpaw touched noses as Tornstar turned to Dapplekit. 

I wonder who my mentor will be, Dapplekit wondered, shaking in excitement. 

"Dapplekit you have reached the age of six moons and it is time for you to be apprenticed.  From this day on until you earn your warrior name you will be known as Dapplepaw.  Your mentor will be Blazeheart.  I hope he passes down everything he knows to you." 

Blazeheart is an incredible warrior! Dapplekit purred to herself as Blazeheart looked at her happily. 

"Blazeheart you have received incredible training from Hailstorm and I expect you to train Dapplepaw as well as he has trained you.  Blazeheart has proved himself a brave warrior and an excellent fighter and I expect you to pass down all you know to Dapplepaw."

Dapplepaw touched noses with Blazeheart.
She watched as her sister was made an apprentice and loved the attention she got from the Clan as they cheered their names. 

After the ceremony Blazeheart bounded over to her.  "It's getting late.  I'll come get you for the Dawn Patrol and maybe some hunting practice if you're not to tired." he meowed. 

"I can't wait!" she purred as she trotted over to the apprentice's den.

"Wake up Dapplepaw it's time to get up for Dawn Patrol," Flowerpaw's soft meow came from outside the den. 

"Are you coming with me?" Dapplepaw questioned between licks as she groomed flecks of moss out of her dark ginger fur. 

"No. Flowerpaw and I are cleaning the dens." Shadowpaw snarled as she stalked out of the den. 

"Who made dirt in her fresh-kill?" Dapplepaw questioned staring at her sister carried as she clumps of soiled moss out of the nursery. 

"She's just jealous you're going out." Flowerpaw meowed bounding off to join her sister.

***

"And that's the lake." Blazeheart meowed confidently as he bounded down the shore. 

"Wow!  It's huge!" Dapplepaw gasped, staring at the huge body of shimmering water.

"I was as shocked at you when I first saw it." he purred.  Suddenly a fish leapt out of the water and jumped back in with a huge splash. 

"Wow, will I ever learn to catch fish?" Dapplepaw meowed in awe as the droplets of water settled into the lake. 

"RiverClan hunt the fish," Blazeheart purred in amusement. 

"Okay," Dapplepaw mewed absentmindedly.  She was mesmerized by all of the different shades of green in the forest. 

I'm so lucky to have been born in ThunderClan, Dapplepaw thought. It's the best Clan ever.