Songbird's Future: A Life With Sage And Dove

Chapter Eight

It had been moons since Graypool's death, and FireClan was getting ready for it's first apprentice ceremony. All the kits were ready to become apprentices, even though Songbird's were a bit small.

"Good morning, FireClan." Sagestar said proudly.

"Today, Five cats will become apprentices."

"Aren't you really excited, Smokekit?" Smokekit heard his sister, Mintkit's, voice.

"I would be." Smokekit said nervously.

"But all these cats keep looking at me.. They're scary."

"They are our clan-mates, Smokekit." Snowkit mewed.

"They care about us." She finished.

"But they're all looking at my-" Suddenly, Songbird burst through her kits.

"There they are! Are you ready, my kits?" She smiled.

"Of course, Songbird!" Mintkit squeeled. Songbird smiled, and climbed the tree to be next to Sagestar.

"Do you not remember the way our mother felt?" Smokekit asked.

"What do you mean?" Snowkit asked.

"Even now, you can feel the grief pulsing off her." Smokekit said, his purple eye glowing.

"You're being weird, Smokekit." Snowkit stated.

And finally, the three kits quieted down, for it was time for Graykit's ceremony.

"Graykit." Graykit looked up at Sagestar.

"You have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your medicine cat name, you will be known as Graypaw. Your mentor will be Songbird. I hope Songbird will pass down all she knows on to you." Songbird leaped off the tree, and touched noses with Graykit.

"Songbird, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Graypool, and you have shown yourself to be skilled and quick if you need be. You will be the mentor of Graykit, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Graykit." Songbird nodded, as Graypaw went over to his brother and mother.

"Blackkit." Blackkit looked up at Sagestar.

"You have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Blackpaw." Sagestar looked at the group of cats below him, and continued.

"Spiderfang, you have shown yourself to be a skilled fighter. You will be the mentor of Blackpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Blackpaw." Spiderfang and Blackpaw touched noses, then sat together to watch the other ceremonies.

"Mintkit."

Mintkit excitedly bounded over, and looked at her father and leader.

"You have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Mintpaw. You will be mentored by Shyfoot, for you both have the traits to be great hunters." Mintpaw came over and Shyfoot, of course, shyly touched noses with Mintkit.

"Snowkit."

"You have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Snowpaw. Your mentor will be Dovefrost. I hope Dovefrost will pass down all she knows on to you." Snowpaw walked over and refused to touch noses with Dovefrost. Dovefrost looked saddened, but Snowpaw ignored it.

"And finally.. Smokekit."

"Lucky last, huh?" Smokekit thought to himself, slightly annoyed.

"You have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Smokepaw. Your mentor will be me." Gasps came from the crowd of cats below Sagestar.

"Finally, as a last announcement.." He paused, looking at the crowd.

"I say these words before StarClan, so that the spirits of our warrior ancestors may hear and approve of my choice. The new deputy of FireClan is Blazeclaw." Blazeclaw's jaw dropped.

"You've been a great warrior, you're strongly built and a great fighter. You are not the best hunter, but I approve of how you use your strength and intelligence." The leader nodded.

"Apprentices' training will start tomorrow. Get a good night's rest, everyone."