Rise of the Prides: The Untold Truth

Chapter 1

A small kit stood in front of the nursery, nervously shifting his weight. He unsheathed his claw digging the earth beneath him. Realizing that he was getting his paws dirty, he then sheathed them again and dusted them off.

Now what? He asked himself, my stomach began to churn as he thought about his apprentice ceremony, which just moments away. What if I'm not ready?

" What's wrong, Echokit?" I turned around to find the white queen with brown patches on her looking at me with caring eyes. " Aren't you excited for today?" she asked. I turned away from her. My paws shivering with nerves. The cat nudged him softly from behind. Turning around, he saw his father.

" Silverwind!" he gasped. The silver white furred cat brushed his head on the kit's. " I'm slightly nervous" he whimpered. The tom looked at him with a strong but kind gaze.

" There's nothing to be afraid of. Remember Whitekit is also going to become an apprentice like you. StarClan will help you and soon someone else will." he stated walking away. I turned around, confused by his words.

Did mean my new mentor, or did he mean something else. Echokit thought.

" Hey, Echokit!! Are you excited?!" I spun around in total surprise. A small white she-cat ran and hopped with excitement around me. " Don't you want to know who's going to be your mentor. I hope it's someone fun, and strong. Not someone dark like Dustpelt. Maybe I'll get SilverWind, he's awesome, and cute." she chirped. I looked at her.

" Umm..Whitekit. He's way older than you are, and well I've been with him on little trails and stuff, he's sorta overprotective." I stated.

" That's enough." BrightHeart snapped at us just as the moment that I've said the last words. " SilverWind just worries about you, and I mean you are like his kit in someway. As for you Whitekit, any of those warriors would be great, and having fun isn't part of becoming a warrior. Dustpelt would be a great mentor and you'll be lucky to have anyone of them." she smiled, licking one paw and smoothing down her dusty coat. " As for you." she turned towards me. Uh oh. Before I could leave BrightHeart grabbed my tail and began cleaning my coat.

Brightheart's voice was sharp, but her golden eyes shone with love for her kit. Echokit was was adopted by Brightheart and nursed at her belly. She told him how Echokit's mother was a silver she-cat named Wintermoon, but when they in the forest walking with my father, but when they came back Echokit was there in his father's mouth. Sadly a sickness took over his mother and later she passed away. Echokit's only kin now was Silverwind, and he watched over him ever since. Echokit never really got to know his mother, but he was always told that she was a strong Thunderclan warrior.

I have to make my family proud, and the only way to do that is to be the best warrior there is.

Whitekit fluffed up her fur again, and cheerful pounched up to me. Echokit knew that she doesn't understand what he was going through. He was a mixed Clan cat and only his father knew it. He didn't really wonder about who his mentor would be, and he gazed around the clearing filled with other cats with new and curious eye. Willowpelt would be okay, she's nice, he thought, spotting the pale gray she-cat returning from a hunting patrol with Ashfur and Brambleclaw. Brambleclaw is still a new warrior. So it probably won't be him. Ashfur is strong and brave.

" Hey, wake up it's starting!" WhiteKit meowed. I turned around totally startled by her loud voice. Echokit realized that Firestar had appeared on the Highledge in the clearing.

" Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Firestar yowled.

As the cats in the clearing turned to his attention to Firestar and began to gather together. Echokit began to feel a strong energy towards the leader. He was a great warrior during the battle of Bloodclan. I feared his power and might, but I think I would fear my father even more. He is a Thunder and WindClan cat after all. Then there's his mother who has the kin of the other three Clans.

Firestar ran lightly down the rocks and took his place in the center of the ragged circle of cats that was forming. I saw Silverwind near Graystripe purring when I made eye contact with him. Brightheart gently nudged the two kits forward until we stood in the circle. Echokit's belly began to churn again, but when he looked to the stars he saw something. It looked like fire in the sky, but they were stars.

They will be one but many.....

" Echokit?"

I turned to Whitekit who was looking at me with confused eyes. I smile slightly, " Sorry I was just carried away."

" But your-"

"Please come up Whitekit and Echokit!" Firestars voice rang out in the Clan. We both walked towards him. Whitekit was so excited that I was worried that he was going to jump out of her fur. " Whitekit from now on you will be known as Whitepaw, and will be your mentor. I'm sure that she will guide you every step of the way.

" Whitepaw! Whitepaw!!!"

The yowling died, Firestar turned to me. " Echokit you will now be Echopaw, and Silverwind will be your mentor. The cat that has found you as a kit will now guide your way to become a warrior, and he'll bring out the warrior from inside you."

" Whitepaw! Echopaw!" the others yowled our names. Puffing out her chest again, Whitepaw felt so important. Echopaw on the otherhand began to question his future, and as he gazed upon his father, and now his mentor; he began to think what was he's training to be a warrior going to be like?

I will make you proud of me, Echopaw thought. I will serve my part in this Clan!

" Echopaw!!! We did it!!!" Whitepaw jumped on me sending me falling to the ground. He glared at her annoyed, but couldn't stay mad at her.

" Yeah, I guess we did." he mewed softly. The cats began to disperse, heading back to their dens and wherever the had to go. Whitepaw went to Brightheart and Cloudtail, and Silverwind padded towards his son.

" You did well." he purred. " That wasn't so bad now was it?"

He shook his head and smile. " No, it wasn't, but what did you mean that someone else will watch me?"

He froze a bit and then looked around making sure the coast was clear of any cats within ear shot. " There are many things about us that you don't know yet." he smiled. Echopaw didn't understand what he met by that either, and now he had more questions than answers. Silverwind smiled and liked around his ears. " Now, tomorrow we have a big day ahead of us. So how about you get some rest."

He nodded his head and padded back to his new den, but before closing his eyes. He watched how his father once again left the camp and into the forest. He always did that, but Echokit did not know why, who was he meeting, what was he doing, there was so many things he did not know, but he hopped that him being his mentor. The questions would be answer, but maybe not for the better.