Gingerkit

Where Are We Going?

"Congratulations," Dapplefoot purred. "I remember when I was made an apprentice. My name was Dapplepaw." Dopplefoot purred again at a joke Gingerpaw didn't know and trotted towards the senior's den.

As the cats began to scatter, Thrushtail, Cloudpelt, Dovenose, and Lionpaw's father Squirrelfur greeted the new apprentices.

"Well done!" Thrushtail meowed warmly to her daughters as Cloudpelt touched noses with each of them in turn.

When the sun began to set, Lionpaw turned in the direction of the nursery and Gingerpaw moved to block his path. "We don't sleep there any more, mouse-brain." she purred affectionately.

When Gingerpaw, Lionpaw and Smallpaw settled down to sleep in the apprentices den, Gingerpaw's green eyes slipped shut and she was asleep within moments.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

"Are we going to the training hollow?"

"No."

"Fourstones?"

"No."

The Nightclan border?"

"No."

"The Swiftclan border?"

"No."

"The Waterclan border?"

"No."

"The river?"

"No."

"Then where?"

"You'll see."

The morning had gone on like that. Willowfur was leading Gingerpaw through the forest. Gingerpaw didn't recognise the path they were taking, but although she had lots of questions, the only question she didn't have was about her mentor's judgement. She trusted that Willowfur would teach her everything as it came.

Then they stopped at a white thing. It smelled of tree but it was like no tree Gingerpaw had ever seen.

"What is this?"

"It's called a fence." Willowfur meowed. "We have reached one of the borders that marks the where the Furless live."

"Furless?"

"Huge animals that walk around on two legs all day. They have no fur except for a little bit on their heads, and the toms sometimes have hair on their forelegs. They live in huge square camps and they usually have at least one creature with them."

"What's a 'creature'?" Gingerpaw asked. These Furless things sounded scary.

"A huge shiny animal with round black paws. They're very colourful, usually red, blue, white or black. It runs faster than even a Swiftclan cat can, on huge grey or black paths called Roarpaths and it can crush a cat without even noticing."

"Wow." Gingerpaw breathed.

"All cats in the forest stay away from them." Willowpaw continued. "Lots of cats from all the clans have been attacked by them. The first lesson I wanted to teach you was to stay away from the Roarpaths."

"Ok, Willowfur."