The Choice

Chapter 6

"From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Hawkpaw. Your mentor will be Streamwhisker. Streamwhisker, you received guidance from Lilypetal, and I hope you do well to pass on what she taught you to young Hawkpaw."

Hawkpaw pressed his nose to the white and yellow cat's nose, who Graystar had just announced was to be his mentor. Though he had never spoken to the tom, excitement trilled through the dark brown tabby. Streamwhisker looked nervous, though.

"Flurrypaw! Sandpaw! Hawkpaw!" The clan chanted.

Sandpaw sat next to his mentor, Dawntail, while Flurrypaw sat next to Morningdew. Hawkpaw couldn't help feeling the slightest bit jealous towards her getting him as a mentor after learning Sheepwhisker had told him that she'd mentored him. 

"Oh, I'm so proud of you three!" Birdflutter purred excitedly, licking them all furiously.

Ashbreeze and Rowanpaw padded up to the three new apprentices as well, Ashbreeze affectionately licking Sandpaw's head.

"You be good to your mentors, you hear? And Rowanpaw, show them the ropes when they need help."

"I'm glad to have your kits as denmates," The tom-cat said with a polite smile, "Sleetpaw is, too."

"All right, all right. We should be going to see the territory before the sun sets." Dawntail said, her cream tail flicking back and forth.

"Y-yeah..." Streamwhisker added anxiously, seeming a bit nervous at the prospect of having his first apprentice, which made Hawkpaw nervous. 

His brother Morningdew seemed more confident, though, "Dawntail is right! We don't want to be out too late. Maybe Rowanpaw can come, too. Do a little hunting as we go," The fluffy tom suggested optimistically.

"Sure. Go with them, Rowanpaw, it will be good practice to be on a patrol without me," Ashbreeze nodded, turning and walking off to speak with Birdflutter. 

"Uh, well, sure I guess," Rowanpaw muttered, "So I guess I'll go too..?"

The seven cats slipped through the tunnel to camp, and Hawkpaw gazed around. The forest was huge! He had barely seen any of it, but he already knew he would love being a Sageclan warrior, especially if it meant free reign over the forest. Thinking of training to fight and hunt for his clan made him let out a little trill of joy, causing the older cats in the patrol to purr in amusement.

"Hawkpaw, Hawkpaw! You have to let me come with you!"

Hawkpaw turned to see Orangekit burst into the forest, her siblings close behind her. Her green eyes sparkled as she looked around, though her littermates seemed more nervous about being out of camp.

"Absolutely not. No distractions." Dawntail interjected.

"Kits, come back at once!" Shouted Silverstreak from inside camp, though it was Vixengaze who came out.

"You four should know better than to interrupt your friends' big day. Leave Hawkpaw, Flurrypaw, and Sandpaw to see the territory. You'll be able to see it yourself one day. All right?"

Boltkit, Patchkit, and Lionkit looked ready to agree, but Orangekit frowned, "I don't want to wait! I want to go with Hawkpaw!"

Vixengaze let out a sigh, while Dawntail let out an angry snort, tail lashing in an aggravated way, "We're losing daylight."

"How about I teach you how to stalk a mouse if you come back into camp?"

Though she let out a dejected sigh, Orangekit mumbled an agreement before allowing Vixengaze lead her and her siblings back into camp.

"Now, let's get ON with this." Dawntail growled, leading the cats deeper into Sageclan territory.

Hawkpaw couldn't help but feel a bit sad that Orangekit and her siblings couldn't be with him. He'd gotten used to them tagging along when they did things.

Flurrykit gave him a nudge, "Don't worry, they'll have their day." 

"You're right. Thanks." Hawkpaw purred, turning his attention back to his first day as an apprentice.