Warriors: Our Own Beginning

Chapter Four

Warriors: Our Own Beginning - Chapter Four

“Remember what we practiced, you two!  And, Ravenkit, at sunhigh, go up to Whitestar’s den for the meeting.  Be polite, okay?” Moonshade said as she licked Blackkit’s messy fur.  Ravenkit’s fur was glossy and smooth, and her ears twitched nervously.  It was almost time for their apprentices ceremony!  Sparkkit and Phoenixkit stopped playing to watch them, excitement and envy in their eyes.

    “We have to wait a whole day!” complained Sparkkit, his fluffy tail twitching.  Their mother, Autumnlight, beckoned them out of the nursery.

    “Be happy for them!  They are your friends, after all.  You won’t have to wait much longer,” Ravenkit heard her say before they climbed down the tree.  Ravenkit saw a flash of white climb down the tree.

    “Hurry!  Whitestar’s already climbing down!  We can’t be late to our own ceremony!” Ravenkit mewed in panic.

    “Go find Smokefang at the bottom of the tree.  Blackkit and I will be right down,” Moonshade told her.  Without hesitation, Ravenkit ran out of the nursery and hopped down the tree.  Whitestar was on the Highbranch, probably waiting for Moonshade and her kits.  Ravenkit looked around.  Where’s Smokefang?

    “Ravenkit!”  Ravenkit turned her head to see Autumnlight calling her.  She ran over to her.

    “Smokefang is on a patrol with Lionstripe, Webwhisker and Mistflower,” she mewed.  Ravenkit nodded and sat down next to Phoenixkit.  She saw Moonshade and Blackkit hopping down the tree as Whitestar called the ancient words:

    “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highbranch for a Clan meeting!”  Almost every cat had already gathered below him, and it only took a few heartbeats for the apprentices and warriors to join them.

    “Two of Moonshade’s kits have reached six moons, and so it is time for them to become apprentices.  Graycloud would have become the mentor of Bluekit, but unfortunately, she drowned in the river by StreamClan territory.”  The Clan began to mutter to each other, and Ravenkit saw Graycloud’s ears flattened with sadness.  She felt bad for the young warrior.  Bluekit would have been his first apprentice.

    The Clan began to quiet down, and Whitestar called: “Ravenkit!  Please step forward!”  Ravenkit walked shakily to the front of the group of cats.  “Ravenkit, from this day forward until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Ravenpaw.”  Whitestar paused for a heartbeat then continued.  “Brokenstorm, you have successfully mentored many young warriors that we are very proud of.  Now I ask you that you pass all of your knowledge and skill onto Ravenpaw.”

    Brokenstorm, a big, black striped and gold spotted tom, walked confidently up to Ravenkit.  She recognized him; he was always helping apprentices, elders and queens, and every cat in the Clan respected him.  Ravenkit hopped up to him and touched noses.  Wait!  I’m not Ravenkit anymore!  I’m Ravenpaw!

    Ravenpaw looked over to See Moonshade glowing with pride.

    “Blackkit!” yelled Whitestar, nearly making Ravenpaw jump.  Blackkit walked up to the front of the Clan.  His ears were flattened, but his eyes flickered with excitement.  “Blackkit, from this day forward until you have received your warrior name, you will be known as Blackpaw.”  Whitestar paused once more before continuing, “Redblaze, you are a young, strong warrior, and I would like to give you Blackpaw as your first apprentice.  I trust that you will make Blackpaw a fine warrior when the time comes.”

    Redblaze, a dark red spotted tabby, walked up to Blackpaw.  Redblaze was Graycloud’s brother.  Ravenpaw looked over to see that, to her surprise, Graycloud looked very happy for him.  Redblaze and Blackpaw touched noses, and the Clan began to chant their new names.

    “Blackpaw!  Ravenpaw!  Blackpaw!  Ravenpaw!”  Whitestar jumped off the branch and climbed up the tree.  Ravenpaw was disappointed that he hadn’t come down to congratulate them, but she shrugged it off as the older apprentices came over to them: Goldenpaw, Frostpaw, and Pinepaw.  Goldenpaw was only a moon older than Ravenpaw and Blackpaw, and they were friends in the nursery.  Pinepaw and Frostpaw were three moons older than them, so Ravenpaw didn’t know them very well.

    “Great job, Ravenpaw!” Goldenpaw mewed warmly.

    “Thanks, Golden--”

    “Ravenpaw!”  Ravenpaw turned to see Sunpaw, Mapleleaf’s young apprentice and Goldenpaw’s littermate, sitting on a low branch of the Hollow Tree.

    “Can you go get Sparkkit and Phoenixkit for me?  And Mapleleaf wants to see you,” she mewed.  Ravenpaw nodded, confused.

    “And what am I supposed to do, sit here?” muttered Blackpaw.

    “I can show you the apprentices den,” offered Goldenpaw.  Blackpaw snorted.

    “I can do it myself, thank you very much,” he replied sarcastically.  Goldenpaw glared at him.

    “Fine.  I need to go on a hunting patrol with Cloudfur, anyway,” she huffed, stalking off.

    Pinepaw and Frostpaw exchanged glances before walking off.

    “You could be more nice,” hissed Ravenpaw.  Blackpaw shrugged.  

    “Whatever.  I’m going to bring some fresh-kill to Tigerfur,” he said.  Ravenkit knew that he was fond of Tigerfur’s kits, so he was probably going up there to visit them.

    Ravenpaw walked over to Sparkkit and Phoenixkit who were chatting with Mistflower, who had just returned from the patrol.  Smokefang was next to her, and Ravenpaw ran up to him.  When he saw her, he nuzzled her.

    “Congratulations, Ravenpaw!” he mewed.

    “Thanks, Smokefang!  Sunpaw told me that Mapleleaf wanted to see me, so I have to go.”  She turned to the two kits.  “Sunpaw asked for you guys, too.”

    “Okay!” Sparkkit mewed.  “I’ll be happy to see your kits when you have them!”

    “Mistflower’s moving to the nursery?” asked Ravenpaw with delight.  Phoenixkit nodded.

    “Well, we’d better go,” Sparkkit mewed.  Ravenpaw nodded, leading the way up the tree, wondering why Mapleleaf would want to talk to her.