Lizardkit narrowed his eyes. The sun heated his fluffy pelt as it rose above the pine trees. He yawned, streatching his claws out wide. Beside him Russetkit was curled up next to his mother, Cloudedsun. Lizardkit turned and looked up at his own mother. The gray she-cat's pelt was rising and falling rhythmically, her snoring muffled by the moss she had dug her head into. Lizardkit narrowed his eyes, padding out into the sun. His whiskers twitched as he glanced to the far side of the camp. That area had been covered with boulders and the barrier was reinforced. Lizardkit pricked his ears backward and looked away. He didn't want to be reminded of Halfkit.
As he padded freely through camp, his mind wandered. He thought about what would happen later today- Would Honeystar let him be an apprentice? He wondered if the leader would postpone his apprenticeship because he had left camp with his sister without permission. He sighed. Streamtuft had removed the cobwebs from his wound yesterday- He remembered the shocked faces of his clanmates when he emerged from the den with the large, ragged scar that crossed from his shoulder to his haunches. At least it wasn't any worse than just a scar. Where was Halfkit now? Was she dead? Lizardkit's mind wandered back to his sister. He recalled the scent of the rogue who had taken her- they didn't smell of the forest. Or the moor. When he was confined to the medicine cat's den Lizardkit had heard the cats who were on patrol- Swallowclaw, Darkpool, Cloverheart and Thistlepaw- discussing the scent of the stranger to Honeystar and Thymepelt outside. He remembered them saying that the cat smelled like twolegplace. Lizardkit knew that was where twolegs lived- The elders had told him and his sister many stories about a large twolegplace off the lake, and them travelling there in harsh winters as youngsters to fetch any prey they could from the twoleg controlled land.
Lizardkit was pulled from his thoughts when a flurry of fur raced past him. A sudden wind batted his face as he turned to see two cats carreer into a bush- They both came to a sudden stop, screeching madly when they hit the shrub. Lizardkit could see them- They were Thistlepaw and Aspenpaw, the oldest apprentices. He watched as their father, Nettleshade, raced after them. His face looked angry.
Lizardkit decided it wasn't the best idea to stick around, he had heard Nettleshade's ranting before. The kit slipped away from the group, glancing over his shoulder at the nursery as he did so.
Later that evening, stars began to come out of hiding in the orange sky. Long shadows loomed across the clearing as the clan gathered beneath highrock where Honeystar stood. The dusk light turned the Shadowclan cats orange- illuminating the tips of their fur and giving the impression that they were cats from Starclan themselves. Lizardkit sat inbetween his proud parents- Willowstream's tail was curled around Lizardkit while his mother Sootfoot smoothed his wild fluffy fur. Lizardkit felt excited- He'd finally be an apprentice! Part of him knew it wasn't meant to be this way. He was supposed to be with his sister now. She was meant to be an apprentice too. Was she watching him from Starclan? He assumed that she was dead, along with the rest of the clan.
Honeystar's yowl tore his attention away from his own thoughts.
"Tonight a kit has reached the age of six moons" He announced, his amber eyes resting on Lizardkit. "Lizardkit, Step forward!"
Lizardkit stepped over his fathers silver tail into the middle of the crescent shape his clanmates had formed. Sun rested on his pelt now he was out of the shadows, eyes bright like fire. Lizardkit purred quietly as he felt the gaze of his clanmates and listened intently to the leader's words.
"Do you promise to learn and follow the warrior code and provide for your clan?" Honeystar mewed, Stepping forward. The leader's tail lashed back and forth.
"I do!" He mewed, beginning to shake. This was one of the most important moments of his life!
"Then from this day forward, until you have earnt and recieved your warrior name, you shall be known as Lizardpaw." The leader paused, his gaze panning across the row of cats until he reached a small, gray she-cat.
"Wolfpelt, you have proved your loyalty to our clan so many times over. You mentored Willowfrost into a fine warrior, and I believe it is time for you to have your second apprentice"
Wolfpelt nodded, her brown tail flicking side to side at the tip and dipped her head. "I will pass on all I know to young Lizardpaw"
The clan began to cheer his name- "Lizardpaw! Lizardpaw! Lizardpaw!"
The new apprentice thought he could feel the warmth of another cat beside him. Was that Halfkit's spirit? Or just the warmth of his clanmates?
