Warriors: TalonClan: Flamewing and Wildflight

Apprencticeship

  Leopardstar leaped onto the rock and yowled "Let all cats old enough to swim gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!"

Slowly the cats walked out of their dens. No patrol was out in preparation for the meeting. They sat down and murmured, excited, waiting. 

At last everyone was sitting down, Flamekit and Wildkit among them. Nightcloud frantically licked their fur while they tried to duck out of the way.  Leopardstar watched them for a second, then began.

"Wildkit, step forwards."

Wildkit padded in front of Leopardstar, her blue eyes glowing. Flamekit fidgeted in excitement.

"Wilkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Wildpaw. Your mentor will be Lilyfoot. I know Lilyfoot will pass down all of her skill and knowledge on to you."

Lilyfoot stepped forwards, her green eyes ecstatic. Wildpaw reached up and touched noses with her new mentor. Wildpaw glanced back at Flamekit, looking as though she was holding back a purr.

Leopardstar nodded at Wildpaw and Lilyfoot, who stepped back.

"Flamekit, step forward."

Flamekit bounded forwards and Nightcloud restrained a flinch. Flamekit's ice-blue eyes shone when Wildpaw flicked her flank with her tail.

"Flamekit, you have also reached the age of six moons, and it is time now for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until the day you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Flamepaw. Your mentor will be Swiftriver. I am sure he will pass down all his wisdom and courage on to you."

Swiftriver padded forwards, and he purred as she strained up to touch noses with him. Flamepaw wriggled, feeling as light as air. Then she pulled back, and the Clan chanted "Wildpaw! Flamepaw! Wildpaw! Flamepaw!"

-_-_-_-

Once the meeting broke up, Nightcloud led the rush to the new apprentices as they congrulated them. Flamepaw and Wildpaw couldn't stop purring. Finally Onestep, the last cat, pulled away, and Swiftriver looked down at Flamepaw.

"Well? Are you going to purr yourself to death or are you going to come see the territory?" Swiftriver asked, then added, "Well, you've probably already seen it, you snuck out so much. I guess, then, you can go clean the elder's den."

Flamepaw's eyes widened. "No! Wildpaw and I only saw half of it," she said. "Plus, only older apprentices have to clean the elder's den. Right?"

Swiftriver purred. "Nope. All apprentices have to clean the elder's den. And if there aren't any apprentices, you'll have to continue to clean it even after your warrior ceremony."

"My warrior ceremony!" Flamepaw said. "What do I have to do? Fight you? Climb a tree? Sneak into another Clan's territory without being seen? Clean the elder's den for a moon?" She wrinkled her muzzle.

No, no, definitely no, and unfortunately no," Swiftriver replied. "You have to hunt."

"Oh."Flamepaw looked thoughtful. "I've already caught three fish, and I'll catch more when I'm an apprentice. Wait. So I catch prey and then I'm an apprentice?"

"Absolutely not," Swiftriver said. "And that's enough. Let's go." He bounded out of the camp, glancing at Lilyfoot as if to invite her to join him. She did, with Flamepaw and Wildpaw leaping after them.