Currantstar's Legacy ▶︎ The Name (Book 1)

Chapter 3

A half moon had passed since Stormkit found out about Crystalkit's plans to become a medicine cat. He still wasn't talking to her, and it made her very uncomfortable. Silverheart was also keeping a keen eye on her, saying that she couldn't sleep in the medicine den until she was an apprentice. Her "rebellious" night outside Lilystream's den almost gave her a heart attack.

Sootkit pushed the last of the pike he was eating towards his sister. "Here; I've finished."

"Thanks," she mewed, but she wasn't hungry. She was bursting with excitement. She was about to become an apprentice. She wolfed down the pike, wanting the ceremony to start already.

"But Silverheart — " Stormkit's exasperated tone echoed as their mother dragged him out of the nursery.

"You three need some cleaning up before the ceremony! Do you want to look like unkempt little kits?"

Their mother began with Crystalkit, as she always did. She licked her from head to tail, making sure that no single piece of fur was out of place.

After she had finished, Crystalkit padded away stiffly, making sure not to ruin her mother's work. She noticed the medicine cat sitting just outside of the medicine den, watching her with a soft look in her eyes.

I really wish I could be a warrior, Crystalkit thought longingly. But Lilystream and Silverheart want me to be a medicine cat so badly! I can't let them down.

She sat there neatly, watching the Bigpebble. In just moments the leader would emerge and start the ceremony. Ripplefrost sat beside her, Willowtail flanking him. "You excited squirt? Today's an important day in a cat's life."

"Oh, yes!" she meowed excitedly.

"Is it true you're becoming a medicine cat?" Willowtail added. "I thought you and your brothers wanted to be warriors."

"Yes, but Silverheart thought it would be best if I healed the warriors, instead of needing to be healed." She tried to sound upbeat.

"Well — " Willowtail's next comment was cut off as Beechstar poised himself on the Bigpebble, Sandybank at the base.

"May all cats old enough to go by the river gather around me for a clan meeting!" the tom bellowed. His brown fur was neatly in place and he stood with pride as the cats gathered on the sandy floor of the camp. Sootkit bounced over to sit next to Crystalkit, and Stormkit sat on his brother's other side, not even looking at his sister.

"As you all may know, today is the day that Silverheart's litter becomes six moons old. They are ready to become apprentices. Sootkit, Stormkit, step forward."

The two tom-kits shook with excitement and did as Beechstar told them.

"I call upon our StarClan ancestors to look down on these kits. They are ready to train and serve ReedClan in your honor. Sootkit, you will be mentored by Mistydawn. May she pass her wit and quick paws to you. From this moment until you are ready to become a warrior, you will be known as Sootpaw. Touch noses with Mistydawn."

The gray she-cat beamed as she touched her nose to her first apprentice. Sootpaw's tail fluffed up with excitement.

"Stormkit, you will be mentored by Riverfoot" — Crystalkit winced at the tom's name — "who will pass his confidence and cunningness down to you. From this moment until you earn your warrior name you will be known as Stormpaw. Touch your nose to your mentor's."

Stormpaw tried to act calm, but his excitement shone in the twitching of his whiskers. Riverfoot displayed his classic sly smile as he touched his nose to the new apprentice's.