Stones (Book One) The Beginning

chapter 16

It had been four sunrises since the arrival of Sandy and her family. Clyde had gone on every hunting or border patrol Stonestar would allow him to go on and Creamtail and Sandy loved being together again and their kits enjoyed playing together.
Ceaderstripe noticed Burntwhisker and Rubyfur spending much time together, so much that even Shrewtail refused to speak to his former friend entirely.
"Burntwhisker told me a very funny joke yesterday, would you like to hear it?" Rubyfur asked Ceaderstripe.
Pebblefur had assigned Ceaderstripe, Rubyfur, Windwhisker, Halftail, and Swiftleg to go on border patrol.
Oh my Star clan! Will she ever shut up!? Ceaderstripe thought with annoyance, "no," is the only thing she mewed.
"Why not?" Rubyfur asked, "its Really funny. I think you would like it."
That's enough! Ceaderstripe thought. She swung around to face the she-cat, "I do not want anything to do with that mangy fox heart of a cat! Not after how much pain he caused me!" She yelled.
"Oh, a-alright," Rubyfur stuttered.
The whole patrol was looking at Ceaderstripe.
"Don't you have anything to do!? Like mark the borders perhaps!?" Ceaderstripe mewed angrily.
"Y-yes," Swiftleg mewed quickly then spun around and continued to lead the patrol.
Swiftleg was younger than Ceaderstripe and Hemlockheart but on his third moon- Ceaderstripe's fifth- there was a large battle on the Frostclan border in which his sister, Spottedpaw, had died. Stonestar admired his courage to continue training so much that he made him a warrior a quarter moon later.
The patrol marked the borders and Rubyfur made sure to keep a distance from Ceaderstripe the whole while.
When the cats returned to camp Ceaderstripe went to check on all of the queens in the nursery.
"Greetings Ceaderstripe," Star mewed kindly.
"Greetings," Ceaderstripe mewed bowing her head.
"Ceaderstripe! Will you play with us!?" Galaxy mewed.
Ceaderstripe nodded, "if its ok with all of your mothers we can go out into the clearing to play. Its to crowded to play properly in here," she mewed.
All of the other she-cats nodded in approval.
"Yay!" Galaxy squealed as he ran out of the den entrance.
All of the other kits followed, trampling Ceaderstripe on the way out.
After the kits left the den Ceaderstripe stood up and shook herself off, "playing with all 16 kits. This will be interesting," she mewed with a laugh as she padded out of the den.
Suddenly Stonestar jumped onto the great stone.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather by the great stone for a clan meeting!" Stonestar yelled.
The kits who had all been rolling around and playing together froze in their spots but then sat up straight, all in front of Ceaderstripe.
The clan slowly gathered and Stonestar continued.
"Three kits apprentice ceremony's have been long delayed," he called out, "Patchkit, Milkkit, and Timberkit, please step forwards."
The three kits, who were much larger than the other kits, stepped forwards.
"The three of you have been delayed and I am very sorry for that. And for that reason, if you do well in apprenticeship you will become warriors a moon early," Stonestar vowed.
"Thank you," mewed Milkkit.
"This will be greatly appreciated," Timberkit agreed with Milkkit.
Patchkit nodded in agreement, "we will train hard."
Stonestar dipped his  head, "From this moment until your warrior ceremonys, you will be known as Milkpaw, Timberpaw, and Patchpaw. Milkpaw, your mentor will be Swiftleg," he mewed.
The three apprentices beamed with pride as they received their names and Milkpaw padded to torch noses with his new mentor.
The two toms sat down and Stonestar continued.
"Timberpaw, your mentor will be Dawnlight," Stonestar mewed.
Timberpaw and Dawnlight touched noses and sat beside Milkpaw and Swiftleg.
Stonestar took a deep breath, "and Patchpaw, your mentor will be Smudgeface," he mewed.
Patchpaw touched noses with Smudgeface and sat down.
The whole clan chanted the names of the three new apprentices and then started to break apart.
"Wait!" Stonestar called making every cat freeze in his or her spot, "I'm not finished yet!"
The clan regathered around the great stone very quickly.
Stonestar looked around at the gathered cats, "There are cats among us who deserve a new name!" He called out.
The cats all looked at each other in confusion.
"Flatpaw," Stonestar yelled.
There were several 'ah's from the gathered cats.
"Do you promise to protect and defend this clan even at the cost of your life?" Stonestar mewed as Flatpaw made his way through the crowd.
"I do," Flatpaw mewed confidently.
"Then from this moment on you will be known as Flathead!" Stonestar yelled.
"Flathead! Flathead!" Yelled the clan.
Flathead beamed with pride as he bowed his head to his clanmates.
Stonestar waved his tail for the cats to quiet down, "Clyde!" Stonestar called, "I understand you would like to join our clan."
Clyde nodded and padded to sit at the bottom of the great stone.
"I would be honored to help defend this clan," he mewed.
"Then that answers my next question," Stonestar laughed, "then from this moment on, you will be known as Cliffwhisker. I trust you to do as well as any and every warrior that is already part of this clan."
Cliffwhisker bowed his head, "thank you."
Ceaderstripe could hear Sandy start to purr as the clan started to chant  her mates new name.
"Sandy," Stonestar mewed, "I understand you would also like to join the clan."
"Yes, I would love to contribute to this clan as much as I possibly can," Sandy mewed.
"Then from this moment on you will be known as Sandheart," Stonestar mewed.
The clan began to chat the she-cats new name.
Stonestar waved his tail for silence again, "Apple, Pine, your parents have accepted clan names. Would you also like to have a clan name?"
Apple and Pine jumped with joy, "yeah!" They squealed in unison.
"Then from this moment, until your apprentice ceremonys you will be known as Applekit and Pinekit!" Stonestar yelled, "meeting over!"
The whole clan started to chant the names of all of the cats that had just received a new name.